I RECOMMEND

MY COLLABORATORS

• Aminatou Sow, my CYG co-host and Shine Theory co-coiner

• Gina Delvac, our incredible CYG producer

• Lara Shipley, a photographer I love to work with

• Jade Chang, an author who I teach workshops with

• Jacque Boltik, #1 newsletter tech guru

• Gail Ross, my literary agent

• Laura Bertocci, my assistant

• Quinn Heraty, my lawyer

• Midroll, which handles ad sales for CYG

• FRESH Speakers, my speaking agency

• Kenesha Sneed, who designed the CYG logo

• Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs, who composes CYG's music

• Jorge Rivas, who took my bio photos

• Describe the Fauna, who took our Team CYG portraits

PEOPLE WHO HAVE BOOSTED MY CAREER

• My Tomorrow magazine crew, which includes Megan Greenwell, Cord Jefferson, Zak Stone, Nona Willis Aronowitz, Dylan C. Lathrop, and Tim Fernholz

• My Feministing crew, especially Vanessa Valenti, Samhita Mukhopadhyay, Courtney Martin, Miriam Pérez, Jessica Valenti

• Dave Gilson and Elizabeth Gettelman Galicia, who hired me as a Mother Jones fellow and taught me how to check facts

• Jessica Hopper, who responded to a late-night emotional email from a stranger 10 years ago

• Mark Schmitt, who enabled me to cultivate my feature-editing skills at The American Prospect

• Doug McGray, who was a mentor and later recommended me for an exec-level editing job

• Anna Holmes, who spent hours imparting editorial wisdom when I felt I was in over my head

ORGANIZATIONS I SUPPORT

• Women's Center for Creative Work, a nonprofit feminist community space

• Library Foundation of Los Angeles, because public libraries are the BEST

• Downtown Women's Center, which serves women experiencing homelessness

• The Sylvia Rivera Law Project, which fights for everyone’s freedom to self-determine their gender identity

• ZanaAfrica Foundation

• Showing Up for Racial Justice / White People for Black Lives

• CHIRLA (Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights LA)

• American Civil Liberties Union

• National Network of Abortion Funds, which directly funds abortions

• Higher Heights, which invests in black women's political leadership

PLACES I SHOP

• Skylight Books!

• Of a Kind

• Tuesday Bassen

• Miranda Bennett Studio

• Tactile Matter

• Otherwild

• Gogosha Optique

HEALTH & PERSONAL GROWTH RESOURCES

• Myisha Battle, sex coach

• Gracy Obuchowicz, self-care coach

• Beth Pickens, arts consultant (and the person who made me a feminist!)

• EVERYBODY Gym

• Leigh Ferrara Yoga

• Lark Acupuncture + Wellness

• Related rec: Colleen Medlock, who does branding for health+wellness practitioners

PRODUCTS I SWEAR BY

• Baggu. I own bajillons of these reusable bags.

• Casio illuminator watch. How did I live without this thing?

• ClearCare contact lens solution. Why was I using saline for all those years? I’ll never go back.

• Dill pickle Kettle Chips

• Soapwalla natural deodorant cream

• Dryel, for when you thrifted a garment that’s dry-clean only, and the cleaning bill would amount to twice its cost.

• Everyday Oil

• SleepMaster sleep mask, for whenever I’m not sleeping in my own bed.

• Lunya washable silk loungewear. MY GOD, this material feels good.

• Iron-on letters. The quickest way to make a protest tee.

PUBLICATIONS I SUBSCRIBE TO

The California Sunday Magazine, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Washington Post, New York, The New Territory, The Baffler, Bitch, The Believer, Afar, Mother Jones

APPS I RELY ON

• SimpleNote. An extremely basic note-keeping app that I love.

• The New York Times Crossword. This doubles as my meditation app.

• 1Password, an essential.

• Libby for all of my digital library loan needs.

• EstateSales.net rules my Saturday mornings.

• 5EveryDay for hidden gems around Los Angeles.

• 5 Calls, to keep me calling my representatives.