Desi Book Aunty Newsletter

Beloved community, As #partition1947 remembrance days approach during peak fascist times on the subcontinent, I’m seeking ways to emphasize our ongoing interconnectedness as South Asians of multiple nations, castes, faiths & languages. August 14-15th, 1947 mark what’s known as partition in South Asian history. This is a key historical set of events impacting my family & ancestry in profound ways we are still grasping. As I repeatedly say: Partition is now. It isn’t in the past. We are kin.

Y’all, I adore April because we are blessed with so many marvelous poetry shares! Why do you read, write, share or teach poetry? Do share! This response resonates for me: "There's something in brevity that gives us depth," — Amber McBride (from a recent Novel-in-Verse Craft talk at #kweli23 conference) I am drawn to poetic forms because they add depths, nuances & emotions to our stories. Memorable poetry is soulful.

A Dupatta Is..., written by Marzieh Abbas and vividly brought to life by the artwork of Anu Chouhan, is a loving and lyrical ode to the dupatta. Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (April 11, 2023) You may have already heard of this author & illustrator. The radiance of this picture book inspired me to reach out to them for this feature. I hope you’ll be inspired to access this book & share the book pyar! Anu Chouhan is a Punjabi-Canadian illustrator and art director.

Beloved readers, One of the most intriguing & brave new books for younger readers I’ve had the distinct joy of reading an advance copy of is Shakti by SJ Sindu. It truly blew me away in so many ways. This story is fierce, tender, layered, nuanced, expansive, poignant and much more.

Greetings, all! I am delighted about all the creative, inspiring & uplifting new reads for young folks releasing this Spring! It is a distinct joy of book aunty life to see early editions & advance copies of many books.

Join us, y’all! Our brilliant writing community member, Reem Faruqi, will be in conversation with me for a celebration of Milloo's Mind: The Story of Maryam Faruqi, Trailblazer for Women's Education. About the Event: Milloo's Mind: The Story of Maryam Faruqi, Trailblazer for Women's Education--Reem Faruqi in conversation with Gayatri Sethi Date: Saturday, March 25th The virtual event is listed on multiple sites. Please invite people by sharing these links & registering to attend.

Beloveds, It is Women’s History month & #IWD2023 International Women’s Day is on March 8th. Reviewing my current reading list & reflecting back on years when I taught courses in feminism, I’ve been mulling over a few reminders as I witness the prevalent narratives about women’s rights these days. I am noting that so many posts, especially on social media, are often devoid of depth or nuanced understandings. Let us consider: What kind of feminism is our “women’s power” narrative founded on?

This new illustrated picture book featuring 13 Indian women who changed history & embody Shakti makes a great educator resource for women’s history month. It includes learning prompts, games, glossary & much more to introduce empowering ideas to learners ages 5-8+.

Blessed community, Women’s History Month follows Black History month. As complicated as these “heritage months” can be, many educational institutions (especially in higher education) rely on these themed months to organize programming. I dream of a day when we reorganize our intersectional solidarity work. Any given day or month, you’ll find me learning from & citing Black Women Writers.

Beloved community, In my multi-faith communities, we are celebrating intercalary days known as Ayyám-i-Há. These are days of giving, gifting, service & togetherness beginning on February 25th. Next month, we fast until Naw-Rúz. Over the years, we have observed these festivities with both #bookdonations & book floods inspired by #jokabokaflod for our family.