MELANIE & MAKAYLA

It is with great excitement that I present the first mother and daughter pair of the year! Melanie lives in West Hills, California with her 2 year old daughter Makayla, her husband Michael and dog Max. She is currently a stay at home mother who enjoys spending time with her family. Upon meeting with Melanie and Makayla, I could immediately see the close bond they share. Sweet and welcoming yet pensive and independent; that is how I would describe Makayla. Some of the most beautiful moments with them were simply observing how mutually inspired they were by the other. 

(Video interview following photo gallery.)

"Having Makayla seriously made my dreams come true..." - Melanie

It's the little moments...

The playful moments...

"I've always wanted to be a mom..." - Melanie

The look of pure joy...

Who needs a jungle gym when you can climb up Mommy?

"She is just the best child ever...so sweet and smart, and I love her to the moon and back." - Melanie

"I love how she imitates me..." - Melanie

Yes, daughters are watching...mirroring...

"She has new experiences every day..." - Melanie

Just a quick game of hide-and-seek!

Candidly tender moments...

"She's literally, definitely, the best thing that's ever happened to me, my whole entire life..." - Melanie

Makayla's curiosity is apparent...

"I just want her to always know that her mom and dad and her family, we love her to pieces...and want her to feel secure and be a confident woman, and be smart and loving and share with people and just be a good person..." - Melanie

"It's a very special, special bond..." - Melanie

"It's the kind of love that you can't even describe..." - Melanie

"She's so innocent and sweet and loving..." - Melanie

"She continuously amazes me with her vocabulary." - Melanie

"I love seeing the world through her eyes..." - Melanie

ATCHOO! Bless you, Makayla!

Max made an appearance and appears to be Makayla's special friend...

Daddy...well, Daddy's hand, also made an impromptu appearance that day!

Thank you so much, Melanie and Makayla, for taking the time to be a part of my project. Thank you for being so warm and welcoming and for sharing an afternoon in the life of a mother and daughter. Your connection is true and Melanie, along with Makayla's independent spirit, I can see that she also counts on you. I know you will cherish the moments.

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A Claire View of Montreal: NATALIE & OLIVIA

I am excited to reveal the third and last installment of the summer photo shoots I call "A Claire View of Montreal". I love capturing moments in my hometown. It's not every day you get to sit down with one of your closest friends to pick her brain on what it's like to be a mother, and, more specifically, what it's like to be a mother to a daughter. Natalie is one of the greatest people I know, and our story began when we met in university at a time when we were both studying Psychology. The things we would talk about then - including life, love and the future - have become the realities we face each day. It was an honor to capture the candid and loving moments she had with her daughter Olivia (now two, as this post goes to press), just as it is an honor to hear Olivia call me, "Auntie Kendra". 

Thank you, Natalie, for being a true friend, and for sharing your innermost heartfelt sentiments about what it's like to be a mom. Your words resonate with me as I think about my relationship with my own mother. I think that's part of the reason we are such good friends....like gravitates toward like...and you're like family.

(Video interview following photo gallery.)

"...a mini me!" - Natalie, about Olivia

"It's comforting to know that I've got this little life in my hands that I have to embrace and I have to take care of..." - Natalie

Puzzle time, quality time...

"Being a mom, to me, has been the most rewarding experience that I ever thought I could have..." - Natalie

Bright future ahead of you, kid...

Thank you, Natalie and Olivia, for sharing your time with me! Natalie, we used to think about what these days would be like...You're doing an extraordinary job...Olivia, know that you are more than your mom could ever have imagined in a daughter...keep being you. 

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A Claire View of Montreal: APRIL & MAISIE & DARBY

A Claire View of Montreal and another childhood friend! April and I grew up on the same street, on opposite sides, two houses apart. Fast forward to today and she is mother to Maisie, 8, and Darby, almost 7. She has been married for 10 years and was a working mom turned entrepreneurial stay at home mom. One of the things she discovered is that she loves to travel, and would love to show her girls the world!

(Video interview following photo gallery.)

