Join in for spirited dialogue.

Come on over and join the brand spaking new list serv for Mothers Acting Up nationally, and beyond!!

Earth Hour 2008.

Can One Woman's Passion Change the World?

From Boulder MAU's Janna Vance:

I started to discover my passion when I left the hospital three days after my daughter, Lillian, was born. I had to leave my sweet baby girl in the nursery. My heart broke. I knew that there were many, many people in this world that had to leave their sweet babies in the nursery for much longer and I felt for them. But, that time away from Lillian was among the most horrible and heart-wrenching of my life.

Then, a strange thing happened. Lillian was released from the hospital. But as my husband drove us home, I gazed out the window at the people walking on the streets, the parks, the world. All of it moving so fast, none of them thinking about the safety of my baby girl. And I thought, "What is this world that I'm bringing my baby home to?" She was so incredibly safe in the nursery. Even I and my husband had to go through security measures to get in to see our baby. Now, all of that would be gone. The only thing standing in between my daughter and the cruel world... was me!

And what of the other children in the world? Was there someone to stand up for them? Would they be safe? Would they all have the support to grow up to be the people that I would want my daughter to share the world with?

That is precisely why I am joining the Parade Magazine America's Giving Challenge. I am competing to gain the most new supporters for my charity, Mothers Acting Up. If I win, I will receive $50,000 for the charity of my choice! But the challenge ends in just 17 days, so the time is now.

Mothers Acting Up works to ensure that someone does look out for the world's children, and so much more. I have had the opportunity to spend a little time with the MAU team in Boulder, CO and they are the most amazing, passionate and inspiring people I've ever met. MAU works in the local community to increase awareness of all issues related to children and the world we will pass along to them. MAU works to ensure that our children will have a planet that is environmentally balanced, politically fair and joyful in its diversity.

I am not sure that my passion can change the world, but I know that my passion and your support can help sustain this wonderful organization to foster world change!

I am asking you to please give $10 to Mothers Acting Up and help me toward my goal of winning the America's Giving Challenge. The challenge awards the person who reaches the largest number of new supporters. Therefore, if you can inspire your family members, friends and colleagues to give I stand a real chance of winning this challenge. So, please pass it on. And thank you for caring.

Click here to give: http://www.networkforgood.org/pca/Badge.aspx?BadgeId=109713

Find more about MAU at www.mothersactingup.org And keep up on my progress on the Boulder MAU Blog.

In great appreciation,

Janna Vance

Moms take action to improve life for families worldwide

From the Traverse City Record-Eagle

Moms take action to improve life for families worldwide

BY MARTA HEPLER DRAHOS
mdrahos@record-eagle.com

HARBOR SPRINGS -- Hillary Rodham Clinton may have made the old African proverb famous, but Kate Bassett and Copland Rudolph have always known that it takes a village to raise a child.

Believing that children can thrive only if their families do, and if the whole of society cares enough to provide for them, the Harbor Springs friends home school their four children together and sponsor six more children in Africa, Sri Lanka and Honduras through the Christian Children's Fund. And when Rudolph got an unsolicited calendar in the mail a few years ago from an international group called Mothers Acting Up, they were immediately drawn to its mission of action on behalf of children everywhere.

"We believe that beyond our traditional mother roles we have a responsibility to (publicly) and passionately advocate for the world's children," said Rudolph, 40, a restaurateur and environmentalist with a background in counseling and psychology.

After attending a nearby lecture on Millennium Development Goals, a set of global strategies for ending extreme poverty by 2015, the women decided to start a local affiliate of Mothers Acting Up in 2006.

"I think that we knew just from being moms and (living) in our community that we live in a really compassionate place," said Bassett, 29, assistant editor of the Harbor Light newspaper. "I think that first Mothers' Day we went in blind and hoping for the best. We didn't know if five people would show up or 30 people."

