The Parade Recipe
Dear Event Hosting Mama!
Welcome shy visionaries and rabble-rousers! Welcome busy mothers and stilt walkers! Welcome single moms, grandmothers and uncles! You are about to join an exuberant movement of mothers* across the country in reclaiming Mother's Day! This Mother’s Day, MAUs will host events — ranging from mini tea parties, to radio addresses, to outrageously costumed parades — that reclaim Mother’s Day as it was originally envisioned in 1870; a day when mothers would gather to protect the lives of our human family. After the Civil War Julia Ward Howe wrote in her journal, "Why do not the mothers of mankind interfere in these matters, to prevent the waste of that human life that they alone bear and know the cost?" In order to gather mothers together, she wrote a "Mother's Day Proclamation" entreating women to "Arise!" to protect the lives of our children. MAU took Julia's invitation to heart and has supported Mother’s Day events across the country; 80+ in the last 5 years, from Sitka, Alaska to Memphis, Tennessee.
The MAU Reclaiming Mother’s Day events are celebrations of a motherhood that is transcending borders from our own children to children in Louisiana and Mississippi, to those beyond our borders in Nepal, South Africa and Cambodia. These events are intended to inspire, educate and engage your local community to move from concern to action on issues confronting children worldwide. As an event organizer, you can tailor your celebration to reflect the passions and issues most pertinent to your local community. There are many forms your celebration can take – a parade, potluck, block party, table at your local grocery store encouraging others to ACT UP, or a gathering in your favorite park. It is of vital importance to create an event that inspires you!
MAU humbly offers the following parade/event recipe with some vital information including Julia Ward Howe's Mother's Day Proclamation and a sample script for a parade and newspaper article. Find the recipes for stilts and a press release under the main recipe section.
Please e-mail us with questions, brainstorms or challenges. We’re here to be a sounding board for your ideas, provide tips on how to make comfortable stilts, and put you in touch with other MAUs planning events in communities from near to far. We will also send you the MAU movie for inspiration and a free Handbook as a resource for your event!
When we find our individual mother voice; that’s fabulous. When we find our collective voice, that’s awe-inspiring.
In spirited partnership,
Paige, Joellen, Juliana, Beth, Anjali and Tina
beheard@mothersactingup.org, 303.474.1286
*mothers and others, on stilts or off, who exercise protective care over someone smaller
The MAU Recipe for an Exuberant Mother's Day Parade or Event
(easily adjusted for other kinds of events)
Arise then...women of this day! Arise, all women who have hearts! Let us solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means whereby the great human family can live in peace. Mother’s Day Proclamation - 1870, Julia Ward Howe (Click here to watch the JWH movie)
The Mothers Acting Up (MAU) Reclaiming Mother’s Day events are inspired by the life, words and actions of Julia Ward Howe. In 1872 she called for a day when the world would honor what we mothers hold most dear: the lives of our children, of all children. These events celebrate the vision that Julia Ward Howe spoke of 100 years ago: mothers everywhere rising up together around that which unites us rather than divides us.** The Reclaiming Mother's Day events provide a forum for mothers* to express their personal commitment and invite their communities to join them in taking collective action. From there, the MAU Website (www.mothersactingup.org), offers monthly actions to unite individuals into a political force to be reckoned with! This is our recipe. All great cooks have their own style: some follow the recipe, some substitute different ingredients, some improvise completely. Use this recipe however it suits you. Mother’s Day events are a wonderful way to mobilize your community because they are inspiring, easy to produce (the first parade team was 4 people), and the media LOVES the idea. And frankly, the best part is you get to dress up outlandishly and perhaps walk on stilts for the first time! Count on us to be with you every step of the way.
For more about Julia’s life and words visit http://womenshistory.about.com/library/weekly/aa013100d.htm.
PART ONE: Getting Started (Today!)
Start early.
Meet with everyone interested in organizing an event. This is your Mothers Acting Up group! Spend time creating an event that inspires YOU. Don’t ever plan anything you don’t want to do – like too many meetings – chances are nobody else wants to either.
