Museum of Motherhood Activates Community Through Arts, Advocacy, and Education This Spring – March is Women’s Herstory Month!
WOMEN’S HISTORY IS EVERYONE’S HISTORY
WOMEN SHAPE St PETE: Did you know, Sarah Williams is considered the ‘Mother of the City of St Pete’ after she persuaded Peter Demens to bring the Orange Belt Railroad to downtown St. Petersburg, instead of Gulfport. In 1887. Peter Demens, Russian railroad man, and John Williams worked together to bring the Orange Belt Railroad to what would become St. Petersburg, Florida. (named after Peter Demens’s hometown in Russia.) . Considered “Mother of the City,” Williams had two sons and even more husbands. (Founded 1888, incorporated 1892 (population approximately 300 people).
Women’s History Month is an essential acknowledgement that corrects an imbalance in how our national story has traditionally been told. For generations, the achievements of women—in science, politics, education, caregiving, civil rights, the arts, and industry—have been overlooked or minimized. Dedicating a month to women’s history ensures their contributions are recognized as central, not peripheral, to the American story.
Women’s History St Petersburg, Florida
We cannot change the future (for the better) without understanding our past. Women’s History Month encourages a more accurate and inclusive understanding of democracy itself—one that acknowledges both progress made and work still to be done in building a fair and equitable society.
To that end, The Museum of Motherhood (MoM) maintains a robust calendar of exhibitions, public programs, conferences, and partnerships that continues to deepen our role as a vibrant, community-centered, educational and cultural institution. Together we explore m/otherhood as a social, cultural & artistic force. Learn more at MOMmuseum.org.
FILM FESTIVAL ROCKS EQUITY IN SARASOTA AND STREAMING
Reel Equals – Through Her Eyes Film Festival
FILM FESTIVAL SARASOTA:March 5 – 10 with a Spotlight on Diverse Voices: Reel Equals International Film Festival Shines in Sarasota in a community collaboration with the Museum of Motherhood and the internationally recognized educational & arts conference with two decades of impact. In person and streaming: ThroughWomensEyes.org.
TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL ACADEMIC & ARTS CONFERENCE MoM & USF
March 27-29The Annual International Academic and Arts MoM Conference 2026 in partnership at USF, St Pete features panels and presentations focused on reproductive identities, maternal experiences, and the intersections of motherhood with art, policy, healthcare, education, and social justice. Offered both in person and online, the conference is designed to be academically rigorous while remaining accessible to students, professionals, and community members alike. Open to the community with advance registration: JourMS.org
NEW ART EXHIBIT COMING. SAVE THE DATE
Mapping Resilience with young mothers exhibit at the Museum of Motherhood
NEW EXHIBIT: Mapping Resilience- Stories of Young Motherhood
When: April 6 – 26, 2026
Where: Gallery at the Museum of Motherhood 2606 Fairfield Ave S in The Factory Building 7 St Pete
Official Opening Reception April 10th 7-9:30PM (Stakeholder Day): Please join us at MoM with Healthy Start. This lovely mix and mingle will feature stories (and results from the researchers and the mothers themselves), with refreshments, presentations and conversation. This will be followed by Second Saturday Art Walk April 11 5-9PM on April 11th.
Objective Young moms in Hillsborough County were asked to draw journey maps and accompany them with photos (photovoice) to share their story and participate in a novel method that prioritized uninterrupted narratives/storytelling.
How: The exhibit includes the hand-drawn journey maps from ten moms and their accompanied photos, as well as an interactive audio portion where participants can scan QR codes and listen to some portions of their story.
Activities include: A table with “letters and advice for young moms” allowing visitors to write letters to young moms, which can then be distributed by Healthy Start/Healthy Families home visitors.
Curated byMahir Rahman, NASM-CPT, AFAA-CGFI Graduate Student, Applied Anthropology University of South Florida Website
SUBMISSIONS FOR A ZINE AS PART OF MOM CONFERENCE
Bad Mother Myth Busting Project
SHOUT OUT~!
Our friends at Sunday Assembly be eatin’ nearby on March 14th in Gulfport during the day. Second Saturday Art Walk in the evening at MoM and beyond.
Gratitude from the Mother Land — As autumn paints the world in shades of pumpkin and pink, the Museum of Motherhood reflects on gratitude. We give thanks for the stories, events, and collaborations that continue to nourish the collective journey.
We honor the abundance of care and creativity that define the term Mother-Land. We identify with a grand imperative that encourages reflection on what is good and possible in a world united by love and rooted in empathy. In that spirit, not the spooky one, we say YES to health, wellness and connection at MoM:
SUBMISSIONS OPEN: Call for Papers and Art: Annual International MoM Conference 2026 at USF (See Call for Submissions)
NEW EXHIBIT COMING TO FRONT OF MoM SPACE: First Series- Mess House, opening first week of November, followed by Bad Mother Myth Busting (Submit Responses Here) in the new year).
WHOLE GIRL: This is Me – ongoing health series with information for adolescents (Link). With take-home gift pack!
SEMINARS – Nourish & Flourish with Dre Marie as part of the Radiant Alignment series for women online and in-person especially reflecting on self-care during the busy holiday season. Ages 20-80 yrs. (Link). With take-home gift pack!
SUPPORT & PUT MoM ON THE MAP with the work of Spanish artist and muralist Marina Capdevilathe with her documentary and mural “Viejas Glorias” —Celebrating the Power and Beauty of Women Aging (Link)
CALL FOR SUPPORT INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY & MURAL MAKING
Emmy Award-Winning Documentarian Brings Global “Viejas Glorias” Project to St. Petersburg—Celebrating the Power and Beauty of Women Aging
St. Petersburg, FL — [October 24, 2025] — St. Petersburg selected as U.S. kickoff city for groundbreaking international documentary series challenging how society views aging women!
Spanish artist and muralist Marina Capdevila is bringing her internationally acclaimed Viejas Glorias (Glorious Old Women) project to the historic Princess Martha in St. Petersburg as part of a five-city global documentary series. St. Petersburg has been selected as the U.S. launch city, joining host cities in China, Spain, Peru, and Ghana in a transformative exploration of how women—particularly mothers and grandmothers—are perceived as they age.
