moms makin' history in 2023
By Sarah Ezrin
As a mother and author passionate about teaching moms stillness and self-compassion, I'm all for any day/month/year that honors women—and Ingrid+Isabel has made moms' business their business for the past two decades. I'm so excited we're partnering up this year to celebrate the present-day change-makers who inspire us. #womensupportingwomen
History is being made every single day someone has the privilege of raising a child—with this great responsiblity, women and mothers deserve all the support. We're honored to shine a light on the amazing work of a few moms who are empowering, advocating, and building community for all of us. And keep reading for some tips to get involved :)
Neha Ruch and her Mother Untitled team are on a mission to rebrand career pauses for motherhood with dignity, growth, and potential. Ruch’s website and social media are virtual villages for moms who are stepping off the hamster wheel of high-demand careers and focusing more on family. Whether you're moving away from the workforce entirely right now or you are shifting to a more flexible career, own it. Mother Untitled’s goal is to give you the permission and resources to find balance and confidence during this family-focused season of life.
Black women are three times more likely to die during childbirth than non-Hispanic, White women, according to a 2020 report from the CDC, and as a 2021 study in the American Journal of Health harrowingly states, “Many of these deaths are preventable.”
Chanel Porchia-Albert, CD, CPC, CLC, is on the frontlines of supporting black women during childbirth through her organization Ancient Song Doula Services. In addition to being the mother to six young children, Chanel is a Certified Lactation Counselor, doula, Reproductive Justice & Health Advocate, and speaker on Birth Justice & Health Equity.
Maternal mental health is a serious issue. The terms maternal burnout and “motherload” have made their way into our everyday lexicon, and data shows that even if the mother has a job where she earns more than her husband, she still does more of the housework.
Eve Rodsky is on a mission to help mothers find balance and support with her Fair Play Life project. Fair Play began as a book bringing much-needed attention to the invisible workload of mothers, teaching couples how to have an equitable and collaborative partnership where individual time is valued. Her latest book Find Your Unicorn Space shows both women and men how to carve out time just for ourselves, and what we can do with that freedom when we actually get it.
Not-so-fun fact: The U.S. is one of the only industrialized nations in the world that doesn’t offer a federally funded paid family leave program. Chamber of Mothers is hoping to change that. This coalition of fifteen moms advocates for maternal rights and family policies, including a national Paid Family Leave program, improved maternal health care, and affordable childcare.
“Chamber of Mothers is an all-volunteer effort, built and run while operating businesses, feeding babies, folding laundry, and doing the care work that fuels the U.S. economy.”
Looking to make an impact, too?
If you've got the urge to get involved, a few of our moms offer some advice.
Before you start anxiously Googling volunteer efforts, even though you haven’t slept in six months and barely have time to use the restroom, please remember that you are making an impact every single day by simply being a mom. Raising children is making history.
You are making history.
Sarah Ezrin is an author, world-renowned yoga educator, content creator, and mama based in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her debut book The Yoga of Parenting releases Summer 23 from Penguin Random House-Shambhala. Sarah loves guiding people along their wellness and parenthood journeys. Her words, classes, and social media are supportive, healing spaces where people can feel seen and heard. For more information on Sarah please connect with her on Instagram and TikTok.
