ROCK YOUR BABY on Sunday, May 3rd, 2026 at the ArtsXchange Campus in the Warehouse Arts District (WADA) for a free, family-friendly festival celebrating mothers, caregivers, families, creativity, and community connection 11-4PM.
Hosted by the Museum of Motherhood (MoM), Mamapalooza is both a joyful community celebration and a fundraiser supporting MoM’s year-round cultural programming, exhibitions, and outreach. In its third year, the event has grown to welcome 400–500 attendees annually, bringing together families, artists, health providers, and community organizations from across Pinellas County.
LIVE MUSIC LINEUP Petal and Bass The Rum Syndicate Phono Matrix Mahray Rainbow Portal SPECIAL HEALTH & WELLNESS FEATURES Free health screenings will be provided by the BayCare Mobile Health Unit, located across from the main stage, offering accessible preventive care for families during the event. FAMILY & COMMUNITY RESOURCES Mamapalooza will feature trusted partners providing support for new and expecting families, including free newborn and postpartum supplies and connections to local services such as: St. Anthony’s Hospital, BayCare Healthy Start Coalition of Pinellas County Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County Postpartum Support International – Florida Chapter Lactation Loop Pink Fitness Florida Southern Alchemy Wellness / Southern Birthing Wellness Unlimited Pediatric Therapy COMMUNITY SPONSORS We are proud to be supported by: Pinellas Community Foundation Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County Rays Rowdies Foundation Unlimited Pediatric Therapy
SUPPORT THE MUSEUM OF MOTHERHOOD – PUT MoM on the MAP IN PINELLAS – WITH A HOME OF OUR OWN! Mamapalooza is a fundraiser supporting MoM. Guests can give back by purchasing raffle tickets, buying merchandise, or becoming a museum member. Event entry is FREE.
Enjoy live music, hands-on activities, community resources, wellness services, and a welcoming space for all ages in one of St. Pete’s most vibrant arts districts.
Come celebrate families, support local culture, and experience a day full of music, meaning, and community connection. EVERY DAY IS MOTHERS’ DAY!(FREE to ALL)
Mamapalooza_Info_2026
MaMaPaLooZa Stage Lineup
SUBMIT TO THE JOURNAL OF MOTHER STUDIES
MoM’s MISSION
The Museum of motherhood is the first and only institution devoted to elucidating the art, science and history of women, mothers and families inclusive of all reproductive identities.
Our mission is to start great conversations, create compelling exhibits and share information and education that informs and inspires lives while acting as social change agents, community connectors and culture builders.
Together we increase well-being and-celebrate the most creative act in the world.
When I was a little girl, adults sometimes dismissed my voice. When I was a young woman I was told to ‘be nice’ and ‘smile’. Oftentimes other people in positions of power tried to convince me what I was experiencing was not real– even though I knew it was.
Now, more than ever before, I remind my friends, children and family that speaking up and out, and that speaking truth (from my experience) is as important as listening to other people’s perspective. Whatever the case, it is never acceptable to promote people, parents, politicians, or posses whose aim is to suppress. oppress or make invisible another human or segment of the population either through force, finances or purposeful distortion of factual evidence.
M. Joy Rose 03/12/26
Black History Month at MoM
Refusing to Disappear/ Refusing to be Disappeared
Its Black History Month! Even though the ‘Black History Matters’ mural was removed by state crews on August 29, 2025 and the on year ago that the Smithsonian Institute was mandated to review and change exhibits deemed to be promoting “divisive, race-centered ideology” by the current political administration.
Facts are not ideology. Black history is real. The only people who can tell the story of the families, experiences, histories and realities of Black Americans are the ones whose lives were impacted. We are fortunate in St Petersburg, FL that Carter G.Woodson African American Museum is on mark for big plans for future development and we are encouraged and lifted by their successes. Carter Woodson championed Black History month because of his singular devotion to “Negro Life and Culture,” and the formation of an organization whose goal was to make Black history accessible to an audience beyond college campuses and academic texts. His passion resulted in the formation of Negro History Week in 1926, which eventually came be what we now know as ‘Black History Month‘.
