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Gloria Pan's picture

MomsRising has launched a project called #KeepMarching, which helps our members on the ground organize their friends, family, neighbors and anyone else in their community into "circles" to take action together and have an impact on their communities as well as for the nation. Some #KeepMarching members already have longstanding groups of people that they are shaping into their #KeepMarching Circles, while others are starting from scratch.

Karen is a #KeepMarching member in St. Louis, MO. When I asked her about her group, her answer was so powerful, inspiring and beautiful, I had to share. So here is it is. Thank you, Karen in St. Louis!

 

I don't yet have a regular group. 

AND YET I DO. 

My Daughters, My Sister, Mother, Grandmothers, My Sister-in-Law,

Mothers-in-law, Aunts, cousins, nieces, and god-daughters...

From the women who are my foundation of friendship, from neighborhood and school, who were there to laugh and cry and struggle to grow up...

From my co-workers across five decades and nine jobs who helped me navigate through the insanity of pleasing everyone always...

From my Neighbors, women in arms together through the adversity that is life of storms, power outages, hand-me-downs, last minute watching the kids, knowing you have my back & I have yours...

From Mothers-in-arms of my daughters' best friends for birthday parties, sleepovers, rides to/from school, homework, field trips, fundraisers, concerts, always someone to sit with for plays & graduations, to bear the angst of raising our girls, to listen and also get...

From the Neighborhood Watch who know my name & I theirs who look out for each other against the dangers...

From my Friends, my chosen sisters, from all walks of my life, who support each other and laugh and cry and survive no matter what...

From the Caring women who have loved my girls as infants/toddlers in daycare, aftercare, tutoring & lessons of ever kind...

From all the AMAZING & loving teachers my daughters have had who helped to grow their brains & souls & humanity...

From all the fellow PTO moms from 9 schools, giving endlessly of love & time & money for all of our kids...

From the Fellow Girl Scout Troop Leaders, Neighborhood chairs, District Coordinators, 

Cookie Moms, Camping Moms,

April Shower Moms, Council staff, from the largest GS council in the USA who are the chain of mothers providing the network of growth & leadership for young women...

From the principals, the school counselors, school nurse, librarian, art teachers, the front office staff & janitorial staff with smiles & heart & love for my daughters...

From all the daughters who are not mine but feel like they are in my heart...

From all summer camp counselors & teachers who shared the folklore of crafts & games...

From all the fellow women at the Bank, the Grocery Store, the Walgreens, the Playgrounds, our favorite places to Eat, the Dog Park, the kennel & vet, security officers, mail delivery women, UPS/FEDEX who all have bonded with me over our shared struggle and resilience...

From, Of course, the countless Strong Women Doctors & their staffs, therapists, the nurses in the ER and the children's wards

From cashiers everywhere with a smile no matter what - tolerating an intolerable life...

From the women who cut my hair, buy flowers from, patrol our neighborhoods and clean our teeth, give us news & weather in our homes like a part of the family, lawyers who protect us in times of great emotional tragedy...

From all the women supporting each other, strangers in elevators, partners at community service, strangers at marches, at restaurants, in elevators, at concerts, politicians who represent me, & political action groups...

My world of exceptional women is endless

No matter how difficult or dark the times may be

And I am grateful & hopeful

For their is a sisterhood of women

Who care

 

If you've been inspired by Karen's words and would like to join #KeepMarching, please sign up here


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