The project requires $30,000 by December 1, 2025, to cover artist materials, labor, and the professional film crew’s travel and production costs. In these uncertain times, when many are navigating financial challenges, every contribution—large or small—makes a meaningful difference in ensuring this important story is told. Limited exclusive sponsorship opportunities are available at various levels.
This is more than a mural project—it’s a movement to reshape how we see and value women as they age. It’s an opportunity to position St. Petersburg on the international stage as a city that champions inclusive representation and celebrates the fullness of women’s lives. See the fullPRESS RELEASE.
Congratulations! After tallying all the nominations, we’re excited to let you know that MoM has officially advanced to the voting round for Best of the Bay 2025!
Last year, over 5 million impressions on the voting website alone for Best of TB. Won’t you join us in making m/otherhood more visible? See a few of our current stats: From Google 30k have viewed our photos, 25k in grant funds released to the Museum of Motherhood for work in the Health, Education and Wellness arena, 5 new Executive Board Members join MoM for a total of 9 Board Members, and four high school interns celebrate paid work with us this summer with extensive programming each month.
Remember: Voting is from July 17th through August 20th!Vote as many times as you can!
MoM has a full roster of events and a new easily navigable calendar that includes art, health, wellness and education. Also, make sure to register to join us at our upcoming brunch and mini-conference in collaboration with FloridaRAMA. EVENTS PAGE IS HERE.
Black Maternal Health brunch and mini-conference MoM
Lunch and Learn with MoM. The purpose of this mini-conference is to collaborate with local birth workers and healthcare professionals to understand the causes and correlates of challenges to Black women’s maternal health in order to implement changes in Pinellas county. This Museum of Motherhood event is sponsored by FloridaRAMA, organized by Jill M. Wood and the Health, Wellness, and Education Committee. This lunch and learn session will educate attendees about Black maternal health from a holistic perspective using the expertise of these presenters. REGISTER:
Jill M. Wood, PhD, Conference Chair is a Teaching Professor in the department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Penn State where she teaches courses on reproductive justice, girls and women’s health, women’s sexuality, and relationship & sexual violence prevention. As a researcher, Professor Wood has published journal articles and book chapters on the role of alcohol use in sexual behaviors with high HIV risk, menstruation and menopause, & pregnancy and childbirth. The mama of three teenagers, Jill regularly volunteers her time to talk with community students, parents, teachers and staff about relationship and sexual violence prevention, consent education, and healthy relationships. Jill was instrumental in assisting with guidance and advice for MoM’s Escape Womb Experience. She is also the academic coordinator and chair of the brunch and mini-conference Sept 21, 2025.
Courtney West a proud St. Petersburg native and the owner of 3 Gems Birth Services where everyone deserves care. Courtney is a full spectrum doula, doula educator, and a licensed practical nurse with a background in pediatric home health, and mental health nursing.
Shamella “Mel” Joy is a trauma-informed therapist, her background includes working with veterans and refugee families, providing her with extensive experience in helping clients process and heal from past traumas and PTSD. Mel integrate Mindfulness, Holistic Psychotherapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in her work with individuals struggling with anxiety, depression, identity and self-esteem challenges, ADD/ADHD, and childhood trauma. Mel’s passion lies in supporting new parents grappling with the challenges of postpartum life, as well as those facing the uncertainties of fertility struggles and perinatal loss.
Tracie Williams is the proprietor of The Natal Network and the founder of Jehovah Rapha-Jireh Transformation Health Inc. She serves on the Health, Wellness and Education Committee at MOM. The Natal Network, a Tampa Bay-based maternal wellness doula service, was established to enhance maternal-fetal outcomes.
Tracy Cook-Person is a hoodoo practitioner, doula, folk Herbalist, educator, lecturer, professional storyteller and a published poet. She has been an Assistant Professor at LIU in the School of Education and Technology as well as an Instructor of Pedagogy and Clinical Practice for the TR@TC2 program in the Office of Teacher Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.
About Museum of Motherhood (MoM)
Museum of Motherhood believes a more comprehensive understanding of pregnancy, birth and the value of caregiving-work will lead to healthier and happier homes, more productive workplaces, and better social policies. Our Black Maternal Health conference will specifically uplift the expertise and insight of Black practitioners working directly with the South St. Pete community. http://www.mommuseum.orgLINK to tix
Meet Our Board
Left to right: Regan Moss, Courtney Kessle, Libby Hopkins, Deanna Barcelona, Tracie Williams, Barbara Lynch, Amy Collins, Anna Leiggi, Meagan Welch
MoM is so pleased to welcome five NEW Executive Board Members to our team. See bios and read more on our team page.
New Exhibit
Caring St Pete Exhibit
Caring St. Pete: 6-Week Summer Intern Project PlanFor High School Interns and Community members at the Museum of Motherhood
Project Overview: Explore and interpret the value of caregiving—both unpaid and paid (carework)—through research, storytelling, art, and community engagement. The final product will be a curated exhibit at the Museum of Motherhood. See exhibit page.
MoM Residency August
Sarah Nellis is a multidisciplinary, British artist, working freely across 2D, 3D and time-based media. She reflects on life’s cycles: birth, grief and personal transformation, questioning ideas of permanence and exploring the in-between spaces of change. She seeks to reassert maternal narratives often marginalized in cultural and political discourse.
AMPLIFY
MoM Directory
Motherhood & Matrescence is a resource for mothers. Supporting mums to feel more confident. Education services as well as a masterclass is for mothers of all ages and stages. Mothers of tinies, toddlers, tweens and teens. LINK
We finished an awesome month of Women’s Herstory activities in March, culminating with the 20th Anniversary MoM Conference (supported by USF) and the MoM Art Auction in partnership (with OXH Gallery).
Our impact over the course of five days was 200 + American and international guests that began with a tour with Girls Rock on Thursday, March 13th at MoM and ended with the MoM Art Auction on March 18th in Tampa.
