Hey Cuties,

The District MotherHued #DMVMomTribe got together again and really celebrated Women’s History Month.  This month’s mom meet up took us to Grand Cata, it is this really cute Latino Wine Company in Washington, DC.  Celeb mommy Danni Starr of WKYS-FM joined us to share her-story.  When moms meet up, wine magically manifest; so we had a wine tasting. No moms were left behind mocktails were on hand for the moms with bumps.

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Julio, Grand Cata Latin Wines @GrandCataDC

Grand Cata Latino Wine Co. spent time building their expertise in order to craft a unique experience that could bring the best of Latin America to the community in Washington, DC.  Catar is a Spanish verb meaning the tasting of foods or beverages to determine their characteristics and flavors.  They represent the history and vibrant culture of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.  That experience begins the moment you arrive.  Grand Cata specializes in Latin American wines and culture, education, community, and celebration of the Latin heritage.

black mom group dc
Julio, Co-Founder & President of Grand Cata

Meet my new Mom friend Tamara; she is a wardrobe stylist, personal shopper, and a Mommy. We bonded over our cute haircuts and my funked out camo jacket.

Julio was such a gracious host; he is the Co-Founder & President of Grand Cata. He is Chilean and former journalist and now has more than seven years of experience in the wine industry. Fascinating right; he taught us to properly taste wine.

  1. See it, note its color.
  2. Tilt your wine glass to take in the smell
  3. Take a sip, not a gulp
  4. Swish about your mouth to truly get the essence of the taste.
black mom group dc
Photo Credit: J K Dowd Media

Danni Starr was our celeb Mommy for the evening. I’ve been a fan of hers for many years; I started out watching her on reality TV. It was nice to see her transition from that into radio and moving to the DC area to co-host the Kane Show. These days she has moved on to greener pastures and is now one of the two on-air personalities of The Fam on WKYS-FM and she is a host for TLC.

black mom group dc
Photo Credit: J K Dowd Media

The premise of District MotherHued is to connect with other moms and build your tribe. That is exactly what is going on in this picture. We chit-chat we get to know one another, we talk about our jobs and or businesses and our children. We bond over shared experiences and help one another out with some areas we haven’t quite mastered.

black mom group dc
Photo Credit: J K Dowd Media

LittleCuteLips would call this circle time, so will I. We gathered around for circle time and engaged in great conversation, while Co-Founder Simona moderated the discussion. Danni talked about the importance of having your voice heard in the work place. She shared her experiences on her journey to feeling confident in who she is, the skill set she brought to the table and knowing her worth. That doesn’t come easy for everyone and as women generally in a male dominated field it can be challenging.

black mom group dc
Photo Credit: J K Dowd Media

This wasn’t just a listening experience, in true gal fashion it was all inclusive. We laughed, we rolled our eyes and we gave one another high fives. Why, because although we are different we have similar experiences that bind us together. The question asked was about how your job makes you feel as a Mom. When you take leave from work, do your colleagues always assume it is related to your kids? Do you feel pressure to over compensate in the office because you have kids? When I worked in the private industry there was some of that going on; especially from those that didn’t have children and or didn’t spend much time around children. Working for the federal government is much different because there are laws that protect you from that.

One dope mom shared that she was that co-worker who judged because you had kids. She didn’t understand why you couldn’t work late, why you needed days off, why you left abruptly when daycare called. It was nice to hear from the other side. She is now on our side and as a Mom her perspective has changed. Sometimes it is simply about your perspective.

black mom group dc
Photo Credit: J K Dowd Media

JK Dowd Media (@JKDowdMedia) always does a great job capturing the true essence of the event. He took this shot from outside, we were so deeply engaged. That is a sign of a good time. We would have chatted for hours if they would allow us. This place even looks dope from the outside.

black mom group dc
Photo Credit: J K Dowd Media

Danni is our kind of gal and she was a perfect addition to an already dope event. After we chatted and tried more wine she took pictures and got to know us. Love her!!!! She is officially stuck with us now.

black mom group dc
Photo Credit: J K Dowd Media

These two dope gals are the reason we get together every month. L to R: Co-Founder Simona Noce, Media Personality, Danni Starr & Co-Founder Nikki Osei. These ladies saw a gap and filled it, they have big things coming in 2017. NEWS ALERT: A website is on the way, you will be able to engage and keep the conversation going in one place between events. Stay tune, for now you can keep up with District MotherHued on FB and IG.

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Mi – Danni Starr – Nikki

A mommy media sandwich.

black mom group dc
Photo Credit: J K Dowd Media

No event is complete until we’ve had our group shot. Can you spot me?

black mom group dc

Are you a wine drinker, what is your favorite? What mommy issues do you struggle with? Chat with me in the comment below or FBIG or Twitter.

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