Shut down: build community, save energy.

Here's what this blogger will be doing this weekend instead of spending time here.

Nashville MAUs at peace rally & march.

You can find details over at Ms. Booty Homemaker Explains It All To You.

MAU at Tennessee Alliance for Progress annual conference.

TAP's Annual Compass conference details can be found here, and MAU's workshop overview is as follows:

Mothers Acting Up presents MAU now!: the Joy of Activism— Mobilizing the Mamas

(Fathers and all others who care about & for children are WARMLY WELCOME!)

MAU will facilitate a conversation about parental activism: where are we on our current journey? What are the barriers and obstacles to parental activism? How can we overcome them? We will view Mothers Acting Up, the movie, which gives a terrific overview of the movement: a magnificent revolution to honor the promise of our children’s lives.

The workshop will provide a copy of the Mothers Acting Up 2007 Mother Leadership Handbook and Engagement calendar for each participant family.

Points of focus in context of the Mother Agenda : community building, Mother’s Day Reclamation, tabling, and advocacy for children in the offices of our representatives. The goal of our sessions is to provide each participant with the tools to create and put on a Mother’s Day Parade or other reclamation event and / or start a Mothers Acting Up Community in their own hometowns.

A children’s workshop / activity—Mini MAUs in Community-- on Global Citizenship will coincide with the adult programming.

Speaking to the call for a Mother Agenda.

THIS IS NOT A CANDIDATE ENDORSEMENT, it’s a hopeful sign that when one leads others will follow!

John Edwards is listening to our call for a *Mother Agenda:

Yesterday, I delivered a speech in New Hampshire where I laid out a transformational change agenda to guarantee universal health care, stop global warming, close the education gap, end poverty at home, and make America more secure through an historic effort to reduce poverty across the globe.

Some Highlights:

• I outlined a plan I call "College for Everyone" that will pay for the first year of college for any student in America who needs it and is willing to work part-time.
  
• We need transformational change to stop global warming and create a new energy economy that helps fuel the growth of a secure middle class in the 21st century. By changing our energy infrastructure and investing in research, development and deployment of alternative energy technologies, we can create more than a million new jobs in America. We must set an example for the world by implementing a cap on carbon emissions and through dramatically increasing our national and individual energy efficiency.
  
• There's one other subject I talked about yesterday that is very important to me personally—and to the security of America. And that's global poverty. So yesterday I outlined my plan to tackle global poverty head on. We will launch a worldwide effort to bring primary education to every corner of the globe. We will invest in preventive health care through clean water and sanitation systems to give poor families a chance at healthy lives. We will provide the tools of local entrepreneurship and active citizenry that are the cornerstones of stable prosperity. And we will create a cabinet level position in the White House to elevate all our national efforts at eradicating poverty worldwide.

You can link to Edwards' full speech here.


* MAU is mobilizing the mamas in 2007 to build three major campaigns, collectively called the Mother Agenda: 1) Protect our global family: Champion the MDGs 2) For children’s sake: Preserve our planet, and 3) The true cost of war: Measure the impact on children . We are working in coalition with groups and mamas like YOU to educate our communities and decision makers about these three campaigns and build the political will to shape policies and redistribute money to care for our global family & planet. These three campaigns will run through all MAU’s Web actions, collective actions and field trips — the first action being a letter to our Congressional leaders, introducing ourselves and the Mother Agenda. Sign on to a part of the Mother Agenda here.

Greening up the post.

For a dime a day Greendimes will stop your junkmail, reduce paper use and waste, AND plant a tree for you each month. You can even sign up to give a gift membership.

Meet MAU and Giving Circle Maven: Ericka Carter.

