Carving Out Space: Reclaiming Art As QPOC Artists

By ena ganguly I had the opportunity to sit down with Cindy Elizabeth McDonald to discuss her work for Givens Park in collaboration with ForkLift Productions. Her work for Givens focuses on the community members who she grew up with and who share similar connections and hopes for that park and pool as a space to connect, revitalize and nurture …

Five Ways To Stay Cool In July

By ena ganguly I remember the time I traveled to a small coastal town in India. I was there to teach English to students and learn more about the obstacles people faced as they strived to maintain their livelihoods as fishermen and merchants. While there, I lived in a convent that had huge mango trees and lots of open sky. …

Five Things to Enjoy About Summer

By ena ganguly I adore the summer season. Perhaps it’s because of the annual luxurious summer vacations schools afforded me growing up, or because of the vibrant sunshine and long days that reminded me so much of my babyhood in India. During this time of year, I feel awake, active and ready to try new things. Here are some things …

How To Navigate Fatphobia

By ena ganguly “Good job! Keep doing this and you will lose the weight in no time.” A brown nameless uncle smiled through his moustache at me. I was still breathing heavy, one hand on a baby tree, only a little taller than me. I stared at him, too tired and breathless to say anything but a ‘Thank you.” accompanied …

7 Webcomics by Queer People of Color

By Jae Lin We are always on the hunt for QPOC media at allgo. It’s important to us to find and revel in media that not only features queer people of color but are also created by queer people of color. This week, let’s look at some awesome QPOC webcomics! Webcomics are comics or illustrated stories that are published on …

Why The Term Queer Suits Me

By ena ganguly I was 15 years old when I came out to my mom. Well, when I tried to come out to my mom. Back then, I didn’t quite have the words for who I was or how I identified, so I tried my best to articulate to her my preferences in my own way. “I’m not straight…” I …

Why We Need To Stop Asking Others To Take Off Their Shoes Indoors

By ena ganguly “I find it kind of offensive that you would criticize Black people for wearing their shoes inside their homes.” My partner looked at me with all the restraint in the world. She was upset, and rightfully so, while trying to explain to me why I should not criticize folks, especially Black people who come from or have …

Three Ways to Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month as QPOC

By ena ganguly May is the month for many causes, including Lupus and Mental Health Awareness. May is also the month to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage! When I think of AAPI communities, I often think of East Asian, like folks from China, Japan, Korea and Vietnam, when, in reality, the AAPI community is large and geographically …

How Marie Kondo Helped Me Tidy Up My Gender Feelings

By Jae Lin I didn’t read the book with the whole-hearted intention of following her words, really. After watching her Netflix Special, Tidying Up With Marie Kondo. I was curious more than anything else. I also really liked her spirit in the show—so I wanted to soak in more of that. Reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up really filled …

Small Ways to Avoid Burnout

By ena ganguly Let’s face it: we live in one of the most overworked countries in the world. Folks in America put in more hours than those who work in Japan, France and Britain. Data collected in the 1990s indicated that Americans worked longer hours, had less vacation time and later retirement, but now, we are working longer than any …