*Thanks to everyone who helped, attended, contributed, and supported. Thanks to our various, hard-working committees. We appreciate our partners and contributing artists especially.
MoM Art Auction in partnership with OXH Gallery
St Pete is continually impressed with our dynamic team. Everywhere I go now, I hear the same thing: “What an amazing team MoM has.” TRUTH!
Congrats are in order for two highly successful networking events organized by Mary Havlock with Hypatia Collective and Working Women Tampa Bay, and attendance at Nerd Nite promoting MoM’s Escape Womb Experience. Meet Mary at monthly play dates. See our Events Page.
Monthly Play dates
Kudos to Sierra for her March Women’s Herstory Events celebrating local she-roes and for bringing CONA(Council of Neighborhood Associations) to the space on March 25th from 6-8PM. Sierra is up to great things in April, kicking off April 8th with an evening of financial awareness for kids and families. Flyer is on the events page and below.
Sierra Clark hosts Health, Wellness and Education workshops at MoM as our Community Empowerment Facilitator
April also brings Black Maternal Health Awareness Week. MoM will host an event organized by USF that involves our Health, Wellness and Education committee members: doula Courtney West as well as award-winning photographer Sara Hunter on exhibit at MoM April 10th 5-8PMwith a DJ and refreshments.
Sara Hunter, award-winning photographer on display at MoM
Thanks to Amanda Bartles for her lactation groups on Sundays at noon. We are hoping to replace this activity while Amanda goes on maternity leave. Yay, Amanda!
Barbara Lynch continues to network on our behalf and leveraged another encounter with 16th St Farms for a collaboration while also bringing a book club to MoM.
A University of Tampa Senior, Mary-Margaret Russo has approached us about doing a short documentary on MoM with filming taking place in April. We hope to film all April events culminating with MaMaPaLooZa on Sunday May 4th!
We still need more volunteers onsite at MoM and we need a bigger board. Cast your nets. We will be focused on a board-building event leveraging the contacts we amassed for the art auction. This will be held in June. Think who you might want to inviteor if you wanna join!
A renowned artist from NYC- Raisa Nosova (who contributed to the MoM Art Auction) has asked The Factory owners if she can paint a mural for MoM. The owners said YES – now we are figuring out timing! See her gorgeous design here.
Design by Raisa Nosova
The Journal of Mother Studies (JourMS) is open for submissions through May 31. Submit Now!
JourMS Submissions 2025
Currently we have rent paid through August when our lease is up!! This is a HUGE accomplishment. Thank you to all our contributors!
If we could miraculously raise $15k towards next year’s rent in the next 3 months, we will renew the lease for 2026.
Also, I am so grateful for being presented with the ‘Joy Award’ for 20 years of MoM Conference organizing. Thank you Courtney, Brittany and Meagan! This will be my last time leading the conference planning.
From left to right: Beth Charles, Brittany DeNucci, Barbara Lynch, Meagan Welch, Martha Joy Rose, Courtney Kessel
I thankfully gave my notice so that a new team can RISE and is empowered for next year’s academic and arts conference. I will stay on as an advisor only. New Team: Brittany DeNucci, Meagan Welch (also serving as editor to JourMS), Jill M. Wood, Beth Charles, Sonia Meerai, & Batya Weinbaum, Courtney Kessel with Michelle Hughes Miller, Aurelie Athan and myself in advisory roles and Hannah Brockbank advising on the Journal of Mother Studies (JourMS).
Health Wellness and Education at the Museum of Motherhood
April 8 (Tuesday 6-7:30PM
EVENT DETAILS:April observation of financial literacy SHEENA QUALLES Founder/CEO/owner at Kidzonomics LLC “Stacks & Future Facts”.
A budgeting workshop that frames financial literacy as a game plan for future success. Helps young people see money as a tool for building the life they want rather than something just for spending.
Kidzonomics mission- cultivating children, understanding of money management to strengthen their financial wellness as adults for program coordinators. Organized by Sierra Clark, Community Empowerment Coordinator. Questions call: 877-711-MOMS (6667)
Thursday, April 10th, 2025
Raising awareness and advocacy for the improvement of maternal health outcomes for Black women, their infants, and families—not just in Tampa Bay, but throughout Florida. We have a fun and informative week of events planned, starting with our Photography Exhibit and Showcase Kick-off Event at the Museum of Motherhood in St. Petersburg, FL, with USF.
Organized by Courtney West, facilitated by Sierra Clark featuring the award-winning birth photography of Sara Hunter.
April 18 5-7PM Sills and Drills with The Rainbow Midwife. The Skills and Drills for birth workers and the people who love them with a tour of the Escape Womb after.
You Must Pre-Register: Call 877-711-MOMS (6667) and leave a message.
MAMAPALOOZA St. Petersburg 2025 offers a diverse lineup of activities and entertainment for attendees of all ages. Highlights of the event include:
Interactive art installations celebrating the creativity and resilience of mothers with a marketplace featuring local vendors offering handmade crafts, jewelry, and other unique items. Join us as we come together to celebrate the strength, love, and resilience of mothers everywhere. MAMAPALOOZA is a day to honor the past, embrace the present, and envision a brighter future for all families.
CONFIRMED BANDS WITH GIRLS ROCK, ST PETE: Hex Appeal & Anarkitty along with The Rum Syndicate!
March is Women’s History Month with the Annual International MoM Conference at USF and the MoM Art Auction in partnership with OXH Gallery in Tampa Bay and Online. Women’s Herstory is every person’s story: We hope you will celebrate, learn, play and activate with us during this extraordinary time starting with starting with 03/04 Tuesday’s FREE Workshop celebrating local she-roes with Sierra Clark onsite 6PM. See our Events Page here. JOIN US! We can’t wait to meet you.
St. Pete Coffee Connectionsat MoM with Working Women of Tampa Bay hosted by Mary Havlock and Little House Non Profit
When: 05 Mar 2025 9:00 AM, EST Where: Museum of Motherhood
EVENT DETAILS: Come join us for a morning of meaningful networking with Working Women of Tampa Bay! Meet like-minded professionals at our St. Pete Coffee Connections. This monthly event is your opportunity to connect and grow your business in an intimate and relaxed atmosphere. Guests will receive a complimentary cup of coffee and baked goods. Directions are here. Open to members of Working Women of Tampa Bay: Join Us -More information and online registration: St. Pete Coffee Connections.
