You are a spectacular human. Being a pioneer is lonely and hard, but you have community that loves and adores you. It’s not weakness to ask for help, it’s why we’re all here ❤️. Big love to you from Seattle!
When you write your next book, make sure your contract covers costs for the book tour, press, ALL that! You're promoting those books for the publisher too. Hell, we know they profit a lot more from each book sold than the author does! Insist on what you deserve. You are an asset, you ARE a success. Also, where can we see your acceptance speech in full?
What joy and delight to see you walk across that stage, looking SO beautiful, elegant, regal, and glamorous, and receive your James Beard Award medal, and then take the podium to speak from your brilliant mind and enormous heart about your life and your work and your vision. A worthy celebration of not only your extraordinary powerful and landmark book but also of your unique, passionate, courageous, and illuminating body of work this far and of your presence and voice, in food, in community, in the industry, in the world 🌍. It’s a privilege and a gift to support you! An honor! Should not be necessary, dammit, but as you note, here we are in a world / in a business where the money 💰 part does not yet flow in the ways that it ought to do. But “”should” has no power and good for you letting us know what’s what and allowing us to support you with words and heart and, for those of us who are able, with cash 💵 to enable you to enjoy this glory and honor and to thrive. We need you to thrive because you have so much to say and do that we need to see and hear and heed! You looked SO fabulous, so gorgeous, and so at home and right in the spotlight, in the limelight, on the glory stage. Get used to it. Shine ✨ star 💫 Shine⭐️!
I know famous doesn’t mean rich but if we ever meet in person, expect me to be a weird fangirl. I just bought these stupid expensive plane tickets to go home but expect a donation when I get paid on the 15th. 😊
Sooo very happy for you and proud of you. Your book is gorgeous! I don’t have a Venmo. Please post your PayPal. I will send something. And I will upgrade my subscription. I don’t know you personally, but I believe in your work. Keep grinding and being authentically you - it’s something very special!
I’ll definitely be contributing, regardless of what else you come up with. I’m thinking about the cooking-for-people thing. That might help me get going with the cookbook. I don’t enjoy cooking, having had to do so for other people for too long. I have a bit of a block, though I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the book anyway, as your writing is so damn good. What about a local class?
Also, just to put it out there: even if you never become rich from this, it doesn’t define your value. You’ve done this amazing thing for your culture. And even if you hadn’t, you are a valuable human being just for being alive. After all, it’s no great honor to be valued by a system that is so toxic and extractive.
Your book is full of recipes that make my heart happy. The photos are gorgeous and the stories illustrate the beautiful complexity of the Puerto Rican experience in the diaspora. I wrote a lot about this subject in time in academia and seeing it framed with food is just a perfect mix for me. Thank you for your vulnerability and for taking us on the journey with you. Sending love and an offering from PR🧡
I needed these words from you more than I realized, more than you could possibly know, and it's reason #1,000 why I value you, your work, and your talent so very highly. It kills me that talented folks like you are having to pay for everything out of empty pockets, that the struggle falls squarely and solely on your shoulders, even when you've written and published a gorgeous, heart-shattering, JBF-WINNING book! I've kicked in what I could, and I hope you recover the costs of the weekend and are able to enjoy your incredible achievement. BRAVO!!!!
Congratulations! My health is in the tank so I bought & haven't cooked from your cookbook, but I have read it cover to cover and have requested my local library buy it.
As an AMA <3 who was the person you met who far exceeded your expectations?
Hope you feel better soon! Person I’ve met that far exceeded my expectations. Hmmm. Good question. Probably Jose Andres. He’s so personable! He will literally have you feeling like you’re the only person in the room when he’s talking to you.
While relatively new to your newsletter, I've always appreciated how direct and transparent you've been about your experiences in an industry that seems to be turtles all the way down...and it sounds like this was no exception. Sending my support for the involuntary "voluntary".
So much happiness seeing you get a JBA and all the public recognition and celebration that comes with it. Plus, that acceptance speech 👏. Here's to hoping it opens more doors and creates many new opportunities. You deserve (and have more than earned) every single one of them.
Jun 8, 2023·edited Jun 8, 2023Liked by illyanna Maisonet
So stoked for you. I’m more of a lurker than a commenter but I gotta throw some love for the 🌈fam🌈 on this one for SURE.
You deserve every moment. I’m sorry I can’t give more. Can’t wait to see what you do next.
K that was enough feely shit for this month.
Edit: what kind of rates would you be thinking about for in-house events? It’s not something in my personal budget, but I know some folks who have paid for chefs from 👀below deck👀 to cook for them so pitching to hire you for thing is not beyond the realm of possibility. Feel free to DM on IG that may be a better channel for the convo.
So happy for you! I realize it’s probably a pipe dream, but I do hope this gives you more opportunities in the future. Loved seeing you in that stage and that speech! Whew! Speaking truths! Why I keep reading and supporting you. ❤️
You are a spectacular human. Being a pioneer is lonely and hard, but you have community that loves and adores you. It’s not weakness to ask for help, it’s why we’re all here ❤️. Big love to you from Seattle!
Thanks you wonderful mermaid!! 💕💕
When you write your next book, make sure your contract covers costs for the book tour, press, ALL that! You're promoting those books for the publisher too. Hell, we know they profit a lot more from each book sold than the author does! Insist on what you deserve. You are an asset, you ARE a success. Also, where can we see your acceptance speech in full?
