How Moms Shape The World | Anna Malaika Tubbs | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Every year, around January 15th,

每年一月十五日左右，

the world rightfully celebrates the birth of the great Martin Luther King Jr.

全世界理所當然地慶祝 偉大的金恩博士的生日。

Yet, virtually no one has stopped to consider who else was in that room

但幾乎沒有人會停下來思考一下

1929 年的那一天，房間中還有誰。

that day in 1929.

As if somehow MLK Jr. birthed himself.

好像金恩博士是自己生出來的一樣。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I toured the location where he was born.

我去他出生的地方旅遊過，

A charming, quaint two-story home in Atlanta.

迷人且古色古香的兩層 樓房，位在亞特蘭大。

And while it was an honor to even be there,

光是能在那裡就是種榮幸了，

I left feeling frustrated by the tour guide's script.

導遊的腳本卻讓我 在離開時感到很沮喪。

Of course, MLK Jr. was the center of most of the tales,

當然，金恩博士是 大部分故事的中心焦點，

and then came stories about his father,

接著出現了關於他父親的故事，

the inspiring Reverend Martin Luther King Sr.

鼓舞人心的牧師， 老馬丁‧路德‧金恩。

But what frustrated me

但，讓我感到沮喪的原因

was the lack of attention being paid to his mother,

是因為忽略了他的母親，

Alberta Christine Williams King.

艾爾柏塔‧克莉絲汀‧威廉斯‧金恩。

Even though this was actually her childhood home first

雖然這間房子其實 一開始是她兒時的家，

and the home where she'd later birth her children,

後來她也在這間房子 二樓的房間裡

in a room on the second floor.

生了她的孩子。

This erasure doesn't only concern Alberta.

這種抹滅的現象 不只和艾爾柏塔有關。

Mothers in the US are often misrepresented or completely left out

在美國，當我們訴說故事時，母親

通常會被扭曲描述或甚至直接忽略。

in the stories we tell.

Mothers are used to being seen

母親已經習慣被視為無私的人，

as selfless beings without needs for others to consider.

別人不需要考量她們的需求。

They're used to feeling belittled if they stay at home with their children

她們習慣了被輕視，

只因為她們待在家帶孩子，

because the narrative says it's "unproductive."

說法是這樣很「沒生產力」。

Or they might even hide the fact that they have children at work

或者，她們在工作上 會隱瞞自己有孩子，

so that they're still taken seriously rather than seen as distracted.

她們才會被認真看待，

而不是被視為會分心的人。

And they will not receive credit for the accomplishments of the loved ones

且，若她們天天 支持的愛人有所成就，

they have supported day in and day out

功勞也不會歸到她們身上，

because our retelling of events

因為當我們在重述事件時，

doesn't feature the many acts of mothering.

不會強調關於母親角色的許多作為。

Beyond such instances being frustrating,

這樣的情況除了讓人感到沮喪之外，

I believe they lead to a lack of understanding

我相信也會導致大家不了解

surrounding the critical roles mothers play in our society,

母親在我們的社會中 扮演哪些重要的角色，

and they contribute to a lack of support for mothers.

也造成對母親的支持不足夠。

If the stories we tell,

如果我們說的故事，

both on an interpersonal level as well as in literature and in media,

人與人之間說的故事

及文學和媒體上說的故事，

deem mothers as unimportant,

都認為母親不重要，

as unworthy of being seen and considered,

不值得被看見、被考量，

then these opinions will be reflected

接著，這些意見就會被反映在

in the way that mothers are treated in our country.

我國對待母親的方式。

It is not a surprise, then,

於是，並不意外，

that in the US we have yet to establish universal parental leave,

在美國，

我們尚未建立全國 通用的育嬰假制度，

a universal quality, affordable child care,

全國通用、有品質、 平價的兒童照管服務，

that we are experiencing a maternal mortality crisis

導致我們面臨母親陣亡危機，

and that many mothers had no other choice but to leave the workforce

許多母親沒有選擇，

因為疫情，只得離開勞動力。

as a result of the pandemic.

Such tragedies have a ripple effect that also hurts our children,

這類悲劇會產生漣漪效應，

傷害到我們的孩子、

our communities,

我們的社區，

even our national economy.

甚至國家的經濟。

As a writer and sociologist,

身為作家和社會學家，

I believe that storytelling plays a necessary role

我相信，說故事 扮演了很必要的角色，

in fixing our current trajectory;

能協助修正目前的軌道，

that through the intentional centering of mothers,

我也相信，若能刻意 將母親放在中心地位，

we can not only make life better for them,

我們不僅能改善她們的生活，

we can actually make life better for everyone.

我們其實可以改善所有人的生活。

The way to get organizations and our government

有個方法可以讓組織和我們的政府

to give mothers the resources that they desperately need and deserve

將母親迫切需求 且應得的資源提供給她們，

is to first shift our perspective of motherhood on a cultural level.

就是要在文化層級上改變 我們對母親身分的看法。

I am on a mission for that shift to happen in my lifetime,

我正在致力於此，希望 在我此生能見到這個改變，

especially for mothers of color

特別是為了有色人種母親，

who have historically received the least resources.

