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What does anti-racism work look like… _ Maybe it

What does anti-racism work look like…
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Maybe its reading books on racism so you know what the core issues really are...the ones that you may not have been exposed to, haven’t experienced first hand, or have unknowingly participated in
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Maybe it looks like joining an anti-rasicm book club and having a non-judgemental space to talk about these issues so you can understand what tangible solutions look like
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Maybe it's donating to an organization or charity whose #1 priority is to end racial or environmental injustice
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Maybe it's speaking out when people say or do things that are racist, even if it feels uncomfortable (discomfort is not the same as not being safe)
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Maybe it's talking to your family and friends about racism, and being open to the fact that not everyone will be on the same page as you
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Maybe it's using your business to give back and support organizations or initiatives that are trying to end racist policies
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Anti racism work is gonna look different for everyone, but we all need to do the work.

Where did your food come from? And what did it tak

Where did your food come from? And what did it take to get to you?
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After 3 1/2 months of quarantining, Wilson and I were able to get out of the city last week and spend some time in his home state of Vermont. One thing this trip reminded me of was how incredible it is when you can source all of your food locally right from the people who grew it.
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We took most of our food with us on the trip to avoid having to go into any groceries while away, but we were also able to get a bunch of local food from farmers markets and directly from farms themselves. As in: “hey, can I come over and buy some of your incredible, home grown strawberries or arugula? Better yet, can I pick it myself?”
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Not only were these local ingredients super fresh, but they also helped us create some of the most delicious meals we’ve ever eaten. It felt great to support local growers and farmers, putting money directly in their pockets without any middle men swooping in and taking most of their profits. Everything we ate was hyper local, farmed without chemicals or antibiotics, and didn’t travel thousands of miles to get to us.
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So I guess what I’m trying to get at here is: the next time you pick up some food, or groceries or takeout, ask yourself: what did it take to get this food to me? How many hands has this passed between the farm and my plate? How far has this traveled? And was everyone paid fairly along the way?

Today is Juneteenth in the US, which commemorates

Today is Juneteenth in the US, which commemorates the abolition of slavery in 1865. Interestingly enough, today is also Labor Day in Trinidad (where I’m from). Labor Day, a national holiday in Trinidad, commemorates the workers’ riots that took place in 1937 that lead to the beginning of workers rights movements in Trinidad. At the time, workers weren’t treated well, nor were they paid fair wages. And they were subjected to a whole lotta racism.
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Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about racism in the US and how it compares to Trinidad. Sure, there are a lot of differences: the main ones being that Trinidad is a country made up of people of color, run by people of color, policed by people of color, and educated by people of color. There is so much that is different about the two, yet racism still exists in both.
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I spent most of my life in Trinidad, and now as I compare that environment to how things are in the US, I’ve been questioning a lot of the things I was taught and a lot of the things I observed growing up. Things like: opinions, comments, and generalizations about *certain types* of people. Things that I absorbed as *objective truths*, were really *subjective opinions* that I then internalized as my own truths. Some of it seemed harmless at the time. But as I dive more into studying racism and how abstracted it has become over the past century, I’ve realized that many of the opinions and comments I’ve absorbed were racist. I can now see it for what it is.
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Something I recently learned in the book *White Fragility* is that racism hasn’t gone away, it’s just become a heck of a lot harder to detect since it’s been abstracted to seem “less extreme”, but the underlying message is the same. And in that sense, perhaps it’s even more deadly.
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I understand that I have the privilege to unpack these beliefs and thoughts on my own time, having never really been affected by these ideas first hand.
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I have never had to question whether the color of my skin was the result of a decision or opinion someone had about me. But acknowledging this blindspot, followed by intentional action, is the first step in creating positive change.

You don't have to be protesting on the front lines

You don't have to be protesting on the front lines to be an activist. There's no one right way. But it is important to stand up for what's right. And part of that activism has to be rooted in self-education, reflection and questioning of our own implicit biases.
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But perhaps one of the most important forms of activism is voting! Recent events (and countless lived experiences by people of color, along with countless books, articles and videos) have proved that racism is embedded into the policies and infrastructure that the US runs on.
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Voting = Activism
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So let's stand together in solidarity with Black and Indigenous People of Color to ensure their rights are respected and protected by voting out politicians who keep the systemic racism and policies of this country intact.
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You don't have to be part of the problem. You can choose to be part of the solution.
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P.S. If you’re not yet registered to vote, you can still register by going to the official voter registration site at 👉 WWW.VOTE.GOV
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P.P.S. If you have concerns about voting during the time of covid, you can submit your vote by mail. I dropped my absentee vote in the mail yesterday, but there's still time to apply to vote by mail.
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Remember, it starts with you. It starts with all of us
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together, let's be part of the solution

