This is an invitation into the depths of mothers’ hearts, minds and stories. Join best friends Julia Metzger-Traber and Tasha Haverty as they crack open definitions of motherhood and listen for the unspeakable through playful, intimate conversations with mothers from all walks of life. Mother is a Question is a portal into the kaleidoscopically different and yet universal experiences of what it means to mother.Not another chat show sharing practical advice from the daily frontlines of mothering, but a space to live in the questions, and enlist the existential and poetic wisdom of those who mother. What would the world be if we took mothers’ questions and their wisdom seriously?

This episode, we’re traveling to a place and time when mama was the muse–back when musicians in the U.S. were constantly singing about “the one who’s always true,” as one of these songs goes. One hundred years ago in the U.S., in the early days of recorded music, a lot of the songs people were listening to were about one particular person: mother. Thanks to Sarah Bryan, the Association for Cultural Equity, and to Dust to Digital for inspiring this episode.Mother is a Question is created by Natasha Haverty and Julia Metzger-TraberOur editor is Rob RosenthalOriginal Music by Raky Sastri and Julia ReadManager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney FleurantinCoordinating Producer: Emmanuel DesarmePost-Production: Sandra Lopez-MonsalveExecutive Producer: Genevieve SponslerCover art: Pinterest, anonymous

This episode, we’re traveling to a place and time when mama was the muse–back when musicians in the U.S. were constantly singing about “the one who’s always true,” as one of these songs goes. One hundred years ago in the U.S., in the early days of recorded music, a lot of the songs people were listening to were about one particular person: mother. 
Thanks to Sarah Bryan, the Association for Cultural Equity, and to Dust to Digital for inspiring this episode.
Mother is a Question is created by Natasha Haverty and Julia Metzger-Traber
Our editor is Rob Rosenthal
Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read
Manager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney Fleurantin
Coordinating Producer: Emmanuel Desarme
Post-Production: Sandra Lopez-Monsalve
Executive Producer: Genevieve Sponsler
Cover art: Pinterest, anonymous

Mother is a Song

Comedian and mother, Negin Farsad, got a strange assignment - one that sent her on an unexpected trip– a trippy trip– a hero’s quest– into the depths of her unconscious mind... where it turned out, all the monsters of motherhood were there waiting for her.Four years out from giving birth, Negin hadn’t thought she was avoiding a whole lot.  In fact as a comedian, she considered it her job to reveal the hardest things about her life on stage every night–to turn them into jokes. She had even turned her harrowing birth into laughs.  But little did she know how much was still lurking in the dark unknown.  How much there was to discover.  How much there was to heal.She told us all about it. This conversation is really special, because Tash and Julia got to talk to Negin together!<a href="http://neginfarsad.com/">Check out Negin's comedy.</a>  Neginfarsad.com; @neginfarsad  She's hilarious!<a href="https://www.afar.com/magazine/what-a-mycomeditations-magic-mushroom-retreat-is-really-like">And the article that she wrote for Afar magazine about this trip.</a> Mother is a Question is created by Natasha Haverty and Julia Metzger-Traber. Our editor is Rob Rosenthal.Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read; other music by APMManager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney FleurantinCoordinating Producer: Emmanuel DesarmePost-Production Audio Engineer : Sandra Lopez-MonsalveExecutive Producer: Genevieve SponslerArt by Richard Gray Follow us on instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/motherisaquestion/">@motherisaquestion</a>

Comedian and mother, Negin Farsad, got a strange assignment - one that sent her on an unexpected trip– a trippy trip– a hero’s quest– into the depths of her unconscious mind... where it turned out, all the monsters of motherhood were there waiting for her.
Four years out from giving birth, Negin hadn’t thought she was avoiding a whole lot.  In fact as a comedian, she considered it her job to reveal the hardest things about her life on stage every night–to turn them into jokes. She had even turned her harrowing birth into laughs.  
But little did she know how much was still lurking in the dark unknown.  How much there was to discover.  How much there was to heal.
She told us all about it. This conversation is really special, because Tash and Julia got to talk to Negin together!
Check out Negin's comedy.  Neginfarsad.com; @neginfarsad  She's hilarious!
And the article that she wrote for Afar magazine about this trip.



