Wishing the Happiest of Mother’s Day to all of you, to your mom, stepmom, grandmothers, daughters, to your sisters and friends who are moms. If you have lost your mom, #same, my thoughts are with you on this day. I hope your day is be filled with the happy memories of your mother and the irreplaceable love that a mother can give.
We reached out to several of @womenofclt for some Mother’s Day inspiration and how the women in their family have inspired them.
Michele Morgan of Charlotte The Figgy
My daughter Emma has been such a gift! She inspires me daily and was instrumental in me deciding to start Charlotte the Figgy. My small business where people can rent my vintage car. As a entrepreneur herself, she understands taking risks. Bold risks. When you feel that tugging at your heart, to do something. Something that many won’t understand. But she understood. My ultimate hype queen!!! We have weathered so much together over the years. She is my greatest gift and the most profound accomplishment of my life.
Juliana Lievano of Alpha Lit Charlotte
I grew up in a house of entrepreneurs. My mom and dad both had their own businesses. My mom always amazed me. She had/ still has a huge talent for it. Seeing her talking to clients, and making me help her growing up doing small things for the businesses she had, make me the person I am today. I think it’s a huge benefit you have growing up that your parents make you a part of what they are doing/working if they have their own business. It helps you shape your personality and your future. I didn’t know I had it on me. I went to school, and graduated with a degree in advertising and Graphic Design. Worked for amazing companies here in Charlotte, but I always knew I was missing something. I tried couple of times to create something on my own without luck, until Alpha Lit came to my life. I can see through out all this process how important seeing my mom as an entrepreneur helped me shaped my life; I see many things from her on me. I’m grateful for my mom, and all the things I learned by watching her in the business world.
Stephanie Welch of Welch Care
What can I say. She has bounds of energy and takes care of everyone with enthusiasm and full of heart. She is almost 70 years old and works full time as a teaching assistant, specifically working with those with special needs. She loves the children and they adore her.
When she visits my kids, she’s here cleaning , cooking, taking them on long walks. She really does it all. I hope to be as involved and continue to have the passion she does at her age. I am thankful for the relationship I have with my mom, and the relationship my daughter Ella has with her. They have an amazing bond & are so much a like! They both share their love of nature, reading, organizing (unfortunately that skipped my generation) and cooking. Although mom doesn’t live nearby they FaceTime every day. She visits when she is in school break from her job as a teachers assistant.
Krisha Chachra with Destinations and Delish – Travel Writer & Coach
My mother is an immigrant from India who came to this country to pursue her dreams in teaching and raising a family in a country where opportunity was endless. She and my dad worked extremely hard to give my brother and I the chance to our lives in pursuit of our passions, but my mom always reminded me that service led to true happiness. That is why after years of being a journalist for NPR and PBS and a travel writer and author, I decided to run for local office to represent, work for, and amplify the good work of the residents of my community. I served on city council for 8 years in Blacksburg, Virginia and was the first Indian-American female to ever be elected as Vice Mayor in the state. Now that I live in Charlotte, I continue to serve my new city on the Community Relations Committee for the City, the South Charlotte Partners Board, and the organizational committee for the Festival of India. I have been asked to run for office again here in Charlotte, but for now, I want to focus on giving my energy to my only child and daughter, Mina. She is a star in her own right, shining on stage in her musical theater productions and Indian dancing. My mother travels from Virginia for every one of her granddaughter’s shows and never misses a milestone occasion in her life.
Mary Jayne Wilson of Thoughtful Baking Co
I come from a long line of strong women.
My maternal grandmother was an incredible woman that we called “Sunshine.” She was an eccentric, worldly, spiritual, art lover. She traveled the world, was a student and a teacher and appreciated the beauty that life provides us all through a passionate lens of vibrant color.
My paternal grandmother was who first got me most motivated to make delicious comfort food.
My mother is a hard working teacher that has supported me through motherhood, taught me how to garden, try new things and continue to improve yourself as you navigate life.
I have two sisters, one who has been an anchor in family and connection and another who is also an entrepreneur, like myself. She is one of my best friends and is my go-to for talking through new ideas and challenges.
Jill Brashear Author
People sometimes tell me, “You got your mother’s smile.”
But I got a lot more than that from my mother. I got her kindness. And I passed it on.
When I was a little girl, I wanted to be a writer. Most of the adults in my life didn’t think that was a good career choice. But my mother encouraged me to follow my dreams and told me, “Whatever you be, be kind.”
Many years later, I became a writer and a mother. I taught my daughter to be compassionate and kind. And I couldn’t be more proud of the woman she’s become.
She’s the ray of sunshine in everyone’s life. A kind soul with an open heart and a contagious smile passed down from her grandmother.
So when people tell me I’m a kind person, I flash my radiant smile and say, “I got it from my mother.”
