We’re gearing up for the Super Bowl (meaning party food), which means we’re bookending this week with some sports news.
The ongoing battle over the Washington football mascot name could potentially impact trademark law.
Black workers with advanced degrees continue to earn about the same as white workers with Bachelor’s degrees.
Muslim Commentator Arsalan Iftikhar has been banned from MSNBC for stating that Bobby Jindal was “trying to scrub some of the brown off,” which is both a hilarious and cutting remark that might be almost too truthful.
Are you frustrated with Obama’s lack of stance on race issues in America? The Root has a few opinions on the matter.
Video footage has been released of Jerame Reid’s death at the hands of NJ police officers, adding yet another black life lost to police brutality.
Stanford Students arrested after protests against police brutality shut down Bay Area Bridge.
#BlackLivesMatter continues to gain support, with protests popping up in Frankfurt.
Brooklyn man who was choked during his arrest wins lawsuit against NYC.
Queer and Trans activists of color shut down the Castro area of San Francisco in Black Lives Matter & Reclaim MLK protests.
Unsurprisingly, violence against black transgender women continues to be ignored.
Author Jill Leovy talks about Black Lives Matter and her book Ghettoside.
Hope Wabuke has a beautiful piece on The Hairpin entitled 5 Moments in the Life of a Black Mother.
Jay Z has added his voice to the political conversations around #BlackLivesMatter
We missed this last week, but Saturday Night Live covered gentrification of Brooklyn to surprisingly hilarious results.
If you want to know how to fix the Oscars, it might have everything to do with access, education and resources for young filmmakers, particularly those from low-income, minority, immigrant communities.
Paris is Burning director Jennie Livingston talks to Miramax and tells us why the groundbreaking documentary happened:
The people I met from the ball world … were great performers … had a lot to say, both about their own lives and about America and the world at large … Aside from being beautiful, and raucous, and a repository of great dance moves, the ball world also offered a profound look at an incredible number of issues I cared about. Like, how we live with and create our gender; how race and racism affect our lives; how class and the access to (or lack of access to) opportunity creates or inhibits our growth; how both gender identity and sexual orientation are fluid, and how homophobia, with all of its horrors, also forces people to create supportive communities and social worlds. It felt like there was so much going on the ball world that touched on everything I thought about and cared about.
Asian American men are finally starting to step out of the sidekick bubble and into the lead roles on television.
Speaking of Asian actors, Fresh Off the Boat’s Randall Park and Constance Wu and producer Eddie Huang shut down racist questions at the TCA panel in a pretty spectacular fashion.
In “all your faves are problematic” news, Anthony Mackie has opened his mouth and inserted his foot so deeply, it’s almost funny.
Desiree Akhavan speaks to Flavorwire about her new movie Appropriate Behavior, her immigrant youth, queer identity and women in film. Check out the trailer below:
Here are 6 filmmaking tips from Ava DuVernay (who wasn’t as shocked as the rest of us about her Oscar snub).
FOX’s Empire is the first high-rated new drama to grow in both weeks 2 & 3 in 21 years.
Filmmaker Alex Rivera talks about science fiction and people of color within these spaces and through imagining an inclusive future.
Looking to add movies to your streaming to-watch list? The Aerogram ranks the best and worst in Bollywood 2014’s offerings.
Rutina Wesley who is beautiful and perfect, is joining season 3 of Hannibal because some casting agent heard my prayer.
Alexandra Shipp was cast as young Storm in X-Men Apocalypse, which caused some fans to throw out better, darker-skinned casting suggestions (including the aforementioned Rutina Wesley) that don’t reek of blatant Hollywood colorism. Adelayo Adedayo or nothing.
Shaq is getting a TV show! (Sort of.)
Jane the Virgin continues to be great by bringing immigration reform to the forefront of discussion in their latest episode.
The Daily Show’s Al Madrigal unpacks biracial and Latino identities in his new special Half Like Me.
Sunday is the Super Bowl, so we end on this ad from the Oneida Nation and the Change the Mascot Campaign.