Naked Beauty

“I feel like it is the root of my work to create opportunities for women who look different” — my amazing guest, A-Lan Holt

A-lan is a filmmaker, writer, all around creator, mother and dear friend. You guys are in for a treat with this episode because A-lan is thinking through her experience as a woman and a creative on a higher level than most — but also doing so in a totally humble, down-to-earth, lovable way

She is Stanford’s Interim Executive Director of the Institute for Diversity in the Arts and so we talk about how she’s able to create institutional change with her role. A-lan explains the beauty lessons she inherited growing up in LA — from her Aunt who wore sisterlocs and Grandma who was a ‘silver fox’.We talk about her experience as a curvy woman, her self-confidence, and how she thinks about perception and representation when she’s casting roles for her film projects. 

The part of the conversation that really blew my mind: A-lan’s experience with natural childbirth and why she decided to opt-out of the hospital/ ‘business of birth’ to bring her daughter into the world. She was a young mother and she goes into how that impacted her experience of pregnancy too. We also talk about what actually goes down post-birth and alllll the things they don’t quite tell you. 

Best quote: "The best way I can describe giving birth without drugs, is like being on shrooms kind of. It’s very much like this trip. Your body at different moments during the pregnancy releases different chemicals, in your brain and in your body, that support you on this journey, and it feels like you’re literally having a trip” >>> mind.blown. 

So much packed into this beautiful hour but here are some of the things we cover:

• Thickness & if there’s a right way to be curvy
• Her experience growing locs & how wrapping her hair cost her a job 
• Our Stanford experience 
• How she’s thinking about the visual representation of women during her creative process
• The natural beauty look and clear skin privilege 
• Aztec clay & oil cleansing 
• Essential oils 
• Sephora getting more into natural makeup 
• The time and money women invest in beauty & choosing not to invest 
• The impact of nature on your psyche & living in the wilderness

*******

Products/Things Discussed: 

A-lan’s Short Film Inamorata: http://www.inamoratafilm.com

Sabina Karllsson who stars in the film: https://www.instagram.com/thesabinakarlsson/?hl=en

The Thicc Gram (IG account dedicated to curvy women): https://www.instagram.com/thethiccgram/

The Brooklyn Birthing Center where she did her natural childbirth: http://www.brooklynbirthingcenter.com

The Business of Being Born documentary: http://www.thebusinessofbeingborn.com (also on Netflix)

Hard Knock Wife — hysterical stand-up comedy from my girl Ali Wong on the post-birth experience https://www.netflix.com/title/80186940

Guide to oil cleansing: https://crunchybetty.com/oil-cleansing-method/

Hazelnut Oil (A-lan’s oil of choice for cleansing): https://bit.ly/2MIQFgC

Random Acts of Flyness (new HBO show A-lan recommended): https://www.hbo.com/random-acts-of-flyness

Aztec Clay for a...