VIDEO POST | A Claire View | In My Own Words | Episode 5 : The Gift of Family

One of the most emotional interviews for my Anita Claire Project was when I featured my family friends, Pat, Kerri and their four generations of mothers and daughters. It hit closest to home because they were a gift of extended family my mother gave to me because of the close friendship she shared with Pat, years before I was even born. This episode of In My Own Words addresses just how special it was.

###

VIDEO POST | Inspiration through storytelling...

Yesterday I attended an event that was focused on the idea and efforts of making a social change through storytelling. I attended, one, because of my interest in the topic, and two because I believed that my Anita Claire Project fell into that category. Once I arrived and saw that the various stories were about making a positive change on the environment, on different communities, and other specific social injustices, I started to think about how my project, which honors and explores the unique bond between mothers and daughters, could be considered having a social impact in the same way? After thinking about it and talking to one of my new friends at the event, I realized that yes, my project delivers its own unique social impact. Not only does it pack a punch in the name that is in the title of the project - The Anita Claire Project - my mother was a strong advocate for social change and worked in the field of social issues for many years, the simple fact that mothers and daughters share a bond and talking about it helps them, inspires others and helps to celebrate, ameliorate and heal the relationships we have with the special mother figures in our lives. 

These thoughts took me back to when I was interviewed (virtually) by a blogger who asked me to answer several questions on camera. She wanted me to explain the why behind the project, among other things. It was an emotionally difficult interview to get through, but I knew it was important to talk about. You can view the video below:

###

The Anita Claire Project: 10 celebrity mothers & daughters on my wish list

Tamera Mowry-Housley/Photo by Kendra A. Kabasele

Tamera Mowry-Housley/Photo by Kendra A. Kabasele

The Anita Claire Project honors the bond between mothers and daughters. The mothers and daughters honored in my project come from all walks of life and all circumstances; the good, the challenging, worldwide. As my project is ongoing and continues to grow, I recently outlined the types of mothers I am seeking to photograph and interview. I've been asked, several times, if I were to feature celebrities, who would I want to feature? Well, all of the mothers and daughters in my project are on equal ground. They come from various backgrounds, professions and circumstances, and all of them share the honorable titles of Mother and Daughter. I do have a celebrity wish list. It contains countless names. Today, I am featuring 10 of those names, and while their paths happen to have them in the public eye, it is their mother/daughter bonds I'd love to explore closer. Here they are, in no particular order:

  1. First Lady Michelle Obama, First Grandmother Marian Robinson, and daughters Sasha and Malia
  2. Priscilla Chan and daughter Maxima (Max)
  3. Tamera Mowry-Housley and daughter Ariah 
  4. Holly Robison Peete, mother Dolores and daughter Ryan
  5. Ellen Degeneres and mother Betty
  6. Beyoncé, mother Tina, sister Solange and daughter Blue Ivy
  7. Jessica Alba and daughters Honor and Haven
  8. Arianna Huffington and daughters Isabella and Christina
  9. Rashida Jones and mother Peggy
  10. Liya Kebede and daughter Raee

###

"[She] speaks her own mind and loves to laugh..."

"For me, in some ways, every day is Mother's Day..."

"She's giving me everything...and I hope that she has everything in life..."

"What would make you feel better? [...]You Mommy!"