A Difficult Month & Our Community’s Reality
2025 Vol.2
A quick word on everything & some events!
The last month going into this month has been incredibly difficult time. Our new president has made extreme attacks on anything and everything related to diversity and inclusivity from immigrants to those in our LGBTQIA+ community. Diversity and inclusivity are foundations of the store and my mission but also two tentpoles in our society especially in the neighborhood my shop is located in. These attacks are already having a real impact—especially in our community with ICE agents crawling around- this atrocity already coming after having increased police activity attacking our local street vendors.
What I've seen since the inauguration is this community and our online community coming together and actively trying to help. These are the ones who come to the store looking for resources to share, sending messages on WhatsApp, Google Groups, or reddit about increased activity and where to be careful. These are the people who truly make up the heart of our community.
As we scramble to adjust to this new reality, I’m figuring out what I can do—because I want to do everything I can to help. The first part of this is our Bystander Intervention Training.
Bystander Intervention Training:
Saturday, February 8th from 2:00PM-4:00PM
CAIR-NY
With the alarming rise of hate crimes in the U.S and in the state of New York, this workshop was especially designed to inform and guide you through the process of reporting a hate crime and connects you to critical resources available to hate crime victims.
Short bio for CAIR-NY:
CAIR-NY serves Muslim New Yorkers through legal advocacy, education, media relations, civic engagement, and grassroots mobilization. As a first line of defense, CAIR-NY protects New Yorkers who have experienced discrimination, harassment, hate crimes, and more. We combat Islamophobia and systemic discrimination in all of its forms.
Know Your Rights & Community Support
To start, I’ve included this resource below on what families can do if ICE harasses them or someone around them. I also have red cards in multiple different languages at the shop.
I’m also working on:
A “Know Your Rights” workshop (details to come).
Fundraising efforts for families affected by mass deportations.
If anyone in the community has ideas or wants to collaborate, please reach out.
Books to Understand Our History
Because the reader in me always turns to books during times like this, here are some I highly recommend to help us better understand the history of this country.
Book Launch for Fragments of Wasted Devotion with Mia Arias Tsang
“Your world never ends how you think it will.” In this dazzling debut collection, Mia Arias Tsang explores the complexity and torture of queer heartbreak with an urgency that will leave you breathless. Flash nonfiction, vignettes and personal narrative combine to tell the almost-love stories of her young adulthood. From dusty university libraries to Boston-bound BoltBuses, and the glittering skyscrapers of New York City to the smoggy shores of Venice Beach, FRAGMENTS OF WASTED DEVOTION spans seven years of failing, losing, and finding oneself in love. Featuring original illustrations by Georgia-based artist Levi Wells.
Thank you for all you do, Adrian! <3