We’re wrapping up two beautiful stories this weekend! First, our feature on @sanj___ , and second, the archival of our beloved Mango Jhumka.
Thanks @aashna_dev ! We couldn’t have imagined a more fitting reel to celebrate this moment! 🥭
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PS: Two more days to go before we archive the Mango Jhumka!
As we unpack the idea of belonging with @sanj___ , she’s dedicated the 15th edition of her newsletter, @garmi.studio , to this exploration.
GARMI means heat, and symbolizes its ability to transform things. It is Sanjana’s playground to explore critical socioecological topics that demand change.
Scroll for some snippets from this edition on belonging. You can read the full article on garmi.substack.com
A huge shoutout to @aashna_dev for being the best director/DP/editor for all the photos and reels we’ve been sharing lately!
“I think of our planet warming. I think of hot-headedness and flammable emotions. Of fiery passion, motivation, resolve. Of sweat. Of sultry, sexy, hot, provocative. I think of the digestive fire in our bellies, responsible for helping us process food and transform it into nutrients.
It follows that @garmi.studio is my playground for processing transformation, sharing with you in real time what’s bringing me light, getting me hot and bothered, fueling my flame, keeping my pilot light strong, helping me digest, sparking my joy, making me feel like hot shit, burning down old paradigms and cracking open seeds of nourishment.”
— Sanjana Sekhar (@sanj___ )
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In this second part of our feature on Sanjana, we explore how she’s finding her sense of belonging through her pursuit with @garmi.studio and sharing her discoveries via the ‘Garmi’ newsletter.
Captured and edited by the brilliant @aashna_dev ✨
The last 5 months have been a period of growth and hibernation. In between moments of doubt, fear, and uncertainty, it feels easy to lose myself. I skim through photos as a reminder of my own values, the things that spark joy when I intuitively press that little button and think“man I wanna remember this moment forever.” When the brain is being the asshole in my head, film and photos remind me of all the little things that bring me back home.
Recently developed some photos and loving how these turned out🥹 Cheers to more watering of friendships, human connection, and letting the heart drive action. (Clearly I’m back in my soft girl era)
We first connected with Sanjana (@sanj___ ) on a meandering journey of self-discovery in December 2022. Our hearts were heavy with the weight of previous explorations that had failed to flourish.
It was easy to fall into the trap of viewing these as failures, but Sanjana saw something different. She saw us making a brave choice, “embracing nourishment and intentionality over growth for growth’s sake.”
Sanjana (@sanj___ ) is a South Indian-American writer, filmmaker, and climate activist. Her work brings to life “thrutopian” stories that mend our relationships with ourselves, each other, and our planet.
Her words had offered us a new perspective, a lens through which we could see the beauty in our journey. She has shaped our story as @surmeyi and today we are overjoyed to be a small medium for her story.
A HUGE shout out to @aashna_dev for capturing this so exquisitely.
A few weeks ago we had the privilege of working with @coltonunderwood and @shopoxb on their pride collection! OXB is donating a percentage of all June proceeds to the LA LGBT Center @lalgbtcenter , an amazing organization that supports the LGBTQ+ community here in Los Angeles. This was such a fun, collaborative shoot and we couldn’t be prouder of the final product! Check out a few of the shots and behind the scenes from the shoot!
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Production : @patchworkpinata
Additional photography: @aashna_dev
Post production: @patchworkpinata
