Pregnant Girl

Pregnant Girl

Adult nonfiction
"Things would be different for me, as a pregnant Black teenager,
even with a White mother. Regardless of how smart I was or how hard I
worked, support that could really make a difference for me and my
child would be guarded, and a college degree would be an evasive ever-
moving target, meant for someone else..."
If you're mature enough to tackle a book that will alternately
make your soul soar and royally piss you off, to make yourself aware
of the cumulative effect of centuries of systemic racism on today's
teens, and to see that the time for radical change is now you're ready
for Nicole Lynn Lewis' Pregnant Girl.
Lewis, the daughter of college educated, professional parents,
never envisioned a future that didn't include college. Although her
family lived modestly, she and her older sister, Anika, had their
needs met. The family engaged in intellectual conversations, even on
hot button topics, never treating the girls as too young to understand.
Anika started college right after high school, becoming a
straight A student. Lewis was expected to follow in her high
achieving footsteps. Their parents believed that self discipline and
hard work would lead to higher educational success.
Lewis, however, started her college career under very different
circumstances. Her unexpected pregnancy had been plagued by poverty
and precarity. She and her boyfriend, Rakheim, had been homeless with
very little food. Their relationship was becoming toxic.
Baby Nerissa was several months old when Lewis started her first
year of college, carrying a full course load, parenting an infant, and
making a regular 150 mile round trip commute for access to child
care. There was never enough money or time. Rakheim became
increasingly impulsive and unstable--a danger to his wife and child.
Despite the challenges she faced, Lewis graduated, not only on
time, but with high honors. She never forgot all that she had to
overcome. She created an organization, Generation Hope, to provide
mentoring and support for pregnant and parenting teens in higher
education.
Lewis' candid and insightful memoir has a very strong back story
dimension. Throughout the book readers will find discussions of
historical and current conditions that make getting into and
graduating from colleges and universities so difficult or impossible
for parenting teens, largely those who are Black, Latinx, or indigenous.
I consider Pregnant Girl to be an eye opening must read for all
grad students and practitioners in higher education. I'm going to
recommend it to my professors.
On a personal note, this morning when the first streaks of pink broke
through the predawn greyness I found myself realizing we were four
days away from Christmas and I wasn't feeling anything whatsoever.
For most of my life this was my favorite season of the year. When I
was a kid it was all about Santa even though my Episcopal parents
tried to keep the focus on Baby Jesus. As a parent I found Christmas
even better. It was about sharing the magic with my children. As
they became adults the joy was getting together. Last Christmas was
mostly grief and loss. This year Christmas feels like something I saw
in a National Geographic documentary. Nothing to do with me. Or it's
like when I got local anaesthetics before C sections, losing feeling
from my waist down. I could see that the sheets were not flat. That
was the only way I knew I still had legs. I see my decorated tree
with gifts underneath. That's the only way I know tis the season.
I'm not sure which is worse--grief or emotional numbness. (Jules)
I iz excited. Santa's bringing treats to all the good cats. (Tobago)
A great big shout out goes out to the kids. Wherever they are
Saturday they'll also be in our hearts.
Tobago and Jules Hathaway




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