Why I am Going to the Listen to Your Mother Metro Detroit 2015 Show

I am so excited for the Listen to Your Mother show in Detroit this Sunday, April 26 at 2pm!  I bought my ticket  and cannot wait for an afternoon of storytelling.

In case you don’t know what the Listen to Your Mother show is all about, it’s a live event in which the storytellers talk about any aspect of motherhood – whether you are a mother, want to be a mother, or about a mother.  I wrote more about it here last year, or this check out this YouTube clip.

I read in the 2014 show, and it really was a life changing moment.  How could baring your soul for all to see and then having it live forever on YouTube not change your life?

But it was more than that – it was listening to others share their truths.  It was finding myself in some of their stories and being touched by honest, raw moments.

My life hasn’t been the same since this show. See, we are conditioned to bury our truths and ignore the ugly, difficult parts of our lives.  This show brought light into those dark places. Reading my story gave me courage not only to stand in front of an audience and share my fears of being a mom; it gave me strength to live my life more honestly and not be afraid of any truth.

And to know that there are other people out there willing to speak their truths was comforting to me, kind of like we are on the same team of truthsayers.

I mean, take a look at the quotes by last year’s cast members in this video created by Angela Youngblood, one of the producers of Listen to Your Mother Detroit.

Listen To Your Mother Metro Detroit Advice From The 2014 Cast from Jumping With My Fingers Crossed on Vimeo.

I am looking so forward to this year’s show produced by The Angelas (Angela Youngblood and Angela Amman).  I can’t wait to laugh and cry and think, “Me too!”

Also, I am super excited to hear my Aunt Diane read her story this year!

So be sure to buy your tickets!

Thank you, Listen to Your Mother, for giving people a space to bear their stories!

Listen to Your Mother: A Look Back in Photos

It hardly seems like Metro Detroit’s first Listen to Your Mother was only a week ago. 

I have so many feelings that I am still processing and still wrapping my mind around the magnitude of this experience.  I mean, it’s not everyday you go up in front of a live audience to talk about one of the most difficult moments of your life.

So even though I’m still working through some emotional stuff, I wanted to share something about this experience.

Here are some of images from that day that the photographer, Jarrad Henderson took. You know, when you take a photo and it doesn't match up to the feeling you experienced in that moment?  This was totally not the case.  Jarred is an amazing photographer, and I felt he really captured the essence of the experience.  Thank you, Jarred, for your beautiful images. 

Metro Detroit’s Listen to Your Mother show happened here at St. Andrew’s Hall.  Eminem has performed here.  So have the Red Hot Chili Peppers.  Never in a million years would I have ever thought that I would have performed on the same stage as awesome talent like that!

And can you believe that there was a line to get in?!  My family was second in line here.  They don’t mess around when it comes to making sure they get good seats.

Here is where we got to hang out before the show.  What a great space!

One of the best things that have come out of the show is this sense of belonging, of being on the team.  Bonds have been formed.  I am fortunate to have met not only amazingly talented women, but also genuinely kind people.

This photo cracks me up.  Yes, I was concerned about my eye makeup.  In retrospect, I am not sure why since I was teary eyed for most of the day.

I was totally surprised by this beautiful necklace that producers gave us each created by Sara Russell of Sara Russell Designs.  I was just happy to be there. And now I have this awesome piece of jewelry to always remind me of that day.

An inspiring champagne toast right before going on stage.  Here are the producers, Angela Youngblood, Jessica Watson, and Angela Amman, along with Reshounn Foster and Ber-Henda Williams. 

And here we are with Dr. Earlexia Norwood from one of our sponsors, Henry Ford Health System.  

Here I am on stage.  Me on stage.  That is crazy!

I am glad I could not see my family because I would not have been able to be in the moment.  So I am grateful that Jarrad took this photo of my husband, my dad, and my mom watching the show.

Ta-da!  We did it!

Holy $hit!  Can you see all of those people there!  Even the balcony was packed! 

Aww, look at that good-looking group!  Here are some of my family members that were there to support me.  It meant so much to me to have friends and family there.

