The Diversity Projekt
Empowerment for All People of Color
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Archive for 2009
A Chinese Discussion on Race
Ever since I downloaded AIM on this computer I have been irritated that the AOL homepage pops up whenever I log in. Not so much this morning!
I was pleasantly intrigued by a story about a mixed chick from China. Her mother is Chinese and her father is African American, who left China long before she was born. You can find the story here!
I was just talking with a friend last night at the 2009 SwirlPhilly Happy Hour about how she plans on integrating German, Chinese and African American traditions in her quickly approaching wedding! Congrats – Kim!!!
Anyway, in the past when I have thought about China a fairly homogeneous society came to mind. However, as in many cases, that is politically and socially constructed myth.
Looking into the archives, this story received quite a bit of traction while she was in the competition but has since died down somewhat. I wonder if the conversation will continue in China or if it will return to “out of sight and out of mind.”
Access to the Filter
I have been struggling with how to integrate more life blogging – work, salsa, dating, etc. into TDP. While I have always been quite transparent on here, some things have remained under the cut, especially recently. Until I figure out how all of this is going to work, these types of posts will remain under the cut, but tags and categories will remain public.
Shoot me an email if you want the password. Be sure to include something that identifies you – facebook, myspace or blog link.
Thanks much!
Breaking through..
TDP has been quiet for a while, but I am definitely back. I’ve been battling some writer’s block. Work has been incredibly busy. Salsa is also taking up a good portion of my time, especially now that I am committed to the Spring 2010 Showcase.
So, here is a little run down of where Kathrin has been and why TDP took a bit of a mini-vaca:
Work
I just celebrated my first year at NSC. We have accomplished a lot in that first year. Nevertheless, many things have still been left undone and year two will be packed with new fundraising, outreach and advocacy initiatives. Some exciting things are in the works and I will be sure to share them with you as soon as they are cleared for release.
Simple Living
I moved out of my old apartment in NE Philadelphia and now call Center City Philadelphia home. I sold a lot of my furniture in the process and sorted through dozens of boxes of belongings. The purge was liberating – truly! It’s amazing how much free time I have now – no more 2+hours of daily commute time. My commute these days is 15 minutes door to door.
Healthy Living
I finally have my act together health living wise. Since starting salsa I have shed almost 50lbs (since starting weight watchers about 40lbs). I have tons more energy and just feel better all the way around. Everyone says they can see it in my face. I shall take their word for it, because I can’t tell.
Salsa
I have been taking salsa classes at Estilo Dance Studio for several months now and am completely hooked. I am finally at that point where I can let go enough to feel the music versus just focusing on the steps. I am officially committed to performance class. We are really getting into the choreography, and I am shocked that we are only 23 seconds into a 3 minute routine. I am up for the challenge though. This is going to be kick ass!
Family
My dad comes home in 5 days. He has been stationed abroad for 2 years. Time did not go by as fast as I wanted it to, but the important thing is that he is home. I will be spending 4 days with my family in Florida. It’s good to have the entire family together again for Christmas. Last year felt all wrong! I will be sure to post lots of photos and even some video clips. My camera and Flip will be coming with me…..along with my laptop of course. I don’t expect to be on too much, but will update periodically.
My sister joined the Army a few weeks ago. It’s a great move for her. She is at her unit today getting fitted for her uniform. She leaves for basic training in March, followed immediately by specialized training – paramedic - and won’t be home until sometime in September. My mom gets the sense that she will petition to go active once everything is said and done. This raises the likelihood of her deployment, but we will cross that bridge when we get there.
SwirlPhilly
SwirlPhilly has been a bit silent with work picking up and my recent move. But, I am happy to announce that we are back on track. Our Holiday Happy Hour is Monday, December 21 at Rum Bar. Please join us! Several new people are attending, so it should be a fun crowd! We will also be talking about upcoming events and activities….and fundraising (I have been exploring a few possibilities).
Someone New
There is definitely something brewing. It’s sweet and gentle, yet rough around the edges. I will definitely write more about this once some boundaries are set and I figure a few things out. I will probably post more regularly about this under the privacy filter. Hit me up off-line for the password. It is unexpected to say the least, but the timing could not be more perfect. For now, let’s just say that I am really content!
….more to come! Happy Hump Day!
NaBloWriMo Day 9: On the Move and Making it Happen
I haven’t been extremely successful in posting regularly for NaBloWriMo. I am up against deadlines at work (way past the deadline actually), and writing anything is the last thing on my mind by the time I settle in for the night.
I am grappling with how I am going to document my journey to healthy and simpler living. The – one post per day for NaBloWriMo – isn’t quite working with my schedule. I seem to have fallen into a blogging rut as of late. I need to find my groove again.
Nevertheless, I have been getting some comments and questions regarding my quest for simpler and healthier living. The nutrition part of my quest is a bit bumpy – $40 a week is quite a challenge. Yet, I must say that the exercise part of my journey is right on point. I prefer using the term “moving’” over exercise…semantics, I know! Anyway, I am moving more than I have in a long time.
So, what works for Kathrin, you ask? Well…you are in luck today, because I am up for a bit of sharing. My weekly routine has really hit an awesome groove. There is a lot of daily and weekly consistency, with enough variety and entertainment to keep me coming back. So, let me break it down for you:Daily:
- walk Samson 45 minutes every morning and 30 minutes every night
- Weight Watchers Online – I journal my eating and moving every single day and weigh in every Friday morning
- Weight Watcher’s Abs for Beginners every evening (least favorite part of my week)
- drink lots of water 40-48 fl oz a day (water, crystal light, herbal tea…all count – caffeine is the big no no)
Weekly:
- Tuesday – Salsa Class @ Estilo and The Reef Salsa Night
- Thursday – Salsa and Bachata Class @ Estilo and (on rare occasions) a trip to Club Adecc0
- Friday – Brasil’s Salsa Night
- Saturday – Salsa Class @ Estilo and Brasil’s Salsa Night
Sundays are my day off. I still walk Samson and eat sensibly, but I hit pause on everything else.
After years of struggling, I have finally found a combination of healthy eating and moving that keeps me entertained and fulfilled. I can’t put enough emphasis on the fact that my current regime keeps me entertained. In the past, as soon as boredom kicked in so did giving up. Yeah, I am like a 5 year old when it comes to moving and eating right. If there isn’t anything shiny and sparkly, it will most likely not keep my attention for very long.I am in week five of Weight Watchers and week six of Salsa. Classes at Estilo Dance Studio have been such a huge part in this shift for me. I have definitely been sucked into the salsa vortex. I need to take a pause and say that I love everything about Estilo – the environment, fellow students and most definitely the instructors. I also appreciate their solid brand. There is strong continuity between the image they project while promoting at various venues throughout Philadelphia and the culture then are fostering in the studio. Most important – I feel amazing when I take classes and dance, and have gotten to know some really awesome people! Both of these things are truly priceless!
Since starting salsa I have lost 29.5lbs. Since starting Weight Watchers I have lost 19.4lbs. YAY me! My weekly weight loss started off really high in those first two weeks and am now am down to a healthy weekly weight loss of between 1.5 and 3lbs.
Once I move, I may include Mon and Wed at ShapeGirl Fitness or I may join Fitness Works for the winter months. Fitness Works is definitely more convenient since Estilo is located in the same building. ShapeGirl is in far South Philadelphia (near Oregon Avenue). I really liked the class I took there, but it is a bit out of my way. My new place is close to the Schuylkill river path. Once the weather gets warmer again I will take Samson out there more for a run. Yeah, you heard right…running! I am on the Weight Watcher’s Running for Beginners plan. I think Samson loves it more than I do at this point though. I was hoping to run the next Mother’s Day Breast Cancer event next Memorial Day weekend, but I will be in NYC for Salsa Congress.
This weekend rocked! I went salsa dancing with several people from my classes on Friday and Saturday night. Samson and I went on several long walks and the weather was just gorgeous! If that wasn’t enough, three really fabulous things happened:
- I fit into my Lane Bryant Size2 jeans. It has been almost a year since that was possible. They are a little snug, but that won’t last too long.
- I am feeling more and more comfortable on the dance floor. I danced with someone I haven’t danced with since my first week of classes and he said something super sweet.
- My instructor noticed that I had lost weight
oh…ok, so there were four things that happened this weekend:
- I re-connected with an old friend and we are going out on a date on Thursday evening after my bachata class. She moved away for a while, but recently moved back to Philadelphia.
To that effect, my Monday went off without too much of the Monday blues and SEPTA is acting right again! So, I am calling it a day and meeting my friend Jess at Vango. Neither of us have ever been and she doesn’t want to go alone. Glad that I didn’t remove my practices shoes from my bag.
Until next time….
