Marseilles residents turn McDonald’s into community foodbank
A closed McDonald’s has been transformed into a lifeline for Marseille and now operates as a food bank. In between the majority Muslim neighbourhoods of Saint-Marthe and Saint-Barthélémy sits the first McDonald’s to be built in the ‘banlieues’ (suburbs) around France’s major cities. The fast-food restaurant was opened thanks to help...
Current in Culture
Minecraft library liberates gamers in censored countries
One of the most successful sandbox video games of all time once again proves its versatility outside of tree-punching and cave-exploring by providing a journalism sanctuary for its 126 million active players. Thinking outside the box Oppressive governments and growingly sophisticated systems of surveillance have led to an increase of censorship...
Yayoi Kusama pumpkin worth $3 million washed out to sea
One of Japan’s most iconic pieces of modern art was badly damaged after being swept out to sea by a strong storm. You might think you don’t know who Yayoi Kusama is, but chances are you’ve seen one of the Japanese artists’ pieces online or even in person. At 90 years...
New exhibition brings real stories of abortion into the open
My Body My Life is a public engagement project challenging abortion stigma by providing women with a safe space to share their experiences. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, attitudes towards the ever contentious pro-choice/pro-life debate have shifted significantly both ways across the globe. In Latin America, Argentina became the first major...
Lil Wayne advocates mental health in new interview
Long-time rapper and musician Lil Wayne has opened up about his experiences with depression, suicide, and mental health, advocating that people speak up and recognise when something isn’t right. Lil Wayne has been featured in the latest episode of Emmanuel Acho’s ‘Uncomfortable Conversations’ on YouTube, where he discusses his...
Why is DaBaby being dropped from festivals?
Rapper DaBaby has come under fire for a burst of homophobic comments during one of his shows, causing multiple festivals to suddenly pull him from their line-ups. Nearly two weeks ago, DaBaby performed at Rolling Loud Miami festival, where he denounced the LGBTQ+ community and those who were HIV-positive...
Opinion – Blizzard’s lawsuit is part of a wider cultural issue
Activision and Blizzard have faced massive lawsuits and sexual harassment accusations from a tidal wave of female employees. It is horrific - but not an isolated incident. Employees at Blizzard have staged a walk out and social media strike over recent allegations of sexual harassment and a ‘frat boy’ culture that heavily discriminates toward female staff members. According to a two-year investigation, the company was found to be severely...
You decide – should we still be supporting Kanye West?
As Kanye’s upcoming album DONDA faces inevitable delays and he rents out a room in the Mercedes-Benz stadium for over $1 million USD a day, should we still be backing him as an artist and public figure? Kanye West – producer, fashion designer, artist – has been causing a buzz the last few weeks as the world waits for his latest album, DONDA. Though it was first promised to be...
Opinion – Gen Z is invoking the carefree spirit of the 90s
Y2K fashion is on the rise and musicians are striving to create a happier 90s sound. Gen-Z is bringing positivity to the troubled, modern world they’ve found themselves in. Kids of the 90s and early 2000s had it made. Crop tops, bucket hats, tie-dye, beaded bracelets, and fluffy anything was considered fashion forward. Climate change was not yet looming relentlessly in the back of our minds, online bullying wasn’t occurring so...
New initiative demands we confront the lack of female safety at gigs
In light of UN data revealing that 40% of womxn under 40 have been sexually harassed at UK music events, Safe Spaces Now is calling for commitment to meaningful action and better condemnation of abusive behaviour within the industry. Since one of the most resonant cases of violence against womxn in recent history began dominating our headlines back in March, conversations about female safety have been rife. Already, we’ve seen the...
