For some women, the story of who they are can only be told in terms of motherhood. While motherhood does not define me, as a mother of three, it does color how I see the world. Here are three talks from TED and TEDx events by Mothers and Mothers-to-be about Motherhood.

Spoken word poet Sarah Kay’s well-viewed TED 2011 presentation begins with her poem, “If I should have a daughter…,” that offers words of wisdom to her yet-to-be-conceived child on how to embrace this world and not take the handouts of cynicism that are present on every street corner. Kay uses this as a launching point to tell how she began pursuing spoken word poetry with the support of her mother and father while a teenager and how it was come full circle as she uses her art to engage teenagers helping them access their inner stories.

 

Jane Beall tells her stories via photographs.  And her A Beautiful Body Project showcases what she knows to be true—mothers are beautiful – in all body shapes and in all their diversity. But before she could get to that point, she needed to feel comfortable in her own skin, especially after childbirth. In her 2014 TEDxPitic in Hermosillo, Mexico, Jane shares her journey and spotlights the stories behind some of her photos of other mothers. Hers is a universal message: as mothers we ought to comfortable in our bodies and the world needs to be comfortable with that concept.

Note: Video contains images of nudity.

 

Bringing it closer to home, and yet further away, is Ekaterina Walter, who told her shared her story at TEDxPeachtree 2011. Walter tells the story of a Russian immigrant mother/daughter/woman who’s become American through her grandmother’s, mother’s, daughter’s narrative and by doing so brings to the fore how their courage spoke to hers, and how those stories infuse the American dream they are living and what that really meant. The shared vision and love of mothers and daughters creates a legacy of appreciation.

 

 

===============================

Wendy bw 11302012Wendy Kalman attended the 2009 TEDxPeachtree event and became hooked, volunteering each year ever since. By day, she works as a Proposal Manager, and by night, her alter ego as involved parent, engaged volunteer, music lover, and Facebook addict emerges.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *