Interviews Are a Means of Learning What Motivates People to Action

Daily writing prompt

Interview someone — a friend, another blogger, your mother, the mailman — and write a post based on their responses.

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I interviewed 36 black aunts who were kinship care providers for their nieces and nephews. It was my research for my doctorate. They were face-to-face interviews, some recorded and others didn’t want to be taped. I wanted to know what motivates women to take responsibility for children, as I understood from personal experience how difficult it can be from a physical, financial, emotional, or mental cost.

They all believed that the children were in crisis and needed to be rescued, whatever the costs to them or their families. Like me, none of the married aunts asked their husbands for permission, believing they would understand that the children needed their assistance to live good and safe lives. Several marriages didn’t survive, but the children were doing well with their aunts’ help and love.

I found the women compassionate, caring, loving, and courageous as they took responsibility for children from infants to teenagers. One woman let her phone be cut off to take in her great-nephew from state custody. They believed that as black women, kinship care is a part of your duty and that all black children belong to all black women, whether related or fictive kin, meaning not biologically related.

Interviews allow people to speak from the heart, sharing their lives, hopes, and dreams with us, so we can comprehend their motivations for doing what many others would not do. I find bold people are individuals who see a need and realize that if they don’t do it, then, nobody will. I was in awe of all of these fantastic human beings.