The 20th Anniversary International MoM Conference is sponsored by two generous grants from USF taking place at MoM and on campus at USF March 14-16th. Huge gratitude to Michelle Hughes Miller; MoM Academic Board member and Caryn Nesmith, USF for sponsoring the space onsite at the USF St Pete campus! Brittany DeNucci and Meagan Welch have done a fantastic and rock-steady job of communicating with conference presenters and organizing the schedule! Schedule is HERE. (There will be a family lactation room onsite).
The MoM Art Auction takes place on March 18th 6-8PM in partnership with Odeta Xheka and OXH Gallery at the Spiral Staircase. This fundraising event is made possible by a generous underwriting partnership with Odeta Xheka and OXH. (If you have not been to Ybor City to see Odeta’s gallery – run, don’t walk! It’s beautiful!). Register NOW for participation online and in person for this event happening at The Spiral Staircase in Tampa, FL. Also thanks to Courtney Kessel for artist’s submissions and Barbara Lynch for collating exhibits & Mary Havlock for expertise. RSVP & REGISTER FOR THE EVENT HERE.
You Are Invited
MaMaPaLooZa Sign Up is Open for Artists, Sponsors and Activity-Makers
Mamapalooza 2025
Hold the date – Sunday May 4th, 2025 for Mamapalooza™ in partnership with FloridaRAMA in Tampa Bay, Florida. Fun, Free Family activities with a music stage, samplings, and activity tables. All those interesting in participating as sponsor-partners or performers please SIGN UP NOW online. We will be in touch about time slots, stage options, discounted tickets to FloridaRAMA and more. We look forward to having an awesome and informative time. Mamapalooza™ Together we focus on Women-Empowered, Mom-Branded, Entertainment, Education, Business & Activism. Mamapalooza is a steady supplier of varied and exciting programs that have led to innovative activities positively impacting families, amplifying the voices of women and revolutionizing the ways in which we understand the nuanced and varied multicultural experience of families- inclusive of all.
Access to Healthcare and Embodiment Education at MoM
The Museum of Motherhood (MoM) approaches reproductive justice by focusing on the intersection of motherhood, reproductive rights, and social justice. It recognizes that reproductive justice extends beyond simply access to healthcare. Instead, it emphasizes a broader framework that includes the right to have children, the right to not have children, and the right to parent in safe and supportive environments. We call this ‘Embodiment Education’ and we do it onsite everyday. MoM fosters dialogue and education about issues like race, class, and gender, which heavily influence reproductive rights and experiences. It also highlights the voices of marginalized groups, advocating for the empowerment of women, particularly women of color, in all aspects of reproductive health, from pregnancy and birthing experiences to parenting.
Through exhibitions, community events, and The Escape Womb with it’s educational programming, the Museum of Motherhood underscores the importance of inclusive, equitable policies and practices that support reproductive health and justice for all individuals and families. See our work in this area through our projects and people at Big Human Family.
As everyone knows, the city of St. Pete has experienced unprecedented hardship due to back to back storms that ravaged our homes and coastline. No one in Tampa Bay or on our team was unaffected. Each of us here in Pinellas County has friends, family members, businesses and personal property that have endured loss of services and in some cases, are even still without power and are uninhabitable.
Between our move in The Factory to a new location in Gallery Row and the other afore-mentioned challenges, our Escape Womb Experience has been delayed. Originally slated for October, the Escape Womb is now opening Sunday, Dec. 1st. .This is a ticketed tour with advance reservations required. Discover the secrets of life as you journey through our Escape Womb from conception to birth! Ticket sales open on November 21st. We hope you’ll go online and pre-book your ticket!
Our main space in Gallery Row at The Factory is open to the public Thursday – Saturday 12-6PM. Sunday is 12-3PM. Free, open, child-friendly play space,
The Museum of Motherhood is calling all scholars, artists, and community members for presentations and papers on the subject of ‘Fun, Sex, & Crying Out Loud’ 14-16, 2025 on campus at USF and onsite at MoM as well as online. The weekend conference will be followed by the MoM Art Auction on March 18, 2025. CFP is LIVE!
This year’s 20th Anniversary theme invites articles and art that support both the interrogation and levity necessary to navigate turbulent times. As well, it supports the subject matter elucidated in the Museum’s 2024-25 new ‘Escape Womb Experience’ and the theme of conception, gestation, and birth. Conference attendees will have the opportunity to experience this one-of-a-kind exhibit.
This international call for papers and projects invites artists, scholars, poets, sociologists, maternal psychologists, philosophers, anthropologists, women’s, sexuality, and gender studies professors, masculinity studies experts, birth-workers, doctors, researchers, students, and lay-people to share their work and tie it to this year’s theme. Works that are inclusive of all identities of birthing folx are encouraged. Deadline for submissions: Dec 15, 2024.[SUBMIT]
HEALTH WELLNESS AND EDUCATION AT MOM
The Health, Wellness and Education Committee at the Museum of Motherhood (MoM) is a dedicated team committed to enhancing the museum’s mission of exploring and celebrating the diverse experiences of being human.
Support Services: Offering assistance & education to those navigating the challenges of motherhood, fatherhood, and family
Program Development: Programs aim to provide enriching and informative experiences that highlight the multifaceted nature of m/otherhood including the Escape Womb Experience.
Community Outreach: The committee actively engage with the local community, schools, and organizations to promote the museum’s resources and offerings.
DO YOU HAVE AN EVENT YOU’D LIKE TO CREATE WITH THIS COMMITTEE? Contact us here!
