Media

Nelson Makamo and Cicely Tyson. Greyscale illustration of black child in red glasses behind black text reading "TIME" and white text; Black woman in red outfit in front of red background and red text that spells "TIME" and white text
Sameer Rao  Feb 7, 2019 1:11PM EST

Ava DuVernay Guest-Edits TIME's Optimism Issue

“The national headlines were what we’ve come to expect: bigotry, poverty, injustice, trauma, trouble. I weighed my own feelings of despair and doubt against the idea of reveling in an experience dedicated to optimism. The choice was easy.”
Portraits of Latinx, Asian and White women and men in front of grey and blue backgrounds set in front of red and white and blue graphic background and underneath black bars with white text spelling "2020 CAMPAIGN REPORTERS" and "2020 ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS"
Sameer Rao  Jan 14, 2019 1:15PM EST

CBS News Called Out for Lack of Black Folks on Election Team

“Naw. This ain’t it. Try again.”
Phoebe Robinson, Michelle Obama and Jessica Williams. Black women in blue and orange outfits sit facing Black woman in red shirt around black and brown table with black and red and white microphones in front of brown wall and shade
Sameer Rao  Nov 15, 2018 1:38PM EST

Listen to the Last Episode of '2 Dope Queens' Featuring Michelle Obama

Phoebe Robinson and Jessica Williams concluded their acclaimed WNYC Studios podcast by chatting with the former first lady about navigating the political sphere as a Black woman.  
Light brown hijabi woman wears taupe headscarf, tan sweater and black dress, looks down at cell phone in her hands
Carmen Scurato, Jessica J. González  Oct 25, 2018 3:39PM EDT

The Best Way to Protect Free Speech Online? De-Platform Hate. [OP-ED]

Internet companies must stop ignoring the racism and other forms of hate that are prevalent on their platforms and acknowledge that the hateful discourse of the few silences the speech of the marginalized many.
Tarana Burke. Black woman with black dredlocs in pink shirt and pants waves and holds black microphone while sitting on white chair in front of black and white and gold and purple background
Sameer Rao  Oct 19, 2018 3:57PM EDT

Tarana Burke Guest Edits Essence Magazine's #MeToo Issue

“It was my deepest honor to be able to partner with this legacy magazine to shine a light on the issues around sexual violence that are directly affecting Black women.”
Black people stand in line outside gray building that reads "Rose ice and coal co." Black man in foreground holds bag of ice.
Alicia Bell, Collette Watson, Amy Kroin  Oct 18, 2018 10:28AM EDT

It's Time for a Narrative Shift in Post-Disaster Journalism [OP-ED]

Examining news coverage following Hurricane Florence illustrates how post-disaster narratives can compound and perpetuate deep histories of racial and economic oppression.
Jane Fonda and Patrisse Khan-Cullors. White woman in navy suit and red sweater holds hands with Black woman in grey dress with black arm tattoos and raised fist, in front of grey background
Sameer Rao  Oct 9, 2018 5:10PM EDT

Harper's Bazaar Celebrates Patrisse Cullors, Other #WomenWhoDare

The magazine’s new conversation series highlights six people pushing for social justice through arts and media.
John Cho in grey suit with blue and white shirt on dark grey background behind light blue and white text; John Cho in white shirt on grey background in front of white text
Sameer Rao  Sep 19, 2018 5:20PM EDT

KoreAm Journal Relaunches as Pan-Asian-American KORE Mag

Editor-in-Chief Serena Kim says the new magazine goes beyond its predecessor’s primarily Korean-American focus to cover members of other Asian-American diasporic communities.
Black women of various shades laugh in the sunlight
Ayana Byrd  Sep 17, 2018 1:13PM EDT

Sexual Health Experts on Why 'Insecure' Needs to Practice Safer Sex

With STI rates dangerously high for Black people, do TV shows have a responsibility to wrap it up?
Concert attendees stand in multicolored clothing near grey fence displaying black tarp with white text
Sameer Rao  Sep 6, 2018 4:17PM EDT

Afropunk.com Editor-in-Chief Quits, Alleges Exploitation of Staff

Lou Constant-Desportes accused organization leadership of disregarding Afropunk’s ethos of Black love and empowerment.
Black-and-white photograph of Louis E. Lomax in suit and tie in front of black background
Sameer Rao  Aug 16, 2018 5:09PM EDT

#TBT: Remembering Louis E. Lomax, America's First Black TV Newsman

Lomax broke the television news color barrier in 1958.
Chance the Rapper smiles in grey hat and blue jacket with white detail while holding silver award in front of red background with white text
Sameer Rao  Jul 19, 2018 11:35AM EDT

Chance the Rapper Purchases Chicago-Focused News Website

In his new song “I Might Need Security,” the rapper confirms that he purchased Chicagoist “just to run you racist bitches out of business.”
Black-and-white image of Ida B. Wells in black and white attire in front of grey background
Sameer Rao  Jul 16, 2018 2:30PM EDT

Celebrating Ida B. Wells On Her Birthday

Today marks the trailblazing journalist and activist’s 156th birthday. Here’s why her work still resonates through media, activism and history—and what is being done to memorialize a life well lived.
A grid of summer books with titles like "sick," "if they come for us," "we built the wall," "assata taught me," and more
catherine lizette gonzalez  Jun 29, 2018 1:10PM EDT

The Must-Read Race and Culture Books of the Summer

From memoirs to poetry to fiction, these titles will deepen your understanding of what’s going on, inspire activism and even entertain the kids.
Black woman with grey hair in green shirt speaks into black microphone in front of brown background
Sameer Rao  Jun 1, 2018 11:23AM EDT

Remember the Tulsa 'Black Wall Street' Massacre Through Its Last Known Survivor

“They tried to destroy every Black business, school and church.”
Asian woman with pink hair in front of grey background; Asian woman with black hair in front of grey background; Asian woman with blonde hair in front of grey background
Sameer Rao  May 22, 2018 2:06PM EDT

How Allure's Editor-in-Chief Made APIA Representation History

“Someone has to be the trailblazer. You have to just go ahead and do it.”
Donald Trump and Kanye West. White man with blonde hair in black and white suit and tie stands next to Black man with blonde hair in black shirt and gold necklace in front of gold and grey stone elevator and lobby walls
Sameer Rao  May 7, 2018 11:29AM EDT

The One Passage You Must Read From Ta-Nehisi Coates' Essay on Kanye West

Coates’ latest piece for The Atlantic frames the musician’s high-profile support for President Donald Trump as a quest for “White freedom.”
Black woman in yellow shirt in front of black background with red border and behind white and yellow text; Black woman in grey and blue and green dress in front of black background with red border and in front of white and grey text
Sameer Rao  Apr 19, 2018 5:21PM EDT

Tarana Burke and Tiffany Haddish Cover Time's '100 Most Influential People' Issue

The activist and actress join Issa Rae, Chloe Kim and several other people of color on this year’s list of global changemakers.
Black man with black beard and cornrows in black coat and shirt holds gold statue while walking beside Black man in black suit with blue embroidery in front of black background with pink lights
Sameer Rao  Apr 16, 2018 5:13PM EDT

Kendrick Lamar, James Forman Jr., Rachel Kaadzi Ghansah Honored With Pulitzer Prizes

This year’s winners include artists and journalists who fearlessly explored contemporary racial identity and oppression.
April Ryan. Black woman in black dress on stage behind a podium, smiles to camera.
Kenrya Rankin  Mar 28, 2018 4:45PM EDT

That Time April D. Ryan Asked Why Trump Has No Comment on Police Killing Black People

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders: “That’s something that we feel should be left up to the local authorities.”