ORDER TICKETS NOW: Through Women’s Eyes – Film Festival
This spring, MoM will be visible in partnership with REEL EQUALS International Film Festival Spotlight on Diverse Voices: Reel Equals International Film Festival Shines in Sarasota: ThroughWomensEyes.org
REEL EQUALS 27th Annual Festival In-theater screenings, Sarasota, Florida March 6-8 Virtual screenings March 5-10 Featuring 25 films from 11 countries!
An entertaining opening night film that uses comedy to address a universal topic, human anxiety, opening a door to a mental health issue everyone knows about.
The need for diverse stories; female filmmakers from 12 countries reveal topics ranging from stand-up comedy to elephants in India, motherhood to the war in Ukraine. We examine how media portrayals shape beliefs and opportunities; films reflect and reveal how influential media is on creating the ways we talk, think, and act and underscore the need for diverse voices in visual media. Changemakers; narratives that challenge stereotypes and elevate inspiring lives are central to the festival.
Feb/March Press Release
MoM will be at Localtopia this Saturday, Feb 14, 2026. Our location at The Factory will be closed during the day and reopening 5-9PM For Second Saturday Art Walk – Karaoke is for lovers. Come sing with us!
HOLD THE DATE– MoM Conference 2026 is coming March 27-29th
2026 MoM Conference
EVERYONE MUST PRE-REGISTER –SPONSOR A STUDENT/ARTIST
Donations optional but you must let us know you’re attending!
Your PAID registration free includes breakfast & lunch Friday and Saturday, light snacks in the afternoon, and access to all panels, workshop, and the keynote address. Those registering with no payment are welcome to attend and BYO..
QUESTIONS? CALL US and LV a MESSAGE – We’ll CYB: 877-711-MOMS (6667)
A new year is unfolding at the Museum of Motherhood—and it’s already full of momentum. 🌱 From board leadership and strategy sessions to festivals, conferences, and community celebrations, 2026 is shaping up to be a year of action, reflection, and collective joy. Our latest blog lays out what’s ahead, why it matters, and how you can be part of it—from January goal-setting to a fall focus on maternal mental health. Take a look, mark your calendar, and step into the year with us.
2026 Scheduled Dates:
January 14th Board Meeting and Kick-off for 2026 New Year Goals & Implementation
January 20th Implementation of 6 month strategy
February 14th Localtopia
March – Women’s History Month
April – Q2 Board Meeting
March 26 Leadership workshop with dinner for all team
March 27-29 MoM Conference
May 3 is MaMaPaLooZa
June 2nd Board Building Party – Barbara & Mary B-Day
July – Pride & Q3 Board Meeting – vote in new members
August – Hang on in The Factory to continue the good work
September – Mini-Conference Maternal Mental Health
MoM Membership Cooperative
We are delighted to invite you to become part of something special at the Museum of Motherhood—our Cooperative Membership Store & Shared Creative Space.
This is more than a retail visibility opportunity. It’s a living, breathing community where artists, educators, healers, organizers, and makers gather to share their talents, connect with the public, and support one another in a values-driven, cooperative environment.
Welcome to MoM’s Cooperative Space
Bring your art, expertise, objects, ideas, and meetings into a shared home where creativity and care are centered. By joining, you’ll collaborate in a vibrant real-world space while engaging with MoM’s audiences during events like Second Saturday Art Walk, Sunday Assembly, and MaMaPaLooZa Festival—as your schedule allows as well as during weekly hours.
What Participation Looks Like
Join MoM with a $30 annual membership
Sign up for 3-hour (short) or 6-hour (long) shifts—or more—during a 40-hour week (See Events & Calendar at MOMmuseum.org)
Greet visitors warmly and direct them to MoM’s signup portal
Share and sell your work, services, or expertise You keep 100% of your sales
If selling work by others, simply direct buyers to the item’s QR payment code and log the sale in the receipt book
What MoM Provides
Onesix-foot table, chairs, easels, and working space
Storage under tables (bring a labeled tote if you’d like to leave items onsite)
The option to leave onsite:
An 8 × 10 display with QR code
A notebook or portfolio of your work
Up to ¼ of a six-foot table of objects and one easel when you’re not present (Tables are shared among four cooperators)
Promotion of you and your work through MoM social media using graphics and info you provide
Why This Matters
By managing the space while you’re in it, you help keep MoM accessible, welcoming, and alive—while gaining visibility, community, and a meaningful place to share what you do best. If you believe in collaboration over competition, community over isolation, and creativity rooted in care—we would love to welcome you.
