Category: Living Board Announcements

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Community Foundation Tampa Bay Awards Grant to MoM

We are thrilled to share HUGE NEWS: Community Foundation Tampa Bay awards the Museum of Motherhood a 25k grant to continue work in the area of Health, Wellness and Education.

We are incredibly humbled and grateful for this recognition. Our team has been relentless in our volunteerism and hard work facilitating free and open spaces for individuals and families from all walks of life, including those at risk and in-need as well as people seeking connection to resources and inspiration.

This grant will help us move forward and keep the lights on at MoM.

We have so many people to thank including our grant writer Samantha Church (SDC Strategies) whose time with us is made possible through a grant with Hypatia Collaborative. Team-wise we owe gratitude to our fierce fundraiser Mary Havlock and our committed Board of Directors as well as our Health, Wellness and Education team championed by Sierra Clark (Community Empowerment Facilitator) and associates Amanda Bartles (Lactation Loop), Courtney West (3 Gems Doula Services), Sara Hunter (Birth Photographer), Jill M. Wood (Penn State), as well as our We Build Tampa Bay partnerships for special events. Please watch our Team page as we welcome new members for workshops including Unlimited Pediatrics, Embracing Joy Perinatal Wellness, The Natal Network, and Keesha Brundridge; This is Me – Whole Girl Summer Camp, to name a few. Press Release to come. (Special thanks to Jesse English for beautiful music during our Board Building Event!, Mother Kombucha for beverages and 15th St Farm for cake!))

Logo of the Community Foundation Tampa Bay featuring a colorful rainbow design with the text 'Community Foundation Tampa Bay' underneath.

Scenes From Our Board Building Event and Barbara Birthday Party

Board Building Party at MoM
Graphic featuring the Health, Wellness & Education Committee of the Museum of Motherhood, with a pink heart and butterfly design, promoting empowerment for mothers and others to access community tools.
Health Wellness and Education at the Museum of Motherhood

We Are Pleased To Announce New Programming at MoM

Health, Wellness and Education Committee
Health, Wellness, Education Committee MoM 2025

The Fourth Trimester: with Rachael Somerman, Founder of Unlimited Pediatric and a Child Development Therapist. This Monthly Group is for pregnant people and those post-natal moms looking for support during this time of vulnerability, recovery and rapid growth. Rachael will be onsite at MoM to answer your questions and to support your physical and emotional journey. Bring you bellies! Bring your babies! Adoptive moms welcome too! We will make sure you have a safe and inclusive space to share your questions, concerns, milestones and emotional & developmental needs. Free with a suggested donation of annual MoM Membership in the Mothers Club $30.

Thursday 6/26 & 7/24 10-11:30 AM. SIGN UP HERE or CALL 877-711-MOMS (6667)

Embracing Joy – Perinatal Wellness and Maternal Mental Health with Shamella (Mel) Joy. Mel is a licensed therapist and certified perinatal mental health specialist. Her personal and professional experiences have shown her there is a dire need for humans to come together and relearn what it means when we say “it takes a village” to bear and raise a child. Mel wants to be a part of your support system to ensure confidence in yourself, remove the guilt and actually enjoy the experience of parenting. She is excited to embark on this journey with you, and hopes the connections we forge will be helpful as they are informative, empowering, and a catalyst for positive change. Mel will meet bi-weekly alternating a week at MoM followed by a virtual meet up. Dates TBA. Free with a suggested donation of annual MoM Membership in the Mothers Club $30. SIGN UP HERE or CALL 877-711-MOMS (6667)

The Natal Network – Loss, Grief and Resiliency – Knowledge is Power: The Natal Network launched in 2024 by Tracie Williams who is a Licensed Practical Nurse as well as certified doula with sixteen years of healthcare experience. Tracie has rendered care to different age groups from birth to geriatrics. With a strong background in direct care and management she decided to navigate her critical thinking skills towards helping others have healthier outcomes with growing their families.

