Joy Rose is a featured guest speaker for Women’s Events, has appeared at The Women’s Media Center, NYC founded by Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan and Gloria Steinem, speaking on Art, Feminism and Finances in New York City and works closely with New York Parks Department overseeing and coordinating over fifty staff & volunteers creating events that involve hundreds of artists, educators, and mom and women owned projects and businesses.

Her commitment is to see that Manhattan women are not marginalized or minimized as amazing talented and gorgeous performers, artists, musicians, comics or anything else they commit themselves too just because they are mothers.

Peachy Deegan chatted with Joy Rose for Whom You Know.

Peachy Deegan: When was Mamapalooza founded and what led you to begin it?
Joy Rose: Mamapalooza was founded on a single stage in Manhattan in 2002. I was motivated to get out of the house with my girlfriends and make some noise – Hence my band’s name ‘Housewives On Prozac’. After 4 kids in a walkup loft in Soho, I needed to get my yah, yahs out.

How do you balance that with your singing career?
Mamapalooza, kids and my personal music project are an impossibly wonderful juggling act where everything and nothing get done on a consistent basis.

How much planning does Mamapalooza require?
More time or money than I have.

How can Manhattanites become involved in Mamapalooza?
Performers can sign up on our website. Women can join us at our annual conference this May 28-30 and grow their mom brain. Lot’s of stimulating fare and fun too, with multiple evening performances throughout the month, and of course free family fare at Summer On The Hudson at Riverside Pier May 31st from noon-5PM.

What is your favorite place to be in NYC?
Betsey Johnson’s in Soho in the middle of the sale rack.

What is your favorite shop?
The Gramercy Park Thrift Store and Lingo on West 19th.

What is your favorite drink?
Mojito

What is your favorite restaurant?
Sapporo East

What is your favorite NYC book?
I don’t have time to read

What is your favorite thing to do in NYC that you can do nowhere else?
Eat Veniero's Pastry Lobster Tails and wander the MOMA in the springtime

What do you think is most underrated and overrated here?
Underrated is the constantly changing mood of the Hudson River. She’s different every day and so accessible. Overrated is the East Village hip-factor.

What else should Whom You Know readers know about you?
I started Mamapalooza as a way for women who are mothers to participate in something really hip, vital and totally out of the box. I’m not here preaching one more guilt trip on how to be a better-everything to everyone. For me, it’s all about the music, the friendship and the love.

How would you like to be contacted by Whom You Know readers?
You can find me curbside on Bleeker Street shouting out Mom-Poetry for our annual poetry jam, with lots of my g- friends, from 4-5:30 on Saturday, May 30th or write me joy@mamapalooza.com