Contributors

For many teens and young adults, prom is a rite of passage, a cultural staple of American life that can create lasting memories for many. But there are also others for whom prom invokes anxiety, fear, and even negative memories. There are numerous queer folks across the country today who can attest to feeling less-than-enthusiastic about what is considered a very hetero-normative experience. For queer activist, designer, entrepreneur, and event producer @nikkacy, prom was not necessarily a memorable event, but they are helping other adults in the LGBTQ+ community have a “do-over”, at an event designed to reclaim the space and be more inclusive. Queer Prom is an annual fundraising event for Equality Fashion Week (EFW) during Pride Month that creates a nostalgic themed, inclusive adult prom experience infusing love and healing into the LGBTQIA+ community. Coming out as a trans masculine, gender non-binary queer human in their adult life, NiK dreamt of finally attending prom as their authentic self. Yet NiK, like many other queer youth, never felt safe to attend prom as a student. Being held on June 1st in the iconic city of West Hollywood, Queer prom is taking place amid a backdrop of 500+ anti-LGBTQ+ pieces of legislation being introduced across America in 2023 alone. With Pride Month around the corner, here's what NiK told us about the importance of this event right now, and how they want it to be a source of joy + healing amid the hate: "It is really hard to understand why so many people hate us and don’t even know us. These right wing groups want to take our rights away, erase us and control our bodies all in the name of fear...Queer Prom is about love, inclusion and healing. No matter how much hate we face as a community, we stay resilient and strong. I think it is important to provide these safe spaces for queer adults and allies because the stronger we become we can help create a better world for the youth." Read more of NiK Kacy's story via the link in our bio. 🏳️‍🌈 . . . #Pride #Queer #trans #LGBTQ #QueerProm #love #inclusion #joy #healing #WestHollywood #WeHo #teens #adults #NiKKacy #friday #instagood #lovewins #equality #aapiheritagemonth

If you’ve spent any time scrolling through TikTok beauty trends you will no doubt have come across the viral “Glass Skin” K-Beauty (aka Korean Beauty) trend. With 1.5B views on TikTok, this is something that has skincare and beauty lovers hooked, and all the credit goes to the origins of the trend – K-Beauty line @peachandlily founded by entrepreneur and CEO @aliciayoon212. Born in Korea, Alicia grew up in both Seoul and New York. After graduating from Harvard Business School, Alicia worked for Goldman Sachs and the Boston Consulting Group. Having struggled with severe eczema throughout her life, she developed a passion for skincare and became a licensed esthetician. In 2018, combining her Eastern and Western roots Alicia created the Peach & Lily skincare line. One of its first products, the Peach & Lily’s Glass Skin Refining Serum, launched the “Glass Skin” viral trend. Just so you know how popular it is, a bottle of the product sells every two minutes! During AAPI Heritage Month, we had the chance to learn more about Alica's entrepreneurial journey and the origins of Peach & Lily. Here's what she told us about how K Beauty trends are impacting the global beauty industry: "Both the AAPI and broader global Asian communities play a crucial role in the beauty industry. Not to mention, the AAPI and global Asian markets have been and continue to be huge customers in the beauty industry. Yet, there is still a lack of AAPI/Asian representation across companies, media campaigns, influencer communities, and more in the beauty industry. Due credit is also not always given to these Asian heritages when innovations, ingredients or traditions are marketed. At Peach & Lily, transparency is a core tenet." Learn more about Alicia's entrepreneurial journey and get to know Peach & Lily via the link in our bio! 🍑🧴 . . . #PeachandLily #GlassSkin #trend #beauty #Kbeauty #Korean #asianamerican #AAPI #representation #entrepreneur #AliciaYoon #instagood #best #skincare #TikTok #Viral

"To be intuitive means to be able to access the wise all-knowing aspect of yourself and then to decipher the messages you receive and make empowering choices," writes award-winning author of the new book “Understanding Modern Spirituality” @innasegalautho, in a blog post today, sharing 5 ways we can all tap into our intution. "Intuitive insights can come to you when you are awake, while meditating, dreaming, taking a shower, exercising, connecting to your body, or simply relaxing. While you may be more likely to access your intuition when you are in a meditative state, it can arise at any point, including often during a time of crisis." Here are our fave tips from her post: #4. 💫ASK EMPOWERING QUESTIONS: Be specific and open-minded when asking for an answer to something important to you. Say, "Divine Intelligence give me an insight into X?" This is great to do before falling asleep. Have your journal near you and write any messages you receive in the morning. #5. 💫RECOGNIZE & CELEBRATE YOUR INSIGHTS: The more you acknowledge and celebrate your insights, the more trust you will create in your own abilities and the messages you receive. Make sure you take action on your gut feelings and knowing. Your intuition becomes your compass, a navigating device that assists you to be flexible, adjusting your course based on internal wisdom as well as the external circumstances of your life. Inna says we must pay attention to signs and messages from within and outside yourself and follow the guidance you receive. Tap the link in our bio to read more! 🧘🏾‍♀️💫 . . . #intuition #guidance #spirituality #mindfulness #meditation #insight #advice #trustyourgut #knowthyself ##WCW #instagood #best

Having a diverse workforce can lead to a more inclusive workplace culture, and improve communication, productivity, and creativity among employees. However, the representation of diversity can often result in backlash or discrimination, especially when expressing your racial identity through how you wear your hair. For people of color, expanding natural hair and its acceptance in the workplace has been an ongoing battle. But with the CROWN Act now being law in 20 states, and the organizations and legislators behind this monumental bill finding that hair discrimination is still present in the workplace despite numerous advances, there is clearly a lot employers can do to tackle this issue in their arena. @styleseat surveyed 1,252 Americans about their thoughts on natural hair in the workplace and what people of color have experienced as a result of wearing their natural hair. KEY FINDINGS: 💇🏾‍♀️Wearing their hair natural to work is preferred for 83% of people of color. 💇🏾‍♀️People of color are discriminated against for wearing their natural hair, according to 54% of respondents. 💇🏾‍♀️Employers could do more to decrease hair discrimination, according to 46% of people of color. 💇🏾‍♀️Although 71% of people believe natural hair is acceptable in all industries, there are industries where people report they’re least likely to see POC wearing their natural hair, like the military and the government. 💇🏾‍♀️When it comes to industries people wish they saw more POC wearing their natural hair, media, news, and government top the list. The workplace is becoming more inclusive to POC wearing their natural hair, but there is still work to be done. Your hair is your crown, and if you'd like to see more data about the survey, head to the link in our bio! 👩🏾‍🦱 . . . #hair #CROWNact #peopleofcolor #naturalhair #womenofcolor #Blackwomen #discrimination #perception #workplace #representation #instagood #beauty #style

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. While there are countless ways to prioritize mental well-being, one activity is treating yourself to a trip to the salon. New research from @styleseat has shown that many Americans view their salon visits as a needed form of self-care. During March 2023, they surveyed 1,002 Americans about their experience treating stylists like therapists. Respondents ranged in age from 18 to 76 years old, and were 50% female, 48% male, and 2% nonbinary. For the survey, they defined “stylist” broadly, including hair stylists, nail technicians, laser treatment professionals, facialists, and even tattoo artists. Here's what they found: 💇🏾‍♀️A large majority (88%) view a trip to the salon as a therapeutic experience. 💇🏾‍♀️1 in 3 salon-goers consider their stylist to be like a therapist. 💇🏾‍♀️Over half (55%) report that their stylist provides emotional support during appointments. 💇🏾‍♀️A majority (52%) of Americans have discussed their family members with their stylist. For those seeking more than just a haircut or manicure, the salon can be a sanctuary. The salon is a place where we can discuss topics beyond just beauty and style tips — we can also share our thoughts and emotions. During Mental Health Awareness Month (and beyond!), it’s important to recognize the value of these safe spaces and the comfort they provide to those seeking a deeper conversation. For more info on how the beauty and style world are providing vital self-care to many, head to the link in our bio! ✂️💆🏽‍♀️ . . . #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #style #beauty #selfcare #therapy #connection #support #salon #may #awareness #StyleSeat #instagood #health

