The week of July 2, 2016 was winning goat beauty contests; hoping Texas just secedes and gets it over with already; loving Destiny’s DILFs; and eating cheese.

Mash-Ups in the News:

RIP Pat Summitt, Hero to Black Queer Women

Pat Summitt was the winningest college basketball coach of all time. She also created an environment for her players to thrive and be themselves. God bless.

via Fusion

8 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Black Women’s Hair

“Even if you ask nicely … we don’t want you to touch our hair.”

For Black women, a hairstyle can often be viewed less as an aesthetic choice than as a political one, and we have many questions. So here to educate on the basics of Black women’s hair is our Black-American Mash-Up Princess Jones, a writer and proud afro-wearer. Black hair is A Big Deal. Get there! Also, do you know what a hot comb is? Time to learn.

via The Mash-Up Americans

How Canadians Are Adopting Syrian Refugees, One Family at a Time

What does it take to make refugees feel welcome after years of war and uprootedness? It takes communities banding together to sponsor and support their new lives. The experience isn’t simple — are the sponsors being culturally sensitive? Overbearing? — but it’s a beautiful example of compassion and our roles as citizens in a just society.

via NY Times

We’d Like to Thank the Academy …

Big news: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (aka the people who give out Oscars) invited 683 new people to the Academy, 41% of whom look a lot more like the Mash-Up America we know and love. 46% are female. Exciting!

via LA Times

Sriracha Is a Quintessentially American Flavor

First of all, Huy Fong Foods, the maker of our favorite green-lidded hot sauce, is named after the boat that took owner David Tran and thousands of other Vietnamese refugees to Hong Kong. Second of all, Tran was initially told to make it less hot to appeal to more people. His response? “Hot sauce must be hot. If you don’t like it hot, use less. We don’t make mayonnaise here.” Preach! This is a fantastic article talking about what it means for something to be authentically American: a product inspired by a Thai sauce created by a Vietnamese-born man who is ethnically Chinese, all made in Southern California.

via The Ringer

The Immigrant’s Fate Is Everyone’s Fate

“My America opens its arms to the world rather than sells the world its arms. My America has a capacious hunger and the humility to wonder if it is right. My America speaks many languages and knows when to hold its tongue. But I know that another America exists, a more fearful and dangerous one. If that America wins, then we and the world lose.” — Viet Thanh Nguyen

via Time

The Reluctant Memoirist

Here’s a story about how an investigative journalist who went undercover in North Korea was marketed as an Eat, Pray, Love wannabe. Gross.

via The New Republic

Our Deadliest Enemies? Air Pollution. And Snails

Air pollution kills more people than basically every other affliction combined. If anyone wants to start an  “owners of VW diesel cars” support group with Mash-Up HQ, please be in touch. Also, did you know snails kill infinity times more people every year than sharks?

via Colorlines

Jesse Williams Sets the Internet on Fire

Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams won the humanitarian award from BET and gave an extraordinarily powerful speech about what it means to stand up and have your voice heard. He also articulated the entrapments of being used by a system that will throw you out without ever recognizing your humanity. This speech is not intended to make anyone feel ok. He is simply speaking his truth. Also, Justin Timberlake stepped right into it.

via NPR