Writer Bertrand Cooper makes the case that race-conscious admissions by universities frequently benefit students who are already from elite backgrounds and that it’s time to also consider socioeconomic status.
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How South Korea became the beauty capital of the world
NPR correspondent Elise Hu discusses K-beauty – which prioritizes perfection – its reach across the globe, and the consumerism that has crept into our very skin.
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Translating trauma for asylum seekers
Immigrant justice advocate Alejandra Oliva discusses her work as a translator on the border, how it relates to her life as a Mexican-American woman, and what it takes to actually become a U.S. citizen.
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Fixing what the Fair Housing Act didn’t
Affordable housing consultant Leah Rothstein discusses solutions to alleviate inequalities that remain in communities to this day.
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Loathe small talk? You’re not alone
Julie Beck, senior editor at The Atlantic, discusses how we can regain our pre-pandemic confidence in social situations.
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Why fictional villains are often portrayed as disabled
Professor Jan Grue, who is disabled himself, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss villains from Disney to 007 – and how these portrayals of people with disabilities spread harmful ideas.
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Art was easy to steal. Why’s it so hard to give back?
Fulbright scholar and editor Elizabeth Kadetsky discusses the theft of revered stone deities in India and what they say about the ways the art world traffics prized items.
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How a plan for hemp riches went up in smoke
Finn Murphy discusses his attempt at a Colorado hemp farm, battling the elements and a disappearing bank account, and his pivot to middleman as he pursued his American Dream.
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Why identity conversations are so uncomfortable
Constitutional law professor Kenji Yoshino talks about practical tools for approaching discussions about equity and identity, with ideas to help members of marginalized communities speak up.
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The trauma of slavery did not end with Emancipation
Kidada E. Williams, a history professor at Wayne State University, tells the stories of people trying to rebuild their lives after slavery, and how for many, life was still extremely difficult in the years that followed.
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The early history of hip-hop
Hasan Jeffries, associate professor of history at The Ohio State University, talks about hip-hop’s birth in the Bronx and its dual identities of both protest music and party music.
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How to talk to your kid about weight
Journalist Virginia Sole-Smith discusses the ways we talk about bigger bodies, dieting and inclusion with kids – and about the pressures parents feel to get it right.
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