Welcome to Raising Mothers!
Since 2015, Raising Mothers has served as a digital literary platform free to the public that amplifies and provides a supportive and inclusive space for Black, Asian, Latine(x), Indigenous and other marginalized identities from the global majority to share their experiences and creative works, while also advocating for social justice and equity.
MASTHEAD
Sherisa de Groot | Founding Editor
Sherisa de Groot (she/her) is a writer, editor, community builder, and founder of Raising Mothers, the creative membership community Literary Liberation, and pens A Home Within Myself. Her work has been featured in various publications, including Kindred by Parents, Refinery 29, Mutha Magazine, and Oldster Magazine and she was a contributor to the book ‘100 Diverse Voices on Parenthood’ by A Kid’s Company About. With a focus on intersectionality and social justice, her writing explores the nuances of motherhood and the experiences of mothers and marginalized genders of the Global Majority. Through her work, she aims to amplify the voices of those who have been historically silenced and create a more equitable world for all. Raising Mothers was the 2021 Romper People’s Choice Iris Award Winner.
Originally from Brooklyn, New York, she is a first-generation American turned immigrant living in Amsterdam, NL with her husband, two children, and cat.
Ojus Patel | Editor, Books on Books (Children’s)
Ojus Patel (she/her) is a former teacher turned writer/editor whose work largely focuses on the exploration of motherhood as a complete story within the human condition. She writes Letters from Motherhood and her work has also appeared in publications such as Babylist, Cubby, Apartment Therapy, The Kitchn, Romper, and The Everymom. She reads a lot—to herself and to her three kids.
Ain Heath Drew | Editor, Fiction and Books on Books (Adult)
Ain Heath Drew is a fan of every flavor of storytelling, from literary fiction to narrative non-fiction, to children’s literature. She’s drawn to poignant stories representing everyday people, their battles, and experiences with boundless joy. As a writer, Ain’s published two children’s books with one on the way, and worked with various organizations as a freelance editor and content writer. You can find her at https://www.ainheathdrew.com/.
Dara T. Mathis | Editor, Shop Talk
Dara T. Mathis (she/her) is a nonfiction writer and reporter whose writing has appeared in the Atlantic, the New York Times, the Week, and other places. Her work often examines motherhood, Black liberation movements, and the ways we make home where we are. She resides with her husband and three children in Maryland.
Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts | Editor, Radical Joy
Tracey Michae’l Lewis-Giggetts (she/her) is a writer and thought-leader whose work offers an opportunity to explore the intersection of culture, identity, and faith/spirituality. She is the founder of HeARTspace, a healing community created to serve those who have experienced trauma of any kind through the use of storytelling and the arts. She has published 22 books including several collaborations with numerous high-profile authors. Her critically-acclaimed book, Black Joy: Stories of Resistance, Resilience, and Restoration (Gallery/Simon and Schuster) won the 2023 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work – Instructional. She has been published in print and online publications such as Oprah Daily, The Washington Post, Essence Magazine, The Guardian, The Chronicle for Higher Education, Ebony Magazine, TheRoot.com, and more.
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