Maria Sakr has always occupied that “in-between” place that a lot of transplants know so well. She was raised in Dubai by her Lebanese parents, surrounded by a Lebanese community, fascinated by books thanks to her mother, and introduced to the art of photography through her father, who documented the Lebanese Civil War with his own camera.Then, when it was time to go to college, she experienced a return to her origins, moving to Lebanon to study film and starting her professional life while figuring out her next steps. That journey would eventually culminate in her moving to New York City to pursue a master’s in creative writing — another one of her creative passions.The beginning in the Big Apple was definitely not easy, and when COVID hit, she reconnected with photography again. Maria started to build a portfolio and book gigs, and what started out of necessity became a career. Today, she is a multifaceted photographer, working on everything from weddings to celebrities — and even a Rolling Stone magazine cover.In this conversation, we talk about growing up between cultures, the shock of building a life in New York, imposter syndrome, creative ambition, motherhood, and why sometimes the best advice really is: just do the thing.Connect with MariaWebsite Instagram @mariagryff Connect with Transplants:Follow on IG https://www.instagram.com/transplants.podSubstack/newsletter - https://wearetransplants.substack.com/Laura's IG https://www.instagram.com/laura_peruchiFollow on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@wearetransplantsQuestions, suggestions, or random thoughts you’d like to share? Or maybe you’d like to pitch yourself for the podcast or suggest a guest? Send me an email at [email protected].

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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