Mama You Belong
Welcome to 'Mama You Belong' - a podcast for moms in the thick of it. We delve into the need for belonging and connection that mothers often face alone and help you feel seen. We acknowledge the dissonance between societal expectations of motherhood and the realities of managing our mental and physical load, with science and trauma-informed support. Co-hosts of 'Mama You Belong' are Kirsten Desmarais, PT, DPT, OCS, CD(DONA) a physical therapist, birth doula, and mother of three, and Molly Hilgenberg, MSW, LICSW, a psychotherapist, singer/songwriter, and new mom.
Kirsten and Molly were both kids who collected rocks, hugged trees and grew up in different towns in Minnesota. They met only a few years ago when Kirsten became Molly's PT and then her birth doula. They bonded when they both realized they could pretty much share anything without judgment and text each other about the moon.
Through shared stories and expert insights, 'Mama You Belong' seeks to empower mothers by creating a supportive space for connection and understanding in their unique journeys. Each episode aims to provide validation, education, and some laughs. By sharing our stories and inviting expert guests in future episodes, we aspire to create a nurturing and inclusive environment for moms.
Mama You Belong
Parenting in Crisis: Fear, Safety, and What Moms Carry During State Violence
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This episode is a brief glimpse into our upcoming interview with Marsh Naidoo on her amazing podcast Raising Kellan. Please subscribe now to her podcast so you can listen to our full interview when it is released.
Raising Kellan Website here for more info! "Empowering, connecting and educating parents raising a child with a disability. For parents. By parents."
In this episode on Mama You Belong:
- Molly updates for listeners outside of Minnesota that the occupation in the Twin Cities is still happening and there is no end in sight.
- Look for our upcoming interview on the Raising Kellan podcast soon!
- Kirsten shares a letter from a Minneapolis mom and university educator living through Operation Metro Surge and reflect on what daily life looks like when federal raids shape commutes, classrooms, and care plans.
- We highlight independent journalists, legal observers, and BIPOC creators documenting events in real time—voices you won’t always find in national headlines:
- You’ll leave with tools that turn concern into action: Stand with Minnesota for testimonies and mutual aid links, Resistance Guide to match your capacity to real tasks, and Five Calls to reach elected officials with targeted scripts.
- On Instagram:
@onsitepublicmedia
@toussaintmorrison
@minneapolisward2
@sahanjournal
@bygeorgiafort
@nekimal
@minnesota50501
@janashortal
@monarca.minn
@minnesota_neighbors
@standwithminnesota
@immigrantlawcentermn
@immigrantdefensenetwork
@singingresistancetc
- On Substack:
- Websites:
Stand with Minnesota - Website that consolidates testimonies, resources, and mutual aid opportunities.
Resistance Guide - Free web app that helps match you to relief efforts based on your location, time commitment, and level of risk.
5 Calls App - Free app that identifies your elected officials, provides contact information, and scripts.
If this conversation moves you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review to help more people find these stories. What small action will you take today to stand with families in Minnesota?
Kirsten's Physical Therapy website
Molly’s music Sister Veery on bandcamp
Welcome And Purpose
SPEAKER_00Hi, I'm Kirsten. I'm a mom of three. I'm a physical therapist and a birth doula.
SPEAKER_02And I'm Molly, a mental health therapist specializing in trauma, a mom of one, and a singer and songwriter. We started Mama You Belong to help moms feel seen who are in the thick of it because we're in the thick of it. We certainly don't have all the answers, but we're gonna talk about it and keep unfolding all of the things that it means to be a mom in this era. So thanks for being here. We hope you feel seen.
unknownMamma, you be love.
SPEAKER_01Mama, you are seen. We are connected like a mother tree. Mamma, you beloved. Mamma, you are seen.
SPEAKER_02Hey mama, Molly here.
