MAU at National Mothers Conference.

MAU's Beth Osnes above, doing her stand-up routine.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Viviana Russell, 516 939-6667 X107, vivianar@motherscenter.org

Jericho, NY - April 17, 2008: Meeting of the Minds (and Mothers!)

Over 150 mothers-- and a few fathers-- traveled to Smithtown, NY April 4-6th for an historic conference sponsored by Jericho, NY based National Association of Mothers’ Centers (NAMC). The diverse group of national mothers support and advocacy organizations included: Family & Home Network, Mommies Network, Moms Rising, The Motherhood, Mothers & More, Mothers Acting Up, Mothers Movement Online, Mothers Ought to Have Equal Rights (MOTHERS), National Advocates for Pregnant Women, NOW’s Mothers & Caregivers Economic Rights Committee, The Motherhood Project and the Welfare Warriors.

Attendees hailed from 24 Mothers’ Centers, 16 states and Canada. They networked, attended informative workshops and explored opportunities to work together for the rights and financial stability of mothers, parents and children in this country. Keynote speaker Ellen Bravo, author of “Taking on the Big Boys: Or Why Feminism is Good for Families, Business, and the Nation” fired up the group with words of inspiration. “I realized I’m not the failure. Society has failed us [parents]. I now know where to put my efforts for activism.”, commented one first time attendee at the end of the weekend.

The conference was hailed as “… inspiring and empowering.” The NAMC plans to continue the conversation with partnering organizations who said “Bringing together the representatives from various organizations was meaningful, the results of which will be seen in years to come.”

The NAMC is the leading organization that recognizes the challenges, realities and importance of mothering and other caregiving work, offering educational and support programs in local centers, in libraries and in the workplace, offering an annual Work/Life Conference as well as doing advocacy in the fields of postpartum depression, early care and education, work/life balance and the economic impact of being a care giver. For more information contact us at 877.939.MOMS X101, info@motherscenter.org, or visit our website at www.MothersCenter.org.

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GROUP PHOTO

Back Row: (left to right)

Cathy Myers, Family & Home Network; Valerie Young, NAMC's MOTHERS Initiative; Joanne Brundage, Mothers & More; Judith Stadtman Tucker, Mothers Movement Online; Linda Lisi Juergens, NAMC; Pat Gowens, Welfare Warriors; Rhonda Kave, NAMC

Front Row: (left to right)

Emily McKhann, Moms Rising; Tiloma Jayasinghe, National Advocates for Pregnant Women; Debra Levy, Mothers & More; Kristin Maschka, Mothers & More; Beth Osnes, Mothers Acting Up

Photo credit: Moseley/bbaphotography.com

	Photo Donated by Bill Moseley/bbaphotography.com