Beyond the Archetypes – A Round Table Series on Women’s Evolving Identities
Show Notes:
In this episode of the Slow Dive Podcast, host Farida Rafique, and her guests explore the evolving identities of women through cultural lenses and life stages. The conversation delves into the complexities of women's roles, their spaces, and the societal expectations that shape their self-perception. The guests share personal stories and insights on navigating their identities as creators, mothers, and community builders, emphasizing the importance of taking up space and redefining success on their terms. In this conversation, the participants explore the complexities of relationships, personal growth, and the journey of healing after breakups. They discuss the challenges of balancing career aspirations with personal life, the importance of community, and the evolving perceptions of aging and success in the creative industry. The dialogue emphasizes empowerment through experience, the need for women to assert themselves in various spaces, and the ongoing fight against ageism in the industry.
Takeaways
Every woman has a unique identity shaped by her experiences.
Cactus flowers symbolize resilience and beauty in harsh conditions.
Women often feel pressured to conform to societal roles.
Taking up space is essential for personal and professional growth.
The journey of self-discovery is ongoing and multifaceted.
Motherhood is a challenging yet rewarding role that shapes identity.
Women can redefine success beyond traditional benchmarks.
It's important to embrace change and evolve.
Community building through storytelling fosters connection and understanding.
Creative collaboration can lead to powerful narratives and representation. Navigating relationships can lead to personal growth and self-discovery.
Healing requires time and self-care, especially after significant life changes.
Women can redefine what success means for them, independent of societal expectations.
Community support is essential for women at different life stages.
Aging should be viewed as an opportunity for growth and new beginnings.
Women often face ageism in the industry, impacting their opportunities.
It's essential to take up space and assert oneself in professional settings.
Personal experiences shape the roles and stories women want to tell in media.
Empowerment comes from sharing experiences and building connections with others.
Redefining aging can lead to a more positive outlook on life and career.
ROUND TABLE SERIES:
BEYOND ARCHETYPES: WOMEN’S EVOLVING IDENTITIES
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Women's Evolving Identities
12:48 Exploring Spaces and Roles
24:05 Redefining Success and Personal Growth
26:04 Navigating Relationships and Personal Growth
30:22 The Journey of Self-Discovery and Healing
35:49 Redefining Aging and Success
40:31 Empowerment Through Experience and Community
46:00 Challenging Ageism in the Industry
RESOURCES TO GUIDE THIS SERIES:
Women Who Run With the Wolves (Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes)
Crones Don’t Whine (Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen)
The Millionth Circle - How to Change Ourselves and The World (Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen)
Women of Sufism - A Hidden Treasure (Camille Adams Helminski)
Warrior Goddess Training (Heatherash Amara)
Chakra Empowerment for Women (Lisa Erickson)
Woman’s Inhumanity to Woman (Phyllis Chesler)
Doorways to Transformation (Karen Kinney)
GUESTS:
Becca Spencer- Screenwriter/Producer/Actress - Dallas, TX
Becca Spencer got tired of not seeing more meaningful and rich stories representing people of color, especially stories representing Black women (Guess where she fits in, ha!). So, she decided to do something pretty extraordinary to change that narrative, Becca became the change that she wanted to see.
Rooted in Dallas, TX by way of Atlanta, Georgia, she immersed herself into screenwriting by attending writing workshops, table reads, reading and studying screenplay books on structure, and watching instructional videos on YouTube. All of this while earning her psychology degree at UTD! She’s tenacious and knows how to hustle.
Now, some people assume Becca is just a G.R.I.T. (Girl Raised in the South), but she has the grit to never give up; instead, she finds creative ways to tell unique and compelling stories. By the way, she loves eating grits smothered in butter too.
Becca is co-founder of small indie production company Fearless Arvo Motion Pictures, LLC. She has written, produced, and has worked on several film sets. Her first screenplay, Andromeda Jones, won a screenplay competition in 2016, and was produced by Dallas Film Alliance.
