The week of December 2, 2017 was learning that New York City rats divide themselves into genetically unique uptown and downtown species; weighing DMX’s Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer against Ludacris’s Llama Llama Red Pajama while dipping into Jay-Z’s confessional; and obsessing over our first Black princess.

#MeToo has struck us all close to home.  We want to say, yet again, we see you, fam. We love you. We’re here for you.

Mash-Ups In The News:

The White Internet’s Obsession With Digital Blackface

How do we express our emotions on the internet? And who are you using to emote? With the popularity of animated gifs, we’re a click away from summoning other people to express our emotions for us. But from Oprah to Jay-Z, Black people and Black culture are the ones being used most frequently, turning Black faces into digital accessories.

via New York Times

An Experiment That Turns Conservatives Into Liberals 

Conservatives are scared. In fact, studies show that they literally have larger amygdalas — the fear center of the brain. One of the ways to change their views? By just “imagining” physical safety or putting on hand sanitizer, the tested Republicans became significantly more liberal. Purell next to every voting booth? Sounds good.

via Washington Post

The Contenders: The Latina Girls Dominating U.S. Junior Boxing

The best boxers take hits and don’t back down. They persevere and have the drive to keep fighting. It’s no surprise then, that teenage Latina girls in California are topping the ranks, doing their homework between training and fearlessly stepping into the ring every night.

via California Sunday

How The Sandwich Consumed Britain 

How did triangles of white bread in plastic cartons become Britain’s favorite meal? The British obsession with packaged sandwiches goes back in history,  but somehow feels particularly reflective of today — industrializing what could easily be made at home for those who don’t have time for a lunch break. It’s one of the most competitive, innovative and profitable industries in Britain, and starting to take over the world too.

via Guardian

As The Floodgates Open, Don’t Forget About The Women Who Care For Us

People are telling their stories of abuse and demanding change, but for those who do domestic work, the abuse often happens too close to home. Domestic workers (who are mostly women of color and immigrant women) are left vulnerable, as their abuse is hidden in the private sphere. Extra reading: The additional cultural pressures on Mormon women to not speak out.

via Buzzfeed

The Dangerous Myths About Sufi Muslims 

Sufi Muslims are often cast out as detached from Islam, and that myth has been perpetuated from nearly all sides. But these misunderstandings rewrite Islamic history, ignoring the fact that Sufism provides basic, core elements Islamic instruction.

via Atlantic

Why A Generation In Japan Faces A Lonely Death 

The danchi complexes were meant to symbolize Japan’s postwar aspirations for a modern, American way of life, but that vision has been twisted as there are less multigenerational, traditionally Japanese homes and the danchi’s aging residents die alone and forgotten.

via New York Times