Shelli Spotts, Carolina Allen, and Alma Olaveson discuss what it means to work in the advocacy space as mothers referencing Alice Walker’s book, We are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: Light in a Time of Darkness and her daughter, Rebecca Walker’s book, Baby Love: Choosing Motherhood After a Lifetime of Ambivalence.

“Advocacy is such an innate maternal thing to do, to advocate for other people that are vulnerable and can’t help themselves… it just comes with the territory of being a mother.” - Carolina Allen

“The best advocacy, the best… changing of the world, the best community building happens as we do the things that we’re doing in our lives… It’s not stepping outside of ourselves, it’s just expanding our efforts within our own sphere.” - Shelli Spotts

“I think that we just need to live more mindfully; the minute we walk out the door, to just live, ... have more integrity with who we are in our cause. I think having integrity actually allows for connection.” - Carolina Allen

“I think one skill that we all need to learn is a deep awareness and then a deep love and compassion of whatever comes up.” - Alma Olaveson

“The best way to teach is by being.” - Alma Olaveson

“I think one of the quotes from Rebecca’s book, Baby Love, that I really loved is, ‘When it comes down to it, what life is about is showing up for the people you love again and again, and again and again.’ And I think that that’s a lot of what we’ve been talking about: that what we can do in the spaces we have and in the time we have is just [to] show up for those people again and again, and again and again.” - Shelli Spotts

Carolina Allen is the founder and leader of Big Ocean Women, the international maternal feminist organization representing perspectives of faith, family, and motherhood throughout civil society. Carolina holds a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Utah with an emphasis in cultural religions and philosophy of science. Her inspirational and philosophical work has been presented at various international U.N. conferences. She is a native of Brazil, and a fluent trilingual. She and her husband Kawika are parents to 7 children. She is an avid soccer fan and had a brief career as a semi-professional player.

Shell Spotts is an advocacy writer and creative writing teacher. She loves to spend time with her husband (usually in the garden) and their four almost adult children. She also loves to sew, to read, to write, and to drag her family outside to look at the sky. Shelli is passionate about poetry, Broadway show tunes, and telling stories—of ourselves, our families, and our communities.

Alma Olaveson is a dedicated advocate for women's empowerment and a passionate leader within Big Ocean Women. As a full-time mother, Alma is on a mission to create a paradigm shift in the collective consciousness of women by emphasizing one crucial element: reminding them of their innate worth, true identity, and the natural milestones in female development. Alma focuses her efforts on women who are considering pregnancy for the first time and preparing to welcome their first child. She is a firm believer that the most profound developmental milestone a woman can experience is becoming a mother for the first time. Alma is concerned that misinformation and beliefs that conflict with the natural progression of a woman's biology and feminine nature are adversely affecting the well-being of first-time mothers. Her passion lies in nurturing the spiritual, emotional, psychological, and social well-being of women as they transition from Maiden to Matrescence and ultimately to Motherhood. Alma graduated from BYUI with a degree in psychology and is currently a student at Peterson Academy. When she's not working, Alma enjoys exploring nature, hiking, chasing waterfalls, basking in the sun, and spending quality time with her kids and husband. She also loves reading, writing in her journal, and connecting with friends.

Carolina Allen shares the op-ed she wrote for the Deseret News, Published May 10, 2025. https://www.deseret.com/opinion/2025/05/10/what-is-maternal-feminism/ including some parts that were not included in the published article.

“Creating life is not only about giving birth, however miraculous that truly is. And when we say ‘maternal,’ we are not only referring to women with children. We’re also speaking of a maternal way of being — a capacity to see and fill needs, to nurture, and to lead with fierce compassion. This includes women who mother communities, mentor youth, and tend to their neighbors — all intentional women who shape our culture for the better.”

“When we lift mothers, we fortify the foundation of society itself, recognizing that nurturing the next generation is not just a personal role but a sacred, collective calling.”

“More than 500 million women and girls today suffer from period poverty because of the natural rhythms of their uniquely female bodies. Daughters are perceived as intrinsically inferior to sons and denied basic educational opportunities. Many are excluded from participation not only in public life, but are also found voiceless within the family context.”

“At the same time, the commodification of female bodies persists with seven out of 10 victims of sex trafficking being women and girls. The Women's Stats Project, which tracks over 350 variables related to women's lives, confirms a powerful truth. The security and behavior of places we live are directly linked to the situation and safety of women within them.

These are not peripheral issues. Recognizing biological realities is key to creating real solutions. Solutions that uplift women and in turn strengthen entire societies.”

“This vision of feminism honors our differences without division; it honors our embodied reality as women, and embraces the spiritual depth that so often grounds our lives. No one is required to choose between public influence and private nurture. Rather, we can remain rooted in the belief that the home is the foundation of every society, and healing the world begins right there, around dinner tables and bedside prayers.”

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Carolina Allen is the founder and leader of Big Ocean Women, the international maternal feminist organization representing perspectives of faith, family, and motherhood throughout civil society. Carolina holds a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Utah with an emphasis in cultural religions and philosophy of science. Her inspirational and philosophical work has been presented at various international U.N. conferences. She is a native of Brazil, and a fluent trilingual. She and her husband Kawika are parents to 7 children. She is an avid soccer fan and had a brief career as a semi-professional player.