Mother’s Day is a Hallmark holiday designed for a very specific person — someone with a living mother or child and an active mother-child relationship.

That’s what can make it hard. Because the celebration of Mother’s Day doesn’t capture the full breadth of experience of people who don’t fit into the traditional Mother’s Day mold. For those of us with non-living or estranged mother - child relationships, this day can be incredibly isolating.

This event is a response to that isolation. It’s for those of us who don’t quite fit into the traditional Mother’s Day mold, but still want to connect with others on this day. Mother’s Day will never be the same without your loved one, I get that. But by making space to sit with and acknowledge each other on this day, my hope is that you’ll feel a little more connected by knowing there are people out there missing someone, too. If there’s no Hallmark card for you, we’re your crew.

I was excited and anxious about participating in A Different Kind of Mother's Day. As it turned out, it was like talking to someone who I already knew. I connected with two people and my conversations left me with this expanded heart kind of feeling, just knowing that two strangers in different parts of the country were not strangers at all. The Mother's Day conversations were something that we all need more of; to know that we are more the same than we are different.

-Nancy

ready to sign up? here’s how it works

1. sign up below by May 8th.

2. we’ll pair you with another participant

3. we’ll send you their info on May 9th
   (along with some conversation starters and things to help you feel connected!)

4. On May 10th at 6pm PST you’ll call and connect

   
   (more questions? see our FAQ)

We're building a community of people who "get it."
Though we all come together with different stories,
some from death and some from distance,
we share an understanding of loss. 

By allowing people on both sides of mother child loss to show up for each other in a powerful way, we can find connection and empathy.

PS. This project is for everyone who feels called to participate. If you feel loss on Mother's Day and resonate with the idea of connecting with someone who understands, we want to help support you in finding that connection.

"This Mother's Day I am remembering my Mother who died right after I turned 14. I often give her a thought or two on this day, and mostly let it pass like any other day. I am hoping to change this and allow myself to connect with her memory and her gifts."

-M.W.

commonly asked questions

How does this actually work. What's the time commitment? 
After you sign-up, we'll send your match(es) on May 8th. On May 10th, you and your match will call each other at 6pm PST — along with everyone else participating in A Different Kind of Mother’s Day — and connect for however long you want.

How do you make the pairs?
We'd like to think of it as a numbers game with a lot of heart. We read through every "about me" to look for any special requests and then divide and match people by what people share on their forms.

What type of loss qualifies to participate?
Maybe you're unsure if you can participate because your situation isn't so black and white. Maybe you're missing your grandma or aunt on this day. Perhaps you've never met the person you've lost due to time, space, or miscarriage. We can't list all the reasons you might feel unsure if you can participate, but the bottom line is if this project resonates with you, you are welcome here. We'd love to connect you with someone.

But isn't it weird talking to a stranger?
We hear you. Meeting new people, especially over something like the death of a loved one isn't easy. Remember, sharing your mother or child's story isn't necessary — especially if those memories are painful or hard to re-live. (But it's not off limits either!) We'll connect you with someone who has lost a loved one and provide you with a few prompts for how to get started (things you might want to connect over, questions to ask each other... things like that).

Read more on our FAQ
Have more questions? Send an email to heyhello@morganmichelebrown.com

Hey, I'm Morgan

It's a chance to find community and connection on a day that can feel lonely and isolating.
It's a way connect with someone who understands that Mother's Day isn't always celebratory. 
It is an opportunity to work towards collective healing (& make a new friend or two while you're at it).

This project is just one of the many things I do, but — shhh! don’t tell my other projects — A Different Kind of Mother’s Day is definitely one of my favorites.

From one new friend, 
Morgan

We can't Say for sure how you feel. But we're guessing if you
made it this far, it's because Mother's Day leaves you feeling a little off.

That's why we're here.

This project connects people who have lost a mother with mothers who have lost a child — of any age — to call each other on Mother's Day.

Once you sign up, we match you with another person, and you have a phone call on May 13th. It's that simple.

We're building a community of people who "get it." Though we all come together with different stories, some from death and some from distance, we share an understanding of loss. 

By allowing people on both sides of mother child loss to show up for each other in a powerful way, we can find connection and empathy.

It is — quite literally — a different kind of Mother's Day.