25: Anna Malaika Tubbs on how mothers shape the world

"Motherhood is the ultimate experience of caring for others. Beyond biological motherhood, as a mother, you create something new in this world, you care for our interconnectedness with each other, you are thinking about others just as much as you're thinking about yourself, if not more so."Anna Malaika Tubbs is a powerhouse voice in the world of storytelling and social justice. She's a New York Times bestselling author with a focus on addressing gender and race issues in the United States, especially the pervasive erasure of Black women. Her debut book, The Three Mothers, re-centered the lives and legacies of the mothers of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and James Baldwin. And in her newest book, Erased: What American Patriarchy Has Hidden From Us, she brings together research, the stories of freedom fighters past and present, and her own experiences to explain the impact of American patriarchy. During our conversation, Anna and I discuss how her mother's views on motherhood encouraged her to be an activist and feminist, how she turned her research and policy expertise into storytelling, and why she's focused on telling stories to help us understand that we don't see Black women as full human beings.To read more inspiring stories from Firestarters like Anna, preorder my book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age at firedupbook.com.My new book Fired Up: How to Turn Your Spark Into a Flame and Come Alive at Any Age, is available for preorder! Out in June 2025, Fired Up will give you the formula for finding your unique spark and show you how to use it to start fires in your life. By preordering, you can enroll for FREE in Firestarter University, a year-long online program that includes live monthly workshops, workbooks and resources, accountability check-ins, and a community to help you succeed. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit shannonwatts.substack.com/subscribe