Last year a couple of my friends and I started a Giving Circle with other women in the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. We have met every other month since then to give to a local charity or cause. The Mothers Acting Up calendars have provided a wealth of information for our Giving Circle activities. We have been so awestruck by the work that so many women have accomplished all over the world to end poverty and suffering for women and children. The calendars are treasured! We keep them in our files to provide new ideas for future Giving Circles and as a great source of inspiration. Last January we gave money to a local organization that provides books to low income children in the Los Angeles area. Children receive books from six months to five years of age at their annual check-up; this idea was inspired by flipping through the pages of last year’s MAU calendar.

--Ericka Carter, MAU and Giving Circle Maven

The Transformative Power of Mother's Day.

In the hopes of inspiring others to reclaim Mother's Day Parades and other celebratory events, the following is MAU Maven Tina's first person account of her experience organizing New York City's first Mothers Acting Up Mother's Day Parade. Thorughout are photographs of that transformative event.

NEW YORK 2003.
I don't know why I sent off an email to Mothers Acting Up saying that I would organize a Mother's Day parade for them in New York City that first year. I'd never organized anything public like it before. I hadn't ever been that active in the past either. But I saw the smiling joyful faces of Beth, Erica, Juliana and Joellen in their wild and crazy hats acting up at their first parade in Boulder 2002, and something inside of me knew that I had to bring some of that joy in acting up to the streets of New York City.

A year earlier in September of 2001, I had given birth to my first born son just a few short days after 9/11 in New York City. The experience was shattering, traumatizing, life-changing. But most of all, I will never forget how very difficult it was to be unable to share the overwhelming joy of my new motherhood with family and friends- who were unable to fly to greet the new baby from overseas, or my neighbours- unable to smile in their shock and grief for what seemed like the longest time.

In the months that followed as I recovered and family and friends started trickling in my home as they dared to brave airplane travel again, I started thinking of the mothers of the terrorists. What were they thinking? How were they feeling? Is this really what they wanted for their children? How are they coping with their grief at their loss? Dare they grieve? Night after night I would sit in my rocking chair nursing my son and looking up at the moon thinking of them and all the other mothers across the world nursing their babies at exactly the same time. I knew I had to do something to bring people together. I knew I had to do something for my children, but I had no idea what I could do.

When the war in Iraq started, people began to descend on New York and angrily pace our streets with anti-war chants and anti-bush sentiment. Though I agreed with them I could not stand to see so much hatred spill out over our already scarred city. And I did not feel safe taking my son to any rally down there either.

Then, with a burning passion to do something but no idea what, I started an internet search and came across Mothers Acting Up through a link on the National Council of Churches website. As soon as I saw their parade photos I knew I had found what I was looking for. It was like an instant attraction. They hooked me and I've never let go since.

And so, with no experience of event organization, public planning or political activism behind me, only a burning passion, nay NEED to do something fun and spirited. I signed up. I shared my vision to unite diverse populations of mothers and others in one goal and I told them I'd do a parade for them in NYC.

What followed was a frenzied blur of activity and emails and conference calls as I realized there were other mothers out there wanting to do something and all learning at the same pace that I was. Their energy kept me moving forward. I was put in touch with another mother in NY and together we began to plan a march on the sidewalk from Washington Square Park to Union Square. We had a band and a speaker that my new friend had put together. With her contacts in NY we also had professional stiltwalkers/stilt dancers that attracted much attention. Most importantly we had an information table, which passersby could come to, grab a button, information on MAU and information on how to act up.

It was an anti-war/pro-peace rally with an enormous difference. It was filled with children and mothers and smiling and dancing and singing. We put an enormous amount of money and energy into it, and even though we spent much more than we could afford to, it was tremendously successful: we were even recorded as being one of the many events/ groups working to heal NY after 9/11 on some documentary (I can't remember the name of!) which was exactly how I saw what we were doing.

