Krisha

In October 2014, a group of inspired moms led by musician and budding social media entrepreneur Marci Craig circled around a table at Blacksburg’s Next Door Bake Shop. With coffee mugs in hands and big dreams in their heads, they talked about starting a ‘grassroots passion project’ that would initially build a community of business-savvy moms who would help each other pool resources and process and connect their ideas. They met several times over two years until Craig realized the group of moms – mainly parents of the students she taught music to – needed more than a space to share professional development insights, but needed to be part of a movement that motivated them to turn their gifts and passions into action. In early 2016, Craig formed an LLC and launched The Mama Movement – an online and in-person community organization where moms of any age find support in motherhood while still prioritizing themselves.
“Many moms are change-makers, business owners and creators,” says Craig. “If you are a powerhouse of ideas along with being a devoted mother and a purpose-driven woman, wouldn’t it be helpful to have encouraging support and a professional network of like-minded mothers sharing resources and keeping you accountable?”
Craig noticed that other mom’s groups tend to gravitate toward conversations about kids. “I wanted a space where I could rediscover me,” she relates. “It is important to find joy in you – to ‘pursue your passion and prioritize you’ – that is our mantra. Once you do that, you can bring that energy back to your family.”
The Mama Movement has grown to nearly 800 women online and 55 paying members. In addition to joining the Facebook page – a message board of upcoming events, resources and uplifting messages – there is a private discussion group page to address issues, ask others about parenting, and promote their businesses or interests. Previously there was a flat fee for members who desired a greater level of involvement, but The Mama Movement is transitioning to a subscription model where members receive monthly content highlighting featured experts on topics tailored to their interests. There will be more opportunities including workshops, annual picnics and in-person passion-seeker meetings.
The passion-seekers meetings are for members or guests of members only, and there is a waiting list to join. Craig explains that she wants to grow the organization but the in-person meetings benefit from an intimate size and high-quality content. “The Mama Movement has grown organically. Our leadership team is exploring how we expand and give all moms an opportunity to express themselves and step in the spotlight. We hope to grow our content nationally,” she says.
Alyssa Short joined before she gave birth to her daughter and serves on the leadership team. She shares Craig’s vision for expansion. “We want to have a strong online presence to help any mom in any place in her journey,” she says. “People join for many reasons, and the group gracefully combines a holistic picture of motherhood. There is the self-care piece, the creative piece and professional development.”
Part of the concept of The Mama Movement is to amplify each other’s accomplishments and spotlight members who have talents and expertise. For instance, Short holds a master’s degree from the Rhode Island School of Design in Art and Education with a certificate in Expression and Healing Arts. She has taught others to develop coping skills through art making. Craig herself is a multi-passion mama. She plays the classical guitar, piano and harp and teaches music theory and early childhood music at the Renaissance Music Academy. Her life as a musician, social entrepreneur and mother of three doesn’t look that different from moms in the New River Valley who find themselves juggling so many roles and struggling to find time for themselves. “So many of us have similar experiences, there is no reason to go it alone,” says Craig. “We each need to find joy in ourselves and help elevate one another to share our individual passions and collective message.”

www.themamamovement.com
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Originally published in NRVMagazine