"I wish that they never give up on their dreams, and that they realize that once their dreams materialize that they can dream again." - April

"I wish they put themselves first." - April

"I wish that they're not afraid of anything...just not afraid to push their limits...to reach for the stars and get everything that they can out of life..." - April

"My wishes for my girls...I wish they never have issues with body image. It took me up until the time that I had two girls to realize that everyone is born with a different body type. Some people are naturally lean, some are not and they should appreciate the strengths that their own body has." - April

"I wish they don't wish to be someone else; they are great just the way they are." - April

"I wish that they grow up to have great childhood memories..." - April

"My wish is just that they do the best that they can do...and that they come out okay in the end..." - April

 "I wish they do not fear the unknown. I wish that they will just do it." - April 

"I wish that they always dance like no one is watching..." - April

April, what a treat to reunite after such a long time! Thank you for sharing your time, humor and insights. I am so lucky to call you a lifelong friend and am so glad I had a chance to meet your girls! Keep doing what you're doing and I look forward to seeing them soar! Thank you...

Remembering Anita Claire

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A Claire View of Montreal: THREE GENERATIONS: CHERYL & KAILYN & AUTUMN & JORDYN & EMMA & BRAELYN

Cheryl is from Kahnawake, Québec, and the mother of four beautiful girls, Kailyn, 20, Autumn, 16, Jordyn, 11 and Emma, their little angel baby, who would have been five years old. Cheryl is also the proud grandmother of sweet little Braelyn, her eight month old granddaughter. She loves her to pieces!

(Video interview following photo gallery.)

"My girls are all very different and each one of them has taught me something new about being a mom and I appreciate that. I consider myself very lucky to have had some very special women in my life." - Cheryl

As the girls gather, they keep their angel daughter, sister, aunt, Emma Lynn, in their hearts.

Palpable love...

Baby Braelyn loves her aunt and grandma!

"...She is just as beautiful, silly and just as lively as her mother was at her age!" - Cheryl, on her grandbaby Braelyn

A quiet moment with her own granddaughter, Cheryl reflects on her grandmother...

"I was very close to my grandmother, she taught me many things but the one thing that stuck was her love for cooking. I may not enjoy cooking all that much today but it made me appreciate real food, not the kind you buy off of a shelf."

Those eyes!

Picture perfect...

Priceless...

Family togetherness brings much joy...

A moment of reflection...

In loving memory of Baby Emma...

Thank you for sharing this delicate part of your story, Cheryl...

"...she passed away from Cancer in 2010, we did not always have the greatest relationship but I think there is always a certain amount of “butting heads” between parents and children. One of the greatest things I learned from my mom was how to be independent. She was a very strong and unselfish woman and for that I am grateful. I now understand all of her sacrifices . Right now I have my aunt. She has never tried to replace my mom but has stood by my side ever since I lost my mom and I cannot express how much that means to me. I can only hope that I will have the same impact on my children as they did with me!" - Cheryl, on her mother

Cheryl, thank you so much, to you and your family, for sharing your story with me, and with the world. From high school until now, it is such an inspiration to see how much you have accomplished and how much success you have in your beautiful family! It warms my heart to have you be a part of my project and I thank you...

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Special Post: A Claire View of Montreal, Canada: MY HOMETOWN

The Anita Claire Projectis such an important tribute project and with the vision to take the project on the road, I am very excited and proud to announce the first of several installments of "A Claire View of Montreal"! Yes, I have had the beautiful opportunity to photograph longtime friends of mine, in my hometown. They are a part of my childhood, my adolescence, and my adulthood. To say that I still know them, and get to share this experience with them, is beyond anything I could ever have imagined. This project, as I've said before, has become its own vehicle. It has chosen me, connected me with some fascinating human beings, taught me much about life and myself, and pushed me towards limits and adventures I didn't see coming. All the while, I am thankful and I continue to feel my mother's presence.

And so, the next several posts will be mothers and daughters (and a granddaughter!) from my hometown, from my story...

