Minyoung Lee

My name is Minyoung Lee

My pronouns are: she/her

I live in: East Bay

What I do / What I’m into: Writing, visual arts and crafts, the outdoors, cats, investing, trying to finish this novel.

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Visual arts/crafts, Pet sitting, Exercising/hiking, Technology, Accounting/finance /investing, Food & cooking

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: Local hiking trails, interesting nooks and crannies in the Bay Area, local histories, running a food business.

Website: https://myleeis.com/

Instagram: @@minyoungleeis

Twitter: @@minyoungleeis

Kate Jung

My name is Kate Jung

Email:

My pronouns are: she/her

I live in: San Francisco

What I do / What I’m into: In my day job, I work as a program manager in tech, but in my own time, I am an aspiring scifi/fantasy novelist working on the first draft of my book. I also enjoy exploring the little joys of a simple life, from learning how to cook a new meal to exploring new neighborhoods.

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Exercising/hiking, Graphic Design, Running a business, Accounting/finance /investing, Food & cooking, Interior design, Dungeons and Dragons, Board Games

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: I love to cultivate my own physical and mental wellbeing by learning new hobbies and skills. Right now, I'm excited about learning more about: Designing and decorating my apartment, brewing my own coffee at home, learning the basics of painting, investing and personal finance, and strength training.

Website:

Instagram: @kate.b.jung

Twitter: @

Kelly Gannon

My name is Kelly Gannon

My pronouns are: she/her

I live in: San Francisco

What I do / What I’m into: Currently: Learning & Evaluation at NDWA Labs, the social innovation arm of the National Domestic Workers Alliance. I'm into researching social justice movements, developing frameworks for understanding collective organizing, and building practical tools for activists, organizations, and funders.

Ask me about: Exercising/hiking, Technology, Nonprofits, Political organizing & activism

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: (1) Art - I'd love to spend more time drawing and painting (2) Writing - as a regular practice.

Angela DeCenzo

My name is Angela DeCenzo

My pronouns are: she/her

I live in: San Francisco

What I do / What I’m into: I'm a commercial and editorial portrait, food and travel photographer. I love being in nature, road trips, sewing & needlepoint, flea markets, thrift shopping, cooking healthy food, fermentation, movies, reading, caring for my houseplants, hanging out with my kids and infusing creativity into my everyday life.

Ask me about: Visual arts/crafts, Exercising/hiking, Photography, Running a business, Food & cooking, Gardening

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: I recently discovered the painter Artemisia, Gentileschi who was a feminist Baroque painter which inspired me to learn more about feminist artists from history. I'm also trying to learn more about Italian folk magic and how my ancestors infused that into their everyday lives. My kids and I taught ourselves to play Mahjong during lockdown and I'm trying to get better at playing. And always on the lookout for interesting subjects to photograph, currently working on a project on finding beauty in deteriorating objects, specifically mold.

Website: https://www.angeladecenzo.com

Instagram: @angeladecenzo

Twitter: @

Miranda Tsang

My name is Miranda Tsang

My pronouns are: she/her

I live in: San Francisco

What I do / What I’m into: Writing (journalism, poetry, fiction), reading, films/TV, music, animals, food.

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Visual arts/crafts, Exercising/hiking, Nonprofits, Podcasting/radio, Film/TV, Food & cooking.

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: journalism, film/TV, music.

Website: https://www.mirandajtsang.com/

Instagram: @mirandatsang4ever

Twitter: @

Amber Butts

My name is Amber Butts

Email: whereisamberbutts@gmail.com

My pronouns are: she/ her

I live in: East Bay

What I do / What I’m into: Writer, editor and grief worker. I'm very into cheese, science fiction and birds.

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Music, Science, Political organizing & activism, Food & cooking

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: Everything! Culture, food, weird facts, animism, woodworking, dream interpretation, physics, plants, more weird things. Also, I’m teaching myself Japanese.

Website: https://www.amberbutts.com

Instagram: @amberbuttswrites

Twitter: @sleepyhuman

Emily Wilson

My name is Emily Wilson

Email: emilyhwilson415@gmail.com

My pronouns are: She/her

I live in: San Francisco

What I do / What I’m into:
writing, mostly about the arts and education

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Event planning, Marketing, Podcasting/radio

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: I have done radio, a while ago now, and I'd like to start a podcast

Instagram: @pureewil

Twitter: @ehw415

Marya Brennan

My name is Marya Brennan

Email: mlbrenna@gmail.com

My pronouns are: She/her

I live in: East Bay

What I do / What I’m into: Co-Director of Programs at National Novel Writing Month/ fiction, dogs and dog training, tarot, circus, thrift shopping, museums

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Exercising / hiking, Nonprofits, Carpooling

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: Wood block printing, roller skating, filmmaking, tarot, transcendental meditation, bike mechanics, Spanish language learning

Instagram: @marya_brennan

Twitter: @moxyb

Tessa Cheek

My name is Tessa Cheek

Email: tessa.cheek@gmail.com

My pronouns are: She/her

I live in: San Francisco

What I do / What I’m into: I'm a writer, especially into fiction and poetry :) My day job is in small biz/ brand/ marketing work -- I sling candles for a Colorado-based beeswax candle company called Bluecorn.

