Blog

  • The Kodak Charmera adds a little whimsy to my life

    The Kodak Charmera adds a little whimsy to my life

    The Kodak Charmera came into my life via the algorithm of a social media platform. I’ve now spent some time with it and wanted to share my experience of it. It’s the smallest, cutest digital camera I’ve owned. It’s small enough to fit in my pocket or hang on as part of my key chain.… Read more

  • Your Personal North Star At Work

    Your Personal North Star At Work

    During a hangout with a friend, he asked me to rate my past jobs across three categories: impact (the real-world consequences of my work), remuneration (whether my pay sufficiently met my needs), and work environment (whether I felt respected and valued by colleagues and superiors). Those questions unearthed a flood of memories—some fond, others less… Read more

  • Beyond the Trauma: A Black History Month Reading List

    Beyond the Trauma: A Black History Month Reading List

    Anyone who knows me has likely heard me begging for more queer stories—especially those featuring happy, “normal” BIPOC characters. I am craving narratives that aren’t centred on pain and suffering tied to a character’s queerness or transness. I am tired of reading stories where queer and trans folks are expected to justify their humanity. I’m… Read more

  • Experiencing Festa de Cosme e Damião in Vitória

    Experiencing Festa de Cosme e Damião in Vitória

    In September 2024, I attended two events to commemorate Festa de Cosme e Damião in Vitória, Espírito Santo. Cosme and Damião, also known as Saints Cosmas and Damian, are two saints from the Catholic tradition who have been syncretized into Umbanda and Candomble. Venerating Cosme and Damião takes place yearly around September 27th, and it… Read more

  • I used AI to immortalise my grandmother’s wisdom and uncovered a plethora of ethical and legal challenges

    I used AI to immortalise my grandmother’s wisdom and uncovered a plethora of ethical and legal challenges

    TL DR: text-to-image AI platforms are magical, but many technical, practical and ethical issues are brewing underneath this fantastical world. As news of text-to-image AI use cases flooded the internet, I became inspired to create with this technology. I wrote a short story about Odogwu, a travelling demon seeking protection for their world. The central… Read more

  • What it takes to successfully run an open source software company— a case study of Blender

    What it takes to successfully run an open source software company— a case study of Blender

    TL;DR: If Blender didn’t have investor money early on and big corporations who donate now didn’t have their own interests at heart, it wouldn’t be as far along as it is today. The first time I used Blender was in May 2022. At my job, we think it’s important to be digitally inclusive. This means… Read more