The women who work and live in Playa Vista are special. They are business professionals, nurturing mothers, artists and tech-savvy creators, but most of all they care about family – both found and blood. When they’re not focused on family, they spend their free time volunteering, raising money or awareness for a cause they feel passionate about. The women in this community inspire.
When I reached out to find women who might be interested in being featured in the magazine, I was overwhelmed by the ease and openness with which they shared their stories. Both triumphs and tragedies were revealed as was heartache and healing. Hopefully, these pages will serve as a proper introduction to these individuals, but I really wish that all my readers were as privileged as I felt to meet and spend time with each of these fantastic ladies.
One of my favorite things as a writer is that my work takes me to new worlds and into new perspectives. I get to meet and speak with people I would otherwise never get the chance. Bethany Joy Clark of WeWork introduced me to the concept of “ohana” which is Hawaiian for family – no one gets left behind or forgotten. Isn’t that exactly what Playa Vista is all about? From mom networks to tech mixers, to the dog parks and athletic fields, there’s something for everyone in Playa Vista – no one gets left behind or forgotten.
Clinical Psychologist Susan Ko of Science 37 shared her experience of being a second generation Korean-American and how that ultimately led to her decision to pursue psychology. Hers was a new perspective I hadn’t considered before and I’m so very happy to share it with you.
Randi Firestone shared her deeply personal story about losing her mother to Alzheimer’s disease. In true “ohana” fashion, she now works tirelessly to raise money to fight the disease that affects too many of our loved ones.
I want to personally thank all the women in this issue and let you know each and every one of you has left a lasting imprint on me. I expect they will leave a lasting imprint on you, too.
Shanee Edwards
Managing Editor · editor@playavistadirect.com
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