If you click on the Instagram post I included in the newsletter, it’s the whole speech
What joy and delight to see you walk across that stage, looking SO beautiful, elegant, regal, and glamorous, and receive your James Beard Award medal, and then take the podium to speak from your brilliant mind and enormous heart about your life and your work and your vision. A worthy celebration of not only your extraordinary powerful and landmark book but also of your unique, passionate, courageous, and illuminating body of work this far and of your presence and voice, in food, in community, in the industry, in the world 🌍. It’s a privilege and a gift to support you! An honor! Should not be necessary, dammit, but as you note, here we are in a world / in a business where the money 💰 part does not yet flow in the ways that it ought to do. But “”should” has no power and good for you letting us know what’s what and allowing us to support you with words and heart and, for those of us who are able, with cash 💵 to enable you to enjoy this glory and honor and to thrive. We need you to thrive because you have so much to say and do that we need to see and hear and heed! You looked SO fabulous, so gorgeous, and so at home and right in the spotlight, in the limelight, on the glory stage. Get used to it. Shine ✨ star 💫 Shine⭐️!
I know famous doesn’t mean rich but if we ever meet in person, expect me to be a weird fangirl. I just bought these stupid expensive plane tickets to go home but expect a donation when I get paid on the 15th. 😊
Fangirling always accepted
Sooo very happy for you and proud of you. Your book is gorgeous! I don’t have a Venmo. Please post your PayPal. I will send something. And I will upgrade my subscription. I don’t know you personally, but I believe in your work. Keep grinding and being authentically you - it’s something very special!
I had to find it! I’m so sorry. paypal.me/eatgordaeat
I’ll definitely be contributing, regardless of what else you come up with. I’m thinking about the cooking-for-people thing. That might help me get going with the cookbook. I don’t enjoy cooking, having had to do so for other people for too long. I have a bit of a block, though I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the book anyway, as your writing is so damn good. What about a local class?
Also, just to put it out there: even if you never become rich from this, it doesn’t define your value. You’ve done this amazing thing for your culture. And even if you hadn’t, you are a valuable human being just for being alive. After all, it’s no great honor to be valued by a system that is so toxic and extractive.
A local class requires money to rent space. Cooking for people at their house does not.
Right. I was thinking more like in someone’s house, but someone who has a huge kitchen, which is not me. If I find such a person, I’ll let you know.
thank you so much!
when you are in wisconsin, if that is still a thing, I might be able to help with that stuff if you are near Madison.
Your book is full of recipes that make my heart happy. The photos are gorgeous and the stories illustrate the beautiful complexity of the Puerto Rican experience in the diaspora. I wrote a lot about this subject in time in academia and seeing it framed with food is just a perfect mix for me. Thank you for your vulnerability and for taking us on the journey with you. Sending love and an offering from PR🧡
Thank you so much! Happy to have you here
Oh, reminder to everyone paying through Venmo, do not click on the button “turn on for purchases.” It means she hast to pay a fee.
I needed these words from you more than I realized, more than you could possibly know, and it's reason #1,000 why I value you, your work, and your talent so very highly. It kills me that talented folks like you are having to pay for everything out of empty pockets, that the struggle falls squarely and solely on your shoulders, even when you've written and published a gorgeous, heart-shattering, JBF-WINNING book! I've kicked in what I could, and I hope you recover the costs of the weekend and are able to enjoy your incredible achievement. BRAVO!!!!
Thank you so much!
Congratulations! My health is in the tank so I bought & haven't cooked from your cookbook, but I have read it cover to cover and have requested my local library buy it.
As an AMA <3 who was the person you met who far exceeded your expectations?
Hope you feel better soon! Person I’ve met that far exceeded my expectations. Hmmm. Good question. Probably Jose Andres. He’s so personable! He will literally have you feeling like you’re the only person in the room when he’s talking to you.
that is really good to hear! I think I usually expect that someone who does do much good in the public eye, can't be for real.
While relatively new to your newsletter, I've always appreciated how direct and transparent you've been about your experiences in an industry that seems to be turtles all the way down...and it sounds like this was no exception. Sending my support for the involuntary "voluntary".
So much happiness seeing you get a JBA and all the public recognition and celebration that comes with it. Plus, that acceptance speech 👏. Here's to hoping it opens more doors and creates many new opportunities. You deserve (and have more than earned) every single one of them.
Thanks very much! Welcome to the newsletter.
So stoked for you. I’m more of a lurker than a commenter but I gotta throw some love for the 🌈fam🌈 on this one for SURE.
You deserve every moment. I’m sorry I can’t give more. Can’t wait to see what you do next.
K that was enough feely shit for this month.
Edit: what kind of rates would you be thinking about for in-house events? It’s not something in my personal budget, but I know some folks who have paid for chefs from 👀below deck👀 to cook for them so pitching to hire you for thing is not beyond the realm of possibility. Feel free to DM on IG that may be a better channel for the convo.
..."enough feely shit." LOL!
Dude I am so proud of you! It’s hard and lonely work to break trauma cycles and trailblaze. You are a goddamn inspiration. I am so lucky to know you.
You've been here since BEFORE the beginning! LOL!
Congrats! You deserve this and so so much more! And thank you for asking for help. I know it's a whole thing. Love and support from Bmore.
Congrats, Illyanna! I’m so proud of you. It’s wonderful to see your work recognized.
So happy for you! I realize it’s probably a pipe dream, but I do hope this gives you more opportunities in the future. Loved seeing you in that stage and that speech! Whew! Speaking truths! Why I keep reading and supporting you. ❤️