Great food, jokes and children add immeasurably to the planning process.
1. Design an event or a parade route that goes through the parts of town where people already are. Gather at a central location! If you organize a parade, let the police know where you'll be marching and get a permit from City Hall to gather where you will give speeches and have cake.
2. Gather parade sponsors. Local organizations and businesses will want to be associated with this event. Some might donate supplies (cake, napkins, water, radio spots, tent, fabric, cash), in exchange for being listed on your printed material and in your press releases. Email MAU for more information from MAU groups that have requested & received sponsorships.
3. Build a guest list of local organizations and leaders that you want at the event. This is a great way of spreading your invitation to other organizations’ networks. Suggestions: The Mayor, City Council Members, your US Representatives and Senators, Oprah, leaders from local women, civic, church and children’s groups (HEAD START, UNICEF, Girl Scouts, PTO), Aunt Marge & other various movers and shakers.
4. Consider your costs: printed materials, bumper stickers, ads, fabric for banners, cake and miscellaneous items. Ask your friends to chip in, get sponsors, or ask Aunt Marge since she’s such a shaker. Do not ask for money at your event – money changes the tone of the event – this is about ACTING UP TOGETHER! Sometimes there is such a thing as a free lunch (or cake)!
PART TWO: Making a Big Splash (March-April)
In our experience, everyone is interested in Julia Ward Howe and the true purpose of Mother's Day: mothers, fathers, children, the media, political activists and carnival buffs. Inspiring your community and making front-page news involves inviting everyone you know (and don’t know), to show up at this event, being persistent with media coverage and creating a colorful, exuberant atmosphere.
Costumes should not be underestimated - creating a spirited activist presence is the most powerful thing you can do.
1. GREAT Media coverage is KEY for a large turnout and it’s fairly simple:
Get some great photos of mothers acting up and someone dressed as Julia Ward Howe (or download last year's event photos from the MAU Website) to accompany your press releases and stories. Whether in interviews or during your speeches, give clear messages. Messages that resonate are: “True security means ensuring the health, education & safety of every child”, and “Mobilizing the GIGANTIC political strength of mothers”. Consider that your audience is already doing good work and now it's time for them to know that they are the political power that can change the world.
a. Prepare a press release (a template can be found on the Website).
b. Call your newspapers, radio stations and local TV stations. Ask to speak to a contact person and let them know you will be sending information about the event.
c. Fax, email or personally deliver the press release and pictures 4 weeks before the event.
d. Be sure you follow-up and have a live conversation (not Memorex) with the contact people.
e. Arrange for an interview in advance of the event, it’s great free advertising.
f. Ask for someone to attend and cover the event (promise free cake).
g. Reminder calls the day before the event are essential.
2. Invite everyone who has a heartbeat, especially those already invested in children’s welfare:
Invite all sorts of people from all walks of life from all over your community. This isn't a political rally - it's a celebration of mothers moving from concern to action. Let people know activism is about the joy of taking action on what you care most passionately about. Invite a ton of photographers and some wannabe professional filmmakers if you can. You are going to want the footage/photos to send to all relatives and promote next year’s event!
3. Prepare event materials:
a. Modify and print the event flyer, add the MAU mission statement (if it so moves you) and The Battle Her of the Republic lyrics (on the Mother's Day Webpage). A flyer lets innocent bystanders know what all the hoopla is about.
b. Distribute the MAU buttons & bumper stickers. Julia Ward Howe and Mark Twain loved to toss around the word lagniappes. (Definition: lagniappe \LAN-yap\(noun): something given or obtained gratuitously or by way of good measure.) Here’s the truth: people will follow you anywhere for a lagniappe. Hand out buttons and bumper stickers throughout your event. They are COOL, have the Web address, and tend to be cherished and worn again. Let your children hand out lagniappe – they will shriek with joy when they see a MAU bumper sticker on someone else’s car!
c. Download the sign up sheets from the MAU Website so all attending can join the movement.
d. Pick up voter registration cards from the County Clerk and hand them out at the event. Voting is at the heart of political participation and CRITICAL to our children’s future wellbeing!
