Mothering and Othering: Experiences of African American Professional Women

African American women have been the backbone of American society. Since 1619, they have been and remain a stable force upon which families, communities, and institutions have been built and nurtured. In many cases, this role of nurturer has transcended forced servitude and is now both a personal and professional choice, which is demonstrated through her roles as mother and social worker. Unfortunately, this positioning has required many African American women who are mothers and social workers to address demands associated with the intersections of their roles including role overload, role strain, and role confusion. In addition to challenges faced by role intersections, African American women must simultaneously manage societal issues, including racism, sexism, racial loyalty, racialized oppression and gender biases. Finally, African American women who are mothers and social workers must process internal conflicts associated with certain paradigms, including the strong Black woman, imposter syndrome, and superwoman schema. Given these challenges, there seems to be a dearth of theories that adequately explore the noted intersections for this unique population of African American social workers who operate in multiple spheres. This conceptual article provides some historical context, reviews the relevant literature, explores strengths and gaps in related theoretical frameworks, and examines our experiences to promote the exploration of a comprehensive theory that seeks to explain the nuanced intersections of mothering and othering

Brief research report: sociodemographic factors associated with HIV status among African American women in Washington, DC

Introduction: African American women living in Washington, DC have one of the highest Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) incidence rates in the US. However, this population has been understudied, especially as it relates to factors associated with HIV status. Methods: This cross-sectional study examined sociodemographic factors that were associated with having a negative or positive HIV status among a sample of 115 African American women between the ages of 24 and 44 years. We assessed such factors as age, education, sexual orientation, household income, sources of income, number of children, length of residency tenure in Washington, DC, and level of HIV-prevention knowledge. Results: Among the overall sample, 53 women self-identified as HIV-positive and 62 as HIV-negative. Compared to their HIV-negative counterparts, women who reported being HIV-positive were less educated, had lower household income, and had longer residency tenure in Washington, DC. There were no differences in HIV knowledge between HIV-positive and -negative study participants. Conclusion: These findings may provide important directions for targeting specific subpopulations of African Americans for HIV-prevention/intervention programs