For the past several years, @Chantle Edillor and I have been partners not just in life, but in co-creation, curiosity, and shared exploration. From @fermentation to AI, from storytelling to science, our lives and work have been deeply intertwined, each of us amplifying and expanding the other’s vision; personally and professionally. When we first met, Chantle was in the process of stepping away from human genetics research, searching for a path that felt more deeply aligned. At the beginning of the @COVID-19 pandemic, I gifted her a sourdough starter (See: @Udana), unknowingly setting off a chain reaction that would lead her to rediscover her passion for food through the art and study of fermentation. Through countless deep dives, papers, and experiments, she found her way to a postdoctoral position at @UCLA in a yeast lab, and eventually, to her dream job at @Astera Institute, where she now leads her own research lab and continues to be a mouthpiece for the microbial world. Throughout our relationship, we were each other’s strongest champions and creative muses—whether that was through publicly celebrating our work, collaborating on projects, or simply holding space for the creative expansion that was always at the core of our dynamic. The work we did together was authentic, inspired, and a reflection of our shared values. And, in many ways, it helped shape where we are today—both as individuals and as professionals. As our personal relationship shifts, so too does the nature of our co-creation. While our paths are now unfolding independently, the impact we’ve had on each other’s journeys remains undeniable. What we built together will always be part of the foundation that carries us forward. We don’t know exactly what the future holds, and we are both allowing ourselves the space to explore what feels right—individually and, if ever aligned, in whatever new form our connection may take. But as we step forward, we do so with @gratitude for what we shared, respect for where we are now, and openness for whatever may come next.

Contexts

• #chantle-edillor (See: @Chantle Edillor)
• #my-divorce (See: @My First Divorce)