It was such an honor to welcome the team of the German Consulate into my home for the seventh episode of this wonderful series celebrating Germans living in the city.

I was born and raised in East Berlin, and my German heritage and upbringing continue to influence so much of who I am, both personally and creatively. Opening my home and sharing some of those stories felt incredibly special.

During our time together, I spoke about one of the most personal bodies of work I have ever created: documenting my mum’s experience with breast cancer.

I began photographing my mum during her journey, initially as a way to process what was happening within my own family and to preserve those intimate moments that can so easily become blurred by time. Through my camera, I was able to document not only the realities of her diagnosis and treatment, but also the vulnerability, strength, fear, love, and resilience that surrounded us.

That experience changed the way I saw breast cancer and the power of photography to tell these stories.

What began as something deeply personal eventually led me to document more breast cancer warriors across the United States and the families and loved ones walking alongside them. Each person I have photographed has their own story, their own way of navigating the experience, and their own definition of strength.

I wanted to look beyond the diagnosis—to photograph the person behind it and to acknowledge the people who are part of the journey. Partners, children, parents, siblings, and friends are all impacted by breast cancer, and their stories deserve to be seen and remembered, too.

For me, photography has become a way of creating space for those stories. It is about witnessing, listening, and honoring the vulnerability that comes with allowing someone into such a personal part of their life.

And then there is the lighter side of my Berlin story—my love of baking TV towers!

The Fernsehturm is such an iconic part of the Berlin skyline and of my memories growing up in East Berlin. Turning it into something I can bake is my own playful way of bringing a little piece of home into my life and sharing a little bit of Berlin with the people around me.

I am grateful to be part of a series that celebrates the diversity of Germans living in this city. Behind every statistic about German-American heritage are individual stories of migration, identity, family, memory, and belonging.

My story is just one of them.

Thank you for coming into my home, listening to my story, and allowing me to share these very personal—and sometimes unexpected—parts of my life.

I hope you enjoy Episode 7 of the series!