All featured photography by Brianna Shrader of
Shy Heart Studios
Motherhood is an evolving journey—one that demands patience, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to raising the next generation. For Jemaya, Motherhood is about creating a legacy, setting an example, and proving that women can thrive both at home and in their careers.
With a career spanning 20 years in the wedding industry and a deep commitment to her family, Jemaya embodies the modern mother. She has built a life that balances ambition with nurturing, career with caregiving, and independence with connection. Her journey highlights the challenges, triumphs, and unshakable love that define motherhood.
What Motherhood Means to Jemaya
For Jemaya, being a mother is about guiding, supporting, and instilling confidence in her children. She sees it as a role that goes beyond daily responsibilities—it’s about ensuring they feel secure in who they are, while also helping them navigate life’s challenges with resilience and strength.
Raising her two children, Aden, who attends Cal State, Fullerton and Rylee, a high school junior, preparing for her next chapter, she has learned that motherhood evolves with time. The early years were about providing care and structure, while the teenage and young adult years have brought new challenges, requiring patience, communication, and trust.
At the heart of her approach is unconditional love and the desire to raise individuals who are not only independent but also kind and thoughtful. She has always emphasized the importance of family values while allowing her children to carve their own paths.
However, she also recognizes that motherhood is about balance—not just for the children, but for herself as well. She has learned that self-care is not a luxury but a necessity. Taking care of her own well-being allows her to show up as the best version of herself for her family.
The Role of Motherhood in Society
Jemaya believes that mothers are the foundation of strong families and communities. The way a mother raises her children directly impacts the values and direction of the next generation.She sees motherhood as a societal role that shapes the future.
Over the years, she has observed how expectations of mothers have shifted. Today, there is a demand to do it all—be present for the family, maintain a thriving career, and juggle multiple responsibilities. While opportunities for women have increased, the pressure has also grown.
She acknowledges that society often expects perfection from mothers—whether it’s managing a home, excelling at work, or raising well-rounded children. And when mistakes happen, criticism is often swift. Despite these pressures, she believes that the true measure of a mother’s success is not in meeting external expectations but in creating a stable and loving environment for her children.
Social media, she notes, has also influenced perceptions of motherhood. Carefully curated images often create unrealistic standards, making mothers feel like they are not doing enough. In reality, every mother faces struggles, and no journey is as perfect as it appears online.
Finding the Balance: Career and Family
One of the most significant aspects of Jemaya’s journey is her ability to balance her professional ambitions with her responsibilities as a mother. As a General Manager at Wedgewood Weddings, she has spent over a decade helping couples plan one of the most important days of their lives.
The nature of her work is high-pressure and time-sensitive, but she has found a way to manage both her professional and personal commitments. For her, it has never been about choosing between family and career—it’s about finding a way to make both work.
She credits her strong family support system for making this possible. Having people she can rely on has allowed her to focus on her work without guilt, knowing that her children are surrounded by love and care.
For mothers who wonder if they can successfully juggle both, she emphasizes that there is no universal answer. Each woman must find her own balance and define success on her own terms. While some days the focus may be on work and other days on family, what truly matters is being present where it counts.
A Legacy of Strong Women: Four Generations of Motherhood
One of the most profound moments in Jemaya’s journey was being part of a four-generation photoshoot for Brianna’s campaign. It was a rare and special moment—capturing her 90-year-old grandmother, her mother, herself, and her daughter together in one frame. As well as with her sister and nieces.
For Jemaya, this experience represented more than just a family portrait. It was a testament to the resilience and strength of the women in her family. Her grandmother had spent a lifetime raising five children, followed by supporting multiple generations of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Standing alongside these women, she felt the weight of tradition and the responsibility to continue their legacy. She saw herself as a bridge between the past and the future—honoring the values of previous generations while also adapting to the evolving role of mothers today.
A Message to Mothers Everywhere
If there is one thing Jemaya would tell mothers, it is to create their own path and trust themselves. The pressures of motherhood can be overwhelming, but each woman must find what works best for her and her family.
She firmly believes that no mother should feel like she has to be perfect. There will always be moments of doubt, exhaustion, and uncertainty, but what matters most is showing up, doing the best you can, and understanding that your efforts are enough.
The journey of motherhood is not about meeting expectations—it is about raising children with love, teaching them resilience, and setting an example of strength and determination.
Conclusion
Jemaya’s story is a powerful reminder that motherhood is not about choosing between personal success and family—it is about finding a way to thrive in both. She has built a life that reflects love, hard work, and dedication, proving that while the balance is never perfect, it is always possible.
Her journey is a testament to the fact that mothers shape the future—not just of their own children, but of society as a whole. Through her unwavering commitment to her family and career, she exemplifies what it means to be a modern mother—one who embraces the challenges, celebrates the victories, and continues building a legacy for the generations to come.
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