Passing pt 1

I think I want to do a series on the idea of "passing" and skin color and would love to get your insight on the topic. Just submit a post! Right now I will try to speak on some things that have been on my mind.

What do you do when "dressing for the job you want", also includes your job as a community leader? At several Latino professional conferences I always hear people discussing how hard it is to dress professional while honoring your culture. When I asked my friend Michelle (@mgcsilva) what she thought she brought up some other good points"Are suits and cardigans seen as part of "white culture" because successful Latino professionals aren't visible or because the clothes themselves don't fit our bodies or because our bodies in the workplace seem threatening?"

These are all great points, but the question I am facing is slightly different: how do you represent your culture when in a suit you "pass" as white? My skin color isn't enough of an indicator of my culture. So where does that leave you when, without those cultural signifiers, you blend into the white backdrop?

Descriptive Democracy - having leaders who share characteristics such as race, ethnicity, country of origin, or gender - is so important. We need people who we identify with to be in positions of power. Not only so they can make changes that will benefit us but these leaders will eventually normalize people of color being successful. There is still too much of a token minority sensationalism around the chosen few who are in elected office.

But, if you are not seen as "descriptive" of the community you come from, what can you do?

In my minority majority hometown, I never had to deal with the fact that I didn't look Mexican enough. So many of us were Latinos and we all looked different; tall, short, light, dark, blonde, brunette, etc. It was rare that someone had to ask "what are you?" And it was actually pretty entertaining when someone did since I was very active in a Hispanic leadership organization all through high school and felt like I was participating and giving back. There was no mistake I was a Chicana. Or so I thought.

Then I moved.

Now I find myself in a weird position. Very few people think I am Mexican and some don't think I am a women of color. I don't get treated "better" (I am still overweight and live in a body conscious city) though now I am privy to even more insensitive comments. 

So what happened?

Was it my new business casual clothes? My countless hours indoors getting no sun? I don't know. But what I do know is that I am feeling left out. More people assume I am white, or that I don't speak Spanish. These assumptions nag at me and I start to feel a little "lost in the Big City".

I don't think that this experience is particularly unique or excessive challenging, but it can be a lonely place.

Has any of the WC readers been in a situation like this? 

What's In A Name?

Source: Business Insider

A few weeks ago, an aircraft went down in San Francisco. It was a tragedy, no one can argue, but when I found out it was Asiana, I held my breath. I knew there was going to be trouble.

Anytime a tragedy is in any way racial, i.e. not about a white person, the tragedy becomes ABOUT how non-white it is. First there were the jokes: Asians can’t drive, therefore they crashed the plane. Asians have small eyes, therefore they crashed the plane. Did you hear about the one where Korean-Americans live in a culture of deference and that’s why the plane crashed?

The sad thing is I’m not surprised. What ended up being surprising was what followed: releasing fake, obviously racist “names” of the Asiana pilots on TV. Sum Ting Wong? Ho Lee Fuk? This was shit I got in 5th grade when white kids would pull their eyes back, bow at me, and say with an “Asian” accent that my name was Ho Lee Fuk because, get it? My last name is Lee.

Many people have debated whether or not this was a simple tasteless joke or something racist, more serious. You don’t see anyone else fucking up Zach Galifianakis’s name or thinking Zsa Zsa Gabor is a weird name. So why is it okay to mimic Asian names?

Featured in a CNN article, Paul Cheung and Bobby Calvan of the Asian American Journalists Association wrote: "Making up Asian names or mimicking foreign accents are not innocent forms of satire. Doing so demeans and hurts."

My parents gave me a Chinese name and an English name. Vivian means lively. 李慧文 means many things. Separately 慧 means intelligence; 文 means literature, the written language. 李 has so much legacy behind it that it has its own Wikipedia page! Needless to say, my mom basically dictated my personality and interests before I even knew it. But in all seriousness, by making fun of Chinese names (or Asian names and any “ethnic” name for that matter) is to Other me, is to erase my history, my culture, my language. Not only is it my history, but it’s the sad history of Asian-American immigration.

According to Gary Okihiro, the founding director of the Center for Study of Ethnicity and Race at Columbia University, the mocking of Asian names dates back to when immigrants started arriving in the United States. "In the 19th century, many immigration officials who first greeted Asian migrants demeaned them, by first of all, making fun of their names because they couldn't pronounce them properly, or assigning them names like John Chinaman or China Mary," he said.