When I first made the decision to cut dairy and gl

When I first made the decision to cut dairy and gluten from my diet (because it was causing some health issues), I thought that meant I’d have to give up some of the things I most enjoyed eating. That I’d somehow have to live in deprivation.
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At the time, I thought it would be impossible. I mean...everything has gluten and dairy in it!?! And I thought that something like this...a lemon meringue pie, which was my favorite dessert as a kid, just seemed like it would be off the table. But here lies a vegan and gluten free lemon meringue pie that Wilson and I made this weekend.
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You see, choosing to live a certain way, whether that means changing your diet, or living minimally, or trying to be mindful of your environmental footprint in all aspects of your life, can seem like you have to give up a lot. But you can actually have your cake (or pie) and eat it too.
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You don’t have to live a life full of deprivation. It's so much more about making intentional decisions about the things you choose to have in your life, instead of just thinking about what you can’t have. It’s about consuming intentionally, rather than blindly.
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I often think about this when it comes to living sustainably. At first glance, it can seem like a life of “can’t haves” and sacrifices, but in a way, it’s a life that allows you to really appreciate the things that you choose to have in your life. Making each decision intentional.
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What kind of ways do you choose to live your life that may seem unconventional? Was it hard at first? Did some people give you the look ro ask why the heck you would even do that?
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[PS: I do cheat on my GF and dairy-free diet sometimes...after all, I’m only human. And I’m ok with that]

In case we haven’t had a chance to DM as yet, I

In case we haven’t had a chance to DM as yet, I wanted to reintroduce myself…
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I’m shannon...I started my low waste journey a few years ago. At the time, I felt like I was doing a good job by just recycling, but then I realized that was just the tip of the iceberg of what I could be doing to lower my footprint. So I started tackling my waste at the source. Buying less. Being more mindful about what I really needed. And trying to divert as much waste from the landfill as I could.
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Then I started my blog and instagram to help educate people about things they could do in their daily lives to tread a little lighter on the planet.
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What started off as a simple blog has evolved into a service-based business where I have the opportunity to support both small businesses and eco-conscious peeps reduce their footprints in a way that benefits the planet as well as everyone around them.
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So whether you run a business that's trying its best to be conscious and respectful of the environment, or you're an individual who feels overwhelmed by the negative impact your daily actions have on the planet, I can help.
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The choices you make in your personal and professional life can change the world, can prevent plastic from getting into our oceans, and can stop climate change in its tracks.
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So, let’s dive right in...got questions about how to lower personal footprint? Not sure how you can be sustainable during quarantine? Tired of feeling like you’re the only one in your household who actually gives a shit when it comes to the planet?
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Let’s hash it out and see if we can find some actual solutions that work for you and your lifestyle.

What have you been going without during your quara

What have you been going without during your quarantine? Trips to the hair salon, weekly dinners out with your beau, that daily coffee or kombucha you just had to have? It’s funny how we often think we need something, yet when we have to go without it, we barely even notice after a while.
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Yesterday, I cut my hair in my bathroom. And although I’ve been cutting my hair for the past couple of years, simply cuz its just expensive here in NY, this time around, doing it in quarantine had me thinking about all of the people who are cutting their hair for the first time and realizing: “hey, I could probably do this on a regular.” And my guess is that a lotta people are probably having the same realization about so many things that they use to buy, consume and indulge in before their quarantine started.
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This is all to say that maybe the way we consume will be different moving forward. Maybe we don’t need as much as we thought in order to be happy. Maybe we can look inside and focus on what really matters, instead of filling our lives and our homes with stuff.
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Have you had any realizations recently about stuff/food/experiences you thought you had to have but now realize that it wasn’t that big of a deal to go without?

I’m feeling super grateful that despite everythi

I’m feeling super grateful that despite everything that’s going on, I can still nourish my body by eating healthy and working out.
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Yet I can’t help but feel guilty. I listened to a podcast this morning about how some of the essential workers are being treated, especially in the food/grocery industry. And it just breaks my heart. I feel guilty that I’m somehow a part of that just by purchasing food. And then there’s the whole thought process that essential workers also feel very conflicted right now. Many have to work in order to keep a roof over their heads and to feed their families. Yet they are afraid. Afraid to go to work for fear of getting corona. It’s a double edged sword for everyone involved. Fighting for control. Yet feeling helpless all at the same time.

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