MoM ART AUCTION
TheMoM Executive Board is pleased to present the 2nd MoM Art Auction, taking place (now rescheduled, as part of our Annual MoM Conference) March 18, 2025 from 6-8pm at The Spiral Staircase in Tampa, Florida in partnership with OXH Gallery. This event celebrates the art of motherhood with incredible works in a variety of mediums. Guests can sip bubbly, partake in sumptuous snacks and have the opportunity to bid on pieces of artwork from around the world while participating in the groundbreaking Tampa Bay affair or the HeART! Now part of our 20th anniversary Annual Academic and Arts MoM Conference preceding on March 14-16th. More about the auction here. Updates coming soon.
GIVE OR GET
Locally, ‘Give or Get’ is open for donations during MoM’s regular hours:
–Thursday-Sat 12-6PM
-Sunday 12-3PM
Visit our new location: 2606 Fairfield Ave. S Gallery Row: Building 7 Door B
Donation box inside. Child-friendly. Free play in a safe and educational environment.
When the headline “Strong Moms & Grandmothers Are the New Superheroes” crossed my desk recently from a prominent media outlet – I thought, “Yes, we ARE.”
There is a certain sense of achievement in some communities today. While we still have a long and challenging way to go in terms of women’s progress, many are celebrating the voice and strength of women on the national stage this week.
We cannot ignore the palpable excitement streaming through the airwaves as women, grandmothers, and women-of-color raise their allied voices. We cannot ignore that access to healthcare, safe birth, and children’s well-being is forefront on our minds. We cannot ignore our herstory or deny the anniversary of the ratification of women’s right to vote celebrated at the beginning of this week, Sunday, August 18th, representing 104 years of hard won American success.
Know Your HerStory
Wanna know more about world events in the context of the Suffragette movement and progress towards women’s right to vote in the USA? There are so many ways to learn more. Make a field trip to the home of the first Convention Days where Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott and others argued for women’s equality in Seneca Falls, NY. Or, head to NYC where the musical SUFFS is on Broadway for an extended run. If you can’t get to New York, you can still watch the more serious accounting of the movement in England online with the movie Suffragette (2025) or the depiction of Alice Paul and Lucy Burns who risked their lives for freedom in IronJawed Angels (2004) online. Women’s voices are everywhere. Or you can visit the Museum of Motherhood in St. Petersburg, FL and learn more about activist Sojourner Truth and the journey towards justice as well as the four waves of women’s activism in the maternal sphere.
Celebrating MoM’s Successes
Last week also represents an incredible month of successes for the Museum of Motherhood with our active team of volunteers, including Sierra Clark, Barbara Lynch, and Mary Havlock. These achievers demonstrated a whole lotta grit and hard work securing three grants that demonstrate MoM’s success in our local community.
We are beyond pleased to announce the Foundation for a Healthy St. Pete and Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital recognized the Museum of Motherhood as a partner through their new Catalytic Capacity-Building Grant with funding for $10,000. We are so incredibly proud! Thank you Sierra Clark for your hard work on this.
We are also pleased to announce a 1k award from the St. Pete Arts Alliance with Barbara Lynch & HypatiaCollaborative for bookkeeping and IT (in-kind services) with champion Mary Havlock
Is Mother Made Art the “Last Taboo?”
The New York Times headline August 16th 2024 stated that “Camille Henrot has filled a gap in the canon by investigating the labor of motherhood.” The article discusses this ‘new’ art form of art made by women who are mothers and how not much has been done in this arena. The author of the article, Sasha Weiss, goes on to state that Henrot “scoured books and the internet for images of breast-pumping” and that “because [motherhood] is still stigmatized in visual art [she] resists characterizing work as being about motherhood.”
At this point in the article I wish very much that the artist had accessed the work of Jess Dobkin‘s lactation station (2006) or Sarah Irvine’s Infant Feeding Log, the student researched exhibit online at the Museum of Motherhood depicting the work of artists representing themselves breastfeeding, or even the photographic work of Renee Cox, Yo Mama (1992–94) who “decided I’m going to give you pregnancy in your face and found inspiration there.” My point being, that the art of motherhood is a developing field established and thriving over last thirty years.
When the author perpetuated the interviewed artist’s statement that she had “stumbled into a gap in art history… and that while there’s no shortage of representations of mothers with children, Henrot could find few of mothers on their own,” I moaned. Not from happiness but from despair.
My question to Sasha Weiss (and to Camille Henrot), is – How do we stop perpetuating the invisibility of the art made by mothers about motherhood by refusing to notice, research, and share the great body of work that currently exists all around the world? Every time an new article, exhibit, or piece of literature is published that refuses -or is oblivious to- the great accomplishments of literally hundreds (if not thousands) of women at this point in herstory, the patriarchal stereotype that legitimate art is only exhibited in specific types of galleries and museums is perpetuated.
The Museum of Motherhood (USA) has been devoted to art about art made by women about their reproductive experience and labor since 2003. Other organizations include: Procreate Project (England), Spilt Milk Gallery (Scotland), Artist Parent Network (USA), A.M.M.A.A. Archive for Mapping Mother Artists in Asia, and multiple artist residencies that support, collaborate and share the art made by mothers about their identity, experiences, and labor. I hope somehow we might shift this narrative together, starting NOW.
~Martha Joy Rose, Founder, Director MoM
Call For Submissions
The Art Exhibition and Auction of October 2024. Read more about submitting art here (by August 31) for this auction and exhibition sponsored by OXH Gallery with Committee Chair Odeta Xheka and organized by MoM’s Executive Board members Courtney Kessel, Deanna Barcelona, Barbara Lynch and Anna Lieggi. [LINK]
25th Anniversary MoM Annual Arts & Academic ConferenceCFP is LIVE! The Conference is being organized under the leadership of Brittany DeNucci and our Academic and Conference committee. The Museum of Motherhood is calling all scholars, artists, and community members for presentations and papers on the subject of ‘Fun, Sex, & Crying Out Loud’. [LINK]
New Internships
Welcome Kayla Foster, woman, mother, student. Her project will include archival research, ethnographic interviews, and collaboration efforts with the University of Oklahoma and the Museum of Motherhood to identify the cultural postpartum practices and traditions of Hispanic mothers in the Southwestern United States. The research will be multigenerational resulting in a final research paper focused on her findings and discuss the importance placed on traditional postpartum practices.
