"I lost my son, Bear. Absolutely the most joy in my life came from him and the most pain I've experienced came from losing him. And that experience will never be matched. In Bear's birth and in his death he saved me. Joe Biden said, "You get to a point where the memories make you smile more than the pain hurts." He was my only one, and I'm too old to have another. " - Alexandria Cmaylo is an artist and lives in New Orleans.
Meredith Waga Perez
Meredith Waga Perez is the owner of Belle Fleur Flower and Fragrance.
"Imagine all day you are answering the phone and talking to people who share really intimate snippets about their life - like maybe they just fell in love with another student in their Graduate School class, or their sister just got diagnosed with cancer or their neighbor's dog just died. I always want to know what the story is so I can use my artistry with flowers to capture the emotion they want to share. This job really brings out my feminine side and allows me to tap into high levels of empathy, I am like the liaison of sentiment and emotions. Here in my studio there are little love notes being passed through me everyday, some are filled with the angst of love, some are a riot and have me laughing out loud others are so sweet they leave me crying in my office."
Wendy Piersall
note: While telling me her story of why she started her own business, Wendy broke down and cried. This is why I am doing me&EVE - to create a space for women to be seen, heard and respected.
"The whole reason I became an entrepreneur was to escape the sexism in the graphic design and marketing industry. The only way I would ever be in control of my destiny was to start my own business. I went back to work after my second child and my new boss was younger and less experienced than me. I knew I would never be fully valued. Instead, on my own, I was able to create a six figure income." - Wendy Piersall is an artist and author. See her work at WendyPiersall.com