Jamilah Lemieux Unpacks Black Motherhood, Co-Parenting & The Village | To Be Clear Ep. 11

From her early rise as a fearless writer at Ebony to her next chapter as an author. To Be Clear, hosts Dawn Montgomery and Freddie B sit down with Jamilah Lemieux to unpack a lifetime of clarity earned through experience, activism, and storytelling. First, we honor the life and legacy of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, reflecting on his tragic passing, his iconic role as Theo Huxtable, and his vast contributions to entertainment. Learning how to grieve in public while dealing with the complicated legacy of The Cosby Show. Jamilah also shares the journey behind her upcoming book, Black Single Mother: Real Life Tales of Longing and Belonging, out March 2026— The first non-fiction book about Black single moms from a major publisher. Dawn & FreddieBTV discuss co-parenting with integrity & how Jamilah raised her daughter with shared custody, despite heartbreak. Jamilah explains why Black single mothers are constantly villainized, and how her new book aims to change that. The real meaning of feminism and going beyond the “man-hater” stereotype. Finally we discuss the emotional labor of Black women, what rest really looks like, and why we rarely get to experience it. Jamila Lemieux is a cultural critic, writer, and editor whose work has helped shape 21st-century conversations around race, gender, and power. A former senior editor at Ebony and contributor to The New York Times, Essence, and The Nation, she’s also the author of the forthcoming book Black Single Mother: Real Life Tales of Longing and Belonging.