Ever since NY, I have seen the healing potential of these mother's day parades and how they bring people together. They are empowering, they are spirited and as far as I'm concerned divine. From my experience at this first parade in NY in 2003, to hearing about the Israeli and Palestinian mothers coming together on Mother's day in Jerusalem in 2005, to my long term dream of peaceful unity in Northern Ireland. NOW, I aim to have a parade of catholic and protestant mothers walking joyfully and peacefully in unison on the streets of Belfast. A tall order?! Not at all. If I can go from no event experience to organizing a parade in Union Square in New York City then I can do anything, especially with the support of the mothers at MAU behind me. To be honest, being a mother is still much more challenging than planning that event or anything else I do with MAU!

The trick I've discovered, is to take our personal pain, our distress, our outrage at the world the way it is and transform it bit by bit and piece by piece into a feeling of joy and hope
, as we begin to start envisioning and then working to transform the world into what we want it to be instead.

Tina is currently working to achieve her dreams as MAU's International Outreach Coordinator and the mum behind MAU UK. For all the juicy details on how to reclaim Mother's Day in the US, go here. To contact Tina and get the the scoop on Mothering Sunday, MAU style: www.mothersactingup.org.uk

Mobilizing the Mamas on MySpace.

Beth of Beth's Blog raps on effective use of MySpace for non-profit organizations. Her short list of organizations visited include Mothers Acting Up, and it looks as though we'll be speaking with her further about our MySpace experience.

Haven't joined us there yet? Come on over! We're finding MySpace to be a very effective tool for community building, networking and branding.

Actionable: Health Care for All Children.

A great many of us in this country have struggled to provide and keep healthcare for our families for various reasons. Sadly, we have not always been successful. It is a growing problem nationwide, and is especially so for our country's children.

The below is from the THCC (Tennessee Health Care Campaign), but the SCHIP reauthorization campaign is NATIONwide, so folks from all states are needed to raise their voices. SCHIP is State Children's Health Insurance Program.

It's easy to call and you don't have to sound like a policy wonk, just like a parent concerned for children. When you call, identify yourself, your city. If you don't know your representative, don't let that stop you. The operator will know where to direct your call by where you are calling from-- whoever you speak with will simply take a message and note your concern.

Children's Health Insurance - Calls are needed this week to Congress: Calls to ALL Senators and Representatives are needed now. Tell them we need at least $60 billion in new money for the SCHIP program for Reauthorization. Call Congress, toll-free 1-800-828-0498 What you should say? Congress must ensure that there are at least enough funds to cover the children who are eligible for SCHIP, but not yet enrolled. to do this, we will need at least $60 billion in new federal funds over the next 5 years. No child should lose coverage because there are not enough federal funds. The $60 billion includes funding to ensure that no one currently enrolled in the program will lose coverage because of a lack of federal funds. For more details, click here.

Meet Rita Sharmu: MAU Handbook Portrait.

There is a formula for ending extreme poverty within our children's lifetimes: money + mothers. When mothers get hold of money, good things happen. Girls go to school, kids get more protein, babies get immunized and moms are safer from violence and HIV/AIDS.

Ritu Sharma, Co-Founder and President of the Women's Edge Coalition, featured in the 2007 MAU Handbook, Mother Leadership

Click here for more info!

Get Your Parade On...

Arise!!

Marching to the tune of Mother Leadership in 2007, this Mothers Day-- May 13-- MAUs from coast to coast will be getting their parade on from New York City and the Bronx, to Austin, Nashville, Boulder and Carbondale, Alexandria, Vashon Island and the Twin Cities, too... More cake walks, teas, rallys and parades being added in cities and communities across the country weekly!!

Find a Mothers Day Parade near you, and / or watch the following, and get inspired to to host your very own! The MAUmas at the Mothership will be with you every step of the way and I stand ready to encourage, support, hand hold where necessary and celebrate YOUR community's victory in taking great strides in this magnificent revolution in the names of all our children:

March 17...

...is the fourth anniversary of the War on "Terrorism."

