Unborn: Artist and Filmmaker Sasha Marie Speer on Art as Medicine and the Courage to Feel Deeply
Show Notes:
In this episode of The Slow Dive, host Farida Rafique speaks with artist and filmmaker Sasha Marie Speer about her journey in art, storytelling, and philanthropy. Sasha opens up about her creative process and the role of vulnerability, explaining how allowing ourselves to create enables authentic expression and deeper human connection.
The conversation explores her recent film, Unborn, a poignant reflection on motherhood and grief, and how art can serve as both a mirror and a medicine for healing. Together, they discuss the power of community, the importance of giving it forward, and how storytelling can serve as a bridge between pain and purpose.
Through her art and impact work, Sasha continues to build spaces that honor the soul, celebrate creative courage, and remind us that true healing begins when we share our stories with openness and heart.
This is a deep dive you don’t want to miss, a heartfelt exploration of art, empathy, and the transformative power of vulnerability. It’s an episode that invites you to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with what truly moves you.
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Sasha Marie Speer
06:00 Art and Philanthropy: A Journey of Connection
11:29 The Power of Community and Vulnerability
18:17 Exploring 'Unborn': A Personal Journey
28:34 Future Projects and Creative Aspirations
Takeaways:
Sasha's work blends photography, film, and multimedia to explore human connection.
Art can serve as a platform for empathy and storytelling.
The importance of community in creative projects.
Vulnerability in art can lead to healing and connection.
Sasha's film 'Unborn' reflects her personal journey with motherhood.
Creating art is about expressing what burns within, not seeking permission.
Community engagement can amplify the impact of artistic work.
Sharing personal stories can foster connection and understanding.
Sasha emphasizes the need for deeper human connections in a fast-paced world.
Art can be a transformative experience for both the creator and the audience.
about sasha marie speer
Image credits: Jenny Baumert and Finbar Cattaway.
Call to Action: Watch Unborn and the Identity Portraits - now available on YouTube
Sasha Marie Speer is an artist and filmmaker whose work explores the ways humans connect—to themselves, to each other, and to the world around them. Blending photography, film, and immersive multimedia, she creates emotionally charged visual experiences that bridge the personal and the universal.
Through her creative process, Sasha seeks to reveal the soul of her subjects, illuminating the tension between pain and hope and the transformation of vulnerability into strength. Her work invites viewers to slow down, feel deeply, and rediscover their shared humanity in a world often defined by distraction and disconnection.
Sasha is the founder of Sawübona, a multicultural platform where art, storytelling, and the human spirit converge. Named after the Zulu greeting meaning “I see you,” Sawübona celebrates empathy and community through film and multimedia projects that invite audiences into immersive emotional experiences rather than simply telling stories.
Recent releases on YouTube include Unborn, a poetic underwater meditation on motherhood, grief, and renewal, and Identity Portraits, a visual and spoken word tribute to the strength and beauty of the transgender and nonbinary community. Both films exemplify Sasha’s mission to use art as a bridge—to see and be seen, to connect beyond words, and to honor the diverse expressions of human experience.
At the heart of Sasha’s work and Sawübona’s vision lies a singular intention: to create visual, emotional, and spiritual spaces where people can truly recognize one another.
CONNECT WITH SASHA:
https://www.sashamariespeer.com/
