Editorial Team
I am a huge fan of Beyoncé. Like, HUGE fan. I include her words of inspiration in many of my corporate speaking presentations. My damn last name is Carter. The CATCHPA for the first version of my website was her name.
Whenever I’m asked during an event, like Create & Cultivate (pictured below) who’s music I want to come out to, I always say “Run The World (Girls)” by Beyoncé.
I’ve been know to watch her documentaries, like, a LOT.
My toxic trait thanks to @strongblacklead is watching HOMECOMING: A film by Beyoncé at least one Friday a month for inspiration and motivation pic.twitter.com/aJireR8kCS
— Christine Michel Carter (@cmichelcarter) March 11, 2022
My love goes BEYOND what I can SAY (see what I did there ’03 Dangerously in Love fans?), so it was quite easy to think of ten times Beyoncé got me together and made me feel like I could handle working motherhood. Times she made me repeat what her director and choreographer Frank Gatson Jr. said, “if you gonna come into my lane, make sure you put your blinker on.”
Like I said, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter, or Ms. Tina’s daughter (who she got this shit from and who I’ve had the pleasure to interview), has been my inspiration since 1997. Why would you try her? Why even bother?
Here’s how Beyoncé keeps me motivated as a mom.
#10: When she wears Mommy & Me outfits.
I mean, I’ve even covered this for ForbesWomen. How cute?!
#9: Whenever she breaks “Sasha Fierce” character for Blue.
My heart melts when Blue Ivy says “Good job B!” at the end of “Daddy Lessons.” Or head to the 4:50 mark of this video and tell me your heart doesn’t melt. What working mom wouldn’t want to hear their child’s voice in their most powerful moment? (And that gentleman standing next to her- none other than Frank Gatson Jr., by the way.)
#8: When she announced her first adidas x IVY PARK collection.
I’ve heard she ensures her daughters have matching versions of all her outfits, which after seeing subsequent IVY PARK collections I 100% believe. But this first drop, where the commercial featured Blue Ivy… it was too much for my mind. I did of course buy IVY PARK, because… Beyoncé.
#7: When she “mother”f***ing performs, of course.
Just trying to figure out how to balance being a mother …. and giving myself creativity and physically. It is a lot to juggle.
Yes, that is me in between her legs on the bottom left with my ex-husband, when she came to Baltimore.
#6: When Beyoncé tells you about how she is unapologetically raising her kids via her song lyrics.
Boy, you know you love it
How we’re smart enough to make these millions
Strong enough to bear the children (Children)
Then get back to business– Run The World (Girls)
I like my baby heir with baby hair and afros
I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils
Earned all this money, but they never take the country out me
I got hot sauce in my bag, swag– Formation
#5: When I walk around my house and see her face.
You better believe that is Beyoncé as Mona Lisa hanging in my office. I was forced to make a decision after hanging my U.S. Senate commendation: keep Beyoncé hanging in my office or display my kids’ artwork. It was a goddamn no brainer.
#4: When I thanked her before thanking my parents in my book, MOM AF.
Oh, wait! Beyoncé!
In all moments of praise, we must thank our Suga Mama, who art in L.A. or NYC, hallowed be thy sweet ass frame. Thank you for being such an inspiration. We don’t deserve you, and by we, I mean black women, black men, and humanity periodt. I love you, girl. If I ever meet you, I’m gonna be like Jerome was all over Pam Grier, singing, “I Wanna Get Next to You” at the Players Ball.
Yes, Kenneth Epps and Marsha Parham, I took the time to make a special paragraph about Beyoncé but didn’t call you out independently. Deal with it. (You’ll both have a problem with that, proving you are, in fact, just alike.)
– MOM AF Acknowledgements
#3: When she turned her babies into a brand too.
#2: When Beyoncé talked about having preeclampsia.
“I had an extremely difficult pregnancy. I had high blood pressure. I developed toxemia, preeclampsia. And in the womb, one of my babies’ hearts paused a few times so I had to get an emergency C-section.”
#1: Because at the end of the day, Beyoncé is just a glorified juice box holder, just like us everyday working moms.
Bio: Featured in The New York Times and The Washington Post, Christine Michel Carter is a best-selling author, award-winning advocate, and the #1 global voice for all moms. She helps women navigate the significant impact of motherhood on their professional careers. She elevates the honest truths of working motherhood as a Senior ForbesWomen Contributor, the author of the children’s book Can Mommy Go To Work?, and the author of the adult novel MOM AF.
She is also a working parents and women’s ERG subject matter expert; employees have ranked her signature mental health talk the best corporate programming event of the year. She’s also worked on the maternal initiatives of Vice President Kamala Harris and received a Congressional Citation from the U.S. Senate for going “above and beyond in ensuring that Black Moms and Moms of Color have access to important health information for their children and families.”