Culture

A Phrase That’s Been Stuck in My Head for Four Years, Recalled: On Ted Chiang’s Exhalation

by | March 16, 2023

In his column, Jonathan Russell Clark re-examines the work of Ted Chiang, using it as a lens through which to understand today’s AI discourse.

girl sitting on carpet near TV set and talking with a robot while resting at home

Beautifully Ruined: A Case for Re-visiting Kate Braverman’s Lithium for Medea

by | March 14, 2023

Punk! Real estate! Venice Beach! Myriam Gurba re-introduces readers to Kate Braverman’s cult classic Lithium for Medea.

Photo of a man holding a surfboard at Venice Beach.

Treasure Box

by | March 7, 2023

In Treasure Box, Jamilla VanDyke-Bailey reflects on an important conversation that came too late.

A Black mother comforting her teenage daughter

Community

by | March 1, 2023

In his column, Alejandro Heredia meditates on the concept and practice of community: is it a group of people who beyond identity might have no personal and interpersonal bonds, or a commodity for corporations, non-profits, egotistical activists, and social media spiritual gurus looking to make profit off of an increasingly conscious society, or is it shared visions of the future as building blocks of collective living?

African American girl and her father planting a seedling.

Secret CVs: The Slow Violence of Casual Sexism in Academia

by | February 9, 2023

An anonymous whistleblower describes the cumulative effect of sexual harassment in academia.

Photo of sexual assault perpetrator John Seale speaking at google.

A Biography’s Tale: On Anthony Burgess by Roger Lewis

by | February 7, 2023

Columnist Jonathan Russell Clark proves that sometimes, the best biographers can’t stand their subjects.

Clockwork Orange painting hanging on a pub wall in Arizona.

Black Candles for Bad Men

by | January 12, 2023

A supermarket worker turns to her ancestors for help stopping sexual harassment.

Black candle against a black backdrop

Infidelity for Beginners

by | January 10, 2023

A publicist engages in an activity she can tell no one about: an affair with her boss.

Serious blond woman deep in thought

Priest of Snark: Why One Young Man Heeded the Call

by | December 27, 2022

Isabel Tehan profiles a young man who followed his vocation into a dying profession: the Catholic priesthood.

Photo of Nathaniel Sanders, a Priest.

So You’ve Decided to “Live Your Life” Now That You Think COVID is Over…

by | December 13, 2022

As the pandemic rages on, Anna Hamilton urges the continued use of Covid precautions: "On some level, I understand being 'tired' of the pandemic. I understand missing 'normalcy.' But for people who have debilitating chronic illness, chronic pain/fatigue, and/or long Covid, our normal sucks."

Empty hospital bed by a window

MOVED: On Speaking Spanish

by | December 8, 2022

Maria Bustillos and Myriam Gurba discuss growing up bilingual in a monolingual world.

Image of a young Mexican American girl, the same girl as a woman, and her mother.

Tamales Are For Eating, Not Walking

by | December 1, 2022

Of all the sounds you can wake up to in Mexico City, my favorite by far is the distant shout of the local vendor slowly approaching your street, yelling “tamales.” My partner was usually up before me and would let me know the vendor was getting close as he handed me my hot cup of […]

Three Fillo's Walking Tamales pouches

Of Tacos y Heartbreak

by | November 10, 2022

Isabel Quintero and her ex-husband find the perfect tacos to eat at the end of their marriage.

street tacos

No Princesses: Reflections on the Passing of Sacheen Littlefeather

by | October 24, 2022

Critic Myriam Gurba reflects on the passing of Sacheen Littlefeather and her attempted takedown by a notorious “pretendian” researcher.

sacheen littlefeather against an indigenous Mexican tapestry

Noncompliant Heart

by | October 18, 2022

Writer Wendy C. Ortiz traces the development of her rebellious spirit and schools us in fascism’s ties to the Pledge of Allegiance.

Ronald Reagan