The Real Baby Mamas of Richmond

[fitzlocs]

There is a new reality show that has recently debuted on local cable channels here in Richmond, VA - and that has been surprisingly getting a lot of media coverage in this area. That show is entitled 'The Real Baby Mamas of Richmond', and while the creator claims that the purpose of the show is to create a 'positive message', I have yet to see that message being conveyed - at least not in the first episode. The reason I brought this up for discussion in this forum is because I struggle to decide how I should feel about this creative venture. I presently reside in Richmond, and while I have not lived here my entire life (relocated to attend grad school), I have been here long enough to witness the pervasive poverty that is present in many predominantly Black Richmond city communities. Also, the work that I do is in the area of substance abuse treatment, and the overwhelming majority of the consumers that we service are Black. Bottom line, Black Richmonders have a lot of obstacles, many historical in nature (e.g., Blacks were not allowed to acquire property in certain areas of the city, even when said properties were being offered for extremely low prices, etc.), to overcome. And while I respect the entrepreneurial spirit behind the creation of this show, I wish that the product itself was something that put a a more positive light on Black women. I have more to say, but wanted to gain feedback from the NP community. It would be easy to dismiss the show, cast and creators as simply "Ratchet", but I wanted to look more critically at the intersection of race, class, gender, societal perceptions as they relate to the show, and even the popular pursuit of "Reality TV Stardom" as a key to economic progression. So....what say ye NP?

[straightnochaser]

Not having seen the show, I would say that a lot of women (and their children) would have better quality lives if they planned parenthood instead of having it happen so randomly and so often. There's a time and a season for everything. It's great to have children - just after one finishes school and has a job with a solid foothold on life. I also work with substance abusers. By and large, a lot of my clients had chaotic, abusive childhoods that may have been better if Mom had been more present.