Kimberly Erwin

This interview was conducted with Kimberly Erwin at a home onState Street in Hudson, NY on Saturday, June 22, 2024. Erwin is an advocate for children, an educator, and a radio show host/ She was born and raised inHudson, New York where she lived with her grandmother, mother, and sister. In this interview, Erwin goes into great detail about her experiences growing up in Hudson, her experiences as a daughter, and her childhood view of adults. She spoke to her experience as a child who loved to read, and made use of stories, even those that omitted the likeness of African American children as a means of imagination and exploration. She recalled experiences of adults behaving in unkind ways, and that she held a position that she “did not want to grow up.” Kimberly spoke about the impact of her grandmother’s home on Columbia Street, the chicken shack her grandmother owned, other important landmarks in Hudson for the African American community during her coming of age. She reflected on her experience being parented in a laissez-faire manner and the skill her mother held, always providing, even with little resources. She spoke of phenomena like being a dual person (otherwise known as double consciousness)while growing up in a predominantly Black neighborhood, but attending a predominantly white school and the changes she hoped to see in Hudson. She mentioned her ideas about culture, individuality, and how her life choices impact the way she sees herself today. She ends with a declaration about the importance of listening to children and honoring individuality even in collective culture.

Someone might be interested in this interview if they have an interest in racial identity development, absentee fathers, Black motherhood in history, Hudson landmarks in the Black community, childhood development, and the impact of literacy.