Writers of color have felt unsafe or silenced in a group that touts itself as an inclusive community. — Maylin Tu, a personal essayist based in Los Angeles, loved the camaraderie she found at Writers Blok. It’s difficult to be a working writer in LA, but as a paying Writers Blok member, she had a place to attend writing sessions and lecture series featuring accomplished screenwriters and novelists. …

Critiquing our cuisine is just a part of the experience — When my parents critique kimchi at restaurants, they look at two things: The color: It tells you everything about the life and health of the cabbage. Kimchi should boast a speckled ruby red on its surface without looking as if it was doused in liquid fire. …