make-believe: a warm outdoor afternoon.

March 1, 2021

March 1 and I’m fully ready for spring. More than ever, I need the promise of new beginnings and daydreaming about fresh air that’s warm enough to sit in without freezing my—er—toes off. Here’s what my ideal first warm day would include:

An upcycled kimono puff sleeve top for feeling fancy

and utility jeans for staying grounded.

In case of fair weather, an outdoor table and chairs

and sneaks to match.

A favorite notebook,

a blank set of notecards,

and a session of mindful and mindless painting.

A new book for poring over.

Maru coffee for sipping

and the dreamiest set of espresso cups (they’re one-of-a-kind and sold out, but worth a bookmark and a follow for next time).

//

TAKE ACTION:

In an effort to ground this make-believing in something a bit more down to earth, here are a few things that need our attention:

Read Sophia Li’s Why I’m No Longer Staying Silent About Anti-Asian Racism and Jennifer Chen’s How You Can Join the Stop Asian Hate Movement. They’re sobering and important accounts regarding the current and historical rise of anti-Asian hate and what we need to do about it.

Report: Hate against Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities has risen during the COVID-19 pandemic and instances of anti-Asian assaults and crimes tend to go under-reported. If you witness anti-Asian hate or crimes, report them at Stop AAPI Hate.

Engage:

+ Hate Is A Virus is “a nonprofit community of mobilizers and amplifiers that exists to dismantle racism and hate.” It was formed in April 2020 as a response to the pandemic-related rise in anti-Asian discrimination. Follow along here.

+ Act to Change is a national nonprofit working to address bullying, racism, and xenophobia. Look to their Racism is a Virus Toolkit aimed at supporting AAPI communities and educators cope with the pandemic-related surge in anti-Asian hate.

+ I found the beautiful work of Made by Yuki via Emi Ito on Instagram. Emi (who wrote this guest piece a few years ago) writes extensively on cultural appropriation of Japanese textiles and design and always has something thoughtful to share. She shares much of her work through her Instagram feed @little_kotos_closet and you can also support her on Patreon.

+ My friend Lucia just announced a documentary film project with director Natasha Lee called In The Visible aimed at sharing stories of the AAPI experience and dismantling The Model Minority stereotype. If you have a story to share, reach out here.

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2 Comments

  • Reply Lucy March 1, 2021 at 3:31 pm

    Thank you so much for giving the AAPI community a spotlight here. Can’t thank you enough.

    2
  • Reply GL March 9, 2021 at 11:49 pm

    I agree with the comment above. Thanks for sharing the concerns of the AAPI community as well. Emi Ito’s work is very dreamy and inspiring!

    2
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