Mocha Blog Archives 2020

Happy Holidays

This holiday season we hope that you and your families and loved ones are staying safe and healthy and finding creative ways to see and enjoy each other virtually. This year has been a long road full of twists and turns. We have experienced highs and lows, progress and setbacks, joy and devastation. We've marched and protested, voted and celebrated, masked up and quarantined inside, and we've been tested in more ways, literally and figuratively, than we could ever have imagined. We've had to adjust our busy lives and sadly, reflect on the lives of others. It's been rough and exhausting, and now...the holidays are here. Let's take a breath. Many of us will look back on this year of triumph and tragedy as a period in which resilience overcame despair, and hope conquered fear. As we celebrate this holiday season, we hope we all will take a moment to reflect on our many blessings. If there is anything that this year has taught us, it is that we must take precious care of ourselves and continue to practice gratitude daily. We are thankful for our great sisterhood, and deeply grateful that you have chosen to be on this journey with us.

On behalf of the Mocha Moms, Inc. National Board, we wish everyone a very happy holiday season full of peace, love and joy!

Much Mocha Love,

Kuae, Cheli, Kim, LaShaun, Shalaun, Danae and Tiffany
The National Board of Mocha Moms, Inc.

Posted: December 21 2020

Happy New Year!

Posted: January 1, 2021

Happy Holidays

Posted: December 21 2020

#Giving Tuesday

Join us for the Mocha Moms, Inc. Holiday Fundraiser on #GivingTuesday, December 1, 2020 and beyond! Your contribution will make an impact, whether you donate $5 or $500. Every little bit helps to support our national programs, chapters, members and the communities we serve. Mark your calendars for #GivingTuesday.

Mocha Moms, Inc. is a non-profit organization whose primary focus is sisterhood, support and service. Through local chapters and online engagement, Mocha Moms, Inc. provides support, educational conferences, leadership seminars, webinars and workshops for women of color as they journey through all phases of motherhood while advocating for them nationally.

**All December 1, 2020 donations will be matched!**

Click HERE to make a donation.

Posted: November 30 2020

Mochapreneur Virtual Holiday Shopping Expo

Have you heard the news? It's that time of year again and we are excited that we are able to create an opportunity to support and engage Mocha Moms everywhere about their products and services. So if you are a vendor get ready to showcase to your sisters nationwide or if you are looking for that perfect gift that you haven't been able to find we hope that you will find it here. See below for our upcoming Shop Mocha Days details.

LIVE VIRTUAL HOLIDAY SHOPPING EXPO
Thats right, It's time to SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP with Mocha discounts for the holiday season at our Mochapreneur Virtual Holiday Shopping Expo!

This year, we have a bit of a twist! Shopping begins LIVE on Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at 9:00 pm (ET) via Zoom for Mochas and guests. Attendees can see products worn or displayed, ask questions and SAVE!

Join us LIVE every Tues, Dec 1-29, 2020
at 9:00 pm (ET) via Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86792661925
Meeting ID: 867 9266 1925

CALLING ALL MOCHAPRENEURS!
Mochapreneurs are invited to offer Mocha discounts for the holiday season at our Mochapreneur Virtual Holiday Shopping Expo.

Mochapreneur Vendors - REGISTER HERE!

Submissions will be reviewed and slots will be filled on a first come, first serve basis.

JOIN US AND SHOP MOCHA DAYS!
We encourage you to SHOP MOCHA Black Owned Businesses this holiday season. Join us in helping Mocha Businesses thrive!

Posted: November 23, 2020

Holiday Spending

Kim Scott, National Treasurer

Although the holidays are a happy time of year for most, the holidays also bring added stress and anxiety for others due to the amount of money that is usually spent on entertaining and gifts. Proper planning and a change in outlook can help to minimize the angst that can occur during this happy season. Since Christmas is always on the 25th of December we can plan our spending a year in advance if we want. Listed below are some tips on easing the pain of holiday spending.

Create a holiday spending budget – Set an amount of money that you will spend to purchase gifts. Regardless of the amount you set, use cash for all purchases and do not use any credit cards. If necessary, start a Christmas savings fund to save your budgeted amount in advance. Getting into debt should never be an option when spending for the holidays.
Make a list – Prepare a list of items that you will purchase as gifts. When shopping, stick to the list and do not get sucked into the holiday “deals” and extras that will be displayed in the stores. Stay focused!
Shop sales – Everything on your list will be on sale numerous times throughout the year. In order to get the best deal, only purchase items when they are on sale. Shopping online makes it easy to buy items when they are on sale. Sign up with your favorite stores to get sale notifications and coupons that you can use when purchasing gifts. Many stores offer price matching so always shop around to get the lowest price.
Give the gift of service – Give the gift of baked goods, babysitting, cleaning a home, organizing an office, etc. We all have talents and services that we can lend to others that can be true gifts to them.

Posted: November 23, 2020

A Special Welcome To Our Newest Mocha Sisters - Mocha Moms of Gwinnett County, GA!

We are excited to announce our newest chapter GA-Gwinnett County. Let's all welcome our new Mochas to our sisterhood!

