Part 2 of Anu's top 20

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Hi John,
In my years as a partner for reproductive justice I’ve learned just how crucial a practice of gratitude is in sustaining this work. It’s important to take time to reflect on simple things that bring us joy. So on Monday, in honor of Valentines Day and my 20th year at Ipas, I shared part 1 of 20 things I love. I’m excited to share part 2 with you today. (If you missed the first 10 items, check your inboxes or click here to read online ([link removed]) .)

11. Mangos. Really…who doesn’t love mangos? The best part of a summer trip to India when it is beastly hot is endless amounts and varieties of mangos. Fruit of the gods.   

12. Art history. If I could have figured out a career path as an art historian, I would’ve done it. I took a class in Indian miniature paintings at UC Berkeley fromB.N. Goswamy ([link removed]) , a renowned Indian art critic and miniature expert. He was brilliant, and I still remember what I learned in that class.

13. Spain. I’ve been there four times and hope to go again soon. I love tapas, cava, Andalucía and its architecture, and most of all the attitude that life is meant to be enjoyed and savored. 

14. [link removed] WeiWei.  My family and I saw his sunflower seeds exhibit at the Tate Modern ([link removed]) in London in 2010 and, on another trip, I saw his show featuring the Sichuan earthquake and his Twitter wallpaper. He is a genius, and a brave one at that.  

15. Springtime in North Carolina. Dogwoods ([link removed]) , tulip magnolia, and college basketball. I knew things were bad with COVID-19 when they cancelled the 2020 ACC basketball tournament ([link removed]) .

16. My family. As a first-generation immigrant, my family is split into those in the US and those in India. When I’m in India, my sense of belonging is powerful. In the US, I have my parents, my husband, and my kids, who are blossoming into wonderful adults. Plus, my cousins! In Indian families, cousins are like siblings, and this is especially true for me as my only sibling died when I was a teenager. I am so grateful that my cousins and our kids have close bonds. 

17. Botanical gardens. They tell you a lot about the history of the place, human migration, and economics. Did you know that protea ([link removed]) are among the oldest of flowering plants and are native to South Africa?  They somehow got to Hawaii where I saw them in Maui, and I also saw them in South Africa. Talk about a small world!

18. James Bond.  Yes, the movies are sexist, but the recent ones feature some badass women. The new 007 is a Black woman ([link removed]) ! Aside from that, there’s just something about the tongue-in-cheek, uber-confident, impeccably dressed agent that I love.  

19. Fast cars. See my point above. I appreciate stylish, high-performing vehicles. I don’t necessarily want to spend my money buying one, but I will happily gawk at them.

20. My Ipas colleagues, a group of smart, funny, kind and dedicated people who love good food, chocolate, dancing and the fight for justice.  I wouldn’t have stayed at Ipas as long as I have if it weren’t for the people I work with. This is community. 

Peace and love,  

Anu Kumar
Ipas President and CEO
NOTE: We have updated our email address to better reflect our commitment to reproductive justice for all people who can become pregnant. Please add "[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) " to your contacts to make sure you keep receiving our messages. Thanks!
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