NaBloWriMo Day 2: And the Journey Begins…
Here goes trying to eat healthy on a synced budget! I went shopping on Sunday and spent $32.01, therefore I have $7.99 left to spend this week on food. I didn’t come up with this experiment until the commute home, so I had to do quite a bit of math. Not sure if I am going to do the financial break down per meal every day, but thought this was interesting. I have felt satisfied every day so far and my clothes feel looser. So far so good!
Breakfast – $0.81
- 1 cup special K serial ($0.47)
- 1 cup 1% milk ($0.19)
- black tea ($0.10)*
- splenda ($0.05)*
- creamer (work provides)
Lunch -$1.18
- hummus ($0.25)*
- crackers ($0.31)
- salsa ($0.50)
- chamomile tea($0.10)*
- splenda ($0.05)*
Dinner -$1.63
- 2 eggs ($0.36)
- 1/8 cup red onion ($0.16)
- 1/8 cup red pepper ($0.26)
- 2 Tbsp parmasan ($0.10)
- 3.2 oz turkey kielbasa ($0.75)
Snacks -$0.63
- Special K strawberry granola bar ($0.42)*
- Green Apple ($0.21)
Total cost of food: $4.25
I definitely need to incorporate more fruit into my meals and I don’t drink nearly enough water.
NaBloWriMo Day 1: 30 Day Experiment on Healthy Eating on a Tight Budget
Ok…yeah, a bit late but I am doubling up today!!
I have struggled with my weight as long as I can remember. I nurtured my love affair with food from an early age. Although moving around (dad was/is military) has helped me to adapt to changes, it also turned me into an introvert in many ways. Food became my security blanket. It surely was a constant in my life.
I’ve tried every diet – Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, LA Weight Loss, not eating, liquid diets, Dr. Adkins,…you name it. I have always felt the most balanced and happy on Weight Watchers. I joined the Weight Watchers track again last Friday.
On my first weigh in I lost 13.4lbs.
On my second weigh in I lost 1.2lbs.
On my third weigh in I lost 1.3lbs.
While I the WW platform seems to work for me, the meetings don’t. My weekly schedule is just too erratic. I would never be able to commit to the same meeting each week. So, I am going with the online option.
I am keeping it really simple – cutting out sugars and take out, switching to whole grain and drinking more water, and most importantly focusing on moving more.
I have been wrestling with how I am going to document this journey. A weight loss journal is rather BLAH! So, while contemplating the greater implications of my struggles to lose weight it came to me. I have read dozens of articles (and had even more conversations) about the cost burden of eating healthy. It can be cheaper to eat junk than maintain a health, balanced diet.
So, as part of my NaBloWriMo committment, I am going to explore how feasable it is to eat healthy on a strict budget. I usually spend $50-75 a week on groceries. For the next month I am going to spend $40 a week on groceries.
So the question is – how am I going to measure success? I know that I can shop within this budget constraint, but the question is, can I do so while feeling fulfilled? So, here are the variables:
- within $40 a week
- enjoyment
- filling
- variety
- balanced meals
- items from current pantry stock I will calculate cost and *them in order to distinguish between newly purchased item
So….here we go!
Check out ‘Blended Nation’ – Support Swirl!
Please save the date and come to the November 12th event in NYC! Swirl’s founder and executive director, Jen Chau, is featured in the book (Blended Nation) and she will be on a panel with the authors for a talk and book signing.
ALSO FYI – no matter where you are, between November 10th and 12th, we are having a “Swirl Bookfair” with Barnes and Noble. This means that on those days, if you log onto www.barnesandnoble.com/mybookfair, buy books and use a code (10043867), part of the proceeds go to Swirl!
Hope to see you at the NYC event if you are in town!
New York City
Thursday, November 12
Barnes & Noble Booksellers (TriBeCa)
97 Warren St (b/w Greenwich & West St)
7:00pm
(Talk and signing)Unfortunately I will be unable to make it, but I AM purchasing a copy of the book! Please do the same! Your support enables Swirl to continue to offer special events and advocacy for diversity in American society.
That’s Not My Closet!
This is long overdue. I have had to process this a bit longer than usual, but now some things need to be said. I rarely pray over blog posts. I contemplate, meditate and mull over, but rarely do I actually pray over a post. Nothing else has allowed me to get past the anger.Some of you – readers who follow me on Twitter and those I talk to on a daily basis – will know about the recent incident at my church. I have mentioned it vaguely on Twitter, but I’ve had to sit with it for a while before talking or writing about it. The gist of it – after much reflection and some troubling interactions, I decided to stop attending The Well. While I am out in every other aspect of my life, being queer remains complicated when it comes to where I choose to worship (not to be confused with my personal sense of Faith – God and I are great). Yet over the last couple of months, I have grown increasingly uncomfortable and disturbed by being shoved into a closet not of my own making at church.
