Family and Home Network embraces and affirms the following statement by Mocha Moms Inc. We are deeply grateful for their work and for granting us permission to share it:
Many of us watched with horror, anger and frustration as a mob of domestic terrorists stormed the Capitol. There are so many words we could use to express our feelings - so many that it’s hard to find them all. However we can’t mince words for what we witnessed. What we saw on full display was insurrection and entitlement. We watched a mob of people who claim to love democracy until they don’t like the results of that democracy. We watched a mob of people try to overturn a fair and free election. We watched a President encourage insurrection in an effort to hold on to power. And, beyond that, we watched yet another display of whose lives really matter.
As mothers of color, our anger was compounded by the recognition that this mob was treated with more civility and tolerance than any of the Black Lives Matter protestors. It was a reminder that our society accepts the anger and protest from some people, yet our anger, however righteous and valid, is unvalued and unwanted.
But we are angry. And we will express it. We will stand up and speak out the value of our lives and of the lives of our families. We will continue to occupy schools and all the spaces we know we have the right to occupy. Let’s all recommit this year to stepping fully into our power as mothers and the sacred value we bring to our families, our communities and this country. As Audre Lorde tells us:
"I have a duty to speak the truth as I see it and share not just my triumphs, not just the things that felt good, but the pain. The intense, often unmitigated pain. It is important to share how I know survival is survival and not just a walk through the rain," The Transformation of Silence into Language & Action.
Thank you, Mocha Moms, Inc for this powerful statement – and for allowing us to reprint it here.
In the summer of 2019, Family and Home Network created a new resource page on our website – Anti-racism and Countering Extremist Hate. In the introduction, we wrote: “The people who carry on Family and Home Network’s work are committed to continuing to learn how to be anti-racist. We know this is not a quick fix project – but it is an essential task of our times. Parents must talk with their children and teens not only about anti-racism but also about hate groups, including white nationalism - there is rampant spread of misinformation and conspiracy theories, mixed with racist propaganda.”
Those of us who are white people have not had to live with the same kinds of difficult conversations with children, worries and stress that have always been essential elements of life in the U.S. for people of color. Family and Home Network’s Board members, staff and volunteers are committed to stepping up in every way we possibly can. We will continue to learn about the history of our nation that hasn’t been taught in schools, to dig deep into difficult conversations with our children, with extended family, neighbors and representatives of governing bodies from local to national. We intend to truly embrace the diversity and promise of our nation. We look forward to hearing your thoughts, feelings and ideas.
