these past few days have been a wake-up call.

it’s absolutely devastating that it took the murder of a man to ignite the nation, but change never does come quietly.

this systemic racism is not new, but for the first time in a long time, waves of people have started to care.

I could go into my guilt about being a “model minority” as an Asian, about fighting the racism that’s prevalent within the Asian community, about attempting to break the stereotypes that people I love have about the black community, but this isn’t about me.

it’s not time for me to share my story.

rather, it’s time for us to do better. to listen. to be an ally. to support. to donate.

to love. to educate ourselves and those we love. to use our platform and our voice to enact change.

to sit with the uncomfortable truths. to examine our privilege. to ask ourselves the hard questions.

this is a continual education for myself and for others.

I know that I was overwhelmed by everything I saw on social media. trying to figure out “how can I help? how can I be as inoffensive as possible?”

truth: you will always offend someone.

but as long as you speak your truth and stand up for what you believe in — that’s the true path.

I’ve compiled the resources I’ve found from scouring the internet / social media — I hope that this is helpful to you <3

donate

places to donate if you have the means to.

Black Lives Matter: founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer and whose mission is to eradicate white supremacy.

Color of Change: the nation’s largest online racial justice organization.
(P.S. You can sign the petition for #JusticeforFloyd with them here.)

Minnesota Freedom Fund: they pay criminal bail and immigration bond for those who cannot afford to as we seek to end discriminatory, coercive, and oppressive jailing.

Note: MFF is no longer accepting donations but urging people to donate to  Black Visions Collective, Reclaim the Block and Twin Cities Coalition for Justice 4 Jamar (source: Forbes).

Official George Floyd Memorial Fund: gofundme started by George Floyd's sister to cover the family's funeral and burial expenses, mental and grief counseling, lodging and travel for all court proceedings, and assist the Floyd family.

NAACP: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People — fighting for equal rights.
(P.S. take action by signing the #wearedonedying petition here.)

educate

this is what they have not taught us in schools. it’s up to us to examine our inherent privilege, our implicit biases, our ignorances. it’s okay if you feel uncomfortable. i do too. but there is power in uncovering an uncomfortable truth.

Anti-Racism Resource Guide: these 27 pages expand beyond resources for black people to include all BIPOC. essentially a syllabus for anti-racism.

Anti-Racist Allyship Starter Pack: a spreadsheet of additional resources.

Anti-Racism for Beginners & White People: start here if you feel overwhelmed.

How to Make this Moment the Turning Point for Real Change: a medium post from Barack Obama.

10 books about race non-black people should be reading right now: Refinery29 article.

act

6 things you can do beyond social media: this includes ways you can reflect. i think that’s truly important.

protestor rights: read this before you attend a protest.

journal prompts on privilege: this is geared toward whites, but as a BIPOC, i still think a lot of this is applicable for me to journal on (i grew up in an upper-middle-class, predominantly white, suburban neighborhood — steeped in privilege).

go through this privilege checklist: truly eye-opening.

ways that you can help: a list.

support

I realized that I was following literally two black bloggers. the following are some really awesome ones I’ve followed:

@foodheaven: Wendy & Jess are RDs who focus on inclusive wellness and diabetes education.

@thisafricancooks: Erica’s recipes are mostly Whole 30 / Paleo!

@confessionsofacleanfoodie: Charlotte is a Minneapolis-based recipe developer with clean, healthy, and simple recipes.

@allthehealthythings: Ashley shares easy, healthy gluten-free recipes.

@fitslowcookerqueen: Shannon has low-carb, mostly Whole 30 recipes (that you can make in a slow cooker!).

@sweetpotatosoul: Jenné is a vegan chef that shares amazing plant-based recipes.

@livelymeals: Jasmine cooks real food — made simple.

@georgina.whalen: Georgina is a Boston-based powerhouse — an amazing businesswoman and works with her husband to create awesome photos (and meals).

more bloggers here and here.

shop

dedicate your income (if you are able to) toward supporting black-owned businesses.

fashion

Savage X: lingerie brand by Rihanna.