"Anything foreign seems to be open season or free game," continues Okihiro. When even a professional television news broadcast is airing shit like this, well ain’t that the truth.

"Where Are You From?" The African-American Edition

Vest: Madewell // Dress: J.Crew // Sandals: DV by Dolce Vita // Bag: South Moon Under

For those U.S. readers, I'm hoping you all had a great 4th of July! I spent the day in southern Maryland along the Chesapeake Bay; we went boating, I tried jetskiing for for the first time and ate a lot of crab (that's what we do in Maryland!)

For some reason, lately I've been getting the question "where are you from?" All of my life until the past few years, when I told someone I was from the DC suburbs, that seemed like a satisfactory answer for them. Maybe it's because of my facial features or my dark skin, but nowadays people seem somewhat disappointed that I'm not claiming I'm from a certain African country.

I identify fully as American. My ancestors have been in this country for centuries, as they were brought over during the slave trade. They were stripped of their culture, their names and records of them are few and far between. I couldn't even tell you what nation in Africa my ancestors are from, since unfortunately my ancestors were treated as property and not people back in the day.

I'm not one of those people who's going to be permanently bitter about the past, and I wholeheartedly embrace the American culture I've been born into. I don't think some people understand that being African-American is a culture in itself. We have our own little traditions, our own food, etc. I'm not going to disregard my African ancestors, but Africa is an entire continent and I unfortunately can't even trace back what specific region my ancestors are from. So yes, I am 100% an American and I'm proud of it. Please stop asking me where I'm "from," because quite frankly does it really matter in the end?

9th Annual Asian Pacific Asian Film Festival

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the 9th Annual Asian Pacific Asian Film Festival hosted by OCA-Greater Houston and held at Brilliart Studios. I didn't even know there was an Asian-American film community in Houston! Brilliart was a cute little studio in the middle of "China town" that's still expanding and very cool. The film fest was a free four day event that showcased Asian Pacific Asian film makers about issues within the community. The films ranged from witty and laughable moments, to real tear jerkers.


It was a great event, especially since they even showcased local film makers that were there for Q&A and commentary. I was only able to attend for one day, however, now I have a whole list of films and documentaries I want to check out.

Cultural Appropriation: A conversation

Images courtesy of Sanaa Hamid 

"Tom" (Left): "It's not religious to me but an expression of colour and print--something Beautiful."
"Unknown Sikh Man" (Right): "My turban is for honour, self-respect...It is our identity as Sikhs. To wear it for fashion...that is wrong."

A few weeks ago, my fellow WC contributor Alicia wrote a very good introduction post to cultural appropriation so I thought it would be fitting to elaborate, expand, and discuss it further here now. What better way to do it than with a WOC artist who is exploring it herself?

I came across this art project by UK photographer Sanaa Hamid called "Cultural Appropriation: A Conversation." The project is "an exploration of the extent of cultural appropriation and encourages a discussion about it." Juxtaposing two photos, Sanaa gives the appropriator and the appropriated the "opportunity to defend themselves." 

Click the cut to see more of Sanaa's project and to read a very insightful interview I did with the artist. 

Eastern Womanism: Sampat Pal Devi and the Gulabi Gang

It is funny how the older I become, the harder it is for me to become inspired. Maybe it has something to do with loosing my imagination. Or my hope. Maybe it has to do with not being exposed to people who share common identifiers. Whatever it is, I am always looking for inspiration.

Taken from Sampat Pal Devi's Facebook Page

When I found out about Sampat Pal Devi and her Gulabi Gang, I was initially delighted. I had only read a snippet about their mission and promised to revisit their website again. After catching some of Kim Longinotto's documentary "Pink Sari", I began researching the group. I tried to steer clear of articles from white feminists and looked towards their website, Sampat Pal's Facebook, and other publications.

Working with NGO's I have read several mission statements, some bad, some good. Never have I seen a "Vision" (different than their mission). Simple and sincere, it stirred something inside me.

"Protect the powerless from abuse and fight corruption to ensure basic rights of the poor in rural areas and discourage traditions like child-marriages."

Taken from the Gulabi Gang Website

Sampat Pal is really an extraordinary women.  According to the Indian Express article she is a "barely educated, impoverished grandmother [who] has emerged as a messianic figure in the region." But they don't talk about her empathy. She's a tough lady (I would never want to be on the receiving end of her fiery), but she is gentle and compassionate. She is a practitioner of tough love, but also tenderly wipes the tears from the faces of scared, oppressed women. She cries with them, she shares her home with them, she protects them.

