The week of September 30, 2017 was annotating a helpful guide to writing about Muslims; a freshly terrible Twitter; and preparing for the next mass extinction. But everything is going to be fine, because Bey and J. Balvin came together to remix “Mi Gente.” God bless America, yeah yeah yeah yeah.

Hey New York! We’re coming to you live! Come celebrate the launch of the new season of The Mash-Up Americans podcast with a live taping at WNYC’s The Greene Space on October 30. Buy tickets here, here, or here!  Oh, and if you’re not already subscribed to the show … subscribe!

Mash-Ups In The News:

How Lasagna Landed In Africa

From heritage to assimilation, the food we eat represents who we are and how we got here. For citizens of Asmara (the capital city of Eritrea and former hub of colonized Italian East Africa), the lasagna, pizzerias, and cafés left over from Italy’s colonization represent the challenges of Eritrea’s past and the triumphs of their present and future.

via Saveur

The Department Of Homeland Security Plans To Collect Social Media Info On Immigrants 

The Department of Homeland Security is making immigrants provide their social media handles, and we’re guessing it’s not to add them on Snapchat. It’s a new level of targeted surveillance and privacy invasion, and it isn’t making any of us feel safer or more secure.

via The Hill

Dallas Sportscaster: “All Of Us Should Protest How Black People Are Treated In This Country”

It’s been a dizzying week of protests in the NFL since President Trump called several NFL players “sons of bitches” — Who kneeled during the anthem?  Who locked arms? Who stayed off the field? Who was being a pure hypocrite? — but newscaster Dale Hansen reminds us what we have forgotten: Colin Kaepernick was protesting institutionalized violence against Black lives. Meanwhile: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Gregg Popovich, and Steve Kerr have earned provisional invitations to the cookout.

via Deadspin

Whitley’s World: A Brief History Of Bad And Boujee Black Girl Style

Oh the late 80’s, you gave us so much. But of the gifts we received, Whitley Marion Gilbert from A Different World was the black, affluent, fashion icon whose legacy long outlived the spin-off sitcom. Whitley was a highfalutin society girl with a wardrobe of bold jewel tones, but most importantly, she was proudly and unapologetically black.

via The Undefeated

What Happened To Myanmar’s Human-Rights Icon? 

Aung San Suu Kyi was once an icon of human rights protection, nonviolent activism, and moral righteousness, but have the tides changed now that’s she’s Myanmar’s acting leader? As the Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority in Myanmar,  are being violently killed and pushed out, we find ourselves asking: What makes a true activist? How do we use our power?

via New Yorker

Female Empowerment Is Key To Curbing Carbon Emissions

Environmental issues are too often turned into “overpopulation” issues — and concerns about “overpopulation” tend to carry racist and xenophobic baggage. So why would we focus on that when we can make a bigger difference just by empowering our ladies with family planning and education?

via Vox

A Korean Adoptee On Identity, Her White Family, And The Relatives Who Support Trump

Nicole Chung was born to Korean parents and adopted by white parents.   She often feels like an outsider in her own country with an “identity that requires constant defending.”

via Longreads