A desi in Gracie (almost) and the return of the newsletter
Welcome to Export Quality, your home for news by and about South Asian Americans and Canadians - and everything in between
Hello dear subscribers! It’s been far too long since I last wrote for EQ and I have good reasons for that, I promise.
It started with a stint of Covid, a subsequent trip to the hospital (I’m ok), having a major client run me ragged and then abruptly and unprofessionally end the contract, an unexpected apartment move which is always a bloodsport in New York, losing another client due to the ripple effects of federal government budget cuts, and finally, dealing with the flu while settling into my new space (for which I am grateful because it’s quite lovely). Needless to say, life has been…eventful of late and I’ve chosen to see all the chaos as making room for upgrades rather than just stressful endings.
It wasn’t a total bummer of a summer. I got to meet our family’s latest - and cutest - boss, a baby niece, during a family trip to the Bay Area and got to hang with old friends in Seattle before attending the Asian American Journalist Association conference. Not only did I moderate a panel but I was able to meet these 12 Voices fellows in-person after months of mentorship and editing their stories alongside a crew of amazing editors. (Jess, Allison, Russell, and Andrew and Nicole - you got me through this and I can’t wait until we get to hang again, sans deadlines)
This is all to say, hello, I’m back. You’ll be seeing me more in your inbox and perhaps in real life. The trials, tribulations, and tiny treasures of life continue but I’m happy to take Export Quality off the back burner.
What you can expect in the next few weeks: more of my excellent gif curation, news on Zohran Mamdani’s ascent to being the first desi in Gracie (a phrase from my dear friend Kavitha and a nod to the mansion where the New York mayor resides), a post or two on the upcoming South Asian Impact Summit in DC, more curated news roundups from desi journalists, Q+As with interesting people, and a return to my roots in reporting.
Thank you for sticking with me and believing in the mission of this little newsletter.
