About MAMAS
MAMAS is a feminist of color reproductive justice collective that uplifts the activism of people who conduct mothering and caring forms of labor among Black, indigenous, and people of color-based communities. By “mamas,” we mean biological and non-biological mothers and caretakers. We believe Black and Brown mamas laboring on the frontlines of families and communities targeted by state violence are among the most powerful forces of social change.
Our vision is to integrate the voices and strategies of BIPOC people who are mothers and caretakers into social movements, media debates, and policy processes related to prison abolition, migrant justice, and the decolonization of indigenous lands. We believe this integration is necessary if we are to survive these systems and build the kindsof connections and alternatives needed to build a just and loving society.
Our collective wisdom teaches us that:
--U.S. empire and white supremacy directly target Black and Brown mamas because they consider our reproductive labor to be a threat to their survival
--U.S. state violence has a ripple effect that extends beyond the direct targeting of individuals into the indirect devastation of our communities where people who mother labor on the frontlines and
--Black, Brown, and Indigenous mamas face a dual struggle as survivors of the very systems we strive to protect our loved ones from
--U.S.-led policing, immigration-bans, colonization and war reinforce and sustain each other, requiring us to approach our struggles relationally and coalitionally
We achieve our goal by:
-- Fostering spaces for collective healing and support among mama-survivors of state violence
-- Activating the voices and analyses of mama-survivors
-- Building resources mama-survivors need to participate in movements, media, and policy
-- Creating and participating in public platforms where mama-survivors can integrate their voices and strategies into movements, media, and policy.