Heavy hearts and a little soul
Solidarity against hate, accessible micro-mobility, and an animated first
IN THE MARGINS
It isn’t just business as usual over here at SBLTN amidst the increase in racism, xenophobia, and violent hate crimes against Asians and Asian-Americans.
You might’ve noticed that I skipped last week (hello being human) and some might think “WHY DIDN’T YOU SAY ANYTHING?!” Well, I didn’t specifically call it out for several reasons:
I didn't have anything new or valuable to say. Unfortunately what's new to many isn't new to others. Also, it's exhausting. Although it wasn't happening to me, after the "Summer of Social Justice", I learned how to better manage my energy during these events.
There are other voices way more informed than mine that you can listen to, especially those with lived experiences. Those voices are there, I promise you. And you don’t have to look hard for them - you just have to open your mind.
As someone at the intersection of various marginalized and underrepresented identities, I know that fighting oppressive systems and shitty people is on-going work. It’s not just when a hashtag trends or an incident makes the news. I want to be thoughtful when I speak - not just adding to the performative noise.
With social justice being integral to SBLTN, I would like to think that y’all know how much I value the dismantling of these systems and the thriving of those held down by them. I shouldn’t have to make a big fuss about it for you to know where I stand but in case you didn’t know before, I AM NOT DOWN WITH THIS BULLSHIT. It needs to end. Full stop. No discourse.
Sometimes I move in silence. That can look like supporting loved ones who are facing this trauma, donating (time, money, or other resources), or calling someone out in real life on their fuckery that contributes to this vicious cycle.
For those with heavy hearts as victims or affected in any way by it, I’m sorry… I’m so sorry that the world is this way and that your mere existence shows the worst in people. I love you and hope you know that you don’t deserve ANY of this. Celebrate joy and rest whenever and however you can. I will continue to learn and grow to find ways to truly support you.
ACCESSIBILITY
Accessible Vehicles for Micro-Mobility
Have you seen those city bikes that you can rent? That’s part of the micro-mobility trend. With these smaller, individual modes of transport on the rise, so are the thoughts of “does this accommodate the largest number of people possible?” The company Lime is starting to answer that question by providing a variety of accessible vehicles that allow people with disabilities access to micro-mobility. For example, for those with balance challenges, a 3-wheeled vehicle may better support them, and a handcycle can be controlled without pedaling. Check out the other options and what cities the pilot program is running in :)
❓ QUESTION: Does your city offer micro-mobility options?
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
The Black ASL Project's Book
To piggy back off the documentary "Signing Black In America" is the book “The Hidden Treasure of Black ASL”.
“The Hidden Treasure of Black ASL offers readers unique insights regarding Black American Sign Language in vivid social, historical, and linguistic detail. Informed by universal linguistic principles, the authors offer carefully crafted observations and analyses that will be of interest to anyone who studies human language.” —John G. Baugh, Professor
🎤 SHARE: ASL is already niche but if you know of any literature that involves intersectionality (e.g. d/D/HH and LGBTQ+) or perhaps dives into the history of a specific ethnicity's d/Deaf and Hard of Hearing culture, please share!
Buy From Gallaudet University // Buy From Amazon
ART & DESIGN
Bringing Soul To The Screen
“Soul” is the first Pixar film to feature an African-American protagonist. Mind you, Pixar has been around for decades and produced 23 feature films 🙄 The story follows a middle school music teacher named Joe Gardner, who seeks to reunite his soul and his body after they are accidentally separated - just before his big break as a jazz musician. As the first, it also received some critique. But for me, the amount of melanin in this has me ready to bust out a trumpet :) We gotta start somewhere, right?
Signing off from the Starship SBLTN,
Laneen (Pronouns: she/they)
HEARD IN THE HALLWAYS
🎧 Listening - Jazz Is Black Classical Music - Spotify playlist
💬 Quote - "Ain't nobody coming to see you, Otis" - D. Ruffin (The Temptations, 1998 film)
📖 Reading - De mi Rancho a Tu Cocina YouTube Channel
🖊️ Word of the Day - “Vaccinate” vs. “Inoculate” vs. “Immunize” - The Differences