Stories from the MOTHER tour

A global community of empowered mother voices

The MOTHER tour travelled the world to create a global community of mothers all moving from concern to action on behalf of the world’s children. MAU joined in partnership with the Philanthropiece Foundation to present a program that uses theatre as a way to inspire, educate, and empower mother voices for effective advocacy. When being presented in North America or for an English-speaking audience, the program begins with a one-woman performance, M-other, written and performed by MAU co-founder, Beth Osnes. This show explores what it might just take for the mothers of one country to authentically care about the mothers and children of another country. The fiction that the “other” is not part of the “mother” is washed away. What remains is a powerful affirmation of our interconnectedness in both our challenges and our solutions as a global community.

In all locations visited by the MOTHER tour, the MAU Empowering Mother Voices Workshop provides the tools, skills, practice and confidence needed for voicing your concerns regarding issues facing the world’s children. Together we are led in experiencing the power of our embodied voices and using these voices to declare our most passionate concerns. Next we devise a way to use our voices to act on this concern, and then rehearse this action together—all working together to devise solutions to any obstacles that present themselves. Through the process, participants in the workshop community empower themselves and each other to use their voices to speak up on behalf of the needs of children.

Click on locations to read stories from the tour, all written by Beth Osnes.

Toronto Canada, April 2008, Nellie’s Shelter for Women and Children: Our private mother concerns are worthy of public attention by school leaders, the media, and by elected, civic and corporate leaders.

Austin Texas, May 2008, Mother’s Day: It takes courage to act on our concerns.  Practicing that action can strengthen our courage.

Hanoi Vietnam, June 2008: The world over, our concerns for children are the same: safety, a caring environment, education and health.

Penang Malaysia, June 2008, Penang Players: Working at every level is the surest way to impact change. One participant, intimate with the reality lived by children impacted by mental health, advocated in the schools, and was vocal at the governmental level to inspire policies and funding to support this work.

Kuala Lumpur Malaysia, July 2008, University of Malaysia: When reaching out to act on our concerns, we must find common ground and common words for shared values among different groups.

Columbus Ohio, March 2009: We’re bigger than we may first think we are.  By joining together we can begin to re-imagine what we can do and who we are.

Comarca Ngabe Panama, April 2009: We need to support each other in believing our voices can be strong.

Denver Colorado, May 2009, Philathropiece & The Gathering Place: People in different life situations have much to learn from each other.  By coming together in community to act on our concerns, we can begin to break down the stereotypes that tend to keep us apart.

Lubbock Texas, May 2009: We need the wisdom of elder mothers to remind society of the importance of supporting mothers whose children are in need of immediate care.

Chicacao Guatemala, July 2009, Starfish One by One Organization: All mothers, regardless of educational level or economic class, have a voice and the ability to make change in their communities, nations and world.

Chajul Guatemala, July 2009: By sharing tools for expression and providing an experience of using your voice to advocate for children, even mothers who previously believed they were voiceless can discover their ability to act on their concerns.

New York City New York, August 2009, Presentation for ATHE Conference (Association for Theatre in Higher Education): By using our voices, mothers can become the authors of our city plans, national plans, and international policies to ensure that children’s needs are prioritized and their rights protected.