Kara Mauer

 In a world that I dare to imagine, I would create films that have an impact on the lives of everyone around the world, specifically people who believe that they are not good enough, or those who feel underestimated.  I grew up loving underdog and women empowering movies, and m y hope is to produce female-driven, wish fulfillment stories that will provide a sense of hope for young women in the same way certain films did for me. Relatability is one of the most viable reasons that people are drawn to a motion picture, and as a woman in film, underestimation is what I relate to the most. Growing up, I was able to see movies that made me feel empowered, and guided me to realize that underestimation is my best asset. My goal is to create a streamline of films that are dedicated to women lifting each other up, and overcoming the underestimation that so many women experience.

 This weekend my best friend and I ventured to Phoenix, Arizona, where our other best friend of 7 years attends school. Her 21st birthday was this past weekend, and we wanted to spend that time with her! It was extremely fun to get away from California for a weekend, and to experience something different. It's interesting, because before this year, I had never been to Arizona even though I have lived in the state adjacent to it my whole life. We traveled to Scottsdale, Gilbert, Downtown Phoenix and Tempe throughout the trip, giving me a sense of Arizona's culture as well as nightlife. My favorite spot in our trip had to be Old Town Scottsdale. The Entertainment District contains fun bars, restaurants, clubs, shows, and movie theaters. Every weekend, they shut down all the streets in Old Town and allow people to roam around, meeting new people and enjoying the atmosphere. I thought it was wonderful to get a sense of what that life is like, and how it differs from LA and Southern...

 The book that I chose was not only interesting, but inspiring. All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis,  edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson, is an incredible deep dive into the roots of the climate crisis from strictly female research and alternative perspectives. The history of women in science and specifically climate studies was interesting to learn about. The studies date back to 1856 with Eunice Foote. Her main theory concluded that changes in carbon dioxide could affect the Earth's temperature. She was the first woman to dedicate her studies to climate science, and this book dives into her work, as well as the work of those who came after her. The least interesting part of the book to me was the scientific aspect. There was an explanation of Foote's experiments, and those of other women, which were a little hard to follow. However, it is inspirational to read about all the highly qualified women that perform these ...

 My random post is a little late unfortunately, but I'm excited to talk about the trip that I went on last week! My mom's extended family lives in a small town in Nebraska, which has led to many of the stories that my mom told me growing up. Unfortunately, her uncle passed away in his sleep last September, so we scheduled to head out to Nebraska in late June, when everyone was available for the memorial. We decided to road trip, because the scenery on the way is beautiful, and the drive was meant to be comfortable and healing. So, my family hopped in the car last week and made our way out there. I've only been to Nebraska once in my life, and that was about 5 years ago. This time, everything felt different. The small town felt calming and peaceful, and I felt like I was finally getting a break from my busy schedule and routines. I was able to see all my family, and we reminisced about Uncle Jim, who was one of the best people I've ever known. We held the memorial at the...

 For my second book, I am choosing to read All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis  edited by Katharine Keeble Wilkinson and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. First of all, this is a collection of stories from solely women at the head of the climate crisis, which is interesting to see, considering most climate crisis books and Ted Talks that I have seen and read over the years are written or talked about by men. It will be interesting for me to see the different perspectives of women, especially expert, professional women. Another thing that I hope to get out of this read is information rooted in compassion, connection and creativity which I believe, based on reviews, I will see a lot of in this book. It seems as if this book dives into difficult questions and a variety of ideas and solutions that will be crucial to the survival of our environment around us. I am looking forward to taking a closer look into the climate crisis through this book.