Melting Pot Moms

MPM on Mixed Chicks Chat!

2009-08-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

Heidi and Fanshen, the "Mixed Chicks" interviewed Melting Pot Moms for their podcast, "Mixed Chicks Chat". If you didn't get a chance to tune in live, you can listen to the podcast here: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/34257

Festival Fun!

2009-08-02T11:10:00.001-07:00

We had such a great time at the Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival!

Thank you, Fanshen & Heidi for inviting us, and much love to Kim Wayans for an awesome reading from her Amy Hodgepodge series!

Looking forward to more good times in 2010.

The Triangle Of Our Lives

2009-08-02T11:00:00.000-07:00

My friend and fellow stay at home mom, Angela (Melting Pot Mom's founder), asked if she could post two pictures I took of my little Lida Rae on her Melting Pot Mom's Blog. She also asked if I would write a little anecdote. Absolutely, but what to write?

I stared at the two pictures for a couple of days and I then added a third picture I took of my sweetness last Fourth of July. Something very profound came to me when I looked at all three pictures collectively, "This is the triangle of our lives." The surface … one side of the triangle is a picture of my beautiful all-American girl, the other side a picture of my little nena … half of me (third generation Mexican-American) and the other side my little chador baby … half of my husband (first generation Iranian-American). Looking deeper … I see a triangle of language, culture and faith. This is how we balance the triad of responsibility bestowed on us as the proud parents of a multicultural child … how we live our days as a melting pot family:

My Spanish is not so great, but I do all right … my husband's Farsi, perfect. My culture deep rooted … my husband's the same. My faith, devout Christian … my husband is a Shi'ite Muslim, and not as devout, although much of his culture (to me) is faith based.

When our child wakes up in the morning the first thing she wants to do is dance and sing. I have a mix of her favorite music that ranges from mariachi, ranchera, cumbia, music in Farsi and country all the way to Laurie Berkner and Dan Zanes. Our child just loves to dance and sing (in any language).

For breakfast some days it is homemade flour tortillas (quesadillas if she wants cheese) … she loves them! I can't wait until she tries her first bowl of menudo! Some say menudo is an acquired taste. I hope she acquires the taste because it is the best food in the world. The next day for breakfast it's oatmeal or cereal or naan va panir (Persian bread and cheese), but some days she just wants a croissant or a bagel (so American). For dinner it is arroz (rice) con pollo (chicken) y frijoles (beans) or jujeh (chicken) kabob, berenge (rice), maasto khiar (cucumber yogurt). It's chicken and rice all time in our house people! I've tried to force my carnivorous ways on our child, but she's not having it (that's another story)! Funny, our child loves chicken, but hates eggs. Go figure (LOL). Our child also LOVES to make chai (tea) with Daddy Jan (dear) at night (she dips the tea bag) and eat chocolate rollete (a yummy Persian pastry), but she also likes pan dulce (Mexican sweet bread) and leche con chocolate mexicana (milk with Mexican chocolate … Abuelita chocolate is the best).

We speak English, Spanish and Farsi in our home. I have to say, Daddy is doing a much better job of passing along Farsi than I am Spanish. I am so proud of him. It is a chore for me because Spanish is my second language, but I do it gladly because of what it means to my child and her future. I'm actually getting much better now that I have been speaking more in Spanish. Some days she's, "Lida Khanoom", "Missy Muffin" or "Mija". Other day's she's "Traviesa", "Shatoonak Khanoom" or "Little Devil", but most days she's just, "Lida Khoshgeleh" (beautiful Lida) or "Mi Princessa" (my princess). We say our ABC's in English and in Spanish, but when Shatoonak Khanoom (Ms. Little Devil) does not listen it is: (1) one, two, three; (2) uno, dos, tres; or (3) yek, doe, ce, and then a timeout! She responds to all three.

We celebrate Christmas, Easter, Norooz, Las Posadas and Mexican Independence Day … all with faith and pride.

I have known my husband for 24 years (we met when we were both 17 … yeiks do the math). We had always talked about what it would be like to raise a family with both of our languages, cultures and faiths. How would we do it? We're doing it now and it is nothing like I imagined, but more than I could have ever dreamed. This is the triangle of our lives … making the cultures, languages and faiths all melt together and keeping it all balanced. We are giving our child strong roots (raíces) so she can grow strong and pass this along to her children. This is important to us. Do what you can to teach your child what you know and more. Language, culture and faith are their history and will give them a connection.

Story submitted by Sandra of MPM - South OC

MPM at the Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival!

2009-06-11T12:15:00.001-07:00

If you are in the LA area, we highly recommend this ground-breaking event taking place this weekend (June 13th-14th): http://www.mxroots.org/

"The Mixed Roots Film & Literary Festival is an annual free public event celebrating stories of the Mixed experience through films, readings, workshops and live performance. The Festival is an inclusive event which brings together film and book lovers, innovative and emerging artists, and multiracial/multicultural individuals, families and friends."

Melting Pot Moms will be hosting the Family Day portion on Saturday, June 13th from 10:30 - 12:45. Come join us for a fun craft, and then...drumroll...a book-reading/signing by Kim Wayans!! She will be reading from her Amy Hodgepodge series (which we LOVE!).

Hope to see you there! :-)

Calling all little Melting Pot Models! :-)

2009-03-04T19:42:00.001-08:00

For those of you in the LA area, you are invited to a casting/photo shoot for Kip Fulbeck's upcoming book "Mixed Kids"! This is a great opportunity to be part of a ground-breaking project.

Here are the details:

MIXED KIDS BOOK - PHOTO SHOOT THIS SATURDAY 3/7 IN MANHATTAN BEACH
*** children 12 and under needed for new book ***

Internationally renown artist Kip Fulbeck (author of "Part Asian, 100% Hapa") will be photographing in Manhattan Beach for his new book on Mixed Kids this Saturday 3/7 from 11:00 - 2:30.

"Mixed Kids" will be published by Chronicle Books in 2010 and features an introduction by Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng, a nationally recognized educator, mixed race identity specialist, and sister of Barack Obama.

Kip Fulbeck has been featured on CNN, MTV, and PBS and has exhibited his photography and films in over 20 countries. You may have seen the PBS Newshour feature on his Hapa Project which aired nationally last month.

The photo shoot will take place SATURDAY, MARCH 7th from 11:00 - 2:30 in Manhattan Beach. This will be the last L.A. area shoot so don't miss it!

