In this first interview, Alyse sits down with her daughter Aryn for a tender, honest conversation about what it means to grow up learning support in real time. She shares what it was like to return to high school right after the pandemic, in the middle of her parents’ divorce, and how those years fractured her sense of identity and belonging. With little support at home, she learned to survive by separating from her younger self — the version of her who felt most alone.

Now in college, everything feels different. She talks about finding a sense of family again, not just within her home life but in the community she’s building with her roommates.

Together, they explore how support changes the way we see ourselves, how community reshapes identity, and what it means to finally feel supported.

This is a story about becoming one person, rewriting what support looks like, and growing into a life where everyone finally feels connected.

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