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Celebrating Two Years of Cha and Chat!

We are so excited to introduce our first digital Cha and Chat space — the Cha and Chat Community Blog and Newsletter!

From the beginning, we aimed to create a ‘third space’—a place apart from work and home where we can gather, exchange, grow, and exist together. We noticed a lack of these kinds of spaces and set about exploring ways to curate and develop opportunities for the AAPI community to come together and form meaningful relationships.

When we are isolated or disconnected from our communities, it is difficult to navigate the un/re-learning that can help guide us in our collective liberation. Third spaces are places of exchange that facilitate collective care and nourishment, growth, and healing—all so vital for us as AAPI folks navigating liberation work. In a city prone to uncertainty, third spaces can become a metaphor for nurturing a collective that can thrive anywhere, not tied to one specific location. By focusing on the relationships and support we build, these spaces offer comfort, nourishment, and healing, no matter where we gather.

Here, we will continue conversations from our in-person meetups, share personal projects, keep you updated on upcoming opportunities, and more! We will share these updates from time to time, or when we have extra goodies or events to share, so be sure to subscribe to our Cha and Chat newsletter by clicking here to update your newsletter preferences.

We would love to feature personal projects, community resources, upcoming events and other reflections you are interested in sharing with the broader Cha and Chat network!

Have something you would like to include in our Cha and Chat Blog? Let us know, and let’s build together!

Read on to learn about some of our mini-projects from recent meetups, recipes, and special upcoming opportunities for our Cha and Chat network!

Weathering the Heat

As we head into fall, there are likely still days ahead where we will feel the effects of extreme heat. By drawing upon knowledge from our ancestors and each other, we can keep developing practices for navigating the heat. Whether through food, clothing, seasonal tradition or subtle lifestyle shifts—there are so many ways our communities have learned to live in tune with the cycles and shifts of the seasons.

Let’s celebrate this wisdom and share with one another as stewards! We invite you to check out some practices sourced within our network and reflect on any practices from your ancestors or community that you call upon and want to share! Share your tips and help us grow our collective toolkit!

Celebrating Summer Gourds

While the heat sapped the life out of me, my gourds absolutely loved it! I have been growing some Bottle Gourd (Sorakkai in Tamil), Bitter Gourd (Pavakkai), and Winter Melon (Neer Poosanikkai) at the VEGGI Coop Farm out in Village d’Lest. It’s been so nourishing to build my relationship with these ancestral foods of my people from South India and see them thrive here in New Orleans.

Below you’ll find a collection of preparation ideas, tips, and other wisdom about Bitter Gourds sourced from our network! We are excited to add to our collection here with your recipes, stories, pictures, and other love for Bitter Gourd!

Some questions to those of you reading—are you familiar with these plants? And if so, what do you call them, and how do you typically prepare them?

We’d love to hear from you—add to the collection!

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

Join Us Next Week!

Join us for an evening of story-sharing and crafts! Our September Cha and Chat meetup will feature three very special guests who will share their work as storytellers, artists, and culture bearers. The evening will include film screenings, zine readings, oral histories, and will culminate in a mini zine workshop and creative session where folks can explore their own storytelling interests and projects.

🎬 Marion Hill (she/her) is a Vietnamese-British-French filmmaker based in New Orleans. Following up on two popular short films [Bird of Prey and Goddess House], ​her narrative feature debut Ma Belle, My Beauty premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and received the NEXT Audience Award. Marion always prioritizes discovery in her work, centering queer and spiritual creative processes and an immersive approach to storytelling.

🌿 Carolyn Sideco (she/her/coach) is an Ancestral History Healing Guide for Bayou Barkada, a New Orleans group that connects Filipinos to each other through ancestral herstories of Southern Louisiana. Bayou Barkada is a project of The Philippine American Women’s Association of Louisiana (PAWAL).

📖 Aanya Kapoor (any pronouns) is a Reproductive Justice Intern at VAYLA, fourth-year student at Tulane University, and curator of the Ginger Roots zine. Their interests lie in decolonial literature, feminist praxis, and (diasporic) storytelling in community.

Come celebrate our storytellers and the expansiveness of AAPI experiences here in the Gulf South. Let’s continue exploring the role we each play in stewarding our collective story. We’ll provide a variety of craft and zine materials, but feel free to bring your own! We also encourage you to come with stories, themes, or ideas you’re excited to explore during the zine workshop and creative session.

📅 Join us on Thursday, September 26th! Let us know if you can make it to help us plan accordingly for food and drink!

Let’s Grow Together!

Is there something specific you’ve been wanting to grow but have had trouble finding locally? Share your growing goals with us!

Excited for our Cha and Chat spaces to continue evolving! See y’all next time!

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