Ode to Leandra Arjona Jacobi | Write your own story

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Leandra (35) grew up in Amsterdam, but her roots extend far beyond the city limits. Her father, born in Berlin, has a mixed background with Nicaraguan roots, among others. Her mother, an artist, came to the Netherlands as a young woman to study at the art academy. “My family history runs through Germany, Poland, Greece and Russia. We have always traveled a lot. That has shaped me into a citizen of the world. I don't feel bound to one country in particular, but to the people and stories around me.”

From an early age, creativity was instilled in her. Yet Leandra did not immediately find her way. “I was fifteen when I got my HAVO diploma and didn't immediately know what I wanted. Every year I tried something new until I ended up at HKU's Digital Video Design program. That was a revelation.” Her view on creation changed when a teacher asked her: ‘Why not do a project about what really concerns you?’ From that moment on, it no longer felt like an assignment that had to be completed, but as a way to make her voice heard.

During her graduation project in Ghana, where she worked with a multidisciplinary group of students to create a campaign about gender inequality for Plan Netherlands, she realized how stories can be told from different perspectives. “We set out to create a story about the position of girls, but I saw that boys also had their own struggles. It taught me how important it is as a creator to be aware of the narrative you choose.”

After graduating, Leandra worked as a freelancer in the Netherlands, but later moved to London, where her then partner wanted to go. “I was seven months pregnant when I moved. I had to build myself up as a freelance video maker there. And being financially dependent in a new city felt oppressive. I wanted to create again, to work and be independent as soon as possible. That clashed with the division of roles that my partner was convinced of at the time.”

Back in Amsterdam, the city felt like a liberation. “The bicycle symbolized that feeling. My child on the back, my headphones on, spontaneously meeting friends. But now, seven years later and with a second child, I am of course experiencing new challenges.” Sometimes it feels like you are living a life that is not entirely your own. Like you are acting in a movie whose script was written by someone else. That was exactly how Leandra felt in London. She had taken all the steps that were expected of her: a family, a home, a life according to the picture. But deep down she knew that this was not right.

It took her time to recognize that she had to walk her own path, a path that might lead her off the beaten track. The realization that she would be breaking up her family, that her child would grow up with divorced parents – that weight weighed heavily on her. Yet she knew she had to choose for herself. Not only for her own happiness, but also to show her son Ila how important it is to stay true to yourself.

“It was the most difficult decision of my life, but the moment I made it, I finally felt free,” says Leandra. ”I realized that I had freed myself from a story that was not mine. That I could live in a way that truly suited me.”

That choice not only shaped her personally, but also strengthened her mission. She learned that intuition is a powerful compass – a guide we too often ignore. By listening to her intuition, she found her true path, and that has profoundly influenced her work and life.

“I lacked role models,” she says. ”I was in a women's group with young mothers, but their dreams often faded into the background. They opted for security, even if it meant giving up their own ambitions. That touched me. I wanted to show women that there is another way. That they can claim their space.”

Leandra's journey is not only a quest for her own freedom, but also a contribution to the greater whole. She wants a world in which women follow their intuition without fear, in which they dare to choose what makes them happy. “It's not just about women,” she emphasizes. “My sons are growing up with a mother who goes her own way, and that influences them too. They learn that strength does not lie in following expectations, but in finding your own truth.”

Sometimes the most difficult choice is the most liberating. And in that freedom, Leandra found her true strength. There are moments in life when everything seems to fall into place. For me, that moment was when I realized that I was writing my own story. I had been living far away from Amsterdam with my family for a few years, in a situation that no longer felt right. I had had several conversations with my partner about moving back, but he didn't want to. So I made the best of it. Until that one day.

It was a difficult decision, but one of the best I have ever made. I believe that if you listen to your intuition and don't act out of fear, everything will be okay. Of course I felt guilty. As if I were the one who had destroyed my family. But if a situation dims your light, if it prevents you from fulfilling your mission in this world, then you have to change something. There is no such thing as a perfect picture. Everyone has their own unique story.

That is also something I want to pass on to other women. I see so many women who are trapped in an image that has been imposed on them. Women who think they have to have children at a certain age, that they have to stay with a partner who does not make them happy, that they have to give up their dreams for stability. But that perfect picture is an illusion. I know enough people who seem to have 'the perfect life', but are unhappy. It is important to realize that you yourself determine what your life will look like.

My mother taught me that too. She is an artist and taught me the value of creativity and thinking outside the box. I learned from her to make something out of nothing and to choose your own path. My friends are also a huge support, including in the construction of Studio HER, such as Jessica, with whom I have done many projects. She is someone who is always there, no matter what.

