There is no one I love more than I love my Mama.

My mother married young and I was born just before she graduated from Missouri State University. Mom somehow managed to concurrently work multiple jobs, finish her senior year of college, and avoid every trace of chocolate or honey that could have been harmful to me while in utero.

Mama had two rules for her kids (both human and nonhuman): have peace in your heart and control your bladder. Anyone who didn’t follow these rules had to sleep in the dog yard. Fortunately, most of the policy violations came from my furry brothers and sisters.

My mother was blessed with an extreme sense of patience. My sister and I insisted on dressing ourselves as toddlers and, even when we walked out the door wearing a cow costume with strap-on udders, Mama never complained. As I studied the piano and the bagpipe, Mama calmly listened to me practice and congratulated every minor improvement. There weren’t many. During the eleven years that I competed in debate competitions across the state and the country, Mama sat at the foot of my bed and listened to thousands of practice speeches at 4 AM. As a stay-at-home mom, my Mama sacrificed her opportunity for a career so that she could be part of each of these mundane moments that made me into who I am today.

My Mama has cheered me on through every dream I’ve ever had. When, at 12 years old, I decided to produce ‘Follies’ with no budget and no theater, Mom drove me to the library to check out books on how to cast a musical. When I began kayaking competitively in university, Mama prayed that I wouldn’t get hurt. When I decided to move to England (and then Ghana, and then Puerto Rico, and then China, and then England again…) my Mama bought me a book of the ‘500 Coolest Things to See in the World’ and told me she hoped I could see all of them. When I turned down amazing job offers at banks and at government agencies to join a startup with seven staff called the ‘Global Poverty Project’, my Mama helped me pack for New York. Regardless of how crazy my dreams were, Mama encouraged me to be my most fearless and brave self.

My mother is a woman who loves with her whole soul, gives with a full heart, and laughs with her entire body. On her last visit to New York, we saw a Broadway show with a live rat and Mom started day dreaming about breeding rats to star on Broadway. We were laughing so hard she fell over a concrete planter and had to spend the next day ordering delivery from my bed.

Mama taught me to never say no to dessert, never date a guy who doesn’t offer to do the dishes, always have a coffee cake ready in case guests stop by, and that there is no better place in the world than my bed.

Every kid, regardless of where they are born, should have the opportunity to love their Mama the way I love mine. But, approximately 800 women die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth every day. And, 99% of these maternal deaths occur in developing countries.

Creating stronger health systems that ensure that mothers and babies are safe during childbirth should be an important priority. That is why my Mama and I both signed the petition calling on the wealthiest countries in the world to invest in maternal, newborn, and child health. Can you join by taking action in the ‘Take Action Now’ box?

Editorial

Defeat Poverty

Introducing my Mom, the one and only Laura Rowland

By Judith Rowland