Welcome!
Thanks for stopping by The Mommune, a space dedicated to mothers and the people who support them.
I’m Grace Bastidas, an award-winning journalist and parenting editor who has been writing, thinking, and speaking about parenthood for more than a decade and on every possible platform (magazines, digital, podcasts, live television, conferences). But, most importantly, I’m a mom of two.
And while motherhood looks different for everyone, the threads that unite us are many. I know because I’ve talked to hundreds of moms throughout my career and have always found those exchanges to be authentic, enlightening, even raw.
No matter their corner of the map, mothers understand the shared joys, worries, and messy middle of raising kids. But those conversations only surface when we feel the kind of deep connection that allows us to show up as our fully fleshed selves.
My mission is to chat with moms around the country and capture those stories in an effort to bring us closer together and amplify the needs of caregivers everywhere.
Why moms
If you’re asking why I’m solely focusing on mothers, I get it. As the former Editor In Chief of Parents and a regular on-air expert on families, I recognize the importance of including both mothers and fathers in anything to do with parenting as we shift the narrative around those roles.
But… as someone who was raised in a “mommune” and is a mother herself, I am intimately aware of the profound impact mothering has on a person’s identity, the people around them, and the world at large. As well as the myriad ways mothers are left to fend for themselves.
In short, moms need support. They need to know that when they scream into the void, they won’t be met solely with the sound of their own voices echoing back to them. This space is a reminder that we are not alone. And if we yell (and laugh and let go of expectations) loud enough and in unison, we will be heard.
So, if you’re craving company on the topsy turvy journey that is motherhood, you’re in the right place. If you’re committed to helping mothers navigate the bumps along the way, you’re in the right place. If you have a say in shaping family policies, you’re in the right place. Please subscribe and stay a while.
For now, you’ll hear from a different mother each week (with plans to occasionally include dads working to improve the lot of mothers everywhere). Some names you’ll recognize, others you won’t. One thing’s for sure: Their stories will resonate with you no matter what. At least that’s my hope.
