Description

Can white moms and Black moms ever truly be friends Not just mom friends butlike really real friends And does it matter

Utterly addictive Through her sharp wit and dynamic anecdotal storytelling Helena AndrewsDyer shines a light on the cultural differences that separate Black and white mothersTia Williams New York Times bestselling author of Seven Days in June

Helena AndrewsDyer lives in a hot Washington DC neighborhood which meanspicturesque row houses and plenty of gentrification After having her first child shejoined the local mom groupthe Mamasand quickly realized that being one of the only Black mothers in the mix was a mixed bag The racial cultural and socioeconomicdifferences were made clear almost immediately But spending time in what she callsthe Polly Pocket world of postracial parenting was a welcome reprieve Then GeorgeFloyd happened A man was murdered a man who called out for his mama And suddenly the Mamas hit different Though they were alike in some waysthey want their kids to be safe they think their husbands are lazy they work too much and feel guilty about itAndrewsDyer realized she had an entirely different set of problems thather neighborhood mom friends could never truly understand

In The Mamas AndrewsDyer chronicles the particular challenges she faces in a group where systemic racism can be solved with an Excel spreadsheet and where she a Black professional Ivy Leagueeducated mom is overcompensating with every moveAndrewsDyer grapples with her own inner tensions like Why do I never leave the house with the baby and without my wedding ring and Why did every name we considered for our kids have to pass the rsum test Throw in a global pandemic and a nationwide movement for social justice and AndrewsDyer ultimately tries to find out if moms from different backgrounds can truly understand one another

With sharp wit and refreshing honesty The Mamas explores the contradictions and community of motherhoodwhite and Black and everythingagainst the backdrop of the rapidly changing world