What Kin-Building Actually Looks Like

Over 42 million people in the United States rely on federal food assistance — that’s ONE OUT OF EVERY EIGHT PEOPLE. And that assistance is poised to disappear on November 1st because of the ongoing government shutdown.

Food banks around the country are bracing themselves for unprecedented need — and we can help them *right now* to help meet that need. You can donate to your local food bank, of course, or you can donate to FEEDING AMERICA, a broad network of food banks, food pantries, and local meal programs.

I’ll be matching the first $500 in donations. You can either donate directly and forward me your receipt (annehelenpetersen @ gmail)….or you can Venmo me at annehelen or PayPal at annehelenpetersen@gmail.com and I’ll make a big donation at the end of the week (and post all cashout receipts, etc.)

**If you need help finding food — this link will help you find resources near you.**

***If you’re able to dedicate a few hours to volunteering, this link will help you find an organization near you that needs help — local CS meet-up groups, take note!***

One of the recurring themes of this newsletter and is figuring out how to take care of each other in a society that valorizes self-sufficiency above all else. It’s taken so much active unlearning for me to rely more on others — even people I’ve known and loved for decades! — and I know it’s an ongoing project for so many of you, too. How do we stop trying to be perfect parents on our own? How do we stop thinking that any problem we have we can fix by buying shit (for ourselves?)

Sophie Lucido Johnson has been working through these questions too — but through a slightly different lens. First, she’s a talented illustrator, and sometimes these concepts can feel complicated…until you draw them and see just how simple they really are. Her framework of how queerplatonic relationship-building is also tremendously generative — particularly when it comes to communication and care.

If you’re trying to figure out how to find and/or better sustain kin in your life, read on — there’s something here for everyone. (And you’re gonna love these illustrations)

You can find so much more of Sophie’s work here and pre-order Kin here (as a gift to your future self!).

I think we should start with the title of the book and its