Min Jin Lee Will Save Us
| This Week In Mash-Up America |
The week of December 2 was holy crap it’s December! We’re prepping for Hanukkah, trying not get sick, and buying books!
And of course, gearing up for our third and final residency event at WNYC’s The Greene Space. We are Big Time Book Lovers™ and so it feels like a celebration of Mash-Up stories and storytellers is the highest and best use of our beautiful WNYC residency. We’ll be joined by Adam Gidwitz! Vashti Harrison! Eric Kim! Jaqueline Woodson! Jeff Chang! With special readings by Julia Stiles!
Come mingle, sip cocktails, shop for holiday gifts and books curated by Amy and Rebecca (hello the night before Hanukkah!!!), and listen as we interview our authors, highlight the legend of Claudia Kishi, hear interactive stories for kids, dissect the ur-texts of Mash-Up America, and remind us all that the stories we tell ourselves, about ourselves, give us the foundation for the future we create together.
We have special kids programming from 4-5:15PM that is free with RSVP*!
The Mash-Up Americans:
Min Jin Lee Teaches Us How To Be Pleasant and Difficult
Never meet your heroes? Fie, we say. The magnificent author, editor, and queen of Queens Min Jin Lee joined Rebecca and Amy on stage at The Greene Space in October to kick off The Mash-Up Americans residency, and lucky for us she was even more generous and staggeringly brilliant than we imagined. From discussing the power of authorship to sharing how being pleasant and difficult has helped her in life, we covered it all — and Amy secured a dinner invite, too. *fist pump*
Do you, like us, aspire to be more like Min Jin? Here’s our guide.
Mash-Ups In The News:
Sleep More And Be Happier
THE ATLANTIC
“One of humans’ more remarkable characteristics is that we are the only animals who deny ourselves sleep when we need it.” Why are we like this?? Let’s all agree to spend more time sleeping in 2024.
The Corner Lot Where All The World’s Vegemite Comes From
THE NEW YORK TIMES
100 years after it was created, Vegemite can be found in more than 90% of Australian homes. The Melbourne neighborhood where it’s made is known for its distinct smell — reminds us of the fuss about the aroma from the Sriracha factory.
This Boy Was Born Without An Immune System. Gene Therapy Rebuilt It.
THE WASHINGTON POST
Is gene therapy the solution for rare diseases going forward? Possibly, though drug companies are pretending not to notice. Thanks to a huge breakthrough treatment for one Native American boy, the outlook for others may have just changed drastically.
How Asian-Language Tattoos Have Helped Me Feel At Home In My Own Skin
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Asian-language tattoos on non-Asian folks are ubiquitous at this point, and often mistranslated, cliché, or otherwise embarrassing. One Taiwanese writer is reclaiming the Asian-language tattoo as a source of pride and self-acceptance.
Hall Is Suing Oates. Over What Is A Mystery.
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Cue Gen X letting out a collective gasp. Things between the super beloved long-time musical partners Daryl Hall and John Oates are apparently not as *harmonious* as they seem. What’s at issue: “Some kind of legal dispute.”
As Teen Suicide Spikes, School Policies May Be Making Things Worse
LA TIMES
In L.A. County, the median age for teen suicide dropped to 16 — the youngest ever. Is L.A. Unified school district inadvertently helping to fuel suicide contagion by limiting discussion around student suicides, forcing kids to turn to social media?
Slain Drill Rapper King Von Looms On King Drive
CHICAGO SUN
“King Von’s controversial mural near Parkway Gardens symbolizes not only the birthplace of drill, which boasts a global reach, but the neglect and violence troubling the community.”
TikTok’s Version Of Parenting Is A Nightmare Fantasy
THE CUT
The mercilessly chaotic “real parenting” content you’re fed on social media doesn’t represent the joys of raising kids IRL, says this writer. In their efforts to depict raw moments of parenthood, are momfluencers turning people off to having children?
How A Cookbook Captured The Heart And Soul of Taiwanese Cuisine
SAVEUR
With her new cookbook, Made in Taiwan, journalist Clarissa Wei “walks a fine line between the personal and political—and celebrates the country’s distinct culinary treasures” like Taiwanese popcorn chicken and stinky tofu.
What Day Laborers Are Hired To Do: The Dangerous, The Gross, The Sometimes Illegal
LOS ANGELES TIMES
A recent body part–dumping scandal in Tarzana is just one example of how people try to take advantage of day laborers around LA. Just as bad are the police officers who refuse help.