I also started Studio Her based on my own experiences. It is not only important to tell our stories, but also how we tell them. Perceptions determine so much. People often think of a cameraman as a man. But why not a female camerawoman? Perceptions must change. I would love it if young girls saw women with cameras and thought: “I can do that too.” That is why we at Studio Her not only organize campaigns, but also events. Because if a girl sees a female DJ at a party and a woman walking around with a camera, something changes in her head. Her world becomes bigger.

Change starts with how we show things. The media we consume has an enormous influence. It is our responsibility to make that image more inclusive and diverse. And I love doing that. Because in the end it is about freedom of choice, about realizing that you can always choose a different path. I want to pass that on to as many women as possible.

It took her time to recognize that she had to walk her own path, a path that might lead her off the beaten track. The realization that she would be breaking up her family, that her child would grow up with divorced parents – that weight weighed heavily on her. Yet she knew she had to choose for herself. Not only for her own happiness, but also to show her son Ila how important it is to stay true to yourself. “It was the most difficult decision of my life, but the moment I made it, I finally felt free,” says Leandra. “I realized that I had freed myself from a story that was not mine. That I could live in a way that truly suited me.”

That choice not only shaped her personally, but also strengthened her mission. She learned that intuition is a powerful compass – a guide we too often ignore. By listening to her intuition, she found her true path, and that has profoundly influenced her work and life. “I lacked role models,” she says. ”I was in a women's group with young mothers, but their dreams often faded into the background. They opted for security, even if it meant giving up their own ambitions. That touched me. I wanted to show women that there is another way. That they can claim their space.”

Leandra's journey is not only a search for her own freedom, but also a contribution to the greater whole. She wants a world in which women follow their intuition without fear, in which they dare to choose what makes them happy. “It's not just about women,” she emphasizes. “My sons are growing up with a mother who goes her own way, and that influences them too. They learn that strength does not lie in following expectations, but in finding your own truth.”

Sometimes the most difficult choice is the most liberating. And in that freedom, Leandra found her true strength. There are moments in life when everything seems to fall into place. For me, that moment was when I realized that I am writing my own story. I had been living far away from Amsterdam with my family for a few years, in a situation that no longer felt right. I had had several conversations with my partner about moving back, but he didn't want to. So I made the best of it.

Stuck in an imposed image

Until that one day. It was a difficult decision, but one of the best I have ever made. I believe that if you listen to your intuition and do not act out of fear, everything will be okay. Of course I felt guilty. As if I were the one who had destroyed my family. But if a situation dims your light, if it prevents you from fulfilling your mission in this world, then you have to change something. There is no such thing as a perfect picture. Everyone has their own unique story.

That is also something I want to pass on to other women. I see so many women who are trapped in an image that has been imposed on them. Women who think they have to have children at a certain age, that they have to stay with a partner who does not make them happy, that they have to give up their dreams for stability. But that perfect picture is an illusion. I know enough people who seem to have 'the perfect life', but are unhappy. It is important to realize that you yourself determine what your life will look like.

My mother taught me that too. She is an artist and taught me the value of creativity and thinking outside the box. I learned from her to make something out of nothing and to choose your own path. My friends are also a huge support, including in the construction of Studio HER, such as Jessica, with whom I have done many projects. She is someone who is always there, no matter what.

I also started Studio Her based on my own experiences. It is not only important to tell our stories, but also how we tell them. Perceptions determine so much. People often think of a cameraman as a man. But why not a female camerawoman? Perceptions must change. I would love it if young girls saw women with cameras and thought: “I can do that too.” That is why we at Studio Her not only organize campaigns, but also events. Because if a girl sees a female DJ at a party and a woman walking around with a camera, something changes in her head. Her world becomes bigger.

Change starts with how we show things. The media we consume has an enormous influence. It is our responsibility to make that image more inclusive and diverse. And I love doing that. Because in the end it is about freedom of choice, about realizing that you can always choose a different path. I want to pass that on to as many women as possible.

“My mother also taught me that. She is an artist and taught me the value of creativity and thinking outside the box. Making something out of nothing, choosing your own path – I learned that from her. My friends are also a huge support – also in terms of building Studio HER, like Jessica, with whom I have done many projects. She is someone who is always there, no matter what.”

“I also started Studio Her based on my own experiences. It is not only important to tell our stories, but also how we tell them. Perception determines so much. People often think of a cameraman as a man. But why not a female camerawoman? Perception must change. I would love it if young girls saw women with cameras and thought: “I can do that too.” That is why we at Studio Her organize not only campaigns, but also events. Because if a girl sees a female DJ at a party and sees a woman walking around with a camera, something changes in her head. Her world becomes bigger.”
 

Change starts with how we show things. The media we consume has an enormous influence. It is our responsibility to make that image more inclusive and diverse. And I love doing that. Because in the end it is about freedom of choice, about realizing that you can always choose a different path. I want to pass that on to as many women as possible.