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Dear Viewers,

The loss of a parent can be one of the most devastating, life-altering events of one's life. For a girl whose mother dies before she is grown, this loss is magnified much more so, for she often grows up without that primary care-taker and nurturer. My mother died when I was a baby and, as a documentary storyteller, I decided I wanted to give other motherless women a forum in which their stories could be told. This is how the Motherless Project was born.

Since 2006, I have been traveling around the US, Europe and Latin America to photograph and interview women whose mothers died when they were young (before they reached age 20). The aim of this project has been three-fold: To allow me the opportunity to connect with other women who have had a similar experience to myself; to give these women the chance to tell their stories, which often have been suppressed for many years; and to give myself the challenge and experience of creating and completing a large-scale documentary art project.

Most of the women who have participated in this project have reported that, through the interview process, they learned new things about themselves and about how the death of their mothers has affected their lives. They have also reported feeling less isolated and alone in their loss. As a supplement to this project I have organized support groups for motherless women in Chicago and Louisville. Many of the women in these groups have also participated in the project.

Equally Yours,

Rachel Seed