Cold Tea Collective launched its first-ever large fundraising campaign recently. The First Funders campaign aimed to usher us into a new phase – from a volunteer-driven organization to a sustainable independent news organization.
For those who have contributed to the fundraising efforts, your donations will fund:
- more frequent publishing of articles and newsletters,
- new podcast series and video series to tell the stories of our generation,
- community-building events, and
- career development opportunities for emerging Asian journalists and other media professionals.
So, why does this all matter?
In the words of our founder, Natasha Jung, “Cold Tea Collective was born out of a desire to amplify the stories of people like me. I wanted to capture the lived experiences of the Asian Canadian and Asian American diaspora. I wanted us to feel seen, heard, and understood.”
Now, six years later, Cold Tea Collective continues to uplift the Asian diaspora community in a meaningful way that surpasses representation. We are proud of the successes we’ve had so far – and we’re not stopping yet. Cold Tea Collective wants to ensure emerging creatives, whether writers, contributors, or artists, are actively supported financially and in their long-term growth.
Over the past several weeks, you’ve met some of our team members and revisited some of our top stories. These talented creators and stories drive Cold Tea Collective and are a preview of what we can accomplish with community support. In addition to the First Funders campaign, other launches and initiatives coincided throughout May. And in case you missed any, here’s a recap of what happened with the First Funders campaign.
Community Made Tote Bag – Cold Tea Collective x Rare Spirit
Cold Tea Collective dropped its first limited edition tote bag in collaboration with Rare Spirit. Designed by Filipino Canadian Richard Doromal of Rare Spirit, the tote’s design represents Cold Tea Collective’s motto – for us, by us – “Community Made” and celebrates the stories of our generation and community.
Rare Spirit aims to contribute to communities and organizations through our designs, positive messaging, and donations.
MAKING IT, While Making A Difference
Cold Tea Collective proudly presents Making It, While Making a Difference, celebrating Asian Canadians who are following their dreams while uplifting their communities. This production was created with the support of TELUS STORYHIVE.
Making It features Chef Patrick Do (Do Chay Restaurant), Saschie MacLean-Magbanu (Formation Studio), Curtis Lum (Actor, Director, Producer & Co-Founder of Rare Spirit), and a bonus podcast with Harpo Mander (ItsHarpo and Brown Girl Guilt Podcast).
We also had a successful, sold-out, advanced screening event at the historic Chinatown Storytelling Centre in Vancouver, BC.
Learn more about each story and episode in the following features:
- Episode 1: Vietnamese Canadian Chef Patrick Do on a journey through food and identity with Do Chay Restaurant
- Episode 2: Actor, writer Curtis Lum on using artistic platforms to break barriers for the Asian community
- Episode 3: Saschie MacLean-Magbanua on overcoming grief through community with Formation Studio
- Episode 4: South Asian creative Harpo Mander leans into creativity and community to elevate joy
Cold Tea Collective Founder Natasha Jung speaking at Asian American Pacific Islander and Asian Heritage Month events
Our multi-talented, multi-superlative leader, Natasha Jung is a storyteller, community builder, mother, and amplifier (just to name a few). Since founding Cold Tea Collective, Natasha hasn’t stopped championing Asian representation in western media. She continues to advocate for the Asian diaspora through education and community dialogues.
In May, Natasha was invited by several different organizations such as LinkedIn, Langara College’s Centre for Intercultural Engagement and TELUS STORYHIVE, to share her experiences as a diaspora storyteller as a part of their Asian American Pacific Islander and Asian Heritage Month initiatives.
You can also read about Natasha’s story to find out why she felt the need to create Cold Tea Collective in the first place.
Although we didn’t meet our $15,000 goal, we got to over 50% of our goal with the support of the individuals and organizations who supported us in the month of May.
May is just one month and we are focused on celebrating our stories year-round. You can continue to help us keep Asian diaspora media accessible by:
- becoming a monthly supporter,
- asking your company to give a corporate donation, or
- encouraging your company to partner with Cold Tea Collective for a company fundraiser.
We want to continue growing our publication into a space for this generation (and the next) of Asian diaspora to better understand and connect with themselves and the world around them. We believe that our stories matter – and we hope you do too.
Thanks for being a part of our community,
The Cold Tea Collective Team
