Issue #212: take care and take action ❤️

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issue 212 ~ week of march 19, 2021

editor's note

cw: anti-Asian violence, racism

Hi ,

This week in Atlanta, eight people — six of whom were of Asian descent — were killed at three different spas in a hate crime. Seven of these people were women.

This was a terrifying and disturbing act of racial violence and misogyny, especially in the wake of the surge in anti-Asian rhetoric and hate crimes in the United States. This act highlights how forces like classism and imperialism continue to inspire violence, especially toward working-class Asians.

It also underlines, once again, how deeply rooted white supremacy, racism, and xenophobia are in everyday life in this country. None of this is new; it's been here for centuries. And it affects so many of us.

To our Asian and AAPI readers, I hope you're able to take some time for care this weekend. It feels impossible right now, but it’s important. To our non-Asian readers, I hope that you'll consider doing one or some of the following this weekend:

1. Learn more: There’s a deep-rooted history of violence against the Asian and AAPI community. Take the time to learn more about it.
2. Call it what it is: This was a hate crime. It was the result of white supremacy, misogyny, and the fetishization of Asian women.
3. Take action: Help fight anti-Asian violence. Redistribute funds if you're able. Call your legislators and demand they prioritize protecting Asian people. Talk to your own family and friends. You can find a consolidated list of reads, resources, and ways to support here.

As a team and company, we’ll continue to speak up and stand up against racism, hatred, and violence towards all underrepresented communities, and do what we can to point our readers towards resources and actions they can take. We are here and we are mourning alongside the Asian community.

Please take care,
Alisha Ramos, CEO and Founder at GNI

P.S. We support our Asian readers and the larger Asian community today and always. Today, GNI is donating $1,000 to the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF). If you can, we invite you to also donate or find another group that centers the fight against anti-Asian violence and promotes Asian livelihood.

weekly picks

ideas for unwinding this weekend...

breakfast c/o The Pan (via @ashleyhosmer)

Prioritize Asian mental health... 🌈 Whether it's your own health or a friend's, keeping resources at hand can be helpful in times of grief. Asian Mental Health Collective has a directory of therapists, this Asian solidarity workshop offers collective healing through meditation and creativity, OurExperience creates a space for the AAPI community to share stories that have shaped their identity, and Asian LifeNet hotline is a multilingual resource for anyone in crisis.
Try a new breakfast ritual... 🕯 All you need is a candle. This piece gives you permission to start your day with slowness and natural light before your eyes hit a screen. The most important rule: no fussy breakfast required.
The 8-in-1 pan designed to be your entire cookware system... 🥘 The internet loves the Always Pan, but it wasn't the hype that first drew us to Our Place — it was this part of their brand ethos: "Our collections are new heirlooms from the cultures and places that make up the fabric of the modern, multi-ethnic kitchen. We believe that there is a transformative power in uplifting the differences in how people cook and eat together." (Okay, the durable non-toxic non-stick ceramic coating didn't hurt either. 😋) Use code GIRLSNIGHTIN for 15% off the Always Pan to see what everyone's talking about. #SPONSORSTHING
For those that can’t give financially, but want to provide comfort... 📝 Heart of Dinner delivers meals to Asian elders throughout NYC and there are many ways you can get involved from a distance, like hosting a Zoom gathering to write sweet messages to be included in meal kits (they primarily need Chinese or Korean notes).
Reset your reading routine... 📚 If you need a gentler read right now, revisit a book from your childhood. Here's your weekly reminder that a book doesn't need to be long or written for adults to "count" or be meaningful.
A tiny self-preservation tip... 💆‍♀️ Audit any apps on your phone that remind you of “this time last year." Take a moment to intentionally decide whether you want to revisit those memories, and adapt your push notifications, apps, and scrolling routines accordingly.
Support an Asian-owned porcelain shop that's giving back... ❤️ Wing On Wo & Co is the oldest operating store in NYC Chinatown that also has a women-, queer-, and trans-led community initiative supporting local art and activism. They’re donating some of their proceeds to Red Canary Song and Asian American Feminist Collective this month, which is double the reason to buy this fish vase or anything else that catches your eye from the shop.

Bonus rec: Even if you consider yourself indoorsy, there's so much beauty in this very specific feeling. 💫

sponsor spotlight: TarcherPerigee

Next on your to-read list: books for finding your inner voice (and listening to it)... 📚

Building healthy relationships, having difficult conversations, and navigating an always-evolving relationship with yourself is not easy. The good news is that when we don't quite have the answers ourselves, books can help:

Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab: From beloved therapist @nedratawwab comes a roadmap for uncovering boundary violations and dealing with the guilt of setting healthy limits. Read this one if you're looking for the words to help you communicate your needs with confidence and conviction.

Unbound by Kasia Urbaniak: Part manual and part manifesto, Unbound is an unfiltered field guide to embracing what you want and getting what you need across all areas of your life.

GET YOURS TODAY

read/watch/listen...

where we're turning our attention this week...

a stack to get started on (via @loyaltybooks)

🌟 Reading...
Li Zhou on the long history of anti-Asian hate in America | Vox
Saeed Jones on expansive friendships | The Cut
Hannah Drake on continuing the fight for justice for Breonna Taylor | The Lily
Elazar Sontag on love, loneliness, and the chicken in the freezer | Eater
Carla Delgado on why you might feel so overstimuated right now | Clever

📱 Watching...

The In the Heights trailer is out, and we'd be lying if we said we didn't play it six times in a row last weekend. Maybe it's the music, the all-star cast, or the anticipation (it was originally supposed to come out last summer!) for its June 18th release — but we can't wait to see Lin-Manuel Miranda's latest, adapted from his Broadway show of the same name.

A first set of heels. A cozy college hoodie. A shirt that smells like home. Worn Stories is all about the clothes that carry meaning for us. It comes out on Netflix on April 1st — but we really did not expect this trailer to go so hard.

🎧 Listening to...

In February, artist and poet Morgan Harper Nichols shared her autism diagnosis on Instagram. More recently, she recorded an episode of her podcast that summarizes her own unique experience (and nobody else's) searching for answers, learning more about that diagnosis, and seeking tenderness along the way.

Just trust us listen of the week: Japanese Breakfast's colorful new song, Be Sweet.

heading into the weekend like...

(via @snowpeasnow)

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Issue #212: take care and take action ❤️

weekly picks

read/watch/listen...

heading into the weekend like...

Older messages

Issue #210: there's something about March 👀

Issue #208: to all the issues I've loved before... 💓

Issue #207: send your friends some cheese 🧀

Issue #205: bridgerton, book recs, and a birthday 🎂

Today's tip: Build a before-bed reading list tonight 📚

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