It was nice to have a serendipitous moment of running into you a few months ago, and unexpectedly catching up — simply crossing paths. That's something I miss. It's very difficult to have those kinds of moments when you're in your house by yourself.
Welcome back to Let’s Talk, a series of conversations about life’s big questions. This week, I’m very happy for you to meet my friend Andrew Huang.
Join Andrew and me for a conversation about how the simple act of speaking to neighbors became a novelty, his experience navigating the racial justice movement as an Asian American, and the must-have salty snacks for quarantine. Andrew points out, and I agree, that one of the things we miss most this year is the serendipitous pleasure that springs up from moving through the world freely.
Andrew is a writer, photographer, foodie, recovering menswear enthusiast, and reluctant functional fitness gym goer. Currently, he’s a social media and content strategist at Brains on Fire, a creative agency in Greenville, SC, and Los Angeles, CA. He's also the editor-at-large for TOWN, a magazine exploring the stories and culture of the progressive South.
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When asked what joys he’s encountered in lockdown, Andrew shares what it’s been like to get to know both his house and his neighbors in new ways this year:
I'm really enjoying seeing how different parts of my house look at different times of the day. Just the way the light comes in, which is a very simple thing. [Or] being able to see the sunset in my neighborhood. And I've actually met all my neighbors now, which has been a pleasant surprise.
Andrew approaches the Black Lives Matter movement with the same thoughtfulness he applies to everything. He talks about how even those who always believed in racial justice must transition from “little-c change” in the form of everyday, well-intentioned acts — like calling out racism and holding space for Black voices in the workplace and elsewhere — to “big-C Change,” or a united, full-capacity push for transformation at a radical, systemic level.
When considering community members who are still uncomfortable with that, Andrew clarifies the bottom line:
Trying to make sure somebody else is not inconvenienced should not take precedence over another human being's life.
He’s right, of course. It’s that simple.
Let Andrew and me know your best pandemic snacks in the comments, and — you probably saw this coming — since I started an accidental podcast, you can help me out by giving it a rating or review when you listen. As always, thank you for being here! Take care out there — I’ll see you next time.
Serendipity and Snacks with Creative Andrew Huang