In 2022, Becca wrote an Executive Produced award-winning script “Lotus”, which was nominated in the Best Texas Narrative category at the 2024 Denton Black Film Festival. In 2023 Becca was hired on as a staff writer for Watz Products, LLC and is helping develop an 8–episode TV series for the breakout production company.
IG: the_becca_spencer. IMDB
FB: Becca Spencer
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/bekahspencer
Tania Mohammad - Producer, Host and Community Builder - Brooklyn, NY
Tania Mohammad is a Karachi-born storyteller and global citizen who grew up in Canada, the U.S., and Saudi Arabia but now calls New York home. With a passion for connecting people and ideas through powerful storytelling, she has over 15 years of experience in media production, content development, marketing, and event management across media and non-profits.
Tania was most recently the host and producer of Undiscarded: Stories of New York, a collaboration with The City Reliquary Museum in Brooklyn and CitizenRacecar. The podcast garnered critical acclaim, winning a Signal Award for Best Indie Podcast (2023), an Anthem Award Silver in Education, Art & Culture, and a Webby nomination for Best Indie Podcast - Limited Run (2024).
Her other shows include Act Two New York, which celebrated New York's arts revival post-pandemic, and The Big Shut-In, which documented diverse global experiences during pandemic isolation. Her current projects in development are a Music Podcast on Karachi's famed nightlife era & New York's lesser-known immigrant communities.
Tania thrives on uncovering subcultures and quirky, lesser-known histories, using her superpower of building community through creative collaborations.
Tania’s work bridges the past and present with creativity and empathy.
Socials: @act2newyork, LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/taniamohammad/)
Website: taniamohammad.com
Podcasts:
Undiscarded: Stories of New York, Act Two New York
Ugenia Stokes - Actor/Producer/Filmmaker/Founder - Los Angeles, CA
Ugenia Stokes (she/her) is a multi-talented educator, actress, and filmmaker who has worked in the entertainment industry for the last 15 years. Her directorial debut documentary short “FREE TO BE,” an Official Selection of the 2021 Toronto Film Festival, Denton Black Film Festival “People’s Choice Award” and Micheaux Film Festival “Best Documentary Short” dives into the lives of four individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community and their push for social justice and racial equality.
She produced short films such as PUPPY LOVE (Snapchat Tribeca Film Festival) and feature films such as DOUBLE DOWN (Miami Film Festival).
Attended Marymount Manhattan College in New York, where she obtained a B.A. in Acting and Costume Design with a minor in History. Ugenia has styled and produced content and magazine covers for companies such as Forbes, Interview Magazine, and Hearst (Seventeen Magazine). Produced film, TV, and commercial content in collaboration with companies such as Neuehouse, Sony, Amazon, LA Tech Week, and AMP Beauty.
She is continuing to work with LISC by direction a doc that oversees efforts to address the homelessness and housing crisis in Los Angeles, with a focus on affordable housing solutions. Ugenia is also dedicated to creating space for womxn to be their beautifully imperfect and messy selves, while often commenting, either directly or indirectly, on mental health in film both in front of and behind the camera.
Instagram: @tasteofugeey @fwinproductions
https://www.fwinproductions.com
LinkedIn Ugenia
Becky Chretien - Filmmaker/Project Manager/Mom - Dallas, TX
Becky Chretien is a talented hobbyist filmmaker, serving in several roles on the film set. Like most of her ancestors, she is passionate about storytelling and writing. From a great-great-great-grandmother who published poems, Becky enjoys the art of storytelling.
She has an MBA and currently works in Project Management. A mother of two, Becky enjoys watching her son excel in Basketball and motivating her daughter to achieve her goals in Marine Biology.
With a background rooted in rich storytelling, Becky hopes to ensure that her Louisiana family stories and histories can one day be shared with a larger audience and spread the love, unity, and laughter she enjoyed growing up with the world.
