🌸 Greetings from Osaka,
The first blossoms are beginning to open against blue skies, such a contrast to the snow from only a week ago.
This month I’ve been taking a food writing course, and there's one idea I keep returning to when the rest of the world feels too heavy to be writing about something like food or travel.
Writing about food is rarely just about the food.
It opens into culture, history, language, identity, power. It is a way to stay curious and connected.
During Mahina ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, language has felt especially alive for me. Seeing Puerto Rican Spanish and Puerto Rican Sign Language centered in Bad Bunny’s performance last weekend deepened that, and the sugarcane imagery brought me back to Hawaii. It was a reminder that cultural identity can be reclaimed and even celebrated.
That there's room for everyone at the table.
That there is still room for joy.
In fact, it is essential in times like these.
If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen that when I share news, I try to pair it with action steps. I don’t want to just stir up anger or hopelessness.
I feel both of those, deeply. But my hope is for us to stay engaged, to stay connected. For me, that work often starts with food.
Genuinely grateful that you’re here,
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