The politics of care: the effects of caregiving and discrimination on black women’s political engagement

Black women caring for children are often tasked with championing issues impacting their children and the Black community as a whole, while simultaneously dealing with both racial and gender oppression. While experiences of marginalization may cause withdrawal from political processes, their dual roles as self-advocate and other advocate motivate Black women’s political engagement. To examine this dynamic, I pose the research question: How do experiences of perceived individual-level discrimination and caring for children affect the political behavior of Black women? I argue that caring for children and having personal experiences with discrimination positively influence Black women’s electoral and non-electoral political participation due to their intrinsic understanding of care and kinship ties. Black maternal figures are socialized to lead and navigate the complexities of their marginalization while advocating for themselves and others through a “politics of care”. Using data from the 2020 Collaborative Multi-racial Post-Elections Survey (CMPS), my analysis demonstrates that both experiences of individual-level discrimination and caregiving status positively affect Black women’s political activity, however, Black caregivers’ experiences of discrimination decrease the likelihood of both electoral and non-electoral political engagement. This research highlights the need to continue to expand our understanding of Black women’s inhibitions and motivations for political action as they seek strategies to improve their material condition.