Mother is a Question is created by Natasha Haverty and Julia Metzger-Traber. 
Our editor is Rob Rosenthal.
Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read; other music by APM
Manager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney Fleurantin
Coordinating Producer: Emmanuel Desarme
Post-Production Audio Engineer : Sandra Lopez-Monsalve
Executive Producer: Genevieve Sponsler
Art by Richard Gray


Follow us on instagram @motherisaquestion

A Mother’s Tripped-Out Trip to Guilt, Self-Doubt, Ego Death… and Back (Negin Farsad)

Elizabeth Rush has spent her career writing about climate change--her book Rising was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2019. Before Liz made her decision of whether to become a mother, she felt like she needed to go to the end of the world–Antarctica–and stand face to face with a melting glacier. In 2019, Liz jumped on a research vessel bound for Thwaites Glacier, with a deep longing to become a mother. She knew that the experience might change that feeling–that maybe, even, the glacier would have a message for her: tell her the best thing she could do for the world was actually sacrifice that longing to have a child.Mother is a Question is created by Natasha Haverty and Julia Metzger-Traber. Our editor is Rob Rosenthal.Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read; other music by APMManager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney FleurantinCoordinating Producer: Emmanuel DesarmePost-Production: Sandra Lopez-MonsalveExecutive Producer: Genevieve SponslerArt by Richard Gray<a href="https://milkweed.org/book/the-quickening">The Quickening</a> by Elizabeth Rush

Elizabeth Rush has spent her career writing about climate change--her book Rising was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2019. Before Liz made her decision of whether to become a mother, she felt like she needed to go to the end of the world–Antarctica–and stand face to face with a melting glacier. 
In 2019, Liz jumped on a research vessel bound for Thwaites Glacier, with a deep longing to become a mother. She knew that the experience might change that feeling–that maybe, even, the glacier would have a message for her: tell her the best thing she could do for the world was actually sacrifice that longing to have a child.
Mother is a Question is created by Natasha Haverty and Julia Metzger-Traber. 
Our editor is Rob Rosenthal.
Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read; other music by APM
Manager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney Fleurantin
Coordinating Producer: Emmanuel Desarme
Post-Production: Sandra Lopez-Monsalve
Executive Producer: Genevieve Sponsler
Art by Richard Gray
The Quickening by Elizabeth Rush

Should I Mother in a Melting World? (Elizabeth Rush)

What if humans could evolve into our most nurturing and creative selves?  What if society were organized around care instead of extraction and destruction?  What if we followed the leadership of those who mother?  Well, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, self-proclaimed Black Feminist Love Evangelist, thinks we have to.  It's urgent.  And she calls this possibility Motherful.  This episode, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, a poet and one of Julia's philosopher heroes, will be our guide to A Motherful World. She is a big inspiration for Julia.  Check out Alexis' beautiful work here:<a href="https://www.akpress.org/revolutionary-mothering.html">Revolutionary Mothering: Love on the Front Lines  </a>Alexis Pauline Gumbs (Editor), China Martens (Editor), Mai’a Williams (Editor), Loretta J. Ross (Preface)<a href="https://www.akpress.org/undrowned.html">Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals</a> by Alexis Pauline Gumbs<a href="https://read.dukeupress.edu/books/book/12/SpillScenes-of-Black-Feminist-Fugitivity">Spill: Scenes of Black Feminist Fugitivity </a>by Alexis Pauline Gumbs<a href="https://read.dukeupress.edu/books/book/2404/M-ArchiveAfter-the-End-of-the-World">M Archive: After the End of the World</a> by Alexis Pauline Gumbs<a href="https://read.dukeupress.edu/books/book/2660/DubFinding-Ceremony">Dub: Finding Ceremony</a> by Alexis Pauline GumbsAnd pre-order her forthcoming book: <a href="https://www.akpress.org/loving-corrections-survival-is-a-promise-preorder-deal.html">Survival is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde</a> (out August 20!)And more great poems, videos and workshops on her instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alexispauline/">https://www.instagram.com/alexispauline/</a>Mother is a Question is created by Julia Metzger-Traber and Natasha Haverty. Our editor is Rob Rosenthal.Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read Executive Producer: Genevieve Sponsler Manager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney Fleurantin Coordinating Producer: Emmanuel Desarme Post-Production: Sandra Lopez-Monsalve Art by Richard Gray

