Upper Marlboro, MD — As the life was being choked out of George Floyd, he called out, “Mama!” Our sons and daughters are calling for us and Mocha Moms, Inc. will answer. The cancer of racism is killing our sons and daughters, and it needs to be eradicated.
In response, Mocha Moms across the country are calling for:
• a national ban on chokeholds,
• mandatory comprehensive reporting of use of force,
• mandatory de-escalation policies, and
• the criminalization of race-based false reporting.
Mocha Moms, Inc. also is engaging local and national police in Mom-to-Cop discussions about the reality of racialized violence.
For more than 20 years, Mocha Moms, Inc. has been engaging and supporting mothers of color and our communities through sisterhood, support, and service. Through local chapters and online, Mocha Moms, Inc. provides support, inspiration, and encouragement to mothers of color while advocating for them and their communities nationally.
“The United States is simply not a safe place to be Black,” says Cheli English-Figaro, Esq., co-founder and President Emerita of the organization. “I am Black. I have three Black children and a Black husband. There is not one day that I am not acutely aware that the color of our skin puts a target on each of our backs.”
In addition to calling for meetings with law enforcement agencies and organizations, Mocha Moms across the country are engaged in at-home efforts to combat racialized violence and systemic racism as they raise Black children. This is happening through a series of local chapters, special interest networks, and national discussions. Some of those online discussions have included special guests like Trina Greene Brown, Founder of Parenting for Liberation, and author of a book by the same name. She discusses best practices for raising Black children in a world of police brutality, racialized violence, and disenfranchisement. They have also welcomed Dr. Tracie Keesee, Co-founder and Senior Vice President of Justice Initiatives for the Center for Policing Equity, a research and action think tank that produces analyses identifying and reducing the causes of racial disparities in law enforcement.
For more information about Mocha Moms, Inc. visit www.mochamoms.org.About
Mocha Moms is the premiere voice for Mothers of color. Mocha Moms, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender or socio-economic level, education, or religion. Anyone who supports the mission and purpose of Mocha Moms, Inc. is welcome to join. The platform includes strengthening marriages and families, promoting self-care, strong educational foundations, volunteerism, and activism. Mocha Moms, Inc. has been featured on ABC’s Nightline, Good Morning America, and The Oprah Winfrey Show, as well as in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Essence, Ebony and JET.