Mother's Day 2007

On Mother's Day in DC we gathered in Lafayette Park across from the White House for a Peace Festival for kids and families. Hundreds of children, parents, grandparents, and others flocked to the park for games, face painting, singing, music, dancing, and fun that culminated in a kids' march on Pennsylvania Avenue, and a ceremony during which we tied pink ribbons with names of Iraqis and US soldiers killed in the war and the Mother's Day Proclamation onto the White House fence. The day was an outrageously joyous celebration of motherhood ~ all the ways that we mother each other and the peace movement ~ with a very somber and moving undertone about the severity of the need to end the US occupation of Iraq, and to speak out as mothers and daughters against war.

Click here to check out a slideshow of photos I took.
Tons of people were taking photos and video, many more photos coming soon!

Kid's activities included arts and crafts, crown making, music (banging on pots and pans), dance, face painting, a wishing well, and a bean bag toss to "put words into George W's mouth."

Bean bag toss on the park lawn.

Dana, Sonia, and Rae take a moment to pose for a photo between coordinating the action.
The CODEPINK Choir in action!

Mothers and daughters read the Mother's Day Proclamation together on stage.

This Is Leah rocks the stage.

Janine helps lead the kids' peace march in front of the White House.


I Miss America passes out pink carnations to the kids.

CODEPINK Gathers the Women outside the White House!

Desiree ties a ribbon to the White House fence.
The completed painted mural displayed on Penn Ave. The mural will go with the Global Exchange and CODEPINK peace delegation to Iran later this summer.

Back at the CODEPINK Activist House, women celebrate with an imPEACHment pie eating ceremony honoring all the women whose hard work made today such a vibrant success. Here, Medea gives Sonia, the DC Coordinator, a bite of the pie, and a huge appreciation for everything she's done to make this week of actions so inspiring and smooth.