Why The School of MOM Prioritizes Anti-Racism Education

Despite the current cultural pushback against DEI initiatives across many organizations, I remain committed to embedding anti-racism education within The School of MOM’s curriculum. Why? Because this work is fundamentally aligned with our core mission of self-awareness, compassionate presence, and breaking unhelpful generational patterns.

As Rhonda McGee wisely notes in her book “The Inner Work of Racial Justice”: “Mindfulness gives us the capacity to understand that the work of anti-racism is not just about changing other people, but is first and foremost about a willingness to look deeply at ourselves.”

This willingness to look inward is exactly what mindful motherhood is about. We cannot truly mother ourselves mindfully if we’re unwilling to examine all aspects of our conditioning, including unconscious biases that influence how we move through the world.

How Mindfulness Enhances Anti-Racism Work

Research suggests that 90-95% of our human experience—our thoughts, feelings, and actions—operates on an unconscious level. This means that regardless of our conscious intentions, we all carry conditioned ways of thinking and perceiving that were shaped by our upbringing, communities, and the broader culture.

Mindfulness practice offers powerful tools for this work:

1. Present-moment awareness helps us notice our automatic reactions, thoughts, and assumptions
2. Non-judgment allows us to observe these patterns without immediate shame or defensiveness
3. Self-compassion gives us the courage to stay with uncomfortable realizations rather than turning away
4. Discernment helps us distinguish between helpful and unhelpful responses

As mothers, we’re not just doing this work for ourselves—we’re modeling awareness and compassion for our children, who are watching how we navigate difference and discomfort.

The Sustainability of Mindful Anti-Racism

One quote from Rhonda McGee particularly resonates with me: “The integration of mindfulness and racial justice work isn’t about making racism more palatable. It’s about making our response to it more sustainable and effective.”

Anti-racism work is challenging. Without mindfulness and self-compassion as companions on our own unique anti-racism journeys, many of us experience overwhelm, burnout, or retreat into defensiveness. This is especially true for mothers, who are already juggling so many responsibilities and pressures.

By bringing mindfulness to this work, we develop what McGee calls “the capacity to be with discomfort, our own and that of others, with greater skill and compassion.” This capacity allows us to stay engaged for the long haul rather than cycling through bursts of awareness followed by avoidance and/or shame.

My Personal Journey

I’ll be honest—I am still uncomfortable talking and writing about anti-racism. Despite doing my own education and inner work, I still worry about saying the wrong thing, using imperfect language, or somehow causing harm despite my good intentions.

I’ve also had to confront my own “nice racism” tendencies—like over-smiling at or being unusually attentive to people of color, which can actually make them feel singled out rather than genuinely included.

These uncomfortable realizations are exactly why mindfulness is so essential. Rather than getting stuck in shame or defensiveness, I can notice these patterns with curiosity, bring compassion to my learning process, and commit to growth.

An Invitation to Join Us

If you’re a mother (particularly a white mother) looking to deepen both your mindfulness practice and your anti-racism journey, I invite you to join our upcoming free Five-Day Anti-Racist Conversations Confidence Challenge with our wonderful DEI coach Ashani Mfuko.

This free resource is designed specifically for mothers who want to:

• Develop greater confidence in having meaningful conversations about race
• Build awareness of unconscious patterns in your thinking and actions
• Learn practical tools for staying grounded during difficult discussions
• Connect with a supportive community of women committed to growth

We’ll have live calls on March 18th and 25th, and all the materials will be accessible even if you can’t attend live.

The Long Game

Remember that this work is not about perfection—it’s about commitment to an ongoing process. As I tell my community, anti-racism work, like mindfulness and motherhood itself, is a long game.

You don’t need to engage with this work intensively every day to make a difference. Small, consistent steps—a training here, a conversation/podcast there, regular reflection—create meaningful change over time.

What matters most is that we stay on the path, bringing awareness, compassion, and courage to each step.

I hope you’ll join us in March for this important challenge. Together, we can create not just a more inclusive community for ourselves, but a more just and compassionate world for all our children.

For more resources on mindfulness and anti-racism, I highly recommend Rhonda McGee’s book The Inner Work of Racial Justice: Healing Ourselves and Transforming Our Communities Through Mindfulness.

And that you check out the resources and work of our DEI Coach here in The School of MOM, Ashani Mfuko