Success is OUR Birthright!

I am so excited to announce the launch of Successful Single Moms Memphis…Single Moms who know and understand that SUCCESS is OUR Birthright!  We are not a “project”, but a group of intelligent, motivated, goal-oriented SUCCESSFUL single mothers and PROUD!  Excited about all the new programs, partnerships and supporters who have encouraged and empowered us to press our way!

Project Single Moms Memphis gears up to High Five, 5 Year Anniversary!

Get Ready to “HIGH FIVE” Project Single Moms Worldwide, Inc. as we celebrates our 5th Anniversary in July 2012 …STAY TUNED FOR DETAILS on how you can be a part of the movement!

PSM Memphis Coordinator speaks to the power of CHOICE!

Memphis Coordinator featured on the cover of Ordinary People Magazine

Best Mom in the World!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Bethany Morgan at info@lorettamcnary.com

Does your Mom deserve public recognition, beautiful roses and gifts for being the “Best Mom in the World”? If you think so, tell The Loretta McNary Show. It is time to honor our Moms!

MEMPHIS, TN April 5, 2010, The Loretta McNary Show is sponsoring our 3rd Annual essay contest to find the best mom in the world. Enter the contest for a chance to let others know why they wish their moms were just like yours and to show your Mom how much you appreciate her. Essays must be typed, double-spaced, 12 font, and 300 words or less. Essays must also include the best advice that your Mom has given you. The essay header must include your name, age, address, a primary phone number, an alternate phone number, and a valid email address. Entries will be divided into three age categories: 7-12, 13-18, and 19 and older. Essays will be judged on grammar and content. Judges decisions will be final.

Essays should be emailed as a MS Word attachment to info@lorettamcnary.com or mailed to Loretta McNary Show, c/o McNary TV Studio, 6116 Hickory Ridge Mall, Suite 268, Memphis TN, 38115. The deadline for entries is 6:00 p.m. on April 20, 2011. Late entries and/or entries containing more than 300 words will be ineligible. Three moms will be chosen from each age category to receive a dozen roses, a limousine ride to downtown Memphis, a gift basket/bag filled with wonderful prizes, and a featured appearance during the live taping of The Loretta McNary Show. All 9 winners will be notified by April 27, 2011. Each contest winner will be asked to read a portion of their winning essay during the taping. Contestants must be present at the May 06, 2011 taping to receive their prizes. If you have questions or want more information, please send an e-mail to info@lorettamcnary.com.

Please visit our website for more details and free tickets to the taping at http://www.LorettaMcNary.com.

Project Single Moms Memphis to host 2011 S.I.S. Awards

Countering domestic violence with education, microenterprise

Memphis is ranked among the highest in the nation of reported domestic violence acts. It is an epidemic that continues to plague our community. It affects each and every one of us, whether directly or indirectly. Thousands of dollars in taxes are spent yearly regarding medical treatment for victims. Many of our children are being raised in an environment where they are witnessing violence first hand. These same children will potentially grow into adulthood to become one of two people – the oppressor or the oppressed.

It is often said that when one is in an abusive situation, all you have to do is leave. Speaking from experience, it is just not that simple. Go where? Report to whom? Domestic violence is more than physical. The emotional scarring lasts long after the physical wounds have healed.

What I’ve learned is that many people aren’t even aware that they’re in an abusive relationship. They don’t know what to look for, so they see no reason to leave. Then there are those who leave but are so broken in spirit, they are not in touch with their gifts and talents. They want to become self sufficient but don’t know how to get started.

I started a community organization – Walking Into A New Life (WIANL) – because I have a strong desire to educate others about the different forms of abuse and how to get out of an abusive situation using safe and informative measures. I want to teach women about taking their power back, assessing their talents and strengths, learning about microenterprise development and becoming entrepreneurs.

WIANL plans to implement its first microenterprise development courses this spring. I’m going into the community, talking with people in person to learn more about the concerns, needs and desires of our victims. As the CEO of my own business, JP Connections, and a domestic violence victim turned advocate, I offer myself as an example of taking some very negative experiences and turning them into a beacon of hope for others. I have obtained leadership positions in several organizations, locally and nationally, and plan to use these opportunities to assist others working within the community regarding various social issues.

Written by:  Joyce Parkinson, Project Single Moms Memphis Membership Coordinator & Project Single Moms Worldwide, Inc.  Celebrity Mom Coordinator

Project Single Moms Worldwide, Inc. Speaks Out Against Conservative Mike Huckabee Huckabee Discusses Poor & Uneducated Black Single Mothers

This message was sent by our National Director, Stephanie M. Clark to conservative Mike Huckabee on behalf of Project Single Moms Worldwide, Inc. regarding his discussion on poor and uneducated Black single mothers. Project Single Moms Worldwide, Inc. has a diverse membership, therefore, when any one segment of our membership is treatly unfairly, we all are treated unfairly.

Please read the response in its entirety then click on the links provided below to let your voice be heard by the masses on the Black Voices website and by Mr. Huckabee by emailing him and sharing your comments about his views.

Mr. Huckabee,

I represent a national advocacy and empowerment movement called Project Single Moms Worldwide, Inc. I would like to share a comment with you that I posted on the Black Voices website in response to an article entitled “Huckabee Discusses Poor and Uneducated Black Single Mothers.”