Outside of professional passions she has had her own journey with motherhood which has anchored her in compassion for families. Her first pregnancy resulted in preterm delivery at 19 weeks. Williams’ gave birth to a daughter she would never have the oppourtunity to raise. Babies are not viable outside of the womb until around 24 weeks. Thankfully motherhood became sweeter and she was able to have her rainbow baby in 2012 along with another addition in 2023. Tracie will be creating content for MoM through our social media connections that aim to elucidate the joys and pain of m/otherhood, backed by science and herstory. In-person and virtual groups begin taking place monthly in June. ree with a suggested donation of annual MoM Membership in the Mothers Club $30. SIGN UP HERE or CALL 877-711-MOMS (6667)

This is Me – Whole Girl Summer Camp; A Body Education Program for Learning, Growing, and Thriving From the Inside Out.

This camp balances empowerment with body-knowledge, appealing to 12–16-year-old girls by emphasizing confidence, familiarity, and control over their own health.Each day has a theme, a mix of interactive activities, reflection, and safe space discussions. It blends science, self-awareness, and practical tools with creative, age-appropriate learning. Limited to 12 per session. Led by Keesha Brundridge – Science Teacher middle school & the MoM Team. Sessions are:

July 14-18th -1 week 12-2:30

August 4-8th -1 week 12-2:30

$125 for the week

SIGN UP HERE or CALL 877-711-MOMS (6667)

Become a Mentor at MoM
Mentorships at MoM

SUMMER CAMP FOR GIRLS

Whole Girl Summer Camp at the Museum of Motherhood

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Board Building at MoM as we Party with a Purpose and Celebrate our Team

WHAT? Maybe you haven’t heard of the Museum of Motherhood (yet).

HECK YEAH! Maybe you are curious about what a Museum of Motherhood is all about? What! A women’s museum, right here in Tampa Bay!

IMPRESSIVE: With a team of over 20 volunteers, a kick-butt team of fundraisers, grant writers, and board members – MoM is ready to GROW again.

JOIN US: How better to celebrate than to honor our incredible team: It’s Barbara’s birthday. Barbara Lynch #AmbassadorBarb is our Executive Board Secretary. She is a dynamo and we wanna acknowledge her in all her glorious ambition for MoM’s growth here locally. Oh, and PS – It’s Mary Havlock’s birthday too – so it’s gonna be a special, amazing opportunity to get to know us better.

WHEN: Tuesday, June 3rd 6-7:30PM at the Museum with light fare and sparkling kombucha by Mother Kombucha. RSVP directly to Founding Director Joy’s cell phone: 207-504-3001.

Barbara Lynch Birthday Bash

MoM Is Board Building

Dear Board Candidate & Future MoM Collaborator, 

We are thrilled that you are considering a volunteer leadership role with the Museum of Motherhood (MoM)! We are Florida’s first and only women’s museum. Inside this packet you will find out about our history and mission, the precedence for this project, and our current strategic priorities. 

Please take time to explore our website (mommuseum.org) for additional details about our current events and programming. If you feel inspired by our mission and would like to get more involved, the next step for board membership is an interview with a current board member. Please reach out to info@mommuseum.org to request an interview, and one of our team members will connect you directly with a board member to conduct the initial interview. 

If you would like to meet our team to get to know us better, we warmly invite you to join us on Tuesday, June 3rd, from 6:30-8:30pm at MoM for a “meet the board” private event. This event will celebrate our current board, and specifically honor our Board Secretary, Barbara Lynch. Barb’s birthday falls on June 3rd, and she has graciously dedicated her party to supporting the growth of our board. 

On behalf of the entire team, we thank you for your time and consideration! Volunteer leadership has brought MoM into its most dynamic and successful year to-date. We are eager to continue with this momentum and achieve our vision for uplifting m/others with an international destination museum. 

