Nikkya Hargrove — Mama: A Queer Black Woman’s Story of a Family Lost and Found - with Kristal Knight

Watch author Nikkya Hargrove's book talk and reading at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C.

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Growing up, Nikkya Hargrove's mother was in and out of prison. Hargrove, one of the 5 million children dealing with the effects of an incarcerated parent, spent a good portion of her childhood in prison visiting rooms but almost never actually living with her mother. In Hargrove's case, though, life got even more complicated when her mother--addicted to cocaine and just out of prison--had a son. When that child was just months old, Hargrove's mother died and Hargrove, who had just graduated from college, decided to fight for custody of her half brother.

And fight she does. We see how she is subjected to preconceived notions that she, a Black, queer, young woman, cannot be given such responsibility. She's honest about the shame she feels accepting food stamps, about her family's reaction to her coming out, and about the joy she experiences when she meets the woman who will become her wife. But whether she's clashing with Jonathan's biological father or battling for Jonathan's education rights after he's diagnosed with ADHD and autism, this is a woman who won't give up.

Hargrove's memoir picks up where Bryan Stevenson's Just Mercy left off, exploring generational trauma and pulling back the curtain on family court and poverty in America. Moving and inspiring, Mama is an ode to motherhood and identity, to never giving up, and to finding strength in family and community.

Nikkya Hargrove is a graduate of Bard College and currently serves as a member of the school's Board of Governors and chair of the alumni/ae Diversity Committee. A LAMBDA Literary Nonfiction Fellow, she has written about adoption, marriage, motherhood, and the prison system for The Washington Post, The Guardian, The New York Times, Scary Mommy, and Shondaland. She has worked for social impact nonprofits providing support to underserved communities throughout her professional career. She lives in Connecticut with her wife and three children.

Hargrove is in conversation with Kristal Knight. With over a decade of political experience, Kristal has positioned herself as a premier political operative and commentator. She recently hosted a self-titled podcast with Newsweek discussing relevant political and cultural news and she actively provides political commentary on Fox News, MSNBC and News Nation. Her past political experience includes working with the NAACP during the 2022 midterm cycle and serving as the political director for Priorities USA during the 2020 presidential cycle. Presently she consults with national non-profits and think tanks to help elevate their advocacy agendas as well as advise on communication strategies. She completed her master’s degree from University College of London and her bachelors from Howard University. She is a native Memphian.

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Founded by Carla Cohen and Barbara Meade in 1984, Politics and Prose Bookstore is Washington, D.C.'s premier independent bookstore and cultural hub, a gathering place for people interested in reading and discussing books. Politics and Prose offers superior service, unusual book choices, and a haven for book lovers in the store and online.

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