4. Create an exuberant atmosphere to celebrate Mother’s Day in grand style:
Spring costumes, vibrant banners, wild sunglasses, and lots of women on stilts will be a sight to be seen. Organizing stilt and costume-making parties is a large part of the fun!
a. Costumes: Invite everyone to come in magnificent costumes and they will. Your own outrageous and beautiful costumes will go a long way toward setting the celebratory tone of this event. One person should definitely attend dressed as Julia Ward Howe. Gentlewomen, start your glue guns…
b. Banners and Signs: make many colorful banners with your messages (the mission statement, the gal on stilts, etc). Email us if you want help with the design. Additional art pieces that speak to the strength of mothers are also wonderful.
c. Invite professional drummers and/or musicians to come. Music is essential to all powerful movements! Buy bags full of kazoos for all the children.
d. Buy good cake to entice the masses. Everyone knows it’s a celebration when there’s free cake- and it keeps children from melting down. (Generally cake must be store bought if served in public.)
5. Walk on Stilts to express the joy and strength of mothers speaking out:
Having even one mother on stilts will transform the perception of mothers and activism in your community. It also creates personal transformation; once you’ve walked on stilts you are clear you can do just about anything. Stilts are a MAU trademark - symbolizing a far out perspective, taking big strides, joyful expression - and are also ODD - thus newsworthy. Stilts also add a celebratory, carnival atmosphere.
Walking on stilts is MUCH more fun and not as difficult as you might imagine. We suggest wearing kneepads and ALWAYS having a spotter who sticks to you like white on rice. We’re not kidding: we never take a step without a devoted spotter. We made our stilts and it's fairly easy (see the recipe on the MAU Website). Also, if any of you are jugglers or can ride a unicycle, present your talent to the masses!
PART THREE: The Final Week
1. The week before the event, hold a stilts rehearsal and practice the entire event including speeches. The more prepared you are, the more relaxed and spontaneous you can be during the event. Try your costume on and make sure you can support that wild hat! Comfort & sustainability are essential parts of this movement.
2. Gather Together Event Day Materials:
* battery operated mike (a child's Karaoke set works)
* a bag or two of kazoos
* folding tables (4?) for people to write on
* markers & pens, duct tape (no event sticks together without it)
* good cake, napkins & cake servers (city health codes often require cake to be store bought if served in public)
* signs, flags and banners
* voter registration cards
* MAU sign up sheets
* prepare for the elements (tent for rain)
* enough people to handle all tasks with ease including 2 or 3 wandering MAUs
* children to pass out lagniappe; they are naturals (give them aprons with pockets)
* a few good chants
3. On the eve of the event, call all media and major participants to remind them to show up!!!!!!! Recheck that your musician friends, the person bringing the cake, the drummer that will walk with you in the parade, guest speakers, Oprah and Aunt Marge are coming.
4. Event time! There are three parts to your Mothers Day event: Set Up, Gathering and Clean-up.
a. Set Up: Two hours before the beginning of the event, bring all materials to the location. The more beautiful and astounding this gathering spot, the more innocent passerbys will stop and check it out. Bring the checklist of what you need.
b. Gathering: The proof is in the pudding. Will that hat stay on? Will there be people other than your blood relatives? Can you really walk on stilts? Join your community and begin walking together in the spirit of moving from concern to action on behalf of the world’s children chanting “Who are we? Mothers! “What do we do? ACT UP!” or…you know what you want to say. Having a drummer walk at your event adds rhythm and let the kids with their kazoos go crazy! Hand out buttons, bumper stickers and the action to everyone who wants one. ENJOY this - it is about expressing ourselves. At the gathering, remember to welcome the amassed colorful collection of courageous and compassionate shakers and movers! You are looking at the group who is changing the world. Don’t worry if you’re short on cake…
* Speeches: Have someone dressed as Julia Ward Howe to give her speech and sing the “Battle Her of the Republic” (download the song lyrics from the Website). Give any other speeches here. Our recommendation is to keep speeches short and remember guilt and shame do not work to engage people anymore; the opportunity to create your heart's desire does.