And to these lovely ladies, thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Thank you for thinking I was good enough to be on the team.  Thank you for helping me see myself in a different light.  Thank you for creating a positive environment to share our souls. Thank you.

 If you like Jarrad's amazing photos (and honestly, how could you not like them?!), be sure to follow him on Twitter and Instagram.  Also be sure to learn more about his project Beyond This Place which examines the Black Greek Letter Organizations and how they have helped shape American culture.

Thoughts Before Listen To Your Mother Show

 This is it.  Two more days until show time.

Two! More! Days!

I am so excited to be a part of Detroit’s first cast of Listen to Your Mother.  I have said this many times, but it has been a dream of mine to be in a Listen to Your Mother Show ever since I heard about it at BlogHer.  It is surreal to know it will be coming true in just a few short days.

As much as I am excited, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous.

This confuses some people.  “Erin,” they say, “but you have been on TV with Live in the D.  You have spoken at conferences and in front of classrooms filled with students.  What do you have to be nervous about?”

All of this is 100% true.  This year I have gained a lot of experience talking in front of groups.  

I’ve chitchatted about whether alcohol should be permitted at high school prom parties and whether schools should hand out condoms.

I have talked about the importance of using images when building your personal brand at the Rochester Writers' Conference.

And believe me, I was nervous about all of that, too.

But there is something inherently different about sharing a personal story that is about a raw, emotional time in my life that I kept pretty private.  There are a few more emotions bubbling up rather than just hoping I don’t say the “F” word on TV.

Maybe you are wondering why I would choose to talk about such a sensitive issue. 

Sometimes I wonder that, too, and all I can say is that it just kind of poured out of me.  The words could not stay in any longer.  They had to come out.

When I start to get really nervous, I remember the look of compassion, not judgment, in the producers’ eyes.  I remember feeling supported by the other cast mates at the readings.

And maybe, just maybe, my story will help someone else.

If you are coming, please consider helping our sponsor, Alternative for Girls, by donating these items:

bottles
sippy cups
onesies
receiving blankets
infant/toddler socks
pacifiers

 I hope to see you at the show.  There are tickets still available (but not too many since we are almost sold out)!

Putting Yourself Out There: My Listen to Your Mother Metro Detroit Audition

For the past four and a half years, I have been putting myself out there blogging and writing about my life and opinions.  I still feel that tingle of excitement and nervousness as I click the publish button.  Sometimes I get a comment, most times not, but either way, I never really see the people and their facial expression as they read my posts.

This all changed when I auditioned for Listen to Your Mother Metro Detroit. 

I first learned about Listen to Your Mother at a BlogHer conference.  The women that read at the open mic night were women I had admired, especially Wendi Aarons as she read her open letter to Brand Manager of Proctor and Gamble, manufacturer of Always Maxi Pads.

Later,I could see other favorite writers read their pieces on the Listen to Your Mother’s YouTubechannel.  I knew I wanted to be apart of this production.  I wasn’t sure how, if, or when it would happen, so I just kept my eyes open for any opportunity near me.

My chance came a few weeks ago.  I read a piece of writing that was extremely personal which took me forever to write.

As I sat in front of the producers, my voice trembled as I fought back tears.

Tears for when I remembered the experience as it happened.  Tears for sharing thoughts I don’t normally share out loud.  Tears because of all this took an enormous amount of courage for me.

I left the audition not really knowing what the producers thought about my piece. I did leave knowing this:

It takes guts to put myself out there, to create something, to be a maker. No matter what, I need to be proud of that.

And I was proud, but for the next couple of weeks, I tried not to refresh my email every hour 10 minutes to see if I had been chosen.

I am excited to say that I have been given an opportunity to share my story on stage with the first cast of Listen to Your Mother Metro Detroit.

I am beyond thrilled to be a part of this production and have a chance to work with some very talented writers.

I started blogging because I just wanted to write, share my story, and connect with others.  

This is a culmination of my intentions in a way I never dreamed of.