October | 2018 | QC Supermom

MomsRising is doing it again! For the third year in a row, we’ll be celebrating early voting with a family-friendly voting party at the Beatties Ford Rd. Regional Library, at 2412 Beatties Ford Rd, in partnership with FedUp and QC Supermom.

Join us as we help make voting fun for the whole family! It’s a FREE family voting celebration November 3rd in Charlotte from 9 am-12 pm at the Beatties Ford Road Regional Library early voting location (2412 Beatties Ford Rd., Charlotte). There will be face painting, a balloon artist, crafts, snacks, story time, voting swag for the kids, music– and even a voting parade around the library! Mecklenburg County residents who are eligible to vote can then cast their ballot at the early voting location in the library. Haven’t registered yet? No problem! You can register and vote at the same time during early voting.

There’s a lot at stake for women and families this election season and we must ensure that the voices of moms and the people who love them are heard at the ballot box. And – as an added bonus! – we’ll be building a whole new generation of voters. Research shows that children who see their parents vote are more likely to grow up to be voters themselves. Mark your calendars and plan to join us! #MomsVote #BeaVoterRaiseaVoter

Follow along on social media: Take a picture of you and your voting squad and post it to social media before or after you vote. Let everyone you know how and when you voted by taking a picture and posting it to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using #CantWait2Vote and tag @MomsRising! We love to see your smiling faces as you vote and this also reminds your friends and family that they should vote as well. If you are unable to attend, we still hope to see pictures of your family voting traditions, new and old.

If you aren’t able to make it to the party: You can find information on early voting locations, schedule, and absentee voting here, or you can call the Mecklenburg County Board of Elections at 704-336-2133.

Have questions about your voting rights in NC? Check out this great website from our partners at Democracy NC designed to answer all your questions.

I wanted to share a quick update. I’ll make this long story short- So back in August of 2012, Noah was just 2 months old when then Beatties Ford Regional library, librarian manager, Ms Iris, asked me to stop feeding Noah where I was seated.

This the exact shirt, day, position, and hour with which Noah’s feeding was violated.

“Wednesday Wow! Breastfeeding In the QC,” by Kelle Pressley, qcsupermom, 22 August 2012:

I thought this would be a quick visit, but it wasn’t so I shift [my two month old baby] inside my white, thin, cotton shirt to feed him. The only thing visible was his soft curly brown locks. Seconds later a library volunteer approached me(twice),then the female security guard (twice), and finally the older female supervisor. The message was consistent, plain and clear. I cannot nurse at the computer. I had to stop, get up and go into their 8x10ft nursing cellar. I refused each time telling them I knew my rights and not only were they violating my rights as a library patron, but also as a breastfeeding mom.

The coverage with Dan from SafeLibraries was interesting as well –

SafeLibraries
@CMLibrary, which harassed #bfing , has blocked me from reading its @Twitter feed! So much for #FreeSpeech! http://t.co/EwWrSABw
9/4/12 9:05 AM-Tuesday, 4September2012

cmlibrary
@SafeLibraries Untrue. ^jd
9/4/12 9:10 AM-Tuesday, 4September2012

(Click here to read it all)

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So yeah, I was heated for a long time. But got over it as the feeling of accomplishment

filled my spirit. Knowing that standing my ground would definitely encourage other moms to breastfeed with pride as well. And it did. The story traveled further than I have traveled so far. I could never be hushed for something I believe in- I’ve always been

stubborn like that. But here’s the update. img_20181007_165114_555

That little dark stuff room is now a nicer place to nurse. Of course if you want to let the liquid gold flow in the lobby you can, but, I thought I would share that with you.

I was there this week and ran into a long time employee of the library. She, Ms Vivian shared with me that it was created after my breastfeeding incident in 20I2. She then invited me to tour inside the newly updated nursing moms space. What was a flex space for small storage is now a intimate, cozy, tiny silo for all nursing mom’s.

I’m okay with that, but more importantly interested in ensuring more staff*, understand the importance of not breaking breastfeeding moments.

Breastfeeding is normal. It can be done in public by women who ARE more comfortable with it than I was with no problem. And the fact is, in most place, they’re protected by law to do so. – CafeMom

Breastfeeding is normal

-To all the new moms that a fearful, ashamed and any other way un-encouraged to feed your baby your liquid gold, please read this and understand that you are everything your baby needs to survive! It was given to us as a gift from God. Before there was formula, there was breast milk. And if you truly want to give your child the absolute best, go on and slide a boob up in your little ones mouth.