A weird thing happened yesterday, I drafted and scheduled a newsletter and you never received it so here we are on an off week Wednesday. If you did receive it sorry for the duplicative newsletter.
A theme that has run rampant throughout the pandemic is its impact on relationships and, in particular, friendships.
There have been books released during this time, like Big Friendship by my friends in my head and honestly my heart, Ann Friedman and Aminatou Sow, that explored the complexities and beauty of friendship. There have also been countless articles written about friendship during this time like:
The Pandemic is Showing Us What Friendships Are Worth Keeping
They Thought Their Friendship was Rock Solid. Then The Pandemic Happened
The pandemic has forced me to take a look at my friendships. I find the little things like sharing text messages about Henny and Now & Laters with my bestie (Tik Tok here), or doing baby voices to my friend’s adorable babies on Facetime brings me so much joy. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about my friendships in terms of gratitude because I’m thankful.
And this weekend, I got the chance to check-in with some of my girlfriends over fancy salad and Philz for dessert, and it reenergized me in a way I didn’t know I needed. I’m grateful, thankful, and still beautiful (hair flip for this random comment), and that’s all I wanted to say.
Here are some things I listened to since we last spoke:
First, I would like to say that Sinead Harnett’s new album comes out on May 21st.
Another from over the pond that I love, Sasha Keable, released the video for her new single “Exception.”
Joyce Wrice just released her new album, Overgrown, and I love it. As a California girl, this album makes me want to drive somewhere either on the Golden Gate Bridge for picturesque vibes or drive up the PCH again for a picturesque vibe. The album is pretty good, and I’m glad to see her release a full-length project of her own. She’s spent a few years on the feature circuit, and it’s nice to see her getting the shine that she deserves. My favorite on the album is “Kaytra’s Interlude,” featuring Kaytranada.
I know I’ve mentioned the Welcome to Your Fantasy podcast before, and here I am mentioning it again because, honestly, it’s so good. Who knew that the Chippendales Strippers had such a salacious and tea-worthy story? One of the founders, Nick De Noia, got murdered, and it was rumored and believed by many that he actually got murdered by his jealous co-founder Somen Banerjee who also hired a hitman to kill off dancers when the show moved overseas. I tell you - JUICY.
I loved the latest edition of How I Built This featuring Justin McLeod, founder of Hinge.
Here are a few things to read:
I made a few updates to my thread that I sent last week about supporting the Asian community during these hate-filled and tumultuous times. If you have any resources or read any great articles, please share.
My friend Kate started a great new newsletter KNS Weekly, and it’s great. If you’re looking for a new show to watch, she has great recommendations and commentary. Subscribe! Subscribe!
To Attract Black Employees, Move Them: This was an excellent read about why many companies are moving to Atlanta to address the diversity deficit. 51% of Atlanta is Black, where only 2% is in Silicon Valley. I had a few takeaways from this article:
Bevel and Walker & Company Founder Tristan Walker:
I have two young Black Boys. I wanted them to grow up in an environment where they can see the richness of the Black experience.
Issues that we experienced in the Bay Area, Ryan Wilson, CEO of The Gathering Spot
Our largest export is our culture. The people who make that culture have to be able to live here.
For Creators, Everything is Free
Creators are burning out, but their fans want more and more. By monetizing each aspect of their life, they can extract value from everyday interactions.
“I Felt Like a Zoom Animal”: Black Contestants Share Their Experiences On “The Bachelor”
Are any of us surprised by this?
Thanks for the shout-out, Erin!
Thanks for the shout out, Erin!