Now Northern Michigan Mothers Acting Up.... (more here)

Political Moms Make Family Values Their Baby

Political Moms Make Family Values Their Baby Run Date: 01/09/08 By Alison Bowen WeNews correspondent Mothers' groups are talking to presidential campaigns about family values. It's time, says a founder of Moms Rising, to focus on paid sick days for workers, equal pay for women and affordable health care for all. (WOMENSENEWS)--Wobbling forward on stilts is one way to gain attention. That's why four founding members of Mothers Acting Up have been visible high above the crowds in more than 80 events since the group launched on Mother's Day 2002. "It became such a perfect metaphor for Mothers Acting Up," says Juliana Forbes, communications director for the Boulder, Colo., group focused on political advocacy for children around the world. "One of the biggest hurdles is really becoming public and visible in your community. If you're up on stilts, you are so visible. Everyone's looking at you." Building on their strategy of mobilizing active members to

More green commitments.

You can check out earlier entries here. And keep checking back for more!!

We have reduced the number of plastic shopping bags we use by now using reusable shopping bags. Many local grocery stores sell them for about $1. We live about 4 miles from the ocean and know the effect on sea life that the plastic bags have. --Melissa, of Phippsburg, ME

We commit to buy less and give away more. We committed and reached our goal of raising and fishing for all our meats and fish for the winter. We have two full freezers of organic meats that we have raised ourselves :) --Linda, of Olympia, WA

As a single Mother and a Professor of Teacher Education I am committed both personally and professionally to setting a Green Example for my daughter and my college students. I am dedicated to driving my hybrid in the most fuel efficient fashion possible. I am dedicated to buying only paper products that are fully post-consumer. I will continue to reduce, reuse, and recycle anything and everything that I can.I will continue to educate my friends, family, and students about Green choices we can make on a daily basis. --Michelle, of De Pere, WI

I have been committed to this issue for quite a while. So far I pack my daughter's lunch in a laptop lunch box which avoids the waste of packaged foods (http://www.laptoplunches.com/). I cancelled all catalouge and almost all of my magazine subscriptions. I bring the hangers back to the cleaners. I use only canvas bags at the grocery store and the mall. I use biobags for kitty litter. I drive a PZEV (partial zero emission vehicle). What else??? I shop at the local farmer's market and try to avoid buying packaged foods. I line dry my clothes which is not always convenient for everyone! Next year I plan to compost in my backyard! And one more thing.... I use a stainless cup when I get a cup o Joe at Starbucks!!!!!--Ericka, of Van Nuys, CA

We will bike when we can, wait til we have three errands to drive, turn off lights when not in use, keep our car tires inflated, get ALL good lightbulbs, turn our heat down two degrees. --Beth, of Boulder, CO

One Hot Mama.

MAU Go Green Commitments from November action.

Replace ALL my light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs; start riding my bike to work; plant a garden this spring. -- Judy, of Albuquerque, NM

I am an apartment manager and will initiate conservation programs throughout our community. We will install low-wattage light bulbs, encourage reporting leaking faucets, etc. Personally, I will be more vigilant and recycle 100%, as well as install smart strips that shut off power to appliances, etc. -- Kris, of Broomfield, CO

I run an infant nursery in Milwaukie, Oregon that aims to nurture the whole child and family in body, mind and spirit. We are making a commitment to live a green life by doing a few simple things. We are reducing waste by putting cloth diapers in reusable and washable vinyl pouches instead of plastic bags that get thrown out. We are also using cloth towels instead of paper. We have recently switched from using plastic bottles that contain harmful toxins when heated, to using glass bottles with either latex or silicone nipples. We also only use our garbage service once a month, so we recycle and compost the rest of our waste. This is a start for us here at the nursery. I'd love to be inspired to do even more for our children and our environment! -- Traci, of Milwauki, OR

I pledge to shop organic when I can, to wash 4 out of 5 loads in cold/cold water, to turn off all the lights and appliances in the house when not in use, and to research the feasability of purchasing an electric car or having my existing car converted into an electric car. :) --Nuria, Bellvue, WA

I pledge to eat and serve fewer animal-based products to my family, to shop for locally-grown produce whenever possible, and to grow as much of my own produce next year as possible. --Karen, of Parma, OH

