Category: Social Justice

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Mapping Resilience: Stories of Young Motherhood Exhibition Opens April, 2026

PLEASE JOIN US FOR AN OPENING RECEPTION AND A MEET & GREET

Join us for the Grand Opening Reception: Friday, April 10 | 7–9:30 PM I Hear from young moms and community stakeholders! Join us for libations and conversation.

Where: Gallery at the Museum of Motherhood 2606 Fairfield Ave S in The Factory Building 7 St Pete

Please join us at MoM with Healthy Start. This lovely mix and mingle will feature stories (and results from the researchers and the mothers themselves), with refreshments, presentations and conversation. This will be followed by Second Saturday Art Walk April 11 5-9PM on April 11th.

Objective Young moms in Hillsborough County were asked to draw journey maps and accompany them with photos (photovoice) to share their story and participate in a novel method that prioritized uninterrupted narratives/storytelling.

How: The exhibit includes the hand-drawn journey maps from ten moms and their accompanied photos, as well as an interactive audio portion where participants can scan QR codes and listen to some portions of their story. 

Activities include: A table with “letters and advice for young moms” allowing visitors to write letters to young moms, which can then be distributed by Healthy Start/Healthy Families home visitors.

Curated by Mahir Rahman, NASM-CPT, AFAA-CGFI, graduate student in the Department of Anthropology at the University of South Florida, and a research intern with Healthy Start Hillsborough, has been leading a journey mapping and photovoice project with young mothers in the Tampa Bay community and across our programs. University of South Florida Website

Come and enjoy an immersive, audio-visual exhibit amplifying the real stories of pregnant and parenting adolescents in our community. Through powerful visuals and firsthand voices, this experience brings their journeys, challenges, and resilience into focus.

Questions call: 877-711-MOMS (6667) Lv message. We will call you back!

📍 Museum of Motherhood, St. Petersburg (2606 Fairfield Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712)

Visit the exhibit now through the end of April.

A collage of various mothers and children, illustrating themes of young motherhood, with the title 'Mapping Resilience: In Our Own Words' prominently displayed.

SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR MOM CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS, ORGANIZERS and SPONSORS

Group of women celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Museum of Motherhood's Academic and Arts Conference, featuring Martha Joy Rose as the 2025 recipient of the Joy Award.
MoM Conference 2025- the ‘Joy Award’


Thank you all so very much for joining us for The Museum of Motherhood’s Annual International Academic & Arts Conference | Reproductive Identities & Resistance: Mothers and Others in Culture, Community & Collaboration. We couldn’t have done this without you!

A special thanks to our event sponsors, USF & St. Anthony’s Hospital BayCare Health System, and to our marketplace vendors: The Entourage Lab, PSI, and MoM bookstore. Thank you too, Dr. Aurelie Athan for your ongoing work. Congratulations on being awarded ‘The Joy Award’ 2026.

We look forward to sharing more of your work, distilling images and video – soon come. Until then, remember… MoM loves YOU!

LETTER FROM OUR FOUNDER

This week I wrote about love. While museums are not generally in the business of ‘love’, the Museum of Motherhood is. While we are not always perfect, our aspirations are consistent. Our values are written into the fabric of the museum. We are women supporting women.

When I started the Museum of Motherhood in 2003 in Dobbs Ferry, New York I was a lupus survivor, recent kidney transplant recipient, mother of four children (under 12yrs), and newly divorced. My compassion for other people in my situation, was enormous.

Even more than that – I wanted to create CHANGE: social change, cultural change, and economic change. It was visceral for me because I was caught in the whirlpool of each of those problematic issues.

From women’s healthcare to the inherent creativity of M/otherhood– I initially vacillated between the work of Jane Adams (and Hull House), and resources for artists.

Many years later and many beautiful people down the road, MoM has morphed & changed, of course. Every Student, Intern, Volunteer, Friend, academic and community member who has invested time in MoM has helped to shape her.

No doubt she will continue to grow and change. Such is LIFE! However, we’re currently at a crossroads. While I continue to navigate major health issues, the team is continuing the awesome and important work of MoM. But we need help. We need people to take my place. All kinds of initiatives from a bonafide Executive Director in training to social media helpers to onsite docents. Some jobs pay. Some are volunteer. Either way, we hope you’ll consider getting involved!

I am confident that with LOVE as her core value, MoM will continue to succeed as a place of kindness, tolerance, and education in this world. ~ Martha Joy Rose

SUPPORT MOM – SO SHE CAN SUPPORT YOU

Promotional ticket for MoM's Escape Womb Experience at the Museum of Motherhood in St. Petersburg, FL, featuring booking information and a QR code.
MoM’s Escape Womb Experience Tickets
Image detailing entrance fees for a museum, including general admission, discounts for children, seniors, and students, along with membership options and benefits.

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March is Women’s Herstory Month! MoM Activates Community Through Arts, Advocacy, and Education!

Museum of Motherhood Activates Community Through Arts, Advocacy, and Education This Spring – March is Women’s Herstory Month!

WOMEN’S HISTORY IS EVERYONE’S HISTORY

WOMEN SHAPE St PETE: Did you know, Sarah Williams is considered the ‘Mother of the City of St Pete’ after she persuaded Peter Demens to bring the Orange Belt Railroad to downtown St. Petersburg, instead of Gulfport. In 1887. Peter Demens, Russian railroad man, and John Williams worked together to bring the Orange Belt Railroad to what would become St. Petersburg, Florida. (named after Peter Demens’s hometown in Russia.) . Considered “Mother of the City,” Williams had two sons and even more husbands. (Founded 1888, incorporated 1892 (population approximately 300 people).