- Kendra 

Special Post: The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation's Girls Who Rule the World mentoring weekend

I am deeply thankful to have attendedThe Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation’sGirls Who Rule the World mentoring weekend. The mentoring camp for young girls took place in Roberta, Georgia and was a long weekend of motivation, inspiration and insight. The young mentees were able to get away from the distractions of home, sans cell phones, in order to concentrate on themselves. A program focused on, as their mission states, “the importance of positive self-image, responsible personal conduct, respect for self and others, educational achievement and cultural enrichment.” Imagine a designated place for young girls to focus on, well, being young girls. Imagine a safe place for these girls to meet, bond with and trust one another. Imagine life-long friendships formed. Imagine a place where these young girls feel supported and listened to; a place where they can share their innermost ideas, thoughts, feelings, fears, doubts and dreams. Imagine a place where those insights are heard, supported, nurtured and actively resolved with a roadmap outlining plans to be implemented. Imagine the cultivation of young minds, hearts and spirits in an effort to launch confident girls who will rule the world. All of these things were imagined by Steve and Marjorie Harvey when they created the program. They had the vision and turned it into a reality.

As you scroll through the snippets of moments captured, below, my hope is that you sense the intensity of the moments, both in the light-hearted bonding between these new friends, and in the journey they embarked on, to self-discovery. I can tell you this - the girls were not the only ones who embarked on that journey. It was a transformative experience, from behind the lens. This, I know for sure.

The back story:

This incredible story began in 2011. That was the year I was watching a documentary which included Jackie Brewton as a featured speaker. I was drawn to her words, her message, and overall presence. It was at that moment, I knew her work was important. I subsequently reached out to her via social media, simply in order to thank her for sharing her stories. We would stay connected here and there and became very familiar with each other’s posts, interests, and causes.

Once I lost my mom, Jackie was one of the many thoughtful people who sent me beautiful private messages of comfort, encouragement, and to my surprise, thanks. She was thanking me for the transparency of my posts about my mom. She was telling me that my words affected how she would spend quality time with her own mother. Those sentiments touched me deeply; they still do, today.

I had invited Jackie to be a guest writer on my other blog, The Celebrity Optimist, where we shift the focus from the negative to the positive things celebrities are doing with their platforms. She graciously accepted and I was so excited about it! This is where serendipity was at work.

Jackie sent me a note letting me know that she hadn’t forgotten about her guest entry, but that she though it might be best to wait until September, since she would be speaking at The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation Girls Who Rule the World mentoring weekend and that way she could tie the foundation in with the piece. Wow. Months earlier, on March 25th, to be exact, I had posted this blog entry about the very event Jackie would be speaking at:

Marjorie Harvey: Girls Who Rule the World

Even more interesting, once I published the post and spread the word via social media, I was honored to have had my tweet retweeted by the Steve Harvey Nation!

I immediately was intrigued and asked Jackie if she knew whether the mothers would be attending with their daughters? She was unsure but I felt that even if the mothers were not attending, these girls, these daughters, would be the perfect addition to my project! I loved what The Harveys were doing for these young girls and I was inspired to capture the moments. I was moved to become a part of the experience. Long story short, Jackie was the impetus that made it happen. She never hesitated to put me in touch with the production team. It was because of her I was able to have the opportunity to attend this event. The (positive) power of social media! Thank you, Jackie!! (This would also be the first time we would be meeting each other, in person!) I was (and am) so grateful that the production team at the foundation took a liking to my Anita Claire Project, and invited me on board! Thank you Hannah and Brandi!!

I actually also like to say it was a birthday gift from my mom. I received the confirmation call, that I was to attend and photograph the weekend, on my birthday. Incredible.

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(Click images to view images larger and for the slideshow)

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Special Post: A Claire View of Beijing, China

Travel was one of the many things my mom and I shared a passion for. Years before my brother and I were ever thought of, Mom had a chance to witness and fall in love with different parts of the world. Once she did start a family of her own, she joyfully shared her memories of travel, discovery, adventure, meeting very interesting people, and forging lifelong bonds. She also shared in the joy we, her children, experienced once we, too, began to explore the world...one city, and continent, at a time.

On a recent trip to Beijing, China, I was able to capture the candid images of mothers and daughters out and about, around the city. Whether gathered with the patriarchs of their families, or going about their day to day activities as a duo, the mothers and daughters displayed a quiet closeness, an effortless bond. This, again, confirms that the ties between a mother and her daughter are universal and translate across culture, language and geography.

To narrate the images captured would take away from their many "words". Here, is a look at "A Claire View" of Beijing, China...  

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