So, fast forward to a few Sundays ago – I was texting with a friend of mine from the Well. She asked if I was planning on attending that morning. My response “I don’t think I can go back. I am tired of being in someone elses closet.” Little did I know that my rather matter-of-fact comments would create a tidal wave of more disaster than I could have ever imagined. I don’t know specifics, but some sort of announcement was made by said friend about my decision in front of the entire congregation. I was selectively out at The Well. I have grown increasingly uncomfortable with that over the last six months and it contributed to my decision to stop attending. I received a frantic (and cryptic) voice mail from this friend immediately following, as well as a dozen un-friendings on FB and two marginally
sympathetic emails.Sidenote – I was a little irked at first that my exit was hijacked, but I wish everyone had an ally like her.
For the longest time I thought that remaining in an non-affirming church was the right thing to do. I thought that if every queer person left a non-affirming parish, it was like condoning the hateful theology. I don’t believe that anymore. Reality is that non-affirming churches are hurting people in the name of Christ and that is wrong. By remaining in such an environment means I have a hand in perpetuating that harmful behavior. That is something I refuse to do!
Put whatever spin on it that you like, but non-affirming churches are stepped in homophobia. While individually expressing their “love” for all of God’s children, they spew hate from the pulpit, likening queer folk to the deplorable acts of murders and pedophiles. My whole body cringed that day in church. I was in complete disbelief about what I had just heard, especially since just moments before the same person said he was glad I was at The Well. I can’t even sugar coat it anymore. I can’t make it sound pretty because it isn’t. Sure you can wrap it in a bow, say you love the person but reject the sin, but, my God, that is hateful! Hurting people in God’s name…I am sure there’s a commandment about that!
There seems to be a disconnect between scriptural message and the application thereof. Every message of Christ in the Gospels underscore his complete, absolute and unconditional love for all humans, regardless of disposition. Yet, the message from the pulpit towards LGBT individuals (and anyone that is different for that matter) is one of contempt and disgust.
I am not going to waste anyone’s time with a dissection of a handful of scriptural references often spewed completely out of context or some mind-numbing theological diatribe (but here are some great resources and Whosoever has a great book store). However, I will say this without reservation – a church that condemns queer people from the pulpit is culpable in the collective hate and destruction that supposed Christian communities hurl onto queer youths and adults. Thousands of queer kids are driven to suicide each year by the isolation and hate they experience in their lives – from their families, teachers, peers, and yes, their churches – from people and communities who claim to love and support them. These churches are equally responsible for the damage that causes. I am sickened that that churches foster such an environment of shame and hate that it forces wonderful, people into closets they would otherwise not be in. I began to feel like I was living in someone elses closet – someone elses space of shame and embarrassment.I refuse to live someone elses lie! I am neither ashamed nor embarrassed by my sexuality. No more or less than my hetero counterparts.
They may have queer friends, invite them into their lives, let them use their bathroom (sorry, I could not resist), but that does not excuse or negate the underlying prejudice. It doesn’t change the reality of the situation – the conditionality of acceptance, the separate and unequal status in their lives.
It is not my responsibility to make people feel good about their bigotry, to spin it so that it sounds less messy. This is a hate free zone. With that in mind, as you consider adding your comments to this post, know that only constructive, non defaming comments will be approved. Either add something constructive to the discussion or kindly walk away.If you are a Christian in a non-affirming church, I truly hope that you have a change of heart, that you rethink the prejudice, hate and damage you sign on to with that decision.
If you are a queer Christian who feels isolated and hurt, know you are not alone. Know that you are loved and cherished exactly how you are here on earth AND before God. Know that at the very least, you have a friend here with me!
Also – check out your local Lutherans Concerned. There are hundreds of Lutheran ELCA parishes that are fully accepting AND affirming of LGBT individuals and families. Rainbow Baptists provides a link for LGBT members within the Baptist communion. And, of course, there are thousands of Metropolitan Community Churches throughout the country. Whosoever Magazine is also a great online resource, providing a “safe and sacred space” for LGBT Christians.
I will be putting together a list of loving and affirming community resources under the “community links” tab. If you have any specific links that I should include, please leave a link and brief description in a comment.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License
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