Rocket City Mocha Moms
For the first few years of Gabby’s life I was fortunate enough to be a part-time stay-at-home mom. I worked a few days a week and did some editing on the side to make ends meet, with the support of my immediate family.
As a single mom, I knew I wouldn’t be able to sustain my little family that way forever, which is why I absolutely cherished the days when I could spend the afternoon at the park with my daughter or leisurely enjoy an episode of Sesame Street on a Friday morning. Those are days I often long for as a full-time working mom.
Returning to my hometown after almost eight years, what I didn’t have at the time was a network of women like me that I could turn to for support. I really could have used a group like Mocha Moms, Inc.
Mocha Moms, Inc. is a nationwide support group for mothers of color who have chosen to modify or eliminate employment outside the home in order to devote more time to their families. Mocha Moms, Inc. began in May of 1997 as a newsletter distributed to women of color across the country who had decided to take time off from their careers to focus on raising their children. By November of that same year, Mocha Moms’ four founding members had formed the first chapter in Prince George’s County, Maryland. These women understood that historically, African American women had not always been afforded the opportunity to stay at home with their children. But with more women of color choosing to be at-home mothers, Mocha Moms was created to fill that gap in support.
Did you know that there’s a chapter of Mocha Moms right here in the city of Huntsville?
Mocha Moms, Inc. not only focuses on providing support for at-home moms, but support for our communities; and the national platform, which includes education, health and wellness, community activism, and a commitment to strengthening marriages, is a reflection of that. The group is also non-partisan and non-discriminatory. Anyone who supports the Mocha Moms mission, regardless of race, religion, socioeconomic background, full or part-time working status is welcome to join.
But did you know that there’s a chapter of Mocha Moms right here in the city of Huntsville? Yep, the Rocket City Mocha Moms were formed in October of last year, and they’re (ahem, we’re) looking for a few good women (and men) to join our group. So, in advance of our upcoming meet-and-greet, I thought I’d take a moment to introduce you to a few of our charter members.
Meet Jamia.
Mom to a five year-old son, Jamia always knew she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. Her mother stayed at mom with both she and her sister and she really wanted to be able to provide that same lifestyle for her son. A transplant to the city of Huntsville, Jamia joined the group because she remembers how isolated she felt after she first had her son, it being just the two of them most of the day. Recognizing how important it is to maintain adult relationships and form friendships with other stay-at-home moms, Jamia decided to help start the Rocket City Mocha Moms.
Meet Violet.
Violet’s previous employment made for some very long hours and family time had come to mean hanging out at her office and eating takeout. But Violet knew that she wanted to give her three children more attention, be able to help them with their homework, and allow them to participate in extracurricular activities, so she modified her employment to make that happen. She also did her research beforehand and after discovering that stress, depression, and isolation plagued many at-home mothers, she decided to be proactive and join Mocha Moms. Now she has more time for those dance video game competitions with her family.
Meet Damaris.
Damaris’ story is one that I bet many mothers in our area can identify with. A native of New Orleans, Damaris and her family found themselves in Alabama after her husband retired from the U.S. Army. After numerous deployments, Temporary Duty Assignments, training, and other job requirements that continuously separated them, Demaris decided to adjust her employment to devote more time to her family. She’s often told that if you see one, the other two family members aren’t far behind, as testament to create as much family time as possible. Proud mom to an 11 year-old daughter, Damiris decided to join Mocha Moms after reading their history online.
Meet me.
Actually, you can just check out my bio below. And if you’ve read any of my previous posts, you probably know enough about me anyway. Although I work full-time, I decided to join Mocha Moms because I fully support the Mocha Moms mission; and God willing, I hope to have another opportunity to be at home with my daughter before she heads off to college. Sigh.
Interested in learning more about the group? Follow us on Facebook or you can email us at rcmochamoms@gmail.com for more information. Hope to see you there!
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Taralyn Caudle is a freelance writer and Huntsville native who returned to her hometown to raise her beautiful and energetic daughter, Gabby. When she’s not nurturing the talents of her budding artist, she can be found on the hunt for good food, good music, or a good deal on a pair of shoes. Practically possessed by politics, purple, and Prince, she loves alliteration (obviously) and has been known to quote music lyrics in everyday conversation, from Hall & Oates to Kanye West Kendrick Lamar. Her current philosophy on life: a little bit of sarcasm and a whole lot of laughter never hurt anybody.