Session 454: Black Single Mothers
Therapy for Black Girls
iHeartPodcasts and Joy Harden Bradford, Ph.D.
4.8 • 5.8K Ratings
🗓️ 11 March 2026
⏱️ 34 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Black single mothers have long been the subject of stereotypes, political debate, and cultural criticism. For decades, narratives in media and public discourse have framed them as the root of social problems rather than recognizing the complex realities of their lives, families, and communities. Today’s guest is writer and cultural critic Jamilah Lemieux, whose work has helped shape conversations about race, gender, and culture for more than a decade. Beginning her career in the Black feminist blogosphere, Jamilah has written and edited for many major publications and has become known for her sharp cultural commentary and advocacy for Black women and girls.
In this conversation, we discuss her new book Black. Single. Mother., where she explores the realities of single motherhood through her own story as well as the stories of other Black women. We talk about the stigma attached to single mothers, the importance of community and co-parenting, how media narratives shape perceptions of Black families, and what it means to redefine family structures outside of traditional expectations.
About the Podcast
The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves.
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Executive Producers: Dennison Bradford & Gabrielle Collins
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Producers: Tyree Rush & Ndeye Thioubou
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Therapy for Black Girls podcast, a weekly conversation about mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible versions of ourselves. |
| 0:23.8 | I'm your host, Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a licensed psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia. |
| 0:30.1 | For more information or to find a therapist in your area, visit our website at Therapy for Blackgirls.com. While I hope you love listening to |
| 0:40.4 | and learning from the podcast, it is not meant to be a substitute for a relationship with a licensed |
| 0:47.1 | mental health professional. Hey, y'all. |
| 0:56.6 | Thanks so much for joining me for session 454 of the Therapy for Black Girls podcast. |
| 1:01.5 | We'll get right into our conversation after a word from our sponsors. |
| 1:10.5 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 1:13.3 | Guaranteed human. |
| 1:18.6 | Black single mothers have long been the subject of stereotypes, political debate, and cultural criticism. |
| 1:24.8 | For decades, narratives and media and public discourse have framed them as the root of |
| 1:28.9 | social problems rather than recognizing the complex realities of their lives, families, and |
| 1:33.9 | communities. But the truth is far more nuanced. Black single mothers have always been central to the |
| 1:39.6 | strength and survival of black communities. They are caregivers, leaders, and culture shapers, often raising |
| 1:44.9 | children, supporting extended family members, and contributing to their communities in powerful ways. |
| 1:51.0 | Today's guest is writer and cultural critic Jamila Lemieux, whose work has helped shape |
| 1:55.9 | conversations about race, gender, and culture for more than a decade. Beginning our career in the Black |
| 2:01.4 | Feminist Blogosphere, Jamila has written and edited for many major publications and has become |
| 2:06.9 | known for her sharp cultural commentary and advocacy for Black women and girls. In our conversation, |
| 2:13.3 | Jamila joins us to discuss her new book, Black Single Mother, where she explores the |
| 2:17.9 | realities of single motherhood through her own story, as well as the stories of other black |
| 2:22.3 | women. We talk about the stigma attached to single mothers, the importance of community and |
... |
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