Events will be taking place all over the country and beyond to promote peace, including this one in Nashville (at which the local MAU community will have a strong presence)

Dear Mothers Acting Up and Fathers and Grandparents and Everyone Else,

Please gather with us to comemorate the 4th anniversary of the invasion of
Iraq at the Owen Bradley Park, on Division by the Musica Roundabout on
Saturday, March 17, starting at 2PM. There will be speakers and
performers and a gentle, peaceful ambiance. Around 3:30 we will gather up
strollers and babies and old shoes and walk to the Federal Building at 9th
and Broadway, where we will line the shoes up along the curb.(They will be
re-used and eventually donated.)

We hope that Mothers Acting Up will march as a contingent!?! And "Act Up"
at the Park beforehand!

We are collecting old shoes and labelling them with the names of
Tennesseans, friends and family members who have served in Iraq,
especially those who died there, and of Iraqi men, women and children who
have died in this conflict. The event is entitled "Walk in Their Shoes"
and is being sponsored by CodePink and other groups all around the
country. Please bring old shoes to the Peace and justice Center, or bring
them with you for labelling on 3/17. Also, please tell us names of any
friends or family members who have served in Iraq that you would like
represented by a pair of shoes.

We hope that you will participate in any way possible in this call for
peace rather than escalation. peace and love, Jane

What is happening in your respective community? Please comment below.

Elect Susie for President.

Despite the fact that it costs less to provide health coverage for children than for any other group, there is no such measure in place in the richest country on planet earth. We are NOT taking care of our own, through health care or health insurance. That's unacceptable.

Help share that message with Congress via petition by being one of at least 9 million signatories to stand up for the 9 million children in this country who have no health coverage.

This is Susie Flynn's message. With the Children's Defense Fund behind her, Susie Flynn is on the campaign trail.

Mom activism.

Mom Activism: It's been going on a long long while, despite the (right on, by the way) recent'ish' trend toward it. The media is catching on. Witness, for example, this piece about organized mothers starring Moms Rising from the New York Times last week.

And yesterday, there was this tee-ninesy little blip about Lorraine Gordon being a mother moved to activism with Women Strike For Peace on this All Things Considered Feature about Gordon's new book. (Fascinating and multi-faceted woman, Ms. Gordon.)

Nancy Oleson at MOMbo Radio is an inspiration in Minneapolis and beyond; she did this intriguing show featuring a slew of activist mamas, including MAU's very own Beth Osnes.

In simpler but no less real Everyday Mom terms of writer Miriam Peskowitz, she writes about the "weird"ness and obstacles to being an activist mother. She closes this excellent blog entry with the commitment and encouragement to others to "try on the politically engaged vision of being a mother and a woman in our worlds."

Our job, as Mothers Acting Up and friends is to build that bridge between MOM activism and Mom activism. That is, activism on behalf of mama herSELF and activism on behalf of the world's children-- not just the ones in our home or on our block. What's good for moms is good for kids is good for families is good for communities is good for the environment is good for peacekeeping is good for global citizenry, and so on. We may each start at a different corner, yet cannot deny that we're all eating of the same pie and a bigger piece for your daughter is also a bigger piece for a far flung son and mamas both hip and everyday, from here to Timbuktu.

Meet MAU Maven Nicole Warne-McGraw!!

I am blessed to have a mother who cares – cares not only for me, my 4 siblings, our spouses and our children – but a mother who cares for the children of the world. She, particularly, cares passionately for women through pregnancy, labor and birthing and for babies and their families in those priceless early years. She taught me -- through watching her do it over and over again -- the difference a thoughtful letter or call to a government official can make. She taught me -- through conversations on local, national, and world events -- to pay attention, care deeply, and create the world in which I want my children and grandchildren to live.

And now I am giving my daughters the same gift of a loving mother whose love is huge enough to encompass the world's children. I hope they learn through joining me at rallies, sitting on my lap as I write my Senator, playing on the floor as I make calls to encourage voter turn-out, and through our discussions of our dreams for how the world can be when we join together to make a difference. And I look forward to many more generations of a family caring for the world's family. I can hardly wait to see the world they will create!

