Help Reclaim Mothers Day in Portland
author: Kate O'Reilly
 e-mail: maupdx@yahoo.com
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The 2004 MAU Mothers Acting Up parade, 'VOTING FOR OUR CHILDREN: 2004 AND BEYOND' is an invitation to mothers and others to show up for our children and support candidates who are committed, in word and action, to prioritizing children in our federal, state and local policies and budgets. This year, mothers around the world are concerned about 'National Security' and orange terror alerts.
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HELP RECLAIM MOTHER'S DAY!
Flowers, boxes of candy and Sunday Brunch is often associated with Mother's Day celebrations. This year we challenge Mom's to don their costumes, put on their walking shoes and join other mothers in acting up. Mothers Acting Up of Portland (MAU) will celebrate this Mother's Day with Portland's first Mothers Day parade. Starting at 2pm, Sunday, May 9th mom's and others from all over Portland will parade from the elephant statue on Burnside in the North Park Blocks to the South Park Blocks. Costumes, uniclyists, stiltwalkers, and drummers are all invited to join passionate mothers across the country in reclaiming Mother's Day.
Mothers Acting Up is an internet based citizens action group. MothersActingUp.org came into existence just a few years ago. Founders' Joellen Raderstorf, Beth Osnes and Juliana Forbes, all of Boulder, Colorado, began their journey together when they approached a Senator about Head Start. He said, 'I can't vote for funding because we just passed a tax cut.' The friends sat there and thought, 'Hmmm... if there were hundreds of mothers crowded in this office, his answer would be different.' The Mothers Acting Up mission statement is, ' We recognize we live in a world that does not prioritize or protect our children's well-being and this will not change without each of us finding the courage and commitment to speak out of their behalf. Local residents Jess JespersenChavez and Kate O'Rielly were contacted by the national organization this year and asked to bring a parade to Portland. As of this writing, 36 other cities will be staging parades on May 9th. Jess is a new mother who wants to move her concerns to positive action. Kate is a grandmother of 7 who feels we need to make changes in the politics of Washington, DC now.
Julia Ward Howe was the originator in this country of the idea of Mother's Day. In 1872 she called for a day when the world would honor what we mothers hold most dear: the lives of our children, all children. She lived 1819-1910 and organized women to speak out against war. She said, '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? After recent wars and thousands of deaths, we ask Portland to take her message to heart and take to the streets. The MAU parades celebrate the vision of Julia Ward Howe spoke of 100 years ago: mothers everywhere rising up together around that which unites us rather than divides us.
The 2004 MAU Mothers Acting Up parade, 'VOTING FOR OUR CHILDREN: 2004 AND BEYOND' is an invitation to mothers and others to show up for our children and support candidates who are committed, in word and action, to prioritizing children in our federal, state and local policies and budgets. This year, mothers around the world are concerned about 'National Security' and orange terror alerts. To begin creating true and lasting security, US leaders must be committed to supporting international treaties, protecting the environment, reducing weapons of mass destruction and most importantly, funding programs that ensure the health, education and safety of every child, not just a privileged few. We have an opportunity in 2004 to elect a President and congressional members who share this vision.
Let's all get involved in Portland! Let's take care of Oregon's children!
Let's sing it out in the streets, 'We will protect children with our personal and political strength -wherever they live on earth!' Join Mothers Acting Up and exuberantly celebrate Mother's Day on May 9th.
Local contacts Email:  maupdx@yahoo.com Phone 503-636-7243
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homepage: http://www.mothersactingup.org
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