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Thank you to all the creative, inspiring, wise, patient, strong, and supportive individuals who helped make this project possible!
Interviewees
Lauren Arnold, Aurelie Cabou, Barb Ellen, Maggie Ferla, Taryn Fisher, Victoria Fuller, Nathalie Landesman, Marci Levenfeld, Gabi Lyn, Kenisha Puckett, Stephanie Shafer, and anonymous
To the 12 moms who so graciously agreed to share their experiences with me — you are the foundation of this project! Thank you for your trust and vulnerability in sharing such personal stories over Zoom. I am so inspired by your strength, courage, pride, determination, and self-awareness. I've known for a long time that I want to be a mom, and speaking with you all has only reinforced this aspiration. I am so grateful for your involvement in To a Life.
Clare Schweitzer - Videographer
I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity work with Clare on this project. Clare is a beautiful dancer and a skilled videographer with an incredible eye for angles, atmosphere, and movement details. The two of us collaborated to plan out all of our shots and transitions ahead of filming day. We had a fun and action-packed morning shoot, exploring multiple beautiful sites in the Moss Beach area (see behind-the-scenes photos at right). Clare's kindness, enthusiasm, and professionalism made me feel confident and supported throughout the process. Thank you, Clare, for your beautiful work!
Katie Faulkner - Dance Mentor
I've had the opportunity to take Katie's Advance Contemporary class four times since she joined the Stanford TAPS department in 2018, and I've come out of each quarter a stronger and more confident mover. As a young dancer, I was overly focused on appearance. I thought what mattered most was the way my body looked when I danced: pretty, graceful, slender, controlled. With Katie's support, I've learned that dance is so much more fulfilling when I focus on how I feel. Katie is incredibly inventive and agile, and her classes place emphasis on dance as a continual research process. Over the past four years, I've come to approach dance with a newfound curiosity about what my body can do. Katie has helped me develop an awareness of the various components of movement, from the shapes we make with our bodies as we move through space, to the ways in which we can play with variation of kinetic quality. I was thrilled when Katie agreed to be my creative mentor for this project. We met consistently throughout the process to discuss choreography roadblocks, improvisation exercises, the interplay between dance and spoken word, the challenges and possibilities presented by dance for the camera, etc. I learned so much from Katie's insights, and her constant support helped me push through creative blocks. Thank you, Katie, for your incredible mentorship!
Family
Mom and dad, thank you for giving me life! Thank you for always encouraging me to pursue my passions in both the arts and sciences. You've taught me not only the value of hard work and persistence, but also the importance of taking care of myself in both body and mind. I love you both so much and I'm grateful that you continue to be so present in my life. (Special shout-out to my mom for tagging along on filming day to braid my hair, carry camera equipment, and watch the process unfold!)
Photo credit: Kyle Adler
Alyssa, you've inspired me since the day I was born. I feel so lucky to have grown up alongside such a creative, motivated, hard-working, hilarious, and strong sister. You've paved the path for me in so many ways: piano lessons, dance classes, high school, the best ice cream in San Francisco. I'm grateful that we've been able to support each other as we continue to grow in our own directions. I love you!
Stanford Biology and TSR
I'd like to acknowledge the Stanford Biology Department for giving me the opportunity to synthesize my scientific and artistic interests through The Senior Reflection (TSR). It was incredibly fulfilling to devote myself to a long-term creative project during such an unusual senior year.
Thank you to Andrew Todhunter and Sue McConnell for being our fearless TSR leaders. I'm so appreciative of your guidance throughout the creative process. Thank you for creating such a supportive (Zoom) atmosphere for this year's cohort!
To my TSR classmates — thank you for your feedback and enthusiasm during our weekly workshops. I've been so inspired by each and every one of you and your beautiful, varied projects. Your passion and creativity have motivated me to put my all into my own work. I wish you all the best of luck in your post-Stanford pursuits!
Additional Acknowledgements
Early on in this process, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Deirdre Lyell, an OB/GYN at Stanford who specializes in complicated pregnancies. We discussed how I might approach my interviews and use them as the foundation for the creative aspects of my project. Dr. Lyell also shared with me some of the interactions she's had with patients experiencing pregnancy complications and/or mental health challenges. As an aspiring physician (and potentially a future OB/GYN), I found this conversation fascinating and inspiring!
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I'd like to thank Dr. Virginia Winn, Amy Braun, and the other members of the Winn lab for introducing me to the wonders of the placenta! I've learned so much through journal clubs, lab meetings, and conversations with you all. Thank you for inspiring me to pursue research in OB/GYN in addition to working toward a clinical practice in the field.
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Thank you to my cousin Jake Fisher, a brilliant musician, composer, and producer, for helping me get started with Ableton. You've opened my eyes to so many exciting possibilities in the world of music production, and I can't wait to keep experimenting. How great that this passion for creating weird sounds runs in the family!
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Finally, I'd like to thank my friends, who have supported me through all the ups and downs of the past four years. I'm so grateful to have crossed paths with such amazing human beings!
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