Helia Forsyth of Comfy-Cozy
As the daughter of an immigrant mother from Iran, I have always admired my mom’s strength and unwavering love for our family. Growing up, my brother and I watched as our mom worked hard every day as a civil engineer to provide us with a comfortable life. Despite the challenges my mom faced as a single mother, she never lost hope that she could provide us with a happy and fulfilling life. She always believed that she was meant to be a mother and her love for us never wavered.
As I started a family of my own, I saw firsthand the impact my mom had on our lives. Her sacrifices and hard work did not go unnoticed. I felt a deep sense of gratitude towards her and her unwavering love. Even now, as a grandmother, my mom continues to be a constant presence in our lives. She loves and cares for our children as if they were her own, never slowing down or giving up on her mission as a loving mother.
Looking back on her journey as a single mom, my mom realized that the greatest gift she had ever given her children was her love. It was because of her love that we were able to overcome obstacles and achieve our goals. And now, seeing the joy and love in my own family, she knows that her legacy will continue for generations to come.
Christy Pope & Toni South of CLT Find
CLT Find has been a family affair from the beginning & both Christy & Toni attribute their motivation to their mothers. During the 1980s & 90s the CLT Find owners grew up (separately) watching their moms work, provide, fulfill & most importantly inspire. From painting & cleaning houses, hanging wallpaper, volunteering, caretaking, picking up odd jobs, selling real estate, and more…Christy & Toni knew from a young age that women are powerful & able. Their moms worked hard, but were always present, accessible, inclusive; and even into adulthood they have gifted the women with unwavering emotional support, love & maybe a little bit of hard labor too! (Opening up a retail shop or two can take long hours, sweat, persistence and help!)
The desire to create CLT Find & to include their own daughters in the day-to-day operations is a direct reflection of their moms. “We don’t want our job to be separate from our families. The idea that we can intertwine parenting with the growth of our business is a big part of why this works.” On any given weekend you can find Christy’s daughter tagging merchandise, helping take pictures & monitoring the shop mascot, Rosie the Pomeranian. Toni’s daughter is actually on payroll & does everything from customer assistance, social media content, tracking inventory + graphic design.
Courtney Pugh of Piccadilly
We’re a family-owned business made up of a mother, daughter, and daughter in law (we’re crazy, right?) with a passion for beautiful, quality clothing for even our littlest generations.
Piccadilly was born to fill a market space in apparel we couldn’t find ourselves. Something posh and playful. Classic and different. Southern and European.
Our mission is to give our customers beautiful clothing and the freedom to let their littles live in it!
Jen Dufresne – Cross Conditioning Training
Grandmother – Ellen Wade, Mother – Jen Dufresne, Daughters – Madison (9), Morgan (8), Cameron (5)
My mom has always led by example in terms of wellness. As a Registered Dietitian she taught us from a young age how to have a healthy relationship with food and how much we need food to fuel performance. That came in handy as I transitioned to being a college pole vaulter at Virginia Tech. Fun fact, at the age of 50 she earned her lifeguard certification and actually spent time lifeguarding at local pools. I credit her enthusiasm to always being open to do new things for why I have always believed that I can do anything I put my mind to (even if it is against the grain). I hope my girls are inspired to not only follow their dreams (even when others may have something to say about it) but are able to see how important regular movement and a healthy relationship with food go towards a long happy and healthy life. I’m grateful every day that my mom moved to Charlotte so she can continue to play such a special part in our lives.
Shaleiah Sanders of Life For The Hopeless Foundation
The women in my family are DETERMINED, STRONG, and CARING.
My late grandmother, Pearl Sanders was the matriarch of our family. Unfortunately, she passed away on 1/9/2021 after contracting the coronavirus. My grandmother raised six children by herself and instilled in her children how to be independent and to go after their dreams. I’m thankful to my grandmother for giving birth to my mom, Andrea. My mother is a graduate from NC State University and has been employed with Mecklenburg County for over 26 years in HR Management. When my grandmother passed away it showed me that everything she instilled in her children stuck with them. My mother had just lost my stepdad 11 months prior to congestive heart failure was so strong when my grandmother passed away. My grandmother has always been my best friend since I was a little girl. I use to get upset when she would discipline me and tell me about the mistakes that I was making in life. It wasn’t until I was older that I appreceiated everything that she did to help mold me. When my grandmother passed away my mother stepped in and became my best friend. It’s kind of like my grandmother guided her and told her everything that I needed at the time. I created my foundation, Life For The Hopeless Foundation to support and bring awareness to “Mental Health”. After losing my stepfather in 2019 I realized how quickly grief can consume you if you don’t deal with it. Therapy was the best thing for me and I’m so glad that I made the decision to try it. My non-profit organization is a “bridge the cap” hub supplying help to those suffering in silence with no access or direction in receiving help to cope. Being able to help others and instill in others what the women in my family instilled in me keeps my family legacy going. And although my grandmother is not present physically to see all the good that I’m doing in the community. I know my guardian angel is watching from above smiling. Happy Mother’s Day to all!
