We’ve been colleagues and friends for 17 years. We met early in our careers and, over time, have collaborated on more projects than we can count, across agencies, studios, startups, and independent ventures, working at the intersection of storytelling, design, and production to bring ideas to life.

At a certain point, both personally and professionally, something shifted. In a time when progress for women can feel fragile, we found ourselves wanting to apply our skillset with more intention, to build something connective and meaningful, and to make a contribution, however small, to the communities and city we’re part of.

At the same time, much of the narrative around San Francisco has been dominated by negativity or overshadowed by AI. but there’s more to the story, and we wanted to help tell it, shining a light on the many inspiring women who make up the fabric of our city.

We started simply, with salons, intimate gatherings designed for conversation, storytelling, and shared experience. From there, Ladysmith expanded into Women of SF, a portrait-led storytelling project spotlighting the women building and sustaining our city.

Through storytelling, exhibitions, and gatherings, our goal is to build community, connecting like-minded women, and celebrating our stories.

Photography by Lila Gray Photography