Thanks for that story, Denise. I am so excited that you knew Ray Bradbury, one of my all-time favorite writers. I believe that my students are sick of hearing me talk about him. I'm glad to hear that although you were the first, you were able to have mentors, people who supported your being there. And you persevered! It's always hard for the person who is the first, but without the first, there can't be the second.
I was the only woman video editor in the world when I started at NBC in LA (1977). There still are few women in video. The old guys did not want me there, and the young guys (Under 40 I assume) only wanted to have sex with me. At least the union supported me and I made as much money as all of them. My 'mentors' were all men. (mostly writers like Ray Bradbury). My biggest mentors included a teacher at UCSC - Gordon Mumma and my ex boyfriend's dad, Paul Schafer (Founder of Radio automation). I still have my husband answer the phone when we get in new business.
Rugged individualism seems so enticing in our culture. We all want to be the one who goes it alone, who achieves at a young age "out of nowhere," who pulls themselves up with their own bootstraps. But of course, that's largely a myth. The way most people succeed is with the support, encouragement, and solid advice of others. It's so interesting that young people have turned you down, @janaphoto. Maybe I'll change careers [...again...] and ask you to be *my* mentor! 😻
This topic resonated with me...well done, Suki. I, too, wish i'd had a mentor - maybe i'd have reached the heights of my ambitions when i was young artist in 1980's NYC. But there there was no mentorship for young women to figure out how to navigate the world as a professional, published photographer or how to run a business as one. It seemed to be a secret only a few knew - and certainly NOT what they taught in college. I didn't find my business mentor until 2019, when i was already an old lady....but it sure changed everything for me. Even so, it was too late for me to have had the career I dreamed of when I was younger. Luckily things may be different for the new generation. I have offered to mentor several younger photographers or arts marketers and no one has taken me up on it - rugged indvidualism is still a thing, but they are missing out.
I think it's interesting how we remember even the smallest gesture from teachers. I always try to keep that in mind in my own teaching. When you teach writing, as I'm sure you know, Patrice, you also teach... life. You teach thinking. You teach feeling. You teach wondering. One of my strongest high school memories was a class they called Current Events. It was a class that explored what was happening at the moment by understanding the history behind it, and it was a thrilling class for me. When I got the first essay back, the paper wasn't even bent at the staple and "A - Good job!" was written on the front. Second paper, same. So the final paper I decided to insert glaring typos. Same result. I knew the teacher was not the least bit interested in my thoughts and it was devastating. I was painfully shy and probably never said a word in class, but I know I poured my soul into those essays.
Great—important—piece, Suki! I too never had a mentor or that's how it felt at the time. Though, in looking back, there were people, older adults, teachers, at least kind of keeping an eye out for me. What I needed was so much more. Then in junior college, I wasn't mentored, but I was supported by an attentive teacher. I was very much on my own, too much, and she gave me the support that ultimately made the life I lead possible. She was the first yes I had.
Thanks for that story, Denise. I am so excited that you knew Ray Bradbury, one of my all-time favorite writers. I believe that my students are sick of hearing me talk about him. I'm glad to hear that although you were the first, you were able to have mentors, people who supported your being there. And you persevered! It's always hard for the person who is the first, but without the first, there can't be the second.
I was the only woman video editor in the world when I started at NBC in LA (1977). There still are few women in video. The old guys did not want me there, and the young guys (Under 40 I assume) only wanted to have sex with me. At least the union supported me and I made as much money as all of them. My 'mentors' were all men. (mostly writers like Ray Bradbury). My biggest mentors included a teacher at UCSC - Gordon Mumma and my ex boyfriend's dad, Paul Schafer (Founder of Radio automation). I still have my husband answer the phone when we get in new business.
Thanks for the great article!
Rugged individualism seems so enticing in our culture. We all want to be the one who goes it alone, who achieves at a young age "out of nowhere," who pulls themselves up with their own bootstraps. But of course, that's largely a myth. The way most people succeed is with the support, encouragement, and solid advice of others. It's so interesting that young people have turned you down, @janaphoto. Maybe I'll change careers [...again...] and ask you to be *my* mentor! 😻
This topic resonated with me...well done, Suki. I, too, wish i'd had a mentor - maybe i'd have reached the heights of my ambitions when i was young artist in 1980's NYC. But there there was no mentorship for young women to figure out how to navigate the world as a professional, published photographer or how to run a business as one. It seemed to be a secret only a few knew - and certainly NOT what they taught in college. I didn't find my business mentor until 2019, when i was already an old lady....but it sure changed everything for me. Even so, it was too late for me to have had the career I dreamed of when I was younger. Luckily things may be different for the new generation. I have offered to mentor several younger photographers or arts marketers and no one has taken me up on it - rugged indvidualism is still a thing, but they are missing out.
I think it's interesting how we remember even the smallest gesture from teachers. I always try to keep that in mind in my own teaching. When you teach writing, as I'm sure you know, Patrice, you also teach... life. You teach thinking. You teach feeling. You teach wondering. One of my strongest high school memories was a class they called Current Events. It was a class that explored what was happening at the moment by understanding the history behind it, and it was a thrilling class for me. When I got the first essay back, the paper wasn't even bent at the staple and "A - Good job!" was written on the front. Second paper, same. So the final paper I decided to insert glaring typos. Same result. I knew the teacher was not the least bit interested in my thoughts and it was devastating. I was painfully shy and probably never said a word in class, but I know I poured my soul into those essays.
Great—important—piece, Suki! I too never had a mentor or that's how it felt at the time. Though, in looking back, there were people, older adults, teachers, at least kind of keeping an eye out for me. What I needed was so much more. Then in junior college, I wasn't mentored, but I was supported by an attentive teacher. I was very much on my own, too much, and she gave me the support that ultimately made the life I lead possible. She was the first yes I had.