VIRGINIA BEACH — What gift could be better for mom than the gift of empowerment?
Saturday, the day before Mother’s Day, Virginia Beach’s first Mother’s Advocacy Tea will be held at the Meyera Oberndorf Central Library, 4100 Virginia Beach Blvd.
The goal of the event, which begins at 1:30 p.m., is to help mothers and women understand the power they have and the influence they can wield, and to connect them with organizations where they can put their skills to work to help bring about positive change.
“Part of what we do is encourage women to be concerned about their children’s future and about the issues that keep them up at night,” said Kim Miller, Hampton Roads organizer for the national group Mothers Out Front and a co-organizer of the Mother’s Advocacy Tea.
Miller said women and mothers need to know they’re not alone and that other women share their concerns.
“Women need to see themselves as leaders,” she added.
Attendees can visit tables staffed by local volunteers from local nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations to learn how they can get involved and add their unique talents and voices to organizations that share their personal values.
Sibel Galindez, the other co-organizer, said women should extend their role as moms into the political and civic arenas.
“We need to empower ourselves and others to advocate for our children’s future,” Galindez said. “Who is better qualified than we are to advocate for their future?”
Galindez also serves as the Hampton Roads Legislative Lead for the national group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. She said that while the event is aimed at moms, everyone is welcome.
Miller said that as mothers and homemakers who are accustomed to running a home, women have for a long time been gaining the skills needed to be effective leaders and decision makers.
“We’re already doing this kind of work. It’s underappreciated, but there is a place for this kind of experience and passion,” she said. “For so long it’s been directed within, but if we direct it out we can have a significant impact on our community.”
Miller and Galindez said the event goals are to:
- Empower women and mothers to realize and use their power to make positive changes.
- Support issues that directly impact their neighborhood(s).
- Restore confidence in their community by developing leaders from their community.
- Advocate for commonsense policies from elected officials and business leaders.
“There’s strength in numbers,” Galindez said. “I’m not just a lone mom out there advocating for myself.”
