Today we’d like to introduce you to Bella Licciardi.
Bella, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Mom Mob was born in 2018. I became pregnant with my son, Gunner O and he was born on 5/10/17. When I was pregnant, I was in a mom group called “Bring me, Joy.” Created by Miata Waits. The group was small and intimate. As I participated heavily in this group, I saw a need for a specific Mom based group/organization. One that offered help financially and tangibly to mothers in need. See, being a mother IS the hardest job you’ll have ever have in a woman’s life. It’s amazing, but stressful, fulfilling, yet draining. Life is bittersweet to say the least. It’s rewarding DONT get me wrong, but as a black woman, we face so much scrutiny by our peers. If we ask for help, we’re labeled “lazy,” and our generation has set that tone for the US as a people.
So to change that, I started my own group specifically for women, by women, who feel the need to have space where they could feel like if they need something, we got each other. We started as “Mommin ain’t easy,” and we grew to 9k in 80 days. Flat. I had a great team beside me who pushed the movement (Evelyn, Scottie, Nosh) we were killing it. Evelyn & I we’re flown out by FACEBOOK all expenses paid, for the bi-annual Facebook Communities Summit. We sat in session with Mark Zuckerberg.
We helped so many women, paid rent, bills, bought groceries. We were really making a change. And then we weren’t. It was almost like one of those Destiny’s child breakups. Where we don’t know where we went wrong but we did. Life hit us all. I had my faults, my struggles. I struggle with mental illness, as do a lot of women my age. And I know that was a factor. Due to trademark issues and wanting to STAND OUT, I changed the group name to MOM MOB. Yeah, real 𝓜𝓞𝓑 ties lol. I got the name trademarked, I got the business Llc’d and I have it as a non-profit organization. We’re at 10,700 moms right now. We protest we help each other. We LOVE ON one another. We’re a huge mob of MOMMAS. We feed the homeless. We get in these streets for a change! My team is flourishing as a unit. They understand my vision because they share it.
Jennifer Dearing, Ariana Spooner, Rachel Reeves, Lucero Espinoza, Lanie Davis, Mauria Rushing, Amber Epps, Mercedes Dixon, Michelle Cipolettim, Eboni Jones, Kendre Adams, Amber Law, Mackenzie Johnson, Rebecca Sweeney.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Not at all. It’s been rough. I’ve lost a lot of great admins along the way due to personal reasons or just simply not sharing the passion. We’ve been harassed at protests, we’ve been in positions where we can’t help every mom, and none of these things are easy. Ever.
We’d love to hear more about Mom Mob Worldwide.
Everyone knows Mom 𝓜𝓞𝓑. We stand for the US. As women. As mothers. As nurses, doctors, stay at home moms, unemployed moms, homeless moms. We here and we’re still standing!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I don’t regret anything. Not one thing. I would’ve started EARLIER.
Contact Info:
- Website: Mommobswag.bigcartel.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2060015350962442/?ref=share
Image Credit:
Justified Images
By Justice and Ebony Wilson
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