My grandmother and I before my departure from our summer spent together on Nantucket.
Nearly every ounce of my strength and empowerment is derivative of the women in my family. As a woman, I believe one of our biggest blessings is to have such beautiful strong women in our history, and the capability to follow in their footsteps. Following their path doesn’t mean the work is over and the inequality of women’s rights has ceased, but it does mean the torch has been lit and it’s our turn to keep it burning and growing. This torch has been handed down to me by my paternal grandmother, Geraldine Posner, an 89 year-old woman whose story is an inspiration to many women.
I recall the first time I heard her story of growing up during the Great Depression. Her choice of work as a child wasn’t based on money, which was in dire need for her family at the time, but based on what she could learn and how she could grow. The decision to take a job at a photography lab for little pay and turn down a higher paying job at a nickel and dime shop is one that epitomizes her intelligence and strength. At this young age, she already knew how important knowledge was to furthering yourself; she knew there was little knowledge to gain as a cashier, but much to learn in a trade such as photography. This knowledge and strength stuck by her as she entered the Navy during World War II, as she fought through superiors to work with the photographers rather then the nurses. My grandmother’s story has always been an inspiration to me, and she continues to motivate me with every conversation we have.
Following in her footprints, I will be working with the photographs my grandmother printed in World War II, reprinting them using the same traditional black and white process she used decades ago. For exhibition, the prints would be proudly displayed side by side, finally giving my grandmother credit for her work.
I have just received the photographs in the mail from my aunt who has been holding onto them for safe keeping. I will begin printing this week. I am also in the process of writing a letter to my grandmother asking her to share her story once again and give me a little insight to each image and what she can remember about when it was made. I am still thinking of more ways to make her more visible in the work. I’ll share some of those ideas in the meeting on Sunday as they develop further.
