One Year With Substack
Subscription Drive, Upcoming Readings, Creepy Xmas Fun, and Winter Skincare
I started this Substack trepidatiously last January to give myself a space to flex neglected writing muscles and build community through writing. I could never have expected the sheer number of folks interested in what I have to say, the generous responses, and the circulation. I certainly could not have predicted accidentally becoming my community’s local Hasan Minhaj expert, though I accept the responsibility with great honor and interest. (Is having a somewhat popular Substack sufficient grounds to argue for a press pass? Pls DM me if you know.)
For those of you who are newer subscribers to Pain Baby, this newsletter was born of long-standing frustration with asking and waiting for permission to use my voice to write what I care about: queer postcolonial feminist and disability justice-oriented analyses of arts and culture. Over time, I experimented with personal meditations on the times, political commentary, and of course, shared announcements about my upcoming readings and cool things my friends have been up to.
Newbies in search of a quick and dirty sampling, these are my four most circulated/ commented on/ otherwise discussed posts:
On Pain and the Feminine Divine
We Need To Talk About Hasan Minhaj
On Palestine: Follow The. Money
Why We Need to *Keep* Talking about Hasan Minhaj
So much love and confidence has blossomed in my ribcage since I learned that you all cared enough about what I share to subscribe, like, send things around, comment, or write to me directly, and it’s inspired me to make some small changes moving forward into the new year.
Starting in January, in addition to announcements and meditations, each weekly Substack will now include a micro-review of a book, poem, tv show or film, other recommendations, and a writing prompt for poets and writers. All of this will remain free for the foreseeable future, but please consider becoming a paid subscriber for $5/ a month or whatever you can. Your support at any level makes a huge difference for those of us freelancing and gigging into the holidays and beyond. For those of you who have been paid subscribers and founding members from the outset, I cannot possibly describe the empowerment you gifted with this one big act of love a year ago. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Cool Things I Have Coming Up:
TODAY: Deadline for In Surreal Life January registration!
In Surreal Life is the brilliant Shira Erlichman’s virtual poetry and creativity program in which the luminous poet Judith Ohikuare and I have the honor of serving as fellows stewarding participants’ journey all month long. ISLiens, as we call them, receive a spectacular prompt with gorgeous visuals crafted by Shira at 8:00 a.m. EST every morning and share their drafts with the community on Slack and with their Core Group, named after a surreal real-life creature, with whom they also have weekly feedback exchanges and check-ins. All sessions offer an opening and closing community call and three Visiting Artist Calls featuring contemporary poets and interdisciplinary artists who speak openly and generously about craft, creativity, and what it means to make art to survive and thrive. If you can believe it, our visiting artists for January are (1) Our fearless leader Shira Erlichman, (2) Kaveh Akbar, (3) Mahogany L. Browne, and (4) Claire Schwartz. Needless to say, the fangurl in me is good and primed to weep openly on camera, as many of us are invited to do and be held in doing through the vulnerabilities we share through this month together. This is a trauma-informed, accessible, queer-friendly, and justice-oriented space so warm and loving that it has been a greater home to me than most communities I’ve belonged to in the flesh. If you could use a boost in your creative muscles, could use a community alongside which to stretch and grow, or are new to poetry and intimidated by all the gatekeeping of traditional programs, join us!
SAVE THE DATE: In Water & Light: Poetry Vigil for Palestine
December 30 | 8:00 P.M. - 9:30 P.M. EST | Virtual
I have the honor of reading my poetry and Palestinian poetry that moves me for In Water and Light, a recurring vigil & community-building space in solidarity with Palestine. This space uses poetry to generate action, create relationships, and plug into organizing wherever we are. More details to come.
The Poetry Project’s 50th Annual New Year’s Day Marathon
January 1, 2024 | St. Marks Church | 131 East 10th St, New York, NY
Part One | 12pm-1pm | Tickets
In one of my very favorite New York City traditions, The Poetry Project community gathers on New Year’s Day for a twelve-hour, 150-performance spectacle to kick off the new year. I had the wild privilege of reading at the marathon in 2019 as a baby poet, and am thrilled to pieces to join again in the second hour of Part One alongside Anna Gurton-Wachter, Betsy Fagin, Don Yorty, Sarah Schulman, Edmund Berrigan, Aldrin Regina Valdez, Lila Dlaboha, Zoë and Maia Chao, Greg Masters, and Lauren Bakst & Kris Lee!