Posted: November 2, 2020

Breast Cancer Facts

Second most common cancer diagnosed in women
1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime
1 in 39 women will succumb to breast cancer
64% of breast cancers will be local
99% - 5 year survival rate
Over 3.5 million breast cancer SURVIVORS in the U.S. alone
Death rates from breast cancer have consistently DECLINED since the 1990's

Hereditary Cancer Screenings

- Blood Testing

Inherited changes in genes

- Positive results may not result in cancer diagnosis
- NOT a substitute for self breast examination and
mammograms
- Helpful in those who have

Many 1st generation relatives with cancer
Many relatives on one side of the family with the same type of cancer
Family member with more than 1 type of cancer
Family member with early onset of cancer
Family member with rare cancer
Physical finding linked to cancer
Family members who have been tested & have same genetic mutation
Are of a certain ethnicity (Ashkenazi Jew)

Posted: October 26, 2020

Pink Ribbon Sisterhood

To our Mocha Pink Ribbon Sisters, we fight with you. Click HERE for more information on breast health.

Posted: October 19, 2020

Meet Our New California State Coordinator

Stephanie Hazzard holds a Master's Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from National University. She currently serves as a Lead Program Coordinator at A Change in Trajectory, a non-profit agency aimed at narrowing the gap between the developmental path of individuals with special needs and those who are neurotypical. In this role, she manages, coordinates and oversees a team of 10+ staff members. Committed to supporting marginalized populations, Ms. Hazzard is continuing her education by pursuing her Doctorate Degree at NorthCentral University. Her Marriage and Family Therapy studies will allow her to focus on biases within the mental health field towards Black patients.

Ms. Hazzard is a gifted public speaker who is passionate about helping women, mothers and teens achieve their God given potential. She aims to empower people in the most vulnerable communities by identifying their strengths and helping them reach their goals. Ms. Hazzard is currently the Co-President of The San Fernando Valley Mocha Moms Chapter, and has recently accepted the position as the California State Coordinator for Mocha Moms, Inc. She is the proud mother of three amazing children and is developing her non-profit organization, "Stir It Up Inc," which will provide crucial mental health support to the underserved populations.

Posted: October 19, 2020

Mocha Moms, Inc. Voting Action Plan

Tiffany Kerr, National Director of Community Service

Community service is still in effect! As we prepare for fall and winter, and this election season, it's time to think of ways we can still serve our communities, whether it is virtually or individually as a person. Although Covid-19 has continued to keep us in this pandemic, we still have a job to do. Why? Because we have dedicated ourselves to an organization that encourages the love we have for one another in sisterhood, the support we share as mothers and the duty we have to serve other mothers and families.

One of the most important elections is fast approaching and Mocha Moms, Inc. wants to work together, in action, to make sure all mothers of color across the country register on time and vote on November 3rd. But, we must be vigilant and steadfast during this time to encourage each other and the people we know to VOTE. We must serve our communities in an effective way that promotes the importance and civic right of this year's election.

Collectively with our National "Our Families Matter" Campaign, we are initiating a National "Voting Action Plan."

Nationals has dedicated efforts to updating our website and Mocha Mondays with pertinent voter information, an election day countdown reminder and weekly community service tips related to voting. Chapter leaders are being asked to dedicate at least (1) event towards the action of voting as part of a community service project.

Join US! In ACTION! By spreading awareness about why it's so important to VOTE!

Posted: September 28, 2020

Happy 23rd Anniversary Mocha Moms, Inc.!

Cheli English-Figaro, Esq., Co-Founder and National Board Member, Mocha Moms, Inc.

Twenty-three years ago this month, something extraordinary happened. Four Black women who lived in Prince George's County, Maryland and self-identified as stay-at-home mothers, banned together to form a revolutionary organization.

When Jolene Ivey, Karla Chustz, Joby Dupree and I decided that the newsletter for African American at-home moms that Jolene and Karla had created should become a living, breathing organization with members all over the country, we knew we were making history. At that time, the American economy was experiencing the type of growth and prosperity which allowed many mothers to leave full-time employment outside of the home in order to devote more time to their families. In fact, a number of national organizations for at-home moms were formed in the 1980's and 1990's. However, the general perception was that Black at-home mothers, particularly well-educated ones, did not exist.

Mocha Moms, Inc. was created, in part, to set the record straight. Actively supporting Black at-home moms was essential because that choice did not align with any part of African-American history or culture. As a result, deciding to become an at-home mom was a choice that was not always accepted or appreciated by their extended families. Mocha Moms, Inc. was a safe haven for them.

Times have certainly changed since 1997 and Mocha Moms, Inc. has evolved to meet the changing needs of our members. While we still wholeheartedly support and embrace mothers who choose to be at-home moms, we have broadened our scope to explicitly support moms who are employed full-time outside or inside the home as well.

The Mocha Moms, Inc. mission is Sisterhood, Support and Service.

It has been a remarkable 23 years. In 1997, Jolene, Karla, Joby and I had the support of a magnificent group of moms who helped put Mocha Moms, Inc. on the map. Twenty-three years later there are no words to express my gratitude for the hundreds of Mocha leaders who worked tirelessly and selflessly over the years to carry the mission and purpose forward. I am especially grateful for the current National Board who continue to pour their life's blood into the organization.