You may remember Whetley Earnest who came to us at the beginning of the summer as a local high school junior, interested in pre-med. Whetley is still with us, volunteering at MoM and we couldn’t be prouder! Here she is pictured with friend and ally Lucky Leroy who is currently featured in a solo exhibit at The Factory in St. Pete in partnership with FloridaRama. Leroy is our local ‘King of Art’ and his exhibit titled Florida Famous is up through August in the gallery next to the Museum of Motherhood. Come visit – You will love it!
Hold the Date
Experience some of St. Pete’s most popular museums during Arts Alive! Free Museum Day on Saturday, September 21, 2024. Select St. Pete museums will waive admission fees to allow the community to experience some of the fine art that makes St. Pete a premier arts destination. Arts Alive! Free Museum Day is produced by the City of St. Petersburg, the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, and participating cultural organizations based on the currently paused National Smithsonian’s Free Museum Day. [LINK]
We will be moving to gallery row. But, not yet! We are awaiting word from our new landlords about the projected move date, but right now, it looks as if we will remain in our current location across from FloridaRama and DaddyCool until at least mid-September. We’ll keep you posted on progress for sure!
*M/other (noun): is a self-identified individual who is relationally connected through pregnancy, birth, surrogacy, genetics, care-work, and/or adoption. Historically female; they are one who divides (time, labor, emotion, and/or genetic material) and are paradoxically increased by the experience. Best explained by the equation: me + other (m/other) a mother is one who is connected, or disconnected, to another, genetically through procreative activity or linked through identity, care-work, and/or association. This special relational status incorporates the phenomenon that motherhood is otherhood, which is its most fundamental principle. While gender identity has gone through multiple identity shifts in recent years – and MoM is super supportive of all folx.
Mother-made art recognizes the works and endeavors of those making fine and performing arts who are mothers and those whose work is impacted by, or is focused on, experiences of pregnancy, birth, care-work, fertility, loss, adoption, fostering, surrogocy, and m/otherhood inclusive of all reproductive identities. This includes artistic interpretations highlighting the lifespan of makers of maternal experience, action, matrescence, and embodiment, within personal and relationally organized emotions, biologies, technologies, and behaviors. [LINK]
ANNOUNCING EVENTS – PROGRESS – RHYTHMS at MoM in August and Beyond.
Our team sure knows how to have fun. Last week we did a little research in St. Pete. We explored local escaper rooms for inspiration as our volunteers continue to design and plan for our future ‘Escape Womb Experience‘ – (Anticipated opening in October). We also celebrated the opening of friend and neighborLucky Leroy’sFlorida Famous exhibit in the gallery at The Factory. The exhibit is up through August. Make sure to experience it when you visit MoM in August this summer.
Yes, to those who have been following the news that I’ve been having some health hiccups this summer. I am moving much better now as is evidenced in these pictures. Yay Team! I aim to continue with the healing process. Also, on a recovery note – if you’ve seen the weather reports, Hurricane Debby just came raging through Pinellas County, and thankfully we are okay here with only one event cancellation on Monday and ourlactation event with Amanda Bartles on Wednesday, August 7th this week at 6PM, still happening! (Our hearts go out to anyone impacted by extreme weather everywhere). August is Breast Feeding Awareness Month: raising awareness about the challenges and rewards of chest feeding! Whichever direction you choose, MoM is here for you. We are in Florida – HOME OF THE ENDLESS SUMMER. It’s hot, hot, hot at the Museum of Motherhood where Christen Clifford’sINTERIORS: we’re all pink inside Exhibit is up all month along with a Womb of Our Own – Seeing RED and Molly Duffy’sLil Dicki.
Joy, Leroy, Barbara, Tracey, Mary, Sierra, Deanna, Allen
You may have heard the news that The Factory property – where MoM is currently located was recently sold to investors. The transition has been a bit chaotic with no firm news of our future spot in Gallery Row and many of the artists are also up in the air. We anticipated moving at the beginning of September. Now it may be later in September and we’ll let you know as soon as we have any news. The arts make everything great, so I hope St. Pete can keep the cool vibe going with all the recent gentrification of the city.
Meanwhile, we persevere with all our committees are meeting regularly. We still need onsite volunteers. If you have 3 hours a week and are local to St Petersburg we are looking for responsible volunteers to spend time with us as a docent in a beautiful, warm, and inviting space, MoM needs you! Even if you are only available once or twice a month – Sign up on our volunteer form here. MoM is open for regular hours throughout August.
Lots and Lots of Love – Enjoy the end of your summer,
JOY(Martha Joy Rose, Founder, Director)
Here’s the rest of the GOOD NEWS report – Keep reading below:
MoM Art Auction for the Museum of Motherhood
An upcoming MoM Art Auction is planned for October in Tampa with chairperson and arts gallery owner Odeta Xheka and our entire Executive Board spearheading the event. The goal is to raise funds for MoM and build on our permanent collection. The submission announcement is live and open for artists to submit through August. We will have a great big bash and a post auction exhibition. Please spread the word! In collaboration with OXH Gallery.
MoM was awarded three grants last week! We can’t wait to announce all the details – but we can spill that one of them was with the Arts Alliance of St Pete for their Pitch Competition. Congrats Barbara Lynch for that team success on behalf of all of us!
25th Anniversary MoM Annual Arts & Academic ConferenceCFP is LIVE! The Conference is being organized under the leadership of Brittany DeNucci and our Academic and Conference committee. Thanks to all and Deanna Barcelona and Mary have visited USF and are actively seeking to coordinate conference space on campus in 2025. Artists, Scholars, Activists, SUBMIT NOW!
Thanks to New Community Partner/Sponsor, BayFirst Financial. Headquartered in St. Petersburg, BayFirst Financial offers personal and business banking services, including checking & savings accounts, loans, and more. MoM thanks BayFirst Financial.