We are seeking ANY multiracial kids 12 years old and under for this groundbreaking book. We particularly need kids who are:- Part Central/South American- Part Middle Eastern- Part Pakistani/South Asian- Part Hawaiian, Samoan, Tahitian, Tongan, Chamorro or other Islander- Part Laotian/Cambodian/Hmong/Vietnamese/Thai/Southeast Asian

If you are interested in giving your child the chance to be featured in a major book, please email Angela at meltingpotmoms[at]yahoo[dot]com for details and location.

FOR MORE DETAILS, INSTRUCTIONS AND FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS PLEASE VISIT:http://www.janm.org/events/2008/10/#12(click "Continue to janm.org" on the bottom right, then scroll down to October 12th if you don't get directed straight to the FAQs)

See you Saturday! :-)

Interesting article ~ share your thoughts!

2009-02-26T14:33:00.000-08:00

Are Mixed-Race Children Better Adjusted?
By John Cloud Saturday, Feb. 21, 2009

"Americans like answers in black and white, a cultural trait we confirmed last year when the biracial man running for President was routinely called "black".

The flattening of Barack Obama's complex racial background shouldn't have been surprising. Many multiracial historical figures in the U.S. have been reduced (or have reduced themselves) to a single aspect of their racial identities: Booker T. Washington, Tina Turner, and Greg Louganis are three examples. This phenomenon isn't entirely pernicious; it is at least partly rooted in our concern that growing up with a fractured identity is hard on kids. The psychologist J.D. Teicher summarized this view in a 1968 paper: "Although the burden of the Negro child is recognized as a heavy one, that of the Negro-White child is seen to be even heavier."

But new research says this old, problematized view of multiracial identity is outdated. In fact, a new paper in the Journal of Social Issues shows that multiracial adolescents who identify proudly as multiracial fare as well as — and, in many cases, better than — kids who identify with a single group, even if that group is considered high-status (like, say, Asians or whites). This finding was surprising because psychologists have argued for years that mixed-race kids will be better adjusted if they pick a single race as their own."

To read the entire artcle, click here: http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1880467,00.html

Thanks to Kristen (Organizer of Melting Pot Moms - Twin Cities) for sharing this article!

Groundbreaking Book for Children: "Faith"

2009-02-03T10:30:00.000-08:00

At the same time that I hope my children will honor and value different cultures from around the world, I also hope that they will respect different religions from around the world. The way I see it, different religions are (in most cases) simply different cultural manifestations of the same desire for spirituality and closeness to God (or whatever name you might call him).

This book is one we are definitely going to add to our collection ~ check it out!

"Faith celebrates the diversity of religious expression around the world, revealed through stunning photographs of children praying, singing, learning, and caring for one another and their communities. Intended for ages 4 through 10, Faith introduces young readers to religious tolerance by highlighting common threads that bring people together in reverence and joy.

The book is already generating buzz: Kirkus Reviews called Faith “impeccably designed . . . a superb way to show children that there are many means of expressing religious faith.” "

This book is offered by the Global Fund for Children ~ an awesome organization! And the book can be purchased here: https://www.transactionserver1.com/_secureshopper/index.asp?ssid=18 (Many more great books to choose from - love it!)

Hope for a new generation ~

2009-01-19T03:40:00.000-08:00

....that's what Jan. 19, 2009 and Jan. 20, 2009 mean to us. :-)

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day & Happy Inauguration Day!

Thanks to Yvonne for the head's up on this fun site where you can make your own poster: http://obamiconme.pastemagazine.com/ !

If you'd like to add your melting pot cutie to our gallery, email me your gif/jpg and I'll add it to our Class of Presidents. :-)

MLK Day Musings...from an 8 yr old's perspective

2009-01-16T11:04:00.000-08:00

Poignant thoughts shared by Melting Pot Mom, Nona (and her son)....
what would you say?

"So it's that time of year again. Martin Luther King Day. This is the time where for at least two days, the kids come home with little activities and mini readings on the civil rights movement, Rosa Parks, segregation and so on....you know all in a day or two. But whatever... it is what it is.

THIS year, my quiet 8 year old comes home and asks me 1 simple question..."Mom, if I lived in the olden days...what water fountain would I have to drink out of...cuz I'm black,white, AND Mexican". So first after I picked up my jaw off the floor and regained focus from the tears of pride swealing in my eyes....I told him....lets talk about that this weekend. Mommy needs time to think about this very important and strong question. So my fellow melting pot moms, and parents of the universe....what would you say....."

Melting Pot Holidays ~ Swedish Lucia!

2009-01-13T23:05:00.000-08:00

Melting Pot Mom, Sofia, introduced fellow Melting Pot families to a Swedish holiday celebration. The following is her description of this tradition:

"The Swedish Lucia celebration is an annual festival of medieval origin, observed on the 13th of December. On this day, the darkness is brightened by Saint Lucia, a creature of goodness and light who opens the door to the Christmas season.

Named after a Sicilian saint, the Swedish Lucia does not have much in common with her namesake. She is celebrated in a variety of ways, but the most common is the Lucia procession consisting of a group of young girls and boys singing traditional Lucia songs. On her head, the girl or woman playing the part of Lucia wears a wreath of lingonberry sprigs with holders for real candlesto give the effect of a halo. She also has a white, full-length gown with a red ribbon around her waist. Her female attendants ( tärnor) wear similar gowns and the "star boys" (stjärngossar) wear white pointed hats decorated with stars.

Lucia processions are held in various places, ranging from kindergartens and schools to churches and the Swedish Parliament. Lucia can be perceived as a symbol of the good forces in life and a symbol of light in the dark winter. She usually appears early in the morning, bringing coffee and saffron-flavored buns (lussekatter) traditionally eaten around Christmas time in Sweden."

And here are photos of some of the Melting Pot cuties experiencing Swedish Lucia:

Thank you, Sofia, for sharing this holiday tradition!

Mexipino Cuties!

2009-01-13T18:19:00.001-08:00

Melting Pot Mom Sara shared these cute photos of her beautiful family!

The kids' outfits tell the story...

A little Filipino from Dad...

....and a little Mexican from Mom!

Aren't they beautiful?! :-)

If you have a photo of your "melting pot" family to share, please email them to: info[at]meltingpotmoms[dot]org.

Melting Pot Cover Girl!

