Yes I did, I can't even believe it still! This lil' country girl from "springhill" was not only "at" the White House but I was able to be there with some of the most inspiring and intellectual women on the planet, Mocha Moms, Inc.! So first of all, let me begin by thanking the National Board of Mocha Moms, Inc. for putting together, and in a short amount of time I might add, such an important and life-changing event for this organization! I've been a member of Mocha Moms (the North Cobb Chapter more specifically) for 5 years and in the role as President of the North Cobb Chapter, going on my 2nd year. If anyone that knows me, knows that I have a heart for "women"!!! and all of "our" issues, concerns, accoloades or lack thereof that go along with being a woman! Therefore this organization fit me like a custom-made glove! I absolutely love the fact that a group of women, and let me be a bit more specific, a group of African American women have come together (in this organization) to show, not only that we love and care for & look after our families just like any other cultue of women but that we can work together, organize together and above all have fun & enjoy together! I think there's a misnomer in the African American community that "Black Women Just Don't Work Well Together".....well, Mocha Moms has blown that perpetuated "stereotype" clean out of the waters! Mocha Moms has been in existence since 1997 and was started partly because of that reason. The (African American) mom who found herself "alone" (meaning, she didn't see nor hear of any other African American women who were home with their children) with her child(ren) wanted to reach out to other moms of color who happened to find themeselves in the same boat so she started a newsletter, entitled simply, Mocha Moms. The newsletter was intended to encourage these mothers to feel good about their choice as well as to provide information to help them be the best and most important influence in their children’s lives. It was distributed to over 100 moms across the country in the spring of 1997. During the summer of 1997, moms in Prince George’s County, Maryland decided to form a support group called Mocha Moms, Inc. There are now over 100 chapters of Mocha Moms, Inc. throughout the United States and the organization is continually growing and evolving to meet the needs of our moms, their families, and the communities they live in.
Mocha Moms, Inc. is an organization who's primary mission is Service & Support but one thing that we focus intently on is the well being of our families. So it was only fitting that we have an opportunity to discuss our concerns, needs & desires "for" our families with regard to what role the government will play concerning those issues at non other than, the White House. So in grand style and in only true Mocha fashion, the national board worked tirelessly, in continuing to live out the creed upon which this organizaiton was founded, to arrange a forum, for these ever-changing & evolving moms, to voice our concerns for our families & communities, to the President & First lady of the United States of America, which is where my trek begins!
So as I was saying as I started writing this blog, "who'd have "thunk" it"??? Me, a lil' ole' country girl from smalltown Alabama, treking through the hallways of the Eisenhower building & later in the same hallways that our President, President Barack Obama, walks through sometimes daily, the White House! For those who know me, know that one of my sincerest & my most personal goals is to work (and LIVE) in Washington, D.C.! However more specifically, to work within the White House in a key position. I love public policy!!! However, I "would love" to work on public policy with regard to Social Welfare! Okay, but as I continue.....upon receiving the email from our National board informing us that all leaders of our respective chapters had been invited to the White House, I had just had a conversation with my husband about us taking a trip with the kids to D.C. to just walk past the white house & get a glimpse of this magical place (well, magical to me that is....I don't think my husband was at all interested in the "magic-ality" of public policy, lol) where the individuals who make & pass down the laws that help govern our society LIVE, work & play! So can you imagine what was going through my mind when I saw the email!!! The feeling that I got when I thought of my 'meger' plans that only entailed merely "walking past" & taking a picture of said White House but NOW, I had the opportunity to go "Inside" & possibly "Meet" the first African American President & First lady...I was ecstatic!
So the planning was underway! We began searching out airline tickets, setting up hotel accommodations and most importantly, finding out "who else" was going on this "Awesome" trip!!! But in the midst of all of the planning and calling & emailing, I, for one brief moment, "had a moment" to myself! I stopped short in the craziness of not only preparing for the trip but also planning out the kids' week for when I would be gone which included; ironing & getting school clothes together, getting caught up on homework and sending out emails to teachers, tutors, dance & karate instructors, etc. and for one brief moment I sat quietly (which seemed like an hour) for about 15-20 minutes and FORCED myself to be in the moment of this historical trip in which I was about to embark upon. I started to think of one person in particular, my mom! A woman, whom had not some 30 odd years earlier, quit her job as a maid, cleaning, as she would say, "white people's homes" in order to feed & take care of her children. I started to think on the time when she told me the story of how she decided that cleaning other people's homes was not something she wanted to be doing all of her life & the day she registered me for 1st grade was the day she went & registered herself into nursing school. I thought about the many days & nights this woman sat up waiting for me to drive home, in the middle of the night, from Alabama State University, when I had to stay late and work on papers because we didn't have a computer @ home. I began to think of the many sacrifices she had made on behalf of "us", me, in order for me to be right here, in this moment and I began to tear up. It seemed but for a moment that all of my "crazy" & Ridiculous & far-fetched "Dreams" were sort of starting to come to fruition.
I know, I know, some of you are probably saying, "really April, it's just a trip to D.C." but if you've been where I've been & seen what I've seen & even heard some of the things that I've heard (with regard to how no one that looks like us can ever do the things that I was dreaming about) and in spite of all of that, you were still able to DREAM what seemed to be the most ridiculous and far-fetched dreams ever, you would know that this was far more than "just a trip to D.C." for me! I've always wanted to be apart of making the decisions that affect my life & the lives of so many individuals who "need" government to "work" in order for them to be able to live! I've always felt very strongly about doing my part & giving back and in helping individuals who were not able to help themselves. I guess this came from watching my mom work & clean up for other people (because as young as I was, I do remember going into these homes with her & having to sit on the floor & be very still & very quiet while she cleaned) and as a young adolescent, knowing that she did that because she didn't have any other choice, has always been with me & I've always wanted to help people help themselves to do & live the life that they wanted to & not the life they had to!
So as I began to dry my tears & give another shout out to God for giving me such an amazing mother whom got me to this moment, I arose from my couch with a renewed sense of self! I was not only walking into the White House for me & to tell all of my fb & twitter friends and to write in to the local newspaper to tell them about my experience, I was kind of doing this for that maid who had worked so hard to take care of me by cleaning for & taking care of other people & who pushed me & allowed me to DREAM my most fascinating dreams! Yep, April "Went" to the White House but as I stepped foot on those grounds, I knew I didn't make that trip alone! This one was for you Ma' and I promise that all of those crazy & far-fetched dreams that you allowed me to dream, will one day come true......and you, the woman who sacrificed her crazy & far-fetched dream of being a nurse for years because of me and because of folks that thought your dream was (at that time) just as crazy & far-fetched as mine are today, Moma, you will be the reason for them coming true! So Thank you Moma & Thank you again to Mocha Moms, Inc. for such an amazing & heartfelt experience!
I will most certainly be back D.C., I promise you that one! Thanks again to the National Board and thanks to all of the women who dropped everything they were doing to embark on this experience with me and who will forever be apart of that statement: "you remember that time when all of those Mocha Moms converged on D.C. to go to the White House"!!! Lol! #onegoaldown,afewmoretogo! Mocha Moms "Rocks"!
Much Mocha Love All,
Signed April Moncrief, good ole' country girl, on her way to doing "Big" things!
Fantastic!
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