因為她們在歷史上得到的資源最少。

I have spent the last several years studying three women in particular,

我花了過去數年的時間 特別去研究三位女性，

whose life stories show,

她們的人生故事呈現出：

number one, just how easily we disregard mothers,

第一，

我們有多容易漠視母親；

and number two,

第二，

how a lack of consideration for their needs and their contributions

不去考慮母親的需求和貢獻為什麼會

leads to a lack of intervention and support.

導致缺乏干預和支持。

While it may be too late to help the three of them,

雖然可能已經來不及幫她們三位，

I believe their life stories provide guidance

我相信她們的人生故事能提供指引，

on how we can make the world better for moms

告訴我們在現今 要如何將世界變得更好，

and everyone they impact today.

不僅是了母親， 還有受她們影響的每個人。

So let's first go back to Alberta King.

咱們先回到艾爾柏塔‧金恩。

Alberta was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1903,

1903 年，艾爾柏塔在 喬治亞州的亞特蘭大出生，

to the leaders of Ebenezer Baptist Church.

父母親領導以便以謝浸信會教堂。

Even as a young girl, she was an activist.

小時候她就是個活動家了。

She participated in marches and boycotts,

她會參與遊行和抵制運動，

and she even joined her parents as some of the very first members of the NAACP.

她甚至和她的父母一起成為

全國有色人種協進會的初期成員。

She believed that Christian faith

她相信，基督教信仰

must always be intertwined with social justice,

必須要一直和社會正義連結在一起,

and she used her education to advance freedom causes.

且她運用她的教育 來推動自由的理想。

Alberta grew up to be a talented organizer and a musician,

長大之後，艾爾柏塔成為 很有才華的組織者及音樂家，

as well as a mother of three.

也是三個孩子的母親。

Before meeting her husband,

在遇見她先生之前，

Alberta was on her path to becoming an educator.

艾爾柏塔正在朝成為 教育家的目標邁進。

She earned a teaching certificate and a bachelor's degree.

她取得了一張教學認證 和一個學士學位。

But because the law stated that married women could not teach,

但，因為法律規定 已婚女性不可教書，

she was forced to walk away from a formal career.

她被迫放棄正式教學職涯。

She still did everything she could

她仍然盡一切努力去扶養、教育，

to provide for, educate and protect her family and her community members.

和保護她的家人和她的社區成員。

But that same care and shielding was not afforded to her in return.

但她卻無法得到同等的照顧和保護。

Her life was tragically taken

很不幸，她的人生被奪走了，

when she was shot in the back

她的背後中槍，

as she played the church organ.

當時她在教堂演奏管風琴。

The second story begins in La Digue Grenada,

第二個故事始於格瑞納達的迪格島，

at the very end of the 19th century.

時間是十九世紀的最末。

A little girl is influenced by her grandparents

有一個小女孩受到祖父母的影響，

to always stand for Black pride and Black independence

堅定支持黑人的驕傲和黑人的獨立，

by any means necessary.

千方百計，不計代價。

At the young age of 17,

在十七歲這麼年輕的年齡，

she travels to Montreal, Canada, on her own,

她就一個人旅行到加拿大的蒙特羅，

to spread the message of Black liberation.

去散播黑人解放運動的訊息。

And she joins the Marcus Garvey pan-African movement.

她加入馬科斯‧加維的泛非運動。

This is just a brief introduction to Louise Langdon Little,

這只是對路易絲‧ 蘭登‧利托的簡短介紹，

a multilingual scholar and activist

她是學者及活動家，會說多國語言，

who also brought eight children into the world,

她也生了八個孩子，

one of whom was named Malcolm Little originally.

其中一個孩子的原名 為麥爾坎‧利托。

He later became known to the world as Malcolm X.

他就是後來世人皆知的麥爾坎‧X。

When Louise's husband was murdered

路易絲的先生後來被謀殺了，

and she was widowed when she was only in her 30s,

她才三十多歲就成了寡婦，

white welfare workers started showing up and entering her home,

白種的福利工作者開始 出現，進入到她家中，

questioning the way that she was raising her children.

質疑她養育孩子的方式。

A white male physician was sent to evaluate her,

一名白種男性醫生被派來評估她，

and he concluded that she was experiencing dementia,

他的結論是，她患有失智症，

citing that she was "imagining being discriminated against."

引述他的說法，她是

「想像自己被歧視」。

(Audience murmurs)

（觀眾低語）

As a result,

結果，

she was institutionalized against her will

她被強迫送入收容機構，

for around 25 years.

被關了二十五年左右。

Each of her children were taken from her

她的孩子全都被帶離她身邊，

and they were placed into separate foster homes.

被送到不同的寄養家庭。

The final story starts in the small town of Deal Island, Maryland, in 1902.

最後一個故事始於馬里蘭州 迪爾島的一個小鎮，

時間是 1902 年。

A little girl's life begins in tragedy when she loses her own mother.

一個小女孩的人生始於悲劇，

因為她失去了她的母親。

But through this moment of darkness,

但這黑暗時刻

she becomes somebody fixated on light and on love.

