“Reasonable Doubt” was not the first rap album I ever owned. But Jay-Z’s debut was the first hip-hop album I bought with my own money. More importantly, it was the first one I studied as a young writer who aspired to become a rapper, a dream that eventually came true. Jay-Z sounded cool in a...
Culture
I Have Spent the Past 6 Months Reading Hundreds of Poems by Young People – I Was Surprised to Find Hope, Not Despair
If you’ve read any commentary about younger people, none of the following statistics will surprise you. Approximately 19% of Americans who are 12 to 19 years old are depressed – higher than any adult age group. Only about 58.5% of teens who are 12 to 17, meanwhile, say they consistently receive the emotional and social...
From Norway to Wisconsin, Children Want to Be Social Media Influencers When They Grow Up
A second grader in Norway drew a YouTube logo when my colleagues and I asked what they wanted to be when they grow up. When we asked why, the child explained that YouTubers are famous and make lots of money. When we asked second graders in Wisconsin this same question, we were surprised to often...
Russia’s Kinetic Destruction of Ukraine’s Cultural Memory
Russia’s strike on Kyiv’s Chornobyl Museum was more than an attack on a civilian or cultural site; it targeted historical memory itself. On the night of May 23-24, a Russian aerial attack involving 600 drones and 90 missiles bombarded Kyiv, Ukraine. Cultural institutions and architectural landmarks were damaged, some severely, including the Hinaus gallery, the...
The Absence of Gender and Racial Minorities Often Goes Unnoticed in the Workplace and the Classroom
New international psychology study finds we frequently don’t spot who is missing in our daily lives During a staff meeting we may look around to take account of who is present—an observation that could consider the race or gender of who is in the room. But would everyone notice a complete absence of women, colleagues...
San Martín de Hidalgo Tequila Teams Up With Club América in Major Cross-Cultural Sports Partnership
Premium tequila brand San Martín de Hidalgo Tequila is stepping onto one of the biggest stages in North American sports through a newly announced partnership with Mexico City’s legendary Club América. The collaboration names San Martín de Hidalgo as the Official Tequila of the storied fútbol club and signals a broader push by the spirits...
¡ÁNdale! ¡Arriba! Speedy Gonzales Set to Make His Triumphant Return to the Silver Screen
“¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba!” Meaning “hurry up, let’s go,” the trademark slogan of Speedy Gonzales was, for generations of children, the first Spanish words they learned. But by the 1980s, ABC had pulled his cartoons due to concerns that his dress, accent and characters like his cousin, Slowpoke Rodriguez, were insensitive toward Mexicans and Mexican...
I Was Teaching Virtue and Knowledge While Lying on the Side
I had been with my boyfriend, Tyler, for almost 10 years when we finally agreed that we should get engaged and married. Up until then, our respective jobs – mine as an academic, his as a fisherman – had forced us to endure long stretches apart. But I had been offered a permanent academic job...
Indie Coffee Shops Are Meant to Counter Corporate Behemoths Like Starbucks – So Why Do They All Look the Same?
Like many young, urban professionals, we run on coffee. We especially enjoy frequenting independently owned cafes that pride themselves on ethically sourced beverages, strong local ties and a hip aesthetic. They’re the kinds of places that sneer at the homogenization and predictability of Tim Hortons, Second Cup, Dunkin and Starbucks. But as public space and...
Racial, Political Cues on Social Media Shape TV Audiences’ Choices
Social media users are more likely to watch TV programs that are endorsed by members of their political party, a recent study suggests. However, individuals’ racial identity and their perceptions of racial and political ingroup norms and the demographics of a program’s intended audience also play roles in their decisions. Stewart Coles, a professor of communication at...