No summer slacking at MoM. We are in the planning stages for some exciting upcoming events:
First, the Joy Report: All hands on deck with MoM Operations running smoothly at The Factory in St. Pete. Visitor hours are: Thursday – Saturday 12-6 & Sunday 12-3PM. We are also open for special events or private bookings. Contact us if you are interested in organizing an event at MoM. Testimony from a visitor this week: “It’s unlike any other place. It’s a must see!”
We have PRIDE at MoM: Our June exhibits featuring Interiors: We are all pink inside by Christen Clifford is viewable onsite through August. So too, is Molly Duff-Clarke’s work, Lil’ Dicki- which has been acquired by the museum and is now part of our permanent collection.
Planning Stages for what will be our 2nd MoM Art Auction in October, 2024. We are very excited about this opportunity and our incredible partner (ta-da drumroll-announcement coming shortly). Our last one was 12 years ago in NYC. Did you know MoM’s permanent collection includes photo works that are also in the Tate Museum and the Museum of Modern Art, historic papers, and works by notable mother artists from around the world. Submissions for artists to participate are now open. Link to Call for Art.
The Journal of Mother Studies is in its editorial process with an online publication date of Sept. 1, 2024, thanks to all our awesome team members. JourMS.
The MoM Conference committee is actively planning next year’s 25th Annual Academic and Arts MoM Conference. Thanks to Committee Chair Brittany DeNucci & Team for doing a super stellar job organizing initiatives. The CFP is posted online here: Fun, Sex & Crying Out Loud, March 14-16, 2025. We are working on some of our community connections to make this year’s conference even more amazing than ever. Link to CFP.
Our Move from The Factory to Gallery Row is in the planning stages. Renderings for a vision of the new space are on our website here. We are waiting on the configuration of our next iteration of MoM. Our new grand opening will be after August 30th, on September 21st, which is free museum day in St. Pete.
Intern projects are ongoing: Social Media Calendar of posts by Xy with mentorship by Mary Noah, Collections data by Whetley with mentorship by Barbara Lynch, and Sex Ed classes by Eckerd Student Ariana are all in the works over the next 7 weeks.
Artist in Residence Laura Bissell, Scottish artist, author and scholar, is interviewing mother artists, exploring pregnancy loss for her book, working on a project on motherhood with Lucy Tyler, and begining a a book chapter called Adolescence and Matrescence: Seasons of the Witch for Demeter Press. The Matrescence Festival, being held in Exeter UK is a composition of expert speakers, vibrant discussion, deep feeling poetry and songs, art making, dancing, gathering to share, discuss and support this important subject, which Laura is attending and reporting from as part of her Remote Artist in Residency with MoM.
Thanks to New Community Partner/Sponsor, BayFirst Financial. Headquartered in St. Petersburg, BayFirst Financial offers personal and business banking services, including checking & savings accounts, loans, and more. MoM thanks BayFirst Financial.
JOIN Sierra for Sierra Speaks each Tuesday LIVE at 5PM EST with playback available Wednesdays! Sierra uses custom built tools which she shares with you for love, success and well-being. Sierra Speaks empowerment through core values and acts of sharing.
Sierra Speaks is LIVE 2nd/4th Tues. JOIN HER LIVE 5PM (EST) on Tuesdays, then episodes are available by Wednesday for archival viewing. Monthly online YOUTUBE with SIERRA
Amanda Bartles of Lactation Loop- Join us to socialize with other moms and families, meet local IBCLCs, & take advantage of on the spot breastfeeding education and lactation support.
August 5th at 10:30am & August 7th at 6pm with MoM. This year, the theme for National Breastfeeding Month is Nourish, Sustain, Thrive! At MoM we are pleased to host these two in-person events in collaboration with Amanda. Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week with.
Threads of Connection: Sorry/Not Sorry – Confronting mother (and other) blame–healing & resistance in contemporary culture and beyond
St. Petersburg, Florida & Online
March 22-24, 2024
MORNING MEETUP
Each day of the conference we will plan on meeting first thing in the morning at 9AM at MoM. Then, we will walk over to Heiress Gallery for the events of the day. If you are coming to MoM by car GO THIS WAY:Take 28th St. South of Central. Left on Fairfield Ave. South to parking lot on left and multicolored sidewalk on right. Walk through door 2606. MoM is across the hallway and up the stairs from Fairgrounds St. Pete and DaddyKool Records.If you are arriving after 9:30 AM follow the directions below (except for Saturday midday crochet event)
DIRECTIONS TO HEIRESS GALLERY
Heiress Gallery by car: 28th St. South of Central. Left on the entrance PAST Fairfield Ave. South which leads BEHIND the Fairgrounds St. Pete to the BACK OF THE BUILDING. Follow all the way to the end. Heiress Gallery is up the stairs on the left at the back of building 7/8.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
CONFERENCE ISOPEN TO THE PUBLIC VIA ZOOM & IN PERSON. You must register for the password for the Zoom Link by writing INFO@MOMmuseum.org
DONATIONS
Help MoM thrive and cover the costs of this conference by making a generous donation here or CashApp museumofmotherhood@gmail.com. Thank YOU!
Threads of Connection: Mother (and other) blame, shame and pain, with a focus on resistance and healing. Blame and shame can be self-imposed or projected by dominant social narratives that hyper-focus on the performative nature of m/otherhood as reinforced by unrealistic hegemonic constructions. This can be true for adult children reviewing familial relationships and the world writ large as well.
We encourage presenters to unpack the sociocultural domain of mother (and other) blame and the psychological, personal, professional, and media environment within which this topic is situated. Who is harmed by blame, and whom does it serve? How are oppressive systems reinforced or even sustained? How can we resist or dismantle these systems in large and small ways? What forms of resistance, peace-making, and healing can help improve our relationships?