The first issue of Abobo Zine is available for pre-order!
As reported by the New York Times, as of December 8, 2023, “Twenty-one states ban abortion or restrict the procedure earlier in pregnancy than the standard set by Roe v. Wade, which governed reproductive rights for nearly half a century until the Supreme Court overturned the decision last year.” Just a few years ago, I never would have thought that talking about abortion, let alone getting one, would be radical or controversial in my lifetime. Unfortunately, those of us who have the privilege of speaking out must do so as loudly as possible about the importance of preserving the right to and the sanctity of bodily autonomy, sexual education, access to life-saving healthcare, and all bodily self-determination.
Poems by Ashna Ali ✨ Stevie Belchak ✨ Nikki Blazek ✨ Darcy Parker Bruce ✨ Kate Castle ✨ Sara Dass ✨ Dylan Gilbert ✨ Carson Jordan ✨ Aristilde Kirby ✨ John Ling ✨ Abby Minor ✨ Eileen Myles ✨ Alissa Quart ✨ Viva Ruíz ✨ Wilson Sherwin ✨ Shigorika Singh ✨ Anna B. Sutton ✨ Camila Valle ✨ Lucy Wainger
Abobo Zine features poems by poets who believe, in line with Women of African Descent for Reproductive Justice & SisterSong, that “Reproductive Justice means the right to maintain personal bodily autonomy, have children, not have children & parent the children we have in safe and sustainable communities.” All proceeds from the Zine go toward The National Network of Abortion Funds. I am so proud to be in the inaugural issue with my poem “Farewell Party,” the writing of which went a long way to healing the heartache about my own termination. Pre-Order and donate if you can.
Cool Things My Friends Are Up To
Freaky “Jingle Bells”
My beloved Michael Weston flexed some new Blender expertise to create a music video for musician Peter Compo’s weird take on holiday music, and the result is, honestly, delightfully bonkers and a little sinister:
I’m a particularly big fan of watching and re-watching it to tease apart the echoes I can see to Miyazaki, old-school Grinch, vintage postcards, and other influences. If you enjoy Michael’s work as much as I do, consider boosting him through some good ol’ Linkedin engagement.
Product Launch: Jaani Beauty
If you know me in person, you know how much time I spend complaining about two problems of being a femme-presenting desi under American late-capitalism: (1) how nothing is designed for short, hour-glass-shaped femmes, and within that, how nothing has POCKETS and (2) How hard it is to find skincare and makeup designed for darker, sensitive skin-tones that doesn’t break the bank. My only solution to the first problem so far has been to purchase a sewing machine and let it rot in a closet (someone please come teach me things), but I’ve been deeply heartened to discover multiple South Asian woman-created and run beauty companies in the last couple of years to invest in like LiveTinted for color correctors and sunscreen, and Tanaïs for lip color and fragrances. Now, finally, my very own badass desi feminist entrepreneur bestie Dipty Patel’s new Ayurvedic skincare line, Jaani Beauty, is available, and I’m overjoyed for my friend, but really, mostly, for my face.
Y’all, not gonna lie, I had kind of given up on my skin, but these days I’m lookin’ rather glowy. Dipty is one of those rare characters who works with dogged determination and no ego whatsoever, and the results speak for themselves. I watched her toil for three years to get these products just right—free of fragrances, essential oils, or irritants—and inspired by her experience as an immigrant with sensitive skin growing up with Ayurvedic traditions. I finally feel like I may have restored a sustainable skin barrier, and somehow, despite how badly I run myself ragged with sleeplessness and mania, these products make my skin look and feel soft, glowy, and far less goblin-like than my insides actually are. These products are effective, equitable, vegan, and beautifully packaged in recyclable containers that are weirdly satisfying to hold. If you’re looking for a last minute gift for a skincare girlie, I strongly suggest you consider a Jaani Full Regimen Set.
Happy Holidays to all of you who celebrate!! Until next time. —Pain Baby
