Dear Subscriber First Name,

Summer is heeeere!!! Okay, it’s still a couple of weeks out, but as a Fall baby who THRIVES in warm weather… I’m very excited for more time in the sun, wacky tan lines, and hopefully, more surfing (or learning how to).

June marks #PrideMonth, and we are thinking of and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community! Last year, Helen, Janet, and Mel released a two-part ‘Coming Out’ episode with their friends Justin Rodjanapanyakul and Anna Lee. Listening to their stories, I learned a lot, and felt my heart and mind open further. If you haven’t listened or would like to refresh your memory, here’s Episode 66 and Episode 68.

While we’re celebrating, let’s talk about the United States’ Equality Act. Passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in February 2021, the next step is to pass the Senate. Ensuring the passage of the Equality Act is crucial in order to ensure “comprehensive protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity nationwide, including in housing, education, public accommodations and access to credit” (GLAAD). To show your support and send a message to your U.S. Senators, you can complete this form via GLAAD (or any other organization you deem fit!).

Wherever in the world you’re reading this letter, I hope this seasonal transition comes with ease, good health, and upcoming adventure. We love you!

Hugs,
Haemee

P.S. - If you’d like to suggest a theme for an upcoming issue, message us at: newsletter@asianbossgirl.com.

This NPR guide to understanding gender identity terms.

Mel is starting a Korean Drama club! Sign up for monthly opportunities to meet new friends, discuss the juicy details, and fawn over your favorite actors/characters.

Tennis star Naomi Osaka recently withdrew from the French Open to prioritize her mental health and wellbeing. Since the U.S. Open in 2018, she has “suffered long bouts of depression” and was feeling anxious prior to this year’s French Open. After declining to conduct interviews, tournament officials served her a $15,000 fine. Taking a stand and respecting her own limits takes incredible self-awareness and courage, and we hope Osaka’s action inspires change in tournament’s policy.

I often repeat how Asians are not a monolith—but just how diverse are we, and our experiences? Numbers and graphs can’t tell the whole story of course, but they can provide useful overviews, like this NPR survey's results.

This Red Table episode, in which the women of the Smith family, scholar Dr.Michael Eric Dyson, journalist Lisa Ling, and author Min Jin Lee discuss the longstanding animosity between the Black and Asian communities. In just a half hour, I felt emotions arise, moments for loud agreement “mmHMM!!” and also for reflection.

#APAHM may be over, but we’re ALWAYS down to put our dollars toward BIPOC-owned businesses, especially those founded and run by AAPI. Here’s a list of 37 AAPI-owned fashion brands to fall in love with.

Chinatown grandma/grandparent fashion is unmistakable and incredible. The book, Chinatown Pretty, started in 2014 as a personal project for Valerie Luu and Andria Lo. On the Chinatown streets of San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and Vancouver, they captured incredible sartorial shots. Read more about it here.

In the Heights takes place in New York City's Washington Heights neighborhood, "a place where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music". Directed by Jon M. Chu, with music & lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Broadway-show-turned-movie is now in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.

Reading: Free Food for Millionaires by Min Jin Lee - my friends and I, who come from working class families and have had the privilege of attending private university, often talk about culture shock, privilege shock, and reconciliation—both during and long after college. If this is a topic of interest to you, Lee’s debut (pre-Pachinko) and protagonist Casey Han will capture your heart and mind. It’s already captured Netflix’s ;)

Watching: Enter the Dragon on Netflix, starring Bruce Lee. Need I say more? If you haven’t seen it yet, or any Bruce Lee films, definitely watch this movie.

Cooking: Asian Pear Salad - my family recently celebrated some birthdays (everyone is luckily and thankfully, vaccinated), and this salad I made was a HIT. Refreshing, crunchy, and delicious, it’s the perfect, easy-to-make summer dish (I used arugula).

HBO Max - There’s a plethora of streaming services these days, and I tend to think they’re all so similar. What sets HBO Max apart, at least, for me, is how they feature a variety of stories by and/or featuring AAPI storytellers—from Miyazaki’s Studio Ghibli, to Awkwafina’s Nora in Queens, to ABG’s favorite, Warrior. Browse their library and start streaming today.

Daily Harvest - Hotter temperatures call for lighter, nutritious meals. When we want to whip up something good, clean, and quick, we turn to Daily Harvest. Easy and delicious meals are cinch, with their wide selection of ready-to-blend smoothies, savory bowls, soups, and flatbreads. Switch up your meals with Daily Harvest, and get $25 off your first order with code: ABG.

Public Goods - With Public Goods, it's easy to get healthy, sustainable, everyday essentials that look good too. With products ranging from personal care to household, grocery, pet, and even health, there's something for everyone. Get 15% off your first order with code: ABG.

*Some of the above links are affiliate links - this means that if you purchase through them, we earn a small % and it does not cost you any extra.

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