They are black, white, rich, poor, straight, gay, old, young, fat, thin, outspoken, shy, bitchy, kind, serious, funny and every adjective in between. They are breeders, adopters, fosterers, nurturers, lovers and fighters. They are moms, and they all have one thing in common: a love for their kids that's so fierce and true there isn't a poopy diaper smelly enough -- or an act evil enough -- for them to consider relinquishing their role.

There are 6.5 billion people on the planet, and every single one has a mom. Here are 100 of Milwaukee's coolest moms -- and by "cool" we mean moms with passion, both for their children and for their work or hobby. We know this list doesn't recognize all of the cool moms in this city, so please use the talkback feature to add the nurturing lady in your life.

And call your mother, will ya?

100 Cool Milwaukee Moms:

1. Theresa Ala Mode - Nationally-recognized filmmaker and photographer
2. Alexandra Alberda - Certified nurse midwife at Sixteenth Street Community Health Center
3. Carolyn B. Alfvin - Hosts a podcast show called SMWD (single married widowed divorced)
4. Melanie Ariens - Artist
5. Charlyn Austin - United States soldier, dancer and visual artist
6. Julie Baker - SAP Global Marketing
   
7. Claudia Beaudoin - Co-owner Red Dot restaurant and bar
8. Ami Bedi - Co-owner Dancing Ganesha restaurant
9. Carmen Bolorin - Community organizer and outreach worker, Sixteenth Street Community Health Center
10. Mary Brown - Singer (The Yell Leaders, etc.)
11. Julie Catanese - Labor and delivery nurse at Columbia/St. Mary's
12. Libby Castro - Owner of Interior Investments, LLC
13. Stacy Conroy - Co-owner of Companion Natural Pet Food
14. Linda Corbing-Pardee - President of MARN and runs the UWM Union Art Gallery
15. Tanya Cromartie-Twaddle - Community worker, poet, musician
16. Carrie Dallner - Leader of "Milwaukee Babywearers"
17. Sarah Ditzenberger - Nessun Dorma chef; member of Brew City Bruisers roller derby team
18. Beth Eaton - Potter and ceramicist; creator of "ceramic panties"
19. Jessica Feltz - Single mom completing graduate studies in Oriental medicine; teaches Chinese medicine to children
20. Geralyn Flick - Owner of Murray Hill Pottery Works
21. Jessie Garcia - WTMJ-TV sports reporter and anchor
22. Tricia Geraghty - Marquette University
23. Joy Harmon - Art director; visual artist
24. Becky Hollman-Krajewski - Worked more than a decade in the banking industry, opening Waldorf Day Care center this fall
25. Ellen Moran Kullerstrand - Amateur tennis player and cook
26. Peggy Hong - Milwaukee's Poet Laureate; Riverwest Yogashala
27. Shelby Keefe - Milwaukee impressionist/artist, illustrator and educator
28. Sonya Jongsma Knauss - Writer, editor and strong community participant
29. Renee Joos - Milwaukee Budget Dept.
30. Dasha Kelly - Poet, writer, owner of Mecca Night Club
31. Nancy Ketchman - Editor/writer
32. Julia Killian - Owner of B'Tween Friends boutique for girls in Shorewood
33. Claudia Koch - German physician living in Milwaukee
    
