002 My Mother Inspired Me To Build Platforms To Empower Women And Girls | Lauri Levenfeld

Share:

Our next guest for About Your Mother is Lauri Levenfeld. She is a playful spirit and has a never-ending commitment to the female voice. Jennifer and Lauri collaborated together in the past on projects, but most recently, Lauri debuted an award-winning film called Mad World.

Using her distinctive eye and straightforward and real words, she has built platforms to share and extend the work of other women. Her inspiration came from none other than her mother. We hope you enjoy this conversation as Jennifer and Lauri talk about female empowerment/voices, the power of community and representation of female voices in Lauri’s film.

In a world of perfect fairytales, Lauri Levenfeld embraces life’s fair share of mess and empowers women through art and storytelling. Click To Tweet

Tribute to Lauri’s Mother

Lauri describes her mom as one of the most giving, empathetic people she knows. Lauri shares how her mother always goes out of her way to make others feel good and lift them up. As a child, Lauri constantly experienced the incredible acts of love from her mom. 

“My mom has no ego. She never took credit for anything she accomplished. Her intention and giving was just to give and her inspiration in life to care for others and make their lives as easy as possible.” - Lauri Levenfeld Click To Tweet

Filming Mad World

Jennifer describes how poignant and beautiful Lauri’s ability was, to be able to create a film during the pandemic. With all of these restrictions around filmmaking, she applauded Lauri on crafting the film. She also went along her framework and intention based on her mother and crafted a film that gives a voice to women.

“No matter where we are in life, we really have to hone in on our inner selves to propel us forward.” – Lauri Levenfeld Click To Tweet

Looking Through Quarantine Differently

Lauri also mentions in this episode how another friend, Nicole Sassaman, curator and celebrity designer in LA., has helped her greatly to facilitate her ideas for Mad World. In fact, Nicole was a big proponent for looking at quarantine as a incubator, as an actual asset and a positive place to hone ideas and concepts.

“We both got together and said, let’s just go for this.’ We want no fear approach. Whatever we’re channeling, and whatever we come up with as a collaboration, we’re going to go no holds barred. She really has that incredible way of looking at things…there’s just nothing holding you back.”- Lauri Levenfeld

To learn more about Lauri Levenfeld, filmmaker of Mad World and her creative journey in discovering herself and empowering women through her art, download and listen to this episode. 

Bio: 

Prolific creative, Lauri Levenfeld, is dedicated to creating visual narratives that inspire, celebrate, and promote conversation. Most recently, during COVID, Lauri produced the winner of Best Experimental Film at LAFA, Mad World. 

Lauri was inspired by her mother to build communities and stories that empower women. Lauri founded The Project for Women and The Project for Girls in 2016 both emphasizing the influence and power of girls and women through her distinctive lens. She continues to produce fashion and portrait photography featured in publications such as Elle, Vogue, and Marie Claire. She most recently co-founded Project Mentor – a forum showcasing dynamic female leaders in fashion, technology, philanthropy, and entrepreneurship. 

 

Links:

Instagram: @laurilevenfeld

@madworldfilm

@project.mentor

@theprojectforwomen

Website: The Project for Women

Project Mentor

Best Experimental Film at LAFA

Mad World Trailer

023 Searching For My Identity | Jan Beatty

When adoptees search for their birth parents, it’s the pursuit of identity. Where do I come from? Who gave birth to me? What is my medical history?   AYM guest, Jan Beatty, wanted to know her name – not the one given by her adoptive parents, but the name on her birth certificate. This quest began […]

recent posts

READ MORE

The Girls Who Went Away | Ann Fessler

Ann Fessler’s critically accompanied book, “The Girl Who Went Away,” gives voice to the millions of women forced to surrender their babies in the decades before Roe v Wade. As an artist and a teacher, listening to Ann tell her story feels like you are walking into a lecture hall about to learn something new, […]

