Introducing Myself, April Reflections, & a Mini Lesson on How To Use Substack

Hi friend!

Today's newsletter is going to be a little different but very useful! I want to do a quarterly newsletter like this because it's always good to go back to the basics and do a little refresher.

The older we get, the more we tend to forget things. I forget things a lot, so it's always good to have a reminder once in a while. So whether you've been here since my ConvertKit days or even my MailChimp days, or you've recently just found me, let this newsletter serve as an introduction and guide.

My name is Zenee Elisè. I am originally from Florida, but I currently live in Georgia. I'm Dominican-American, vegan, an environmentalist, writer, and the publisher of this fabulous newsletter you gracefully signed up for. I'm also a creator and have an Instagram and YouTube. I'm honestly all over the internet on almost all platforms, but my primary platforms are Substack, Instagram, and YouTube.

I've told my story multiple times, whether on my social media platforms or podcasts I've been invited on. Still, it's good to repeat it because new people might not know my story. So, I like to say that I got my “Eco Awakening" in 2023. I graduated from college in May 2023, and then after I graduated, I went to Germany. I didn't think I would like it that much, but after three months in Germany, I enjoyed the atmosphere. I got to see how eco-conscious Germans were and see the vast amount of vegan foods and alternatives there—seeing the abundance of vegan foods and alternatives and how eco-conscious Germany was, was very out of the blue and strange for me because where I live, there are not a lot of vegan options, and we're not an eco-friendly community.

Being in Germany really just opened my eyes. After my time there, I came back to the United States. I didn't want to leave that eco-friendly and vegan knowledge in Germany, so I was like, you know what? I'm going to start talking about the environment and veganism. I decided to take to Instagram and started talking about the environment and veganism. Eventually, I found a community.

I never knew that that trip would impact me and steer the course of my future. Let me tell you the opportunities I've been a part of and experienced. At the beginning of April, I had a podcast interview with Emma from the Sustainable Travel Podcast. I was kind of nervous about being on this podcast because sometimes I feel like whenever I'm speaking, I feel like an imposter. I have severe imposter syndrome and feel like I'm a fraud, even though that's not the case. However, just being on that podcast interview with Emma helped me eliminate that feeling. We talked about environmental racism and the vegan community. I love to talk about and bring awareness about these two topics, so I felt comfortable talking about these topics with Emma.

The next opportunity I had in April was to do an Instagram live with Kennedy Little from the Food Empowerment Project. I was very honored when Kennedy invited me to be part of the Food Empowerment Project's series about veganism and how you can utilize social media to spread veganism. We also put together an Earth Appreciation Bingo Sheet that people can fill out. It felt so incredible that I was a part of creating something that people can use year of the year in different social settings. It was an honor to work with the Food Empowerment Project to make that bingo sheet, do that Instagram live, and talk about my favorite topic, which is veganism.

I did other things in April on my Instagram; I did a sustainable swap series. I created videos and carousels about sustainable swaps that people could use to be more sustainable. I also made a free guide that people could download with the different swaps I've tried and used. Some of you came from my sustainable swap series on Instagram. I appreciate everyone who downloaded the guide.

I have been experiencing a lot of wins lately, and I'm grateful to share it with such an amazing, compassionate, empathetic, and encouraging community. You inspire and keep me going, so I appreciate all your efforts, no matter how big or small. Everything you do, whether it's a like, share, or read this newsletter, is always such an encouragement booster, and it really helps me out.

That being said, if you want to do more, that leads me to my next step: teaching you how to use Substack. Substack is more than a platform I use to send you emails every week. It's a place to foster community. However, you may not know how to use Substack. That's why I want to teach you how to use Substack fully for this next portion of the newsletter.

The first thing that you want to do is download the Substack app. You can find the app in the Apple or Google Play Store. You can also use Substack on a desktop, which is also fine. You can still utilize some of the features, but you'll get the most benefit if you download the Substack app.

Next, after you sign in/sign up, you want to click the messaging icon at the bottom. If you're on a desktop, you click chat at the top and either scan the QR code or click "or open on the web." You will be taken to our chat. You can chat with others within the community or chat with me. I left my chat free because it is essential to talk about topics such as the environment, veganism, and climate change and have deep conversations. But for now, go over there and tell me where you're from (or say hi).

Next, let's say you joined the Substack yesterday but would like to read my past posts. On the app, click the house, then your profile picture, under "FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS," click "Better You by Zenee Elisè." Then, underneath "Posts," you can see all the newsletters I've done. If you're on Desktop, click on "Archive."

Like I said earlier, I want to have conversations and foster community. I don't want it to be a one-way line of communication. So that's why I always include a "Leave a comment" button at the end of every newsletter. Please use that button because I want your thoughts and opinions.

This newsletter was a long but crucial one. I hope you don't mind. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment.

Thanks for reading. Remember, keep drinking the kale juice!

Zenee