2008-11-05T17:11:00.000-08:00

We'd like to congratulate Melting Pot Girl, Alaina, who made the cover of OC Parenting Magazine! We are so proud of you, cutie! :-)

MPM Halloween Parties!

2008-11-05T17:00:00.000-08:00

Fun Halloween Memories from Melting Pot Moms & Kids!
(Temecula, Ca./South OC, Ca./Twin Cities, MN)

click collage for larger image

And the Winner Is.....

2008-10-22T15:58:00.000-07:00

Congratulations, Sara G.!

Hope you enjoy your book from Shen's Books! :-)

(Many thanks again to Renee for the great giveaway!)

Shen's Books Giveaway!

2008-10-11T00:07:00.000-07:00

I am very pleased to introduce our Melting Pot Familes to a fabulous literary resource: Shen's Books!

Shen's Books is a publisher whose mission is "to produce multicultural children's literature that emphasizes cultural diversity and tolerance, with a focus on the cultures of Asia." They will be giving away one of their beautiful books to a lucky MPM Blog reader! Here's how it works:

1) Click on the dragon logo above to visit the Shen's Books website.

2) Go to the "Our Books" section

3) Choose the book you would most like to win, and

4) Leave a comment here, on the MPM Blog, with your selection*

5) My faithful little assistants will draw a winner on Monday, Oct. 20th.

*Note: to be eligible for drawings and giveaways, you must be an MPM Blog subscriber (to subscribe, simply enter your email address in the subscribe box at the right)

Renee Ting, President of Shen's Books, recently did an e-interview with Melting Pot Moms. She shared a little more about her company, multicultural book selections, and interesting anecdotes about Cinderella tales from around the world!

MPM: Tell us a little about your company; what is your mission/philosophy?

Renee: As a publisher, our mission is to produce multicultural children's literature that emphasizes cultural diversity and tolerance, with a focus on the cultures of Asia. Our goal is twofold: firstly, it is very important to us to introduce American children to the Asian cultures because to many children, Asia is still a fairly unknown and exotic place. We believe that the more exposure children have to people and places that are unfamiliar, the more tolerant they will be when faced, in real life, with new ideas. Secondly, we want Asian countries and children to be represented in the literature for those students who are Asian themselves. It is comforting for a child to see pictures of people whose features look like theirs in the books they read. It is important for them to know that the population of characters inhabiting their library reflect the population of our melting pot country. To these ends, we choose our incredibly talented authors and illustrators to create books for elementary grades that reflect the highest standards of art and literature.

MPM: What criteria do you use in deciding which products to carry?

Renee: All the stories we publish must include at least one

character who is Asian, or partly Asian, and must reflect in some

way the culture of either the character's country of origin or a melting-pot culture of inclusiveness. Ideally, the stories are fun and interesting, and the reader may learn about a culture or what a place looks like without realizing they have learned something. For example, in the book, The Wakame Gatherers by Holly Thompson and Kazumi Wilds, the story is about a girl who spends the day with her two grandmothers, one Japanese and one American. However, through the pictures and dialogue, readers will learn about what Japan looks like, what people eat, and a little bit about Japanese history. They even learn a little bit about Maine.

MPM: You have a great collection of Cinderella stories from around the world; how did this collection begin, and which countries are represented? Can you tell us a little about the similarities and differences of these stories?

Renee: Our Cinderella collection began, like most things, through a combination of chance and feedback. When we had a few multicultural Cinderella titles available, customers expressed interest in having more. Of course, when the Cinderella books were the biggest sellers, it was clear that people were interested and wanted more and more. Whenever a new Cinderella book was published, we added it to our collection. We even published several of our own ethnic versions, including the Hmong, the Cambodian, the Filippino, and the Indian versions.

Most Cinderella stories, no matter where their origin, have the same basic structure of a poor girl who is mistreated by her stepmother, but then overcomes her difficulties to gain love and riches in the end. The differences really reveal each culture. For example, most versions include a magical creature akin to our "fairy godmother." However, in the Hmong version, it is the family's cow. In the Indian version, it is Grandfather Snake. These details reflect what each culture venerates, and considers as good spirits.

MPM: Anything else you'd like to share?

Renee: I'd like to particularly mention two books that feature multiethnic main characters. As mixed families become more and more the norm, we are seeing a lot more books published that address characters that bridge cultures and ethnicities. I really love seeing this trend, because just like with Asian characters being great for Asian kids to identify with, mixed-race characters are necessary now too.

Two books of ours that feature multi-ethnic families are "The Wakame Gatherers" and "Romina's Rangoli." In "The Wakame Gatherers," the main character is half Japanese and half Caucasian, but the family lives in Japan. When her grandmother from Maine comes to visit, she spends the day with the two of them at the seashore gathering wakame seaweed and translating for them. My favorite part of the book is the moment the grandmothers realize that they were enemies at one time, but now they are family.

"Romina's Rangoli" is about a girl who is half Mexican and half Indian. When she is given an assignment at school to create an art project that reflects her culture, she doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to leave either of her cultures out, and comes up with a brilliant solution.

Thank you, Renee, for an insightful interview and for providing such a wonderful resource for children and families of all ethnicities!

MPM at the Irvine Global Village Festival!

2008-10-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun participating in the festival this last weekend! It was an amazing event - the talent, the exhibitors, the food, the staff, the venue...everything was TOP NOTCH.

Melting Pot Moms had a booth in the Kids' Village, where we provided a craft/activity. It was so great to see the kids enjoying themselves, and to witness their creativity and self-expression....in all different hues and colors!

Click here to view a slideshow:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v112/3willies/MPM%20at%20Irvine%20Global%20Village%20Festival/?action=view&current=65b8c674.pbw

International Terms of Endearment (Part 1)

2008-09-03T18:40:00.000-07:00

The following are some affectionate terms some of our Melting Pot Moms use with their children:

Anak (ah-nak): "child"
Origin: Filipines

A widely used Filipino term of endearment is "anak" (ah-nak) which means "child". I use it for daughter and my mom still uses it for me! :)
Filipino families also use terms such as "Ate" (pronounced ah-teh) for an older sister and "Kuya" (pronounced koo-yah) for an older brother as terms of affection as well as signs of respect. The term can precede the name of the older sibling (for example, Ate Beth) or can be used on its own.
~ Lily

Mami (maah-mee): "baby"
Origin: Mexico

A Spanish word also known as mother, but used as a term of endearment for the little ones, too.

