America's Missing and Unidentified Women: Aimee Baker, Writer and Vanessa Cicarelli and Jason Greer, Filmmakers

Today, I’m joined by writer Aimée Baker and filmmakers Vanessa Cicarelli and Jason Greer. Aimée is the author of Doe, an award-winning poetry collection in which she commemorates the lives of missing and unidentified girls and women in the United States. She is Vanessa and Jason’s full-length documentary about Aimée and her eye-opening work.  With true crime podcasts and series topping the charts, I often wonder if we’re all becoming desensitized to the real-life horror of the subject matter. Doe and She have a more empathetic approach to the genre. Aimée, Vanessa, and Jason work to honor the victims, particularly those who don’t make front-page news. 

In our conversation, we discuss the importance of making visible something that’s in danger of being forgotten or disappearing. Aimée, Vanessa, and Jason highlight the lack of attention and sympathy that missing BIPOC women receive, as well as challenge the narrative that girls and women are asking for trouble when they engage in certain behaviors considered as risky.  We also get into details about both the writing and filmmaking processes. Aimée opens up about what inspired her to pursue these stories and how she took care of herself during such an emotionally challenging project. Vanessa and Jason share how they built trust with Aimée when she was hesitant about the film and what their overarching goals are for it. 

Listen, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Castbox, or on your favorite podcast platform.

Topics Covered:

●      Using poetry to express possible parts of the story of missing and unidentified women in the United States 

●      Vanessa and Jason’s connection to Aimée’s work and why they wanted to make a documentary about it 

●      What Aimée discovered about the incredible bias about who does (and doesn’t) get media coverage when they’re missing or unidentified

●      The range of emotions that all three artists experienced while engaging with these stories 

●      A deeply moving reading from Doe called “Dustland Fairytale” 

Guest Info:

●      Aimée's Website 

●      Get Your Copy of Doe 

●      Watch or Download She

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