Writer, photographer and musician Jennifer Finch is my guest this week on SHLTMM. We had a wonderful conversation about her life that is full of ups and downs and finding family and love in all kinds of places and people. Jennifer's adoptive mother, Sandy, had an adventurous life when she was younger and then things seemed to fall apart for her. Jennifer has been sober for decades and loves being able to express herself in her own way.
BEFORE TURNING TWENTY, MY GUEST EXPERIENCED AND INDULGED IN MORE IN THE LA AREA, THAN MOST PEOPLE IN A LIFETIME. MUSICIAN, CREATIVE, STORYTELLER AND WRITER, JENNIFER FINCH, WAS REMOVED FROM HER ADOPTIVE MOTHER’S HOME AT 11 YEARS OLD. SHE BECAME ASTUTE AT RUNNING AWAY FROM HOME BY THE AGE OF 13. AND AT 14, SHE GOT INTO DRUGS AND PUNK ROCK. SHE ADORED HER MOTHER WHO STRUGGLED WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUESAND JENNIFER SAYS “IT WAS A TIME WHEN WOMEN WERE PUNISHED FOR EXPLORING OTHER WAYS TO LIVE THEIR LIVES OUTSIDE OF THE NORM.”
JENNIFER FINCH IS THE BASS PLAYER AND VOCALIST IN THE SEMINAL PUNK BAND “L7.” L7 MADE THEIR TELEVISION NETWORK DEBUT ON THE DAVID LETTERMAN SHOW IN 1992, THEY HIT THE TOP 10 MUSIC CHART IN THE SAME YEAR. OCTOBER 2, 2025, L7 CELEBRATED THEIR 40TH ANNIVERSARY AT THE BELASCO THEATRE IN LOS ANGELES.
TODAY, WITH DECADES OF LIFE EXPERIENCE UNDER HER BELT,JENNIFER LOVES EXPLORING BIG IDEAS, RECOVERY, HOW TO MAKE CHANGE IN THE WORLD, SELF DEVELOPMENT,ART, SPIRITUALITY AND MORE.
It's was such a pleasure meeting Jennifer. She"s real and down to earth. She's experienced a lot of life, especially at a young age and today she can look back with acceptance and wise reflection.
My guest was born at the Salvation Army center for Unwed Mothers in Los Angeles. As an adoptee, she has a wonderful perspective on family. She shares "family is built on love and not necessarily anything else." She spent a lot of time as a small baby and young child with other adopted children. Her parents told her that "some babies come from mommy's tummies and some do not. Family is family." Being adopted doesn't define Jennifer.
Her parents split up after seven years. Her mother was experiencing mental wellness issues, social pressure issues and Jennifer was exposed to extreme behavior. Eventually, Jennifer did find her biological mother and her half sisters.
"Curiosity, being open minded and humble" are Jennifer's super powers. "Sandy's resentment," Jennifer believes, "actually helped me to become more and have more acceptance and meet people where they're at instead of forcing narratives of how they should behave."
Sandy gave Jennifer many gifts, including the gift of understanding, compassion, the gift of wonderment, life is nuanced and that life isn't always convenient." Throughout her childhood/life she learned the importance of how to maintain friendships and the significance of showing up for other people.
Jennifer has been sober for thirty five years.
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