Women’s History Month is an essential acknowledgement that corrects an imbalance in how our national story has traditionally been told. For generations, the achievements of women—in science, politics, education, caregiving, civil rights, the arts, and industry—have been overlooked or minimized. Dedicating a month to women’s history ensures their contributions are recognized as central, not peripheral, to the American story.

A collage of historical photographs and graphics, including vintage images, a museum display titled 'Museum of Motherhood', and the seal of St. Petersburg, Florida.
Women’s History St Petersburg, Florida

We cannot change the future (for the better) without understanding our past. Women’s History Month encourages a more accurate and inclusive understanding of democracy itself—one that acknowledges both progress made and work still to be done in building a fair and equitable society.

To that end, The Museum of Motherhood (MoM) maintains a robust calendar of exhibitions, public programs, conferences, and partnerships that continues to deepen our role as a vibrant, community-centered, educational and cultural institution. Together we explore m/otherhood as a social, cultural & artistic force. Learn more at MOMmuseum.org.

FILM FESTIVAL ROCKS EQUITY IN SARASOTA AND STREAMING

Graphic for the 27th International Film Festival titled 'REEL EQUALS', produced by 'Through Women's Eyes', taking place from March 5-10, 2026, in Sarasota, FL, with the tagline 'Advancing Gender Equality Through Film'.
Reel Equals – Through Her Eyes Film Festival

FILM FESTIVAL SARASOTA: March 5 – 10 with a Spotlight on Diverse Voices: ​Reel Equals International Film Festival Shines in Sarasota in a community collaboration with the Museum of Motherhood and the internationally recognized educational & arts conference with two decades of impact. In person and streaming: ThroughWomensEyes.org.

TWENTY-FIRST ANNUAL ACADEMIC & ARTS CONFERENCE MoM & USF

An illustration featuring diverse women's faces, promoting the Museum of Motherhood's academic conference titled 'Reproductive Identities & Resistance,' scheduled for March 27-29, 2026. The event focuses on themes of motherhood, culture, community, and collaboration and will take place both in person and online via Zoom.

March 27-29The Annual International Academic and Arts MoM Conference 2026 in partnership at USF, St Pete features panels and presentations focused on reproductive identities, maternal experiences, and the intersections of motherhood with art, policy, healthcare, education, and social justice. Offered both in person and online, the conference is designed to be academically rigorous while remaining accessible to students, professionals, and community members alike. Open to the community with advance registration: JourMS.org

NEW ART EXHIBIT COMING. SAVE THE DATE

Promotional poster for the 'Mapping Resilience' exhibition at the Museum of Motherhood, featuring stories of young motherhood, running from April 6-26, with an opening party on April 10th.
Mapping Resilience with young mothers exhibit at the Museum of Motherhood

NEW EXHIBIT: Mapping Resilience- Stories of Young Motherhood

When: April 6 – 26, 2026 

Where: Gallery at the Museum of Motherhood 2606 Fairfield Ave S in The Factory Building 7 St Pete

Official Opening Reception April 10th 7-9:30PM (Stakeholder Day): Please join us at MoM with Healthy Start. This lovely mix and mingle will feature stories (and results from the researchers and the mothers themselves), with refreshments, presentations and conversation. This will be followed by Second Saturday Art Walk April 11 5-9PM on April 11th.

Objective Young moms in Hillsborough County were asked to draw journey maps and accompany them with photos (photovoice) to share their story and participate in a novel method that prioritized uninterrupted narratives/storytelling.

How: The exhibit includes the hand-drawn journey maps from ten moms and their accompanied photos, as well as an interactive audio portion where participants can scan QR codes and listen to some portions of their story. 

Activities include: A table with “letters and advice for young moms” allowing visitors to write letters to young moms, which can then be distributed by Healthy Start/Healthy Families home visitors.

Curated by Mahir Rahman, NASM-CPT, AFAA-CGFI Graduate Student, Applied Anthropology University of South Florida Website

SUBMISSIONS FOR A ZINE AS PART OF MOM CONFERENCE

"Bad Mother" Myth Busting event announcement by the Museum of Motherhood, discussing the misconceptions around motherhood, scheduled for January 2025, featuring a call to action for participation in an arts-based project.
Bad Mother Myth Busting Project

SHOUT OUT~!

Our friends at Sunday Assembly be eatin’ nearby on March 14th in Gulfport during the day. Second Saturday Art Walk in the evening at MoM and beyond.

Promotional poster for the Soul Food Festival, featuring colorful graphics of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and other dishes, with event details including date, time, and location at Trolley Market in Gulfport, Florida.
Sunday Assembly
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Mess House at MoM

The Mess We Live In: What Clutter, Kids, and Culture Wars Reveal About Family Life

The notion of a “messy home” might conjure up images of toys strewn across the living room, dishes piling up in the sink, or laundry spilling out of baskets especially at times of duress. But the reality of mess is deeply tied to the internal worlds of families, to stress, identity, and even to the cultural divides that shape our society. At the Museum of Motherhood, exploring the messy intersections of parenting, culture, and mental health can be a powerful lens into what family life really feels like.

Mess Isn’t Just Physical — It’s Psychological, Social and Cultural


Evidence that women experience chronic stress not because the home is messy, but because society holds them responsible for preventing mess is a recognized truth.