~ Margaret

Shayna punim (SHAY-nuh puh-NIM): "pretty face"
Origin: Yiddish language

I have a couple of Yiddish terms my family uses:

Mini mensch - for boys means good man

Shayna punim - means pretty face

~Trisha

Guagua (wa-wa): "baby"
Origin: Ecuador

When I’m holding Daniela, and she is holding her baby doll, sometimes I grab her and run really fast and say "Agarra a la guagua" (hold on to the baby).

"Guagua" its a term used by the natives in Ecuador; the laguage is called Quechua and it was the language spoken by Incas in all South America, and it means "baby" it's pronounced "wawa".

~ Diana

Other nicknames Diana uses: "pitufina" (Smurfette, from the Smurfs) or "torbellino" (small tornado).

Borgarka (bogharkha): "little bug"
Origin: Hungary

We use Slovak and Hungarian at home. So in Slovak, I use saso ("shasho"), which means clown in English. That one I use when Adam is being silly.
In Hungarian, my husband and I use bogarka ("bogharkha"), which means a little bug in English. That one we use quite often. :-)

~Denisa

Do you have a term of endearment you use for your little one? Feel free to share here in the comments, and we will feature your little one in "Part 2". :-)

Warm "Thanks" to Melting Pot Mom Sima, who inspired the idea for this post!

Foreign Languages for Little Ones

2008-09-02T17:30:00.000-07:00

I love Lango! Lango is a relatively new company that provides foreign language classes for little ones; they currently have Spanish and French classes, with Mandarin starting in '09. They are only in CA right now, but I believe they will be expanding (good business opportunity for SAHM's!).

Yours truly will be teaching French! The program is VERY entertaining (parachuttes, puppets, music, and all sorts of games). I've been practicing on my boys, and even though it's MOM, they keep asking for more French lessons - a very encouraging sign! :-) I almost teared up when my they made a little video singing the French song I taught them. ((sigh)) I'm SO sentimental - LOL.

If you're reading this blog, you probably appreciate the value of exposing kids early to other languages (or your family might very well be multilingual already!). I can't believe how easily little ones can pick up accents - even the gutteral French "rrrr"s that are so hard for English-speakers. If you haven't already exposed your little one to another language, I highly recommend it.

Alors, à la prochaine!

Quote of the Day

2008-09-01T12:55:00.000-07:00

"Let us love not only our sameness but our unsameness.
In our difference is our strength.
Let us be not for ourselves alone
But also for that Other
Who is our deepest Self."

Leonard Peltier

A Day in History

2008-08-29T18:47:00.000-07:00

Regardless of your political persuasion, yesterday will be a day marked in history: the day the first black/biracial/nonwhite candidate received a major-party nomination for president! I say “non-white”, because Obama’s nomination is significant for ALL people of color – Black, Asian, Latino….it is a significant part our American History.

Last night during the Obama’s acceptance speech, my four-yearold took a break from playing to see what my husband and I were watching. As I explained to him the significance of the nomination, I felt – way down in my gut, as a mother does – what a historical impact this will have for my (and for all) children. Never say “never” again. Yes, ANY child CAN be president one day, if that’s what he or she wants to do. I am so proud that my boys will have this moment as part of THEIR history.

Although to my son, a presidential nomination is no more “specialer” than his water day and party at preschool. As he put it: “Today was the most specialist day of all days. He gets to be president (insert a civics lesson from mom that people still have to vote, and the election is in November), we had water day at school, AND we had a party!”

Yes, that’s a pretty darn good day. :-)

Of Many Faiths

2008-08-25T20:10:00.000-07:00

Melting Pot Moms come from many countries, from many backgrounds....including many FAITHS.

I came across a blog that invites women of all faiths to come together, in an artistic forum (scrapbooking) ~ what a fantastic idea! The author was kind enough to let me cross-post the following entry from her blog. To me, the spirit of this article embodies what Melting Pot Moms is all about ~ understanding our differences, and embracing our similarities!

Enjoy....

Various spiritual traditions offer a wide variety of devotional acts. There are morning and evening prayers, graces said over meals, and reverent physical gestures.

Some Christians bow their heads and fold their hands. Native Americans dance. Some Sufis whirl. Hindus chant. Orthodox Jews sway their bodies back and forth and Muslims kneel (as seen on the left). Quakers keep silent.

Some pray according to standardized rituals and liturgies, while others prefer extemporaneous prayers. Still others, combine the two. Among these methodologies are a variety of approaches to understanding prayer:

- The belief that the finite can actually communicate with the infinite;
- The belief that the infinite is interested in communicating with the finite;
- The belief that prayer is intended to inculcate certain attitudes in the one who prays, rather than to influence the recipient;
- The belief that prayer is intended to train a person to focus on the recipient through philosophy and intellectual contemplation;
- The belief that prayer is intended to enable a person to gain a direct experience of the recipient;
- The belief that prayer is intended to affect the very fabric of reality as we perceive it;
- The belief that prayer is a catalyst for change in one's self and/or one's circumstances, or likewise those of third party beneficiaries.
- The belief that the recipient desires and appreciates prayer

*(text taken from the ScrapFaith blog)

ScrapFaith is a scrapbooking challenge blog which invites members of all faiths to document their beliefs for future generations. We have an amazing team made up of women from vastly different faiths and belief systems and hope, with each month, that our blog helps us to realize our common beliefs and identify a little more with women everywhere.
We hold two challenges each month (on the 1st and 15th) and participants are eligible to win our monthly prize. In between challenges we highlight elements of different faiths, inspiration quotes and share experiences of spirituality to uplift, inspire and educate. We have had great response from our blog and even non-scrappers choose to write down their feelings on each topic as a written history of their faith.
Please come by and visit this amazing resource for faithful women all across the globe.

Melting Pot Art!

2008-08-19T20:21:00.000-07:00

And here's our family! :-)

The art below was made by my 4.5 year old today. (Note: the multiple circles around the eyes in the first and third people indicate glasses — a new milestone for big brother! The other circles are ears.).

Here are two art projects my boys have enjoyed:

People chipboard*

My son’s preschool sent one of these home with every student so that they could make their own “mini-me”. Some parents - I mean kids LOL - went all out and made custom outfits using all kinds of art supplies. My son decorated his as a “golden knight” (“NOT silver, Mom—GOLD.”). Most parents printed out a photo of their child’s face to paste on the head so that it really looks like them.