What is more powerful than that?

She is quoted in the Gulf News article saying:

"When I’d confronted him alone, he refused to listen to me,” she says. “But when I approached him with a group of women, he admitted his mistake. It was then that I realized the power of unity."

I cannot agree more with this statement. I think it is so important for women to stand together. Still, I sometimes find it hard when women who are "progressives" or "feminists" do not include, or even acknowledge, the women who are fighting for their rights as women of color. Those who choose to not see race are, in reality, erasing us and our struggles from the conversation. As if we are already not invisible enough.

Though, I can't put 100% of the blame on white America. I know my community and I know the problems we face. Those who chose to help their community should also spend time focusing their efforts in fixing the problem within it. That is something I think Sampat Pal has not only realized, but executed bravely.

It is time to stand up, together. "Only if you stay together can you fight such crimes in society". 

English Only!

Just this past week, I was venting to a fellow contributor about the sorts of demands my mom regularly receives as a Vietnamese nail technician, more specifically - the demand for beauty sessions to be a strict English Only zone as a means of comfort for paranoid white customers. And then a few days ago,  I learned that Whole Foods suspended two employees at a New Mexico location for speaking Spanish during work hours, which is laughable and ironic in itself considering NM has the highest percentage of Spanish speakers in the country as well as constitutional laws and regulations that protect the language. Whole Foods has since aggressively responded to the uproar on social media with the predictable justification for their actions with reasons such as, "for consistent communication, inclusion, and especially for safety and emergency situations". Shameful! In light of this situation, my mom, and the multitude of other speakers who are continuously reprimanded for the use of their native languages in professional settings, this post serves as my own personal rebuttal to the same xenophobic bullshit reasons I so often hear.

Real Talk.

I was talking to a fella about how I rarely walk alone at night and he pretty much scoffed at me. At first I was really annoyed by his insensitivity, but after collecting my thoughts for this post, I thought, "it must be nice to walk down the street without being harassed or without fear of being sexually attacked." Maybe he just has no idea.

I'm not sure if it's the fact that I've watched way too many Law & Order: SVU episodes, or it's that I've been receiving unwanted male attention on a daily basis since I was practically a child, but either way, it has made me become terrified of being attacked and very alert of possible predators.

On a recent trip to a 24-hour grocery store, a man made me extremely uncomfortable with his leering. I was done with my shopping around midnight and while I was in the check-out line, I noticed him blatantly staring. I tried to meet his gaze with my angry 'don't mess with me' face, but he was either oblivious or he just didn't care. Since he finished and left before me, I was very cautious when walking to my car. I scanned the parking lot and was totally thrown off when I spotted him (making eye contact with me) standing next to his giant white, windowless van. He was parked two rows down from me and close to the exit of the parking lot. After I was better aware of my surroundings, I swiftly walked over to my car and began unloading my cart full of groceries as fast as I could. About midway through my basket, the man turned on his car, backed up, and started heading toward me - the opposite way of the exit. I threw everything into the passenger side of my car, left the basket, ran to get into the car, and locked the doors. The man slowed down, looked at me, and continued on.

It was terrifying, but after I settled down, I found myself wondering, "..was it all in my head? Was this just a man trying to get some late night groceries? Am I paranoid?" After reflecting and studying statistics of women who are attacked annually in the US, I came up with, "hell no I'm not paranoid." According to RAINN, 1 in 6 Americans will be sexually assaulted, 9 out of 10 people will be women, 18.8% have been black women and 24.4% "mixed race" women (*see note at the bottom). With those statistics, the chances of me being attacked are way higher than I'd like them to be.

After some extensive research, I've decided that I want to be better prepared to defend myself. It's not that I live in constant fear of being attacked, but it is a very real thing that I keep in the back of my mind. It devastates me that it is something that I feel I must worry about.

Here are some resources that I found to be helpful:

1. 7 Self-Defense Tips for Women: How to Fight Back if You're Attacked (Savvy Miss). While searching for lists of tips, I was outraged to find so many that basically said, "don't look like a victim" (i.e. don't wear short skirts and tank tops ... really? eff that noise).

2. Pepper Spray. It's only $10. If you decide to buy it, make sure not to accidentally get some residue on your fingers and then rub your eyes. It's very, very painful --or so I've heard. ;)

3. Safety Tips (She Knows) - I don't love everything on this list, but there are some good pointers.

Unfortunately my grocery shopping experience wasn't the first time I had been made to feel very uncomfortable when I was by myself at night. I've been followed, stalked, verbally harassed, cornered, asked "how much" I cost -- even recently, I was walking down a parking lot with WC contributor Michelle and we were followed and harassed by a man who would hardly take 'no' for an answer. 

I've found myself to be more confident when I'm feeling alert and aware of my surroundings. Do you have any safety tips? Have you had any similar uncomfortable experiences -- if so, how did you handle them?


 *I'm weary of fact sheets produced by the government, but while looking for statistics of sexual assaults on Latinas, I found that many undocumented Mexican women living in the US feel as though they can't report their assaults. I also was sad to read that on their journey to the US, many Mexican women take birth control because they expect to be sexually assaulted while crossing the Mexico-US border and don't want to become pregnant.

A Lesson In Cultural Appropriation

A couple weeks ago, I made a fashion post on WC featuring a dress I picked up at American Eagle. I purchased the dress because I thought it was cute, didn't necessarily think twice about the design on the dress. It was pointed out to me that this dress, which was produced by a mass retailer, was a prime example of cultural appropriation.

Honestly, I had very little idea of what that meant until the ladies of this community educated me a bit further.

Cultural appropriation can be defined as "Taking intellectual property, traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, or artifacts from someone else's culture without permission. This can include unauthorized use of another culture's dance, dress, music, language, folklore, cuisine, traditional medicine, religious symbols, etc. It's most likely to be harmful when the source community is a minority group that has been oppressed or exploited in other ways or when the object of appropriation is particularly sensitive, e.g. sacred objects."

Even though I see these types of cultural prints on clothing from mass retailers on the regular, I wasn't fully aware of how it exploited those cultures. Educating myself on this issue made me pretty upset that mass retailers don't treat these cultural symbols with any sort of respect.

I have a ways to go in understanding the difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation, however, retailers have a pattern of disregarding cultural groups when it comes to mass producing products. We can still appreciate cultural pieces; instead of buying them from a mass retailer, buy them from the group that originally curated those pieces.

More articles on Cultural Appropriation: Sharp Tongue Charlie, The Sadness of Pencils, Jezebel, Refinery29

Like a Real Adult

With my boards quickly approaching, my mind has been scattered in a million places, so this is your warning in advance that this post is complete mixture of everything.

To honor the fact that I am about to start my 40 hour, salary paid, real adult job, I wanted to show proof that sometimes I dress like a real adult.

Shirt: Cotton On // Pants: Zara // Pumps: Target
I figured since I was just going to a meeting, I would take advantage of actually being able to sit down and wear some sensible heels. Slouchy button up, tapered high waisted pants - this is probably one of my favorite types of work attire.
Anyway, like I mentioned before, I am about to take my boards test (which I need to pass in order to start this real adult job of mine). Due to the immense amount of studying I've been doing, I decided that I am not allowed to participate in certain forums and fashion communities I am apart of. Due to the fact that I can still READ posts but I am not able to COMMENT on them, I've been going a little crazy with opinions that I have nobody to share with but myself. But wait, isn't that what blogs are for? To complain about things without anybody stopping you?

Another warning: angry Asian girl rant is about to unravel.

So while I was studying, I found this cute little Etsy that sold handmade leather shoes. I saw that they were located in Vietnam and got excited. COOL!!!! A Vietnamese girl selling cool things on Etsy!!!!!! THIS IS SO EXCI...hmm what? The shop owner's name doesn't look very Vietnamese..... Needless to say, I was disappointed to click on the bio and see a picture of a blue eyed, blonde haired girl. I also made the mistake of reading her profile and her "inspirational story".

It was pretty much TL;DR so I won't bother copy pasting all of it. In a nutshell though, the owner is trying to find her life through world travel (Eat, Pray, Love style y'all). She thinks it's cool these Vietnamese people can make shoes. She learns how to make shoes from them. Now sells them on Etsy. While living in Vietnam. Oh you know, these poor Vietnamese people had nothing. They taught me a skill that they use to barely survive and now I use this skill (AND THEIR SHOP!) to make money and have a cute little Etsy shop!  Oh, AND I get to sell it for like 10x more than they do!!

