Real talk. Creative expression.
Authentic connection.
Because you deserve more
than book clubs & brunch
Have you ever longed for a place where you don’t have to edit yourself? JMF is that place. We’re a collective of women who gather to honor the parts of ourselves that rarely get invited out—the joy and the grief, the brilliance and the chaos, the boldness and the doubt. Here, there’s no such thing as “too much.”
We get together for retreats, workshops, field trips, and fire-pit chats under the stars. Sometimes that means art-making or a guest speaker, sometimes it’s a group primal scream or a “fuck-it-feast.”
Field Trips
We make pilgrimages to inspiring, offbeat, and just plain weird places. Meditate in the total darkness of a cave. Wander the whimsical rooms of Casa Neverlandia. Cheer on local artists a the East Austin Studio Tour. Smash something at a rage room.
Workshops
Our workshops are led by guest experts and provocateurs who take us places most women’s groups never go. One month you might be learning from a sexologist, the next you’re at an erotic storytelling night, a creativity lab with a local artist, or a guided deep-dive into shadow work.
Retreats
Once or twice a year, we escape to a getaway within 90 min. of Austin. Retreats are cozy and intimate, typically limited to 12 women, and designed for depth: long conversations, creative exploration, and plenty of unscripted time to soak in the hot tub and relax.
Online Events
For both our local and non-local members. Our Zoom gatherings are 90 minutes, either over lunch or in the evening, and focus on creating genuine connection. Expect small groups and intimate discussions. Come as you are, messy hair and all.
Fuck-it-Feast
Our annual, no-bullshit, members-only banquet full of real, messy, beautiful conversations that matter. We show up as we are, toast to our chaos, and feast like we mean it. Forget the usual chat-and-schmooze. This is not your mother’s dinner party.
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Our collective is primarily composed of women and nonbinary folx “of a certain age.” That’s mostly 40+, though we’re not going to card you. Are you a 30-something with an old soul? We’ll welcome you with open arms. (But get ready to hear some broads bitching about perimenopause. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!)
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We thought a lot about this. Really. Some of the most joyful motherfuckers we know and love are men. But we’ve found that conversations around things like body image, aging, and women’s health open up in a different way when men aren’t in the room. We think it’s healthy for those of us who identify as women, nonbinary, and/or genderfluid to occasionally take refuge in a protected space just for us.
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Our name was inspired by the drop-dead gorgeous song “Joyful Motherfuckers” by Allison Russell.
“Where in the world are the joyful motherfuckers, though?
The fearless lovers, the rainbow shooters. The wild acceptors, the hopeful sinners. The gentle teachers, the true forgivers…”Go ahead and give it a listen.
We started the fire, you keep it burning
Think of us less as co-founders and more as co-conspirators. We’re not the main characters here—the real magic is in the community.
Fernanda Bressan is a leadership and executive coach, facilitator, and serial creator of spaces for growth and belonging. Through her coaching practice, Foundfully, she helps leaders lean into their own voice instead of copying someone else’s.
Originally from Brazil and fluent in three languages, her superpower is building containers where people feel safe enough to be honest and bold enough to change. For Fernanda, JMF is another place to practice that art — helping each member feel both held and challenged as they step more fully into themselves.
Sara Kocek is a writer, book editor, and champion of messy drafts and honest words. She’s the founding force behind Yellow Bird Editors and the author of the novel Promise Me Something.
She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and has taught fiction and poetry in a wide variety of settings. A creative instigator who loves turning mistakes into magic, she dabbles in visual arts and is a believer in the creative act as a practice anyone can claim. Most of all, she finds joy in helping others, including those who don’t see themselves as artists, discover their creative spark.