Why We’re Speaking Up Now
SPEAKER_02So we have been reflecting on everything that's been happening with Operation Metro Surge in the Twin Cities and checking in on our friends and family since we're located up here in Duluth. And while there are some devastating impacts for some local families who are sheltering in place or who are scared to friend send their kids to school, it's um nothing compared to the mass agents who are still operating at a very lethal full force in the Twin Cities. So we wanted to check in with you all, um, especially those who listen outside of Minnesota, and um let you know about an upcoming episode that we did with Marsh Naidu, who runs the Raising Kellen podcast. And the episode will be coming out in a couple weeks. And Marsh is an amazing person and she's located in Tennessee and has this wonderful podcast that we would invite you all to subscribe to so that when the episode releases you'll know when it comes out. And Marsh wanted to connect with us and learn more about what it's like to be in Minnesota. And while Kirsten and I didn't really feel comfortable with speaking from first person about what it's like because we're very adjacent to everything, we had loved ones report to us what it's really like living in the cities. And um Kirsten read a couple of letters and I added some reflections in the interview. And so what we wanted to do today was to drop um a recording of Kirsten reading one of those letters so that people now can start learning more if you know you're not getting the news coverage, if you're not really fully understanding what's been going on. Um, it's been pretty disappointing to see how the news has stopped really following what's been happening because things are not changing, things are not getting better. There is no end in sight to Operation Metro Surge right now. And we really want to keep amplifying
How To Stay Informed And Help
SPEAKER_02the voices and the experiences of families in the Twin Cities. Um, so I'm going to add in here this recording from Kirsten and so a couple action items, follow, um, subscribe to the Raising Helen podcast. We'll have that link in the show notes. And um listen to that collaboration episode with her as soon as it comes out. And um then we also have a list of accounts you can follow either on Instagram or Substack um or websites for staying informed through local independent journalists and organizations. And um really just reminding everyone that things are as bad as they were in January. And just because there isn't as much coverage on it doesn't mean it's not happening. And there is a lot of mutual aid that is still in dire need of support. So if you have some extra cash to throw towards these um mutual aid coalitions, please, please, please do. And um now is a really important time to ground ourselves, to stay informed, to not shut off and completely ignore everything because it's all so overwhelming and bad. Um but by staying regulated in our own nervous systems, taking care of our families, and then also taking action when we have the resources to help others, that's really how we're gonna pull through this very dark, scary time. Um so just wanted to add in that one of the things that I really hope comes across in the interview with Marsh and raising Kellen is that we are so amazed by the community efforts that are happening by the um pulling together of neighbors and of the singing resistance. I'll drop a link in the show notes too about the singing resistance if you're not aware of it. It's so uplifting to see people out in the streets in sub-zero temps singing to remind their neighbors who are locked inside that they are not alone. Um a lot of singing in
Letter From A Minnesota Mom
SPEAKER_02Spanish to the families. Um so just a reminder that even though things are really scary and hard and even the helpers are hurting, there's still so many more helpers. And um I really do agree with Bad Bunny's message at the Super Bowl halftime show that the only thing more powerful than hate is love. So um take care of yourselves and thanks for listening. I'm gonna go into Kirsten's reading of the letter from a friend at the cities, and we will be back soon.
SPEAKER_00Testimony from a Minnesota mom. I want to shed a bit of light into what life has been like here in Minneapolis, St. Paul during the recent and ongoing surge of ICE in Minnesota. I'm a mom, a neighbor, a person of faith, and I work as an educator at a university here in Minneapolis. Throughout the Twin Cities community, friends and neighbors are fearful and on edge. While federal officials often claim these operations target only criminals, what we are seeing and documenting locally tells a very different story. There are widespread reports of people being documented and profiled based on skin color, language, or accent, including people with legal status. Community members and legal observers have documented agents going door to door asking people to identify their neighbors, entering homes without presenting warrants, stopping people on the street, surrounding and damaging vehicles, detaining legal observers, and forcibly taking people from their workplaces, places of worship, and daily routines. Many people are afraid to leave their homes to go to work, acquire basic needs, take their children to and from school, or visit the doctor, even in emergency situations. And this means that people are struggling to eat, pay their rent and mortgages, and not getting access to critical medical care. I've personally witnessed an ICE raid on my way to work. I often hear cars honking and whistles blowing outside my window, a community alert system warning neighbors of ICE presence. I receive countless notifications from