Kevin Hauswirth was at dinner one night with Kristen Kaza and Jason Heidemann when the topic turned to mothers"and how great it would be to get them together for brunch," he said.
That dinner soon launched a continuing tradition, which most recently featured a get-together in early August at Sidetrack in Lake Viewand with about 120 tickets sold, it was the best-attended.
MOMosa is an event get-together for LGBT and their moms.
"It's a great mix of LGBT folks of all ages, parents ( moms and dads ) and our friends," Hauswirth said. "Our first year, State Rep. Sara Feigenholtz served as a 'loaner mom' for anyone whose mother couldn't attend. Commissioner Bridget Gainer and her mother also joined."
The event has become a Sidetrack tradition.
"Sidetrack, like all bars serving our community, has played many roles in our history," said Sidetrack co-owner Art Johnston. "One of the most surprising was as a celebration space for gay men and their mothers enjoying, mostly, liquid brunch and each other's company. MOMosa is a really fun time."
And it's not just about the drinks.
Hauswirth, for instance, told of a twentysomething who came up to him at a past MOMosa and said how big of deal the event was for him. "He told me how his mom hasn't really been comfortable with his sexuality and it's been a very difficult journey for her," Hauswirth said. "MOMosa was the first time he had ever taken her to an LGBT event, but he thought what better way to introduce his mom to the community than at an event with a bunch of women she'll be able to relate to. It was such a low-key, safe way to introduce her to the community. While she was really nervous about coming, she left with a new perspective and it help them grow closer."
At the August event, for instance, Jimmy and Zach who have been together for four years brought both their moms to meet for the first time. "That was really special," Hauswirth said.
"I think we all could do a better job recognizing the important role our mothers played in making us feel accepted and proud—not every child is so lucky. MOMosa is about celebrating their impact on our lives and creating a deeper sense of community among the women who have done so much for us."
The August event featured an impromptu Sister Act sing-a-long, with moms and kids singing and dancing. And there was a rainbow cake from The Goddess and Grocer and chef Art Smith's famous friend chicken. Coca-Cola also brought 100 cans with MOM on them.
Hauswirth, 31, lives in Chicago's Buena Park neighborhood and is originally from northwest suburban Schaumburg. He is gay, partnered and works as a senior director at Purple Strategies, a brand and public opinion strategy firm. He has worked at Purple for about two years and previously worked for Mayor Emanuel.
"The beauty of [MOMosa] for me is really the moms getting to spend time with each other. For others, it's seeing their moms so at ease, perhaps for the first time, chatting about their experiences," Hauswirth said.
Kevin's mom, Sue, 62, lives in Schaumburg and is the Pepsi Global Compliance & Ethics Senior Manager. She said, "The good thing for your kid when he or she comes out is that there's an LGBT community that welcomes and supports them. As loving and supportive parents, we are kind of left standing therewith so many questions and so much to learn. While there are organizations out there to help, it's a more personal connection that many of us look for.
"Like any other child-raising event, we want to talk about it with our friends, comparing experiences. But it's not very likely that we have friends in the same situation. It's rare that we get to tell stories and share our experiences with other parents who know what it's like raising an out and proud kid. There are few people who can really relate to what it's like sending your kid off to his first Pride, figuring out how to break the news to grandma, meeting that first boyfriend or navigating the first 'couples dance' at a family wedding. It's so great when you can share all these adventures with people who really get it."
Sue is very active in the LGBT community herself. She is, for instance, a member of EQUAL-PepsiCo's LGBT employee resource group, is an AIDS walk participant and PepsiCo event volunteer; a Pride Parade participant with PepsiCo; an Out & Equal Conference participant; and an Equality Illinois Capitol Club Member.
So what's Sue's favorite part of MOMosabeside the grape slushy drink at Sidetrack?
"I love seeing family and friends come together to support the fight for LGBT equality which, on a personal level, shows me how much love and support they have for you all," she said.
Sue links with the gay community dates back decades, in fact. Her brother/Kevin's uncle was, in 1994, at the University of Notre Dame, working on his PhD.
"John was a leader of Notre Dame's LGBT student group. He fought for the right of the group to meet on campus and was instrumental in bringing HIV awareness and services to Notre Dame and South Bend," Indiana, Sue said. "He worked to bring the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt to campus."
Sue, in the mid-1990s, traveled to South Bend to support John and to see the quilt.
"It was one of the most sobering experiences of my life. I was in tears as I walked around … so many losses," she said. "I remember being so impressed with the squares themselves. They were so creative and you could just tell there was so much love behind each one. The beauty of the quilt just re-enforced how sad it was that so many incredible, and mainly young, lives were lost to such a horrible disease. And I remember thinking that this display was only a small section of the quilt. You can only imagine how upsetting all of this was to me. But I was so proud of John and wanted to make sure he knew that I was always there for him."