We’re looking for Contributors!
Cold Tea Collective is a new media platform, sharing real stories, perspectives and experiences of North American, English-speaking, Asian millennials through digital written and visual content. We strive for authenticity, curiosity, integrity and quality in our storytelling, in hopes of spreading deeper understanding and appreciation for our cultural heritage, including its traditions and evolution. Cold Tea Collective is the story of us.
We are looking for written content contributors. We want to ensure that whatever you write about is something you care about.
Written content can take form in a number of different ways, including, but not limited to the following:
● Interviews with someone you look up to in the Asian community or of Asian descent
● Sharing a personal experience
● Research and analysis of a particularly Asian experience (historical, present-day, future outlook)
● A letter to someone you admire
● Review of a book, article, show, or other that features Asian talent (or perhaps lack thereof)
Need ideas on what to write? Here are some writing prompts:
● “The first time I…”
● “My Mom/Grandma, etc always told me…”
● “When I first moved to <North American city>”
● “The smell of ____ always reminds me of
____”
● “What would happen if…”
● “Why are/aren’t people talking about ____”
● “I wish…”
● “Do you remember when…”
● “My future kids…”
● “My hero is ___”
● EG: My response to the rise of Rich Chigga
● EG: My response to the casting of Scarlett Johansson as the lead for Ghost in the Shell
HOW TO APPLY:
If you’re interested in writing for Cold Tea Collective just shoot us an email with a brief idea of what you want to write about and why you think it would be of great interest for North American Asian millennials.
Questions? Email us, or check out our Frequently Asked Questions below.
Thanks in advance for your interest,
Cold Tea Collective
coldteacollective@gmail.com
FAQ
What tone are we going for?
Conversational, personal, and unfiltered. We want people to read or see our content and think and feel anything along the lines of “Wow, I feel like this could’ve happened to me or any of my friends,” to “I’m going to take action.” We hope to surprise people and open their minds to different perspectives. Specific examples help the reader better imagine themselves in your situation. Personal is powerful — don’t be afraid to go deep — that’s what connects us to one another. We want your personality to shine through, so don’t worry about being too formal.
P.S. — We know there are a lot of blogs that rant about the injustices done to our Asian communities. We recognize it’s important to have a strong opinion and voice when it comes to those issues, but we want to focus on positive storytelling. There’s a time and a place for rants, and if something completely outrages you, let’s talk about it and see how we can turn it into a positive, or a call to action for our audience.
Can I reference other articles or media?
Yes, absolutely! Feel free to reference different sources within your articles, where it makes sense. Photos and videos can also be embedded. The richer the reader’s experience, the better.
Is this a news site?
Short answer, no. We want our content to be evergreen, meaning we want our readers to come across an article at any time and feel like it still applies. You can still write about your reactions to recent events, but we prefer that there be no ‘past due date’ on our content.
Where will these articles ‘live’?
We chose to create our site on Medium mostly due to how Medium itself is a distribution platform, making our content more easily discoverable. We also chose Medium because it allows individual contributors to have their articles listed under their own profiles while still featuring their work under our publisher page. We want you to shine!
Can I eventually get paid for my work?
That’s the goal! Right now, we’re building traffic, interest and followership. In the meantime, we offer the opportunity to work with experienced marketing and media professionals to build your portfolio, shape your storytelling skills, and the opportunity to be part of the start of something big.
What’s the overall vision for Cold Tea Collective?
Think VICE, but for Asians. We want to be a multi-channel alternative media source that creates communities through unfiltered storytelling. Our aim is to support our contributors in building their skills, confidence, portfolios, and give them a platform to share their thoughts and experiences.
Who’s behind Cold Tea Collective?
Cold Tea Collective is founded by Natasha and Linton, two friends who met through an Asian student club in university. Professionally, Natasha is a producer and host for television, video and live events, and Linton is a marketing professional in the broadcast media industry.
