Happy Friday everyone! I hope you all have had a great week and you have something fun and/or relaxing planned for the weekend. I’ve decided in an effort to make myself more accountable to reading more news around the world and keeping an open mind, I am going to start doing Five on Friday every other week.
I’m sure you’ve heard of Five on Friday in some context. For fashion bloggers, it may be the five pieces they want to highlight that week; for lifestyle bloggers, it may be the five events going on in their life that week; for travel bloggers, it may be the five destinations they have in mind that week. I plan to do my Five on Friday a bit differently. Every other Friday, I want to to share either accounts you should follow on Instagram and why, news stories I read from around the world and why I think they’re important, podcasts you should consider listening to and why, and the like.
This week I want to highlight 5 Instagram accounts to follow to gain a different perspective. These accounts will help you think critically about issues and introduce you to issues that you may not otherwise hear about:
1. Asian.Actiivsit | Instagram
How often do you see Asians reflected in social media? News outlets, people you follow, stories – good or bad – being shared? Not until recently did I notice the lack of representation in the media I was consuming, so I made a conscious decision to change that. Are you also aware that Asia consists of at least 48 different countries? Each with their own culture, language, food, etc., yet more often than not, the blanket word ‘Asian’ is used to address all these differences. Follow Asian.Actiivist on Instagram to learn more about what’s going on in the community that may not necessarily be talked about and to diversify your media intake.
2. Global Caveat | Instagram & Podcast
Season II recently released, and every Tuesday a new episode drops. Feel free to binge-listen to Season I like I did. Instead of listening to music while I meal prep, I now listen to podcasts, and this one of the top ones I choose to listen. I learn so much, and it’s introduced me to so many new concepts I may never have even considered. Susanna & Diana, the hosts of the podcast, emphasize how interdisciplinary public health is by bringing on people from different backgrounds and relating it back to public health. Whether you’re in public health or not, I highly recommend giving their podcast a listen. The topics covered will apply to you in some degree of separation, and trust me – you’ll definitely learn something new.
3. Hijabi Globetrotter | Instagram
Kareemah is passionate about travelling, as well as providing insight and perspective into the Muslim community. Whether we want to admit it or not, everyone has a preconceived notion as to what we each believe ‘Muslim’ means, and due largely to the way the media associates the word with negative images, events, and so on, most people hear/read it with a negative connotation. Kareemah is striving to change that mindset and help people understand that if you take the time to listen and learn, you may just find that there are more similarities than differences. Follow along on Instagram to learn more about Kareemah and her journey, and to also learn about the Islamic culture.
4. No White Saviors | Instagram
An advocacy group based in Uganda, No White Saviors has a mission to amplify the voices of Ugandans. Too often the narrative that is being told to the public is not necessarily the reality that is being experienced by the locals in the community. No White Saviors is trying to help change the mindset by reminding people who say they are coming with intentions to help that they should ‘start listening before speaking, learning before acting, and partnering instead of leading’ (No White Saviors). Follow along on Instagram to learn how you can help with their mission, to gain a deeper understanding of the work they do, and to learn how to critically think about how words and actions impact the lives of POC.
5. Sans_Bar | Instagram
Many people head to the bar to meet up with family, friends, dates, etc. and the obvious assumption is that alcohol will be involved in some way. What happens when you’re in recovery, but still want the social aspect? Enter Sans Bar – a bar that is a ‘safe and inviting atmosphere for people who want to have a good time without alcohol’ (The Sans Bar). Located in Austin, Texas, Sans Bar offers live music, guest speakers, and special events to bring people together. Everyone is welcome to visit Sans Bar, just make sure you are sober when you do so in respect for everyone there. Follow along on Instagram to learn more about the founder, about what’s happening at the bar, i.e. live music, special events, etc., as well as various aspects about the recovery process.
Thank you to all these accounts for all the work they do. It definitely is not an easy task trying to educate others, especially those who seem to be stuck in their ways. For those of us who are open to learning about topics in which we are not the expert and open to gaining a different perspective on topics we think we already know and understand, we appreciate all the effort and labor.
If you have any accounts that you believe should be mentioned on a Five on Friday, please comment below and let us know why! I’d love to support the accounts!