What if humans could evolve into our most nurturing and creative selves?  What if society were organized around care instead of extraction and destruction?  What if we followed the leadership of those who mother?  Well, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, self-proclaimed Black Feminist Love Evangelist, thinks we have to.  It's urgent.  And she calls this possibility Motherful.  
This episode, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, a poet and one of Julia's philosopher heroes, will be our guide to A Motherful World. 
She is a big inspiration for Julia.  Check out Alexis' beautiful work here:
Revolutionary Mothering: Love on the Front Lines  Alexis Pauline Gumbs (Editor), China Martens (Editor), Mai’a Williams (Editor), Loretta J. Ross (Preface)
Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals by Alexis Pauline Gumbs
Spill: Scenes of Black Feminist Fugitivity by Alexis Pauline Gumbs
M Archive: After the End of the World by Alexis Pauline Gumbs
Dub: Finding Ceremony by Alexis Pauline Gumbs
And pre-order her forthcoming book: 
Survival is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde (out August 20!)
And more great poems, videos and workshops on her instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexispauline/
Mother is a Question is created by Julia Metzger-Traber and Natasha Haverty. Our editor is Rob Rosenthal.
Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read

Executive Producer: Genevieve Sponsler

Manager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney Fleurantin

Coordinating Producer: Emmanuel Desarme

Post-Production: Sandra Lopez-Monsalve


Art by Richard Gray

A Motherful World (Alexis Pauline Gumbs)

Katherine is a farmer.  She always thought of herself as in control, someone who could plan for any situation.  But when her son died after birth, that old her died too.  "The world" she says, "is out of control, and any type of control that I experience is a figment of my imagination."  But the river keeps flowing, the birds keep singing, and the garlic still needs to be harvested. How can it all exist at the same time?  Here's her story.Mother is a Question is created by Julia Metzger-Traber and Natasha Haverty. Our editor is Rob Rosenthal.Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read Executive Producer: Genevieve Sponsler Manager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney Fleurantin Coordinating Producer: Emmanuel Desarme Post-Production: Sandra Lopez-MonsalveArt by Richard Gray

Katherine is a farmer.  She always thought of herself as in control, someone who could plan for any situation.  But when her son died after birth, that old her died too.  "The world" she says, "is out of control, and any type of control that I experience is a figment of my imagination."  
But the river keeps flowing, the birds keep singing, and the garlic still needs to be harvested. How can it all exist at the same time?  Here's her story.
Mother is a Question is created by Julia Metzger-Traber and Natasha Haverty. Our editor is Rob Rosenthal.
Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read

Executive Producer: Genevieve Sponsler

Manager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney Fleurantin

Coordinating Producer: Emmanuel Desarme

Post-Production: Sandra Lopez-Monsalve
Art by Richard Gray

Mothering between Life and Death (Katherine)

We pick up with the story of Anne, a day after she told her kids that she was so unhappy, so lost that to figure things out, she had to get on a plane and put five thousand miles between herself and her life.

Mother is a Question is created by Natasha Haverty and Julia Metzger-Traber. Our editor is Rob Rosenthal.

Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read

Manager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney Fleurantin

Coordinating Producer: Emmanuel Desarme

Post-Production: Sandra Lopez-Monsalve

Executive Producer: Genevieve Sponsler

We pick up with the story of Anne, a day after she told her kids that she was so unhappy, so lost that to figure things out, she had to get on a plane and put five thousand miles between herself and her life.
Mother is a Question is created by Natasha Haverty and Julia Metzger-Traber. Our editor is Rob Rosenthal.
Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read
Manager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney Fleurantin
Coordinating Producer: Emmanuel Desarme
Post-Production: Sandra Lopez-Monsalve
Executive Producer: Genevieve Sponsler

What is a mother? we ask...and all things answer.

Why Can't a Mother Think That? (Anne, Pt. 2)

We open our season with a story that came to us through a listener.

“Can you imagine leaving your child?” Anne asks, “No, of course not. Because none of us do. Nor did I, until four days before I did it.” Here’s Part 1 of her story.

Mother is a Question is created by Natasha Haverty and Julia Metzger-Traber. Our editor is Rob Rosenthal.

Executive Producer: Genevieve Sponsler

Manager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney Fleurantin

Coordinating Producer: Emmanuel Desarme

Post-Production: Sandra Lopez-Monsalve

Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read

We open our season with a story that came to us through a listener.
“Can you imagine leaving your child?” Anne asks, “No, of course not. Because none of us do. Nor did I, until four days before I did it.” Here’s Part 1 of her story.
Mother is a Question is created by Natasha Haverty and Julia Metzger-Traber. Our editor is Rob Rosenthal.
Executive Producer: Genevieve Sponsler
Manager of The Big Questions Project: Courtney Fleurantin
Coordinating Producer: Emmanuel Desarme
Post-Production: Sandra Lopez-Monsalve
Original Music by Raky Sastri and Julia Read

Why Can't a Mother Think That? (Anne, Pt. 1)


        Being a mother is a portal into the core of human existence.  Join us as we hold a microphone up to that portal and listen for the unanswerable, the unspeakable, the mysterious, the awe-some and the kaleidoscopically different realities of mothers. 
      

Being a mother is a portal into the core of human existence.  Join us as we hold a microphone up to that portal and listen for the unanswerable, the unspeakable, the mysterious, the awe-some and the kaleidoscopically different realities of mothers. 

Trailer. Season 2

Yeye just crossed the threshold into motherhood. And she thinks what she learned during her crossing—when she gave birth—might be the key into the kind of motherhood in which she could be her truest, fullest self. But she’s also still asking questions. “Can you explain to me how we ended up in that situation? Wait, can you say that again? Was it really necessary, or am I another Latina statistic that ended up in this situation?” Join us for our season finale, and be part of crafting the coming season of Mother is a Question.

Yeye just crossed the threshold into motherhood. And she thinks what she learned during her crossing—when she gave birth—might be the key into the kind of motherhood in which she could be her truest, fullest self. But she’s also still asking questions. “Can you explain to me how we ended up in that situation? Wait, can you say that again? Was it really necessary, or am I another Latina statistic that ended up in this situation?” Join us for our season finale, and be part of crafting the coming season of Mother is a Question.

What Just Happened?

As the oldest daughter of the oldest daughter of the oldest daughter, Nicole always knew her life didn’t begin and end with her. But when she became a mother, she gained new awareness of how mothering reaches not only into the past—but also into the future. Join us as Julia speaks with artists Nicole and Richael about how being connected to “deep time” shapes how they mother.

As the oldest daughter of the oldest daughter of the oldest daughter, Nicole always knew her life didn’t begin and end with her. But when she became a mother, she gained new awareness of how mothering reaches not only into the past—but also into the future. Join us as Julia speaks with artists Nicole and Richael about how being connected to “deep time” shapes how they mother.

How Do We Mother Beyond the Present?

Rita was the mom next door—she moved in when Julia was two years old, but there was so much in the songs and the whispers that Julia didn’t know and couldn’t understand.  What was Rita carrying alone all these years?  How did she make it through?  Join us as we make space for the darkness, listen for the wisdom and witness the hidden journey of the mother next door.

