4 minutes 48 seconds, digital video.
Warning: My mother hates this video. She hates looking at herself looking at herself. She knew she was going to hate it before she sat in front of the camera. But here is the beauty of the moment- she sat in front of that camera for 5 plus excruciating minutes anyway. Because I asked her to. Because I am her daughter. This is one part of the essence of my mom that I wanted to portray.
A few months back, we began reading When Everything Changed by Gail Collins together. This was a bit more challenging because I live in Boston and my mom lives in Philadelphia. We embarked on a sort of trans-coastal reading club of two. We would read a few chapters, email each other questions and stories, and call each other on the weekends to talk about the book.
I learned a few things:
1. This is a really good book about Feminism in America in the last century.
2. My mom is a natural storyteller. While she insists she is losing her mind as she gets older, she can tell a story about her college dorm like it was just yesterday.
3. I love listening to her tell her stories. It not only sheds light on a time I thought I understood, it also sheds light on on person I thought I knew.
4. I truly believe storytelling is the key to the ignition of the 4th wave feminist movement. Feminism is not dead and there is still much work to be done. Intergenerational storytelling is a way to discuss what we have accomplished and ground theory with reality. It is a way to empower each other, to share with each other, and to inspire each other.
5. This is not about passing the torch as there are plenty to go around my mom isn’t done with hers just yet.
6. There is still so much to learn.
