CONVERSATIONS WITH TEEN MUMS - FLORENCE

Auckland filmmaker Juliette Veber began her just-launched website documentary project Conversations with Teen Mums with the aim of challenging the stereotypes of young mums. 

The project began in 2013, when Veber noticed a New York City advertising campaign shaming teen mums. It included slogans like, ‘Because of you mommy, I’m less likely to get a college degree’.

Veber recalls, ‘I found it offensive. I wondered what it would be like to be a pregnant teen or a young mum reading a campaign filled with negative stereotypes and lacking in any kind of hope or encouragement’.

Over four years Veber documented the lives of 16 young mums, sharing their stories, perspectives and experiences in photos, text and film on the website.

‘I looked for subjects who aimed to get off the benefit and into work. Young mums with hopes and dreams, who wanted to offer their children opportunities and choices in life.’

‘The project is not about glamorising teen pregnancy. By depicting the joy and the struggle, I hope this project provides an insight into the young women’s lives, revealing their resilience and determination to succeed for themselves and their children.’

Below is an excerpt from the Conversations with Teen Mums featuring Florence and some of her story.

 See more at www.conversations.co.nz

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FLORENCE 

"My grandad found out through my mum. He asked me why I didn’t tell them. Cause they didn’t find out until I was four months. My grandad wasn’t really happy with it. He gave us this quote. It’s in Tongan. It’s like you have a cup of wine and once you spill it you can’t gather it back up. And he says that’s what happened with me. I’ve spilled my cup of wine and I can’t gather it back up. I felt hurt that I let him down. It was a big let down."

I felt really judged. I didn’t want to go out of the house. I practically stayed home for three months straight after I had baby. And then I had to face it when baby got baptised. First it was going to church. And that’s where I was judged a lot. My family was judged as well. My grandad’s a minister and everyone was expecting more, like, they expect high standards. It was a lot of pressure for me. It really destroyed me inside cause I know that I didn’t live up to what they expected of me. 

I have a dream. That’s for me to finish school and get a good job, buy a little house or something that we can stay in. Support my dad and my grandparents if they’re still around. I want my son to do better than I did when I was younger. I want him to be in school. I don’t want him to repeat what I lived. 

I just don’t want to let him down. I don’t want him to look at me one day and be like, ‘You failed. You failed me. You failed us’. I want him to be proud of me and how far I’ve gone in life. 

Read Florences full story here