Issue #219: getting uncomfortable, staying accountable 📬

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issue 219 ~ week of May 7, 2021

editor's note

Morning ,

I hope you’ve had a restful week and an even better weekend ahead. This week, I want to peel back the curtain a bit on some behind-the-scenes work the team and I have been tackling to make this newsletter even better for you. But first, I’d like to share a reflection: recently, I’ve realized that I tend to fall back on thoughts that make me feel safe and comfortable when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Thoughts like, “We are just a teeny, small business of a few people. What else can we do?” And, “As a woman of color myself, what more can I possibly learn?” Well, it turns out, on both accounts, I was very wrong. There’s actually quite a lot to do and learn.

With that said, I want to share something very important that the team and I have been working on since March: our Pathways to Racial Equity Report. This report outlines our current state of business, where we’ve fallen short, and what actions we’re taking to create a more diverse and equitable company (and content) as we grow.

Frankly, this should’ve been prioritized a long time ago. There’s a lot that "even" we can do as a small biz. I want to thank every reader who’s taken time to share feedback these past few months, and I’d also like to thank the GNI team for engaging in important and uncomfortable conversations as we took a critical eye to our own work.

The report, published this week, will be updated on our website roughly every six months. Originally we said we'd publish this in April and I’m sorry we missed that deadline — we needed some extra time to be as thorough as possible, and we'll aim to provide more clear updates on future reports.

I’m energized to take on this work. I know it won’t be perfect and mistakes will be made, but I’m hopeful it will result in better newsletters and products for you. For now, I’m signing off and cracking open my copy of Crying In H Mart — before we get right back to work on this again on Monday.

Have a great weekend,
Alisha Ramos, CEO & Founder of GNI

weekly picks

ideas for unwinding this weekend

spending mornings with this @goodkindwork mug lately

It's AAPI Heritage Month... So here's a journal prompt this week, courtesy of Dive in Well: Which wellness practices in your routine have roots in Asian/Pacific culture? How do you honor that culture in your practice? ✍️
If you're putting everything but the kitchen sink in your lunch lately... Watch this tutorial on constructing bright, filling, and textural salads that are basically grownup Lunchables in a bowl (mortadella and all). 😛
How to turn your next park hang into your new favorite classroom... Learning a new language (and actually using it) in 3 weeks with the Babbel app is the perfect ingredient to mix into your downtime routine. Get started with up to 65% off your Babbel subscription, and give their world-class didactic method a try for yourself. 💬 Sponsor
Something to do with your hands... "I took a free embroidery workshop with The Neon Tea Party [recently]. In it, the teacher gave us a template we could print on dissolvable paper so you could practice the stitches on adorable icons." - Hannah D. 😍 Reader Rec
A lip color that says ~I'm going out~ but feels like you're staying in... "To be honest, tinted lip balms never live up to the hype for me (I don't like feeling like I just bought overpriced chapstick), but this RMS product is incredible — a truly perfect middle ground of pucker and pigment. I have the shade Twilight Lane, but I'm already thinking about getting another." - Olivia, GNI Team 💄 Overheard from HQ
Two new podcasts to listen to... The Food Heaven podcast for "perspectives on health through an intersectional lens" (recommended by Lydia D.) and Down to the Struts, a podcast about "disability, design, and the need to find intersectional solutions to complex problems." (recommended by host Qudsiya N.). 🎧 Reader Rec
An extremely soothing rabbit hole... Annie Sloan, inventor of chalk paint (!!), makes delightful videos where she dives into colors and their history — a new favorite corner of Instagram, for sure. 🎨
If your pens (glasses, watches, or soap) need a rest too... Lean them up against this perfect little speckled squiggle designed by D.C.-based Abcrete & Co. 〰

Bonus rec: In this house, we celebrate our friends. There's BIG book news from Sahaj of @browngirltherapy this week. Congrats, Sahaj! 📚

👋 Have a favorite weekend activity, podcast, mental health resource, or snack you want to see in GNI? Tell us about it here and you could be featured in an upcoming Reader Rec.

Sponsor Spotlight: Avery Books

Two books to help show your body some kindness today... 📚

These two reads from Avery Books are just the thing for those of us ready to learn more about listening to our body and its unique needs:

🥝 Fiber Fueled by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz (award-winning gastroenterologist and New York Times bestselling author) offers the practical guide to turbocharging your gut for lifelong health. With over 70 plant-fueled recipes, detailed shopping lists, and key lifestyle changes that will help you heal your gut without even lifting a fork, Fiber Fueled will allow you to thrive and feel great from the inside out.

💡 Know Your Endo by Jessica Murnane (author, speaker, podcaster, endo warrior) is an essential resource for the 176 million people worldwide living with endometriosis — and those who care about them. This read provides strategies for managing chronic pain and will help those with endo learn (or relearn) how to advocate for themselves, and most importantly, never feel alone with their condition again.

GET YOUR COPY TODAY

weekly reads

share these with the group chat

if anyone needs us, we'll be here

The case for adding neon to your room. Okay, hear us out — it might be just the pop of color you've been looking for. 👀 (Dendwell)

There's a reason you can't stop seeking wholesome things. And this piece from The Good Trade helps explain it. 🐶 (Editor's note: If you like this piece, you can subscribe to The Daily Good for a 30-second self-care or sustainability read like this delivered to your inbox each morning.)

Another reason to get a white noise machine. You might find you want to continue to work with a therapist from home, even once you're vaccinated. Here are some tips on how to get more privacy for your virtual sessions. 🌿 (SELF)

Why this food brand doesn't use the word authentic. Omsom co-founder Kim Pham wrote this piece on how expectations for authenticity put an unfair burden on chefs of color, and why the standard creates limiting ideas on how food should taste, look, and cost. 👩‍🍳 (Today)

Michaela Coel would like a word. Actually, several. If you spent most of 2020 thinking about I Will Destroy You, here's what the multitalented writer and actress is up to next. 🙌 (Variety)

Anyone else need a week off right now? Dodai Stewart makes the case for a national week of vacation. Nobody send a single email, please. 💆‍♀️ (New York Times)

Won't you be my neighbor? It means a little more these days. ❤️ (Catapult)

take action and take care

Ways to take action this week... Connect with Asian-led organizations to find solidarity and safety or deepen your anti-racism work. Volunteer to be an operator for Trans Lifeline, a mental health resource for trans/nonbinary/gender non-conforming folks or allies and read about their position on non-consensual active rescue.

Ways to take care… Connect with a mental health practitioner or help your loved ones find support. You can view the Inclusive Therapist Database, National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network, and Open Path Collective (Open Path's therapy sessions are between $30 and $60) to start the search.

Thanks for reading and supporting GNI and our partners — they help make the creation of this free newsletter possible. Just a note: GNI may receive a small commission from items you purchase from this newsletter.

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Issue #219: getting uncomfortable, staying accountable 📬

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