Karen with BOLD 2007 Santa Rosa cast

In March 2006 when I decided to launch Birth On Labor Day (BOLD) I never imagined so many performances would take place. Maybe ten. In 2006 our official count was 21 BOLD locations with a total of over 40 performances. BOLD estimates in 4 days over 2,000 people attended a BOLD event in locations as broad Bozeman, Montana, Washington, DC and India.

In 2007 BOLD Performance and Talkback's raised over $75,000 for mother-friendly maternity care. Our 34 BOLD Performance and Talkback locations offered over 75 BOLD performances during the month of September 2007. In addition, BOLD Red Tents in 2007 took place in 37 locations around the world. From a performance and BOLD Red Tent this year at a women's prison in Gig Harbor, Washington, to large audiences at performances in Maui, Boston and Chicago, to powerful BOLD Red Tents from New York City to Northern Uganda...BOLD fever was in the air. Add to this two BOLD College Campaign performances in Connecticut and Nevada...and viola...a BOLD movement is happening.

BOLD's mission is to be a global movement to make maternity care mother-friendly through education, truth and action. While it was sparked by performances of my play, Birth, to inspire change BOLD is now much more than my play. There are now four ways to be a part of BOLD. At all our BOLD events we're using the arts to educate, tell the truth and take action around maternity care so that birthing options are mother-friendly.  Through each event communities take a serious look at how to improve the birthing climate for pregnant mothers. What do mothers want? What do they deserve? What mother-friendly solutions are out there? These are some of the questions BOLD is asking.

At BOLD, we think the time is now to BE BOLD and start changing maternity care so it works for mothers. Let's tell the truth about maternity care - that there is a 30.2% cesarean rate in the United States, that VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) misconceptions are rampant so that most women in the United States today who have had one c-section aren't aware they can choose not to have another, that one mother dies every minute in the world from complications due to pregnancy and childbirth - but let's focus on solutions, unity, and pleasure. There is hope. Let's water the seeds of hope.

BOLD's vision is to have a world of mothers who have positive, pleasure-filled birth experiences. I know this is possible and I invite you to be a part of BOLD's mission and vision in any way you can. Become a Friend of BOLD and receive our quarterly e-newsletter. Organize a BOLD event in your community.

Mothers voices need to be heard, honored and celebrated. And at BOLD we're listening.

BOLDly,

Karen Brody
BOLD founder
playwright of Birth