My family and I have made a committment to ourselves to recycle all of our magazines, by donating them to art programs to be used in collages and other projects. We are also going to begin taking our scrap crafting items to retirement homes to be used for their personal projects. --Luisa, of San Antonio, TX

My house will be an ongoing green work in progress. No barefoot child will come into my yard and absorb poisons into their bodies. They can come into my home without worry of breathing toxins. As a mother of two now grown children I will work to make the world safe for the children being born in this generation and for those following. --Sara, of Dickson, TN

I commit to significantly reducing our propane usage this summer by keeping our thermostats lower, insulating trouble spots, and using more wood heat. --Jennifer, of Rodney, MI

Reuse, and no plastic water bottles!!! --Felicity, of Irvine, CA

We pledge to shop less, because we really do have what we need. We pledge to shop second-hand when at all possible instead of introducing more eventual "new" trash. We pledge to make more gifts of time and energy to each other rather than gifts of stuff. -- Paula, of Brooklyn Park, MN

I will cloth diaper my children, exclusively. We will try to eat as much locally grown food as possible. --Jennifer, of Minneapolis, MN

The other night during dinner, we all went around the table and made our pledges to each other: Mike -- instead of taking his lunch in a paper bag everyday will invest in a reusable lunch bag. Sarah (or Auntie Sarah to Kiran) -- wash out and reuse plastic bags (the ziploc kind). Anjali -- will hang the laundry out to dry whenever possible. Continue to replace all the light bulbs in the house to fluorescent ones. Continue our switch from regular cleaning supplies to more environmentally friendly ones. Kiran (6 years old) -- will try to remember to shut off the bathroom and bedroom lights whenever she leaves those rooms. Also, instead of using new sheets of paper for every homework assignment, she will use the backs of the paper and will explain to her teacher why she has done this. Meera (14 months)-- will poop and pee less so that we use fewer diapers....(just kidding). Most of Meera's clothes are her big sister's and we plan on continuing this trend. --Anjali, of the Bronx, NY


I have two children and we have switched to using safer and greener products for our family. We buy local when we can, we buy recycled products- such as tissue, paper, etc, and we have started having our children be a part of recyling what we use and teaching them where it goes. -- Kathleen, of Waunakee, WI


I am making the attempt to reduce the carbon footprint that my family and I are making. I am starting by having a home energy audit, so that I can get some direction about where to go. I've already installed a hot water heater blanket, a programmable thermostat, and switched to all compact fluorescent bulbs. We compost all food waste, and recycle everything that we're able to in our community (which is quite a lot!). I will also make the effort to commute more by bicycle, and leave the car at home! -- Becky, of Boulder, CO

I recently have committed to "Go Green" by recycling the items myself, that cannot go into my recycle bin. I called my local recycling co and they told me that even though some items cannot go into my recycle bin, they have a place where they can be dropped. So, I have a seperate bin for these items now (in my area this includes coffee cups, yogurt cups, baby food jar lids, and more) and I load them up in my car to recycle the same day I put the bin out to be picked up. --Janna, of University Place, WA

Northern Michigan MAUs raise more than 45 K at Alternative Gift Fair!!

To you lovely, spunky, inspirational MAU Mavens,

A quick but emotional email full of gratitude from the MAU's in northern Michigan. We wrapped up our big year-end event last Saturday with our second annual Alternative Gift Fair, and we're pleased as punch to say we raised more than $45,000 for 14 local non-profits (and Heifer--the kids choice, and FINCA, the crafters choice) in just five short hours. Far more than that, however, more than 300 people came to the fair and many stayed for an hour or more, simply visiting with friends and neighbors, and relishing the spirit of community that was so palpable that day. We truly owe our ability to stand up, to use or voices and harness our passions, to Mothers Acting Up. The strength and determination you demonstrate is contagious, and we feel blessed to be part of this greater community of mamas. As I prepare to welcome baby number three into the world, I realize just how grateful I am that there are strong, grizzly-roarin' women who are all around us, working tirelessly to make sure all the world's children have a safer, warmer, better world.