  • Mess House – Courtesy Batya Weinbaum & Demeter Press
  • The Founder’s Bed – 2025
  • Tara Blackwell – MoM Residency 2019
  • Museum of Motherhood – NYC 2012
  • Martha Joy Rose – Grad School Mother Studies CUNY circa 2014
  • Debra Knox – TV Collage, CA circa 2008
  • Museum of Motherhood, NYC 2012
  • Spilt Milk – USF WGS Exhibit 2020
  • Emily at MoM, NYC 2013
  • Arlene’s Grocery, NYC 2008

Personal values — about lifestyle, morality, and behavior — can become battlegrounds for the debate about parenting styles and what constitutes a “good home”. This can be tricky territory. These debates can reflect broader cultural divides: who is responsible for domestic labor, how children should be raised, and what order or rituals define a “proper” family.

In a sense, the cluttered living room isn’t just a mess — it’s a battleground of values. Who gets to decide what “clean” means? Whose routines are prioritized? And how do power and labor dynamics play out in the seemingly mundane fights over tidying up?

Who cleans, who organizes, and who nags about mess often isn’t neutral territory. There’s emotional labor involved in maintaining a home, and that labor frequently falls disproportionately on women. For some, the answer is to simplify. For others the answer may lie in leaving the mess for another day.

What’s most important is feeling loved, safe and protected. Does your environment do that for you and how much control do ‘we’ actually have? What are the implications when we free ourselves from the mess or conversely embrace the mess?

At its heart, the reality of mess is a story about family, vulnerability, and power. Clutter isn’t just junk — it’s emotional freight, a signal of how we live, what we value, and how we struggle to balance the competing demands of parenting, culture, and self. In exploring mess through a psychological and cultural lens, the Museum of Motherhood can invite deeper conversations: not about being “better” mothers, but about being more honest, more human, and more connected to the complexities of our lived lives.

About the Exhibit

Mess House: A New Photo Exhibition by Martha Joy Rose MA Mother Studies. This exhibit wishes to gratefully acknowledge The Factory LLC organization for the use of wall space in Building 7 to explore archived photos from her personal collection. Exploring the compelling idea of a ‘Mess House’ is a somewhat universal theme. As humans we seek to create order (oftentimes ineffectually), confront our wildness and occasionally find acceptance and peace within the chaos of daily life and family.

Batya Weinbaum received her doctorate in English at University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She founded and edits the journal Femspec available at femspec.org.  She was an artist in residence at the Art Annex of the Museum of Motherhood in St. Pete FL where she installed a mural of a fertility goddess, and she volunteers for the Museum in the winter. She is the mother of one and stays in Gulfport, FL several months in the winter where she shows her art.

From the Chapter Mess House, by Batya Weinbaum- Demeter Press 2025

When are we feral, self-expressive, and untamed to the degree that we throw out the baby with the bathwater so to speak in our revolt against traditional concepts of femininity and motherhood represented in conventional markers and paradigms of domestication—the swept, mopped floor, the uncluttered shining feng shui of spaces, the organized linen cabinets, the bare countertops in the spotless kitchens?

Those born into female bodies get the most pressure from society to meet unrealistic expectations of physical beauty. These unrealistic expectations of their bodies are parallel to the unrealistic expectations women are encouraged to have about their domestic space.[1]

Flo Kennedy noted, in her essay on “Institutionalized Oppression of the Female,” that “Women are dirt searchers; their greatest worth…” being “eradicating rings on collars and tables” (442). In doing so, and maintaining organization, they are keeping wildness at bay. (1. According to Women and Naturism: The Naturist Living Show (Mar 17 2010)

Resources:

Aviv, E., Waizman, Y., Kim, E., Liu, J., Rodsky, E., & Saxbe, D. (2024). Cognitive household labor: gender disparities and consequences for maternal mental health and wellbeing. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 28(1), 5–14.

  • This study empirically measures the “cognitive labor” (planning, delegating, anticipating) that mothers do, and finds that mothers bear significantly more cognitive labor than their partners (~72% of it) even after controlling for physical tasks.
  • Importantly, the authors show that this disproportionate cognitive labor is strongly associated with higher stress, burnout, depression, and worse overall mental health in women.
  • Relevance: This offers direct evidence for your claim: the stress comes not just from “doing the cleaning,” but from being responsible for organizing and thinking about the household — and society (or their partners) expects women to carry that burden.

Ciciolla, L., & Luthar, S. S. (2019). Invisible Household Labor and Ramifications for Adjustment: Mothers as Captains of Households. Sex Roles, 81(7–8), 467–486.

  • This paper examines how the “invisible labor” (mental, emotional) related to managing the household is disproportionately carried by mothers.
  • They find that mothers who feel solely responsible for organizing schedules, maintaining order, and keeping family routines report role overload, lower life satisfaction, and strain in their relationships.
  • Relevance: Demonstrates that the expectation that women “manage the mess” — not just physical cleanliness but mental oversight — has measurable negative effects on their wellbeing.

Systematic Review: Gendered Mental Labor

  • Review article: Gendered Mental Labor: A Systematic Literature Review on the Cognitive Dimension of Unpaid Work Within the Household and Childcare.
  • This review analyzed 31 peer-reviewed studies and found a consistent pattern: women perform a significantly larger share of mental labor (planning, scheduling, organizing) and this labor is associated with stress, lower life satisfaction, and negative career impacts.
  • Relevance: Supports the broader claim that this kind of labor is well-recognized in academic literature as gendered, burdensome, and harmful — not just “messy house, messy brain.”

