Young mother of six and wife, Tamera Essence Africia Cook-Simmons, an Independent Beauty Consultant for Mary Kay, participating in our *Loving Brown Baby campaign shared with THE HUB the core of her family’s foundation.
“Black moms are women who’ve overcome many struggles in life and who take pride in making sure that their kids have a better life then they’ve experienced,” Tamera believes. Her key to motherhood is to put the needs of her child before her own; to be humble and to able to admit when she doesn’t know something, and search relentlessly to find the answer. It is also having courage to teach her child differently than she was taught, and change that child’s future.
Tamara’s support system is a large part of their foundation while their entire family and extended family are members of South Sacramento Christian Center. “My husband, Marvin, and I have a really strong support system on both sides. The thing I appreciate the most is our relationship with our families. It means the world to me to know that I have people in my corner who will love and support me when I do good, when I mess up, when I’m right, and when I’m wrong.”
Having a core foundation does not always mean being perfect. “Often I battle with feeling like I am underqualified to be a mom. I have four girls and two boys and I always tell them how to be successful now with what they have and who they are. And for that reason I find the courage to put my best foot forward with teaching them how to do something I wasn’t capable of doing at their age, despite low self-confidence, doubt, worrying, fear, and ignorance. I want my kids to know that true success is not just getting rich or appearing to be some supreme being without flaws.
Lastly, I hope that my children will grow up to have a strong identity of who they are in God and live out their full potential. Loving fearlessly, seizing every opportunity courageously, and being an example of God’s heart her on Earth. I want them to live purpose-filled lives and be leaders, never forgetting where they’ve started, and always willing to give to others in need.
*Loving Brown Babies (LBB) is a social media campaign focused on the pleasures of motherhood and families in celebration of raising African American children. The campaign is a part of the efforts led by the Steering Committee on Reduction for African American Child Deaths (RAACD) which is funded by the County of Sacramento, City of Sacramento and First 5 Sacramento, and is managed by The Center. To learn more, visit http://www.shfcenter.org/raacd.
The LBB campaign is produced and managed by the Sac Cultural Hub Media Foundation. For questions about LBB contact call (916) 234-3589 or e-mail contact@sacculturalhub.com.
Contributed by Chief Editor, Pleshette Robertson
