World Childless Week’s mission is simple…to raise awareness of the childless not by choice across the world. Wow! That is POWERFUL!

The week is broken into themes to allow for a deeper dive into 7 different topics. It is difficult to wrap our arms around our own grief ….so its even more difficult to try to put it into words for our family and friends. WCW can help us jump start conversations with those who we love (and who love us).

Now....why would anyone want to celebrate a week like this? I mean, the topic isn't as light as International Talk Like a Pirate Day or International Sloth Day....We aren't celebrating it in the 'balloons and party hat' kinda way. But we are celebrating the possibility of a future of a world without a cultural stigma associated with childlessness.

In my blog The Childless Life, we talk a lot about cultural stigmas and the general lack of awareness….both need to change. Change will never occur without awareness. I feel so strongly about the power of WCW that I wanted to generate discussion closer to home.

I worked with our state and local officials (insert trumpets blaring here). Our mayor, Sharon Weston Broome, has proclaimed September 10-16 as Baton Rouge Childless Week.

and it gets better...

Our governor, John Bel Edwards, has proclaimed September 10-16 Louisiana Childless Week.

I am SO proud that Louisiana is the first state and Baton Rouge is the first US city to officially recognize World Childless Week. Change will never occur without awareness.

I encourage you to share the World Childless Week website and use #WorldChildlessWeek. Work with your state and local officials on a proclamation to align with World Childless Week. Participate in the week’s events. It doesn’t matter if you are a great writer (September 11th, Letters To Our Unborn Children). It doesn’t matter if your paintings look like Monet (September 12th, Childlessness and The Arts).

“Use what talents you possess; the woods would be very silent if no birds sang there except those that sang best.” Henry Van Dyke

What IS important is to USE your voice. And if you aren’t strong enough to do that yet, it is ok. There is a world of childless women in your corner. We’ve got you.

Sharon Weston Broome, Mayor, Baton Rouge with Sandy Langhart Michelet