Applied Research in Quality of Life:

  • Study: Is Paid Inflexible Work Better than Unpaid Housework for Women’s Mental Health? (2022)
  • The authors argue and provide evidence that unpaid housework (which includes domestic tasks and more than just physical chores) is negatively linked to women’s mental health, partly because these efforts are culturally undervalued and invisible.
  • Relevance: This supports the idea that society often fails to recognize or reward invisible domestic labor — reinforcing that the stress women feel is not just from physical mess but from societal expectations.

Offer, S. (via summary in Smithsonian article).

Relevance: Demonstrates that the stress is not about amount of time thinking about family, but about how that thinking is gendered and emotionally taxing for women.

According to research by Shira Offer (Bar-Ilan University) reported in the Smithsonian, women and men spend equal time thinking about family matters, but women report significantly more negative emotional effects (stress, depression) from that cognitive labor.

How Do You Identify? Passion, Protest, Reproductive Identity, Mess & More? Submit Your Ideas, project, paper, art, proposal, research now thru 12/1/25. Don’t Be Afraid – Put Your Ideas Into the World w/MoM at USF.

A colorful poster for the Museum of Motherhood's conference titled 'Reproductive Identities & Resistance', featuring a diverse group of illustrated women. Details include dates of March 27-29, 2026, and the conference's online and in-person participation options.
Annual Call for Papers MoM Conference 2026

Attend Our Workshops, Book the Escape Womb Experience, Tour MoM

Mother Tree

More Submissions

"Bad Mother" Myth Busting event poster featuring a soft watercolor background with red text outlining the theme, date, and invitation to the Museum of Motherhood's arts-based project.
Bad Mother Myth Busting Project

Holiday Giving- Merchandise That Moves You As A Thank You For Your Donation at MoM! Memberships, Guest Artists, Tee Shirts, Books & More: Visit Us at The Factory, St Pete 2606 Fairfield Ave. S St Pete

A white t-shirt featuring bold black text promoting the Museum of Motherhood (MoM), stating it is a museum about women located in St. Petersburg, Florida, along with a website and contact number.
Women’s Museum St Pete at the Museum of Motherhood

Support the Mural – Aging Women All Around the World Starts in St Pete!

A world map highlighting documentary locations in Spain, Florida, Peru, Ghana, and China, emphasizing a global tour.
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Free Museum Day 2025, Black Maternal Health & MoM Conference CFP

YOU ARE INVITED! Free Museum Day is September 20th, 2025 in St Petersburg, FL. Together we are making love happen all around the Sunshine City. We will be open 12-6PM with fun activities for all. Just show up. Directions to MoM are here. Take the bus, the car or walk – we can’t wait to see you.

Then, Sunday Sept 21st is Black Maternal Health mini-conference with brunch and learn. We are grateful to our entire team for making this event possible. Thanks to our sponsors, organizers, speakers, audience members and all those people who are interested in this essential subject matter because together we rise!

The CFP for our MoM Annual Academic & Arts Conference March 27-29, 2026 in St Pete and online is posted. Please join us by submitting your art, academic research, authoethnographic work on the subject of Reproductive Identities and Resistance: Mothers and Others in Culture, Community and Collaboration. The full Call for Submissions is at JourMS.org and on our museum site.

New programming at MoM aims to our ongoing work in the realm of health, wellness and education with new seminars coming soon supported by Community Empowerment Leader Sierra M. Clark and Radiant Dre Marie. Registration is here! Questions: write INFO@MOMmuseum.org or call 877-711-MOMS (6667) and leave a message.

Upcoming Seminars at the Museum of Motherhood

A promotional poster for the event '33 Days of Self Talk Transformation' featuring candles, glass jars, and decorative elements, with text detailing the event schedule.
Seminar Series with Sierra M Clark
Illustration of a woman in a yoga pose with two dogs, surrounded by stars and a crescent moon, promoting a holistic transformation service.
Radiant Alignment with Dre Marie
Poster for a seminar titled 'Radiant Alignment Life Total Alignment' with details about the event's schedule and the Museum of Motherhood website. The background features illustrations of plants, a bottle, and celestial symbols.
Radiant Alignment with Dre Marie
A collection of decorative shells with blue patterns and designs arranged on a surface.
Radiant Alignment with Dre Marie
A promotional poster for the Nourish & Flourish seminars at the Museum of Motherhood, featuring illustrations of fruits, children, and text highlighting themes of empowerment, nutrition, self-care, and family healing.
Radiant Alignment with Dre Marie
A collection of decorative shells featuring various colorful patterns and designs, arranged in a grid layout.
Radiant Alignment with Dre Marie
A promotional flyer for the Museum of Motherhood seminars, featuring details on the 'Total Alignment Seminar' and 'Nourish & Flourish Seminars,' including timings, topics, and benefits for women and children.
Radiant Alignment with Dre Marie
Promotional poster for the 'Radiant Alignment Life' seminar at the Museum of Motherhood, featuring illustrations of women, children, and various symbols of nourishment and flourishing.
Radiant Alignment with Dre Marie

Thank you to our Black Maternal Health Brunch and Learn Sponsors

Promotional graphic for the Black Maternal Health Brunch & Learn event on September 21, 2025, featuring the MoM logo and details about the event, including sponsorships from Orlando Health and Bayfront Hospital.
Black Maternal Health Orlando Health
Promotional banner for Black Maternal Health Brunch & Learn event on September 21, 2025, featuring St. Anthony's Hospital as a gold sponsor. Includes QR code for ticket information.
Black Maternal Health Sponsor St Anthony’s Hospital
Event promotional graphic for the Black Maternal Health Brunch & Learn on September 21, 2025, in St. Petersburg, FL. It includes the MoM logo and details about the bronze sponsor, Unlimited Pediatric Therapy. There is also a QR code for tickets.
Black Maternal Health Sponsor Unlimited Pediatric
Promotional flyer for the Black Maternal Health Brunch & Learn event, featuring the MoM logo, event details, and a QR code for ticket information.
Black Maternal Health Sponsor Healthy Start Coalition

Huge gratitude to FloridaRAMA and all our sponsors, presenters and organizers with a special shout out to Jill M. Wood for serving as conference chair and Mary Havlock of Little House nonprofit for organizing.