"I envisioned myself sitting and making shoes just as they were. Always dreaming of being an artist, I had spent 4 years in college for a Bachelor's in Fine Arts that I had never really made use of. Was this the opportunity I was waiting for?"

Right, you're just like them.

Oh gawd, my face had a permascowl the rest of the day. I admit, the shoes were cute but there's nothing more I hate then a self-congratulatory biography that reeks of privilege while trampling on other people's hardships. It just really hit home with since I still have family in Vietnam living that hard life and it kills me to see it getting exploited in order to have better sales on Etsy.

Every craft maker on Etsy had to learn their skill somewhere, so to me, I thought the whole inspirational, "hardship" story was unnecessary. Cool story bro, but to me, you're just livin' da life while using the supplies and skills of hard working Vietnamese people. It just seemed highly exploitative to use their shop (I mean, she pays to use it I suppose), skills, and trade then glamorize their whole way of living through the outlet of an Etsy shop.

It's a means of living for them.  It's their life.

P.S. I know my fellow contributors have posted a lot more thought-provoking, intelligent, and educational posts, so I'm sorry you get this rant instead.

Countdown

Happy June! Wow, I really can't believe it. New Year's Eve feels like it was yesterday, and 2007 feels like it was just last year instead of 6 years ago. Time flies, and even more so as you get older, I feel. It actually really depresses me.

It was a pretty tough week at work, and the last two days were especially difficult. In case you haven't read my bio, I'm a behavioral therapist for children with autism, on the spectrum, or with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (better known as PDD). It is not a career for me, and I don't intend to continue with it as one, so it's just a job. One I've been doing for a little over 5 years, and one that exhausts me every single day.

I love being a part of progress, and I love helping children (especially the little ones for early intervention), but despite how used to tantrums, crying, and screaming I am, it takes a huge toll on you. The last few days were especially high in the frequency and intensity of these behaviors so I'm a little low on the energy to write anything Serious. I also had a little small, but recurrent, realization that I'm just not where I had envisioned myself with regards to finance, career, and marriage at 27. It's a thought that always lingers at the back of my mind, and when I have tough weeks or days, it's quick to surface. I think it's something that I'll never be able to reconcile, a life I envisioned with what life really is now and as I get older, it's something that grows more and more impossible to do.

Happy To Be Hapa

Enjoying the California sun + What I left in the JANM: Visible & Invisible Guest Book

This past weekend, I was lucky enough to take a quick trip home to Los Angeles for some much needed rest and relaxation.  I’ll spare you the details of all the delicious food I consumed - but suffice to say it was plentiful and I ate everything.

While home, my buddy informed me of an exhibition going on at the Japanese American National Museum: Visible & Invisible: A Hapa Japanese American History.  I couldn’t resist checking it out - it is not too often (re: ever) that I hear about exhibitions entirely dedicated to us hapas, and it sounded awesome.

May Reflections

Banana Republic cardigan // American Apparel dress // Bakers boots // Forever 21 clutch and necklace

Happy Memorial Day weekend, friends! I still have to work on Sunday and Monday (seriously not happy about it, but I need the dough), but it's the first Saturday I'm not working so I'm actually gonna head out to a strawberry festival here! But first, a post!

The second I publish my post, I try to start generating ideas for my next one, but more often than not, it ends up that I'm on the computer late Friday night busting out ideas after ideas that get trashed, literally. I've been trying really hard to think of more "substantial" posts now because I don't have that many clothes to do OOTDs. I love all our other contributors' fashion posts though because I enjoy seeing others' styles and how they may pair colors, prints, and styles that I probably would never think to, but my own clothes actually bore me. I'm in the midst of revamping my wardrobe as well, so it's difficult to generate a lot of WIWTs/OOTDs when I'm unhappy with 80% of my closet items.

And I definitely am not stating that we should be more than that, we can be, but let us not forget that we are first and foremost a fashion and beauty blog! It's okay to not have serious posts (we strive to though!). And I don't always prefer a consistently serious blog anyway-- my job demands a lot of my energy, so at the end of the day, I'm exhausted, and I just want to see something pretty, as I'm sure a lot of you do too!