34. Julilly Kohler - Doyen of Brady Street
35. Jen Kraynick - Childcare provider, house cleaner, dog trainer, home schooler, homeopath and astrology enthusiast
36. Lori Kuschinski - Pilot
37. Jane Lacy - Graphic designer
38. Jessica Laub - Professional cheese carver, henna artist, ceramicist and non-profit employee
39. Deb Larkey - OBGYN
40. Marina Lee - Artist with sculpture in Snail's Crossing, Kadish Park and more
41. Robyn Lehnert - Founder of Dot's Toys (dotstoys.com)
42. Cardinal Lemoine - Massage therapist; volunteer counselor at Milwaukee Counseling Center
43. Joelle Lefevre - Co-Founder of "Yum Yum Snacks"
44. Mia LeTendre - Founder of Mia Putia shops on Center Street
45. Debra Loewen & Sheri Urban - Wild Space Dance Company
46. Jennifer Lucas - Teacher, homeopath
47. Mary O'Connell - Director of LifeWays Child Development Center Director
48. Anne Maedtke - Chiropractor
49. Caryn Majeskie - Runs a rescue for animals affected by the Hurricane Katrina disaster
50. Lisa Minella - Graphic designer; lived in New Orleans for 14 years and came to Milwaukee after Hurricane Katrina
51. Monica Maroney - Pediatric chiropractor
52. Kathleen McCann - MSOE director media relations; freelance writer
53. Meg McKenna - Founder of MilwaukeeMoms.com
54. Brigette Breitenbach McPherson & Jenny Weiss - Owners of all-female Breitenbach & Weiss Public Relations
55. Wendy Mesich - Riverwest Co-op Coordinator
56. Barb Miner - Managing editor of Rethinking Schools
57. Jodi Miriah - Singer, DevaNation
58. Sarah Moore - Professional dancer
59. Jennifer Morales - MPS School Board member; recently came out as a lesbian
60. Nikki Nikolic - JuJu Gifts co-owner
61. Beth Nicols - Milwaukee Downtown
62. Eileen Nyholt - Sinai Hospital midwife
63. Micaela O'Herlihy - Painter and filmmaker with upcoming show at Hotcakes Gallery
64. Monica Orr - Special events planner
65. Lauren Pagenkopf - Director of Organizational Communication & Integration for Harley-Davidson; guitar player
66. Jenny Plevin - Education Program Coordinator at Walker's Point Center for the Arts
67. Kara Prach - Registered nurse and co-owner of the Tool Shed
68. Mary Ellen Pride - Astrologer and psychic
69. Anita Reed - Artist
70. Beth Ridley - Greater Milwaukee Foundation; owns card business
71. Bela Roongta Eitel - Owner of Belatees, board member for Planned Parenthood Wisconsin
72. Linda Rosland - Co-owner of Eden Excursions bicycle tours
73. Avigail Rubin - Stylist
74. Tesa Santoro - Owner, Broadway Bistro
75. Janet Schiff - Cellist
76. Myeesha Shaw & Tracy Adams - owners of Club Tosa daycare center
    
77. Jennifer Shepard - Spanish teacher
78. Sue Silvermarie - Poet, teaches at Escuela Fratney
79. Meshie Singh - Principal Engineer Technologist at Northwestern Mutual Life; Born in India, moved here from Scotland
80. Coral Slavin, Ph.D. - Founder of Center for Well-Rounded Maternity Care birthing center, chairperson of the CARE network, doula, fitness and yoga instructor
81. Paula Suozzi - Artistic director for the Milwaukee Shakespeare Company
82. Amy Taylor - WKTI morning DJ; mother of triplets
83. Pegi Taylor - Writer, performance artist
84. Melissa Tempel - Spanish teacher; works for YMCA
85. Rita Tenorio - Principal La Escuela Fratney
86. Lucky Tomaszek - Midwife, columnist
87. Kim Tondryk - IT consultant
88. Jeannette Tries - OTR Therapy Director for Continence and Pelvic Floor Disorders
89. Kristen Urban - Lead singer of reggae/roots band The Urbanites; rocked it with King Solomon at Bastille Days
90. Maren Valentine - Sherman Paint Sales rep (works in a male-dominated industry)
91. Kristin Valliencourt - Owner of Sprout Children's Boutique
92. Jenny Bradley Vent - Set stylist for Reiman Media Group
93. Chris Ward - Business manager for Boulevard Theatre; former president of the Bay View Business Association and owner of Oranje
94. Eliza Webb - Entrepreneur
95. Cara Wheeler - Tattoo artist
96. Autumn Whitlow - Bartender at The Estate; COA volunteer; mother of twins
97. Cyndi Wilder - Reiki master, massage therapist, teacher
98. Laura Williams - Kalmbach Publishing Co.; writer
99. Jon Anne Willow - Editor of Vital Source Magazine; Bremen Cafe
100. Anna Young - Lincoln Center for the Arts