Two women seated on a stage discussing the Black Maternal Health Conference, with a decorative table and a floral arrangement in front of them.
Courtney West on TV for Black Maternal Health Brunch and Learn at MoM

MoM Conference Flyer

Flyer for the MoM Annual Academic & Arts Conference 2026, detailing the theme 'Reproductive Identities and Resistance: Mothers and Others in Culture, Community and Collaboration', along with submission guidelines, dates, and location.
Call for presentations Annual Academic MoM Conference 2026
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You Are Invited: Motherhood Matters: Black Maternal Health Lunch and Learn

PURCHASE TICKETS

JOIN US ON SEPT 21st, 2025 10:30AM-1PM with the Museum of Motherhood at FloridaRAMA

Black Maternal Health Brunch & Learn, Mini-Conference

Logos of sponsors for the Black Maternal Health Brunch & Learn event, including Orlando Health, Bayfront Hospital, St. Anthony's Hospital, and FloridaRAMA.
Black Maternal Health Sponsorships at the Museum of Motherhood

Sponsored by FloridaRAMA

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States spends more per birth than any other similarly industrialized nation in the world, yet maternal morbidity and mortality rates in the US are far worse than in any other peer nation. US maternal death rates have risen substantially among all US women in recent years, but maternal death rates are the highest for Black women living in the Southern US. 

The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health reports that in 2024, Florida’s rate of maternal death was more than 3 times higher for Black women (50.5 deaths per 100,000 live births) as compared to white women (14.5 mortality rate).  

Maternal death rates, and associated racial disparities, are expected to worsen in the near future amidst proposed cuts to Medicaid that will drastically impact both maternal and infant healthcare. Nearly 40% of all births in Pinellas County were paid for by Medicaid last year. Black women and their babies will undoubtedly suffer the most from Medicaid cuts with both maternal and infant mortality rates expected to rise as a result of funding cuts to these programs.  

The fate of Black women and their families does not have to be predetermined; the purpose of Black Maternal Health Brunch & Learn is to collaborate with local birth workers and healthcare professionals to understand the causes and correlates of challenges to Black women’s maternal health in order to implement changes in Pinellas county.

To improve Black maternal health, health care itself must make institutional and structural changes to transform the delivery and quality of care. Decision makers at all policy levels must establish comprehensive policy change to address the social drivers impacting health, such as the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that also affect a wide range of quality-of-life outcomes. 

WE ARE HARD AT WORK SEARCHING OUT VIRTUAL OPTIONS FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA. STAY TUNED. ALSO, YOU CAN MAKE JOIN OUR MEMBERSHIP DRIVE TO SUPPORT THE WORK.

LET US LIFT EACH OTHER UP – TOGETHER WE RISE

Even if you can’t join us in person, you can support the cause!

PURCHASE TICKETS

Presentation Panelists

Courtney West is a proud St. Petersburg native and the owner of 3 Gems Birth Services where everyone deserves care. Courtney is a full spectrum doula, doula educator, and a licensed practical nurse with a background in pediatric home health, and mental health nursing. Courtney has led several initiatives at MoM.

Shamella “Mel” Joy is a trauma-informed therapist, her background includes working with veterans and refugee families, providing her with extensive experience in helping clients process and heal from past traumas and PTSD. Mel’s passion lies in supporting new parents grappling with the challenges of postpartum life, as well as those facing the uncertainties of fertility struggles and perinatal loss.

Presentation Panelists

Tracie Williams is the proprietor of The Natal Network and the founder of Jehovah Rapha-Jireh Transformation Health Inc. She serves on the Health, Wellness and Education Committee at MoM. She established The Natal Network, a Tampa Bay-based maternal wellness doula service, to enhance maternal-fetal outcomes.

Tracy Cook-Person is a hoodoo practitioner, doula, folk Herbalist, educator, lecturer, professional storyteller and a published poet. She has been an Assistant Professor at LIU in the School of Education and Technology as well as an Instructor of Pedagogy and Clinical Practice for the TR@TC2 program in the Office of Teacher Education at Teachers College, Columbia University.

  • Black Maternal Health Facts
  • Black Maternal Health Facts
  • Black Maternal Health Facts
  • Black Maternal Health Facts
  • Black Maternal Health Facts
  • Black Maternal Health Orlando Health
  • Black Maternal Health Sponsor St Anthony’s Hospital
Promotional graphic for a Black Maternal Health Brunch and Learn event featuring four panelists: Shamella 'Mel' Joy, Courtney West, Tracie Williams, and Tracy Cook-Person. Details include the date, time, and location of the mini-conference sponsored by the Museum of Motherhood and FloridaRAMA.
Black Maternal Health brunch and mini-conference MoM
Logo of Champions For Children featuring a smiling family icon with text emphasizing family education, support, and resources.

