Being a World Mom

I started blogging 15 months ago as a means to hone my writing skills, find my voice and to process life’s small moments…you know, pretty much for all the same reasons most people start blogging. We’re all a work in process.

Shortly after I started, a fellow blogger, by the name of Jennifer Burden, reached out to me about a new blog she had just begun, World Moms Blog.

In her own words, the blog is about this:

As busy mothers we often find ourselves without the time to  jet-set around the planet.  So, we invite you to come travel the world with us, through our global writers.  We will read about how women across the planet are mothering, how their lives are similar or different from ours, what’s on their minds and expand our horizons into corners of daily life around the world.

Her mission immediately resonated with me. I started following the blog and soon became a contributor. Within weeks of signing on as a writer, I also picked up co-editing the blog, while Jen took a few precious weeks to go on maternity leave. It’s funny how you can take leave from your work but not from your passions. Jen was never really “off-line” during her “leave,” she just needed more of us to help her hold the reins.

For the past year, I have stayed on as contributing editor and continue learning a lot about our 40+ writers from 19 countries and growing. In the past year, I also have gotten to know Jen pretty well. We’ve chatted via e-mail, IM, and phone. Short of sending one another holiday cards, I’d say we’ve become pretty good pals. Yet we’ve never met in person. Such is the online, social phenomenon.

For me, being a world mom means I strive to raise my kids aware of a world beyond the walls of our house, the boundaries of our neighborhood, the boarders of our town and the coasts of our country. Being a world mom means I’m working on raising global citizens in a shrinking world. I’m lucky that, by grace of birth, my bi-racial kids already represent their shrinking world. By virtue of being Chinese and American, we aim to infuse our lives with these two cultures and expand their exposure as frequently as possible.

Being a World Mom means I get to stay current with how other moms around the globe are following the same path.

Jen had a vision for her blog and she’s raising its impact with the same dedication she’s raising her own children. She’s become an advocate of social good, human rights and world issues affecting moms everywhere. In boundless outreach, she has caught the attention of media and non profits including ABC news, through her connection with the Million Moms Challenge, and the United Nations Foundation, who have made Jen a quasi-spokesmom for the April launch of their Shot@Life campaign, a movement to protect children worldwide by providing life-saving vaccines where they are most needed.

Being a World Mom and being Jen’s friend and colleague has lead me on some wonderful, virtual journeys this past year. This week, one of those journeys will become a reality when The UN Foundation brings me, Jen, and 38 other moms from around the country together in Washington, DC for a summit about their new campaign. We’ll learn first-hand about the importance and potential of vaccinating children world-wide as we connect with other social networkers regarding the campaign’s launch.

I’m thrilled, excited and honored to be a part of this journey and when I get there, I’ll also get to meet the person who set my foot on this journey’s path. So here’s to you Jennifer Burden, thanks for being a World Mom. Thanks for inviting us all to be part of your world and thanks for a million opportunities. See ya in DC!

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