We Live for the We

The Political Power of Black Motherhood

By: Dani McClain

Narrated by: Dani McClain

Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

A warm, wise, and urgent guide to parenting in uncertain times, from a longtime reporter on race, reproductive health, and politics.

In We Live for the We, first-time mother Dani McClain sets out to understand how to raise her daughter in what she, as a black woman, knows to be an unjust—even hostile—society. Black women are more likely to die during pregnancy or birth than any other race; black mothers must stand before television cameras telling the world that their slain children were human beings. What, then, is the best way to keep fear at bay and raise a child so she lives with dignity and joy?

McClain spoke with mothers on the front lines of movements for social, political, and cultural change who are grappling with the same questions. Following a child's development from infancy to the teenage years, We Live for the We touches on everything from the importance of creativity to building a mutually supportive community to navigating one's relationship with power and authority. It is an essential handbook to help us imagine the society we build for the next generation.

©2019 Dani McClain (P)2019 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"Dani McClain reminds us why Black women, specifically Black mothers, are the backbones of every single society. While we are often neglected and disenfranchised our labor is what has built democracies around the globe. This is a must read for all Black mamas and our allies. Thank you Dani and thank you Dani's daughter for showing us the way forward."—Patrisse Khan-Cullors, author of When They Call You a Terrorist: A Black Lives Matter Memoir

"Dani McClain charts the rich territory of black motherhood, an element of American life that is overlooked and undervalued even as our society benefits from its tenacity and love. We Live for the We is deeply researched, compassionately reported, and soars with the beauty and urgency of McClain's truest expertise: her own life as a black woman raising a young daughter. Parenting is political and we all have much to learn from the work McClain chronicles in these pages. This book is a gift, and it is for everyone."—Angela Garbes, author of Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy

"In this generous, well-researched book, Dani McClain bridges realism with idealism, and critique with our shared craving for the better world all of our children deserve. Generations of parents and community members will use this book to make decisions, to revive our hope, and to teach each other about the implications of difference in a stratified society. Most importantly, for me, this book engages and continues the brave multi-generational tradition of Black mothers sharing their own experiences and their revolutionary visions for the benefit of all people. Thank you, Dani McClain, for bringing your hardest questions, your rigorous observations, your priceless relationship with your daughter, and your open heart to this necessary work."—Alexis Pauline Gumbs, PhD, coeditor of Revolutionary Mothering: Love on the Front Lines

The We

Each chapter is a different road in motherhood. It also makes thing make sense as a black mom, we do this for we, never just us.

An Overdue Book!

I alternated between listening and reading the book. I initially downloaded the audiobook and by the end of the introduction I was ordering the book. It's easy to follow, both the audiobook and the hard copy. The content itself was cathartic for me; I share a lot of similarities with the author so it felt especially personal. I've been grappling with many of the same thoughts that Dani McClain so beautifully articulated and interrogated. This book, I think, will be a bit of an exhale for many black women and non-binary ppl who are currently or considering taking on mothering, and it will provide some resources to check out. For others, it will, at the very least, give you a lovingly glimpse into this big journey black ppl who mother have and continue to navigate.

Loved

I truly enjoyed this book. My oldest child was born the same year as the author’s and her struggles and thoughts mirror many of my own. It was inspiring to hear the many examples of Black motherhood.

Not what I expected

I rate it at 3 stars because the interviews were amazing; however, I would’ve liked for the story to flow better and not sound textbook like.