Mommune: A Village for Single Mom’s with Motherful

Solidarity Economy Shorts Episode #8A collaboration with New Economy Coalition

Solidarity Economy Shorts are conversations with frontline organizations & individuals that are putting solidarity economy principles into practice. They are using different strategies to build an economic system where communities are meeting their own needs outside of capitalism.

Motherful is a matriarchal collective by and for single mothers rooted in non-hierarchy, mutual care, and shared resources. They are reimagining a future of motherhood where all single mothers are valued as sacred and worthy of support.

In this episode I speak with co-founder Lisa Woodward and housing director Amanda King. Lisa grounds us in Motherful’s origin story and how they are meeting the needs of single moms through offerings like their pantry, resource garage, and basic income program. We discuss what it means to be a matriarchal and non-hierarchical collective and how they maintain those principles with an evolving membership of over 2,000. Amanda shares their newest initiative, an eco-village in Ohio for single mothers to shape their housing, community, and the conditions they need to thrive. This conversation offers a tangible vision for what is possible when we shift from care being an individual responsibility to a collective one.

Show NotesMotherful WebsiteHeide Göttner-Abendroth: an advocate for matriarchal studiesMatriarchy Now: an alliance of organizations whose shared mission is to move society towards matriarchyUp Together: organization that co-funded the Ohio Mother’s Trust and is working to working to disrupt the status quo approach to ending poverty Rise Together Innovation Institute: organization that co-funded the Ohio Mother’s Trust and is working to to disrupt structural racism and issues of poverty in Franklin County