Locs Represent Resistance for Black People in the U.S. That’s Why They Are under Fire
In cultures hostile to African hairstyles, so-called dreadlocks have long been a countercultural symbol for those who stand in opposition to oppressive ideals
Black Scientists Are Building Their Own Vital Communities
A person-centric scientific conference demonstrates that gathering can counter the isolation of underrepresentation
Policing Works when It Is Done Right
The COVID pandemic and the police murder of George Floyd polarized views on policing. Rather than abolishing policing or maintaining its status quo, we need to make it better and more focused
Attacks on Diversity in Higher Education Threaten Democracy
The forced resignation of Harvard’s president provides a peek at the blueprint for the war against justice in the U.S., concludes a long-time observer of attacks on academia
‘Consent’ Searches Don’t Stop Drug Trafficking. They Threaten Privacy Rights
U.S. police embraced frequent “consent” searches of motorists during the “tough on crime” era. These searches, meant to sidestep privacy rights, are both racially misapplied and ineffective
Even ChatGPT Says ChatGPT Is Racially Biased
When asked, ChatGPT declared that its training material—the language we humans use every day—was to blame for potential bias in stories it generated
Tech Billionaires Need to Stop Trying to Make the Science Fiction They Grew Up on Real
Today’s Silicon Valley billionaires grew up reading classic American science fiction. Now they’re trying to make it come true, embodying a dangerous political outlook
Young Researchers of Color Need Better Mentors
Universities need to train their faculty to be better mentors to students of color, and to understand these students’ vulnerabilities
Hair Relaxers Will Be Safer without Formaldehyde, but It’s Just a Start
Banning formaldehyde hair relaxers might help protect Black women’s health, but won’t end the racism that drives their use
The Same Extremists Target Both Muslims and Jews
Far-right extremists shifted their online hate from Muslims to Jews in 2017, and offline hate followed the same trends
A Black Physician Takes on Racism in Medicine
Physician Uché Blackstock talks about her experience of the huge health disparities faced by Black Americans in her new book Legacy
Hair Straighteners and Relaxers May Be Harmful to Health. Here’s How to Make Them Better
Growing evidence suggests certain hair products marketed toward Black women may be harmful to their health. Scientists, entrepreneurs and policy makers are taking steps to fix the problem