Welcome New Team Member: Health, Wellness and Education Committee

Tracie Williams is the proprietor of The Natal Network and the founder of Jehovah Rapha- Jireh Transformation Health Inc. Both organizations are dedicated to advancing women’s health and wellness. The Natal Network, a Tampa Bay-based doula service, was established to enhance maternal-fetal outcomes. Additionally, the company has implemented a men’s mental health initiative, supported by a partnership with Supportive Therapy Empowering People (STEP). Williams’s passion for healthcare stems from her personal experiences with birth and loss. These experiences have instilled in her a sense of relatability and compassion for the birthing community. Williams has been a licensed practical nurse for the past 15 years. Her diverse experience, including hospital settings, skilled nursing facilities, maternal-fetal medicine, and family clinics, has equipped her with the knowledge and skills to make a meaningful impact.

Summer Camp for Girls

Coming to MoM this summer: This is Me – Whole Girl Summer Camp. The camp is designed to facilitate embodiment empowerment with information and education targeting body knowledge and awareness, periods, safe sex education, consent and procreative knowledge. For ages 12–16-year-old girls to increase confidence, knowledge, and control over their own health.

Camp Dates are July 28-Aug 1 and August 4-8th. Five day camp, 2.5 hours a day – Kids are welcome to hang out longer in the afternoon. 12-2:20PM Monday-Friday. Camp is FREE (with requested donation of $125)– Limit 12 girls per session.

Registration Opens June 1st. Use our SIGN UP FORM TO SUBMIT and WE’LL GET BACK TO YOU ASAP.

A Year’s Worth of Programming – Click the Banner to See Our Offerings

A Year of Programming at MoM

MoM has spelled out an entire year of exhibits, programming, workshops and Health, Wellness and Education events. Click the pic above to peek at all the glorious plans that are in the works with MoM!

TONIGHT AT MoM

Sister Nayyirah Tivica Muhammad

MAY 27 6-7:30PM International Day of Families, Hosted by Sierra Clark.

Highlighting the importance of family and dynamics of support systems with Sister Nayyirah Tivica Muhammad. Sister Muhammad is a visionary leader and the founder of Repair of The Black Family . As a dynamic keynote speaker, international three-time bestselling author, spiritual advisor, and master retreat leader, she inspires and motivates those she serves to achieve total transformation through her purpose-driven life. Sister Nayyirah specializes in helping individuals release generational trauma patterns through her keen intuition and unique approach to healing. Her work focuses on guiding women to heal intentionally. Her mission is to help restore the customs and beliefs of the Black family while working towards a universal government where peace prevails regardless of class, creed, or color. (FREE) Register by calling and leaving a message: 877-711-6667

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Ribbon Cutting at MoM – You Are Invited!

See our funding partner’s Year-End newsletter FHSP with a feature on MoM. The museum’s reopening celebration will highlight its newest visitor experience, an escape room adventure aptly named MoM’s Escape Womb. Designed to delight visitors age 18 and above (younger with an accompanying parent or guardian), with clues and puzzles about the secrets of life while visitors explore the nuances of conception, gestation and birth. This 60-75-minute Escape Womb health and wellness journey is educational and fun.  Read our Press Release here.

Ribbon Cutting

Join us tomorrow, Friday January 17th for a Ribbon Cutting with the St Pete Chamber of Commerce at our new space in The Factory at Noon. Peek at the Escape Womb. Play with us. See you soon. Directions are now here online.

Enjoy CAKE and sparkling water. Thanks to Emmanuel and 15th St Farms – another funded partner of Foundation for a Health St Pete.

Playdate for youngins at 10:30 AM and then Ribbon Cutting at Noon. See you soon!