Looking for a good YA book rec to add to your pre-order list during #AAPIheritagemonth? We highly recommend Kara H.L. Chin’s “Love & Resistance” out July 4. Independence Day is a time to celebrate the United States, and one of the best ways we can do that is by seeking to improve ourselves as a nation. This July, one teen does just that by fighting back against a racist school bully in this thought-provoking story about freedom, friendship and love. Olivia Chang is on her fourth school in seven years, and she’s learned to navigate all this change through her own system: self-imposed isolation. Sure, she might be a little lonely, but she’s safe. Her usual plan to fly under the radar fails at Plainstown High, however, when popular mean girl Mitzi Clarke makes a pointed racist comment in class. Tired of letting it go, Olivia stands up for herself, effectively making herself highly visible. Before long, Olivia has teamed up with the Nerd Net, a secret society intent on ending Mitzi’s reign of terror over the school. As a group, they plan to unite the school as one to make a lasting positive change in the school. But if Olivia’s going to commit, she’s going to have to do something that scares her more than leading a resistance movement: trusting other people. If she can manage it, she might even make friends – assuming Mitzi doesn’t destroy her first. Read an excerpt from @hl_kara’s “Love & Resistance” published on our blog, via the link in our bio! ❤️✊🏾 . . . #aapi #yanovel #teen #bookstagram #instagood #reading #summer #preorder #asianamerican #representation #friday

According to recent figures, less than 3% of music producers are women, reflecting a massive disparity in the music industry when it comes to tech and production. So how does change happen? At the grassroots level, activism in the form of breaking down the barriers is key, which is what a number of organizations are doing globally, in an effort to change the status quo. One of these organizations is @beatsbygirlz, founded in 2013 by @erinbarra, Director of Popular Music at Arizona State University. Beats By Girlz now has over 35 chapters across the world which represent 15 countries across 4 continents. BBG empowers the next generation of women and gender-expansive people through music and technology. Their mission is to envision a future in the industry where traditionally marginalized gender identities are able to visualize and realize their full potential. They kicked off 2023 by launching a new season of their BBG.tv digital series. They interviewed 5 female and gender-expansive producers on their experiences, and each artist led 2 tutorials on techniques they use in their music making. We recently had the chance to speak with each of the featured artists: @_JWords, @DaniMurcia, @ty_Ushka, @biglilLamb, and @RosanaCabán. Here’s what Ushka told us: “Initiatives like Beats by Girlz are super important to empower young folks to be able to take on music. Particularly in electronic music, femmes are still marginalized as the art form is considered “technical.” It’s hugely sexist and patriarchal to assume that femmes and women-identified folks can’t be in technical fields.” Read what the other artists told us via the link in our bio! 🎧🎤 . . . #beatsbygirlz #music #gender #women #artist #technology #producer #instagood #WCW #inclusive #industry

Arriving just in time for Pride Month and to add to your summer reading list, debut author Marissa Alma Nick’s ‘Rebel In Venus’ (out May 26) is a semi-autobiographical honest story of redemption, an intimate portrait of friendship, the impact of trauma, the power of our first love and loss. It is a coming-of-age story, about a woman who is realizing she can no longer outrun herself. @riss.alma never had any major plans to become an author, but after an injury put her dance career on hold, the tragic news about the death of a close friend, as well as the start of the pandemic in 2020, writing became a lifeline for her. A startling headline in the Washington Post, outlining the how teen girls are at an increased risk of suicide today, also became a catalyst for Marissa to incorporate teen mental health into the story. As we head into Pride Month in June, and as we round out Mental Health Awareness month in May, we had the chance to speak with Marissa about @rebelinvenus, why mental health is so important to her. "I know depression, I know shame, and abuse. I think there is still a great deal of shame around mental health. I just wanted to contribute to the growing culture around creating awareness for mental health. This is really important to me. My hope is that this book might save one life, aside from my own. That’s a big ask, but I hope this book helps them see themselves as the hero, and not a burden." Read more about 'Rebel In Venus' via the link in our bio! 🧜‍♀️🏳️‍🌈 . . . #rebelinveus #pridemonth #queerstories #mentalhealthawareness #author #bookstagram #stories #MarissaAlmaNick #comingofage #shame #stigma #teengirls #instagood