Imagine if you Googled yourself and horrible search results popped up on your screen, saying you are damaged goods, trash, and selfish. How would it shape your identity, impact your self-esteem or form others’ opinions about you? Well, that’s exactly what happened to me when I typed “Single Black Mom” into the search bar. When negative narratives flooded the page, I turned my anger into action and formed Single Mom Defined, a photo essay and video series.
Fifty mothers wrote a more accurate definition of single parenting, and more than 100 children described their moms using words like joyous, kind, phenomenal, and affectionate. When the exhibit was unveiled, Single Mom Defined surveyed 500 people who admitted to having negative perceptions about single mothers. After exiting the exhibit, 93% stated they now held positive attitudes toward single mothers. The exhibit inspired an online and in-person to elevate the voices of single mothers and redefine public perspectives.
Since then, Single Mom Defined has continued to expand our audiences, meeting more and more moms who want their voices to be heard. Thanks to a partnership with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, we’re hosting a series of writing workshops presented by Award-Winning Author and Speaker GG Renee. The first workshop trained moms who were interested in writing articles for our website. Stay tuned for the articles that arose from that storytelling session! The second and third sessions will focus on writing to heal.
The Words That Heal Writing Workshops are based on the idea that the power of words can change the direction of our lives. Writing helps us sort through difficult feelings, admit things we’re afraid to say out loud, and find renewed purpose and beauty in the journey of our lives. This workshop series allows us to practice writing as a path to healing in several different ways.
On Sunday, February 27th at 11 a.m., we’ll transform memories into meaningful stories. On Sunday, March 27th at 11 a.m., we’ll write healing narratives for the future.
You don’t have to be a writer to attend! This is a great self-care activity, especially for those who want to journal more. Space is limited and registration is required. Click here to register for the live event on Zoom.