Grace and peace and so many thanks, Kate on behalf of northern Michigan MAUs.

Changing the Story: YES!

It's time to shop, reflect, give thanks, eat! During the upcoming feasting and holiday celebrations, may we celebrate in particular the individuals who are changing the world's story with the strength of their commitment; a story in which currently every other child lives in poverty, almost half of all war casualties are children, and global warming threatens every child's future.

Let's take time to honor mothers like the late Dame Anita Roddick who said, "I want to connect with people who share my outrage…But I also want to tell — and hear…stories that lift our spirits, that celebrate how glorious our planet is. Outrage and celebration — let's run this gamut together." Inspired leaders like Greg Mortenson who says, "When I look into the eyes of the children in Pakistan and Afghanistan, I see the eyes of my own children full of wonder. I hope that we each do our part to leave them a legacy of peace." Mamas and community builders like Tiffany Bellah, who says, "Having a baby changes everything. Since that wonder-filled day 6 years ago when Grace entered this world, I have been reaching out of my comfort zone. She has made of me a responsible revolutionary, and my role as her mentor and mother has propelled me to take an active part in forming the world she will be inheriting."

People who, when our common family is threatened, find the courage and strength to change the story. This holiday season, Mothers Acting Up* cheers, stomps, whistles and in every other way honors the individuals around the world who are taking action on behalf of our future generations. YES!!!!

Purchase the 2008 MAU Handbooks for story-changing individuals,
information and actions: www.mothersactingup.org

*mothers and others, on stilts or off, who exercise protective care over someone smaller

Mamamade 2007: Nashville.

I'll be on hand all day tomorrow at Mamamade 2007 to sell MAU Handbooks (think of it as the Passport for the Movement, honoring the promise of our children's lives!). I'll have Nashville MAU aprons and recycled tees (see photos here for examples-- each is different!) and I'll have MAU bumperstickers, too: they're green and round and look great on strollers, water bottles, guitar cases, and wagons (both the Volvo and the Radio Flyer version). You can go home with a bumper sticker for a buck and a pledge (of your choosing) to lessen your carbon imprint and do something to green up your family's life.

With me through the day will be my boy, Ziggy, and a few of the Nashville MAU mamas; we'll be ever so glad to answer questions about our local community, help you fill out voter registration cards, sign you up for national and local action and news of community building, and in general, cheer you on... You go, mama!! Remember, being one of many Mothers Acting Up takes on many forms and is not so much one more dang thing to do, but just part of the fabric of how we live....

The 2008 Mothers Acting Up Handbook: YES!

The world's children have found a brilliant new advocate: mothers*. We're stretching our traditional roles to include publicly advocating for children and the world's children shout YES!

The 2008 Handbook includes the inspirational voices of Marion Wright Edelman (founder of the Children's Defense Fund!), Anita Roddick (The Body Shop), Harry Belafonte, Dolores Huerta, Ann Crittenden, Joan Blades (Moms Rising), Patricia Foulkrod, Muhammad Yunus, Representative Jan Schakowsky, Massouda Jalal and a whole cast of mothers* sharing their personal insights. Designed to uniquely appeal to mothers, the Handbook addresses two of the biggest challenges to mother activism: lack of time and how overwhelming the problems seem. By offering a daily entry point (with simple actions and accessible information set in a beautiful, inspirational and lively format) the Handbook provides tools in a language that engages everyone, policy wonk and new activist alike!

Full color, 6.5 X 9 inches, soft cover & spiral bound, two year-at-a glance section.

Price: $20.00

Listen Up.

Mothers Acting Up on the radio with Liberadio(!)'s Mary Mancini & Freddie O'Connell, right here!....

MAU on WRVU's Liberadio(!) this week.

Stay tuned for the podcast and syndicated showtimes, and in the meantime, check out the Mary Mancini's post here about MAU and this weekend's Nashville activities.

Beth Osnes' (M)other gets Critic's Pick in Nashville!