The MoM Team X O X O

What’s Happening at MoM

Sunday: Amanda Bartles of Lactation Loop– Join us to socialize with other moms and families & take advantage of on the spot breastfeeding education and lactation support available to infants and toddlers. January 19th at noon with MoM. We’d love to make this a regular gathering so please do consider bringing conversations and hangouts w/mothers and others a regular part of our offerings. Please register in advance using this link

January 21st 6-7pm in observation of mentoring month. Jim Oliver (The Village Mentor) Co- Author in Repair of The Black Family Anthology. Event Title: “Guiding Hands: Mentorship for Mothers and Families.” Description: Explore how mentorship can empower mothers and families by providing guidance, support, and tools for success. This event highlights the power of shared experiences and community connections to navigate the challenges of parenting. INFO@MOMmuseum.org. RSVP please: INFO@MOMmuseum.org 877-711-6667.

Health, Wellness and Education events are commencing with Sierra Clark, Amanda Bartles and Courtney West empowered by our funding partner Foundation for a Health St. Pete. Events.

Thanks to Josh Naaman and Naaman Creative for helping with web updates!

 Money, money, money – we need it now. We need it bad. We need it to continue paying our rent. If you have access to some, or know someone we are now in emergency mode for the remainder of the year. I know prices are high and people are suffering. All the more reason for just the right match or miracle!

Donate Now

Why MoM Manifesto?

Why MoM? Read My Manifesto Online & More Here: Empowering All Women, Inclusive of All Reproductive Identities.

Thank YOU – See you soon, we hope.

Martha Joy Rose and MoM Team

xoxox <3

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Support MoM Now: First, Local, Herstoric #GivingTuesday

Dear Friend, Ally, Neighbor and Associate –

This year, even in the midst of hurricanes and upheavals, MoM greeted 12,000 visitors locally (and internationally) and finalized work on a new exhibition: ‘MoM’s Escape Womb Experience‘ – exploring conception, gestation and birth (at a time when we need this more than ever). 

The Museum of Motherhood is (and has always been) a beacon of love, inspiration, and equity.

The volunteers have all worked hard and achieved some wonderful successes in 2024, with a substantial grant award from Foundation for a Health St Pete and additional grant awards from the St. Pete Arts Alliance and Hypatia Collective. 

2025 promises to be another groundbreaking year with MoM’s Art Auction in collaboration with OXH Gallery of Tampa on March 18th, 2025 as well as the 20th Anniversary MoM Academic and Arts Conference sponsored by USF.

But, MoM needs help! In order to sustain operations, the nonprofit must raise the necessary funds to secure its 2025 budget which will bolster activities, pay operations costs, and help us reach the community that needs us most. Will you donate?

We need to raise a minimum of 30K in order to keep our initiatives going from December – August 2025.

It’s hard to ask – but, no amount is too small. We understand the challenges of today’s economy, the status of worldwide relations, and how great the need is for so many

SUPPORT MOM

We believe that in the face of mounting pressure to constrain women’s voices and bodies, the Museum of Motherhood stands as a testimony to the beauty of creation, the power of human spirit, the love of a shared humanity.

We are working on behalf of you every day to implement collaboration and connection as guiding principles. Together we can change the world!

Please consider a donation to our operational campaign, by check, online, or through membership. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

MoM Loves You and Values Your Participation – Because YOU are wonderfully made!

IN THE NEWS

We were thrilled when Bob Eckstein included a chapter about the Museum of Motherhood in his book ‘Footnotes From The Most Fascinating Museums’. In fact, the book is featured on our large wall mural in the new location in Gallery Row at The Factory. But, imagine our surprise when Bob sent us a copy of this recent Reader’s Digest article that boldly mentioned MoM among other fascinating favorites in the USA. Check it out here. Reader’s Digest article with picture and mention of MoM.