Little brother recently received a whole pack of these for his birthday (thanks, Lesli!), and the boys had fun making themselves and the rest of our family. Hurray for for self-expression!

Make-A-Face Sheets*

At our first Melting Pot Moms—OC Family Day Meet & Greet (a year ago), one of the activities for the kids was to draw a self-portrait. I found face die-cuts of all different shades at my local teaching supply store.It was so cute to see the kids' creations! While on the surface it appears to be just another fun art project, I truly believe self-exploration through art is a great self-esteem builder. :-)

*Both of these can be found at your local teaching supply store (although you may have to try a few). Teaching supply stores are GREAT resources—I often find art supplies/learning actvities/gifts/etc. there that would never be found at other craft stores...or that store with the red and white bull’s eye *wink*).

Happy creating!

Colors and Crayons

2008-08-19T19:30:00.000-07:00

And while we're on the subject of art....

In our little “Welcome” packets for new MPM members, I usually include a box of Crayola’s "Multicultural Crayons". It's great for the kids to have the variety of “skin-tones” at their fingertips, so that they don’t have to dig through their entire collection of crayons when they want to make people.

However, if you Google Crayon’s “Multicultural Crayons”, you quickly see that even crayons have their own long and complicated history!

Here is an interesting timeline of the history of Crayola, and when it introduced "diverse" colors: http://toys.about.com/od/crayola/a/historycrayola.htm

Check out this photostream that includes a photo of the crayons - the comments are GREAT: http://flickr.com/photos/nathangibbs/236548470

And finally, here is an interesting commentary (source: "Anti-Racist Parent" - a great site): http://www.mixedmediawatch.com/2006/06/06/crayolas-efforts-to-dismantle-racism

But enough psycho-babble.....kids just love to color! :-)

So I'll close with a cute anecdote submitted by Melting Pot Mom, Jeena:

"My two and four year old sons, Gage and Keyan love their multicultural crayons! They color with them all the time, and they take such pride in picking the right color for everyone. (I still have no idea on why they insist on coloring their baby sister green- is it her poop? Perhaps her eyes? Some tell tale "green with envy" metaphor on how she must be feeling because she has to watch them color, and doesn't yet get to participate? Ah, but I digress...)
Anyway, a few weeks ago, when some friends were visiting our home with their kids, Keyan was so excited to share the skin-color matching crayons with his friends. Haley and Drew, who are half Philipino and half Caucasian, were very impressed at how Keyan drew pictures of them. After rummaging through his crayon box, he declared, "Hey! This matches you!" (The apricot crayon- so sweet!)
His four year old friend, Jaylen, who is African-American, loved the dark crayons, and even decided to "try" on some hair in his self portrait, comprised primarily with the mahogany crayon. "I don't have any hair, but I think I'll probably look good with it," he explained. My little guy, Gage prefers to draw long lines which depict ornate and elaborate scenes from Peter Pan. Since the pictures are so complex, he prefers to artistically interpret the entire abstract scene in only one color, usually burnt sienna. But, as his ever conscious mother, I can rest assured, that once his interest shift to the mirror image variety, he'll have no trouble finding himself with his multicultural crayons!"

Our Story

2008-08-14T02:34:00.000-07:00

One reason for this blog is to share the stories of families that share the multicultural/multiracial/multiethnic experience (both through birth and adoption). I am more interested in providing a platform for others, so I hadn’t really thought of sharing about my own family.

However, two recent writings inspired me to write a little about us….

The first was the post on this blog by a recent contributor, Gina, who was gracious enough to send me her story. Many moms probably feel like her….that their families just are what they are, and it’s not something they think about much. But my own experience/viewpoint is quite different. While she said of her kids “I don't really think of them as biracial. I think of them as themselves.” I realized that I DO see my kids as multiracial (as well as themselves of course). I consider their “mixed-ness” as an integral part of who they are. And unlike Gina, I often think about the “melting pot” nature of our family. So while some families don’t really think about it and “just live”, others may think about it every day. And some may be in-between. I’m sure several factors come into play (race, geographic location, etc.). But bottom line, our different experiences/vantage points as “Melting Pot Moms” are case-in-point that the melting pot experience is just as varied as the ingredients that make up our families!

The second writing was also a catalyst that inspired me to share. I am a big fan of Light-skinned-ed girl. Her introspection, her raw honesty, and her ability to see, feel, and articulate the complexity of her “mixedness” always inspires me and makes me think. Her recent post , along with a comment by one of her readers (Chuck) deeply moved me....and caused me to think even more about what experiences my boys may - or may not - have.

Our family is multiracial (emphasis on “multi”) because my kids are Black with Native American - from dad – (he doesn’t really like the term “African-American”, but I digress) and Norweigan, Mexican, German, Italian and ?? (from me). One day I hope to find out more about my heritage, as it has been somewhat ambiguous (long story there)….add to that the fact that throughout my life I’ve had people claim (with certainty) that I’m part Korean, part “Hawaiian”, part Spanish, part Japanese…and all those were in one week. Bottom line: my kids are a big mix!

So referring back to Heidi’s and Chuck’s post, I often wonder how my boys’ “blackness” will come into play. Because, like Chuck, my kids do not “look” black – they have fine brown hair, very fair skin, light eyes, and my older son’s straight hair really throws people off. When my youngest son was a baby – and being seen by many medical specialists – I told the doctor his ethnicity as it related to a particular disease he was being treated for. The doctor (who was Asian) looked at my son, then looked at me, and said wide-eyed “Where did your husband’s genes go?!” My husband has often been asked “Is he yours?” and I’ve been asked “What is your husband?” When I tell them he’s black/African-American I’ve heard “He must be REALLY light” (he’s not) or “Is he mixed?”

Right now, at ages three and four, my boys seem very comfortable in their own skin….they have friends of all ethnicities, many of whom are in multiracial families/transracially adoptive families/etc. (they’re always around our Melting Pot Moms group)! We’ve had conversations about skin tones, and the colors of our family. Ironically (or not so ironically) one of my son’s favorite colors is “tan” (second to red, that is). So while we’re in a good place now, I realize that the journey has just begun. I love Elliott Lewis’ Fade: My Journeys In Multiracial America, which I read as soon as it hit the shelves. In it he shares (from his own experience) the various phases of self-identification a multiracial child may go through (from early-childhood to young adult) and how various external factors (i.e. social contexts, peer groups, etc.) come into play. The way they identify themselves just might change several times throughout their life.

