What kind of world do you want for your family in 2030? I’ve been pondering this question since I left the Mom+Social in New York with Johnson & Johnson nearly two weeks ago; It’s the theme of the Global Moms Relay this year. In 2030 my son will be 30 years old, and I initially shuttered at that thought; What would he see or experience in his first 30 years of life?

Science historian James Burke once said, “You can only know where you’re going if you know where you’ve been.” I often use that quote to reflect upon my own life and the history of my family. In the 1930s my great grandmother Rose Garland Cole graduated from a small college nestled in Appalachia: Union College. In fact, all 7 of her siblings would attend the college and go on to teach throughout Appalachia. I often wonder if my own great great grandmother imagined that all of her children would attend college, especially her two daughters. My great grandmother was born before women even had the right to vote. What kind of world would they have imagined for me?

Most of the United States wouldn’t consider my Appalachian childhood luxurious, yet my lower middle class upbringing in an area dubbed by Kevin Williamson as The White Ghetto, was vastly more opulent than many of the world’s children. My mom and I survived childbirth despite a postpartum hemorrhage, because we had access to proper healthcare. WHO recorded in 2013 that over 280,000 women died from complications of pregnancy and childbirth. I was issued a birth certificate, while UNICEF estimates that 1 out of every 3 children aren’t issued a birth certificate; this can result in the child being denied access to healthcare or an education. Many mothers still have to carry children and walk miles to receive potentially life-saving vaccines, I received mine from my pediatrician or health department. I received an education and I never felt that my education was discounted or disregarded because I was a girl. In some parts of the world there are still wide education gaps between girls and boys. I wasn’t expected to leave school to care for children or to work to help support my family. I grew up feeling that my life mattered, and I believe that all lives matter.

In 2030, I want my family to know that their life matters, and that all lives matter. Children shouldn’t have to worry about obtaining clean drinking water or food, and they should have equal access to receiving healthcare and an education. All children should have childhoods.

I think the Mom+Social was best summed up by a group of 5th graders and their teacher…

Have you been thinking about your answer to the question, what kind of world do you want for your family in 2030? What kind of legacy do we want to leave for the next generations? Maybe you’ve moved beyond those questions, and you’re wondering what you can do to help future generations?

• Join the Global Moms Relay from now until June 19th. Every time you share the daily post from the Relay, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 (per social network share) to one of four organizations. UNICEF, MAMA, Shot@Life, and Girl Up will each benefit from the Global Moms Relay.
• Donate A Photo everyday! Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 for every photo (up to 1 photo per day) that is shared through the Donate A Photo app. You can select which organization or cause you would like to donate the photo to. You can currently donate to two Global Moms Relay organizations Girl Up and Unicef, and several other causes.
• Share and Inspire. Tell you’re family, friends, and especially your own children what kind of world do you want for them in 2030.

Videos from Mom+Social Good are available here.

Disclaimer: I’m a Johnson & Johnson Social Influencer for Social Good, and I received travel expenses to the Mom+Social, however all opinions contained in this post are entirely my own.