Anthony Rooney at the Museum Mile Festival in NYC

Interview Report, by Anthony Rooney

6/14/13

NEW YORK, N.Y- Our city is home to a ludicrous amount of museums and art galleries. One may assume that because of the great deal of exhibits that NYC residents have access to, that all mediums of art are available for viewing pleasure. Not too long ago, a museum opened on E 84^th Street and 1^st Avenue that  decided to dedicate all of its exhibits to an art form that is often over looked in our society; the art of motherhood. Along with its exhibits, it has programming for families and a play space for children.

The owner and operator of the Museum of Motherhood, Joy Rose, has been a mother for 23 years, and years ago even dedicated herself to a musical group called “Housewives on Prozac.” I spoke with Joy about her experience as the museum head.

A: Outside of the normal work hours, how many additional hours a week do you work for the museum?

JR: I work non-stop, except for Christmas, when the business is closed. I work between 64-70 hours a week.

A: What sort of work do you work on outside of museum hours?

J: “Examples of the kind of work I do are – I have to be on call to: advise staff, deal with issues as they come up within the space (Like a doctor on call), oversee websites when they crash, update websites and calendars, create and send newsletters, update, maintain and manage a database of 10,000, promote on social media, organized board meetings and advisory board meetings (monthly), get people to attend the meetings, follow up emails to the meetings with agendas and schedules. The list goes on and on.

A: Do you do all of this work at the museum?

JR: “I work about 36 – 46 hours in the museum space, plus a three-hour commute, which makes even a ‘short day’ a ‘long day’. A six-hour stint at the museum becomes a minimum 9 hour work day, and 9 hour work day is a 12 hour work day. I work a minimum of one full 10 hour desk day at my home office and then on and off, usually for about 5-8 hours throughout my days ‘off’ every day of the week.”

A: Do you do some of the work from home?

JR: “I have a ‘home office’, a desk, phone, computer, filing cabinet which is all I need to work effectively from home. I have always had an office, even if it was in the middle of the dining room and the kids were climbing all over me.”

A: How important is the support of your family when being in charge the museum?

JR: “The children (I have 4) have always been part of my work- either inspiring it, or participating in it. My husband was initially supportive, but then wanted me ‘back in the kitchen (literally) so I divorced him.”

A: Is running the museum more difficult than you thought it would be? If so why?

JR: “It’s all I’ve ever known. As a musician I worked non-stop creatively. As a new mother, I worked even more – 24 hours a day, as a festival promoter I worked the same hours, and as a boutique owner- the same was true. Usually, I did many of these things at the same time, for example, nurturing the museum along, while I was doing the other things on this list. Why? Because I am passionate and have a sense of purpose, coupled with a visceral knowledge of how short life is.”

A: Would you get involved in running another museum in the future?

JR: “Yes, I’m doing exactly what I choose to be doing.”

Read Part Two, interview with New Community Program Director, Lisa Lacholia later this week.

Ronnie Komarow is one of M.O.M.’s featured artists. Her ‘Bake Sale’ exhibition of cupcakes, preserved and strung from a mobile are a highlight here in our Manhattan space. Now her new exhibit is up through June at the BrickBottom Gallery in MA.

For Immediate Release:

Contacts: Angela Monti Fox, 646-­‐519-­‐1076, info@themothersproject.org Harriet Shugarman, Climate Mama,, 201-­‐906-­‐2675 info@climatemama.com Natalie Cronin. 347-­‐731-­‐8390, natalie@underthetinkertree.com

Natalie Cronin, Founder of Tinker Tree Play Care, Harriet Shugarman, of Climate Mama and The Mothers Project of New Jersey, and Angela Monti Fox, Founder of The Mothers Project present their 2nd in a series of The Great Green Play Dates on Sunday, June 9th, 2013, from 10:30 to 12:30 at The Museum of Motherhood, 401East 84 Street, New York City.

Natalie Cronin, a gifted early childhood educator, keeps the children delightfully engaged through stories, songs, and hands on artwork while teaching lessons in protecting the earth and each other.

Parents engage with moms like, Harriet and Angela who convey the importance of learning about what may happen in our kitchens as the city begins its program of converting apartment buildings to “natural gas,” as scientists tell us it is highly radioactive and filled with high levels of radon.

Angela Monti Fox, founder of The Mothers Project, a global organization in support of sustainable energy, explains city apartments are converting to “natural gas” without understanding the impacts for our children’s health. Scientists tell us, this gas, unlike our current source of gas, is coming from highly radioactive shale plays and contains unusually high levels of radon. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer next to smoking. Although our Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established “safe” levels for human exposure to radon, studies show that this gas far exceeds those levels and for children there are no safe levels.

