race

Burning Issue: “Embrace of the Serpent“ Sees Capitalist Destruction through Indigenous Eyes

a dark-skinned, dark-haired man in a loincloth stands in a river, looking toward the camera
by Mallika Khanna
September 17, 2019 at 3:10pm
The film subverts a colonialist narrative by presenting the experience of a white man on Amazon land—not through his eyes, but through those of the people he’s exploiting.
Felicity Huffman, a white woman, walks alongside security following her trial of the college admissions scandal.

Felicity Huffman’s Light Sentence Shows the Racial Disparities in Education

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
September 13, 2019 at 1:14pm
Huffman and other white, wealthy parents have a leg up, but they’re still dreaming up their children’s marginalization. Read more »
A photo from Ink Master. A white man tattoos a white person.

You Can’t Be an Ink Master If You Only Tattoo White Skin

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
September 12, 2019 at 3:51pm
A tattoo artist isn’t a master of the art if they can only tattoo white people. Read more »
Normani, a young Black woman, sings on stage in a blue sparkly outfit.

What Critiques of Normani Reveal about Racist Expectations of Black Women Artists

by Brooklyn White
September 11, 2019 at 4:02pm
Music critics and listeners alike give Black pop stars hell—especially when they’re women. Read more »
Courtney Sauls as Brooke Morgan, left, and Nia Jerver as Kelsey Phillips in Dear White People. They are two Black women who are kissing on the end of a bed.

A Quick History of TV’s Elusive Quest for Complex Black Lesbians

by Jaelani Turner-Williams
September 6, 2019 at 5:41am
Characters are being given more complexity onscreen, as they are offered the chance to explore their queerness in ways typically reserved for white queer women. Read more »
Two white women and one Black woman stand in a row in The Kitchen

In Hot Water: “The Kitchen” Is a Comic-Book Adaptation Whose Diversity Feels Forced

by Jourdain Searles
August 30, 2019 at 12:04pm
The film pushes a shallow image of female unity, flattening the complex characters from the comic into easily readable types. Read more »
Priyanka Chopra, in white suit with black blouse, sits in red chair and speaks into microphone

Hot Mic: Priyanka Chopra’s Selectively Woke Stardom Is a Strategic—and Risky—Decision

by Mallika Khanna
August 29, 2019 at 3:09pm
Diasporas and communities of color often feel that we must pedestalize even the least bit of representation that comes our way. Read more »
Indigenous women are taking part in a protest against right-wing President Bolsonaro's environmental policies

The Amazon Fire Isn’t Just Climate Change—It’s Political Violence

by Izzie Ramirez
August 28, 2019 at 11:21am
The Amazon fires are another example of politicians prioritizing greed above caring for their constituents and protecting the people who inhabit the land they govern. Read more »
Algee Smith as Christopher McKay, a Black, male teenager, in Euphoria. His hair is braided and he is looking to the left of the camera.

“Euphoria” Utilizes Black Trauma for Character Development

by Taylor Crumpton
August 19, 2019 at 11:03am
Christopher McKay is an example of Black trauma through a white lens. Read more »
A photo of James Baldwin, a Black man. Baldwin smiles and looks to the right of the camera.

7 Books by Queer Black Writers to Read in Honor of James Baldwin’s Birthday

by Rachel Charlene Lewis
August 2, 2019 at 3:55pm
Today, more LGBTQ Black authors are carving out the space that James Baldwin helped craft. Read more »
A photo from Beyoncé's "Spirit" music video. A large group of Black men wear pink outfits and olive-colored durags in the desert.

How We Adorn Ourselves: Jailyn Poindexter on Making 20 Durags for Beyoncé’s ”Spirit” Video

by Brooklyn White
July 31, 2019 at 10:44am
How we as Black people adorn ourselves is valid, as shown in the “Spirit” video. Read more »

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Best of Bitch

A Look at How Media Writes Women of Color

by Victoria Law
November 17, 2014 at 5:07pm
Nearly every Saturday morning, feminists of color hold Twitter discussions taking a deeper look at issues, such as gender violence. It’s the... Read more »

Rewriting the Future: Using Science Fiction to Re-Envision Justice

by Walidah Imarisha
Spring 2015 • Law & Order
Our justice movements desperately need science fiction. Read more »

Black Girls Hunger for Heroes, Too: A Black Feminist Conversation on Fantasy Fiction for Teens

by Zetta Elliott
December 17, 2013 at 3:19pm
What happens when two great black women fiction writers get together to talk about race in young adult literature? That's exactly what happens... Read more »

"Moonlight" is an Essential Work of Art for the Current Political Moment

by Nijla Mu'min
December 5, 2016 at 8:15am
Moonlight displays the kind of empathy and humanity that we desperately need right now. Read more »