Take It to the Group Chat, Ep. 1: Why Group Chats Still Rule the (or At Least, *My*) World

To introduce the theme of Friday Talks Season 3, I’m bringing one of my actual group chats to life with a candid, funny and very real convo that features two previous guests, who also happen to be IRL besties: Allison Hill, founder of Hill Studio, a salon and wellness space for Black women, and journalist, producer and writer Pacinthe Mattar.

In episode 1, we’re talking about the pros and cons of group chats for racialized women, especially those of us who belong to immigrant communities. From how group chats can be both valuable (they offer connectivity and community) and challenging (they can play into an unhealthy sense of obligation) to how they can provide space for vulnerable and honest ‘in-group’ conversations that cannot in more public social spaces to the particular social rules that regulate this type of communication (including who’s responsible for updating the profile photo and name), we’re covering every aspect of the group chat. Bonus: Pacinthe spills the tea on the only group chat she’s ever left 👀

Is there anything more immigrant coded than the group chat? More than just a way to stay in touch with far-flung family and friends, group chats are a social space where things get complicated, nuanced and even a little heated. And season 3 of Friday Talks, Take It to the Group Chat, is bringing some of that energy to your computer screen. Hosted by Friday Things founder and editor Stacy Lee Kong, Take It to the Group Chat is a six-part video series that tackles different aspects of the immigrant experience through thoughtful conversations with a panel of experts.