Hi.
I want to take some time to acknowledge the Black lives we’ve lost recently — all preventable and unjust deaths. Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Tony McDade. Their names can be added to the 1,252 Black deaths at the hands of the police since January 2015.
Rather than restating what countless others have done before me, I encourage you all to take some meaningful steps to address the relative privilege you possess. If you’re not Black, you’ve benefited from systemic racism in some way. To that end, I’m sharing a few links that may be helpful as you start or continue your antiracism journeys.
An anti-racist reading list, compiled by Ibram X. Kendi
A set of anti-racism resources aimed at white folks and parents
A Black and Asian-American Feminist Solidarity reading list
If you have financial resources to spare, consider redistributing your resources through one of the following:
Reclaim the Block, a Minneapolis organization focused on community-led safety initiatives
The Brooklyn Bail Fund, which helps folks pay bail when they can’t afford to
Black Visions Collective, a Minnesota social justice organization and legal fund led by black, trans, and queer folks
Finally, a quick reminder that combating anti-blackness includes having tough conversations with those you love. As an Asian-American, anti-blackness is prevalent throughout my community and I’m committed to addressing it when I see it. Silence is complicity. For those of you who are wondering why I included this note in a food newsletter, a friendly reminder that food is, and has always been, political.
I’m not going to include a recipe this week, as I don’t want to pull focus from where it matters most right now. If you’re looking for food inspiration, I suggest the Farmer’s Market Femme archives.
That’s all for this week, folks. Take care of yourselves and the Black people you know and love. Stand in solidarity with them and commit to fighting for racial justice in the States. If you’re not sure where to start, try this helpful website.
In solidarity,
A