READ MORE

Elizabeth Hines

The subject of reproductive rights has taken center stage in our society. Still, many people don’t understand the tentacles those rights have in every corner of society or within most families. On this episode of About Your Mother is my conversation with writer and editor Elizabeth Hines, who spearheaded the recent anthology Aftermath: Life in Post-Roe America. Our […]

READ MORE

EP020 The Baby Scoop Era - Kare Wilson-Buterbaugh

In our new series, What Happened Then, AYM features stories from a part of our history unknown to many. Karen Wilson-Buterbaugh spent twenty years researching and writing The Baby Scoop Era. In 2007, Karen founded the Baby Scoop Era: Research, Education, and Inquiry (BSERI) organization to support millions of women forced to surrender their babies between 1945 and […]

recent posts

READ MORE

Ten Stories to Celebrate Mother's Day

For Mother’s Day, we are recapping ten powerful episodes from the last year. This review features a short clip from each conversation, so you can quickly get a feel for the content and guest. Timestamps and guest names are listed below. An interesting thing happens when the word mother is mentioned – a conversation rooted […]

READ MORE

Steph Jagger AYM 018

This episode of About Your Mother is my conversation with Steph Jagger: a seeker, explorer, and writer. Her latest book, Everything Left to Remember, documents her adventure with her mother into the Rocky Mountains while they navigate the terrain of dementia and the meaning of remembrance. Steph’s life and work are as deep as the 4 […]

READ MORE

AYM 017 Beth Broday

This episode of About Your Mother is my conversation with Beth Broday – a pioneer in producing who put music videos on the map beginning with Prince’s Little Red Corvette. Beth Broday is a storyteller and has mastered the art of Becoming. Throughout the various stages of work and life, she saw the lessons in […]

recent posts

READ MORE

AYM-EP016-Shanti Brien

On this episode of About Your Mother, we meet Shanti Brien, who has spent her career fighting for justice. Often, taking on the most complex cases where the rate of success is meager. When her husband’s company was under investigation, her career and personal life collided.   Shanti Brien is a litigator and author. She is also […]

READ MORE

My Mother Next Door podcast with Diane Danvers Simmons.

In this episode of About Your Mother, we hear the story of Diane Danvers Simmons, whose mother left and moved next door with three college men when Diane was sixteen years old. A successful businesswoman, mother, and stepmom, Diane was on a trip with her daughter when she heard she needed to forgive her mother, […]

READ MORE

The Miracle of Adoption is Surviving podcast with Ashley Mitchell.

To honor National Adoption Month this November, I bring you a big brave story. In this episode of About Your Mother, meet Ashley Mitchell. Ashley Mitchell is the founder of Lifetime Healing Foundation, which supports birth mothers and those affected by such trauma. Her mission is unique but needed. Give it a listen, and you […]

recent posts

READ MORE

Writing My Secrets podcast with Amy Ferris.

In this episode of About Your Mother, meet Amy Ferris. Amy is witty, brutally honest, talented, and regal, like Meryl Streep, and she looks like her too. Ruth Pennebaker of the New York Times described Amy’s memoir, Marrying George Clooney: Confessions from a Midlife Crisis”, as “poignant, free-wheeling, cranky, and funny. It is all those […]

READ MORE

012 BLOG - ANGIE KIM

In this episode of About Your Mother, I am pleased to introduce Angie Kim. Angie’s debut novel Miracle Creek was named Best Book of the Year by Time, The Washington Post, and The Today Show. It went on to win many other prizes throughout the year. Before writing Miracle Creek, Angie Kim was the former […]

READ MORE

A brief encounter with a woman with cancer recently reminded me to slow down and acknowledge what is before us — even if what we see is hard to accept or comprehend. It was Sunday morning and I was walking through the Berkeley Rose Garden with my husband and son. I saw a woman sitting on a […]

recent posts

READ MORE

Changing Lives With Empathy podcast with Peter Mutabaz.

