diversity 1

So, I'm starting a new project and here goes:

I want to bring diversity to my mom's group. That might mean a lot of things: racial, sexual, gender, class, religion, etc and so on.

This will be my final project for my women's studies class, so there will be some academic stuff going on. These blog entries will be part of that.

so here's what's what. Basically, I sent out emails to the group as well as some other local groups who seemed to be concerned with this stuff. I found a mom's group for women of color and a gay and lesbian family group. Haven't heard back from the LGBT's but the mocha moms have been awesome. The end result is that we're setting up a playgroup/meeting to talk about all of this.

I was really afraid that my inquiries would be rebuffed. I was worried that the mocha moms might think it was a very strange thing to get from a total stranger. That they might think I was trying to do diversity tourism in playgroup or trying to get token members or just think the whole thing was stupid. I was also worried that women in my mom's group would be angry. I was worried they would accuse me of trying to bring politics into what they might consider a-political space. Like, hey, we're all moms here and we're trying to support each other and isn't that enough?

BUT that's not at all the reaction I got from anyone. Of course, it coudl be that people with those negative comments just didn't respond to my inquiry, but I certainly didn't get any hate mail. On the other hand, I did get lots of enthusiastic responses. One of the mocha moms actually has a sister right in the area, so hopefully, she can come to the playground sometimes. I joked that she could be our token member. I didn't get a laugh -- but it's email, so its hard to tell withotu emotiocons. I'm very very hopeful, though.

check back to see what happens.