讓她成為了一個 能看見光明與愛的人。

A talented writer,

她成了很有才華的作家，

she uses her prose to inspire those around her

她用她的散文來鼓舞她身邊的人

to let go of their own pain and their hatred.

放下他們自身的痛苦和恨意。

As a teenager,

十多歲時，

she travels to New York in search of a new start,

她前往紐約，尋找新的開始，

and she arrives in the middle of the Harlem Renaissance.

她剛好在哈林文藝復興時抵達。

This is just a brief introduction to Berdis Jones Baldwin,

這只是對貝爾蒂絲‧ 瓊斯‧鮑德溫的簡短介紹，

a mother of nine.

她有九個孩子。

Her first born was originally named James Arthur Jones.

她的第一個孩子原名 詹姆士‧亞瑟‧鮑德溫。

He later became known to the world as James Baldwin.

他就是後來世人皆知的 詹姆士‧鮑德溫。

At times, Berdis had no other choice but to leave her children at home

有時，

貝爾蒂絲不得已 必須要把孩子留在家裡，

to make money as a domestic worker.

去當家庭幫傭賺錢。

She was also the victim of an abusive husband for years.

她也是家暴的受害者， 被先生虐待數年。

Without resources other than police officers,

她唯一的資源就是警員，

who were better known for harassing her community,

而警員反而比較是 以騷擾她的社區聞名，

she endured the pain on her own.

所以她自己承受痛苦。

When her husband passed, and she too was only in her thirties,

當她先生過世時， 她也只有三十多歲，

she proudly raised her nine children as a single mother.

她很驕傲地獨自扶養九個孩子。

These stories are not a part of ancient history,

這些故事並不是出自古老的歷史，

nor should they be seen as separate of other mothers

也不應該因為她們的兒子成名了，

simply because their sons became famous.

就將她們和其他母親分開來看待。

They are representative of mothers' experiences,

她們代表了母親的經歷。

especially Black mothers,

特別是黑人母親，

who, to this day, are disrespected, denied paid leave,

至今，她們都還不被尊重，

無法請有薪假，

pushed out of their jobs,

被迫離開工作，

facing biases in health care systems,

在健康照護系統中面對偏見，

are victims of abuse,

成為虐待事件的受害者，

are mistreated and belittled,

受到不當對待且被輕視，

and who are being forgotten and erased.

被忘卻且被抹滅。

Would the world be different today,

若我們一直都有訴說她們的故事， 現今的世界會有所不同嗎？

if we'd been telling their stories all along?

I believe so.

我相信會。

If the stories we told of mothers reflected their presence,

如果我們訴說母親的故事，

且故事能反映出她們的存在、

their importance, their power, their influence,

她們的重要性、她們的力量、

她們的影響、

their wholeness and their humanity,

她們的全部，以及她們的人性，

then it would be easier for everyone to appreciate their roles

那麼大家就更容易感念她們的角色，

and back them with the support that they deserve.

並給予她們應得的支持。

So let's act now.

所以，讓我們現在就採取行動。

How about we stop thanking mothers for being selfless

要不要試試看，別再感謝母親的無私

and putting their needs behind everyone else's?

以及把別人的需求擺在她們之前？

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And instead,

換個方式，改成

we thank them for being our first leaders,

感謝她們扮演我們最早的領導者、

caretakers and teachers.

照顧者，以及老師。

What if we asked how we could support them in return?

我們能不能想想，反過來 我們能如何支持她們呢？

(Applause)

（掌聲）

Yeah.

是的。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

What if we celebrated stay-at-home moms

我們能不能讚頌待在家的母親，

as the essential members of our society that they are

把她們當成社會的重要成員， 她們也確實本來就是，

rather than belittling their role?

而不是輕視她們的角色？

(Applause)

（掌聲）

What if employers and colleagues recognize mothering

雇主和同事能不能肯定

as the ultimate test of multitasking,

「為人母」，將之視為終極考驗，

考驗多工、組織，和同理心？

organization and empathy?

(Laughs)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

And highlighted the importance of keeping mothers on their teams.

並強調將母親留在 其團隊中的重要性？

And what if we produced more stories,

我們能不能創作出更多故事、

books, TV shows, movies

書店、電視節目、電影，

that represented mothers accurately?

並更精準地呈現母親？

Could we convince more people of the need for parental leave,

我們能不能說服更多人， 有需要提供育嬰假、

affordable child care,

平價兒童照管、

unbiased health care systems,

無偏見的健康照護系統，

maybe even a guaranteed income?

也許，甚至保證收入？

I think we can all agree.

我想大家都同意。

Mothers are essential.

母親很重要。

Mothers are powerful.

母親很強大。

Mothers have their own needs and their own identities.

母親有她們自己的需求

和她們自己的身分。

Mothers deserve support.

支持是母親應得的。

It is time our stories and our policies reflect this.

該是我們的故事和政策 反應出這一點的時候了。

We can change the narrative.

我們能夠改變說法。

And when we do,

當我們做到時，

the world will be a much better and equitable place for us all.

世界會變成對所有人 都更好、更平等的地方。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌聲及歡呼聲）