mercy, a film journal for the tender heart and mind.

So does the second time feel different?

Definitely, that’s when it got real. the first time, I was like oh we bout’ to do this. She just kind of morphed into what I wanted life to be at the time. Cherish on the other hand, has shown me that I really have to create life around her. She’s like, “you not about to just get up and do what you wanna do, without really considering me.” With her I definitely had to slow down a little bit more than I wanted to, and really sit with the reality that she’s a baby and she has needs.

It’s like I’m a baby again— and that’s the interesting part of the difference.

I’ve always loved seeing you ‘mother’— that was my first experience of you at Row Houses.

We talk about that a lot on social media; and what we want people to see. & it’s not always bad, but just in general I can only imagine people’s perspectives.

because this reality is so intense.

As much as I wanted to try to show face or whatever; I really think that the truth has to be out. It has to be clear. At least I have to do my part to be transparent with my truth.

So, you know... that’s kind of how I treat my relationship with my children. I don’t want to raise them falsely with some different reality of what I want them to be.

I try to just be as authentic to who I want them to be, what I want our relationship to be— and that’s hard when you’re around other people. Because a lot of people have expectations on how parenting should go. (cont’d)

It’s really important for people to make mistakes in order for them to understand themselves, what their values are, how far the boundaries are... you know what I mean?

You can never learn if you don’t have those experiences. I’m not saying people have to make mistakes, just don’t try to prevent someone from having them as if we don’t know what’s on the other side.

Most of us are not willing to be complacent, I think we’re all in search of “more.”

The birthing process in the womb is just like creative potential, it’s us accessing that—which is, our ability to choose. And our ability to direct our energy towards something we want to see happen.

We birth everything. We birth businesses, we birth relationships, we birth new dynamics within ourselves, we rebirth constantly. It just goes on.

We know new life comes from death at the end of the day, so we have to start welcoming in those cycles.

Mid conversation, Cherish became fussy & mama shug honored her word by indeed slowing down and wrapping Cherish on her back to Aretha Franklin’s ‘Think’ chorus. She followed with breastfeeding her, & casually twerking while cooking from what I remember to be brussels sprout, black beans, pan fried butter squash, and avocado.

— Mama shug in my eyes is more than an artist, but a teacher, birth worker, writer, photographer, and Black woman teaching us all to reach beyond our limits and look within to find our true selves and freedom. Because of our time together, I have learned how to extend mercy and forgiveness to my mother and inner child. Shug has been a guiding light through my artistic and spiritual journey, and has taught me the true meaning of love and kinship. I am inspired by her tenacity, mothering, creative expression, devotion to her babies, and community. She might not be known to the world at large, but she is worthy of being seen and appreciated for all that she is and the work she contributes to our world. Back home in Third Ward, Houston we love on her strong, and that will neva' change. Shug is currently a MFA creative writing candidate in Oakland, California and in her own words, " & when you ask about my creative efforts, just know that birthing and sustaining babies is a part of my artistic practice."

You may support mama shug's evolution @diasporicdaughter @yakiniye