ESCAPE WOMB IS OPEN

Our ticketing site for MoM’s Escape Womb Experience is live. The experience is designed to delight visitors with clues and puzzles about the nuances of conception, gestation and birth in a fun and informative environment. This health, wellness and education adventure is a-first-of-its-kind in the world. Open to people age 18 and above (younger with an accompanying parent or guardian) by advance reservation. Tickets can be through our website for up to six people at a time. Or come alone and we’ll place you with a team: https://escapewomb.resova.us/

DON’T FORGET – SUBMIT TO THE MoM CONFERENCE TODAY

Don’t forget! This year is the 20th Anniversary of the Annual Academic & Arts MoM Conference. This year’s theme titled ‘FUN, SEX and CRYING OUT LOUD’ brings levity and depth to the art, research, and auto-ethnographic works related to m/otherhood inclusive of all reproductive identities. This year’s conference is in partnership with USF. Submissions are due by Dec. 15th please. See the full international call for papers! Join Us.

MEET OUR TEAM

Meet our new volunteer! Valentina Blanco is eager to help with the beautiful projects of this organization as she has advocated for women’s rights since she was just a girl. She loves to educate others through art, connection, and community. She looks forwards to working with MoM & Joy at the new museum location at The Factory in Gallery Row. She also anticipates organizing some graphics and social media projects, assisting with MoM’s Escape Womb and whatever else needs to be done during her time each week. See more about Service Learning, volunteer and internship opportunities here.

A MESSAGE ABOUT THE FOUNDER

Pray & Stay as founder Martha Joy Rose undergoes surgery on December 12th at Tampa General after a challenging year of wellness struggles. Rose has been experiencing the long-term side effects of cytoxan chemotherapy, administered thirty years ago for Lupus. The resulting diagnosis of bladder cancer has consolidated the MoM Team into a skilled group of allies who have been managing the day-to-day administration of museum activities since the summer. Rose anticipates returning to management responsibilities in January, but recovery is bound to be cautious and gradual. Please support us during this difficult time.

EASY DONATION LINKS: PAYPAL OR STRIPE TO SUPPORT MOM

SUPPORT MOM

*Blog header graphics include Barbara Lynch, Sierra Clark, Martha Joy Rose and MaMaPaLooZa

Please see our holiday hours and book your trip accordingly. Our schedule is posted online here and updated regularly! Sending lotsa Holiday Love <3

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Submit to Be Part of the 20th Anniversary MoM Conference!

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

The MoM 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.

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JOY Report: Updates, JourMS, WABA, Upcoming Events

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

YOU TUBE SIERRA SPEAKS

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. 

Please register in advance using this LINK.

Contact INFO@MOMMUSEUM.org about Sponsor/Partnerships
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Making Our Time Together Count with MoM

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:

  1. We have secured our 2024-25 lease at The Factory moving from our current location to Gallery Row in September.
  2. We will continue to operate in our current location through Labor Day in August.
  3. 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. 
  4. 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
  5. 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,
  6. 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!

MoM Volunteers
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The Museum of Motherhood, Tampa Bay’s First and Only Women’s Museum Seeks Friends, Funding, & Business Associates

CALL TO ACTION: Join Our Founder’s Circle- Building MoM in Florida. Calling one hundred friends to invest in the future of Tampa Bay!

MoM invites you to a celebration of the Museum of Motherhood in St. Pete 2024. As we acknowledge our enormous growth since moving to The Factory in September 2023 and now we invite YOU to join us as we bring this legacy project to its next phase of development.

May 8th 6-7:30PM – PLEDGE by May 1st using our form here / Find out MORE by going HERE.

A Womb of Our Own

The Museum of Motherhood (MoM) is an international museum and teaching facility located in St. Petersburg, FL, devoted to the art, science, and history of women, m/others and families inclusive of all reproductive identities. Through exhibitions and education, MoM tackles the ubiquitous nature of reproductive identity, birth, and parenting by examining the social, psychological, and economic realities embedded in these experiences and by turning the lens squarely on the people at the center of these endeavors. 

In September of 2023, MoM moved to The Factory in St. Pete. Now situated in the arts district plans are underway for how to sustain and grow MoM in the community. With over 1,200 visitors a month, the museum aims to remain free and open to the public with plans underway for a new ‘experiential’ portion of the museum to be built in the fall. Founder Martha Joy Rose oversees operations with a volunteer staff located here in Pinellas County.