Arguably the most beautiful city in Europe, Prague, Czech Republic, is a landscape of storybook castles and cobblestone bridges that stand alongside modern eateries and hipsters creating art and music on street corners. Left largely unscathed by the destruction endured by most of Eastern Europe during World War II, the “City of a Hundred Spires” still has much of its original medieval architecture. Block by block, architectural enthusiasts marvel at different styles: Renaissance morphing into Baroque, Neo-Classical transitioning to Art Deco. Eclectic building elements make the city visually stunning while maintaining its traditional Old World charm.
When I moved to Prague to attend the Prague School of Economics in the late ‘90s, the whole country was navigating through a transition from a planned to market economy. Today, the city remains a hub for change and revolutionary thought. After all, the Czech Republic gained its independence in the late ‘80s led by a handful of poets, artists and creative types who rose up against the Soviets.
When I lived there, the culture was still adjusting to the immigration that came with newly open borders – a stark change in diversity after being behind the iron curtain for so long. Some say Prague still has undercurrents of xenophobia but the new generation of Czechs welcome everyone – including the thousands of tourists and ex-pats who flock to the city in search of inspiration. And that’s what I needed as an aspiring young writer with many thoughts but not enough substance and experience to impart. I didn’t know what I was looking for, but at the age of 21, I found Prague.
Without a car or bike, I walked, zigzagging through Prague’s notable and romantic landmarks. The Jewish Quarter, The National Theatre/Estates Theatre – which debuted Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” – and the Globe Bookstore were places I would frequent. Life in your early 20s can be confusing, and instead of standing around trying to figure it out, I walked. The ideal place to start in Prague is Old Town Square.
Although touristy, Old Town Square is steeped in history and lined with outdoor cafes and restaurants, including U Parlamentu, a local’s brewery serving authentic goulash, dumplings and schnitzel. The most prominent attraction in Old Town is the ornate Astronomical Clock. This clock doesn’t tell time, rather it registers the phases of the moon and equinoxes. When the clock strikes, symbolic depictions of fate and sin (including a money bag representing greed, a mirror for vanity and a skeleton to depict death) dance around the top, warning viewers standing below that these vices are looming above them.
Across from Old Town Square, I walked to Prague Castle. Perched on a hilltop overlooking the city, this castle is the residence of the President of the Czech Republic and has housed kings and emperors and, of course, the royal bohemian crown jewels. Prague Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage site and showcases several architectural styles from 10th century Romanesque buildings to Gothic structures from the 14th century. In the courtyard, tourists are often treated to a live string quartet or madrigal singing. Make sure you stroll through St. Vitus Cathedral, the Royal Palace, St. George’s Basilica and the Golden Lane – where homes have been transformed into a living history corridor to depict how artisans lived and worked in medieval times.
My inspiration came from a place that was appropriately the connection between Prague Castle and Old Town Square. In fact, most thirsty creatives need look no further for inspiration than Charles Bridge (Karluv Most). This bridge is where stories are written, art is formed and languages from all over the world are exchanged. Straddling the expansive Vltava River, the 14th century cobbled bridge is flanked by two elegant towers. But the signature feature is the two rows of more than 30 statues of saints. I remember spending hours sitting under the Statue of the Holy Crucifix and Cavalry on the North writing about people, travel and everything I saw. A busker named “Ice” – a musician from the U.S. – entertained me by singing “Country Roads,” mistaking me for a native of West Virginia instead of Southwest Virginia. I appreciated the thought, and it made for a good essay later. I walked the cobblestones on that bridge hundreds of times – talking to visitors, browsing watercolors for sale and shepherding friends who wanted a tour of the city’s finest attraction.
It seemed fitting that my shoes wore down so badly you could see through the soles. On my last night, classmates and locals I befriended met me at the bridge at midnight. We toasted to the memories of Prague we made together, laughed in the dark and drank champagne. Then, in a burst of spontaneous inspiration, I took off my worn-out shoes and tossed them over the side of the Charles Bridge. Down they went, splashing into the mighty Vltava. I had walked my way to finding the inspiration that only Prague could deliver. It was time to go home and write my story – and I knew I needed a new pair of shoes.

