Oct. 7, 2022

Fresh Take: Helena Andrews-Dyer on Learning From Moms Not Like Us

What can we learn from mothers across racial and cultural divides, and how can we make authentic connections with them? Award-winning journalist Helena Andrews-Dyer asks these questions and more in her new book “The Mamas."

Helena Andrews-Dyer is an award-winning culture reporter for The Washington Post. Her new memoir “The Mamas: What I Learned About Kids, Class, and Race From Moms Not Like Me” tells the story of how Helena joined her local mom group —“the Mamas”— after having her first child.

Helena quickly realized that being one of the only Black mothers in the mix was a mixed bag. The racial, cultural, and socioeconomic differences were made clear almost immediately. In this interview, Helena and Margaret discuss what it's like raising Black children in America, what she's learned about the connections motherhood forges, and the many cultural spaces Helena has occupied throughout her life.

Helena and Margaret discuss:

  • The ways motherhood is racialized for Black women
  • Being an "invisible mom"
  • What it takes to make an authentic connection with another mother


Here's where you can find Helena:

www.helenaandrews.com

find THE MAMAS in our Bookshop store: https://bookshop.org/a/12099/9780593240311

@helena_andrews on IG and Twitter 


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