See you all in June, when I post next! Have an amazing and wonderful weekend! :)

domestic disturbia

cat print sleeveless tank top: sessùn / parka: penfield x madewell / velvet circle skirt: american apparel / rain boots: urban outfitters
There was torrential downpour for a few hours today, hence my outfit. It actually just started pouring outside the Starbucks that I'm stealing wifi from right now. The worst part about living on South Beach when there's heavy rain is the flooding that occurs for a few days afterward, since most neighborhoods are, on average, a mere 6 feet above sea level. Basically, sewers are useless and water actually comes back up instead of staying down.

In other news, one of my favorite local bars recently posted a picture of Rihanna at a Miami Heat game on their instagram, advertising that they'd be showing the game for the night. It took less than an hour for someone to make a crack about Chris Brown beating her. Naturally, I had to say something. The dude gave me the typical "chill out" and "lighten up it's just a joke" spiel. I explained to him that making a joke out of something as serious as domestic abuse is awful because, you know, you're basically dismissing the experiences of victims. I ended my comment saying I didn't want to keep commenting on the bar's instagram, and what I had to say about his behavior was pretty much the end of it.

But it didn't stop there! Nope. He proceeded to look through my old pictures, make a comment on one of them, and then call me "cunty" after kindly explaining to him exactly why what he said was offensive and potentially triggering for some people.

He ended up telling me that ~nobody asked me to speak for domestic abuse victims~ and I told him there's a difference between speaking for people and speaking up for people. He also pointed out the fact that I called him out for having a "manchild tantrum" was equally offensive as him calling me a cunt (I wish I could have argued with this dude in real life so I could've pulled out this diagram I always mentally prepare to explain and compare the effects of and motives behind misogyny and misandry). ALSO, he said that my sensitivity to domestic abuse jokes is as "equally repulsive as the act itself." OK.

After awhile he couldn't take the heat, and tried to outsmart me with a tired Mark Twain quote about stupid people. I hit him with a classic Sylvia Plath quote: "There it goes: the last fuck I give."

I know I shouldn't, but I really get a thrill out of riling up/schooling offensive assholes on the Internet who go out of their way to provoke me. It's exhausting, and I know I probably won't change their minds, but I love challenging the status quo of people who are likely very much used to their experiences and behaviors being praised and never questioned. And honestly, if I can get someone to at least think about why their behavior and/or mentality is problematic, I am more than satisfied.

April Reflections

I spent most of today running around in circles at an Asparagus Festival in Stockton, CA. My next endeavor is to tackle the Garlic Festival in Gilroy, CA in July - Woo! These kind of events never fail to make me contemplate spending money on the most questionable things - Laura Ingalls Wilderesque floral dresses, airbrush tattoos, scrabble tile necklaces with cats on them. You know, the usual. Instead, I settled on some deep fried goodness and a Self Defense Kitty Keychain (supposedly illegal in California & can qualify as brass knuckles), but I'll take my chances.

Dress: Forever 21  // Sandals: Zara // Bag: Marc Jacobs

I didn't want to feel weighed down by a fussy outfit in 90 degree heat so I settled on a simple dress and strappy sandals. Ugh speaking of, I'm super horrified at the thought of summer already approaching because I absolutely hate summer clothing more than anything and feel most comfortable in layers, parkas, and boots. I don't understand how so many women seem to stay beautifully composed even in humidity and heat! I am nowhere near ready to feel like an awful slob for the next few months. I wish I had the option of hibernating.

Watch: Marc Jacobs // Bracelets: Forever 21

And because it's nearing the end of April, I've been reflecting this weekend on the many aspects of Within Color I'm working towards, whether short or long term. Blogging is always on my mind and I'm constantly making lists on how to better and promote the growth of this blog. Along with welcoming a new contributor (Hi, Toni!), I'm also currently working on getting all of our social media sites up and running (please follow us elsewhere if you haven't already!). In addition to getting organized, I hope to soon reach out to more WOC bloggers, organizations, and everyday readers who want to make an occasional guest post or wish to be involved in some capacity. 

Also, it took a lot of willpower for me not to approach women of color at the festival and ask for permission to take photos of them as a sort of "street style" feature here on the blog. I only assume that they would think I'm joking, not understand what a blog is, or wonder why I don't have a proper camera. I would love to eventually have a feature like this here though. Hernandez is already working towards this idea with great posts that include WOC at DC events and I hope to soon join her with Sacramento. With time!

Do you have any suggestions for us here at Within Color? What would you like to see more of?