DRAFT! For Immediate Release: August 20, 2025

Brandy Gottlieb, Director of Communications and Marketing

Champions for Children 

Bgottlieb@cfctb.org

(813) 673-4646 ext. 1114

Champions and Museum of Motherhood announce their partnership in support of moms 

(Photo c/o Regina Roig-Romero)

Tampa Bay, FL – August 20, 2025– Champions for Children (CFC) and the Museum of

Motherhood (MoM) are pleased to announce their partnership in support of mothers seeking breastfeeding support. 

Champions for Children’s abcProgram, licensed by Baby Café USA, will provide free lactation consultation and breastfeeding support services, beginning September 3, at the Museum of Motherhood, 538 28th St N, Saint Petersburg, FL 33713. MoM will serve as the program’s new Saint Petersburg location.  

The abcProgram offers International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), credentialed through the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE). IBLCE is the gold standard in clinical lactation care.

Families can access English and fully Spanish support services free of cost and without any eligibility requirements. While registration is encouraged, walk-ins are also welcome. Families should register at cfctb.org/abcprogram.

“We are grateful to the Museum of Motherhood for their partnership. Together, we look forward to providing compassionate, supportive expertise to families who need help to reach their breastfeeding goals with confidence.” says Regina Roig-Romero, program manager for Champions for Children’s ABC Program.

Of the partnership, Martha Joy Rose, MoM Founder and Executive Director says, “We are thrilled about this new partnership with Champions for Children. Their abcProgram speaks to the heart of what we do — working in community to foster compassionate, inclusive environments that uplift individual stories and celebrates women’s vital role in our cultural narrative. By partnering, we are fostering a stronger support system for mothers in the region.”

MoM has been serving the community through its programing, exhibits and collaborative platforms in Pinellas County since 2019 and is Tampa Bay’s first and only women’s museum.

CFC’s ABC program offers breastfeeding support at 10 community locations in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. Hillsborough County services are made possible by the generous support of BayCare, REACHUP, Inc. and the Children’s Board of Hillsborough County. Pinellas County services are made possible by the generous support of BayCare. 

For more information on CFC’s free breastfeeding support services, the abcProgram, Baby Café or free lactation consultation services, visit cfctb.org/abcprogram. 

About Champions for Children: 

CFC’s mission is to build stronger families with thriving children throughout the Tampa Bay area through child abuse prevention and family education programs.

CFC has served the Tampa Bay area since 1977 and envisions a world free from child abuse and neglect. The work follows a proactive, prevention-first model that is committed to building strong families as support for thriving children. Through nationally accredited programs, CFC provides parents and other supportive, caring adults with education, support, and resources. CFCTB is a 501 (c)(3) tax-exempt organization, supported by the generosity of funding partners and private donors. 

For more information about CFC, please visit cfctb.org or contact championsforchildren@cfctb.org. 

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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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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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Activism Art Birth Blog breastfeeding Caregiving Conferences Education Events Featured Featured Artists Feminism health History International Internships Living Board Announcements MAMA MOM Art Annex MOM Conference Mother Studies motherhood Queering Parenting Social Justice Sociology The Factory, St Pete USF

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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Strong Moms & Grandmothers Are the New Superheroes!

When the headline “Strong Moms & Grandmothers Are the New Superheroes” crossed my desk recently from a prominent media outlet – I thought, “Yes, we ARE.”

There is a certain sense of achievement in some communities today. While we still have a long and challenging way to go in terms of women’s progress, many are celebrating the voice and strength of women on the national stage this week.

We cannot ignore the palpable excitement streaming through the airwaves as women, grandmothers, and women-of-color raise their allied voices. We cannot ignore that access to healthcare, safe birth, and children’s well-being is forefront on our minds. We cannot ignore our herstory or deny the anniversary of the ratification of women’s right to vote celebrated at the beginning of this week, Sunday, August 18th, representing 104 years of hard won American success.

Know Your HerStory

Wanna know more about world events in the context of the Suffragette movement and progress towards women’s right to vote in the USA? There are so many ways to learn more. Make a field trip to the home of the first Convention Days where Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott and others argued for women’s equality in Seneca Falls, NY. Or, head to NYC where the musical SUFFS is on Broadway for an extended run. If you can’t get to New York, you can still watch the more serious accounting of the movement in England online with the movie Suffragette (2025) or the depiction of Alice Paul and Lucy Burns who risked their lives for freedom in Iron Jawed Angels (2004) online. Women’s voices are everywhere. Or you can visit the Museum of Motherhood in St. Petersburg, FL and learn more about activist Sojourner Truth and the journey towards justice as well as the four waves of women’s activism in the maternal sphere.

Celebrating MoM’s Successes

Last week also represents an incredible month of successes for the Museum of Motherhood with our active team of volunteers, including Sierra Clark, Barbara Lynch, and Mary Havlock. These achievers demonstrated a whole lotta grit and hard work securing three grants that demonstrate MoM’s success in our local community.

We are beyond pleased to announce the Foundation for a Healthy St. Pete and Orlando Health Bayfront Hospital recognized the Museum of Motherhood as a partner through their new Catalytic Capacity-Building Grant with funding for $10,000. We are so incredibly proud! Thank you Sierra Clark for your hard work on this.

We are also pleased to announce a 1k award from the St. Pete Arts Alliance with Barbara Lynch & Hypatia Collaborative for bookkeeping and IT (in-kind services) with champion Mary Havlock

Is Mother Made Art the “Last Taboo?”

