Brown Mamas Weekend will celebrate the strength and explore the challenges of Black motherhood in our region

Photo above courtesy of Muffy Mendoza/Brown Mamas.

Black mothers from around the Pittsburgh region are invited to celebrate Brown Mamas Weekend at the August Wilson African American Cultural Center on July 27 and 28. With a focus on empowerment, community and transformation, the two-day gathering will include master classes, panel discussions and a wellness lounge.

“Brown Mamas Weekend celebrates the complexity and beauty of Black motherhood. It’s a platform where the often-overlooked stories and experiences of Black mothers are brought to the forefront,” says Brown Mamas founder Muffy Mendoza. “It’s an opportunity for moms to celebrate each other. And I am so excited for women to experience all the weekend offers.”

Mendoza visited KDKA-TV’s Talk Pittsburgh earlier this week to share details about the event, along with two of the storytellers who will perform during the Brown Mamas Monologues event on Saturday night at 7 p.m. — Chetia Hurtt and Beth Burton.

The annual Brown Mamas Monologues showcase African-American mothers telling their personal stories about the trials and triumphs of Black motherhood in America. By amplifying the voices and lived experiences of Black moms, the showcase adds diversity and depth to the American motherhood narrative.

Brown Mamas Weekend “is an opportunity for us to take a deeper look at what it means to be a Black mother in the United States,” Mendoza told the Talk Pittsburgh audience. “But it’s also an opportunity for us to really celebrate each other — celebrate all the highs and lows that we experience, all the trials and triumphs that we have being moms.”

Mendoza sees this as especially vital for Black mothers in the Pittsburgh region.

“We know what the outcomes are for Black mothers here in terms of maternal morbidity, in terms of infant mortality. We know that the outcomes are daunting, when we really look at the facts,” Mendoza said.

“This is a really unique opportunity for us to hear directly from moms like Beth and Chetia about their Black mothering experience. But it’s also a great opportunity for us to really go deep on some of those issues that are affecting Black mothers. And on Day Two of Brown Mamas Weekend, that’s what we plan to do with our Womb, Wealth, Wellness Summit.”

Get more details and tickets right here.

“It is difficult, the task of mothering,” Mendoza said. “You need your people. Brown Mamas Weekend is an opportunity for you to come and find your Brown Mamas people.”