April 17 6-7:30 PM – What is Black Maternal Health Week? In celebration of Black Maternal Health Week Doula Courtney West, owner of 3 Gems Birth Services, partner, with MoM Empowerment Facilitator Sierra Clark to have an open discussion on how empowerment effects black maternal health. Many times we hear disturbing numbers of maternal mortality and morbidity in the Black community. We don’t always hear the ways to make change in this area. During this 90 minute conversation we will address some of the current concerns around birth in the US, talk about the practicalities of birth, and why awareness around black maternal health is essential. With empowerment, education, passion and love we can make the change. Online at IG and in-person at MoM. We’d love to see you in person. Register here. Register here or call 877-711-MOMS (6667) and leave a message

This year, with the help of WEDU PBS, ABC Action News, the Tampa Bay Times and several local sponsors and supporters, word has gotten out in great ways. But the project is still largely unfunded and the non-profit seeks support to meet its 100k budget for 2024-25. 

A May Mamapalooza event kicks off mother’s month with family events on May 4th with collaborators Liz Dimmitt and The Fairgrounds St. Pete, followed by a fundraiser on May 8th. Undeterred by statistics that charitable giving to women and girls organizations represents less than 2% of all philanthropic activity in the U.S., that only 11% of U.S. History books are about women and only 11 % of museum collections contain art made by women, MoM remains committed to change by taking its rightful place in the museum world.

This call to action invites women and their friends to invest in the future of Tampa Bay by joining the Museum of Motherhood non-profit Founders Circle. MoM invites local leaders to take the next step forward with this first, local and herstoric legacy project. Read more about this event here.

UPCOMING EVENTS – Mark Your Calendars

MaMaPaLooZa 2024 in Tampa Bay

The Saint Petersburg Month of Photography in collaboration with the Museum of Motherhood presents the exhibition MOTHER LENS: Four Visions of Motherhood: Mikaela Martin, Jena Love, Águeda Sanfiz, and  Angelika Kollin, present their reflections on motherhood with very distinctive voices that range from the visual personal journal, the photojournalistic essay,  conceptual photography, and fine art portraiture.  

Image: Angelika Kollin, titled: Ndahafa / South Africa / 2023

Contact MoM: 877-711-MOMS (6667)

E: INFO@MOMmuseum.org

W: MOMmuseum.org

Location: 2606 Fairfield Ave. S St Petersburg, FL 

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Membership and Year-End Donation Drive – the Museum of Motherhood Needs You!

Greetings Friends – MoM wants you to be part of this significant, empowering, and impactful outreach initiative. Help MoM build on our successes with you as our partner. Now is the time for our year-end membership and donation drive. Your memberships and donations are our main source of income, keeping us free and open to the public throughout the year. Because of you, we continue to reach people from around the world with this important project.

Significance: We are the first and only Museum of Motherhood in the world, elucidating the art, science, and herstory of women, mothers, and families inclusive of all reproductive identities.

Empowering: We connect with students, travelers, and families reminding them of our collective shared status, our origin stories, and the inherent creativity of the human experience for the empowerment of all.

Impactful: We are devoted to educating the world about the contributions and experience of m/others both historically and in contemporary culture. We intend to fill a longstanding void by focusing on the many roles of women and mothers through our exhibits, events, resource center, scholarship, and educational partnerships. We are taking our rightful place in the museum world.

WE NEED YOUR HELP MORE NOW THAN EVER

We are a grassroots non-profit that has been devoted to the art, science, and herstory of women, mother’s and families since 2003. We have exhibited in the City of Seneca Falls (where the Suffragettes marched for the vote) the UES of New York City, and in multiple universities.

Last year, founder Martha Joy Rose featured exhibits and invited visitors into her domain post-covid and conducted 178 home tours along with sponsoring the work of artists in residence, while hosting free healthful community suppers with YesChefVillage, and creating volunteer and mentorship opportunities with local high school students throughout the semester.

