The Unheard Voices…
The Unheard Voices of Black Mothers and Wives
There’s an unspoken weight that Black mothers and wives carry every single day—a weight that comes from being the backbone of a household while often feeling invisible within it. We move through our homes with a silent strength, ensuring that everyone is fed, the house is in order, schedules are managed, and hearts are nurtured. But when we speak, are we heard? When we express our exhaustion, our frustrations, our needs—are we truly understood?
Most days, it feels like the things we do are expected rather than appreciated. The meals we cook aren’t always met with gratitude, but with the assumption that dinner will be on the table. The laundry gets washed and put away without anyone acknowledging the effort it takes. The emotional labor of keeping a family connected, of making sure our children feel loved and supported, of standing beside our husbands as their biggest cheerleader—all of it is done without applause, yet the moment we drop the ball, it’s noticeable.
There are times when we try to voice our concerns, to ask for help, to say, “I am tired,” only to be met with dismissive responses. “You’re strong, you got this.” But why is our strength the excuse for others to overlook our exhaustion? Why does our ability to carry it all mean we should always be expected to?
As Black women, we are conditioned to endure, to be resilient, to put everyone before ourselves. But who pours into us? Who listens when we say we need rest? Who acknowledges the weight we bear?
This is not to say that our husbands and children do not love us. We know they do. But love does not always translate to appreciation, and appreciation does not always translate to action. It’s one thing to say “thank you,” but it’s another to lighten the load, to step in without being asked, to see us beyond what we do and honor us for who we are.
So today, to every Black mother and wife feeling unheard—I see you. I hear you. You are more than what you do for your family. You are a person, deserving of rest, recognition, and real understanding. And if no one else says it today: You are deeply valued.
XOXO Kaye,