News & More
DID YOU KNOW WE ARE 35 + VOLUNTEER STRONG at MoM?
Thirty Five + individuals with unique skills, talents, and expertise contributing to the success of MoM from a variety of backgrounds! I don’t always get to opportunity to connect the committees, volunteer efforts and interns in one giant gratitude brag. So, I’m taking the opportunity to do that here. We are doing great things at the Museum of Motherhood, embracing museum-lovers of all ages, creating unique exhibitions, and empowering future generations through education, connection and inspiration.
As some of my community members know I have been going through some personal health challenges. I am taking the time required to go through treatments and heal. I feel incredibly fortunate to have access to the necessary care and I’m surrounded by family, friends and yes- my MoM collaborators!
Although I’m currently relegated to home– and will be for the foreseeable future- I have watched our crew come together in AWESOME WAYS. The work continues at MoM! We are all in this together and TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG. In the spirit of JUNETEENTH and PRIDE MONTH we celebrate freedom, access, and inclusivity ~MJR, Director, Founder.
HERE’S THE NEWS:
- We have secured our 2024-25 lease at The Factory moving from our current location to Gallery Row in September.
- We will continue to operate in our current location through Labor Day in August.
- Our GRAND OPENING in the new space (Gallery Row, Florida Wildlife Corridor, Drew Marc Gallery) will be Sept 21 – free museum day in St. Pete.
- We are in the planning stages for a MoM October Art Auction/ Fundraiser as part of the We Build Tampa Bay initiative to reach our goal of 100k in partnership with Odeta Xheka & OXH Gallery. The committee is for this is forming now! Want to be involved? Write us here or at INFO@MOMmuseum.org
- Our MoM Conference 2025 (20th Anniversary) committee is meeting regularly. Thanks to Brittany DeNucci, Megan, Batya and Kassandra for getting the planning stages going! The title is “Fun, Sex and Crying Out Loud” mark your calendars March 14-16 2025,
- Studies show that giving to women and girls organizations represent 1.8 percent of charitable giving in the USA of the 8.8 billion dollar pie. The ‘We Build Tampa Bay” fundraising initiative at MoM is ongoing. Our fundraiser yielded $4 k of the entire 100k goal for 2024-2025 with Founders Circle now including Liz Dimmitt, Deborah & Hugh Gelch, Aleks Miziolek & Betty Schaub. This is 4% of our goal – so we are doing well statistically speaking. Join us as a Founding Circle member.
General Updates: The summer Interns are busy working on projects, Sierra Clark is overseeing schedule and Community Leadership projects, Whetley and Xy our summer HS interns are woman-ing up the space this summer w/special projects, Mary Noah is mentoring Xy as is Barbara Lynch mentoring Whetley & Barbara is attending St Pete Women’s Chamber luncheons on MoM’s behalf. Board Member Deanna Barcelona attended the last Chamber of Commerce event, Connie B. preservers with data (for our 2023 Form EZ accounting soon), Larry Dillahunty gave legal counsel on our new lease. Megan Welch is editing the Journal of Mother Studies, Ariana (Eckerd College) Sex Ed (embodiment education) is in the works to create and implement future programming. Escape Womb interactive exhibit planning is underway with with Jill Wood. Laura Bissell starts remote residency for June and Executive Board Meeting in July to approve the working budget. Mary at Little House non-profit is fundraising with a recent grant submitted to Foundation for a Healthy St. Pete, more grant writing, and sponsorships of new space.
Please write us if you’d like to join our team. In the meantime, keep strong, safe and blessed. MoM Loves YOU!
Welome Ariana
Ariana P is a rising senior at Eckerd College studying Sociology and Women and Gender Studies. She is the co-president of the feminist club at Eckerd that hosts body positivity and sex positivity events as well as a book club! She teaches sex education with a focus in comprehensive and inclusive sex ed. Ariana hopes to earn her masters in social work and go into case management and continue to work with non-profits. She was introduced to MoM through a classmate that also interned with MoM the previous year. In her time with MoM she hopes to educate people about their bodies and how reproduction works! As well as have in depth conversations about womenhood!
Remote Residency
Laura Bissell: My project is to work with MoM for the period of 1month from 21st June to 21st July. During this time I will attend the Matrescence Festival in Exeter, interview mother artists exploring pregnancy loss for my book, work on a project on motherhood and academia, Term Time, with Lucy Tyler, begin a book chapter called Adolescence and Matrescence: Seasons of the Witch for Demeter Press and complete my book manuscript. I would like to undertake a MoM residency at this time to celebrate and platform the work of some of the mother/artists working in performance whose work I write about and also to connect with a wider international community of mothers.
MoM Loves You!
