Pubdate: Sat, 10 Oct 2020 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 2020 The New York Times Company Website: http://www.nytimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298 Author: Tehra Coles BLACK PARENTS CAN'T INDULGE Re "Parents' Little Helpers" (Sunday Styles, Oct. 4): To be a Black mother is to be in a constant state of alertness when it comes to protecting your family from the government. As a Black woman, mother and lawyer, I am no different in that regard. Most Black mothers wouldn't publicly label themselves a "wine mom" or admit to smoking pot. No one remotely aware of the government's racist practice of separating Black families for such behavior through the so-called child welfare system would. You are correct that substance use has been "romanticized" for white parents. Your article proves that it still is. Smoking pot and drinking are seen as coping mechanisms for white families and grounds for separation for Black families. Black parents who admit to substance use are often labeled "addicts" and sent to treatment programs. Ninety percent of the parents we defend for alleged child neglect in New York City are Black, Indigenous or people of color. You've asked for Black parents to share stories about parenting today: Here's your story. Tehra Coles New York The writer is litigation supervisor for government affairs and policy at the Center for Family Representation.