I am a lesbian filmmaker and animator dedicated to preserving LGBTQI+ history and culture. My documentary films highlight the lives of trailblazing lesbian authors, transgender individuals in the Midwest, gay playwrights, queer youth, and Pride festival attendees sharing the first moments they realized their LGBTQI+ identities. I collect and share stories to celebrate our diverse community, personalize history, and counteract erasure.

In my work, I direct, shoot, conduct interviews, edit, and animate. During interviews, I create an environment where individuals feel supported and empowered to share their personal stories, giving them agency over their narratives. I use on-camera interviews to capture emotions, expressions, and body language, humanizing stories and showcasing the diverse representation of LGBTQI+ lives. I weave these interviews with archival footage and animation, using archival imagery to anchor and enrich the work by providing depth, context, and a powerful connection to the past. Animation adds visual relief and a creative dimension to the storytelling.

I employ two predominant styles of animation. One is a black-and-white rotoscope technique, tracing live-action footage frame by frame to create animated sequences. The images are often loosely drawn to evoke a sense of nostalgia, allowing viewers to project their own experiences and emotions onto the story, fostering a deeper connection. In contrast, I also use bright, vivid floral animation that is intricately layered and continuously looping. This style adds an element of beauty and provides moments for reflection and meditation, enriching the viewing experience.