Redefining Black Single Motherhood
Photo by Andrae Ricketts on Unsplash
Black Motherhood: A Radical and Sacred Endeavor
Black motherhood, in all its forms, is a radical act of resistance, a sacred force that refuses to be broken. Whether a Black mother chooses solo parenting or not, the act of raising and loving her child(ren) in the face of systemic adversity is revolutionary. Every single Black mother who decides to love, nurture, and protect her children is defying a world that has stacked the odds against her.
While many Black mothers have learned to survive in the harshest of conditions, we know survival is not enough. We know our children deserve much better. What remains are the oppressive structures that continue to trap Black mothers and their children in cycles of poverty—cycles rooted in the brutal legacy of colonization, enslavement, genocide, and land theft. These structural barriers create a distorted narrative, one that condemns Black single motherhood as a “problem” while ignoring the systems that keep Black families in states of poverty, hunger, and lack.
According to the N.C. Tax and Budget Center, over 38% of single mothers with children in North Carolina live below the federal poverty threshold, with Black, Indigenous, and Hispanic women facing the highest poverty rates. Nationally, 40% of Black female-headed households with children live in poverty. This is not a result of personal failure, but a direct consequence of the systemic forces that have long targeted Black communities. This cycle, inherited from a history of structural oppression, makes it nearly impossible for Black mothers to escape, no matter how hard they work.
For far too long, society has cast judgment on Black single mothers, labeling them with stigma, shame, and struggle. Instead of questioning the systems that place mothers and their children in constant states of deprivation, society has asked what’s wrong with the mothers themselves. But the real question is: What kind of society forces mothers and children to live in poverty and struggle, all while perpetuating these cycles through structural violence?
Alberta’s Homeplace stands as a response to this injustice. We believe that Black mothers and their children deserve a world where they can thrive—a world where all children have the opportunity to flourish, free from the weight of systemic inequities. Alberta’s Homeplace is here to remind Black mothers of their worth and abundance, even amid the struggle they face. It is a space where Black mothers can dream freely, define their own paths, and reclaim their power to mother on their own terms.
We aim to redefine Black single motherhood, not through the lens of struggle and scarcity, but through love, liberation, and joy. We reject the narrative of single motherhood as one of failure. Instead, we celebrate it as an act of strength, resilience, and radical love."Homeplace: A Site of Resistance"
Bell Hooks, in her work Yearning, described “homeplace” as the construction of a safe, affirming space where Black people could heal the wounds inflicted by systemic racism. This was the place where Black people, particularly Black women, could nurture themselves, develop their spirits, and reclaim self-respect—away from the oppressive forces of white supremacy. Alberta’s Homeplace seeks to create that very space.
We understand the importance of environment. The spaces we inhabit shape our experiences and how we perceive ourselves. At Alberta’s Homeplace, we are committed to creating an environment that nurtures Black and Indigenous mothers and their children, empowering them to disrupt cycles of poverty and systemic inequity. To heal the original attachment wound is to acknowledge how the legacies of enslavement, genocide, and land theft continue to manifest today—and then to actively reshape the experience of Black motherhood.
A Shared Struggle, A Shared Liberation
While each Black mother’s journey is unique, the roots of our collective suffering are deeply intertwined. Alberta’s Homeplace recognizes these shared struggles and seeks to build solidarity, healing, and empowerment through community. By reconnecting with what binds us—our histories, our struggles, and our shared aspirations—we can begin to heal and create a collective path to liberation.
This is an invitation for Black mothers to come together, to reflect on what our community needs, what our children need, and what we, as mothers, need to thrive. Alberta’s Homeplace is a nurturing environment that helps repair our relationship with the land, honors Indigenous ways of mothering, and creates a space where Black and Indigenous mothers can reclaim the dignity, choice, and belonging they deserve.
Grounded in love, liberation, and joy, Alberta’s Homeplace proudly takes up the tradition of homeplace—a sanctuary where Black mothers can redefine motherhood, restore their power, and build a future of abundance and freedom for themselves and their children. This is more than just a place. It’s a movement, rooted in the belief that Black mothers are powerful, deserving, and worthy of every possibility life has to offer.
Resources for Redefining Single Motherhood:
News & Observer: “Women & Children First?”
We Live for the We: The Political Power of Black Motherhood- Dani McClain