We kicked off the first in our series of women-led panel discussions on modern feminism, motherhood and self empowerment
Last week, Little Beach House Malibu committee member Tonje K. Kristiansen introduced her new female-focused speaker series with a discussion between maternal health advocate Christy Turlington Burns and designer Clare Vivier.
For the past decade, Christy Turlington Burns, has dedicated her time to her non-profit organization, Every Mother Counts. Following a postpartum hemorrhage during her daughter’s Grace birth, she began thinking of how she could help other mothers who might experience similar problems but did not have the same access to health care. In the aftermath, Christy traveled the world to take a closer look into these issues and even attended Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. In 2014, she was recognized by Time’s 100 most influential people for her work. Meanwhile, Clare V., a female-owned business focused on chic bags and accessories, and started by Clare Vivier, started collaborating with Every Mother Counts that same year.
At a breakfast talk at Soho House West Hollywood, Turlington Burns and Vivier sat down to shed light on their tireless efforts to inform, help and empower women through Every Mother Counts.
CTB:
‘EMC started with my 2010 film, No Woman, No Cry. Since then, we have continued to embrace film as a medium, and have made more than 20 short films. We think human storytelling and the people that are making a difference on the frontlines are so important.
In 2015, we launched a series of films called “Giving Birth in America.” The US is the only industrialized country to have a rising mortality rate and the number of women who lose their lives giving birth here has nearly doubled over the last 25 years. People around the world that see these films can’t believe that the US is so far behind. It’s not right that so much of the burden of the health care system even here in the US is put on the woman. These films explore the challenges and solutions to addressing this crisis.’
CV:
‘I like how Christy started out by making a film and then began meeting and finding people along the way that she wanted to collaborate with and started to grow as an organization.’
CTB:
‘It wasn’t always the plan, but after the film came out, a lot of companies reached out to me. Our first partner was actually Starbucks. But once we started to become more of an organization, we started thinking about working companies that were smaller and women-led. I also liked the idea that people in these smaller companies actually cared about the people buying the product. Clare V fell into that category. Plus, Clare comes from a very socially conscious background, as her sister is a delivery and labor nurse.’
CV:
‘I wanted to start giving back, and I really felt that sister connection with Christy. The first EMC X Clare V collaboration was a tote bag that says ‘Maman Je t’aime,’ which launched on Mother’s Day a few years back. Christy invited me to come on a trip with her to Haiti. I brought my sister and it turned out to be a very emotional trip for me on many levels. ‘I also had the opportunity to travel to Tanzania with them where we visited the impressive, rural FAME hospital which is an EMC grantee.’
CTB:
‘It taps into the question: ‘What’s my capacity, what’s my tolerance?’ In a birth situation, you are out of breath just like a marathon — you don’t know if you can take another breath, another contraction. There’s just so many connections to child birth from running a marathon. It even taps into motherhood in general. You are in it for the long haul you are running a distance. Motherhood is endurance work.’
CV:
‘I admire the work Christy is doing because it’s really hard work. What she’s doing is not for the faint of heart. You really have to be a strong person to do good for the world. She is working to make the lives of others better, the most noble of efforts.’
Her Platform is a monthly female-focused speaker series where guests will share their stories, practical tools and ideas on how to navigate in both their personal and professional lives.
Words: Tonje K. Kristiansen
Photos: Pip Cowley
Location: Soho House West Hollywood