Mothering the Mother: A Conversation with Shafia Monroe

Join Boston Women’s Fund and New Commonwealth Fund for a powerful and intimate evening with Mama Shafia in celebration of her debut book, Mothering the Mother. This is not just a book talk: it’s an invitation into a deeper understanding of care, healing, and what it truly means to support mothers during one of the most vulnerable and transformative periods of their lives.

Mama Shafia, a renowned traditional midwife, public health expert, and cultural healer, brings over forty years of experience supporting birthing parents and communities. Grounded in African American postpartum traditions, many of which have been historically suppressed, her work reclaims practices that center nourishment, rest, ritual, and collective care.

At a time when Black women continue to face disproportionate risks in childbirth and postpartum health, Mothering the Mother offers more than insight: it offers a path forward. It calls us back to community-based care, to sisterhood, and to practices that honor both mother and child with dignity, protection, and love.

This evening is about more than learning, it’s about remembering. It’s about being in community. And it’s about asking, together, what becomes possible when we truly center care.

We hope you’ll join us.

The event will take place at Street Theory Collective, located at 541 Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge.

Street Parking:
Limited metered street parking is available along Massachusetts Avenue and on surrounding side streets. Please be sure to check posted signage for time limits and resident restrictions.

Nearby Parking Garages:
There are several public parking garages within a 5–10 minute walk in Central Square. We recommend allowing a few extra minutes to park and walk to the venue.

Public Transportation:
Street Theory Collective is conveniently located near the Central Square MBTA Red Line station, just a short walk away. Multiple bus routes also run along Massachusetts Avenue.

If possible, we encourage public transit or carpooling to make arrival smooth for everyone.

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Host or Publisher Boston Women's Fund