Stories about Arts & Culture from July, 2017
Young Kyrgyz Music Star Rejects Appointment to Head Museum After Online Backlash
"We are tired of officials’ spouses and kids who get into managing positions.”
El Salvador’s ‘Rainbow Crosswalk’ Promotes Pedestrian Safety and LGBTQ Rights
The first "rainbow crosswalk" in Central America hopes to guide steps towards a fairer world for LGBTQ communities.
The Kyrgyz “Dancing Kelin” Protests Early Marriage By Calling Attention to the Harsh Realities of Rural Brides
“Life in the village is round-the-clock work. Brides finish one chore and start another. They work 24/7.”
Puerto Rican Newspaper Cans Popular Comic Strip, Raising Concerns Over Censorship
Pepito is known for its sharp critique of the government and of elected officials in both the governments of Puerto Rico and of the United States.
A North Korean Refugee and Cartoonist Draws What Life Is Like for Those Who Escape
As a child, teachers praised Choi Seong-guk for his sketches of American soldiers that he says he made look “as ugly and violent as possible.”
Brazil’s First Indigenous Online Radio Station Uses Digital Media to Promote Native Languages and Communities
Rádio Yandê uses technology to shred stereotypes and misconceptions about Brazil’s native communities.
Three Decades After Dictatorship, Theater Aids the Search for Identity and Truth in Argentina
"There are already two generations that do not know their identity, we do not want to witness a third."
Up-and-Coming Trinidadian Soca Singer Devon Matthews’ Journey Comes to an End
The 36-year-old, whose "star was on the rise", collapsed after performing at a Carnival band launch and was rushed to hospital, where he could not be revived.
Ethiopia's Music of Resistance Stays Strong, Despite Repression
Amid wide-scale protests and a violent government crackdown, Afan Oromo musicians have begun to rise as a visible — and audible — driving inspiration for the opposition movement.
Lost in Translation in Central Asia: Keep it in the Family
'Tuuganchylyk' has already jettisoned two Kyrgyz leaders and their kin into lives of exile. The Trumps clearly weren't paying attention.
Mexican-American Researchers Reclaim Heritage to Radically Change the Way We Eat
"Decolonizing our diets is a political stance, one that rejects white supremacy and Eurocentrism as the organizing narrative of “healthy” food and recognizes cultural knowledge held by our immigrant communities."
Understanding Puerto Rico's Struggles With Washington Through Satire
Juice Media's 'Honest Government Adverts' pose a simple question: Are you ready for this much honesty?
Jamaican Dancehall Star's Instagram ‘Diss’ of Cultural Icon Sparks War of Words
"I feel like this discussion sparked by Ishawna's comment will morph into what aspects of culture/history we should/shouldn't celebrate."
15 Movies That Speak to the Complex Relationship Between Taiwan and Japan
Only since the late 1980s have filmmakers begun to examine the two countries' history, from colonial rule and World War II to present day.
Ethiopian Musicians Charged With Terrorism for ‘Inciting’ Song Lyrics
In the face of government repression, Afan Oromo musicians have risen as a visible -- and audible -- source of inspiration for the opposition movement.
The Unusual, Sometimes Mysterious Bookmarks Found in Used Books in Japan
"This handmade bookmark in my second-hand book is so cool."
For Syrian Refugees Living in Jordan, Journalism Offers Hope and Opportunity to Rebuild Their Homeland
For Syrian refugees in Jordan, Syrians Between Us provides the skills they need to tell their own stories.
A Syrian Artist From the Israeli-Occupied Golan Heights Explores Identity and Humanity in His Work
“I was motivated because I’m born undefined — and I’m still undefined — but I came to understand myself more through understanding others."
A Hong Kong Businessman Sparks Backlash After Blaming Muslims for His Restaurant's Failure in Malaysia
"How come [a nearby dim sum restaurant] has not been suffered from a lack of customers because of Muslim pork-less food culture?" one citizen journalist questioned.
Notimia, a News Agency That Gives Voice to the Indigenous and Afro-Descendant People in Mexico
"It is necessary for your own voice to be heard, for you to speak for yourself."
A Syrian Artist Reimagines the World's Powerful Leaders as Vulnerable Refugees
"Those leaders were partly responsible for the displacement of Syrians. Maybe they will feel what it feels like to be vulnerable."
