How Event Organizers Can Partner with &Mother

By partnering with &Mother, event organizers in the sports industry have a major opportunity to provide supportive spaces that not only welcome mothers and caregivers, but enable them to show up as their best selves.

Since 2020, the &Mother staff has dedicated themselves to creating supportive infrastructure and resources that empower women in sports, knowing athletics is a demonstration space for the rest of society. Our work directly addresses the barriers that limit a woman's choice to pursue and thrive in both career and motherhood.

We offer in-person and virtual consulting services to guide event organizers on best practices for race deferral language, lactation spaces, caregiver lounges, and childcare—all components that create a more inclusive experience for mothers and parents.

In the last year, &Mother has coached race organizers at a number of events, including:

• The 2022 USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships, where all athletes, coaches, and event staff enjoyed childcare and lactation stations.

• The 2022 TCS NYC Marathon, 2023 United Airlines Half Marathon, and 2023 Brooklyn Half Marathon, where runners utilized lactation stations along the course.

• The 2023 She.is.beautiful 5k and 10k in Santa Cruz, California, where participants used lactation stations and the first ever caregivers lounge.

In early October, we provided free childcare and lactation spaces to the mothers participating in the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF) Annual Salute—&Mother's first activation at a non-race event. For the moms and caregivers in attendance, these services helped them feel welcome while celebrating the many milestones in women's sports this year.

"It is support like this that helps keep working moms confident that they can stay on the ice, field, and in the boardroom," said Kendall Coyne, a professional hockey player and new mom who used &Mother's lactation spaces at the WSF event.

Thanks in part to the passage of Title IX 51 years ago, the current generation of women who are becoming mothers have participated in sports since childhood. And they do not want to give up their athletic pursuits because they are becoming mothers. In addition, society as a whole recognizes the value of supporting parents and wants to ensure people have access to the resources they need to be parents. Of over 500 people surveyed by &Mother in the last year:

• 97% of respondents would prefer to support a race that provides lactation support, even if they do not personally need to use the service.

• 88% of respondents would prefer to support a race that provides childcare options, even if they do not personally need to use the service.

&Mother's in-person or virtual consulting services include a customized event standardization playbook, which provides recommendations for event provisions, including but not limited to, lactation stations, breast milk storage and transportation, caregiver lounges, family support, deferral language (including pregnancy, postpartum, fertility treatment, and adoption), and childcare.

By working with &Mother, our partners are creating inclusive environments that celebrate the accomplishments of mothers and caregivers. As we move forward in this important work, we would love to expand this group to include more industry leaders dedicated to providing this groundbreaking support.

If you are interested in partnering with &Mother for your next event, please reach out to us (hello@andmother.org) to learn more.