--Nicole Warne-McGraw, many generational Activist & MAU Maven

MAU All Star: Nina Utne.

Increasingly I find myself using the phrase, "I can’t not . . ." I can’t not speak up and make myself visible in service to what I care passionately about . . . We each are being drawn to listen deeply and to act out of our instinctual knowing. What is it you can’t not do? Nina Utne, Chair and Editor-in-Chief of Utne magazine, featured in the 2007 MAU Handbook, Mother Leadership Click here for more info!

Meet MAU Maven Frances Higgins.

It was one of the best days my life. As Americans we have the right to express ourselves. It was so powerful to go with friends and children to the source, and speak our minds and be heard. For the first time I was doing something as an American that made sense. That took advantage of our right to politically express ourselves. It really wasn’t so hard; we had an agenda and posters and roles and if you got nervous, there was an entire group there supporting you. I felt like it was a truly meaningful day; when are we doing it again?

Frances Higgins, MAU Field Trip participant to CO Senators & Representative Udall. Mothers of Mothers Acting Up, along with members of the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center and one devoted dad, filled a school bus with mothers, grandmothers and children of all ages. Amidst great chatter, earnest discussion and gales of laughter, the group split to go to the Denver offices of Senator Ken Salazar, Senator Wayne Allard and everyone visited Representative Mark Udall. At each office the exuberant group met with aides and presented material and asked questions about a 5-point agenda to “Invest in the global family, ensuring a secure future.”

Featuring MAU Handbook Portrait Ohki Simine Forest.

Ancient Native ways teach that there is nothing on Earth more powerful than a circle of decided women. In ancient Council ways, the circle of women is at the center of the community, holding the heart of all people . . . The Earth is calling for this return to Council ways, calling women to take up her Bow of Authority. Ohki Siminé Forest, Red Wind Councils, featured in the 2007 MAU Handbook, Mother Leadership

"Not Your Everyday Baby Shower."

MAU co-founder Beth Osnes is a woman of many hats, aprons and gloves; she includes in her wide array of spirited talents those of writer and performer. She is the author of Twice Alive: A Spiritual Guide to Mothering Through Pregnancy and the Child's First Year. Her article, Not Your Everyday Baby Shower, which originally ran in Issue 138 September / October 2006 of Mothering Magazine is currently the featured article on the esteemed mama-mag's website. The article is a wonderful resource for expectant mothers and host friends who want to create an uplifting and celebratory experience for the mother-to-be and her surrounding tribe.

The picture above is of my belly cast in progress at my very own blessingway -- a not-so-everyday-baby-shower given by my closest mama friends just a few weeks before giving birth to my son.

"Vote for Mom."

In response to this excellent article in last week's New York Times, Mothers Acting Up Co-founder Juliana Forbes (below) wrote the following letter to the editor:

Robin Toner’s article, “Vote for Mom” (1.29.07) asserts that Pelosi and Clinton have exhibited enough political strength to afford wooing voters by showcasing their motherhood. Perhaps also motherhood is seen now as a SOURCE of strength in political leadership. Mothers – traditionally the keepers of domestic issues – are recognizing that their children’s lives are at stake – and are claiming the “tough” issues of national security, the environment and international relations & development as their own Mother Agenda. Faced with sobering facts – today 1 child dies every 3 seconds due to mostly preventable causes and almost every other child in the world lives in poverty (UNICEF) – mothers are becoming a powerful lobby for children and view other mothers as most likely to protect children. The Motherhood Study reports that 92% of mothers care about the wellbeing of all children – not just their own – and 72% agree more mothers in political power in America would make life better for mothers and children. Maybe Pelosi and Clinton aren’t just being savvy; perhaps they truly see mothers leading a magnificent revolution to prioritize children’s lives.

Juliana Forbes
Cofounder, Mothers Acting Up
www.mothersactingup.org