Mental Health Awareness Month: My Journey to Becoming Fearlessly Just Me

When I was 10, the doctor told my mom that I was 30 pounds overweight. At the time, I weighed 120 pounds and according to the infamous “chart”, I was supposed to weigh 90 pounds. It would impact the choices I would make along the way in everything from relationships and job-related experiences to how I view weight loss.

I was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and was told that what I was experiencing was depression. At that moment, I was speechless. There was a name to what I was going through. And it made me reflect on my life as a whole. My therapist told me that I probably developed this as a child because of that experience when I was 10 and she said that she was in awe that I had dealt with this for so long on my own.

So every year, when May rolls around, I celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month by sharing my story. It continues to evolve. No one is perfect and it’s perfectly okay to seek help when you need it.

Anti-Racism Resources - AAPI

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In this edition of NAAFA’s anti-racism resources, we focus on Asian American and Pacific Islanders: history of Asian Americans; contributions made; what each of us can do to break the cycle of racism and violence against our AAPI family, friends and neighbors.

In Celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. To our Asian and Pacific Islander community members, we honor you and past generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have made positive contributions to American history, laying the groundwork for future generations to continue their important work.

Anti-Racism Resources

Each month, we will be featuring educational resources on the NAAFA Community Voices Blog. Some resources will be historic information about systemic racism. Others will be resources on doing the internal work of understanding ourselves and how we play a part in that system. There may also be actions that can be taken to directly oppose racism. You can find more resources on the NAAFA website at https://naafa.org/antiracism-resources.

BIPOC, From the Newsletters, Resource Guides, AntiracismNAAFA AdminApril 26, 2022Antiracism, Resources

ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH 2022

Each month, we will be featuring educational resources on the NAAFA Community Voices Blog. This month, we focus on Women’s History Month 2022 and Black women that everyone should know. The breadth of the contributions of Black women to the U.S. is immeasurable. There are too many to recognize in this compilation, so here are just a few.

ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2022

Each month, we will be featuring educational resources on the NAAFA Community Voices Blog. Some resources will be historic information about systemic racism. Others will be resources on doing the internal work of understanding ourselves and how we play a part in that system. There will also be actions that can be taken to directly oppose racism. This month, we focus on Black History Month 2022 whose theme is Black Health and Wellness.

Antiracism, BIPOC, From the Newsletter, Resource GuidesDarliene HowellFebruary 18, 2022Antiracism, blackhistorymonth

Anti-Racism Resources - Allyship Edition

Each month, we will be featuring educational resources on the NAAFA Community Voices Blog. Some resources will be historic information about systemic racism. Others will be resources on doing the internal work of understanding ourselves and how we play a part in that system. There will also be actions that can be taken to directly oppose racism. This month, we focus on being an Ally.

BIPOC, From the Newsletters, Resource Guides, AntiracismNAAFA AdminJanuary 23, 2022Antiracism, Resources, Ally, Allyship

ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES - WINTER CELEBRATIONS EDITION

Each month, we will be featuring educational resources on the NAAFA Community Voices Blog. Some resources will be historic information about systemic racism. Others will be resources on doing the internal work of understanding ourselves and how we play a part in that system. There will also be actions that can be taken to directly oppose racism. This month’s Anti-Racism Resources focus on some of the various Winter Celebrations.

BIPOC, From the Newsletters, Resource Guides, AntiracismNAAFA AdminDecember 23, 2021Antiracism, Resources, WinterHolidays, LGBTQIA+

Anti-Racism Resources - Indigenous Heritage Month

Each month, we will be featuring educational resources on the NAAFA Community Voices Blog. Some resources will be historic information about systemic racism. Others will be resources on doing the internal work of understanding ourselves and how we play a part in that system. There will also be actions that can be taken to directly oppose racism. This month’s Anti-Racism Resources focus on Indigenous People in honor of Indigenous Heritage Month.

Anti-Racism Resources in Celebration of Latinx Heritage Month

September 15th through October 15th, National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the U.S. As an organization, NAAFA recognizes this period as Latinx Heritage Month. These anti-racism resources look at the history of racism against Latinx people in the U.S., fighting racism in the Latinx community, and allyship in supporting Latinx people.

Anti-Racism Resources - Back to School

Summer leads to preparation for the upcoming school year: buying books and helping students focus on education and learning. The anti-racism resources we share this month are aimed at BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students and white allies who want to help. You can find more resources on the NAAFA website at https://naafa.org/antiracism-resources.

