I was a little horrified when I realized that it’s been almost 2 months since I’ve last engaged with Other Mothers, but as we all know, things get hectic around the holidays. I felt guilty as December passed by without having posted any action items, and that I canceled an Other Mothers meeting due to illnesses and to feeling overwhelmed with preparing for houseguests to arrive. But then I remembered that as Mothers, we need to give ourselves a break and adjust our expectations when life gets busy and unpredictable. Moreover, we need to pace ourselves when we’re in for a long and frustrating fight against something as deplorable and pervasive as prejudice and injustice against the LGBTQ+ community. 

This brings me back to the roots of what Other Mothers is about and our intentions with the group. We have a mantra that we tell ourselves: “Small is beautiful.” Our mission is to identify and suggest small and replicable actions that any individual can take on as their own or as part of a small group, and in any community across the country. Our hope is that as more individuals take these small actions, we will collectively begin to make a social and political impact. However, sometimes the reality with “small is beautiful” is that there are gaps, both in knowledge and in time, as we strive to make that impact… and that’s okay.

Having said all that, I am excited to re-engage with Other Mothers as we enter 2024! As we all know, this is a big election year and we need to work hard to fight for Everyone’s rights. I encourage anyone out there who is ready to join in this fight to appreciate the seemingly “small” actions that we can collectively take to make a difference. Not everyone is suited to make phone calls, canvass door-to-door, or donate large sums of money, and that’s okay, too. As we post actions steps that can be taken, choose the ones that resonate and feel comfortable to you. The most important thing is to take action, no matter how large or small that action may be.