Welcome to MoM’s Cooperative Space. Please bring your art, talents, objects, and meetings. By agreeing to join this initiative you can expect:
Collaborate on a shared real estate for exhibiting and meeting clients and be part of our general audience on Second Saturday Art Walk, Sunday Assembly, MaMaPaLooZa Festival as per your availability with your great talents in exchange for a basic level MoM membership and an agreement to manage the space while you are in it.
MoM Team with volunteers at the Museum of Motherhood
MoM Needs Volunteers and Docents
The Museum of Motherhood is more than a museum, it’s a gathering space, a conversation starter, and a love letter to motherhood in all its forms. We’re looking for a friendly, curious, people-loving human to help welcome our community into the space.
Volunteerism is the heartbeat of the Museum of Motherhood. 💛 Our work is powered by people who give their time, skills, care, and creativity to help preserve stories, spark dialogue, and build a more humane future for families. From greeting visitors and supporting events to research, archiving, and advocacy, volunteers make it possible for MoM to keep its doors open, its programs vibrant, and its mission alive. Simply put: we keep going because our community shows up.
What you’ll do:
Greet visitors with warmth and make them feel at home the moment they arrive
Move through the museum, offering gentle, engaging introductions to exhibits and artworks
Spark curiosity, conversation, and connection throughout the space
Support our Mom Shop by sharing the stories behind our merchandise and assisting with sales
Invite visitors to deepen their relationship with the museum through memberships and events
Educate clients about available programs and assist with application processes when necessary
Maintain accurate records of client interactions and service provision in accordance with privacy policies
You might be perfect for this role if you:
Love art, culture, storytelling, and community spaces
Enjoy talking with people and making them feel seen and welcomed
Are comfortable engaging visitors in a relaxed, authentic way
Believe in honoring motherhood, caregiving, and lived experience as powerful cultural forces
Bring positive energy and openness into shared spaces
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail for record keeping and coordination tasks
This is a role for someone who loves people, ideas, and meaningful work and wants to be part of a mission-driven, creative environment.
If you are interested in being part of our team but are not in a financial situation where you can volunteer, then we have some funds available for onsite docents in-space to greet people during our regular shifts.
Volunteer (we’re grateful if you can) or $17/hour Flexible, community-centered work A chance to be part of something special
Job Type: Part-time.
Interested? We’d love to hear from you.CONTACT: Scheduling@MOMmuseum.org
You might not always feel like it, but the future is looking bright. “How so?” you might wonder? Well, the truth is that light is everywhere—even in the darkness. Now that the season of light is upon us, we are pleased to welcome new initiatives, new interns, new solvency strategies, and the same ole sense of love and compassion that MoM musters in every circumstance.
At the Museum of Motherhood, we do not measure brightness by ease or comfort. We measure it by resilience, by care, and by the quiet, radical persistence of families who keep showing up for one another—even when systems fall short. And there are real reasons to believe the future of health, wellness, and education for families in America is bending toward something more humane.
Across the country, we are seeing renewed attention to maternal mental health, long overlooked and underfunded, now finally entering public conversation, clinical practice, and community-based solutions. Peer support models, trauma-informed care, and culturally responsive services are gaining traction—not because they are trendy, but because families have demanded better. Knowledge is catching up to lived experience.
In education, learning is expanding beyond classrooms and credentials. Intergenerational education, museum-based learning, and community storytelling are increasingly recognized as legitimate, powerful ways people grow and heal. Families are reclaiming learning as something that happens through curiosity, creativity, and connection—not just compliance. Museums like MoM are uniquely positioned to hold this work: part classroom, part commons, part sanctuary.
MoM Shop Open in December for Thank You Gifts for all museum memberships
Health and wellness, too, are being redefined. More families are questioning productivity-at-all-costs culture and returning to basics: rest, touch, creativity, food, movement, and meaning. Caregiving—once invisible—is becoming a subject of research, advocacy, and art. While this shift is far from complete, the cracks in the old model are letting light in.
At MoM, we see hope in the next generation. Our interns arrive not just with skills, but with clarity: they understand that care is infrastructure, that history shapes health, and that equity is not optional. They are asking better questions—and insisting on better answers.
