Alana Reina

Being a Sephardic Jew in a World That’s Black and White

Being a Sephardic Jew in a World That’s Black and White

If you follow me on Instagram, you know I have been posting nonstop about Judaism and antisemitism the last few weeks. Luckily, the reception has been overwhelmingly positive (on Instagram at least – Twitter is a different story…) but I felt as though I needed to expand a bit more on those posts in a full blog post here. To start off, I already have an entire blog post about my (ongoing) identity crisis, which you can read here for some background. I feel as though my identity crisis will not be resolved anytime soon, but ironically this resurgence of antisemitism is helping me crystallize my identity somewhat. More on that later! For now I will speak a little bit on my own experience of being a Sephardic Jew. Growing up, I never felt “othered” for being Jewish. I was born and raised in a very middle class and lowkey…

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How To: Stay Sane When You Are Stuck at Home All Day (Due to Quarantine, Unemployment, Illness, etc)

How To: Stay Sane When You Are Stuck at Home All Day (Due to Quarantine, Unemployment, Illness, etc)

First of all, let’s address the obvious: we are pretty much ALL miserable right now because of Covid-19 (CORONA VIRUS! *Cardi B voice*) and it really sucks, on SO MANY levels! Especially for those who are required to continue going to work despite the very real risk of catching the virus, those who have to stay home without pay or those who have lost their jobs altogether. I am one of the very very fortunate few that not only don’t have to go to work, but continue to get paid. The fact that I managed to get a full-time job in the school system – complete with salary and benefits – right before this mess started is ENORMOUSLY fortunate, and for that I am so grateful. Although I know how lucky I am to have job security and a steady paycheck, I am still losing my mind, as I am…

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How To: Be an Ally to Black Women as a Non-Black Woman of Color

How To: Be an Ally to Black Women as a Non-Black Woman of Color

Although Black History Month shouldn’t be the only time that we consciously think about how to appreciate and support the Black community, it is a great opportunity to recenter and re-energize any efforts to be a supportive ally. If you are a Black woman, this is your month to remember and celebrate all the ways that you shine and bring joy and light to our world. If you are not Black, and you even think about trying to pull the “why do they get a whole month” card, then please take several seats. Giving them and their male counterparts just a month (and the shortest one at that!) seems an affront to the social, cultural and political impact they have had on this country, let alone the struggle they have faced just to survive. This post is not intended to insinuate that BW are the only ones that have experienced…

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How to: Get the Life You Want

How to: Get the Life You Want

Every year on my birthday, I take the opportunity to reflect on my last year of life and set goals and intentions for the upcoming year. Since my birthday is about halfway through the year, it’s also a great time to check in on my New Year’s goals and intentions, to see how far I have come and what work I have left to do to meet the rest. It seems like my last few birthdays have come either during or right after a big transition, hardship or struggle. This year is no different, but luckily it feels different this time. For those of you that follow me on Instagram, you probably know I got fired from my job a few weeks ago. Not only am I not upset about it, but I feel like it was the best thing that could have happened to me, and I am SO…

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Happy International Women’s Day!

Happy International Women’s Day!

Every year on International Women’s Day, we all take a collective moment to stop and appreciate the infinite achievements women have made around the globe across history, and the incredible things we will continue to do far into the future. However, I personally like to reflect on the women I know – particularly my female friends – and how much value they add to my life! In the last year or so, I have amassed a HUGE network of female friends around the DMV area, mainly through blogging. I don’t say this to brag, but rather to express how grateful I am that blogging has not only been an outlet for creativity and self-expression, but also an INCREDIBLE source of networking and friendship building! I cherish every relationship I have built through this common hobby/side hustle, and continue to relish the supportive environment that my female friends create for each…

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