Originally published in NRVMagazine

I have never met anyone who isn’t completely blown away by Alaska. There is no competing with the majesty of those ice blue glaciers, how close you get to wildlife and how strange and remote it feels touring the 49th state to join the Union. Alaska feels like its own country, so wild and untouched.
We promised ourselves when we became parents we would find a way to continue seeing the world and share it with our baby daughter. We wanted to knock Alaska off the list but how would we cruise toward the Arctic, keep her comfortable and still have an adventure? The solution was clear with the aptly named Disney Wonder cruise – a fantasy for children and a dream come true for adults.
Traveling with a baby can be tricky, but if you leave it up to Disney, it’s smooth sailing. So smooth, in fact, that we met several couples traveling without kids because the ship boasts the cleanest, most organized and best executed experience to Alaska. The company is a master of logistics. From the moment you set foot at the Vancouver dock, you don’t stand in any long line anywhere. Despite children of all ages, multi-generation families and the cast of Disney characters sharing the ship, you don’t feel crowded. When you want to explore on land, you scan your Disney card on the way out and off you go. No fuss, no problem, just as Disney wants you to believe – pure magic.
Besides constant activities, themed evening shows, 24-hour gourmet food service and a variety of restaurants, Disney has an adult day spa on board with tranquil zen rooms, private whirlpool tubs and massage tables overlooking glaciers, lush tree lines and chunks of icebergs floating by. The latest Disney movies play continuously in two large theaters, but the real selling point was Flounders nursery, staffed with experienced au pairs from Europe who keep your infants safe while you explore Alaska.
Without question, Skagway, the northernmost point on the Inside Passage, has the most character. Founded by those seeking fortune during the Gold Rush, Skagway’s charming downtown (no more than five blocks long) has been restored to its roots with wooden sidewalks and old western saloon facades. Population is 862, and it has infamous history peppered with outlaws, crooks, cons.
No trip to Alaska is complete without riding a dog sled, Iditarod style. Make sure you book the helicopter ride with Alaska Icefield Expeditions (through your cruise or online) over the majestic Coast Mountains. You land at the dog camp on the stunning Denver Glacier. More than 50 dogs and 15 trainers camp on the glacier from May to the end of summer. Third place Yukon Quest Finisher Matt Hall told us that he runs and breeds the dogs during the summer and trains and races them in winter. Hall has only visited the lower 48 once when he was 12. These mushers are dedicated to the land, their way of life and the dogs. After securing dogs to the sled, Hall instructs us to sit down or stand in the back, like you see in the movies. At his command, you are off. The adrenaline kicks in whooshing through the valley surrounded by ice-capped mountains and an exposed glacier face. It’s thrilling and gives you a real taste of being an Alaskan.
You can mush in Juneau, but we opted to tour the Mendenhall Glacier, go whale watching and attend an authentic salmon bake. Mendenhall is the most accessible glacier in Alaska and pulls its ice and snow slowly down 13 miles from the Juneau icefield. Visitors can get close by taking a trail to the thundering waterfall. Scan the tree lines for what look like golf balls – they are bald eagles watching you. Juneau is the only capital city that is solely accessible via ship or air; no roads connect Juneau to the rest of the state. So boating and whale watching is plentiful. We must have seen 20 whales twisting and leaping from the water. A different kind of fish landed on our plates at the end of the day; the salmon bake delivered nicely grilled melt-in-your-mouth fresh fish plucked right from the river nearby.

You can walk down a trail, pan for gold, admire the waterfall and watch the salmon fight an upstream current. Watch for bears. They are everywhere and not shy when it comes to the stealing the flavorful fish off the grill.
Lastly, Ketchikan, the salmon capital of the world, is home to the famous lumberjack show. You might think it’s a little “kitschy” to see big, burly men in plaid shirts swing axes, saw wood and climb tall trees as fast as squirrels, but hey, you’re in Ketchikan and the art of logging is part of the city’s history. After the lumberjack show, book a seaplane to go soaring over the Coast Mountains looking for families of mountain goats skipping over the peaks. If you ask, the pilot will quietly land on an icy sapphire lake – so still it looks like slick glass. You can step out on the rudder and feel the majesty of Alaska around you. Nothing but water, snow, mountains and air – pure nature, pure magic.

Krisha Chachra serves on the Town Council of Blacksburg and is a regular columnist and author. She has traveled to over 40 countries in 6 continents and reported and hosted shows for public radio and television. Her columns are taken from her journals and personal insights from traveling nationally and internationally throughout her life. Her book about returning to Blacksburg, Homecoming Journals, may be found online or in local bookstores.

Originally published in NRV Magazine