The New York Times headline August 16th 2024 stated that “Camille Henrot has filled a gap in the canon by investigating the labor of motherhood.” The article discusses this ‘new’ art form of art made by women who are mothers and how not much has been done in this arena. The author of the article, Sasha Weiss, goes on to state that Henrot “scoured books and the internet for images of breast-pumping” and that “because [motherhood] is still stigmatized in visual art [she] resists characterizing work as being about motherhood.”

At this point in the article I wish very much that the artist had accessed the work of Jess Dobkin‘s lactation station (2006) or Sarah Irvine’s Infant Feeding Log, the student researched exhibit online at the Museum of Motherhood depicting the work of artists representing themselves breastfeeding, or even the photographic work of Renee Cox, Yo Mama (1992–94) who “decided I’m going to give you pregnancy in your face and found inspiration there.” My point being, that the art of motherhood is a developing field established and thriving over last thirty years.

When the author perpetuated the interviewed artist’s statement that she had “stumbled into a gap in art history… and that while there’s no shortage of representations of mothers with children, Henrot could find few of mothers on their own,” I moaned. Not from happiness but from despair.

My question to Sasha Weiss (and to Camille Henrot), is – How do we stop perpetuating the invisibility of the art made by mothers about motherhood by refusing to notice, research, and share the great body of work that currently exists all around the world? Every time an new article, exhibit, or piece of literature is published that refuses -or is oblivious to- the great accomplishments of literally hundreds (if not thousands) of women at this point in herstory, the patriarchal stereotype that legitimate art is only exhibited in specific types of galleries and museums is perpetuated.

The Museum of Motherhood (USA) has been devoted to art about art made by women about their reproductive experience and labor since 2003. Other organizations include: Procreate Project (England), Spilt Milk Gallery (Scotland), Artist Parent Network (USA), A.M.M.A.A. Archive for Mapping Mother Artists in Asia, and multiple artist residencies that support, collaborate and share the art made by mothers about their identity, experiences, and labor. I hope somehow we might shift this narrative together, starting NOW.

~Martha Joy Rose, Founder, Director MoM

Call For Submissions

The Art Exhibition and Auction of October 2024. Read more about submitting art here (by August 31) for this auction and exhibition sponsored by OXH Gallery with Committee Chair Odeta Xheka and organized by MoM’s Executive Board members Courtney Kessel, Deanna Barcelona, Barbara Lynch and Anna Lieggi. [LINK]

25th Anniversary MoM Annual Arts & Academic Conference CFP is LIVE! The Conference is being organized under the leadership of Brittany DeNucci and our Academic and Conference committee. The Museum of Motherhood is calling all scholars, artists, and community members for presentations and papers on the subject of ‘Fun, Sex, & Crying Out Loud’. [LINK]

New Internships

Welcome Kayla Foster, woman, mother, student. Her project will include archival research, ethnographic interviews, and collaboration efforts with the University of Oklahoma and the Museum of Motherhood to identify the cultural postpartum practices and traditions of Hispanic mothers in the Southwestern United States. The research will be multigenerational resulting in a final research paper focused on her findings and discuss the importance placed on traditional postpartum practices.

You may remember Whetley Earnest who came to us at the beginning of the summer as a local high school junior, interested in pre-med. Whetley is still with us, volunteering at MoM and we couldn’t be prouder! Here she is pictured with friend and ally Lucky Leroy who is currently featured in a solo exhibit at The Factory in St. Pete in partnership with FloridaRama. Leroy is our local ‘King of Art’ and his exhibit titled Florida Famous is up through August in the gallery next to the Museum of Motherhood. Come visit – You will love it!

Hold the Date

Experience some of St. Pete’s most popular museums during Arts Alive! Free Museum Day on Saturday, September 21, 2024. Select St. Pete museums will waive admission fees to allow the community to experience some of the fine art that makes St. Pete a premier arts destination. Arts Alive! Free Museum Day is produced by the City of St. Petersburg, the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance, and participating cultural organizations based on the currently paused National Smithsonian’s Free Museum Day. [LINK]

We will be moving to gallery row. But, not yet! We are awaiting word from our new landlords about the projected move date, but right now, it looks as if we will remain in our current location across from FloridaRama and DaddyCool until at least mid-September. We’ll keep you posted on progress for sure!

*M/other (noun): is a self-identified individual who is relationally connected through pregnancy, birth, surrogacy, genetics, care-work, and/or adoption. Historically female; they are one who divides (time, labor, emotion, and/or genetic material) and are paradoxically increased by the experience. Best explained by the equation: me + other (m/other) a mother is one who is connected, or disconnected, to another, genetically through procreative activity or linked through identity, care-work, and/or association. This special relational status incorporates the phenomenon that motherhood is otherhood, which is its most fundamental principle. While gender identity has gone through multiple identity shifts in recent years – and MoM is super supportive of all folx.

Mother-made art recognizes the works and endeavors of those making fine and performing arts who are mothers and those whose work is impacted by, or is focused on, experiences of pregnancy, birth, care-work, fertility, loss, adoption, fostering, surrogocy, and m/otherhood inclusive of all reproductive identities. This includes artistic interpretations highlighting the lifespan of makers of maternal experience, action, matrescence, and embodiment, within personal and relationally organized emotions, biologies, technologies, and behaviors. [LINK]

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MoM PRIDE: Geography of a (Wo)MAN: summer plans, new exhibits, welcome interns & more…

The Joy Report – HERE IS THE LATEST TEAM NEWS! 

