Jessica and Mackenzie met in 2017 at a TGI Fridays, where Mackenzie was serving tables, and Jessica was behind the bar. What began as a chance meeting turned into a partnership built on love, humor, and growing through every stage of life together. Since then, they’ve navigated graduate school, three moves, a wedding in September 2024, and raising their very spoiled mastiff, Naya. As a lesbian couple, they are passionate about increasing visibility and understanding of the many different paths to parenthood, and hope to help normalize and uplift other LGBTQ+ families navigating fertility journeys. Jessica and Mackenzie are deeply grateful to have received the Family Building Financial Grant from the Chicago Coalition for Family Building.