My post is as follows:

“While the comments to this article are widely varied, the fact still remains that African American single mothers consistently remain the most disadvantaged and disenfranchised population in America. Every person is entitled to their opinion, however, I challenge everyone to offer intelligent, realistic solutions to the plight of all single mothers, not just those Mr. Huckabee selectively chose to highlight in his remarks.

As a national advocacy and empowerment movement for single mothers in America, we work diligently to empower and change the statistics about single mothers especially those of color. However, we are constantly met with bold stereotypes and imbalanced statistics as reported by Mr. Huckabee and the media who choses to focus primarily on Black single mothers.

Furthermore, single mothers who are educated, employed, self-employed, who are raising and have raised healthy productive children and who don’t rely on federally-funded programs tend to be overshadowed or even dumped into those statistics cited by Mr. Huckabee.

Single mothers have always been the underdog primarily because we have never had a voice or a seat at the table where decisions are made on our behalf. We have sat back passively and allowed others to define who we are instead of speaking up for ourselves. Project Single Moms believes that it is not too late to organize and mobilize the more than 10 million single mothers in America so we can have a united voice speaking on our behalf and against the likes of Mr. Huckabee.

As single mothers, we recognize the importance of showing up, speaking up and stepping up to become the change we desire in our lives and for our children. We realize we can no longer sit idly back and wait for someone to come rescue us. Quite simply, no one in Washington, DC nor mainstream America really cares about single mothers nor our plight which is why the statistics remain consistent or worsen year after year for this population. This is why the government only creates federal programs which offer a temporary fix and hand-out to the group of single mothers looking for an easy fix and to be taken care of by others. Our government has not done an effective job in offering programs and opportunities which provide a hand up to those single mothers who desire to accept their responsibilities and stand on their own two feet so they can pursue advanced education and start their own businesses to become equipped to compete in the marketplace for higher paying jobs and business opportunities.

I challenge everyone to cease stereotyping and grouping all single mothers into one narrow-minded category. On the other side of those statistics are responsible, hard-working women raising their children on their own not by choice but by circumstance. We invite Mr. Huckabee and other political leaders to join us as we work to create solutions and opportunities to change the statistics he mentioned instead of blaming Black single mothers for America’s woes. Politicians need to be mindful that millions of single mothers pay taxes and vote.

Single mothers have never had a voice in the past which is why politicians tend to overlook us or speak negatively of us for their personal political gain. Single mothers are an easy target since we have never stood up for ourselves. Through Project Single Moms we are organizing and mobilizing and we will have a voice when it’s time to elect our leaders. Learn more about our national movement at http://www.projectsinglemoms.com/.

They say that even negative media is good media. At least people are talking about the issues plaguing single mothers. I am encouraged that people showed up to read and post their comments about Mr. Huckabee’s discussion. Many people have even spoken up to voice their opinions. Now, how many people are willing to step up and work with us to make a positive difference in the lives of single mothers in America? Are you Mr. Huckabee?”

Respectfully Submitted by Stephanie M. Clark

National Director, Project Single Moms Worldwide, Inc.

Join us in letting Mike Huckabee know your thoughts and feelings about his discussion on poor and uneducated Black single mothers. Thank you for your support!

Project Single Moms Memphis celebrates International Women’s Day

2011 year marks the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day. The day was commemorated for the first time on 19 March 1911 in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, following its establishment during the Socialist International meeting the prior year. More than one million women and men attended rallies on that first commemoration. In 1975, during International Women’s Year, the United Nations began celebrating 8 March as International Women’s Day. Two years later, in December 1977, the General Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming a United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace to be observed on any day of the year by Member States, in accordance with their historical and national traditions. The Day is traditionally marked with a message from the Secretary-General.

PSM Memphis gears up to Take Action!

US SENATE Taking Vote on Cutting 368,000 Children from Child Care & Head Start	Take Action!
Call or Email Your Senators Today and Tomorrow
URGENT:  SENATE VOTES TODAY and TOMORROW on 368,000 Children in Child Care and Head Start March 7, 2011 The federal spending for the remainder of this year remains in play and tomorrow is a critical day in the United States Senate.  Tomorrow, Tuesday March 8, the United States Senate is going to take up the House-passed spending bill for the remainder of the year, HR 1.  If the Senate passes HR 1, then 368,000 children will lose child care, Head Start and Early Head Start.  In addition, HR  1 would also cut Title I and special education funds, as well as other important programs to children’s school and life success.  The Senate will propose an  Alternative (no bill number) that would sustain investments child care, Head Start and other education funds and make far fewer cuts to children’s and education programs.   That Alternative deserves a Yes vote from your Senators.  To recap, there will be 2 critical votes in the Senate as early as tomorrow: VOTE NO ON HR 1. If passed, HR 1 would cut 368,000 children currently served by child care, Head Start and Head Start. Maintaining current funding for child care and Head Start/Early Head Start is essential to our economy by helping families work, children learn, and keeping an important workforce intact.  Instead, vote YES on the SENATE ALTERNATIVE that would keep our investments in early childhood education that are critical not only for school and later workforce success, but that reap greater rewards for our nation’s economic growth. How to Email or Call: To email your Senators, go to  http://www.naeyc.org/policy/action Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 or 202-225-3121 and ask for your Senator’s office.  When you connect, please leave the message to vote NO on HR 1 and Yes on the Alternative.  Do the same call with your other Senator.