Something We Never Had

Abstract

Abstract The black and Latina women who migrate to the coal region leave behind traumatic histories—stories of early childhood abuse and neglect, poverty, extreme neighborhood violence, and drug abuse. Upon arrival, these women face accusations that they are unfit mothers, have poor work ethics, and are undeserving of government aid. They nonetheless fight to get a fleeting shot at opportunities for their children that they themselves never had. These women encounter multiple predatory institutions waiting to take advantage of their optimism. Through small, everyday acts of civic engagement, they hold the police, their neighbors, local businesses, and schools accountable for their loved ones’ futures. Living a life of emotional turmoil, relationship flux, racial hostility, and poverty, however, leaves these women emotionally raw, deeply distrustful, and physically depleted. They can devote themselves only to their immediate kinship circles, determined to heal themselves on their own.