Smash the Mom Rage -The power of a Smash Room in supporting mothers in feeling into their anger. (Zoom)
11:00 AM
Avery Delany
How Empathy is our greatest tool to deconstruct the institution of normative motherhood and intervene with “bad” and “monstrous” mothering (Zoom)
11:30 AM
Blessing Gbemisola Ogunyemi
Matricentric Feminism and the Liberating Power of Unmasking Motherhood: Unknotting Maternal Grief and Shame in Yewande Omotoso’s An Unusual Grief (Zoom)
12:00 PM
Fly Jamerson
Resisting Mother-Villain Narratives in Performance and Media through Adaptation Conference Themes and Topics (Zoom)
12:30 PM
Mariana Della Barba
How news coverage on ‘maternal burnout’ exacerbates the unrealistic perception of motherhood and leaves mothers feeling even more guilty, exhausted and sick (Zoom)
1:00 PM
LUNCH (onsite)
2:00 PM
Agnes Howard
Echoes of the Primal Scream: American Motherhood during COVID (Zoom)
2:30 PM
Emma Tam
Defining Daughterhood (Zoom)
3:00 PM
Victoria Trinko, Julia Sarewitz & Aurelie Athan
Applied Matrescence: A Paradigm Shift in Postpartum Care (Zoom)
3:30 PM
Sonia Meerai
Navigating maternal regret in the context of infertility: Intersectional and intergenerational
4:00 PM
Miranda J. Brady
Munchausen by Proxy: On a cultural fascination with selfish motherhood
4:30 PM
Mariona Visa
Revising the castrating mother figure from Psycho to Bates Motel.
Shout Your Abortion: Signs of Change: The Impact of Billboards on the I-55 Abortion Access Route
10:00 AM
Alicia Delima
Recognizing Mother Work and Sex Work as Work under Neoliberalism
10:30 AM
Jill M. Wood
Birth(ing) Justice: Using a Birth Plan Undergraduate Writing Assignment as a Feminist Pedagogical Tool
11:00 AM
Ieva Bisigirskaitė
Challenging ‘Safe’ Birth: A Feminist Perspective on Maternal Activism in Lithuania
11:30-12:30 PM
Madison Hendry, Bag Ladies, etc. Mother Tree – crochet circle
The Womb Project; threads of connection and the roots of the Mother Tree crochet collaboration with Judy Lyons Schneider & Alice Harrison (the Bag Ladies) intergenerational conversation
12:30-1:30
LUNCH at MoM
1:30 PM
Keynote: Courtney Kessel
From witches to the weather, from maternalism to manifesto, from Talking Heads to tarot, this interactive performance lecture will wind, warp, and weave, tracing the umbilical through generations of feminist art, writing, and theory.
2:00 PM
Christine Carrig
Proudly Shamed in the USA – Art Installation w/ invitation for community collaboration
2:30 PM
Lakshmi Seshadri
Mindful Motherhood Meditation
3:00 PM
Cyntoria Meaderds
Being The Mother You Are Told to Be: a Qualitative Analysis on Mothers In Recovery
3:30 PM
Megan Welch
Othering the Mother : An In-depth Psychological Exploration of Mothering through an Ecofeminist Lens
4:00 PM
Elizabeth Charles
Thirdspace Feminist Practices for Embodying Motherhood in Academia
4:30 PM
Meredith Gringle, Amber Welborn, Tracy Nichols
“…you know, bad news travels fast”: A narrative case study of caring for mothers and infants experiencing substance exposed pregnancy (Zoom)
5:00 PM
Nathalia Martinez-Baca
Mamá; My grandmother, eight children, and Mexican healthcare outcomes
5:30-6:00
PIZZA ONSITE
6:00-7:30 PM
Emily Fitzgerald and Molly Sherman
The People’s Clinic for Reproductive Empathy
SUNDAY
MARCH 24
MIXED ZOOM & IN-PERSON PRESENTATIONS
9:30 AM
Coffee at MoM
10:00 AM
Victoria Bailey
All The Ways, Always–An Ode to Mother Blame (Zoom)
10:30 AM
Loïs van Albada
Nightbitch, the Bad Mother, and the Monstrous-Maternal
11:00 AM
Heather E. Dillaway
I Did Not Plan on This: Abrupt Shifts in Motherhood
11:30 AM
Batya Weinbaum
MOTHER: Shame Blame and Pain; the Impact of Resistance and Healing
12:00 PM
Freshta Ahmadzai
Decolonizing Mothering and Care; Labour mama was skilled, her labour had value & she was a trying m(other) (Zoom)
12:30 PM
Sushree Routray
Whispers of Rebellion: Matricentric Feminist Insights into Maternal Ambivalence in Contemporary Indian Fiction (Zoom)
1-2:00 PM
LUNCH ONSITE
2:00 PM
Frésange Maleka
Maternal Vaccine Hesitation and the HPV Vaccination: Exploring the Complex Interplay of Loss Aversion, Emotion-Laden Choices, and the Impact of Normative Motherhood (Zoom)
2:30 PM
Alicia Campos Massó
Women Cultural Agents and the Extermination of the Beguines, the Caring Mothers.
3:00 PM
Collin Xia
Black Motherhood and resistance in the Pre-Emancipation British Caribbean (Zoom)
3:30 PM
Sylvie Cote
A Matrifocal Reading: Monstrous Motherhood in Domenica Ruta’s Addiction Memoir With or Without You (2013) (Zoom)
4:00 PM
Closing Keynote: Andrea O’Reilly
Towards a Literary Theory and Criticism of Matricritics: Begin with the mother in her own right” to deliver “new meanings of motherhood and transform maternal thinking itself (Zoom)
5:00 PM
Group Closing & Dinner
In the Museum of Motherhood
*Paid registrants receive a discounted entry to the Fairgrounds St. Pete the weekend of the conference
Special thanks to Heiress Gallery for hosting the MoM Conference and associated exhibits March 16-31, 2024 and to Liliana Beltran for making the art exhibit happen!
Closings for a Cause: Founded by Deanna Barcelona to align her mortgage business with a passion for giving back to the community. Refer someone you know in need of a home loan solution to my team. Mention closings with a cause to benefit the Museum of Motherhood. At the closing table, we’ll make a commitment to present a check to MoM in YOUR name.
The Journal of Mother Studies (JourMS):peer-reviewed, international, interdisciplinary open-access, digital humanities hybrid project focused on the field of interdisciplinary study devoted to the issues, experiences, topics, history, and culture of m/others, mothering, and motherhood.
