This story is part of Parents Are Cool!, the third issue of Image, which explores the myriad ways in which L.A. parents practice the craft of care. See the full package here.
Elise Peterson. She’s not like a regular mom, she’s a cool mom. So rings the intro to her podcast, “Cool Moms,” in which the visual artist, educator and storyteller interviews mothers who prioritize their passions while caring for their families.
Launched in 2018, “Cool Moms” weaves together topics such as astrology, co-parenting and self-care. For Peterson, being an artist impacts the way she parents her 3-year-old son, Sargent.
“It allows me to think more creatively,” she says, “to appreciate a simpler and less conflated perspective.” Another influence on her parenting style has been raising her son in L.A. “It makes sense for who he is,” Peterson says. “He needs to see other Black kids skateboarding and at the beach and then, you know, take capoeira over in Leimert Park.”
The mantra keeping me sane:
What being a cool mom looks like for me:
Hollywood stylist Monica Rose is changing L.A. fashion
I’m prioritizing myself lately by:
This person or thing making my life easier:
Right now, joy looks like:
The recipe that Sargent and I are making the most this summer:
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These L.A. photographers offer a vision of what parenting can be
Dave Schilling unpacks L.A.’s obsession with dad hats
Jamilah Lemieux riffs on the L.A. wave of going topless in public
Essence Harden and Adee Roberson reimagine art as a commitment to each other
What I’m obsessed with right now:
My playlist right now
Screenshot my mood
A selfie capturing my mood this month:
“I put on this pink tube top to match my mushrooms.”
The most perfect image in my camera roll:
“Sargent and his self-portrait.”
A screenshot of the meme I can’t get out of my head:
“I got my license this year, but I swear I’m a solid driver. Just move when you see me in the streets.”