BIPOC, From the Newsletters, Resource Guides, AntiracismNAAFA AdminSeptember 10, 2021Antiracism, Resources

Anti-Racism Resources

Each month, we will be featuring educational resources on the NAAFA Community Voices Blog. Some resources will be historic information about systemic racism. Others will be resources on doing the internal work of understanding ourselves and how we play a part in that system. There will also be actions that can be taken to directly oppose racism. You can find more resources on the NAAFA website at https://naafa.org/antiracism-resources.

BIPOC, From the Newsletters, Resource Guides, AntiracismNAAFA AdminAugust 6, 2021Antiracism, Resources

Anti-Racism Resources for LGBTQIA+ People of Color

June is Pride Month! While the LGBTQIA+ community and allies celebrate the month with parades and activism events, gay, trans and queer folx deal with biases and discrimination on a daily basis. Compound that with being a person of color and you add a layer of racism to that. This month's anti-racism resources look specifically at that intersection.

BIPOC, From the Newsletter, LGBT+, Resource Guides, AntiracismDarliene HowellJune 25, 2021LGBTQIA+, BIPoC, BIPOC, Antiracism

Pride and Pronouns Part II: Gender privilege and gender respect in NAAFA Community

The first time I heard the term “cisgender” was at a diversity training for educators in the early 2000s. A well-known speaker used the word in a way that assumed everyone in the room knew what it meant. We should have, but the obvious discomfort in the room showed that many of us didn't. I raised my hand. “You used a word I don't know there,” I said. “What does it mean?”

I don’t remember the exact words the speaker used, but he basically explained that someone cisgender is a person whose gender “matches” their sex. I knew the concept, just not the word. A lot of people are raised with the idea that the words ”gender” and “sex” mean the same thing. I learned it that way, and I have no doubt many of you did, too, whether you are cisgender, transgender and/or nonbinary. But, those words don’t actually mean the same thing. Sex relates to bodies and physiology; gender relates to identity and expression.

Pride and Pronouns Part 1: Introduction to pronouns and gender identity

Pride is an important part of June, and pronouns are an important part of pride. And -- spoiler alert -- using the correct pronouns for people is important all year. Many transgender people and allies in the NAAFA community have experience with this, and we’d love it if you could like, comment on and share this post. For those of you who are newer, here are some pointers.

Anti-Racism Resources

Each month, we will be featuring educational resources on the NAAFA Community Voices Blog. Some resources will be historic information about systemic racism. Others will be resources on doing the internal work of understanding ourselves and how we play a part in that system. There will also be actions that can be taken to directly oppose racism. You can find more resources on the NAAFA website at https://naafa.org/antiracism-resources.

BIPOC, From the Newsletters, Resource Guides, AntiracismNAAFA AdminJune 7, 2021Antiracism, Resources

Fat Positive Travel Tips For A Post-Covid World

As a digital nomad, fat activist, solo female traveler, and the founder of Fat Girls Traveling I’ve learned a few things about traveling in a bigger body. We face so many barriers in our everyday lives that traveling outside of our comfort zone can seem inaccessible to us. The travel industry doesn’t consider fat bodies so we’ve had to become detectives when creating size-inclusive itineraries. I’ve created a cheat sheet of sorts to get you through the initial stress of traveling while fat, with specific tips for traveling during a global pandemic.

6 AAPI Influencers and Activists You’ll Love To Follow

Of the many plus-size identities out there, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are some of the least represented larger bodies in plus size media. Writer Laurel Dickman has put together a list of 6 AAPI influencers and activists that you will love to follow!

ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES - AAPI

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. In this edition of NAAFA’s anti-racism resources, we want to focus on Asian American and Pacific Islanders and what each of us can do to break the cycle of racism and violence against our AAPI family, friends and neighbors.

FATT Chat #2: Caleb Luna

Interview with writer, performer, Caleb Luna. Caleb describes themself as a light-skinned, superfat Latinx non-binary person with short, curly black hair, a gold piercing in their right nostril and gold hoop in their septum. In this interview, they discuss their fat acceptance story, who influenced them as a fat person and as a performer, dancing as a fat person, body diversity, and they share a number of people and organizations that they use to empower them. A resource guide to all referenced during the interview is included at the end of the transcript.

Guest Posts, LGBT+, Resource Guides, Fatt ChatBree XVIApril 30, 2021FATT Chat, Caleb Luna, Bree XVI

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