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Lauren's Letter: February
Letter from Lauren: February
The image that comes to me as I write this letter is that of a butterfly. Perhaps this image is a result of my weekend spent watching Disney’s “Encanto'' with my boys (which I highly highly recommend, by the way, the soundtrack has been playing non-stop in my house). The symbolism of the butterfly is magical, transformative, and really hits an aspirational chord for me, as I have been mostly cocooned this past month (honestly, the past many months). I am just now starting to reemerge, with some reluctance, but also lots of enthusiasm. And it feels really good to eat in restaurants again with friends, to go to concerts, and to meet up with colleagues to exchange ideas and IRL smiles (with our FEED bags in tow).
And yet, in the stillness of my winter cocoon I have had more time for reflection and bigger picture thinking and dreaming. On the FEED front, some big things are also in the cocoon phase (we cannot wait to share with you all soon enough 😉). It feels as if a metamorphosis is underway, in my personal life & my work life. Metamorphosis is defined as “a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one, by natural or supernatural means.” While this process of total transformation sounds messy, confusing, and scary, it is also the most natural thing to change, evolve, and grow over time. It is in these moments of metamorphosis that we can often find our most exciting, challenging, and meaningful achievements. My wish for all of us as we head into Spring is that we can emerge from our cocoons (physically or mentally) more beautiful, powerful, and lighter beings, ready to take on whatever comes our way.
Here are a few things I've been loving & living in this past month
Change Making
In celebration of Black History Month, we curated a list of FEEDs favorite Black-owned brands (and more). I also included some of my favorite NYC local spots!
We're also proud to be supporting Gyrl Wonder all month, by donating $1 with every order. We're also collecting extra donations at checkout to support the NAACP.
Styled by Me
In looking forward to spring (and making the most of unnaturally warm February days), I styled the Canvas Eleanor Bag in black with a dress by La Ligne and boots by Loeffler Randall.
Ask LBL
How do you make sure the meals you provide are healthy?
We work with three accredited giving partners on-the-ground who work with local farmers and distributors to make sure that the school meals that we help fund are nourishing, healthy, and whenever possible, even sourced locally. The process is different in every country and with every organization. In the U.S., for example, schools have to follow health guidelines set by the USDA to ensure meals meet health criteria. The same is measured and regulated by the UN World Food Programme and Akshaya Patra for the millions of school meals they distribute to children in need every day.
FEED Fave
I have been carrying The Oversized Work Bag for a few weeks and now you can all enjoy it as much as I do!! It’s big enough to carry my WFH essentials (it has a middle compartment that fits my laptop and zips closed), plus my big Nalgene, coffee tumbler, and the various kiddo odds and ends that inevitably end up in my bag.
Reading, Watching, Listening
I recommend this podcast conversation between two people I greatly admire – Dr. Aliza Pressman, developmental psychologist and Adam Grant, organizational psychologist – about how to apply principles of leadership as effective parenting tools. Worth a listen for all of the parents out there!
Comin' Soon
Earlier this week we shot our spring campaign, featuring some truly incredible women carrying bags from our Work Collection – we can’t wait to share it with you. For now, enjoy this little sneaky peek.