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Publicity, Marketing, Pet sitting, Housesitting, Exercising/hiking, Photography, Running a business, Film/TV, Political organizing & activism

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: I love going to poetry/lit readings of all kinds and attending workshops, free writes, etc. Also interested in dance, drawing and happy hours/ social timez

Website: tessa-cheek.com

Instagram: @cheektes

Twitter: @tessacheek

Nina Shen Rastogi

My name is Nina Shen Rastogi

Email: nina.rastogi@gmail.com

My pronouns are: She/her

I live in: East Bay

What I do / What I’m into: I used to work as a journalist/critic (mostly at Slate and Vulture) and had all kinds of other literary lives (English teacher, grad student, book and comic book editor, VP of a literary startup for teens and young adults) ... now I work as a UX content designer and have had various language-oriented tech roles for the last decade or so. I'm on the board of the California Shakespeare Theater and work with them on marketing/branding projects and give talks about the plays through their dramaturgy department.

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Marketing, Technology

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: I love running reading groups and am always looking for cool opportunities to moderate/facilitate events and brainstorms. As a writer, I'm trying to figure out how to get to work without an editor's deadlines!

Website: nina-shen-rastogi.com

Instagram: @ninashen

Twitter: @ninashen

Jessica Zhou

My name is Jessica Zhou

Email: fieldednotes@gmail.com

My pronouns are: she/they

I live in: San Francisco

What I do / What I’m into: -writer, poet, researcher, journalist
-nurturing/contributing to creative/arts infrastructure with kearny street workshop, pride poets, broke ass stuart
-digital communities with subtle asian dating, friends with benefits
-fledgling saxophonist in a jazz band with friends
-sous chef's sous chef
-avid concert goer
-question-asker of strangers and friends alike :)

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Publicity, Event planning, Marketing, Pet sitting, Housesitting, Exercising/hiking, Music, Technology, Event planning

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: I am excited to learn about folks' creative/artistic practices, independent business/freelance practices, the ways the two intertwine with one another, and exist separately from one another!

Also love hearing about people's favorite haunts/venues/small businesses, beloved places in the Bay, the things you're dreaming about :)

Down to swap playlists, writing, book recs, event recs, restaurant/coffee recs! Always wanting to scheme fun events with folks too <3

Website: www.jyz.digital

Instagram: @jayzeeismee @mooncasted

Lena Moses-Schmitt

My name is Lena Moses-Schmitt

Email: lenamschmitt@gmail.com

My pronouns are: She/her

I live in: East Bay

What I do / What I’m into: I work in publishing as a book publicist, and I'm also a poet, essayist, and artist.

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Publicity, Visual arts/crafts

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about:

Website: lenamoses-schmitt.com

Instagram: @lenamschmitt

Twitter: @lenamschmitt

Alisha Gorder

My name is Alisha Gorder

Email: alishabethgorder@gmail.com

My pronouns are: she/her/hers

I live in: East Bay

What I do / What I’m into: I'm a book publicist, but used to work in a flower shop so I'm big into books and plants (who isn't!) I like going on hikes and to yoga classes, trying out new restaurants/bars, spending too much on skincare, and also—as of recently—roller skating.

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Publicity, Password sharing, Pet sitting, Housesitting, Exercising/hiking, Carpooling

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: Always looking for new recipes or places to eat! Also always interested in advice on how to advocate for oneself at work, ask for raises...you know, the hard stuff!

Website: https://www.alishagorder.com/

Instagram: @alishabethgorder

Twitter: @alishabgorder

Thais Derich

My name is Thais Derich

Email: thais@thaisderich.com

My pronouns are: She/her

I live in: North Bay

What I do / What I’m into: I'm a writer who loves to hike with my dog and friends.

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Exercising/hiking

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: I'd like to talk about books, short stories, and our literary community. How are other people interacting in this space?

Website: www.thaisderich.com

Twitter: @thaisderich

Brynn Rubinstein

My name is Brynn Rubinstein

Email: brynnr@gmail.com

My pronouns are: She/her

I live in: San Francisco

What I do / What I’m into: Women's and reproductive public health

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Exercising/hiking, Nonprofits, Running a business, Political organizing & activism, women's health, public health, ceramics, raising twins and wine (see twins)

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: Writing buddies (I write personal nonfiction), tea

Website: brynnr.com

Twitter: @monkeyproblems

Chanamon Ratanalert

My name is Chanamon Ratanalert

Email: chanamon.shop@gmail.com

My pronouns are: she/her/hers

I live in: San Francisco

What I do / What I’m into: Illustration and all things crafting

Ask me about: Visual arts/crafts, Technology, Graphic Design, Illustration, Running a business, Gardening, Dog training, Service Dogs & ESAs

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: Growing my business, Living a creative life!

Website: www.chanamon.com

Instagram: @madebychanamon

Kristin Keane

My name is Kristin Keane

Email: knkeane@gmail.com

My pronouns are: She/her

I live in: San Francisco

What I do / What I’m into: I'm a writer (fiction and creative non-fiction) and educational researcher

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Visual arts/crafts, Exercising/hiking, Photography, academic research

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: Interested in: writing creative non-fiction and fiction; running; yoga; art history; multimedia learning and literacy; contemporary literature and poetry; film; photography; volunteering and civic engagement in literacy

Want to know more about: effectively marketing and publicizing book launches (I have a book forthcoming in April and this is not my strength!); becoming a better quilter and cook

Website: www.thisisnotreallyhere.space

Instagram: @kitenearsink

Twitter: @kitenearsink

Alexia Nader

My name is Alexia Nader

Email: alexia.nader@gmail.com

My pronouns are: She/her

I live in: San Francisco

What I do / What I’m into: Writing, Teaching

Ask me about: Writing/editing, Event planning, Visual arts/crafts, Babysitting, Pet sitting, Housesitting, Exercising/hiking, Food & cooking, Carpooling, Gardening

What I'm interested in, or would like to learn more about: Art, Dance, Parenting, Cooking

Website: https://alexianader.com/

Twitter: @arnader