June is PRIDE Month. This Saturday, June 1st, a new exhibit titled ‘Geography of a (Wo)man‘ onsite at MoM, incorporating images from NYC artist Christen Clifford and her body of work titled Interiors; ‘We Are All Pink Inside‘ and Molly Duff-Clarke’s “Mr. Dicki” sculpture. This will be on view along with the “Womb of Our Own; Seeing Red thru August. *Thanks to St. Pete Month of Photography on  the ‘Mother Lens’ Exhibit through the month of May – we loved having you!

Christen Clifford is a feminist performance artist, mother, curator and writer whose work has been seen at The Lewyn Allyn Museum of Art, The Newark Museum of Art, The New Museum, Project for Empty Space, Eva Presenhuber, Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts, PS122/solonova, The Culture Project, AUNTSisDance, Postmasters Gallery, Panoply Performance Lab, Grace Exhibition Space, ArtShareLA, Vox Populii as well as London, Budapest, and Slovenia (and more). Residencies include The Museum of Motherhood, Some Serious Business, and the Ragdale Foundation. She co-chaired (with Jasmine Wahi) Rape, Representation and Radicality for The Feminist Art Project, teaches at The New School and curates Experiments and Disorders at Dixon Place. She at work on her first film. Her limited edition risograph artbook BabyLove was acquired by the Thomas J Watson Library at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her studio is Project for Empty Space in Newark. She lives in Queens and online @cd_clifford

Molly A. Duff-Clarke is a ceramic artist living and working out of St. Petersburg Florida. Using clay, Molly constructs figures that challenge the viewer’s notion of body and humor. Through the introduction of materials, such as yarn, flocking, and velvet, Molly creates soft textures that oppose the hard nature of fired clay. Molly’s studio practice is a dance between her fine-tuned craft in ceramics, and the discovery of new processes and materials. This balance between old and new, seasoned knowledge and discovery, is what keeps Molly active in her studio. Molly received her MFA from the University of South Florida in 2023, where she was the recipient of the MFA Excellence Award. She received her MA from Maharishi University and has a BFA in printmaking and ceramics from Kendall College of Art and Design. We are pleased to include her piece Lil’ Dicki in our summer exhibit: Ceramic underglaze, yarn, steel56″ x 20″ x 17″ Website

About Embodiment: The Museum of Motherhood presents exhibits that contain depictions of human anatomy. This is done for the specific reason that we are of human born and that our bodies are the vehicles and vessels for human life as well as the fact that we are an embodied species. Body parts depicted at MoM through exhibitions, display models, art, film, books, and clay may include naked breasts, bellies, wombs, embryos, penises, and other reproductive anatomy. These are not intended to be gratuitously sexual in nature but rather educational, inspirational and provocative; specifically in the manner in which art may cause us to reflect and ponder at any arts-based or science-based museum. This disclaimer is in direct response to Florida’s Obscenity Laws. The Museum of Motherhood has no intention of harming or exposing museum workers or attendees to anything other than museum-quality information and art. Everyone enters MoM in full knowledge about the nature of our purpose which is to elucidate the art, science, and herstory of women, mothers and families inclusive of all reproductive identities.

MoM at The Factory: Perhaps you’ve heard? After much back and forth, The Factory building was SOLD last week. The good news: we will stay in our current location through August and then we will move to Building 7 & 8 in Gallery Row near Drew Marc, The Florida Wildlife Corridor, and The Factory Artists in September. We will keep you posted on progress, but in the meantime, our new space will be reconfigured for new presentations of MoM – to see our original exhibits- make sure to book your tour in June, July or August of this year! New digs/ new exhibits. Don’t miss this current incarnation! Read more about the sale here: St Pete Rising ….

We Build Tampa Bay Fundraiser: 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. Our ‘We Build Tampa Bay” fundraising initiative is ongoing. Our fundraiser yielded $4 k of the entire 100k goal for 2024-2025 with donations by Liz Dimmitt, Deborah & Hugh Gelch,  Aleks Miziolek & Betty Schaub who now comprise the first wave of our founders circle. This is 4% of our goal – so we are doing well statistically speaking. We will re-configure this page a bit and continue to actively promote.

MoM All Over: Museum founder and director, Martha Joy Rose spoke about MoM at the Tampa Bay International Ladies lunch in May and this week an invitation arrived to speak at the St Pete Women’s Club in the fall. An Eckerd College music class toured MoM and Joy shared a chapter from her edited collection Music of Motherhood from Demeter Press (2018). Joy also spoke at NERD Night about new definitions of m/otherhood and is presenting at the IAMAS Conference at Boston U June 22 & 23. Her presentation “The Last American Housewife” will be published in the forthcoming book Mother Waves by Demeter Press. Pre-order here.

TEAM

We Thank Our Volunteers: MoM runs on volunteer power. Each of the humans represented in the photo here (and more) are integral to making our operations go around on a daily basis. Our team keeps growing. Are you interested in getting involved with this legacy -defining project? Sign Up here to get involved and tell us about yourself.

MoM Volunteers

Internships: In June and over the summer, we welcome two high school interns, Whetley and Xi who will be onsite managing the space and working on two projects: archiving our current exhibition and social media. We are excited to welcome them to our team!

Xy
Whetley

EVENTS

XY Unboxed: a workshop, a seminar with open dialogue featuring shared experiences, and offering genuine connection, next weekend’s gathering is aimed at fostering interconnectedness. A transformative event dedicated to unraveling the complexities of masculinity and nurturing the original man. In today’s gender-evolving world, men, especially minority men, face unique challenges that require our attention and support. By addressing these challenges head-on, we can foster a more diverse and equitable society where all individuals can thrive. LINK TO REGISTER