Rita was the mom next door—she moved in when Julia was two years old, but there was so much in the songs and the whispers that Julia didn’t know and couldn’t understand.  What was Rita carrying alone all these years?  How did she make it through?  Join us as we make space for the darkness, listen for the wisdom and witness the hidden journey of the mother next door.

Who Are You, Mother?

Rae is trying to decide whether to become a mother. And Rae is coming at this decision in a pretty unique way—because Rae really feels like there must be a right answer to this question. Join us as Rae tries to figure out how to know whether to step into the ultimate unknown.

Rae is trying to decide whether to become a mother. And Rae is coming at this decision in a pretty unique way—because Rae really feels like there must be a right answer to this question. Join us as Rae tries to figure out how to know whether to step into the ultimate unknown.

What is a mother? we ask...and all things answer. 

To Be or Not To Be?

When Julia found out she was pregnant, she was bombarded with voices in her head around what a mother was supposed to be. In this episode, Julia turns to Laurel, who is on her own inspiring journey of reckoning with those voices and creating the motherhood that is true to her. Laurel never wanted to be a parent growing up because she couldn’t imagine herself fitting into the narrow frame of heteronormative parenting. But along her windy path toward becoming a mother, she discovers there is so much more possible in who we can become, how we love, and how we create family. Join us as we reckon with who we are as mothers in the face of societal expectations and narrow definitions, and what is possible when we do.

When Julia found out she was pregnant, she was bombarded with voices in her head around what a mother was supposed to be. In this episode, Julia turns to Laurel, who is on her own inspiring journey of reckoning with those voices and creating the motherhood that is true to her. Laurel never wanted to be a parent growing up because she couldn’t imagine herself fitting into the narrow frame of heteronormative parenting. But along her windy path toward becoming a mother, she discovers there is so much more possible in who we can become, how we love, and how we create family. Join us as we reckon with who we are as mothers in the face of societal expectations and narrow definitions, and what is possible when we do.

What is a Mother?

Our journey into this territory of mothering begins. Tasha searches out someone whose deep wisdom about mothering was totally lost on her when they first met ten years ago. Back then, Teourialier Johnson—who Tasha met as “T”—was a teacher of motherhood in an unlikely context. Now, for us, she’s a teacher of so much more, opening to transformation even when it seems all has been lost. Join us as “T” navigates some of the greatest challenges a mother can face, and shares how she attunes to the eternal dance of mothering another human: the graceful movement between listening and guiding, giving and taking, the known and the unknown.

Our journey into this territory of mothering begins. Tasha searches out someone whose deep wisdom about mothering was totally lost on her when they first met ten years ago. Back then, Teourialier Johnson—who Tasha met as “T”—was a teacher of motherhood in an unlikely context. Now, for us, she’s a teacher of so much more, opening to transformation even when it seems all has been lost. Join us as “T” navigates some of the greatest challenges a mother can face, and shares how she attunes to the eternal dance of mothering another human: the graceful movement between listening and guiding, giving and taking, the known and the unknown.

What Can't Be Taught?  

Join best friends Julia Metzger-Traber and Tasha Haverty as they listen for the unspeakable and crack open the definitions of motherhood alongside mothers from all walks of life. 

Through warm, playful, and surprising interviews, this is an invitation into the depths of mothers’ hearts, minds and stories. Each episode is a portal into the kaleidoscopically different and yet universal experiences of what it means to mother. Not your average mom advice show—this is a space for the whispers, screams, and questions. 

Episode One drops October 4.

Join best friends Julia Metzger-Traber and Tasha Haverty as they listen for the unspeakable and crack open the definitions of motherhood alongside mothers from all walks of life. 
Through warm, playful, and surprising interviews, this is an invitation into the depths of mothers’ hearts, minds and stories. Each episode is a portal into the kaleidoscopically different and yet universal experiences of what it means to mother. Not your average mom advice show—this is a space for the whispers, screams, and questions. 
Episode One drops October 4.