* Mothers Acting Up: Let the participants know about Mothers Acting Up and the Web site and how they can participate in collective actions. Collective Action Rocks!
* Offer cake: Free & delicious (what’s not to like?)
* Voter Registration: encourage anyone who is not registered to register at one of your tables. Remind everyone of the importance of systematic justice- changing the system so all people are respected and cared for.
* Participate in the general gaiety, song and dance.
c. Clean-up: Don't forget to clean-up after the festivities are done. You'll want to be back next year to celebrate Mother's Day at the park, the block, or the sidewalk in front of the local coffeehouse...
PART FOUR: The event’s over, but the party’s just begun.
CONGRATULATIONS! Do a jig. Each person you inspired with your glorious event is another voice calling in unison for the health, education and safety of the world's children. You have moved from concern to action, strengthened the movement and inspired all children who saw you up on stilts. What more could you ask of yourself on Mother’s Day?
Before hanging up your stilts, report to MAU in delicious detail what happened:
* how many people participated* what media coverage you received* email addresses of new MAUs* your favorite stories
Especially send us pictures to put on the Website and to send to Oprah, the President and our Congressional Representatives. News of the events will be all over Washington's radar by Monday morning. In communities across the country we have reclaimed Mother's Day; what a triumph! Julia Ward Howe would be ecstatic to know she has such spirited partnership!
We are whispering it to each other, singing it out in the streets, yelling it from our rooftops and declaring it in our houses of government, we will protect our children with our personal and political strength, wherever they live on earth!
MOTHER'S DAY PROCLAMATION -1870
Written by Julia Ward Howe
Arise then...women of this day! Arise, all women who have hearts!
Whether your baptism be of water or of tears!
Say firmly, "We will not have questions answered by irrelevant agencies,
Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage,
For caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn
All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience.
We, the women of one country,
Will be too tender of those of another country
To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."
From the voice of a devastated Earth a voice goes up with our own.
It says: "Disarm! Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice."
Blood does not wipe our dishonor, Nor violence indicate possession.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil
At the summons of war, let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead.
Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means
Whereby the great human family can live in peace...Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, but of God -
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask
That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
The amicable settlement of international questions,
The great and general interests of peace.
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR MOTHER'S DAY PARADE
written by Beth Osnes
(To be performed in a 1900s outfit with great spirit and energy! Be sure to get a microphone and amplifier so everyone can really hear--even a kid’s karaoke set works. Use a platform such as a milk box so everyone can see who is speaking.)
Arise, then, women of this day! Arise all women who have hearts, whether your baptism be that of water or of fears! Say firmly: We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy, and patience. We women of one country will be too tender of those of another country to allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs.
As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war,
Let women now leave all that may be left of home
For a great and earnest day of counsel.
Arise then women of this day! Arise, all people who have hearts!
My name is Julia Ward Howe and I penned those pithy lines over 100 years ago in celebration of the strength of Mothers and the promise of a day, Mother's Day, when women would gather together to discover the means whereby the great human family can live in peace. Thank you for realizing my vision today and Happy Mother's Day to all of you here among this exuberant counsel! Welcome to the Mothers Acting Up Mother's Day Parade! Today we—along with thousands of other mothers across the nation & around the world—celebrate “Mothers Beyond Borders.” We honor a motherhood that is transcending borders—from our own children, to children in Louisiana and Mississippi, to those beyond our borders in Pakistan, South Africa, Peru and Cambodia. We are all connected, all a part of a global family with linked opportunities, challenges, and solutions and, most importantly, a common future—our children's future. We are here to get inspired and educated about how our actions—our consumption, energy and trade policies, and national security strategies--impact not only our children, but children all around the world. This gathering today is an invitation to start taking action—by making informed personal choices and influencing our decision-makers—so together we can weave a fabric strong enough to sustain our children's future. In 1872, I called for day when the world would honor what we mothers hold most dear, the lives of our children, of all children. Today I am able to see what began burning in my heart over one hundred years ago; mothers and others reaching across our differences to discover that which unites us over that which divides us. It is only in realizing our shared humanity and in joining our voices together that we will be heard. Mothers Acting Up is a movement of voices united into an educated and noisy lobby to prioritize children's wellbeing in our federal policies and budget.
