I Get It from My Mamma: Doing Race, Doing Gender

Abstract

In this case, the authors use autoethnographic narratives to situate and understand how conversations about race occur in the family, specifically within the mother–daughter context. Through the frameworks of strong Black womanhood and feminist theory, Autumn, with her mother, grandmother, and other various family members, works to navigate her identity as a Black girl/woman. Using the literature as a guide to better understand her experiences over the span of her youth through young adulthood, Autumn unravels her past and gives an insight into the transformation of herself, and her racial and familial identity through the formative years of her life. Through Autumn’s self-reflection, identity formation and management within family communication is highlighted in an African American family. This narrative also demonstrates how familial communication impacts the understanding of identity. Further, the use of autoethnography helps build out the self-reflection and understanding of identity. Discussion questions are provided to build conversations surrounding how families communicate about race and identity.