Songs of a Sistermom

Sistermoms

ISBN 0-9748142-0-2

Celebrate Sistermom Songs!!

Earlier this Spring, Songs of a Sistermom: Motherhood Poems was born! This book is an introspective look at the joys and pains of motherhood through the poetic prism of one mom, Charisse Carney-Nunes, a co-founder of Sistermoms, Inc.!

While this book is the independent effort of one Sistermom, Ms. Carney-Nunes dedicates the book to Sistermoms, Inc. and notes that it was her relationship with these dynamic women that inspired her to pen and publish the book.

Head Sistermom Linda Burke authored an inspirational foreword for the book, setting the stage for the motherhood poetry. The foreword answers that oft-asked question, "What is a Sistermom?" with an eloquence that only our "Head Sistermom" could! We have reprinted the foreword below for all of you to enjoy! For more information on Songs of a Sistermom, feel free to visit the publisher's website.

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Foreword

It is a rare pleasure to closely observe the birth of someone else’s long-time dream. Usually, we are so involved in our daily lives that it can be difficult to make the spiritual and emotional space to embrace the dreams of others. Fortunately, Sistermoms has enabled me to open my life and heart to some very powerful African-American mothers, and to share their dreams – not only for themselves, but also for their children and families.

Sistermoms, Inc. grew out of a deep-seated, personal need of my own. As a mother of two young children, one of the things I lacked in my life was a strong network of women whom I could trust with my most closely-held thoughts, dreams and fears – those issues that I struggled with in the middle of the night: am I doing the right thing by working full-time outside the home; is my son developing into a strong, respect worthy young man; is my daughter nourished and seeing the range of role models that she needs; how overweight am I getting; how is my relationship with my husband; where can I find a great babysitter/school/dance class/cleaning service? The list goes on, and the answers are uniquely based upon one’s own cultural experience.

Growing up, I was blessed to have a mother who surrounded herself with a circle of women whom she loved, shared and trusted with her life. As a new mother, I yearned for this support. Although I knew many people, lived in the city in which I was raised, and had a career that connected me with lots of knowledgeable people, most of my friends lived elsewhere, were single or did not have children. We were simply living very different lives.

I needed my own network, and as a professional recruiter I had the skills to develop it. So I turned to our pediatrician for help. She had built a huge practice – very diverse – and was well respected throughout our community. Also, as an African-American mother, she could relate to my situation. She knew many other women facing the same challenges. She also knew the importance of creating a “village” for yourself and your children. So, she talked to the moms of some of her other patients. She gave them my number, and talked about what we were trying to create. And women called me. We talked, we shared, we laughed, and even shed tears of disbelief at the commonality of our struggle. We met, and in November of 1999, Sistermoms was born. Since then we have grown into a close-knit group of 30 and an Internet community of more than 120 African- American mothers.

So what is a Sistermom? The definition continues to evolve. A Sistermom is an African-American mother who understands that motherhood is a rare and special gift, and that enjoying the journey means not losing yourself in the process. It means creating the kinds of supportive networks – the village that you and your children need not only to survive, but also to thrive healthily and happily in this very challenging world. For those moms yearning for this reality or for those who need to expand their village – there is Sistermoms.

Through this (r)evolutionary process, I met and became friends with Charisse, a wise, amazingly powerful woman with tremendous talent, as you are about to learn. Sharing her poetic voice is one of her long-time dreams, and it became mine too as a result of our involvement in Sistermoms. Charisse is a rare and special woman, and I am sure that after reading this book, your own world will be changed, even just a bit. As you enjoy these “songs” of this very special “Sister” mom, I welcome you to add a word into your vocabulary: Sistermom!

Linda Henderson Burke

“Head Sistermom”

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