Ugh, New York Climate Week

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LISTENING: "a touch of pain, a desert rain..." 🎶
FEELING: cozy amid the autumnal equinox
SEEING: a pile of collages I'm preparing to mail out!

My Instagram and LinkedIn DMs are blowing up. My calendar is bustling with invites. It's New York Climate Week aka the week from hell. And this year, for the first time, most of my responses have involved a single word: no. I'm already tired from my travels, and NYCW usually depletes me further. It's a week of giving and talking and putting out excited, intellectual energy. I rarely feel poured into in return.

So this year, I said fuck that. I got invited to speak on four panels. I was interested in one, but I wasn't quick enough. The team found someone else. And honestly? I'm relieved. The other offers weren't up my alley or weren't paying enough for the stress and time that taking part involves. Speaking on panels or moderating them is my least favorite part of the job. I'm good at it, but I hate it. So I expect to be paid some big bucks to endure it.

I'm always fascinated by what organizations are willing to compensate the experts they put on their stage and which ones "don't have the budget." I've found that larger organizations usually refuse to pay folks. Meanwhile, smaller teams (whose staff are sometimes paying out of their own pockets) tend to be generous. In money, yes, but also in spirit.

As a native New Yorker who works for herself, I recognize the privilege I have to sit this out. To not have to run around like a chicken with its head cut off in search of new funders or donors. To not have to find expensive and competitive lodging. To not have the pressures of a newsroom making me go to a million events to represent them and show face.

Indeed, there are still climate activists and world leaders out there who are trying to attend NYCW but can't. The U.S. government won't let them. Their visas are denied. At this week's U.N. meetings (the reason why NYCW became a thing this time of year in the first place), Palestinian leaders weren't welcome. For the second year in a row, their visas have been denied.

Last year, I knew of at least one South African climate activist who was unable to attend due to a denied visa. How many others are out there? What has this week lost without their voices? One of my favorite parts of NYCW is its international lens: the Indigenous leaders from the Amazon or journalists from Latin America. They provide a needed global perspective. They remind us that the United States is not everything. That New York City is a bubble — a fine bubble that many want to burst or step into — but a bubble, nonetheless. They ground us in reality.

This week, I'm limiting myself to seeing friends and sources for whom I carry much love. That's all my spirit can take. The hum and drum of nEtwOrkiNg and playing Intellectual Media Person would put me over the edge. So if you're in town, I hope you have fun and protect your peace. NYCW is a great time to learn and make new connections. It's also an opportunity to take in this extraordinary city during its prime (quickly shrinking) season.

Here are my local recommendations in no particular order:

• Blue Ribbon Sushi: I love all of their locations, but my favorite is probably their Columbus Circle spot in a hotel lobby. Their PENN 1 spot is my go-to (because convenience) and is usually quite empty. The entrance is hard to find, but I believe in you! (Or ask someone for help lol)
• Kazu Nori: They have a few locations. All are great. There's usually a line, but it goes fast and is so worth it if you love raw fish and handrolls.
• Mamasushi: I would not categorize this food as sushi. Imagine if a Dominican tía and sushi chef came together. That's what you'll find here. If you go, avoid traditional seafood rolls. Get the ones with carne and chicken and salami and cheese. Seriously. And go to their Dyckman or Harlem location. Oh, and get a hookah too if you're feeling naughty.
• Asian Jewels: If you're down to venture to Queens, this is hands down the best dim sum in the city. I said what I said!!! Plus, the Tangram mall is across the street and full of even more yummy food and shopping.
• Verdi Cannabis Store: I love any and all dispensaries, but this one is always an especially good vibe. Highly suggest stopping by before visiting any of the above eateries.
• Pebble Bar: Conveniently located near the Rockefeller Center. Expensive but the drinks hit. Recommend getting a reservation if you can. I love their drinks.
• Spygold: In Chelsea near Convention Center madland. I went for the first time this week and WOW. Great cocktails and snacks. Pricey, though!
• Kew and Willow Books: This is my local bookstore, and I love them. Come to Queens! We're the best!
• New York Botanical Gardens: The best reason to head to the Bronx. With fall starting, the gardens are at their spookiest and prettiest. Hit up Little Italy and get some pasta and pizza at Enzo's afterward.

I could go on for days, so holla if you need any other recs. And raffle winners will have their collages in the mail this week. I'm still waiting to hear from one more person, so if I get no response, I'll pick another winner next week. 🌀

Currently Reading

Two people sent me this essay by Whitney McGuire. I immediately hit subscribe: "Every September, New York becomes a temporary capital of climate urgency. The hotels fill up. The panels multiply. The receptions begin. The language gets bigger. The promises get bolder. We gather to talk about transition, resilience, adaptation, innovation, justice. But somewhere underneath all of that activity is a much quieter question: Who gets to be sustained while we build the future?"

Nikole Hannah-Jones' latest magazine feature for The New York Times about choosing to enroll her Black daughter in a New York City public school is a must-read. (Skip the paywall here.)

This essay by Garrett Bucks nearly brought me to tears. He lists all the best parts of humanity, and this is the one that got to me: "…that when that song comes on (Before I Let Go/Don’t Stop Believing/Como La Flor/Mr. Brightside/Danza Kuduro/Knuck If You Buck/Friends in Low Places/I Wanna Dance With Somebody and a literal million others) we throw our arms around each other and sing-shout with such abandon that we almost tip over."

Helina Selemon and Jordan Gass-Pooré go deep for The Margin about extreme heat risks in New York City — and the unequal access to resources. I love a good interactive piece.

Collage

- Yessenia x