In this episode of About Your Mother, you will meet Peter Mutabazi – a remarkable human being who survived a traumatic childhood, only to use that experience to transform lives. He ran away from an abusive father at the age of ten and was homeless on the streets for four years until a stranger asked […]

READ MORE

Adoption Encapsulates Everything That Is Life podcast with Jeff Forney.

In today’s episode of About Your Mother, we have a poignant discussion on the meaning of the word Mother. Joining us is Jeff Forney, a photographer, visual story sharer, and a dear friend. Prepare to be inspired by a touching dialogue on the meaning of the word mother, the journey to finding his birth mother, […]

READ MORE

009 Amy Kelly Sarai Obermeyer

In honor of International Women’s Month, today’s episode of About Your Mother brings you a story highlighting the strength and power of maternal lineage. In this dual interview, we celebrate the life of Vera Obermeyer, who recently passed away due to COVID. Our guests are here to talk about her long and colorful life full […]

recent posts

READ MORE

About Your Mother - Guest Melanie Spring

What does it mean to own and share our own stories? Why would other people want to hear our stories?  In today’s episode of About your Mother, we answer those questions with our special guest, Melanie Spring. Melanie is a vibrant speaker, an approachable bad-ass woman, and the facilitator of both personal and brand stories. […]

READ MORE

007 My Eponymous Fashion Line As A Love Letter to My Mother | Olivia Joffrey

In the latest episode of About Your Mother, we have a conversation with Olivia Joffrey. Olivia owns an eponymous fashion line that serves as a love letter to her mother, Anne-Marie. Through osmosis, Olivia absorbed the colorful and artistic life that her mother has led — a life filled with sensory details, records, books, sand, […]

READ MORE

006 Pursuit of Truth With A Capital T | Julie Barton Part 2

We are in the second part of our series with the wonderful Julie Barton. In our previous episode, we talked about Julie’s childhood memories and her path to becoming a New York Times bestselling author with her book, Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me from Myself. Today, we explore what it feels like to […]

recent posts

READ MORE

We have a two-part series conversation with Julie Barton, a New York Times best-selling author of the book, Dog Medicine: How My Dog Saved Me from Myself. Her book is about her lifelong battle with depression and how it unravels an intricate family dynamic. In this first part, she brings into grasp the destructive power of depression […]

READ MORE

Sugar Taylor - About Your mother Podcast

In today’s episode of About Your Mother, we speak with Sugar Taylor, a woman who exudes a ray of light. Sugar is a self-taught creative dynamo. She is a person who has battled anxiety and depression throughout her life and uses her creative energy as a means of healing. Her zest of life, spirit, resourcefulness, and […]

READ MORE

003 A Personal Breakthrough Inspired Sandra to Build a Business Helping Others To Be Unshakable | Sandra Possing

In the third episode of About Your Mother, our guest, speaker, and mindset coach, Sandra Possing talks about how building an Unshakeable Foundation and unleashing their inner badass empowers a woman. They also discussed in this episode, Sandra’s openness about her past and how it shaped her career path. Pay special attention to the part […]

recent posts

READ MORE

002 My Mother Inspired Me to Build Platforms to Empower Women and Girls | Lauri Levenfeld:

Our next guest for About Your Mother is Lauri Levenfeld. She is a playful spirit and has a never-ending commitment to the female voice. Jennifer and Lauri collaborated together in the past on projects, but most recently, Lauri debuted an award-winning film called Mad World. Using her distinctive eye and straightforward and real words, she […]

READ MORE

000 Welcome to the Podcast - About Your Mother

Welcome to our new podcast – About Your Mother, Where Your Story Begins. Host Jennifer Griffith is on a mission to celebrate and examine one of the most powerful and influential relationships in our lives: our relationship with our mother. The Power of Storytelling Each month, join Jennifer as she converses with compelling guests. She […]

READ MORE

FOLLOW ALONG @BYJENNIFERGRIFFITH