No matter what, I hope that my sons will know that while others may perceive them to be different things….and while they may go through different stages themselves….one thing will remain constant: they have the RIGHT to define themselves (see Dr. Maria Root’s Bill of Rights).

So that is our melting pot story, as it continuously unfolds….

The Monkey King and Masks

2008-08-10T02:49:00.000-07:00

Last week we met some friends at the Bower’s Kidseum in Santa Ana (CA). The kids loved it! It was the perfect multi-sensory/multicultural outing. If you live in the area, I HIGHLY recommend it.

The current exhibit is “Monkey King: A Journey to China”:

"Monkey King: A Journey to China is the first ever children’s exhibition
presented at the Bowers Kidseum and focuses on the classic 16th century Chinese
story about the Buddhist monk and scripture pilgrim, Xuan Zang, who takes a journey along China’s Silk Road. To engage children in the story and Chinese culture, Kidseum will dramatically transform into an environment filled with the sights and sounds of China."

The exhibit was very impressive; there were all kinds of high-tec activities to engage the kids, and everything was hands-on. Our favorite game was a wall of electronic peaches that light up….and after you grab a random amount, an Emperor pops up and says in a booming voice: “Who stole my peaches?!” And the giggles ensue… They also had a hologram of a member of the Peking Opera (dressed in Monkey King attire), surrounded by a floor-to-ceiling mirror. While the holographic actor taught the kids monkey movements and faces used in the opera, they could practice in the mirror while following his instructions. So cute!

Downstairs was an extensive collection of ethnic masks from around the world. My 3 yr old was on a mission to try each and every one of the 75-or-so masks on (I think he made it through about 30). There was also a fun “international dress-up area” for kids to try on outfits from all different cultures. S while the girls adorned themselves and vamped, the boys headed back up to the Monkey King exhibit for more games and shadow puppet shows.

An added bonus that day was also a special drumming workshop, hosted by One World Rhythm. All the kids got instruments to play, and they practiced different types of beats.

We had HOURS of fun – and we learned a lot too!

"So I'm A Melting Pot Mom"

2008-08-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

Story submitted by reader and mommy blogger, Gina Chen

So I'm a melting pot mom. I never thought of myself that way or even heard that term until I read this blog. But it fits. My husband is Chinese, born in Taiwan. I'm a white American with a background that's Italian, Irish and English.

My children, Ian, 8, and Chloe, 5, are biracial. I felt thrilled when I got the long-form Census in 2000, soon after my son was born, and I could check "mixed race" for him. Why? I'm not sure. I guess I was just glad to celebrate that he's not one race or the other. He's just him. So is my daughter.

I don't really think of them as biracial. I think of them as themselves. I realize my husband stands out a bit in the Upstate New York city where we live that's very white and has few Asians. It's not something I think about. He has encountered incidences of racism - been called "a damn Jap"once. But for the most part, our melting nature isn't in the forefront of our lives. We just live.

That's why it surprised me when a little girl at my daughter's after-school program asked me if Chloe was adopted. I paused for a minute,wondering why she would ask that. Then I realized. Of course, Chloe must look Asian, and I'm white. The little girl who was asking is Chinese, and she's adopted. A reasonable question. I didn't mind her asking - it's just I don't really know if my kids look Asian or not. That seems dumb I realize, but it's true.

When I look at them, I see parts of both my husband and me. They are really a perfect mixture of the two of us. They both have straight black hair, but then again so does my sister. Their skin is olive, but so is mine. My daughter is a dead ringer for me when I was her age, before my hair turned curly. My son's eyes are big and brown just like mine, but his facial expressions remind me so much of my husband it's uncanny.

Until this little girl asked if Chloe is adopted, I wasn't really sure what the outside world thinks when they see Chloe. I guess I still don't know. But I do know what one little girl sees. I wonder what Chloe and Ian see when they look at themselves in the mirror.

They know their heritage. In fact, it was so important to me that they know they are Chinese, that in their early years I sort of forgot to tell them about my background. They know some basic Mandarin - how to count and say "Thank you" and "Hello." We celebrate Chinese New Year, and they each have a Chinese name. I also make sure they know where my family is from in Italy, and they can say a few words in Italian.

When they grow up, I don't know if they'll self-identify as white or Asian or biracial. I don't much care, as long as they believe in who they are.

Gina Chen, is a mom of two from Syracuse, NY. She blogs about being a mom at http://blog.syracuse.com/family/.

Melting Pot Miracle :-)

2008-08-06T10:37:00.000-07:00

Three years ago a beautiful brave soul came into this world, fighting for his life. My son was born with a condition that has a long name…but basically, his intestines ruptured in-utero(unknown to us), causing severe damage to his insides. After six weeks in the NICU, two surgeries, and a year and a half of receiving treatment for cystic fibrosis (C.F. is highly correlated with his condition), my little Leo Lion was given a clean bill of health (!). He is now completely healthy, with just a tiny issue that requires monitoring.

I am humbled to know that we were so lucky, and amazingly grateful for all of the prayers that carried us through those scary times. I am so proud of my happy little charmer who loves to make us laugh and who gives the best hugs and “smackaroos” a mom could ever want.

Happy birthday to my lovebug!
Love, Mama

(posted by Angela, Founder of MPM)

and the winners are.....

2008-07-22T18:29:00.001-07:00

YES - his yes are closed! :-)

Congratulations to the following readers who won a free copy of the Amy Hodgepodge book, "All Mixed Up!":

- The Kim Family
- Kris
- Kristen
- Goldeen
- Linda

Thanks for entering, ladies!

(My faithful little assistant cut the names out himself. And you gotta love the Sketchers box he chose to put the names in.) :)

Be sure to email me your address so that I can send you your books (or if you're in my local group, I will give you your copy soon).

"Why Geography Matters"

2008-07-17T18:23:00.000-07:00

There is so much to this site, I can't even begin to articulate all of the resources/knowledge it provides -- both for kids AND adults.

Just GO THERE. :-)

To start, click on their campaign video which states:

"Why geography matters - in just 60 seconds.
Understand the connection between people and places."

Awesome.

Look-Alike Cuties & A Give-Away!

2008-07-14T16:57:00.000-07:00

It’s time for the Amy Hodgepodge book giveaway! :-)

We have FIVE copies (can ya feel the love?!) of “All Mixed Up” , the first book in the Amy Hodgepodge book series – of which we are big-time fans. :-) How can we not be, when Amy’s friends look just like the kids in our Melting Pot Moms groups?! And if you haven't read it already, you can read our e-interview with one of the co-authors, Kim Wayans in a previous post below.

