Human/Mother is ONE!
A 2024 reflection, a note of gratitude, special offers, and changes for 2025.
Today, exactly one year ago, I posted my first personal essay here on Human/Mother.
Pushing that initial “Publish” button was like jumping out of an airplane, eyes closed, without a parachute. For the first twenty-four hours, I felt like I was in a free fall of fear, embarrassment, and self-doubt.
My heart pounded; my thoughts raced.
Eventually, I fluttered my eyes until they were fully open and could take in the celestial scenery. To my surprise, the weightless tumble was quite calming, quite refreshing, and I realized that, in the face of potential danger, in the very midst of exposing myself, I was safe. (I had a parachute, after all!) And, I began to entertain the possibility: What if it all worked out?
Just a few weeks before, I had been clawing my way out of the postpartum stupor that all new moms can relate to. I started to ask myself, “What now?” After having two kids under two during a global pandemic, I was thirsty for a new adventure—a new exploit.
My second had just turned two, and I had chosen to wean her from “the boob” (as my Papa—God rest his soul—would have said with a cackle). And though I grieved that special time and ability to feed my daughter, I also, after four years of becoming a mother, grieved my former creative self: Where had she gone? Was she gone forever?
I got curious about reconnecting with her and wondered if I could bring her back from the dead. I thought, If this body could create life, surely it could resurrect it, too?
I was game to try.
So, I created Human/Mother, an accountability partner and adventure buddy, to explore the Underworld of my soul. This past year, I published 26 personal essays on this platform, and I’m proud of every single one of them—those feeble miracles of life.
As I maintained my writing practice every night after tucking my two little suns into bed, I became a more confident writer. Draft after draft after draft, I became my own Persephone, bringing spring back to Demeter, back to her homeland.
Soon thereafter, with each subsequent labor and delivery of my words, the leap became less scary and more exhilarating for this human who had not once likened herself to an adrenaline junkie. (I am—and forever will be—a total scaredy-cat.)
A shift had occurred. I no longer felt afraid.
On top of that, I knew I could never return to that former self, the self I was before this great venture. I had shed that old skin. And with that acknowledgment, I pledged to continue the work despite those terrifying moments of suspension—despite the vulnerable sharing of my story.
Thank God for words. Thank God for our stories.
In life, whether I’ve liked the lesson or not, grief has taught me this: you cannot go back in time; you can only move forward. The damned teacher has also taught me to hold close the things that remind me of the love that once existed—right alongside the pain—because that excruciating pain was alchemized in that electrifying love.
They co-exist. You cannot have one without the other.
And so, I write to love myself, to mother myself, even though suffering plays a major role in that developing story. I also write for you, dear Reader, so that you may feel seen, understood, and loved.
Thank you—all 173 of you—for being here.
I cannot tell you how in awe I am of your support and this creation. It is, as Ilana Glazer says in her recent stand-up, pure “human magic.”
On this first anniversary of Human/Mother, I have the same feeling I had when my oldest daughter turned one: utter amazement of this body, this mind, and this heart.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
***
I don’t like to talk much about my accomplishments outside of Substack in this newsletter, but I wanted to take a moment to share so that you all may understand the impact of your patronage of this small publication.
When I started this thing, I had low expectations and little faith in myself; I was an “English teacher-turned-writer.” But, after a couple of months of sticking my bum in the chair every night, I slowly became more self-assured. I became comfortable with the uncomfortable and okay with the not-okay.
It was your kind words (either by email, text message, comment, or heart-tap) that gave me the confidence to take risks and put myself out there.
In February, I began pitching various publications, and, by March, I had earned my first by-line. (Thank you, and !) From that point on, it was a “snowball effect.” I found more and more paid work as I continued to pitch timidly and tell people boldly, “I’m a writer.”
So, without further ado, in 2024, I:
wrote and recorded a three-part video series on Socratic Seminar for EdPuzzle
wrote six personal essays for
(links here)wrote seven personal essays for Business Insider (eighth is going live tomorrow!)
wrote two marketing articles for a retail management software company
received and wrote my first assignment for Parents
won
’s Mid-Career Writing Scholarship ($1,000 prize)won the David Carr Scholarship to attend Boston University’s Power of Narrative Writer’s Conference ($300 prize)
It’s been quite the year for this amateur freelance writer! I’m so excited for another year of growth and honing my craft. I plan to use the money given by the generous Evelyn Skye to take more writing classes. I’m also planning to attend the Power of Narrative conference in Boston at the end of March where I will connect with other narrative nonfiction writers and learn from legends (like Connie Chung and Susan Orlean).
The David Carr Scholarship only covers the cost of admission to the conference, so I will be footing the bill for all travel expenses, which is why I’ve decided to run the following special offers:
With your dollars, I promise to invest in myself, so that maybe one day I can successfully pivot into a full-time career as a writer. Of course, I’ll still be a mom—a.k.a. the most important job—but I think I’ll be a happier mama if I continue to pursue my interests and passions.
Oh, and if you’d rather support me por gratis, please consider referring Human/Mother to your friends!
But, wait, there’s more: Human/Mother is evolving! This year, my goal is to create the publication I wish I had when I first made that big transition into motherhood.
For 2025, Human/Mother will advance and become a place for parents to commune, swap stories, and share wisdom about their experiences with various mental health topics, such as: parental estrangement (February), birth trauma (March), postpartum depression and anxiety (April), sibling grief (May), bi-polar disorder (June), alcoholism (July), generational poverty and trauma (August), narcissistic personality disorder (September), eldest daughter syndrome (October), parent or grandparent grief (November), and cycle-breaking (December).
To kick things off, Human/Mother will focus on parental estrangement this month. And, this Wednesday, Human/Mother’s Human/Parents Interview Series will debut! The series will encompass written interviews of humans who are also parents (who are also writers here on Substack) about their personal experiences with the month’s selected topic.
Stay tuned for my interviews with
(from Tiny Simple Pleasures) and (from The Workbooks)!At the end of the month, I’ll also introduce Human/Mother’s Therapist Spotlight Series! This new series is all about hearing from a mental health professional (who is also a parent and also an author on Substack) about the month’s selected topic. Readers will learn how to navigate various mental health topics (while also being in the thick of parenthood) and will be presented with tools and other resources to aid in the admirable endeavor of breaking cycles.
The goal for both series is to shed light on a dark or taboo topic so that parents feel seen and supported. If you’d like to be considered for future Therapist Spotlights or the Human/Parents Interview Series, please reach out via direct message on the Substack app or email me at katrinadonhamwrites@gmail.com.
Oh, and don’t fret! I’ll still publish my once-monthly, thoughtfully-crafted personal essays that explore what it means to be human and also be a mother. And, last but not least, I’m also re-launching the Mind-Body-Soul series with the hope of feeding all of our minds, bodies, and souls while encouraging more community participation in this special space.
Hooray! Go, team!
To end this FIRST BIRTHDAY post (!!!), I’d like to extend one FINAL THANK YOU to y’all: THANK YOU! And, if you’d like to send a private congratulatory message, email me at katrinadonhamwrites@gmail.com. I’d love to hear which essays resonated the most with you this year and/or any ideas you have for this publication! :)
Un abrazo y un besito,
Katrina
Congratulations, Katrina! Celebrate your achievements.👏🎉🎊🌟
Congratulations on a year full of beautiful writing!!!!