Harriet Shugarman, founder of Climate Mama and educator for the Al Gore Climate Reality Project, states parents need to understand the relationship between climate realities like Super Storm Sandy and their energy choices. At the Great Green Play Date parents will be able to gain a greater understanding of that relationship and learn about options to ensure the safety, health and future of their children.

Natalie Cronin, herself a parent, as well as a dedicated early childhood educator, expresses her personal concerns: “the Spectra Pipeline already built, is a local issue that we must confront.“ It is a 30 inch pipeline intended to carry fracked methane gas, known as “natural gas” into New York City at Hudson River Park, 300 feet from a playground.

We share this short video of our previous Great Green Play Date and ask that you post and share on your lists and Facebook pages. See what parents who attended had to say.

The event is free and open to the public. Pre registration is required. Families with children 1-­‐10 years of age are encouraged to attend.
To register, go to
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/394419 or e-­‐mail info@climatemama.com. Space is limited.

June 24-26, 2013

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Dear Friend,

It was one week ago today that I barreled down Route 17 on my way back from Geneva, NY after picking my son up from college.  Geneva sits about ten miles away from Seneca Falls, New York. It’s a beautiful spot nestled in the finger lakes of upstate New York and, if you don’t already know, its home to the American Suffrage Movement.

Dr. Bernice Resnick Sandler, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Jeanne Giovannini, Beverly Ryder

My next stop was approximately three hundred and forty two miles away in the District of Columbia. The National Women’s Hall of Fame was hosting a reception at the Sewall-Belmont House and Museum, which is home to theNational Women’s Party.

Dr. Bernice Resnick Sandler, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, Jeanne Giovannini, Beverly Ryder

The Hall of Fame, 2013 inductees, Democratic LeaderNancy Pelosi and Dr. Bernice Resnick Sandler, were being honored and I really wanted to be in Washington and feel the incredible power of my sister’s accomplishments.

I also wanted to meet and congratulate the Board of Directors who makes The National Women’s Hall of Fame possible. The Hall of Fame has been honoring extraordinary women for over forty years and bringing national attention to the Seneca Falls: Beth Quillen Thomas, Beverly Ryder, Marilyn P. Bero, Ellen Riddleberger, Jeanne Giovannini and others.

After fabulously inspiring speeches by a gorgeous list of luminaries, I floated back to my hotel to rest.

Next day, up and atom; lunch with famed author Ann Crittenden, who’s so lovely, smart and wise, and Valerie Young, Advocacy Coordinator for National Association of Mother’s Centers. As you can imagine the conversation surged back and forth between women and equality, politics and policy and of course, The Price of Motherhood.

I made a quick stop at AAM to meet Lauren Silberman, who was our grant coordinator for the 2013 MAP Grant for M.O.M. then toured the National Museum of Women in the Arts briefly. I got a beautiful buzz from being in the space and envisioning the Museum of Motherhood expanding to a legacy-inspiring structure and left with just enough energy to crawl home.

Sunday, May 19^th found me in Manhattan in the rain, organizing the 10^th annual Mamapalooza Festival at Riverside Park South. This extraordinary event, which features women-owned businesses and services for families, historically has about ten thousand people in attendance. It rained hard. All day. But, the Mom Rockers prevailed singing songs that kept us enlivened and entertained.

Monday, I started a five-week graduate level course in ‘Mothering Studies’ out of Minnesota State University taught byJocelyn Stitt. I’m in the company of six other women who are

Phyllis Chesler

as intrigued as I am about maternal theory and the social construct of Motherhood.

Last night, dinner and drinks at Phyllis Chesler’s house to meet candidate Jessica Lappin who’s running for Manhattan Borough President. She’s running on a platform of LGBT rights, women’s health, and family’s access to education and senior rights.

I’m running on empty, but so, so happy and filled to the brim with gratitude that life has allowed me to find my course. The course I’m running follows the history of great women who have had the courage insist on change when it serves to elevate equality. I’ve spent years searching for my feminist sisters, trying to put words to that voice that sometimes felt like a frustrated wail in the face of social stereotypes that keep women marginalized. Women, and more specifically mothers, need so much more support and respect for all they do.

While there are still miles to go, in some ways, I have thankfully, arrived!

 Joy Rose is the Founding Director of the Museum of Motherhood in NYC. Write her at MOMmuseum@gmail.com

Induction weekend at the National Women’s Hall of Fame is October 12th in Seneca Falls, NY. You can purchase tickets online and view information about inductees and activities here.