If your days, weeks, and now, months have all become a blur at this point, you may have forgotten that this Sunday is Mother’s Day (although we keep reminding you—focus, man!). No doubt this is especially true for mothers themselves since “stay-at-home-mom” takes on new meaning when you’re sheltering-in-place with your kids for weeks on end. Just ask Halle Berry, who managed to find time to join a whole gang of other badass mamas (including Zoë Saldana, Rosario Dawson and Thandie Newton) in stuntwoman Zoë Bell’s “Boss Bitch Challenge” (which you should totally go watch—right after you read this).
And we won’t even start with the added obligation of homeschooling that many moms (and dads, etc.) have taken on as of late, except to remind you that this is also Teacher Appreciation Week, so, there’s that. While we celebrate black mamas year-round, we think they deserve special kudos this week, because we know y’all love us to the ends of the earth and would do pretty much anything to ensure that we live happy, healthy lives—and we appreciate you more than words could ever express.
We also know we get on your last nerve.
With that in mind, we decided to check in on a few of our favorite celebrity black moms to see what they’ve been up to during the quarantine—and frankly, a few of them are putting our productivity to shame.
Gabrielle Union
Take, for instance, Gabrielle Union, who is not only raising four kids with Dwyane Wade during quarantine, but this week managed to release Welcome to the Party, a book that celebrates the arrival of new life—based on the welcoming of 17-month-old Kaavia James into Union’s own wonderfully blended family. Union’s message? Families come together in all kinds of ways.
“No matter how you family, we welcome you and we love you. Sweet baby, Welcome to the Party,” writes Union, with illustrations by Ashley Evans.
Jodie Turner-Smith
Jodie Turner-Smith is a brand-new mom, giving birth to her first daughter with fellow actor Joshua Jackson last month. But the Queen & Slim star known for her seemingly flawless, always gleaming brown skin has found an ingenious—and incredibly organic—way to treat postpartum acne as her hormones readjust.
“I’ve been getting so many spots lately (hormones?),” the 33-year-old British beauty captioned a makeup-free Instagram Story (h/t Page Six). “But I put breast milk on them last night and today my skin looks much better.”
I mean...whatever you gotta do to keep that closeup-ready glow going, Girl. And yes, we do recall clowning the Mowry twins about their love of breast milk last year, and we stand by it: Why drink your sister’s breast milk, when you can apply it straight to your face?
Tia & Tamera Mowry
Speaking of the Mowrys, the youngest of Tia Mowry’s two children with husband Cory Hardrict, daughter Cairo, turned two yesterday, and her proud mommy celebrated with an adorable retrospective.
Meanwhile, twin sister Tamera and husband Adam Housley, also parents of two, have been hosting quarantine cooking lessons and parenting forums on Instagram to promote their channel—including a pretty delicious-looking Cinco de Mayo turn-up.
Ciara
Another little beauty celebrating a birthday in quarantine (other than me?), Ciara and Russell Wilson’s daughter Sienna Princess, who celebrated the big 3 last week with a cake that would make any Disney princess swoon. With another little Wilson on the way (this time, another prince to join big brother Future Zahir), Sienna is no doubt loving her last few weeks as the baby of the family.
Viola Davis
You’re never too old to celebrate a birthday, and never too old to be your mommy’s baby, as evidenced by Viola Davis’ sweet birthday tribute to her mom on Instagram earlier this week.
“Happy birthday to my love. My heart. The reason I’m here,” she wrote. “My beautiful mommy!!! Love, love, love you!!! Can’t wait to hug you after all this.”
We’re not crying, you’re crying!
Thandie Newton
Westworld may have reached the end of its season, but as mentioned above, Thandie Newton kept the action going in Zoë Bell’s Boss Bitch Challenge (seriously, go watch it and come back), which the help of a very special stunt partner. Newton and her 6-year-old son Booker Jombe Parker donned matching tiger outfits to bring extra ferocity to their tag team knockout.
Serena Williams
Seriously, we cannot contain our delight when we see Serena Williams and daughter-bestie Alexis Olympia Ohanian together—their mommy-daughter dynamic is pure magic. Case in point: Check out the performance by the tennis star and her two-year-old to “I Have a Dream” from Disney’s Tangled.
Could they be any more adorable?
Meghan Markle
May has likely become a major month for Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. Aside from Mother’s Day, her wedding anniversary falls mid-month, and today, May 6 marks a major milestone for her young family, as it’s son Archie Mountbatten Windsor’s first birthday!
Ever the philanthropists, the Sussexes gifted us—with a video shot by father Prince Harry of Meghan reading the book “Duck! Rabbit!” to their baby boy. As reported by the @Meghan_Harry_News account on Instagram, the moment was captured for a joint campaign between Save the Children UK, Save the Children, and Save With Stories “to bring food and learning resources to children impacted by the pandemic.”
Additionally, the young royal inspired a much-needed gift to our planet; the all-female-founded Sussex Great Forest Campaign, announced on World Children’s Day in November 2019, met and surpassed their goal of planting 10,000 trees by Archie’s first birthday to show support for him and his parents, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex. In fact, the campaign was so successful, the goal was met 11 times over, as “people in nearly 50 countries and six continents, donated to tree planting charities or planted their own trees,” the campaign tells The Glow Up.
“We’re wrapping up after a wild and exhilarating ride, but we’re not stopping our care for the planet, and our support of the Sussexes,” said co-founder Dr. Busiswa Gibson, who is remarkably also an emergency care physician in New York City. “We know that it will take a long-term commitment to change the environment and secure the future for Archie’s generation.
We hope those who have been inspired by this campaign will continue to try and make a difference in the world,” she added.
Moms, you all make a difference in our worlds. Happy Mother’s Day!