MOON TIDES  
JULY 04, 2024 Volume 016
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Friends— 
 
A short note today but lengthy newsletter! Happy reading and hope you all have a lovely long weekend! ☀️👙🌊
                                                                  
Shoes On. Eyes Open. 
 
-Sarah
 
weekly highlight—
An Art & Music-filled Evening C/O that desi spark + ZEEHAN WAZED
 
It's amazing how art and music can immediately change the mood and vibe of your othewise, not-so-great week. Last weekend, I was invited to a small, intimate gathering of South Asians, hosted by my friend Prince Bhojwani. We had the opportunity to learn more about That Desi Spark and Zeehan Wazed's own art practice and the studio he shares with fellow artists. 
 
Walking around the studio, I was reminded again of the importance of supporting Black and brown artists. When I was younger, I remember going to galleries and not seeing anyone who looked like me on the walls. I also couldn't wrap my head around the idea of being a full-time artist—that it was a viable option for a potential career or vocation path. 
 
More nefariously, I also recall gallery staff not acknowledging me when I stopped by to browse the artwork, despite me having the income and means to purchase—my very own Pretty Woman moment! Around a decade ago, I vowed to start my own art collection with a focus on Black and brown artists. But 10 years later, the art industry has not changed at all—as recent as 2 years ago, I dealt with galleries not wanting to share their price list with me. They often sell to folks with collections who they believe might aid in the dollar value appreciation of the piece—read: affluent, white folks
 
The first time I saw someone who looked like me in an art piece was a painting by Nimisha Bhanot, a Canadian visual artist, who had painted a Tamil woman back in 2015. I would later go on to acquire another piece by this artist but this leads me to another point—that women are disproportionately underrepresented and undervalued in the art industry. No surprises there, right ladies?  There is still a long way to go before parity is achieved in the industry
 
If you're interested in starting your own collection, I would definitely encourage you to reach out directly to the artist and to not be so focused on the secondary market's value of the artist. So long as you're not in the business of flipping, buy art that you love, that brings a smile to your face—after all, you'll be staring at the pieces for years to come. I personally love gazing at my pieces and discovering something new each time! 🎨🖼️
 
 
WE'RE READIng—
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In the last 2 months, I've seen quite a few positive video reviews encouraging folks to pick up a copy of The Trinity of Fundamentals. I was lucky enough to be gifted my own copy when a friend stopped by Reparations Club in LA a few weeks back. Due to its popularity, the book is now on backorder!
 
The author, Wisam Rafeedie, is a former Palestinian political prisoner and full-time researcher and lecturer at the Department of Social Sciences at Bethlehem University – Palestine. The Trinity of Fundamentals is a fictionalized account of his nine years of hiding from the Occupation in Palestine, which ended in his capture in 1991. 
 
He wrote the book during his imprisonment at Naqab prison in 1993, years after he was captured by the Israeli occupation army. Rafeedie distributed excerpts of his writings through the clandestine system of circulation established by the prisoners, which moved materials and information across cells. Some writing sections were transferred via pieces of bread dough or pill capsules that were thrown across cells! Eventually, attempts to smuggle the novel out of the prison were thwarted by the interception of the prison guards who subsequently confiscated it the year it was completed.
 
An incredible story of resistance even during imprisonment - excited to dive in! Please reply if you've read this as I'm just starting it myself!
 
 
We're TALKING ABOUT—
QNS to the WRLD  THE GLOBAL RUNDOWN
     In a terrifying move, the decision granted total immunity for any actions a president takes using the “core powers” that the Constitution bestows on the office. One such power is the authority to command the military. 
     Amazing. Over 200 candidates from President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist camp & the left-wing alliance have stepped down in a bid to avoid splitting the vote. 👏🏾 🗳️
     Some beach read recommendations for the long weekend! ☀️⛱️
     12 government employees resigned but it sure looks like jumping ship more than anything, a long 9 months into a genocide. 
     The merger includes Amazon and Salesforce as investors which makes for an interesting choice considering luxury brands have historically distanced themselves from Amazon's luxury platform. 🛍️
     I read on Twitter that the Caribbean accounts for less than 0.5% of global emissions and yet feels the brunt of climate change, only to be forced to spend their own GDP on rebuilding efforts. Cruel.
 
 
We're lISTENING TO—
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Warning: Don't listen to this episode if you haven't eaten yet. This episode had me craving biscuits and sweet potato pie at 1am. 😭
 
Brittany Luse, host of It's Been a Minute, sits down with Crystal Wilkinson, author of Praisesong for the Kitchenghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks. Wilkinson shares how her recipes and culture are not quite the same as Black Southern cuisine. Black Appalachia's food culture is very much defined by it's geography and terrain; for example, she shared her childhood chore of storing potatoes in the attic as a food preservation technique vs. the more common practice of digging a hole and storing them in the ground. 
 
Wilkinson also adds that, while foraging for wild blackberries may run the usual risk of getting pricked by the brambles, in Appalachia, you also run the risk of running into copperheads and rattlesnakes! 🐍🐍🐍
This email does not contain affiliate links— we share just because we love <3
 
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