narrator
Sara Shaw is a Smith College graduate (Class of ’00) and was a member of the band “The Moves.” She was born on December 16, 1977. Growing up, Shaw lived in Morristown, NJ, and Randolph, NJ, two suburbs that are an hour outside of New York City. Her grandmother introduced her to arts and culture throughout the Northeast and in Seattle. In high school, she explored the indie and punk rock scenes with other queer kids in New York City. She was heavily involved with WOZQ at Smith, as both a radio show host and the special events coordinator. Her band, The Moves, opened for many events she hosted through WOZQ. The Moves recorded their first album under Mr. Lady Records. After Smith, Shaw briefly moved to Boston before landing in Brooklyn, where she has lived for 23 years. She got an MFA in film from NYU. At the age of 47, Shaw works in the film/television industry as a film editor, primarily, but has also dabbled in writing and directing. Outside of work, Shaw enjoys spending time outside with her family, both on her bike and in nature. She identifies as a queer woman.
abstract
In this interview, Sara reflects on growing up in North Jersey and her time spent being immersed in the arts and culture of both New York City, and more generally on the east coast. She discusses the music scene of her high school days, and how that brought her to Smith College. Shaw details her time at Smith, much of which was spent at WOZQ, the campus radio station. She talks about her time playing music and attending shows in the Valley, specifically in Northampton. She tells the history of “The Moves.”
In the second day of the interview, Sara talks about her career as a filmmaker, her short time in Boston, and her years in Brooklyn. She elaborates on the role of music in her life since the end of “The Moves,” and how her two passions intersect. She discusses being a queer parent, a queer filmmaker, and a queer person.