My Banyan Roots is….
A modern way of personalizing our family tree. It honors the legacy of our family while giving a deeper and documented look into lives and family history from their perspective and the perspective of their loved ones. Whether it's our parents, greats, grands or grandchildren, it's an opportunity for lineage to learn who they are and where they come from with not just facts, but feeling. This is an opportunity for families to discover each other, themselves, and how every memory plays a part in their family history. It’s an opportunity to be proud and have a record of their heritage through written biography, photography, video and audio. A modern memoir to be passed down from generation to generation to give their family foundation and pride through their voice, vision, life and legacy.
Meaning, Memories, Me.
Meaning in the Name
The Great Banyan Tree is found in Kolkata, India and is one of the largest trees. It is said to be more than 250 years old and covers 4.67 acres. In Hindu religion, the banyan tree is considered sacred. It represents eternal life because of its seemingly ever-expanding branches.
The name, My Banyan Roots, as well as the naming of each package, Seed, Salt, Soil, The Root, was created with much thought to reiterate its powerful purpose.
THE ROOT
How it all began…
Purpose ~
What’s my reason? What is the point of it all? I’ve spent a little over a decade linking together my loose ended thoughts and passions in this world, trying to figure out why I like what I like and how to pull those favorite things into a fulfilling career in photography and painting. Time has given me an opportunity to store up and prepare for what would one day be my purpose. My Banyan Roots.
I LOVE a good story, especially if it’s a true story. I remember my Granny telling me about the mud dolls she’d make as a child. I remember my Mother telling me about Great Granny Ollie Mae and that her house sat right behind the church we attended in Kirkwood, MO. I would try to picture what it was like for my mother and uncle to walk on unpaved roads and what that must have looked like as a 5 year old child. All this history and overlapping of shared stories and experiences is so rich and valuable to me and I want to remember it and pass it along to my son.
With ten plus years of time to tie together my ideas, the naming of packages and the business were so important. It began with the package, ‘Seed.’ One evening I sat on my couch and brainstormed while my mother sat across from me. I get giddy when I think about how the name of each package rolled off of my tongue. Our eyes grew big, because we knew this we a meaningful piece to the puzzle of this creation. I knew the I needed to have the word, ‘Root,’ in the title. Advisor and friend Andrew Hutson brainstormed with me and asked if I ever heard of the banyan tree… from there, My Banyan Roots was born.
A scripture and quote that keep me grounded and give me purpose…
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” Exodus 20:12.
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”
I have so much to be thankful for. My parents have given me opportunity. Grandparents have paid dues. This is my thank you to them for all they’ve sacrificed.
My hopes are that everyone sees the value in what Banyan Roots is offering. An intimate perspective from a family member or members, a mix of new and old ways to create an album and hold onto your memories through bio, audio, video and photos.
Photographer & Owner
Gara Elizabeth Lacy
In my early days of photography when I was just finding my way I was asked, “What makes your photography business special?” A mentor gave me this to chew on while I jumped into the business of photography.
Once I graduated from college with my Bachelor’s and Master’s in Fine Art, there was one reoccurring theme I found in my painting and photography. Simplified, it’s the cycle of life, how delicate it is and the desire to know where we come from and who we are.
After the passing of my grandparents, memories and images of them were so important. My Banyan Roots honors the memory of our elders and reminds us all how important it is to know who you are by way of where you come from.
Fifteen years in the making, rooted deep to stay… My Banyan Roots.
Advisor
Andrew Hutson
Andrew has spent the past decade building, marketing, selling, and servicing on-premises, SaaS, and custom-code products.
We built and sold a small professional services company in 2010 focused on business intelligence and workflow automation.
In addition to Sapper, Andrew teaches management and informatics courses at the University of Missouri - Columbia where he also earned a PhD in Informatics.
When not in the office, Andrew enjoys trail walks and cycling with this wife and three daughters, landscaping, woodworking, and investigating the latest open-source trends on his home servers.
Writer/Interviewer
Jen Robe
Jen is a professional ghostwriter who focuses on memoirs and biographies. She has an elder care background and saw how much people's stories mattered to them. She decided to combine her experience working with elders and love of writing to help families preserve their stories and memories. She also uses her writing experience to beta read so I can help others perfect their books.