This book centers directly impacted Black children who have lived through parental incarceration. Their stories are told from holistic perspectives incorporating the full range of collateral consequences. Shifting from the Eurocentric and capitalistic viewpoint, they move us beyond negative outcomes to a positive prism by providing insider perspective, strategy, advice, and compelling experiences. We center Black children of incarcerated parents’ (BCOIP’s) rich narratives to show how they are conscious thinkers with perspectives that can help reimagine all Black children’s lives and futures.
These stories help readers better understand the importance of exploring the revolutionary ways BCOIP continue to survive, thrive, and transform amid the dynamic challenges surrounding mass incarceration. The book shifts the social dialogue from fear of intergenerational crime and incarceration to resilience, success, Black joy, and self-love, and moves from sympathetic into an empathetic agenda. The book brings to the forefront counter-storytelling through oral narratives that fill a gap in literature that leaves out the voices of children of incarcerated parents who are doctors, lawyers, professional athletes, musicians, community leaders, activists, professors, teachers, bestselling authors, and much more. These are vital experiences to share because not all BCOIP will end up in prison, jail, or a detention center.
Black Children of Incarcerated Parents Speak Truth to Power will be of great interest to scholars from the humanistic social sciences and humanities. It is also a timely resource for students (high school, undergraduate, and graduate) in sociology, criminology, corrections, humanities, social work, counseling, education, social justice, and related courses, as well as agency administrators, community organizations servicing families of the incarcerated, specifically incarcerated parents and the children of incarcerated parents, themselves.
Introduction Britany Jenine Gatewood, Bahiyyah Miallah Muhammad and Sydni Myat Turner Part 1: Truth and Reconciliation: Confidence in My Black Skin Bahiyyah Miallah Muhammad Chapter 1: What’s In a Name? Calvin Bell III Chapter 2: Unlearn to Relearn Aloha Chapter 3: Am I My Mother’s Keeper? Tonisha Taylor Chapter 4: Roots, Residue, and Results Quatina Frazer Chapter 5: Dad’s “in” Dad’s “out” Part I: The Ebb and Flow of Childhood with an Incarcerated Parent” Nicole Dezrea Jenkins Chapter 6: Dad’s “in” Dad’s “out” Part II: Truth and Trajectory from an Academic and Military Veteran” Nicole Dezrea Jenkins Chapter 7: Ciera’s New Story Ciera Payton Part 2: Reclaiming Black Wellness: Every Revolution Has to Begin Somewhere Sydni Myat Turner Chapter 8: Lock and Key: A Story About My Dad Tru Moore Chapter 9: A Journey Through Abandonment and Abuse to Acceptance Alicia Jefferson Chapter 10: My Healing Journey Charnal Chaney Chapter 11: The Journey of a Butterfly Faith Cole Chapter 12: Loving Me, Unapologetically Quaniece Raquelle Jones Part 3: The Renaissance of Self-Expression: Creativity, Innovation, and Culture Bahiyyah Miallah Muhammad Chapter 13: The Masquerade Ball Donald Stevenson Chapter 14: The Seed of Hope: “Maybe You’ll Go Away for College” Lolu Drummond Chapter 15: In Memory of You, Dad Shannell Kitt, MSW, MFA Chapter 16: Now You See Him, Now You Don’t Justice Howard Chapter 17: Falling on Deaf Ears Gabrielle Dunn Chapter 18: Helping Flowers Grow: Sunlight, Water and Love Jian Alaa Muhammad and Jaelah Millah Muhammad Chapter 19: Emotions William Myhre Chapter 20: Crisis to Creativity Akiya McKnight Part 4: Parenting Behind and Beyond the Walls: The Revolutionizing Relationships of BCOIP Sydni Myat Turner Chapter 21: Behind the Wall Dawan Alford Chapter 22: 73 Days Erika Hardinson Chapter 23: Moms Dawan Alford Chapter 24: Apple Don’t Fall Far Shatarra King Chapter 25: Obstacles on Both Sides of the Gate Kiara W. S. Bynum Chapter 26: Parenting Your Parents Jasmine Johnson Chapter 27: Letter to My Father Tashawn Reagon Part 5: The Student and the Teacher: Education Beyond Books Britany Jenine Gatewood Chapter 28: What is a bad guy? Jay Baron Chapter 29: Intergenerational Achievement: Class of 2025 Whitney Hollins and Arieanna Hollins Part 6: The Revolution Begins Now: A National Call to Action Britany Jenine Gatewood Chapter 30: The Internal Revolution Anyé Young Chapter 31: This is Your Permission to be Free Tonisha Taylor Chapter 32: Ask the Question: Say Something Kiara Bynum Chapter 33: Why My Mom Quniana Futrell Chapter 34: Youth of Incarcerated Parents United Kleo Torres Chapter 35: Building the Future Us: Youth Ambassadors on a Mission Jaelah Millah Muhammad and Jian Alaa Muhammad Chapter 36: A Woman on the Outside Kristal Bush Chapter 37: The Invisible Part: See Me, Hear Me Shameka Green Conclusion Bahiyyah Miallah Muhammad, Britany Jenine Gatewood and Sydni Myat Turner Afterword Tony Lewis Jr.
Britany Jenine Gatewood, Ph.D., is the Senior Research Coordinator for Beloved Community and the founder of the Liberation and Justice Project Foundation, Inc. Her research focuses on the political practice of incarcerated Black women and their children. She obtained her Ph.D. from Howard University, along with a Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies. Bahiyyah Miallah Muhammad, Ph.D., is Associate Professor of Criminology at Howard University. She is the founder of The Dr. Muhammad Experience Inc., and co-founder of Project Iron Kids for children of incarcerated parents. Professor Muhammad is the author of numerous children’s books, book chapters, and articles about children and families impacted by incarceration. Sydni Myat Turner, M.A., is a social justice advocate, reentry mentor, and program facilitator. In 2021, she earned an M.A. in Sociology from Howard University. She serves as a board chair member and co-facilitator at It Takes A Village Collaborative (ITAVCollab), a non-profit organization providing Black individuals, families, and communities with resources, services, and networks to holistically heal their mind, body, and spirit.
