Mamatropolis
Image courtesy Samantha CC with her mom circa 1988
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR, SAMANTHA CC
Mamatropolis was born out of a desire to explore the radical possibilities of what could happen if you built community amongst birthing people from different backgrounds across New York City. It was envisioned as an initiative that would bring people together through in person discussions and performances.
When a global pandemic hit, this project needed to be reimagined, and Mamatropolis Lifeline was reborn as a mutual aid initiative for parents, providing small microgrants, and connection to helpful goods and services. The challenges of being a parent at this time have taken up much digital ink, and it became clear that rising to the occasion of the moment meant providing direct support.
The Mamatropolis Push/Pull take over was also planned prepandemic, but the process of bringing it into fruition really reflected the challenges that parents face right now. When much of the world came to a halt, most parents had to abruptly reorganize their daily survival strategies. The contributors featured in this issue, including myself, are all birthing parents, and many of us found our time for creative work severely eclipsed by our responsibilities as parents. Each of us had our own very specific set of strategies and challenges, which came up at different points in the process.
My concept for this issue was to have all artist birthing parents as contributors but not to expect them to contribute work about birth or parenting. I believe that the experience of bringing a child into the world, and caring for a physically dependent being opens up a depth of insight into the human condition and the greater universe that is applicable to many modes of inquiry and expression. Although not all people who give birth are women, throughout history birth and child rearing have been considered the realm of the feminine, and the creative work of women and other birthing people has been treated with lesser value. I wanted to put something out there that elevates the art of birthing people, without relegating them to an expected subject matter. Naturally, one publication can’t do this work, but I hope to start some conversations. The voices here are incredibly varied, but I think all of us are using our work to explore personal and communal healing. I’m not surprised. Having a child, particularly at this time, is the highest call to hope I can think of.
Samantha CC is a performance artist, writer and filmmaker from Brooklyn, NY. She is a current Culture Push Fellow. Through each medium that she utilizes, her work strives to translate personal journeys into poetic symbols and tones. She often explores themes such as alienation, Blackness, bodily anxiety, ritual, and fantasy as a radical space. She has performed at spaces such as Roulette Intermedium, Outpost Artists Resources, Untitled Space, and Coaxial Arts Foundation.