During this time, many of you joined our campaign to purchase the Mother Tree for our permanent collection. Because of you, we were successful. The Mother Tree will be on exhibit at MoM beginning December 2023.

Now, we need you again! Please help us sustain our MOMentum by securing our overhead expenses from January through July 2024. Our rent total is $24 K. Help us keep the doors open, the lights on, and meaningful engagement opportunities happening. These operational expenses must be met in order to continue our work. We believe that together we can do it!

MoM opened its doors at the Factory St. Pete in the warehouse arts district this September. We currently serve 1,200 visitors each month, maintaining our mission of being free and open to the public for those most in need of support, information, conversation, and inspiration.

MULTIPLE WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

Donation: Make a donation to MoM in any amount. No amount too small. DONATE

Membership: Join MoM with a membership. Multiple levels of participation are available. JOIN

Membership/Partnership: New Member Sign Up at the FairgroundsSt. Pete use code: MOM23 for free game add on at Fairgrounds St. Pete, as well as a free Activity Map at MoM. Or sign for a new MoM Membership for for add on experience at Fairgrounds! Sign up here with membership at MoM and/or follow links to Fairgrounds St. Pete Memberships.

Conference: Participate in our Annual Academic and Arts Conference. Call for participation is here. Early Bird Conference participation is: $150. SUBMIT

Shop: Go to our store to see new products! Order something online or come by our museum store in person. SHOP

Buy and Activity Map and Tour MoM: $11.50 PURCHASE

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE – STAY BLESSED – WE ARE GRATEFUL TO YOU THIS SEASON!

JOURNAL OF MOTHER STUDIES, CFP MoM CONFERENCE ’24, PODCASTS

The Journal of Mother Studies is now up online at JourMS.org. This 8th edition of the Journal elaborates on Maternal Landscapes from a variety of perspectives including the creative and the clinical. LINK TO JOURMS

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 * CFP – Deadline, Dec. 15th. Calling all scholars, artists, and community members for presentations and papers on the subject of mother (and other) blame, shame and pain, with a focus on resistance and healing. This international call for papers invites artists, sociologists, maternal psychologists, philosophers, anthropologists, women’s sexuality and gender professors, masculinity studies experts, birth-workers, doctors, researchers, students, and lay-people to share their work. SUBMIT

Podcasts are up with MoM Talks with My Sister. Seven episodes are posted now on a wide variety of topics. This internship project with Bethanie Dell (and her sister) have proved to be much more exciting than we ever could have anticipated! PODCAST PAGE

Stylin’ with Thee Heiress: 4th Tuesday of each month (starting Nov 28th). Help with your child’s hair. Are you able to manage your natural curls? We are here to help. Open to the community with expert guidance. All materials are provided. $30 requested donation but no one turned away for lack of funds. Register in advance please so we know how many hair kits to bring. Call 877-711-MOMS (6667) or write: INFO@MOMmuseum.org. Registration: using this link! 

Herstory/History on a cushion: Last Saturday of each month, Join Donika Vlada for history/herstory on a cushion at MoM. Sessions are 2-3:30 with stories, games, art-making, and discovery. Hands on activities offer fun and learning for ages 5 +. Pre-register by filling out our online form, emailing: INFO@MOMmuseum.org or by calling 877-711-MOMS (6667). Donations welcome. Parents can hang out in a chill environment or poke around The Factory.

GO TO OUR EVENTS PAGE TO SEE UPCOMING HAPPENINGS AT MOM

Event Page with LOVE!

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Activism Art Blog Education Featured Featured Artists Feminism History International Living Board Announcements MOM Art Annex MOM Conference Sociology Spiritual Motherhood USF

OPEN CALL: SUBMISSIONS for a special online publication at MoM for our Mothers’ Day Blog.

