Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
RMA of New York presented a special New York City screening of Albany Road (2024), written and directed by Christine Swanson. A talkback highlighting key themes in the film: from navigating a career as a woman to motherhood, infertility, health issues and more, will follow the screening at Film at Lincoln Center.
The dynamic panel features:
-Renée Elise Goldsberry (star of Albany Road, Hamilton, Girls5eva)
-Christine Swanson (award-winning writer and director of Albany Road)
-Rachel Nicks (featured in Albany Road; founder of Birth Queen, doula)
-Dr. Tia Jackson-Bey (REI at RMA of New York - Brooklyn)
Friends for over 25 years, Renée Elise Goldsberry and Christine Swanson first connected on Swanson’s film All About You (2001). Goldsberry landed the starring role – and shortly thereafter, Swanson went on to conceptualize Albany Road with Goldsberry as the lead. Though, filming was tabled; over the next two decades, the two moved forward differently in their careers and family-building paths.
Christine Swanson grew her family, sharing: “I never anticipated having kids. All I wanted to do was make movies” and then I went on to have four amazing children. Meanwhile, Renée was starring onstage and on screen, yet struggling to conceive – a challenge only increased by pressures faced as a young, female actress. She reflects: “You’re told that you have a specific window of time as an actor. This one window is your time. It’s confusing, it’s dark, when you’re trying to have both. It almost feels impossible.” Renée, now the proud mother of two kids, has also spoken candidly on her path to motherhood in her recent documentary, Satisfied (2024).
For women, there unfortunately is a finite period of time for reproduction, as they are born with all of the eggs they will have; overtime, the quantity, and quality significantly declines, making it increasingly challenging to achieve a healthy pregnancy. At RMA of New York, Mount Sinai Health System’s Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, physicians such as Dr. Tia Jackson-Bey spend their days educating and empowering patients about their reproduction and the decisions that can be made to improve their overall health and family-building options. This comes with the assistance of science and technology, plus a clear understanding of patients’ goals, sensitivities and health concerns.
Amongst Dr. Jackson-Bey’s passion is sharing information around the ‘Black Fertility Myth,’ a common misconception that infertility is mainly a "white" issue. In reality, Black women are almost twice as likely to experience fertility issues as their white counterparts, but only 8% of Black women seek medical help, when compared to 15% of white women.
Rachel Nicks, multi-hyphenate actress, fitness instructor, doula and more, founded Birth Queen to help combat the Black maternal health crisis. Birth Queen is a resource that Black women and birthing people can trust and feel confident knowing there is someone advocating for them and breathing new life into the birth world with funding, education, and support.
The four professionals across the arts, advocacy, and women’s health came together to share a candid conversation on building careers, family, and the role that identity, physical and mental health can play each step of the way. Plus, they provided resources and learnings that can assist with navigating these parts that will persist far beyond the screening room.
RMA of New York presented a special New York City screening of Albany Road (2024), written and directed by Christine Swanson. A talkback highlighting key themes in the film: from navigating a career as a woman to motherhood, infertility, health issues and more, will follow the screening at Film at Lincoln Center.
The dynamic panel features:
-Renée Elise Goldsberry (star of Albany Road, Hamilton, Girls5eva)
-Christine Swanson (award-winning writer and director of Albany Road)
-Rachel Nicks (featured in Albany Road; founder of Birth Queen, doula)
-Dr. Tia Jackson-Bey (REI at RMA of New York - Brooklyn)
Friends for over 25 years, Renée Elise Goldsberry and Christine Swanson first connected on Swanson’s film All About You (2001). Goldsberry landed the starring role – and shortly thereafter, Swanson went on to conceptualize Albany Road with Goldsberry as the lead. Though, filming was tabled; over the next two decades, the two moved forward differently in their careers and family-building paths.
Christine Swanson grew her family, sharing: “I never anticipated having kids. All I wanted to do was make movies” and then I went on to have four amazing children. Meanwhile, Renée was starring onstage and on screen, yet struggling to conceive – a challenge only increased by pressures faced as a young, female actress. She reflects: “You’re told that you have a specific window of time as an actor. This one window is your time. It’s confusing, it’s dark, when you’re trying to have both. It almost feels impossible.” Renée, now the proud mother of two kids, has also spoken candidly on her path to motherhood in her recent documentary, Satisfied (2024).
For women, there unfortunately is a finite period of time for reproduction, as they are born with all of the eggs they will have; overtime, the quantity, and quality significantly declines, making it increasingly challenging to achieve a healthy pregnancy. At RMA of New York, Mount Sinai Health System’s Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, physicians such as Dr. Tia Jackson-Bey spend their days educating and empowering patients about their reproduction and the decisions that can be made to improve their overall health and family-building options. This comes with the assistance of science and technology, plus a clear understanding of patients’ goals, sensitivities and health concerns.
Amongst Dr. Jackson-Bey’s passion is sharing information around the ‘Black Fertility Myth,’ a common misconception that infertility is mainly a "white" issue. In reality, Black women are almost twice as likely to experience fertility issues as their white counterparts, but only 8% of Black women seek medical help, when compared to 15% of white women.
Rachel Nicks, multi-hyphenate actress, fitness instructor, doula and more, founded Birth Queen to help combat the Black maternal health crisis. Birth Queen is a resource that Black women and birthing people can trust and feel confident knowing there is someone advocating for them and breathing new life into the birth world with funding, education, and support.
The four professionals across the arts, advocacy, and women’s health came together to share a candid conversation on building careers, family, and the role that identity, physical and mental health can play each step of the way. Plus, they provided resources and learnings that can assist with navigating these parts that will persist far beyond the screening room.
