Former East Falls resident to perform in tonight’s ‘Listen To Your Mother’ show

Cecily Kellogg’s journey to motherhood was, as she says, “full of potholes and heartbreaks.” The former East Falls resident’s story includes the loss of her twin boys due to severe preeclampsia and the birth of her six-year-old daughter who was delivered by an emergency c-section. 

Achieving motherhood was a rough journey, but well worth it, which is what she’ll be discussing at the “Listen To Your Mother” show tonight at 7 p.m. The event will be held at The William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center located at 1315 Spruce St.

“Listen To Your Mother” is a national series that features live readings by local writers in celebration of Mother’s Day. It is a cross between a reading and a performance created in an effort to highlight the complexity, diversity and humor in motherhood by “giving Mother’s Day a microphone.” Each show is directed, produced and performed by members of local communities. Ten cities are participating in the show. 

Kellogg will be performing the piece she wrote for her daughter explaining her birth entitled “Tell me about the day I was boring,” – that’s how the 3 year old pronounced ‘born’ when she asked her mother. While full of sweetness with a tinge of heartache, Kellogg wanted to share her story to highlight the many aspects of motherhood.

“I think motherhood has been compartmentalized, diminished and fetishized all at the same time in these last years and I want to talk about how there is no normal,” said Kellogg. “I want to have the opportunity to present to the community that all of these mothers with each of their different experiences are the normal and this is what motherhood looks like.”

The show will feature 15 stories which include the effects of a mother on a child that didn’t want to be a mother, a gay woman who created her family through a known sperm donor and the nightly love talk that divorcing parents have with their children.

“I am hoping the audience takes away a little more understanding about the mothers they see on the daily basis, perhaps about their own mothers and perhaps about their own mothering in whatever form that takes,” said Kellogg.

Ten percent of all proceeds will benefit the Connecting Generations Program at the William Way Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center. The program fosters connections between LGBT people across generations and provides opportunities for meaningful, mentoring interactions. Through the program, participants get together at least twice a month for friendly conversation and activities.

For more information, go to listentoyourmothershow.com/Philadelphia.