It's the Season 2 finale! Host Dr. Allison Alford joins mother-daughter duo Leah & Dr. Mildred Boveda to explore the role of daughtering through the lens of youth activism and Critical Race Theory, rooted in Black Feminism. Allison's Google Alerts serendipitously connected her to the Bovedas; ahh the beauty of the research community!

Leah, a student at Brown University, reflects on her previous experiences as a youth activist in critical race debates after moving from FL to AZ, and how this culture shift impacted her adolescence. Leah tells her story, describing how she daughtered non-familial adults by both challenging and appreciating them.

Dr. Mildred Boveda—an award-winning professor at Penn State University, scholar and expert in special education studies—tells her story of making an impact in education, describes her work around Critical Race Theory and unpacks some thoughtful ideas for listeners to better understand current debates. Next, they discuss the Bovedas article, Centering Youth of Color Activism & Knowledge in the Critical Race Theory Debates (Boveda & Boveda, 2023). Shout out to to Dr. Venus Evans-Winters for her research in daughtering as well as for her mentorship of Leah!

Mothering and daughtering roles can be found in both familial and non-familial relationships; through these connections women make sense of the world. Mildred explains how mothers, or nurturers, make space for daughters and the generations to come, while acknowledging how younger people can aid understanding. There is both an honoring by daughters toward mothers and a push to do better. Leah adds that daughtering can take place almost anywhere, but is particularly salient in youth activism, and in this space, effective communication is key.

As the final season of Hello Mother, Hello Daughter comes to a close, we would like to extend our gratitude to all our listeners! Want to share your daughtering story? Contact us at 100daughtersproject@gmail.com.

Reflection Questions from hosts, Drs. Allison Alford & Michelle Miller-Day:

• Who are you daughtering? What separates daughtering from friendship or other relational connections?
• Do you think they recognize your daughtering?
• Have you considered having a conversation with close women in your life to discuss non-familial daughtering or mothering?

To learn more about CRT:
Explore the research of Derrick Bell, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Cheryl Harris, & Patricia J. Williams (to name a few!)

Memorable Quotes:
“Mothering and daughtering are two sides of the same coin. I am not dismissed in this daughtering role.” -Leah

“Maybe my mom didn’t have the opportunities that I did, but as her daughter, I should honor her and uplift her so that other people can know what she helped me understand and what I helped her understand” -Dr Mildred Boveda

Links:

• In memoriam, honor, and love for Mildred's Mami: a collection of stories
• Boveda, L., & Boveda, M. (2023). Centering Youth of Color Activism and Knowledge in the Critical Race Theory Debates. Teachers College Record, 125(5), 118-129.
• Mildred's blog on CRT.
• Leah's project: Melanin Minds.

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