We also see hope in sustainability: in new funding models, shared resources, and collaborative strategies that allow cultural institutions to survive without abandoning their values. Solvency, when grounded in ethics, becomes a form of care itself—ensuring that spaces for truth, tenderness, and transformation remain open.
The future will not be bright because it is easy. It will be bright because people continue to choose love, compassion, and responsibility for one another—especially in hard times. That is the work of m/otherhood. That is the work of this museum. And that is the light we are committed to tending, together.
YEAR END FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE
As our team celebrates the season of gratitude – I am thankful for a great year, awesome accomplishments, & for you!
MoM reaches people where they live, work and play through our family-friendly exhibits and education. We are Tampa Bay’s first and only women’s museum, devoted to the art, science and herstory of American women, mothers and families.
If you haven’t visited us yet, please do. We are virtual and in real time offering tours, exhibits, conversations, education, friendship, community, cultural connections and more since 2003~!
Martha JOY Rose, Founding Director
2025 MoM HIGHLIGHTS
Welcomed new board members: Amy Collins, Libby Hopkins, Meagan Welch, Regan Moss, and Tracie Williams to the MoM Executive Board.
Expanded our program team to include Jamika Rollins, Karimah Henry, Rachael Somerman, Dre Marie, LouAnne Hardtke, Amanda Bartles, Darlene Ceron, Lizzie Zacharis, and Susie Beltran.
Offered weekly free lactation consultations with Baby Café for breastfeeding support, advice, tools and conversation.
Partnered with Tampa Bay Period Pantry and Mutual Aid Choices Pantry to make products available to those seeking information, education, and free accessible items related to periods, birth control, and women’s health.
Produced Black Maternal Health mini-conference, addressing Black maternal health disparities and bringing together over 60 providers, birth workers, and funders to rally around community-led solutions.
Rocked out at Mamapalooza Family Festival with over 500 attendees and performances by local woman-founded and woman fronted bands.
Convened over 70 academics, artist, and students at the 20th Anniversary Academic & Arts Conference, hosted at USF St. Pete.
Implemented two photography and sculptural exhibits by local artists and welcomed two international artists, Julienne Doko and Raisa Nosova, for performances and mural works. (Huge gratitude to both amazing women) as well as student exhibits about ‘Caring St Pete’.
Secured over $50,000 in NEW grant funding through Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, Foundation for Healthy St. Pete, and the City of St. Pete.
MoM is celebrating a highly successful 2025, and we are on track to reach an annual fundraising goal of $100,000. This fundraising goal not only supports the ongoing work of MoM but makes it possible for our team to secure a permanent home in Tampa Bay and bring on paid staff members to expand our footprint as the one and only international destination museum devoted to the art, science, and history of women, m/others & families.
I hope you will consider making a tax-deductible year-end gift. 100% of your gift supports the longevity of the first and only museum of motherhood in the world. Our year-end giving campaign builds on all the success of 2025, see our donations and progress in real-time here.
This project focuses on the intersection of reproductive technology and cross-cultural perspectives, exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping future experiences of “procreation” and “motherhood.”
As an artist and curator from East Asia now living in the United States, I aim to reflect on the different understandings of the female body and reproduction in Eastern and Western societies .And I will consider whether the intervention of AI technology may shift these cultural differences.
Through collaborations with artists of diverse nationalities, I will explore how humanity’s understanding of “motherhood” and “identity” evolves artistically when technology intervenes in the creation of life and the construction of identity. These artworks will employ varied materials and techniques to depict artists’ visions of future reproduction, presenting abstract perspectives on the possibilities of human evolution. They will amplify the reproductive relationship between motherhood and living organisms for the audience.
This project aims to connect individual memories with global shifts, inviting audiences to reconsider: In an era of rapid globalization and artificial intelligence advancement, are the identity and meaning of motherhood also undergoing transformation? How do people confront the long- standing biological relationships of life being overturned amidst the relentless march of evolutionary progress?
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.
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.
May is Mothers’ Month– and here we are once more – celebrating the art, science, and herstory of American women and mothers with international collaborations. While MoM situates itself as a museum primarily focused on the last 250 years of North American women, m/others and families, our internships, conferences, and online exhibitions span the gamut from the UK to Canada, from Europe to Asia.
