No. 12 – May 18, 2022

 

 

 

This week’s newsletter is on the lighter side, both in length and in content. I’m on the “come down” from a really stressful few months, still processing the news from the last week, and generally trying to go easy on myself. 

 

I considered writing about the ways the act of terror in Buffalo was facilitated by our nation’s racist ideologies, how neighborhood segregation is still deeply prolific today and in fact made it easier for the white domestic terrorist to target Black people. But I’m just not ready to do that. Instead, I’m going to share a few resources as well as a few things that are bringing me joy. 

 

(If you’d like to do some more digging on America’s “separate and unequal neighborhoods,” here’s a good explainer from the Urban Institute, and here’s a story from TIME about Buffalo’s specific segregation history/present. Lots of folks have shared these, but here’s a roundup of ways you can financially support the families of the victims – I particularly appreciate that it includes a Black abolitionist org.)

 

 

My style used to lean a lot more bohemian than it does now, but there’s just something about Justina Blakeney’s approach to home that calls me in. This tour is truly a feast for the eyes, and I love how much of Justina’s art is incorporated, from the fabrics to the furniture to the wall art. I love her take on a gallery wall with the fabric frames. Really, the whole house looks like a vacation that I desperately want to be on. 

 

I’ve hinted at plans for group gatherings/events, and those are very much still in the works. But I came across this event hosted by the National Building Museum as part of their “Equity in the Built Environment” series and just had to share. It starts at 6:30 p.m. ET (sorry if you’re seeing this after the fact, but I believe these events get recorded and posted on their website). 

 

A brief description from their site: “Learn about the land reclamation movement through the work of Where is My Land? whose mission is to return unfairly seized ancestral lands to communities of color.”

 

 

Last year, there was a lot of media coverage on the return of Bruce’s Beach to the former owners’ descendants. If you’re not familiar, Bruce’s Beach Resort sat on an oceanfront parcel in Manhattan Beach, CA that was seized by eminent domain. It was one of the only places where Black beachgoers were welcome at the time and was vandalized by the KKK (who yes by the way were (are??) ACTIVE in California). It was ultimately stolen because white residents feared a “Black invasion,” successfully pressuring the Manhattan Beach government to claim it for a park. The land was taken in the 1920s, and it wasn’t until the 1960s that a section of it was turned into a park, so clearly the need wasn’t real. 

 

My preferred media medium is audio, so here’s a great spot NPR did last fall. 

 

 

My friend Albie of @albieknows planned the most amazing event called the Meridian Experience. It’s kind of like a conference for interior design influencers, only better. It’s Black-founded and Black-led, and I can already tell it feels more inclusive than other conferences I’ve considered going to. Because my cash flow is… uhh, not flowing (lol), I wrote it off and resigned myself to just have FOMO. 

 

But the angel she is, Albie pulled me out of my freelance writing retirement and I get to cover the event for House Beautiful (!!!!!). A dream! So I’m heading to Bellevue, WA on June 8 and I can’t wait to finally meet some of my Instagram friends in real life. Yeah, I’ll probably cry. It’s fine. 

 

Anyway, thanks for giving me some space to scale back this week. I spend a minimum of 4-6 hours each week writing this newsletter, so it’s precious to get some of that time back for rest.

 

Until next week,

🧡 Dominique

 

PS – I hope that by next week, I’ll have a schedule to share for the first few months of our article club (like a book club, but with lower commitment!). 

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