#TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast | Ep 37 Bleeding Hearts and Mother Stories Part I: with Meg Flather, Ann Kittredge, and Harriet Shugarman

Today is May 15^th and we just celebrated Mother’s Day here in the US – and this special two-part series is dedicated to Mothers.

Today we are #LIVEintheHive with my special guests, 3 women I adore, to talk about and to HONOR the wonderful complexities and paradoxes of MOTHERHOOD, the complicated mother-daughter relationship, care-giving a parent, the joy of having children, the choice not to have children - and the mentoring and nurturing of young people.

So many stories told, so many surprises, so much vulnerability, and so much laughter. You’ll just have to listen, because I have no notes. 

Some herstory:

While Mother's Day is now a global event, here in the US it originated from the efforts of Anna Jarvis, who, after her mother's death in 1905, campaigned to establish a national holiday honoring mothers. Inspired by her mother's activism and efforts to teach women about childcare, Anna Jarvis envisioned a day to recognize the sacrifices mothers made for their children.

Ann Reeves Jarvis, Anna's mother, was a social activist known for her work in promoting solidarity and health education among women, especially in her hometown of Grafton, West Virginia. 

Following her mother's death, Anna Jarvis dedicated her life to creating a holiday that would honor mothers' contributions.

 

Meg Flather is a two-time Bistro Award winner and a four-time Manhattan Association of Cabaret and Clubs (MAC) Award winner.Meg has released eight CDs of her original music (all of which are available on Apple music). Meg has also authored two books that are now available on Amazon: Home Shopping Diva. . . Lessons, Lyrics and Lipstick - and Hold On Tight . . . a love story. Her one-woman musical, Hold On Tight, partners her original songs and stories from her book of the same name about caring for a parent with dementia, for which she received the award for Best Storytelling Show from The United Solo Theatre Festival.

https://megflather.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@megflatherable

linktr.ee/megflather

 

Ann Kittredge is keenly aware of the chapters she has lived: in chapter 1 she enjoyed working on and off Broadway, TV, concert halls, and regional theaters nationwide. Chapter 2 was spent as a parent advocate and leader in the NYC Public School System, taking time off from pursuing her career to raise her children. In chapter 3, Ann returned to performing and immersed herself in the cabaret world where she has won multiple awards, including a 2025 Bistro for her album, Romantic Notions, and was also chosen as a top 5 albums of 2024 by The Broadway Radio Show.

https://www.annkittredge.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@AnnKittredge
t.ly/PPxXF

 

Harriet Shugarman is one of the leading voices in the global parent climate movement, the founder of ClimateMama, and the award-winning author of "How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate, Turning Angst into Action."  Harriet is the chair of the Advisory Council for Our Kids Climate, an anchor organization connecting national and grassroots groups from more than 50 countries working on intergenerational organizing and engagement strategies. Harriet is a mentor and leader with the Climate Reality Project and the recipient of the prestigious Climate Reality Alfredo Sirkis Memorial Green Ring Award. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrietshugarman/

https://www.instagram.com/climatemama/?hl=en

 

“Let us dedicate this new era to mothers around the world, and also to the mother of all mothers — Mother Earth. It is up to us to keep building bridges to bring the world closer together and not destroy them to divide us further apart.”  – Suzy Kassem

Find Sandra:

www.SandraBargman.com

@SandraBargman