14th July, 2026

What am I working on?

On this fun new creative. You can buy this t-shirt for your next OOO plans here

The final FIFA X LEGO creative is also ready. See the reel here

What am I reading?

Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s Hey, Kiddo is a memoir that traces his childhood growing up with his grandparents. His mother’s severe addiction and repeated stints in rehab coupled with his father’s absence since his birth, left his grandfather to take custody at a young age. Through raw honesty, Krosoczka talks about his vulnerabilities and the emotional turbulence of trying to understand why his family was fractured.

The illustration are rough, sepia toned sketches that mirror the uncertainty and fragility of his formative years. What could have been a bleak future for him was changed by the love and care of his grandparents and extended family and their presence gave him much needed stability and hope.

This left me thinking about addiction and its devastating grip. Krosoczka’s mother, despite her repeated attempts to be present in her son's life, often relapsed into old patterns. Her letters were filled with love, apologies, and concern suggesting genuine care. Yet her inability to break free from drugs shows the helplessness of addiction. It’s heartbreaking to know how someone can love their child deeply and still be consumed by a dependency that distances them from that very bond. What would be going through her, I wonder.

What am I watching/watched recently?

I did not get any time this week to watch a movie. More on it in the next blog!

New thing I learnt lately?

Return, resettlement, and integration are the three solutions defined by UNHCR to help refugees rebuild their lives.

• Return (Voluntary Repatriation): Refugees go back to their country of origin once conditions are safe and stable.

• Resettlement: Refugees are transferred from their asylum country to a third country that agrees to admit them permanently.

•  Integration: Refugees settle permanently in their host country, becoming part of the community.

I came across this in an article which also raised other important points:

• 117 million were displaced worldwide in 2025, up from 38 million in 2000.

• Climate change projected to quadruple displacement by 2050, yet climate refugees are not recognized under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention.

• WFP reduced or eliminated food aid for millions; UNHCR cut assistance to 13 million refugees; IOM laid off 6,000 staff.

• US aids have been slashed. Example - Aid to Kakuma camp in Kenya (300,000 residents) slashed from $17/month per refugee in 2023 to just $5/month in 2025

  All this makes refugees increasingly trapped in limbo: unable to return, rarely resettled, and barred from integration.