September has finally come to a close and with it the first month of classes. Congrats!! You've made it through.
To help you unwind from assignments, jobs, and endless Zoom calls, we've compiled a list of some of our members' favorite BIPOC creators. From books to podcasts to movies to music, we hope these recommendations bring you a little bit of comfort and joy.
The Unpassing by Chia-Chia Lin - by Farene Shahid
The Unpassing, the debut novel by Chia-Chia Lin, undertakes the tragedy of a Taiwanese immigrant family’s loss of a child in the setting of a bleak Alaskan foreground. Lin’s concise, careful prose leaves you haunted, in the shoes of the narrator- 10 year old Gavin. Lin writes in the first person, with Gavin’s perspective allowing for the reader to understand how a family finds itself lost in the unrelenting, harsh landscape of Alaska whilst rejected by the surrounding white community and tearing itself apart from within.
Rather than asking how does an immigrant family cope with the loss of a child or their deteriorating finances or systematic discrimination in the mid 1980s- Lin asks “what is a family?” This novel probes at the heart of what keeps a family together in a place that does not feel like home. It is not a light read, to say the least! It is an emotional rollercoaster that is sustained by Lin’s poetic writing and engaging storyline. As a child of an immigrant, this novel evokes a number of relatable themes without outright stating the conflict- making Lin’s work deeply reflective and thoughtful for those who empathize with Gavin.
Image courtesy of Amazon.com
Un Canto por México, Vol. 1 by Natalia Lafourcade - by Nicolas Rios
Recently, I have been listening to Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade and her latest album Un Canto por México, Vol. 1 which was released earlier this year. Growing up in a first-generation Mexican-American family, corridos, baladas, and general mariachi music were a staple of daily life and culture. Natalia Lafourcade beautifully rejuvenates and mixes these genres with latin rock, alternative rock, pop rock and her own contemporary spark to produce a wonderfully crisp and moving experience for her listeners. Each song in her new album is an intricately constructed journey - moving, profound, and masterfully executed. You can listen to her new album on Spotify here.
Image courtesy of Amazon.com
Childhood with Chanel and Tiffany - by Carolyne Im
This podcast! Gives me so much joy!! Childhood is a podcast by Chanel and Tiffany Miller, two Chinese-American sisters who talk about their lives, childhoods, and current struggles in a fluid, unscripted conversation. Chanel is an activist, author, and artist who is most well known for her memoir Know My Name, which was published in September 2019. She is joined by her younger sister Tiffany, and the two of them explore their childhood memories and how it has shaped them.
This podcast is lovely and nostalgic and holds the intimacy of two women who deeply care for each other. Their conversation flows from light topics like the color of their bedroom walls to more serious ones like quarantine weight, anxiety, and coping with racial injustice. Along with hearing their stories, they prompt you to reflect on your own childhood memories in search of joy, safety, and warmth. You can find Childhood with Chanel and Tiffany anywhere you listen to podcasts!
Image courtesy of Stitcher.com
Skin by Beverly Naya - by Ebunoluwa Akinbode
Beverly Naya is probably most known for her role as the threatened “other woman” from the popular Nollywood film, Wedding Party (also watch this movie if you want to have a good time). In Skin, however, she steps away from the confident, sly character she portrayed to show a more vulnerable side I didn’t know she could carry so well. Her and those she interviewed are raw and open about their journey with the skin bleaching culture in Nigeria and coming to love their skin in ways that any viewer can resonate with. She widens the focus to explore the general problem of colorism and European standards of beauty that fuel trends like skin bleaching. By cutting deeper into the issue she calls on the viewer to recognize and reject the systems that make them question themselves. Basically I stan this film and highly recommend! (available on Netflix here)
Image courtesy of New On Netflix
La Trenza by Mon Laferte- by María Cueto
Mon Laferte is a Chilean singer-songwriter known for her retro style with a modern twist. In her album La Trenza she combines indie, rock and traditional Andean sounds, and collaborates with some of Spanish rock’s biggest names such as Juanes and Enrique Bunbury. With her powerful voice and rhythmic tunes, this is an album that will definitely allow you to let all of those Fall 2020 semester feelings out! Personal favorites are Mi Buen Amor and Amarrame! Listen to her album on Spotify here.
Image courtesy of Amazon.com
Ambar Lucid - By Jennifer Cuyuch
Ambar Lucid is an American-Dominican-Mexican artist from New Jersey. Being only 19 years of age she is discovering and experimenting with her sound but, as of now, sings Alternative and R&B genres. She finds inspiration in previously mentioned artist Mon Larferte and Omar Apollo. Her music touches upon topics of love, family and mental health often singing between Spanish and English. She purposely makes an effort to sing in Spanglish as it is an integral part of the Latinx American identity. My favorite songs include “A Letter to My Younger Self,” a song about giving yourself reassurance during hard times and “Question My Mind,” a song about love. Both of these songs are very soothing and spark reflection. Listen to her music here!
Image courtesy of Rolling Stone Magazine
This is the first installment of our monthly favorites series. If you are interested in featuring one of your favorite BIPOC creators, fill out our form here.
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