amanda + cody + izzy | los angeles family photographer
remember haven from my last family shoot in downtown LA? amanda was her doula! I went out to pasadena to meet them for a shoot in their hood. you guys, this family is badass. as we started the shoot in their home, cody had the best playlist on… I’m talking flying lotus, toro y moi — all the tracks! turns out, he’s the creator of 143 — an R&B style monthly event that hosts all of my favorite producers and artists! and then Izzy won my heart over… the cutest little 3 year old with all the sweetness and spunk. and Amanda and I hung out for a bit after the session talking about everything from miscarriage support to eating veg. I had so much fun cruising around with this ohana. check out the short interview with amanda below.
how long have you lived in los angeles?
We both have lived here since our early 20’s. (So for a minute lol)
what brought you here?
I moved to LA to go to FIDM and ended up working at Wasteland on Melrose full time and going to school. Cody was studying at Pepperdine and working in the fashion industry with a company called Green Apple Tree (an early streetwear brand). We met in Vegas at a Fashion Tradeshow. Cody was selling, I was buying…oh yeah.
how did you get started being a doula?
My desire to be a doula started after I had my daughter.She was birthed at Del Mar Birth Center in South Pasadena. When I became pregnant I had no idea I was going to pursue an unmedicated birth or have an out of hospital birth. I started reading and researching and I fell in love with birth and motherhood. I wanted to support as many Moms as I could with the time I had. I have a strong passion for educating Moms on how amazing birth can be, how STRONG and magical they are as women and all the options they have as mothers.
On another note I have had 3 miscarriages over the past year and being a Loss Doula is what a want to give more energy in this new year. Taking care of women who suffer through this is essential and not to be ignored.
what other projects are you currently working on?
Our family has too many businesses! Haha..
Together we run The Bad Dads Club, a clothing brand for “cool” Dads. But really the heart behind it is to highlight great fathers from all walks of life. Most of our friends started having kids, but they still rode motorcycles, had tattoos and looked “Bad”. This didn’t mean they were any less of a Dad.
Being a Dad doesn’t mean you stop doing what drives you creatively, it means you bring your passion for family into everything you do. The media often depicts Dads as beer drinking idiots when it comes to Fatherhood. We want to change that.
We also have a 90s RnB party in LA called 143. Its been going for almost 5 years! Amanda runs all the social media and Cody is the businessman/ Party DJ.
Amanda has a vintage shop called Foxy Rae. Vintage has always been a passion (since those Wasteland days!) and she also sells inspiration pieces to designers outside the store.
what is your favorite thing to do as a family in LA?
We love the D-Land! Cant help it…we have the fast passes, get a beer, ride, churros, beer program down…
Descanso gardens is 5 minutes from us and its so peaceful! Perfect place to let your kid run around and drink some much needed coffee. We also spent NYE there last year in the rain at the Enchanted Forest of Lights.
On Sunday you can find us Zoe Church. They have become our second family and the realness is blessing.
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