Joy as an act of resistance
I am committed to my activism and I'm committed to joy and community. This newsletter is filled with friends doing great things along with an ask . . .
Last week was my 40th birthday and with it I felt an immense desire to center joy and to celebrate the people in my life. So, my ask for you is that you share what you’re working on, a recent win, something that’s bringing you joy, anything that you’d like! You can add in the comments so other readers can discover and/or celebrate you, or feel free to message, email, etc.
SEE | FEBRUARY
My friend JuanCarlos González’ photography project and exhibit Vermont Female Farmers has traveled to its newest space at the Fleming Museum of Art at UVM! This project and exhibit centers female farmers of Vermont and with their meaningful and impactful contributions to the state’s culture, identity, and economy.
I met JuanCarlos through a mutual friend (Josh, you are the master at connecting folks) a few years ago. I feel so lucky to have worked on this project as editor for the exhibit and the accompanying book.
The traveling exhibit is on view at the Fleming through May, 2025 and will then move to the Leica Gallery in Boston.
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I first saw Feda Eid’s work at the Boston Public Library Central at Copley in the fall of 2023. Her photography exhibit, Made in USA, is an “ongoing exploration into her upbringing as an Arab and Muslim in America, and into the up-rooting and re-planting of her parents from seeds of civil war.” After that experience with Feda’s photographs and then sharing her work with literally every person I spoke to, we’ve become friends. And then we discovered our mutual friendship with Tina Picz of Firefolk Arts. Tina and Firefolk hosted Feda’s photography and performance work in 2024.
If you’re in the Boston area and hope to experience Feda’s photography in person (PLEASE do), her show Threads is currently on view at the Huntington Theater.
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More shows you should make time to see!
Verónica Pérez, Rachel Gloria, and Elena Adler in Pattern & Process at Maine MILL, Lewiston, ME
Abigail Ruth, A Mother Is A House at Peel in Carrboro, NC
Viscaya Wagner in Process & Presence at K. Grant Fine Art in Vergennes, VT
Sarah Letteney, Here & There at Deep City in Burlington, VT
Alison Croney Moses, Brown Out at Abigail Ogilvy in Los Angeles, CA
Alison Chen in Bitter/Sweet, Brea Gallery in Brea, CA
Hugh Hayden, Home Work at Rose Art Museum, Waltham, MA
READ | FEBRUARY
I continue to be in awe of my brilliant friend Denali Jöel. As a 2024 Craft Archive Fellow, they are exploring liberation through radical world-building and heritage. Please read Denali’s piece in Hyperallergic where they explore the power of joy and resistance through craft, drawing from personal experience and exploration of Jonkonnu . . .
"These varied iterations of Jonkonnu reflect a shared impulse to negotiate power and identity in environments defined by domination and resistance. Any attempt to pinpoint Jonkonnu’s origins or distill its essence into a singular narrative would be reductive. Instead, Jonkonnu must be understood as a complex craft and cultural performance that mirrors the nuances of Black life across the diaspora." - Denali Jöel
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One of our favorite authors and artists is Raúl the Third. His ¡Vamos! books are a —staples in our house. Based in the Boston area with his family, Raúl creates amazing illustrations, sometimes in collaboration with his wife Elaine Bay. We love the stories, characters, and that we can practice our Spanish while reading. These two have been read about 5 times a day for the last 7 days straight(!). It’s a series we recommend to everyone.
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Below are a handful of Substacks I recommend subscribing to this month.
This Morning Walk by Libby DeLana
Look, I Feel Unappealing by Whitney McGuire
Moody Places by Caleb Dean
Because It’s Natural by Abigail Ruth
Growers by Justin Bridges
Airplane Mode by Liz Plank
Nicole’s Substack by Nicole Loher
The Weaver by Joanna Wolfarth
The Equity Brief by Ifeoma Ike
Donita Reason by Angela Garbes
I Blame Society by Ruth Whippman
Comment with your current favorites!
ACTION | FEBRUARY
Overwhelm often results in paralysis and isolation. Keep moving, keep calling your reps, keep up with your joy and community.
If you have the means, here are a few organizations that I have been supporting this year, all of which need your support now more than ever. Along with regular mutual aid.
The 5 Calls app makes it easy and sustainable to call your congresspeople daily. You are their constituent and they need to know what matters to you. It works.
Make book purchase requests at your local library! It’s very, very easy to do online or in person. Below are a few that I recently requested at my library . . .
NEW WORK | FEBRUARY
In truly sweet moments, and when I need it most, my son scoops up my hand and kisses it. It was a while before he told me about the inspiration of this thoughtful act. There’s a picture book at his preschool, The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, that he loves. It’s about a young raccoon who is nervous about going to school. His mom shares their family secret, the kissing hand. She kisses his paw and tells him to press it to his cheek whenever he misses her. I wonder if my son has a 6th sense when I need the kissing hand the most, often unspoken. He gently kisses my hand (often up and down my wrist) and then smiles at me, “the kissing hand, mama.”
ASK | FEBRUARY
Don’t forget to share what you’re working towards, a recent win, anything that’s bringing you joy. Thank you, friends.
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Thank you for your Newsletter - love it!
The recent art shows are bring joy to winter - such impactful work!