Maternal Devotion

(M)OTHER Tennessee Women’s Theatre Project co-sponsors this one-woman show by Beth Osnes, co-founder and program coordinator of the Colorado-based national organization Mothers Acting Up (MAU). Osnes explores issues of mothering in a cross-cultural context, with focus on a fictional UN program called “Baby Swapping,” in which mothers from seven nations exchange their six-month-olds for one month. The result is an intimate look at the maternal experience across international boundaries, including an analysis of the interconnectedness between the women, their children and their countries. In conjunction with her performance, Osnes presents a Nov. 3 workshop that uses theater as a tool to empower maternal voices for public expression and civic participation. For more information, contact Paige La Grone Babcock at paige@mothersactingup.org. 7:30 p.m. at the First Unitarian Universalist Church —MARTIN BRADY

Mothers Acting Up works to ensure the health, safety and education of the world’s children by mobilizing the political strength of *mothers.

*mothers and others, both on stilts and off, who exercise protective care over someone smaller

Mobilizing Mamas Project in Top 100 for Case Foundation Grant!

Thrillingly, my project proposal to the Case Foundation's Make It Your Own Awards for Mothers Acting Up made it to the TOP 100 out of nearly five thousand applications! This is hugely exciting for MAU, and for me. See the kind of amazing company I'm keeping in this list, and click on my project Mobilizing Mamas to see what it's all about! You can see the widget over at Ms. Booty Homemaker Explains It All To You. More on that soonest!!

Support the Dream Act: Call your Senators today!!

Click here for more information about the DREAM Act

Oh my heavens!

After today's Roadway arrival, the note I sent along to Juliana Forbes: mentor, coworker, Mothers Acting Up co-founder and Midwife Maven to the Annual MAU Handbook:

My truckload of 20 boxes of 2008 MAU Handbooks has just arrived in the rain… they now sit on my front porch, save for the one box I brought into the house and ripped into immediately to take a look. And I’m just BAWLING…. THEY. ARE. SO. BEAUTIFUL. I’d love to call and tell you so, but I don’t think I can speak for being a blubbering mess of gladness.

Love and lots of it.

XX

Paige

(I have always been of the sensitive persuasion, but since having become pregnant with my son, and then these two years after his birth, even, I am just a walking jangle of happy-sad-beautiful-crazy human-ness, both tender and tough, with a penchant both for laughing and weeping uncontrollably. The already wonky world goes a bit madder in motherhood, I find.)

MAUs are everywhere!

We’re committed to woman to woman contact at MAU. And what women you are!! Your visions inspire, incite, ignite. I’m hearing from you increasingly from Portland, OR, Dallas / Denton / Fort Worth, the Carolinas and the Heartland. Messages from both Northern California and New Hampshire have come over the transom of late…. And we’ve got a new community pulling together in Bend, Oregon by the former Charleston MAU Maven who’s passed the torch there due to her family’s move. A Halloween gathering is in the works for Portland, ME. The Bronx mamas are revving up for some renewed year-round action and Temecula, CA’s community organizer is looking for a co-organizer. Several communities participated in Chalk for Peace last month (send pics!), Boulder MAUs just hosted a wang dang doodle of a Stand Against Poverty event, and Northern Michigan MAUs are gearing up for their annual Alternative Gift Fair. MAU will be in Memphis at the end of this month at the Gandhi-King Conference, presenting the workshop MAU Now: Mobilizing the Mamas – send me word if you’ll be there, too, and if you’d like to help wo-man the table of MAU goods including the hot of the presses 2008 MAU Handbook & Engagement Calendar. And MAU Live! Theatre for Empowerment (one of MAU’s FIVE national programs) is hitting the boards in Nashville the first weekend of November, and has upcoming dates in Austin, Denver and elsewhere. (Interested in bringing co-founding MAU Maven Beth Osnes and (M)other to your city? Holler at Beth: beth (at) mothersactingup (dot) org.)

Children deserve a bigger piece of the pie.

It's time for mothers to decide.

Learn more about how to act up right here!