As my family and I embark on our move from Kansas City, Missouri to the Denver, Colorado area, I am having to say goodbye to my role as a contributor for the Kansas City Mom Collective (KCMC). This past year has brought uncertainty, hard decisions, new ways of entertainment, and a whole new way of making connections with our community. The KCMC moms, the contributors and the readers, have brought so much joy and stability into my life throughout this past year.
A little over a year ago, I saw a post on Facebook about applying to become part of the KCMC contributor team. I am embarrassed to say that I had not heard of the Kansas City Mom Collective group before, or if I had, I thought it was just another mom group and I am not that kind of mom. I clicked on the post and began reading about all the amazing things this group does for the Kansas City area, plus they were looking for LGBTQ+ moms, so I gave it a shot! I wrote a little post about paying money for a photo shoot just to have your toddler scream the entire time. A few weeks later, I received an email inviting me to become part of the team.
In March, I walked into my first meeting not knowing a soul, not knowing exactly what I had signed up for, never being the type of mom who wanted to be in a big “moms group,” but I was ready to try and bring more awareness to the LGBTQ+ community in KC and make friends with other moms. After that first meeting, I was filled with excitement by the other moms I had met, the amazing events this team put on, and all the knowledge and support KCMC brings and would continue to bring to the moms of KC.
Then, COVID shut the world down.
Our first big event that was cancelled was the Egg Hunt—which is back in full force this year with in-person and drive-thru options! I was looking forward to introducing my wife and son to the other moms and their kids and getting out into the community more. One after another, all the events began getting cancelled.
I soon realized that KCMC wasn’t going to let COVID bring us down. Our amazing executive team found ways to hold virtual events, drive-thru events, and so much more. I have fallen in love with these moms and their gift to the Kansas City community and I will cherish the short year that I had the opportunity to be a part of this group. While I’m excited for the road ahead, I’m sad to be saying goodbye to these women and this community.
This team of moms not only writes amazing content for our community, but they continue to challenge themselves as moms in the crazy world we live in. For weeks, I participated in a book study with a group of moms where we discussed racial injustice and how we could do better for our children, the children of Kansas City, and how we could use our voices to bring awareness and support. These moms aren’t just here for the events or the fun “Top 10” posts. They are here to make KC a better place and they are doing an amazing job.
I will forever remember the inspiring and caring women who make up the contributor team and the moms of the KCMC community. Goodbye, my friends—I’ll miss you!
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