| "The sky is falling, the sky is falling" said Chicken | | | | being heard more and more often as mothers |
| Little, which, if you turn on the radio, watch the | | | | step into leadership roles. |
| TV or read the paper feels fairly accurate. | | | | Mothers are a universal symbol of the unique |
| Everywhere we turn the word "crisis" is in the air | | | | power women have to get things done, to |
| - the financial crisis, the food crisis, the global | | | | survive insurmountable odds, and to help others in |
| warming crisis, the terrorist crisis... One would think | | | | need. Some, however, overwhelmed with the |
| that nothing good is happening in the world. Yet | | | | responsibility of raising children and running |
| there is greatness all around. | | | | households, say "I'm concerned - I just don't have |
| The positive light among us is the growing swell | | | | the time or energy to make a difference." These |
| of activism from women formerly in the | | | | mothers assume it must be a full-time job to be |
| shadows. From heads of state to soccer moms, | | | | involved in community advocacy. But in fact, it |
| mothers around the world are doing incredible | | | | can be the small efforts that make a big |
| work to inspire, educate and engage their | | | | difference. Improving local schools begins with a |
| communities. | | | | few parents and a mission statement. One |
| Mothers are a force to be reckoned with-even by | | | | mother's idea for expanding a childcare program |
| their sheer numbers alone. This huge, highly | | | | can snowball into a county initiative. Writing a |
| diverse group of women has traditionally been | | | | letter or email to your Congressman about |
| hard to track and define, let alone mobilize. But it's | | | | legislation that will affect thousands of children in |
| also a group whose members increasingly say in | | | | your community can take less than 30 minutes! |
| books, blogs and polls- whether they work or | | | | And you don't have to do it all yourself - activism |
| stay at home - they are overwhelmed, weary of | | | | is contagious! Just find something that stirs your |
| their traditional roles and ready for social reforms | | | | passions and get the ball rolling. As our new |
| that will address the unmet needs of women and | | | | president-elect Barack Obama has shown us, |
| children. | | | | small groups of community organizers have the |
| A new generation of caregivers is rising to | | | | ability to create huge shifts. |
| answer this global call for change. Mothers like | | | | Also, never doubt the tremendous influence a |
| Lorena in Costa Rica. Through her tenacious work, | | | | mother has on her children's perception of the |
| indigenous women have been empowered in the | | | | world - simple words and actions have the |
| field of sustainable development and | | | | potential to evolve young minds and create great |
| environmental conservation in Latin America. Or | | | | shifts in their future. Talking to your kids about |
| Hangama, a mother of twin daughters, working to | | | | why we reuse and recycle is an easy, yet |
| secure national policies for the protection of | | | | important message. Better yet, ask your children |
| children's rights in Afghanistan. Or Joan and | | | | what kind of world they want to live in when |
| Catherine, two mothers of teenagers who | | | | they grow up and see if there is anything you can |
| developed an international women's fair trade | | | | do with them to start creating that world right |
| cooperative, using U.S. school fundraisers as their | | | | now. Raise your own budding social entrepreneur. |
| primary marketplace. And Tlaleng, who since the | | | | All of these small things you do as a parent add |
| deaths of her first two children to HIV, has made | | | | up in the big picture, so even if you are an |
| a difference in the lives of many by bringing HIV | | | | at-home mom, you have a very powerful and |
| AIDS education to her village in Lesotho. | | | | important job. |
| The promising reality is that mothers are | | | | The greater social environment in which our |
| emerging as social advocates and political leaders. | | | | children live is in need of motherly love and |
| Almost half of the legislators in Rwanda today are | | | | attention. If we start using our collective voice, as |
| female (most are mothers), and in some of the | | | | women and mothers, we can reverse the current |
| poorest countries in South America, key positions | | | | trend of greed, violence and destruction that is so |
| in the government are being assigned to women | | | | prevalent in the world today. Mothers are now |
| and mothers. In Afghanistan, a mother of three | | | | realizing their inner strength and wisdom - their |
| recently ran for president. All over the world, | | | | untapped potential. As more mothers expand their |
| female politicians are proud to declare their role as | | | | influence of care beyond the confines of their |
| a mother - and even campaign as a mother. | | | | home and family units - and start to care more |
| Recently, the first U.S. mother Speaker of the | | | | for the global family and our planet - we can be |
| House, Nancy Pelosi said, "As a mother, I will | | | | the change we wish to see in the world. |
| exhaust every remedy for peace." It's a refrain | | | | |