Back to the beginnings

Micronesian Monday Digest

Oct 24

The Husk gained a lot of new subscribers this month. I am grateful for you all and pretty surprised.¹

When I started The Husk (this is still happening if I’m being honest) the first people I approached were, understandably, perplexed. I imagine they thought, Who is this random woman contacting me about what? A newsletter? What’s that? A blog?

So it took quite a bit of trust on their part.

For that, I am forever thankful. I had nothing to show when I reached out in those first days.

The Husk was a half-baked concept at that point. I knew what I’d like to name it. I had ideas of what I’d write about. I didn’t know exactly what I’d do but I knew my strengths. I also knew that there were Micronesians who were doing amazing things, things that were more interesting and more newsworthy than some of the stories I worked on as a reporter. There were people getting press coverage for doing the bare minimum, doing something boring, sometimes they weren’t doing anything, quite frankly.

I’ve read news and I’ve written news about things that were significantly less impactful, less interesting, less notable than what I saw Micronesians accomplishing every day.

The good thing about not knowing what you’re doing is that you don’t know what you’re doing. So you just keep doing and trying things and seeing what sticks. For me, I followed my instincts. I’ve always had a nose for news and I’m good at finding a story. There are stories to be told in every space.

There are stories here on The Husk that aren’t written anywhere else. This doesn't exist without the Micronesian creators and professionals willing to go along for the ride with me, to respond to a random message from this strange woman babbling about some sort of newsletter. It’s because of their trust that this all exists. I am and will always be grateful for that.

Every time someone lets me in, pulls back the curtain so I catch a glimpse of their creative process, or every time someone takes me back to the beginnings of their journey, I am bursting to write about it. I want to shout it from a megaphone. You hear that! They did this cool thing and you can too! ²

All of that to say: Welcome to the first Micronesian Monday Digest.
If you’re new here, you might not have read these early features on Micronesians. They are worth a read because, without them, I don’t know if we would have the stories published this month or the exciting features that will come.

Thank you to everyone who pulled back the curtain for The Husk, for me. 🙏🏽

Enjoy.

The Husk

Karmen George’s dress designs take off🚀

Before the lockdown last year, Karmen Melsior George had just dropped the first collection of her clothing line for Nemin Boutique. It sold out within an hour, Karmen said. Karmen, 32, is the owner of Nemin Boutique, found online at neminboutique.com…

6 months ago · 3 likes · Jasmine Stole Weiss

The Husk

Belauan/Chamoru sisters fuse art and heritage in stunning jewelry line

Sisters Shannen and Dennilynn launched Elilai Jewels in March 2020 but inspiration for their creations struck long before that. Most islanders are quick to recognize the traditional Belauan money necklace that sits regally between the collar bones of many Belauan women. Shannen said she was inspired in part by the traditional necklace her mother wore…

6 months ago · 3 likes · 2 comments · Jasmine Stole Weiss

The Husk

Bookstagrammer Mara aka @thisislanderreads

You can’t navigate Pasifika bookstagram without coming across Mara’s profile. She has 2,681 followers and counting, all of whom are tuned in to her reviews, activism and artful graphics. This week we learn more about Mara, the powerhouse behind the …

5 months ago · 2 likes · Jasmine Stole Weiss

The Husk

Bookstagrammer @telbong aka Cherie

In the few months since revamping her Instagram account to focus on books and reading, Telbong has found a welcoming, supportive community. This week we learn more about Telbong whose namesake IG page is a wonderful mix of stories from home and beyond…

5 months ago · 2 likes · Jasmine Stole Weiss

The Husk

Bookstagrammer Gee aka @talking.story

As promised, The Husk’s monthly theme reveal for May 2021: Books, reading, literature and general bibliophilic tingz. In planning this month's themes I found out that May is National Get Caught Reading Month. So I reached out to Micronesian authors and bookstagrammers who I wanted to feature. I learned from @telbong on IG that unbeknownst to me, the grow……

6 months ago · 2 likes · Jasmine Stole Weiss

The Husk

‘I think about what I want to see when I search ‘Micronesian’’: Kosraean crafter Joen Jesse

When Joen Bettylina Jesse couldn’t find what she needed in the world, she created it. She was looking for stickers for her daughter’s birthday and scoured Etsy but, unfortunately, her search yielded less than desirable results. Joen knew what had to be done…

3 months ago · 1 like · 2 comments · Jasmine Stole Weiss

The Husk

Chuukese family vloggers carve niche on YouTube

Marlson Selifis speaks with the conviction of an avid YouTube consumer and a seasoned content creator. He swoops into frame onto the bottom bunk of a bunk bed and enthusiastically greets viewers, “What’s up guys, it’s your boy, Marlson! And I’m back at it again with another video…

4 months ago · 3 likes · Jasmine Stole Weiss

The Husk

Bookstagrammer Corina Richards, @corinarichards

Corina Richards is an artistic virtuoso who is reading, illustrating and making cool stuff out in Arizona and has roots in Tonga and Belau. Read more about Bookstagrammer Corina Richards below: Island(s) you're from? I am American and my mother is from Tonga and my father is from Palau. I would love to visit both islands one day. I still feel really honor……

5 months ago · 2 likes · Jasmine Stole Weiss

Thank you for reading. Write to you again soon.

1

This month’s Wednesday pieces were a fun experiment with audio and also with balancing my workload. The results are encouraging and I’m looking forward to more storytelling experiments on The Husk.

2

There’s a selfish part of me that’s probably writing this for me only. Really, I think I’m writing all of this for 9-year-old Jasmine big forehead, flat-nosed Micronesian girl growing up in Guam, obsessed with Britney’s Oops album and aspiring to be Judy Blume or Sharon Creech or Ann M. Martin. I think I actually just want 9-year-old Jasmine to read this, to read about people who are way cooler than Britney Spears or Ann M. Martin who also come from the islands she comes from doing badass shit in the world. So this is all for me. LOL. jk it’s for all of us!!!!