I am also thankful for the thousands of members who have caught the vision of Mocha Moms, Inc. since its inception and have allowed it to be a part their lives. I don't know what the next 23 years will hold, but I know they will be Mochalicious!

Happy 23rd Anniversary Mochas!

Click HERE to watch our 23rd Anniversary video. Be sure to also subscribe to the Mocha Moms, Inc. YouTube channel.

Posted: September 21, 2020

Mocha Sheroes

For the month of September 2020, we are celebrating Mocha SHE-roes. Many of our Mochas are frontline and essential employees who have worked tirelessly during COVID19 to ensure our health & safety. These Mochas work in public safety, hospitals & emergency services, food services, transportation, communication, financial services and so much more. If you are a Mocha frontline or essential worker or know someone who is, please submit the information HERE. We want to celebrate YOU via Mocha Monday and social media.

Posted: June 29, 2020

My Son is in Jail

Cheli English-Figaro, Esq., Co-Founder and National Board Member, Mocha Moms, Inc.

My son is under House-arrest. Whose house? Mine. Who put him there? Me. The length of his sentence? Life. His crime? He was born black.

On any given day in America, an unarmed young black man will be killed by the police. Another black mother will experience the unimaginable grief, pain and misery of knowing that her child was killed by a person sworn to protect and serve, but who, in fact, had no regard for her son's humanity.

My son is 26 years old, tall, brown and lanky. In other words, it is open season on him and every other man who looks like him. It doesn't matter that he graduated college with honors and works full time while pursuing a Master's degree. It doesn't matter that he is active in our church and is a leader in ministry. It doesn't matter that he is the son of two parents with doctorate level degrees. It doesn't matter that his younger sisters look up to him or that he helps care for his disabled grandmother.

When my son leaves my house, America sees him as a menace and a monster who does not deserve to jog in a park, walk into a store or drive his car without being hunted down and murdered in cold blood. He is disposable to them. He has a gigantic target on his back. He is just another n——-.

What, as black mothers, are we supposed to do? We pray. We cry. We protest. We raise good sons and daughters. We teach them to respect authority. We teach them to value education. We parent them with intention. It does not matter.

And we, unfortunately, are dying right along with our children. High blood pressure, diabetes and other chronic health conditions plague black women at a wildly disproportionate rate. We know that the chronic stress, anguish and anxiety that accompany raising Black children in America are at least partly to blame.

I don't have the solution. But we had better put our collective heads together to find one. Now!

Posted: June 8, 2020

Mocha Moms Call to Police

As the life was being choked out of George Floyd, he called out, "Mama!" Our sons and daughters are calling for us and we will answer. We will stand. This cancer of racism is killing our kids and it needs to end. Bringing an end to racism is a tall order and big job. We will start by re-issuing our 2016 call to police. This letter was sent to a national police organization in 2016. It is shameful that the only change needed to reissue this letter is the addition of the two Minnesota cities where protests are breaking out now.

Today, we're not only reissuing this letter nationally, our local chapters are also sending it to their local police and sheriffs' departments, and we're asking other Moms' groups and women's organizations to join us by also signing on and sending the letter themselves. Click here for full details.

Posted: May 29, 2020

Census Day

It's not a joke! April 1 is the official census date. This is the date you should have in mind when filling out the census. Where do you live as of April 1, 2020? Who else is living in your home as of April 1, 2020? This is the date that matters for answering the questions on the census.

Filling out the census is so important! How you answer those questions determines what communities get resources, and how many of those resources. At this time, when we're faced with so many uncertainties, resources matter. A lot. So, please, don't take this lightly. And remember, today, April 1, 2020 is not a deadline, but it is the reference date.

Posted: April 1, 2020

Mocha Moms, Inc. Statement on Coronavirus

With the spread of the Coronavirus, Mocha Moms, Inc. is urging caution. As of today, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is reporting 423 cases in 35 states. So far, 19 people have died in the United States. Please stay informed and make the best decisions for you, your families, and your chapters.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) is actually a family of viruses that mainly is spread person-to-person, between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) or through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. You can also get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching your mouth, nose, or possibly eyes.

The virus is very contagious and potentially fatal, especially to older people and those with compromised immune systems and other underlying health and respiratory problems like heart disease, lung disease and diabetes. If you or a family member has any of these problems, we encourage you to take extra precautions, and consider staying at home as much as possible.

To protect yourself and your family, please:

Take everyday preventive actions to stay healthy.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures.
Stay informed. CDC's COVID-19 Situation Summary will be updated regularly as information becomes available.

We realize many of you are planning Black Marriage Day, Sister Social, community service, Tweens & Teens and other events. We want to be sensitive to the work you have done and schedules that are already in place, but we also want to ensure all Mocha chapters are taking necessary safety precautions.

Please be sure to check the CDC's website to stay informed and make the best decisions for you, your families, and your chapters. Be sure to stay vigilant and keep in mind that information changes daily.

Posted: March 9, 2020

Click here for the 2019 Mocha Blog archives.