We are mothers, sisters, family; wrapped in different cloth, standing under the same wide sky. And we've come to the very end of our silence. Together we've found our voice and it is loud, and it is beautiful, and it sings a love song for our children.
Whoever you are, wherever you live, you are invited to throw back your head and join a global chorus passionately singing for the lives of our children. At the Mothers Acting Up table there is information on [insert type of information you have at your event] and the national collective action focused on investing in children and divesting from war that mothers and others are joining together to participate in across the country. Grab a button or a bumper sticker before you go to remember this web site address, www.mothersactingup.org. Sign on to get monthly updates on how you can join your voice with thousands of others to get our nations and corporations to prioritize children in our federal policies and budget!
Talk to each other; share your stories, commitment, hopes and most audacious dreams for our collective future! Enjoy a piece of free cake, music and the swirl of possibilities all about. Make no mistake about it; you are the one perfect person who has the love, imagination, and courage to speak out on behalf of the world's children. I know this to be true, as I've seen the silence as well as the strength of mothers and I'm certain we are the ones we've been waiting for. Let us whisper this to each other, sing it out in the streets, yell it from our rooftops and declare it in our houses of government, we will protect our children with our personal and our political strength wherever they live on earth! And to this fine counsel of mothers and other who are gathered here today, Happy Mother’s Day!
[Note: please feel free/even encourage local personalities to add their words to your Mother’s Day celebration.]
Sample Article
MOTHERS MOVING FROM CONCERN TO ACTION
Written by Beth Osnes
in 1870 Julia Ward Howe best known for being the author of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” called for women to rise up and oppose war in all its forms. She asked women, “Why do not the mothers of mankind interfere in these matters, to prevent the waste of that human life of which they alone bear and know the cost?” Though her message has been diluted over time, the celebration of Mother’s Day remains. It has become a day to pamper mother and give her thanks, worthy exploits most mothers will agree, but not as close to the heart of every mother’s most burning concern -- the well being of her children. It seems a natural result of mothering that we mothers move from being concerned for just our own children to being concerned for all children. And in our economically and politically interconnected world, true security means ensuring the health, education and safety of every child, not just a privileged few.
Julia Ward Howe’s words inspired Mothers Acting Up (MAU), a group dedicated to mobilizing the gigantic political strength of mothers, to host Mother’s Day events. MAU recognizes that we live in a world that does not prioritize our children’s wellbeing and that this will not change until we find the personal and political strength to protect them. The MAU Reclaiming Mother’s Day events are celebrations of the gigantic political strength of mothers. Whoever you are, wherever you live, these MAU Mother’s Day celebrations will be an invitation to throw back your head and join a global chorus passionately singing for the lives of our children as we begin shaping corporate and public policies to reflect our concerns that every child has clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, goes to school, receives health care and is protected from violent conflict. It is a promise to choose sustainable solutions over unchecked consumption, fund schools over prisons, support microcredit programs instead of weapon sales and courageously seek peaceful negotiation over war. The MAU Reclaiming Mother’s Day events inspire, educate and engage our communities to move from concern to action and prioritize our children — by making informed personal choices and influencing our decision-makers — so together we can weave a fabric strong enough to sustain our children's future.
Local community members are hosting a MAU Reclaiming Mother’s Day Event on [insert date]. We will meet at [insert: who, what, where, when, how]. We invite everyone to attend and encourage all to don high hats, hoop skirts, stilts, colorful scarves and/or any costume that makes visible to the world the exuberant strength of mothers! Bring the whole family for an event that will include stilt walking and a huge Mother’s Day cake for all to share. Let’s sing it out in the streets, “We will protect our children with our personal & political strength — wherever they live on earth!”
For more information call or email [insert name and phone number or email address]. See you on Mother’s Day!
