Motherhood is a gift—one that comes in many shapes, sizes, and forms. While there are millions of mothers around the world, we all get initiated into the Motherhood Club in our own special way.
With Mother’s Day 2021 quickly approaching, it’s important moms everywhere feel loved and appreciated for doing one of the hardest yet most thankless jobs around—no matter how they got the part!
Below are some quotes from some of our favorite badass Black celebrity moms to inspire your motherhood:
Jada Pinkett-Smith, Married Mom
“You always have to remember to take care of you first and foremost, because when you stop taking care of yourself you get out of balance and you really forget how to take care of others ... I have to be responsible enough to take care of me ... the more happy I am and the more fulfilled I am, it works for the family. And when I’m not it doesn’t.”
Taraji P. Henson, Single Mom
“These days we’re so busy protecting our kids, when we really should be pulling back the blinds and showing them that we live in a world that’s not always fair and moral. Sometimes we try to protect our children so much that when something doesn’t go right in their lives, they’re unprepared to deal with adversity. I don’t think that does our kids any favors.”
Kelly Rowland, New Mom
“I was growing a baby inside my body—what could be more important than that? And I just couldn’t get enough of the attention my friends and family showered on me. Everyone was always rubbing my belly and offering me the best seat on the couch and generally treating me like the queen of the world. That’s exactly what I felt like: a queen!”
Viola Davis, Adoptive Mom
"It changes your life because it opens your heart to so much joy and love but also you die to yourself, and we are essentially selfish people. I like taking naps, I like listening to music. I like having time with my husband and literally taking him in and having space in my brain, and a lot of that is gone. You mourn the loss of that."
Gabrielle Union, Stepmom and Mom via Surrogate
“An upside of being 46 and having been a stepparent is I give myself permission to be human. When I need a minute to return emails or cry or mindlessly scroll social media, I’ll take it. I’m not trying to be a perfect parent. [...] I’m okay with life not being balanced. I’m not hitting it out of the park in every area. There are times I should be studying lines, but I’m playing with my baby and I’m enjoying it.”
No matter the journey into motherhood, being a mother is unlike any other job on the planet. It builds character in so many ways and teaches us countless lessons in the world. As MJ Fievre, author of Raising Confident Black Kids: A Comprehensive Guide for Empowering Parents and Teachers of Black Children, says, “Mothers are the embodiment of love: imperfect but fierce and relentless.”
Happy Mother’s Day to ALL the badass moms everywhere!
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Meloni Capria is a Wisconsin native who currently resides in Texas with her wife, 10-year-old son, and their three pet Yorkies. Her professional background is in Secondary Education and English Language Arts and Reading. She currently serves in the role of Editorial Assistant at Mango Publishing Group and is a collaborative partner at DOPE Publishing. She enjoys writing, watching movies, and all things related to marriage, parenting, and family.