For a limited time only, OPEN CALL : SUBMISSIONS for a special online publication at MoM for our Mother’s Day May Blog. But first, about the photo here at the top of the page. We inherited an ugly cement wall. What did we do? Make it beautiful! Thank you Batya for your gorgeous residency and ongoing mural work, now viewable in the annex gardens. Read more at the bottom of the blog!

Submit a story about your mother. 1,500-2,000 words or poem (any length).

Our team will review all entries and we will select one special story, one runner up, and one poem for publication online for our May Mother’s Month Blog, social media and Newsletter issue.

The prize is $50 first place only / Poem is a separate award $25

We know you are ALL winners and we are excited to hear your creativity and legacy productions.

Submit by April 30th midnight via email by midnight. Include Title and Bio with Submission in word document: INFO@MOMmuseum.org

THE MONTH OF MARCH RECAP

Community is where it’s at – even as technology rises, we must remember our humanity, our earth bodies, and our mother planet. HAPPY EARTH DAY IN APRIL!

March was busy with gatherings focused on food health, motherhood, sisterhood, meditation, poetry, and outdoor mural making. Thanks to Jeff Herman, Leslie Culbertson, and Yusuke Ouchie from Creative Grape, and gratitude to Localtopia, Winter in the Woods, AEHK Studio Tour, Tombolo Books, YesChefVillage, Gloria Muñoz, our Conference Attendees, Mothers’ Group and MoM Facilitators: Its been a GREAT season for MoM.

Over the course of the past year, we have joined in events with direct engagement opportunities equalling 40,000 + people.

We have partnered with groups from ages 1-80 yrs old that include people in recovery, local high school students, housing insecure individuals, and those seeking education on the subject of healthy food to feminist studies. Those smaller groups, have totaled in the hundreds.

What Next?

Where are the women’s stories and spaces? We are only 10 % of school text books and 13% of museum exhibits.

Our lives are an inspiration. They are a miracle. They are each and everyone great. How can we illuminate the vacuum, fill the voice, reverberate with intention?

Help us honor these stories. Help us keep going. Help us be Visible, Solvent, and Celebrated. We Thank you! We are you! We need you to thrive! Together we are strong, together we rise, together we love. Help us continue our work by becoming a legacy donor.

DONATE

THE ANNUAL ACADEMIC & ARTS CONFERENCE ROCKED!

REPRODUCTIVE LANDSCAPES– The conference saw participants from England, Australia, South Africa, Canada, USA, Poland, South America, Israel, Spain, and Ireland. Videos and papers to come. Find out more by accessing the Journal of Mother Studies (JourMS) and upcoming announcements about these scholarly works. The CFP for the Journal of Mother Studies is open through April 30th. SUBMIT.

Here are a few concepts to mull over (from my notes):

Can we mother a ghost? Rebecca Marcelina Gimeno

Not every pregnancy results in the birth of a child – Laura Bissell

Human care is anchored in communal activities – Sara Sudhoff

Mothering is invisible – Kate Golding

Batya Weinbaum, b. 1952, is a Jewish American visual artist and award-winning writer from Cleveland Heights, OH and Floyd, VA, and artist-in- residence at MOM Dec 3 2022-Mar 31, 2023. Her first mosaic art project was a feminist installation of fertility and warrior goddesses, Feminina Sube, Isla Mujeres, 2013-2020. A film about this magical shrine to the goddess can be seen on YouTube by typing in Dr. Batya Weinbaum. She got her doctorate at University of Massachusetts at Amherst, founded the journal Femspec, and has spoken frequently at Radical Feminist Perspectives of Women’s Declaration International. More of her art can be seen at goddessvibe.org.

Special Shout Out to Brittany DeNucci & All Our Fab Volunteers!

Special shout out to Brittany DeNucci who stepped in to run tech for us a MoM during the conference. She’s also been hard at work editing the conference videos. We are so grateful for all Brittany’s contributions. THANK YOU to all our incredible interns, volunteers & team members!

KEEP ROCKIN’ IT!

Love, Love, Love,

Martha Joy Rose, Director