Here we go: LET THE MAY COUNTDOWN BEGIN!
ONE: May 1st was supposed to be the conclusion of our fundraising initiatives for fund our 2024-25 season, yet we persist. The Fundraiser continues to meet our 2024-25 Budget of $100K.
We thank the Rays and Rowdies for their recent sponsorship and we thank our new Founders Circle members: Liz Dimmitt, Aleks Miziolek, Betty Schaub and our assorted friends who have also contributed donations to this “We Build Tampa Bay” fundraiser.
In the meantime, our newest art exhibit, includes a collaborative work entitled ‘A Womb of Our Own – Seeing Red‘. This sculpture is currently onsite at MoM and will see its completion on Wednesday, May 8th with additional pieces contributed by Jessica Caldas. The sculpture assemblage includes the vision of MoM curator Martha Joy Rose and contributions by Leroy – the King of Art. Visit us Wednesday 6-7:30 PM to PLAY and CELEBRATE the fab new vision! But, first make your pledge to MoM by using this form or by donating directly to Join our Founders Circle.
We are also collaborating with The Saint Petersburg Month of Photography (SPMOP) for 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. [More]
SPMOP Exhibit
Jessica Caldas Sculpture Rendering
TWO: MaMaPaLooZa is May 4th 10-4PM at The Factory in St. Pete in partnership with Fairgrounds St. Pete. Come to 2606 Fairfield Ave. S. Enjoy the day! FREE for the family with lots of activities, music, and discounted tix to the Fairgrounds. Full description on our page here.
THREE: 3 months is all we have at our current location at The Factory. Yes, that’s correct.May, June, July and then we begin looking for our next location. What does that mean? MoM’s going to need to make plans for where we pop up next. Have ideas? Want to help us make something happen? Get in touch. We need your input now. Join Us.
Summer Hours at MoM
Beginning immediately, our hours at The Factory May –July will be 12-6 Thursday-Sunday. If you are visiting locally or from out of town, make sure to book your tour in advance. We have a small volunteer team and sometimes may not be onsite if you have not pre-booked, however we do our best and you can always reach out! Call ahead 877-711-MOMS (6667) or write: INFO@MOMmuseum.org
Other Activities and Friends
The Mysteries About Manifestation Revealed from our friend Brett Cotter
New Program – Align Your Actions with Your Destiny
There is something almost all other manifestation programs miss; how do you break free from the subconscious beliefs that manifests all the stress and lack in our lives? Mantras and affirmations will not stick if your deeper core beliefs are not in alignment.
In this 4-Week Program you will be guided through 4 essential steps to manifest the life you want.
You will be guided to:
1. Identify your deepest desire and purpose
2. Release the old fear and programming you have around living your destiny now
3. Embody the new beliefs that automatically manifest the life you want
4. Align your time with your soul’s priorities
Facilitator: Brett Cotter, Author, Retreat Leader, and Trauma Recovery Expert with 20-years experience consciously working with the laws of manifestation. He teaches with his wife at the Omega Institute, Kripalu, Himalayan Institute, Tibet House, and Sivananda Ashram on Paradise Island.
Price: Early bird special $99 ends May 3rd, after that $199
Sunday, May 197:00 PM – 8:30 PM Online Motherhood: The Forever Job(FREE)– An evening of new writing by author and artist Suzi Banks Baum, followed by a discussion about the importance of writing motherhood with Joy Rose, award-winning artist, activist, and founder of the Museum of Motherhood. Participate in an Open Mic event for IWWG members and guests. Register Online.
Books
Matricentric feminism seeks to make motherhood the business of feminism by positioning mothers’ needs and concerns as the starting point for a theory and politic on and for the empowerment of women as mothers. Based on the conviction that mothering is a verb, it understands that becoming and being a mother is not limited to biological mothers or cisgender women but rather to anyone who does the work of mothering as a central part of their life. The Mother Wave, the first-ever book on the topic, compellingly explores how mothers need a matricentric mode of feminism organized from and for their particular identity and work as mothers, and because mothers remain disempowered despite sixty years of feminism. MoM Founder & Director, Martha Joy Rose has a chapter in this book. Order yours now.
