The General Board of Church and Society Welcomes the 2nd Annual Black Mothers March on the White House
The Black Mother’s March is a coalition of black-led organizations that have been involved in the struggle to advocate for Black women, children, and families impacted by violence and trauma experienced by the U.S. Foster Care system and policies.
As United Methodists, we believe “the family to be the basic human community through which persons are nurtured and sustained in mutual love, responsibility, respect, and fidelity” (2016 Book of Discipline ¶ 161B).
We recognize and affirm that family comes in many forms, but the foundation for a healthy family life requires nurturing love, responsibility, respect and fidelity. Unfortunately, not every family in the US can embrace these values because of systemic injustice and oppression. Specifically, Black, Brown, and Indigenous families of color endure systemic violence through policies that disrupt and dismantle families rather than advocating for the strength and care of the family.
The disruption and dismantling of the families in the US are made worse by the disproportionate presence of Black and Indigenous children who have been forcefully removed from their families and placed in the foster care system.
In 2021 the Children’s Defense Fund reported that nationally, “Black children are represented in foster care at a rate that is 1.66 times their portion of the overall population, and American Indian/Alaska Native children are represented in foster care at a rate that is 2.84 times their portion of the population nationally.” These statistics reveal the systemic violence and stress that Black and Indigenous families experience when they are separated. To care for the family, both Church and Society must advocate for solutions that strengthen family systems, not separate them.
As the church, we advocate for the flourishing of all people and societal policies that are committed to that vision. This Mother’s Day weekend, The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) of The United Methodist Church will engage this vision by welcoming the 2nd Annual Black Mothers March on the White House to the United Methodist Building.
The Black Mother’s March is a coalition of Black-led organizations involved in the struggle to advocate for Black women, children, and families impacted by violence and trauma experienced by the U.S. Foster Care system and policies.
Beginning on May 13, 2023 at 9:30 am, there will be a gentle Yoga & Meditation at The United Methodist Building, followed by an immersive art experience: Beyond The Veil.
Description: Envisioned and curated based on the real-life pain experienced by families on the front lines of the fight to abolish the Family Regulation System, Beyond the Veil: UnVeiling the Family Regulation System is a guided art experience that exposes the trauma experienced by victims of this corrupt system through the eyes of those most impacted. The feeling of emptiness will take on a new meaning as you get to see a mother sitting in her child’s room the night her child was kidnapped by the State. A moment millions of parents experience unnecessarily every single day.
All events lead up to the March and Rally on May 14, 2023, from 11-4 pm, with a starting point at Lafayette Park.
To attend and experience this powerful weekend of events, please register here - all events are FREE and open to the public.
To learn more about the Black Mothers March, you can connect with them here:
- Website: www.blackmothersmarch.com
- IG @blackmothersmarch
- Email: info@blackmothersmarch.com
