“It’s Just Not the Same as Being There”: African Immigrant Women and Their Perspectives on Transnational Mothering

Black immigrant mothers are often excluded from dominant discourses on transnational mothering. Using transnational intersectionality theory, this study explores perspective of mothers from African countries who have a child living in their countries of origin. Four key themes emerged from analyzing mothers’ reports: a desire for their children to maintain the cultural values of their home country, struggling with resources in the US, a sense of “losing motherhood” through transnational parenting, and needing to depend on family in the country of origin. Transnational intersectionality, motherhood ideals, practices, and resilience, are used to nuance mothers’ experiences and guide clinical implications.