A Gift Guide for the Upspoken Mothers That Often Go Overlooked

This Mother’s Day the Upspoken team is celebrating the hidden figures of Black motherhood. The complexities in a Black mother’s face aren’t always told and we’re taking the time to highlight and appreciate some of the many ways in which Black women give life and nurture generations. Black women aren’t monolithic. We’re multi-dimensional and our full range of experiences are worth the spotlight. We hope to shine a light and bring a little comfort to moms and relationships of all kinds by encouraging our readers to spread love the Upspoken way with these thoughtful gift suggestions.

Grandmothers-Grandmothers are supreme. They keep the family together, raise grandchildren as their own, and are full of knowledge and wisdom that can guide you for a lifetime. There’s no gift that can compete with a grandmother’s love, but you can capture her legacy with a family photo. Try framing one that highlights different generations,grandma preparing Sunday dinner or just kicking back and relaxing. Good luck with the last one though!

Incarcerated Mothers- Mass incarceration is real and “when you incarcerate a mother you incarcerate a whole family.” Incarcerated mothers are missing out on more than celebrating Mother’s Day. Some mothers face the possibility of missing their children grow up. Some are incarcerated for minor offenses, others are innocent women who simply can’t afford bail. In those cases, they often spend more time in jail awaiting trial than they would serving a sentence for the actual offense. This problem is so widespread that entire organizations are dedicated to raising funds for mass bailouts just in time for Mother’s Day. Incarcerated mothers need love too and if you aren’t able to contribute to a bailout, you can contribute to their commissary, or send them a postcard as a way to show love to a mother who is behind bars.

Single Parents– Raising a child in a single parent household is difficult. Single parents don’t always have the luxury of time alone so a great way to show appreciation for their work and sacrifice is giving them “time” in the form of a self-care certificate. For example, who wouldn’t want four hours to cash in the next time they need some “me time.” As the gift giver, you would look after their child or children while they take a much needed break to restore and rejuvenate.

Mothers In Crisis: Losing a child is arguably one of life’s most difficult experiences. It’s a pain no mother should ever have to endure, yet Black mothers are disproportionately familiar with this pain. While nothing will bring their children back, you might bring some comfort to a grieving mother by creatively packaging up gifts that helps them take care of themselves in times of grief. For example a certificate to get a massage or paying for a week of two of meal deliveries. These suggestions can be kind gestures to mothers who are processing their grief and learning how to adjust to their new normal.

All Mothers: No matter the relationship or proximity to a mother figure, all mothers should feel empowered to be Upspoken in their lives. Check out our  sex-positive and good for the soul gift guides for the Upspoken mother in your life. Let us know, how do you show love to the mothers in your life?