To win your free copy, leave a comment by clicking the comments link below, and on July 21st my two little faithful assistants will draw the lucky winners.

And just for fun…click on the collage above and tell us which is your favorite joke from the “Rusty’s Jokes” area in the “Activities” section. Your name will be entered TWICE for an extra chance to win!

Good luck ~ remember, contest ends in one week on Monday, July 21st! :-)

Amy Hodgepodge logo and characters re-printed with permission from the authors ~ thank you, Kim & Kevin!

And the winner is.....

2008-07-10T19:22:00.001-07:00

Congratulations, Sara!

Your free copy of "Missing Mangoes" is on its way. :-)

HOY TISOY!

2008-06-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

Musings of an immigrant mom on her hapa child.
An excerpt from the book “Missing Mangoes: For Filipinos and Those Who Love Us” (published Xlibris, 2004) by fellow Melting Pot Mom, Marceline Santos-Taylor

I’m told that my four-month old son is twice as big as an average Filipino baby. This doesn’t come as a surprise as he is half-Filipino, after all – my half. Add to that the fact that I am tall for a Filipina (5’8”) and my husband is 6’2”. Yes, my baby is Tisoy. My Caucasian husband proudly tells everyone that our son is a mestizo, Amerasian, a blend of us both. He has brown hair and brown eyes, a nice matangos (pointed) nose (like Daddy), dimples (like me) and a skin-tone that is between milky white and kayumanggi. We joke that when he is a teenager he will become a model or an artista (an actor) in the Philippines or if he is so inclined, a basketball player in the PBA( Philippine Professional Basketball Association). We are kidding when we say this of course, but you’ll never know. It isn’t unlikely to happen because Filipinos go crazy about anybody half-anything – half-American like Donita Rose, half-Japanese like Aiko Melendez, half-Italian like Assunta da Rossi – and the list goes on. Growing up morena (dark skinned) in Manila, I sometimes felt insecure because of this strange bias against brown skin in favor of lighter skin, wider eyes, and pointier noses. I won’t even try to analyze why this is so because I believe this goes way back in history – to the time of Insulares, Peninsulares and los Indios Bavos (Spanish colonial times. Note: The Philippines was a colony of Spain for 300 years).

People ask me if I will speak to my children in Filipino. Of course, I will – why, I’d teach them Ilocano ( a local dialect) if I could! I am blessed with a husband who embraces the East and has a willingness to learn all about Philippine culture. While we were dating he learned the expressions, “Hay Nako” and “Baduy” among others. And now he’s added more words to his vocabulary like “Ay mali,” “Sarap” “Busog” etc. This, he says, is so that the baby and I can’t talk behind his back when the time comes.

Our household is a blend of East and West. And so is our lifestyle. We eat rice and adobo as much as we eat steak and potatoes. As we raise our son, we will teach him both English and Filipino. We will teach him to speak his mind out (very American) and yet be polite and respect his elders (Say “Po” and “Opo”). We will teach him to be independent and yet (caring). We will teach him to love music and art and life. We will give him a strong spiritual foundation. We will raise him to be happy and complete. We will raise him not as half-Filipino or half-American or half-Anything, but as a WHOLE UNIQUE PERSON. We will strive for a balance of body, mind and spirit.

About the author: Marcelline Santos-Taylor a.k.a. Marcie Taylor, a fellow Melting Pot Mom, has since had another tisoy son since writing this article in 2001. She publishes a monthly ezine for parents called Suburban Mama is also a photographer specializing in contemporary children’s portraits. Marcelline lives in Huntington Beach with her husband Tim and her sons Jake and Milo.

About the book: “Missing Mangoes” is available from www.xlibris.com , amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com For more info, visit: www.missingmangoes.com

*SPECIAL GIVEAWAY FOR MPM*
Share your thoughts on this piece by posting a comment on the blog and get a chance to win a copy of "Missing Mangoes"! A winner will be randomly selected.

Meet Amy Hodgepodge!

2008-06-22T22:46:00.000-07:00

Amy is a fourth-grade girl who is a mix of Korean and Japanese (from her mom), and African-American and Caucasian (from her dad). She looks like so many little girls I know, yet who are rarely ever represented on the cover of children’s books.

The series is written by comedienne Kim Wayans (remember “In Living Color”?!) and her husband Kevin Knotts. When I read the Amy Hodgepodge books, I was so excited to see that Amy’s group of friends look (literally!) just like the kids in our our Melting Pot Moms groups. :-) They are all different mixes -- Caucasian/Chinese, Perto Rican/African-American, Italian/Irish, etc. Finally – books where mixed kids are the norm! :-)

Kim Wayans recently did an e-interview with Melting Pot Moms:

1) What inspired you to write the Amy Hodgepodge series?

My husband and I have 38 nieces and nephews; many of whom are mixed-race children. It's so important for children to see accurate and positive reflections of themselves in the world around them. We wanted to create a hero for multiracial kids to be proud of, and identify with.

2) Will any of Amy's friends have their own series in the future?

Actually, we were tossing around some ideas on perhaps spinning Cole and Rusty off into their own series in the future. We'll see. It all depends on how successful AMY HODGEPODGE becomes.

3) Tell us a little about the response you've received from readers

The response from readers has been just amazing! We're overwhelmed by the outpouring of enthusiasm and excitement about this ground-breaking book series. My husband and I have been visiting elementary schools reading Amy Hodgepodge and it's so rewarding to see how much the kids love this book series. We usually do a Q& A afterwards and the kids always come up with such insightful comments and interesting questions. The books are great educational tools because they not only teach children how to embrace diversity in themselves and in others, but open up dialogue around race, culture and the beauty of being part of a Hodgepodge nation.

4) Can you tell us a little about the illustrator?

Our illustrator, Soo Jeong, is a very talented, young Korean woman who we met through my brothers, Marlon and Shawn. We worked with her very closely on creating the images for the book series. She's awesome!

5) Anything else you'd like to share with Melting Pot Moms?

We have big plans for AMY HODGEPODGE. Eventually we'd like to do a cartoon and perhaps even an animated film--it's high time multiracial kids go mainstream! But first, we have to make the book series a smashing success, so tell everyone you know about these books and encourage teachers and educators to order them for their schools!