Candid Art Accessories: jewelry, face masks, accessories and more.

G+Co. Apparel: mostly geared towards men — beautifully tailored suits and accessories.

beauty

Organic Bath Co.: truly amazing bath & beauty products. i’m obsessed with their body butters!
(co-founded by Gianne Doherty)

Epara Skincare: a luxury skincare line for POC.

Base Butter: on a mission to make skincare easier for all.

Fenty Beauty: by Rihanna — beauty for all (foundations for all skin tones).

Beauty Bakerie: an inclusive beauty brand.

Carol’s Daughter: a blooming haircare brand started by Lisa Price in Brooklyn back in 1993.

Unsun Cosmetics: sunscreen for POC.

home

BLK Mkt Vintage: a collection of black curiosities & collectibles.

Board Game Brothas: we could all use some more board games during this time. Enter: Rap Godz.

For Keeps Books: ATL-based black rare and classic books. I recommend Beloved by Toni Morrison.

Our Bom.com: a marketplace of black-owned products, from skincare to home goods.

eat/drink

LA black-owned restaurants: a spreadsheet for anyone who wants to support black-owned restaurants in the LA area.
(Black Book LA also has a list here.)

more: black-owned restaurants by city (Bon Appetit)

Golde: they have turmeric lattes and face masks.

Bass Notes Sangria: amazing sangria started by A.T. Howe.

Theopolis Vineyards: founded by lawyer Theodora Lee (affectionately known as “Theo-patra”), this is a small lot CA vineyard and hand-crafted winery.

Ivy’s Tea: a hip-hop-inspired holistic health brand of amazing, functional teas (like this blood orange tea for anyone with severe periods).

Brooklyn Tea: luxurious teas (and a Brooklyn-based tearoom!).

Red Bay Coffee: founded Keba Konte, a renowned artist & entrepreneur in SF; has a strong commitment to diversity & social responsibility.

Sweet Dames: macaroons inspired by the founder’s Bahamian born grandparents Henry & Daisy Dames’s love of cooking.

more black-owned food brands here.

fitness / wellness

Inner Workout: Self-care meets self-awareness with personalized recommendations.
(founded by Taylor Morrison)

fitness classes that are donating all proceeds towards BLM.

black owned & founded wellness brands here.

resources for Asians to be a better ally

20+ allyship actions for Asians to show up the Black community right now: the #1 read I recommend.

6 ways Asians can tackle anti-black racism in their families: honestly, the hardest conversation can be trying to convince your parents to be anti-racist — because our parents can say racist things without thinking that they are being racist. why? because “the model minority myth and the criminalization of Black and brown folks in our communities have given many Asian Americans a false sense of honorary whiteness…”

dismantling the barriers between Asians & African Americans: a look at history. because “Chinese grocery stores profited because of the institutional racism that targeted former slaves…”

‘model minority’ myth again used as a racial wedge between Asians and Blacks: Asians have been upheld as “successful” (positive stereotyping) while Blacks have not (negative stereotyping). to put it lightly.

note: this is a work in progress — if i missed anything, please let me know via email (nancy@nourishbynancy.com.)

some additional thoughts:

it doesn’t feel right to reap the benefits of black culture (music, art, literature, etc.) without providing them support.

that’s like stripping off all the good, and leaving them to fend for themselves in the bad.

notes on the fitness & wellness community:

there is an alarming lack of diversity in the wellness community as well. it’s a privileged space – one that’s often saturated by white, upper-middle-class people of privilege.

you do not get to choose if you are born into a life of privilege, but you do get to choose what you do with it (re: educate yourself, make use of it for good).

and in the fitness world?

we capitalize on black music to make our classes “hip” and “cool” and “relevant.”

but there’s also a lack of diversity in the fitness world. even more so in the yoga world.

it is up to us, especially if we are generating any type of income (i.e. profiting) from the usage of art that comes from our black icons, that we champion diversity. that we amplify their voices. that we speak and echo them if they cannot be heard.

<3