August 1-7 is World Breastfeeding Week with a focus on supporting women who are working and breastfeeding. Learn more at worldbreastfeedingweek.org. Like many aspects of motherhood, breastfeeding is simultaneously put on a pedestal and devalued. On the one hand breastfeeding proponents, more fondly known as "lactivists," can get quite Read More
Social Justice
White Privilege is the Plank in my Eye
Photo: Flickr, Mikel Martinez de Osaba Troublemakers are the ones who get things done. I just wish I could stomach the idea without feeling immense anxiety. As a child the fear of getting into trouble was a constant source of stress for me. My imagination would run wild with notions of outlandish consequences for even minor offenses, probably Read More
Covering Up Motherhood
On Saturday I snapped this picture of myself looking in the mirror at a Panera bathroom, wedged between the sink, trash can, and swinging door where I tried my best to cover myself as I pumped breast milk. I'd been attending the Sojourners Summit for Change where I was moved at numerous moments, especially around heartbreaking, yet powerful Read More
Power, Abuse, and the Duggars: Part Two
You can read my first post "Power, Abuse, and the Duggars" here. After watching the Duggar daughters' interview with Megyn Kelly, there's no doubt in my mind that they got media training from the same people as their parents. Their messaging points were nearly identical: Josh made bad decisions. But they weren't that bad because many other Read More
Power, Abuse, and the Duggars: Part One
For part two of Power, Abuse, and the Duggars, read here. "None of them were aware of Josh's wrong doings.” "They didn't probably even understand that it was an improper touch." "They didn't even know he'd done it." If you caught Michelle and Jim Bob Duggar's interview with Megyn Kelly last night, you probably recall their repeated insistence Read More
Lessons Learned in Advocacy and Organizing
Last week I spoke at the United Methodist Greater New Jersey Annual Conference. The event was hosted by the Conference Commission on Religion and Race, the Conference Board of Church & Society, and the Commission on Christian Unity and Interfaith Relationships. I was asked to speak about how to build ecumenical, diverse teams for justice. Here Read More
Welcoming the Cries of a Child
Have you seen this picture? It's been shared over and over again on my Facebook mama groups after going viral on Imgur a week ago. I'm sure there are critics out there, but all of the comments I've seen are full of praise for this professor who comforted a student's crying baby as he continued to lecture. He's been called a "baby whisperer" and Read More
Turning Guilt into Compassion: My Story of No Maternity Leave
The day after my two-week postpartum check-up I went back to work. This was an especially difficult thing to accept because I’m an advocate for health. For maternal health, to be precise. And yet there I was in a sleep-deprived daze, still bleeding from the birth while I sat on a conference call focused on achieving better health outcomes for Read More
Nepal, Israel, and Surrogacy
Newborn pictures usually evoke tenderness and joy, but the ones circulating of Israeli families holding their rescued infants born to surrogate Nepalese women have caused me great pause. I've been following the horrific aftermath of the earthquake in Nepal that, according to the latest official count has claimed more than 5,000 lives, but some are Read More
The Caged Bird Keeps on Singing
A few nights ago on the eve of my daughter turning six months old, I did something I've only managed to accomplish a handful of times since her birth. I finished an entire book. Not a parenting book either, but Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. I felt compelled to read it after catching an interview Jon Stewart did with Tavis Smiley Read More