Stay tuned for an Amy Hodgepodge/contest give-away....coming soon!

"Being mixed has been enriching, beautiful"

2008-06-19T15:52:00.000-07:00

Nona recently wrote about her reaction to the MSNBC special “Multiracial in America”. I thought her words were so poignant, and definitely blog-worthy! :-) Nona is a mix of black/white and her husband is Mexican.

"My concern is that most every time I hear something in the media about multi racial Americans, it focuses on the problems....the struggle....the challenges with being mixed or living in an interracial marriage.

I loved watching the last episode of Greys' Anatomy (on YouTube:)* and seeing an interracial family with out the show making an issue of them being mixed or "trouble" that comes with it. I thought this program on MSNBC glorifed how difficult it is being mixed, how being in an interracial family is "hard" because of people staring or having family that won't accept you and blah blah blah!

I am so happy to say that my life has been great! My kids have an amazing life as tri racial little people. Being mixed has been enriching, beautiful, and not dysfunctional at all. Now don't get me wrong...I've had the looks, I've had people challenge me as to why I don't just call myself "black", I've had to cut some of my "black" relatives off because of their ignorance......and I have had bouts of not feeling totally accepted....but who doesn't? What person hasn't had these feelings or experiences in some way or another for whatever reason.

I just wish that the media would highlight the presence of the interracial family as a wonderful reflection of what the United States stands for. I wish that the mixed race person in this society would be portrayed as highly adjustable, enriched with cultural knowledge and extremely sensitive to all walks of life....I am .....because I am mixed.

These aspects are special about mixed people and I wish if we get any special publicity that it be focused on the positive and what we have to celebrate instead of all these people who feel victimized or all these people from the South who face bigotry along with every other non-white person down there. I also think that the census data is waaaaay off! For a multitude of reasons. I know lots of mixed people that are black and white who would never mark "other" or both....they would only put "black"...for whatever reason. So I could go on and on.....this is one topic that I'm really emotional about..”

Well-said, Nona! I agree that we’ve heard enough of the “tragic mulatto” stories, and not enough of the well-adjusted, well-rounded, happy-in-our-own-skin stories!! As I look at my little melting pot boys, my hope is that they will be part of a generation that feels enriched and empowered in being mixed!

*Grey's Anatomy, Season 4, Finale Episode "Freedom"

Melting Pot Family In the News

2008-06-11T00:03:00.000-07:00

Melting Pot Mom Jen Maldonado and her family were recently featured in the OC Register (Orange County, CA). The article depicts the melding of Jen's Chinese culture with her husband's American culture and how their daughter is growing up a "melting pot" girl.

Click here to read the entire article and see photos: http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/local/missionviejo/article_2038211.php

Raising Globally-Minded Kids

2008-06-07T14:20:00.000-07:00

One of my core values as a mother is to teach my children to be globally aware. I want them to be aware of the world as a whole – to understand that there are many continents with many countries….that there are many languages and many cultures….that we are all part of the mosaic that makes the human race. I hope that my children will always be curious –seeking to learn more about the world around them and beyond. And as their mother, I am always looking for tools to foster that curiosity and to give them a global perspective.

It’s never to early to expose kids to geography! Here are a couple of tools I have used with my soon-to-be-3 yr old and 4 year old boys:

Panwappa Kids:
http://www.panwapa.org/

This is a great interactive site that is like a kids’ version of Google Earth. Kids can click on a globe, zoom in on a continent, and visit countries around the world. They can make their own profile with a customized person/flag/home, and then find pen-pals in other countries who share similar interests. One of my favorite features of the site is the movie section with video clips showing children from around the world in their daily life. We watched a boy from Guatemala show us his school and introduce us to his friends. You can also choose what language you want to use when using the site!

Vtech “Fly and Learn Globe”:
http://www.vtechkids.com/product_page.cfm?productId=307&tvFrom
My boys love “flying” around the world, learning about the seven wonders of the world, and hearing different types of music from each country (granted, the music is a little cheesy). My four year old can name most of the continents, and he’s learning which language is spoken in which country. The interactive guessing games are a great learning tool.

Melissa & Doug World Map Floor Puzzle:
http://melissaanddoug.com/dyn_prod.php?p=446
This huge floor puzzle is great! The recommended age is 6 yrs +, but my boys have using it since they were 2 and 3 yrs old. The pieces are very large and durable (but not bite-proof).

What toys/learning aids do you use with your kids?

Multiracial In America

2008-05-30T10:22:00.000-07:00

While the discussion is by no means a new one, the multiracial experience has taken front seat in the media's lense. Our Melting Pot Moms members have long been having these discussions, but I would like to use this article as a topic to launch our first *public* discussion, on the Melting Pot Moms Blog! :-)

What did you think of this article?
If YOU were to write an article, what would YOUR underlying "message" be to the rest of the world regarding the multiracial experience?

Remember: every person's experience is unique and their perspectives on this topic can greatly vary! Please exercise respect AND honesty (because *yes* in my opinion both qualities can coexist very nicely - LOL).

About Melting Pot Moms™

2008-03-22T19:31:00.000-07:00

Melting Pot Moms is a new national organization for moms of many cultures and ethnicities to come together and celebrate the diversity of our families! If you value diversity and cross-cultural sharing, and/or if your family is multicultural/multiracial/multiethnic we hope you'll join us in sharing the parenting experience from a multiethnic perspective.

Our local groups get together for family days, play dates, cultural celebrations, educational seminars/workshops, etc.

Our MISSION is to:

Educate ourselves and our children about different cultures
Provide a social environment where our children can learn to appreciate their own ethnicity, as well as that of others
Support our members in regards to issues of child-rearing and family enrichment
Promote, support, and celebrate multiculturalism in our communities
Establish a national network to support multiethnic families throughout the country

Our CHAPTERS can be found at:

CALIFORNIA

Orange County
http://multiculturalfam.meetup.com/28

Temecula:
http://multiculturalfam.meetup.com/47

TEXAS

Houston:
http://multiculturalfam.meetup.com/45

MINNESOTA

Twin Cities:
http://multiculturalfam.meetup.com/30

MASSACHUSETTES

South of Boston:
http://multiculturalfam.meetup.com/38

NEW YORK

Rochester, NY:
http://playgroup.meetup.com/903

STARTING A CHAPTER IN YOUR AREA:

If you would like to start a chapter in your area, please contact us at:
meltingpotmoms@yahoo.com