Kickin' It With Mao
Resist, Relax, Repeat
Full Moon Reflections
This letter is going out a few days after the full moon, so I welcome you to reflect on the past few days. In essence, a Full Moon in Aries is like a cosmic carnival ride—fast, exhilarating, and leaving you with a buzz of vibrant energy. Did you feel the Aries moonlight guide you on a wild, uncharted journey through the star-studded night? It was a celestial carnival, baby, and you were the headliner! It was a celestial carnival of courage and spontaneity so blame it on the moon
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Self-Care Reflections
Radical self-care work inspiration
My work in decolonizing healing and cultivating liberation-centered community care is heavily inspired by Audre Lorde's writings about radical self-care as acts of revolution and resistance. She emphasized the intersectionality of oppression, recognizing that individuals experience overlapping and interconnected forms of discrimination based on race, gender, sexuality, and other factors. Her famous quote, "There is no such thing as a single-issue struggle because we do not live single-issue lives," encapsulates this perspective.
Music is Medicine
It was hard to pick just one this time but when I replayed this song. The vocals, percussions, vibes….
Gems Worth Sharing
Another inspiration to my radical self-care work and part of my lineage of knowledge is Sonya Renee Taylor’s book: The Body Is Not An Apology.
The Body Is Not an Apology offers radical self-love as the balm to heal the wounds inflicted by these violent systems. World-renowned activist and poet Sonya Renee Taylor invites us to reconnect with the radical origins of our minds and bodies and celebrate our collective, enduring strength (sonyareneetaylor.com).
HGTV Revealed ft. Veronica Valencia
"As a Mexican and Native American designer, culture and tradition have always played a vital role in my life, " says Veronica. "I've been inspired to tell a family's story through design in more than 500 home renovations, and I believe that discovering our roots can profoundly influence every aspect of our lives (hgtv.com)."
Talented designer and mom of two Veronica Valencia Hughes takes us on a new journey every episode as she redecorates and renovates families’ homes WHILE uncovering, reconnecting, and incorporating the family’s heritage, culture, and ancestral traditions. I AM OBSESSED. Her designs are extremely thoughtful and intentional. I would be lying if I told you I didn’t cry every episode… So I won’t lie to you.
Bell Hooks All About Love
Indeed, all the great movements for social justice in our society have strongly emphasized a love ethic. Yet young listeners remain reluctant to embrace the idea of love as a transformative force. - Bell Hooks
In "All About Love," Bell Hooks offers a thought-provoking exploration of love that challenges conventional wisdom and encourages readers to reevaluate their understanding of this fundamental human experience. The book combines personal anecdotes, cultural analysis, and feminist theory to present a comprehensive perspective on the complexities of love in contemporary society.
Hold Up, Wait A Minute Podcast
Episode 4: Hold up, co-dependency isn’t a bad thing?
In this episode, I explored how co-dependency isn't the WORST thing to happen in relationships and how we are inherently social beings wired to need one another. Let's reclaim collective care and dismantle hyper-individualism.