neighborhood rapid response groups reporting activity in my area. For many of us, this is not an isolated event. It is daily life. ICE activity has extended into spaces that are supposed to be safe, including schools, daycares, and according to reports from families, educators, and local media, there have been documented incidents of tear gas used against students and educators detained during the school day, including individuals with legal status. Following the murder of Renee Good, Minneapolis Public Schools closed for an entire week due to safety concerns, underscoring how unsafe our community feels right now. Last week in St. Paul, my son's school closed for two days to prepare for online learning options for families who do not feel safe leaving their homes. Parents are left wondering whether their children will be safe at school, while children are wondering whether they will have family to return to at the end of the day. There are also reports of young children being left alone for days after parents are detained. As a university educator, I see this fear close up every day. Students tell us they are afraid to leave their homes, to commute to class, or to even walk through parts of campus because federal agents are being housed in nearby hotels. We have had to quickly pivot our courses to allow students to attend virtually while still offering in-person instruction. Faculty and staff are constantly assessing risk, developing contingency plans, and reviewing protocols for what to do if agents enter our spaces. And honestly, it hardly feels sufficient. Every time I teach, there's a knot in my stomach. What if agents show up to my classroom? What if I'm the one standing between my students and federal officers? Will they follow protocol? Will they violate my rights, as has been documented in so many other cases? As if the constant fear of gun violence on campuses was not already enough. As a
Schools, Campus, And Daily Fear
SPEAKER_00mom in this moment, I'm in survival mode. I'm doing my best to stay present with my son while juggling the everyday responsibilities of parenting alongside a constant undercurrent of worry, trying to stay informed without being consumed by it. I wake up to new reports every day, videos of violent encounters shared by journalists and legal observers, a woman pulled from her car on the way to a medical appointment, a pregnant woman thrown to the ground, children maced, an elderly man taken from his home without wearing anything but his robe, toddlers separated from their families and flown out of state in violation of court orders, detainees injured, and later abandoned in public spaces without phones, identification, or adequate clothing during sub-zero temperatures. These are not isolated stories. They're patterns. It's cruel. It's inhumane. And legal experts argue it's unlawful. But this is not the whole story. What is also happening here is care. There's a vast network of rapid response groups and mutual aid efforts organized by community organizations, schools, faith communities, and neighbors. People are sharing real-time alerts, checking on one another delivering food, offering rides, standing watch over school drop-off and pickup times, and making sure no one feels alone. In the face of fear, the people of Minnesota are choosing solidarity. If you are listening from outside of Minnesota, I want you to know that much of this is not accurately being reflected in national news coverage. Local independent journalists, organizers, faith leaders, legal observers, and BIPOC creators on the ground are documenting what is happening in real time. If you want to understand what is actually unfolding here, it is critical to follow and listen to those voices. I will share a few key accounts to follow in the show notes. Being informed is the first step, but I want to be clear. This moment demands action. Even small actions matter. Support mutual aid funds if you are able. Support legal defense and civil rights organizations doing the work of litigation and advocacy to protect constitutional rights. Call your representatives and demand accountability. And amplify local voices, especially those from communities most directly impacted. I've included three trusted, accessible tools that make it possible to take action no matter where you live. The first is Stand with Minnesota, a website that consolidates testimonies, resources, and mutual aid opportunities. The second is Resistance Guide. It's a free web app that helps match you to release effort relief efforts based on your location, time commitment, and level of risk. And lastly, the Five Calls app. It's a free app that
Patterns Of Harm And Legal Concerns
SPEAKER_00identifies your elected officials and provides contact information and scripts for various issues that you would like to contact them about. What is happening here matters, not just for Minnesota, but because what is allowed to happen here can happen anywhere. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with other mamas. Subscribing to our podcast and leaving us a review is one of the best ways for other people to find us. So if you enjoy what you are hearing or if it resonates with you, please subscribe and leave us a review. It would mean a lot. You can find me, Kirsten, at empowerortho and public health.com, or on Instagram at Kirsten Demoray DPT.
SPEAKER_02And you can find me, Molly, through my music at Sister Veri on Bandcamp or other streaming platforms, or through my clinical practice at Insight Counseling in Duluth, Minnesota. You can follow us or send us a DM on Instagram at MamaYuBelong or email us if you have questions, ideas, or just want to connect at mama you belong at gmail.com. We will see you next time.