May is coming and May is Mothers’ Month. What do we make of this month of observances at the Museum of Motherhood? Years ago, just over one-hundred years, Mother’s Day was voted into legislation as a national day of observance. On May 8, 1914, the U.S. Congress designated the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day requesting a proclamation which Woodrow Wilson signed into law.
We are grateful to Bob Eckstein for the release of his most recent book Footnotes from the Most Fascinating Museums, available to order online, which includes a shout out to the Museum of Motherhood. What an awesome surprise! Thank you, Bob.
The very first American celebration of Mother’s Day was in Grafton West Virginia, organized by Anna Jarvis who wanted a day for families to commemorate their loved ones. Previous versions of a motherhood movement prioritized social involvement for mothers for the betterment of society including peace initiatives like the one that Julia Ward Howe is famous for. In that context, the reading becomes Mothers’ Day (notice the apostrophe) (Read more here).
As the founder of the Museum of Motherhood, I was fortunate to celebrate the one hundred year anniversary of Mother’s Day with my own mother, as the featured speaker at the historic landmark St Andrews Methodist Church, which is the International Mother’s Day Shrine in Grafton West Virginia. My keynote talk addressed the importance of place, one of the core components of the commitment I feel towards the Museum of Motherhood. Humans need physical places to acknowledge our embodied experiences and to activate memory and cultural identities.
I purposely chose to embrace motherhood as a socially engaged activity involving not just families but the well-being of communities, hence my efforts on behalf of women, mothers and families (inclusive of all reproductive identities) through the years. As a young mom living in New York City, I learned how important friendship and collaboration are. The parks and playgrounds became my home away from home with four children in tow. Those friendships became the bedrock of my life as a mother. These gals were the people I turned to for support, compassion, understanding, and FUN! Since moving to Florida with my now adult children, I still look to my community of women for a shared sense of passion, camaraderie, and the mission of the MoM.
This year, for the first time in many, I said ‘yes’ to Liz Dimmitt at The Fairgrounds St Pete when she suggested we bring a MaMaPaLooZa Festival to Tampa Bay. The festival initiatives, begun in 2002, have worked alongside the Museum of Motherhood to generate more visibility regarding the labor, art, and enterprise of women. This year, marks the first time in over ten years, where I personally agreed to an event outside of MoM. So, in addition to our May fundraising activities at the museum to build a ‘Womb of Our Own‘, the MaMaPaLooZa Festival will take place on May 4th in partnership with The Fairgrounds St Pete at The Factory in Tampa Bay. Hope to see you there or at one of these other opportunities we will be creating this month! ~Martha Joy Rose, Director and Founder; MoM, MaMaPaLooZa
The Journal of Mother Studies: a peer-reviewed, international, interdisciplinary open-access, digital humanities hybrid project.
CFP 2024: Threads of Connection–Sorry/Not Sorry: Confronting mother (and other) blame–healing & resistance in contemporary culture and beyond. Submissions to the Journal are open until May 31st [Link to Submit]. Also seeking lead editor for the 2024 edition. MORE INFO.
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. [More]
Description: Join us for a day of celebration and empowerment at MAMAPALOOZA St. Petersburg 2024! Hosted at The Factory by MoM and Fairgrounds St. Pete, this event honors and uplifts mothers and caregivers in our community through a dynamic mix of music, art, and camaraderie.
Special thanks to our sponsors: St. Anthony’s BayCare, Great Explorations Children’s Museum, The Barn UPT, and Stephanie Allen Coaching.MAMAPALOOZA St. Petersburg 2024 offers a diverse lineup of activities and entertainment for attendees of all ages. [LINK]
CALL TO ACTION: Join Our Founders Circle- Building MoM in Florida. Calling one hundred friends to invest in the future of Tampa Bay by helping us grow locally. Also, a Womb of Our Own Sculpture – Seeing Red coming this month.
MoM invites you to become join our Founders Circle by making a donation of $1,000 to fund our 2024-25 budget at The Factory in St. Pete. Donate and then help us celebrate the Museum of Motherhood in St. Pete. We invite YOU to join us as we bring this legacy project to its next phase of development. May 8th 6-7:30PM – Please PLEDGE by May 1st using our form here
MaMaPaLooZa Performers – MoMs ROCK! And, so do YOU!
Volunteer (we’re grateful if you can) or $17/hour
