THIS WEEK'S SIX:

Highly recommend this read on the history of samba in Brazil and how all-female samba groups have begun to gain popularity.

The visibility of women throughout the history of Brazilian samba is a complex tale. Kelly Adriano de Oliveira, a top scholar on the history of women in samba, points out that samba was always rooted in resistance: the resistance of poor black communities against Brazil’s post-colonial culture. In 2018, that resistance has taken a different form, with women leading the change, pushing against sexist strictures. “This is a big moment in the history of samba,” she says.

The story also highlights all-female samba groups in Brazil like: Samba Que Elas Querem, Moça Prosa, Samba da Elis, Sambadas, Samba Delas and Samba de Saia. Follow them all.

Sony's animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse should easily spin its way to No. 1 in its domestic box-office launch over the Dec. 14-16 weekend. It's predicted to open between $28 million and $35 million, according to projections from the major Hollywood tracking services. The new animated film features a superhero who is half-Puerto Rican and half-African-American, and the film is a combination of CG and hand-drawn animation. In case you missed it, the official trailer was released this past Spring: Watch it here. Are you planning to go see it in theaters?

Emma González, alongside her classmates who survived the Parkland shooting, have since created a national movement to change the country's conversation about gun violence and bring to the forefront issues facing communities of color. This profile talks about her activist work, and how she thinks about her own identity:

To González, identity is fluid and more encompassing than basic labels. “Identity to me means the way that you describe yourself when someone says, ‘Describe yourself,’” she explains. “If I were to describe my identity, I would say that I am half Cuban, I’m bald, I’m bisexual, I’m 5-foot-2, I like to write, I like to partake in the arts, and I like to crochet. I would hope that if I were introducing myself to somebody, through those things, they would be able to get an understanding of who I am.”

Politics is often shrouded in mystery, a world of mostly old, white men who then help elect others just like them. And that's, of course, by design. The more inaccessible (and confusing) something seems, the more likely it is to remain in the hands of those who've built the systems. History was made this midterm election when a number of young, diverse women were elected to public office. One of those women was Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the 29-year-old representative from New York's 14th congressional district, who will become the youngest serving congresswoman *ever* come January. By showing so much of what's going on behind the scenes, Ocasio-Cortez is completely demystifying a process that had once been thought of only as the provenance of those old, white men. She makes politics seem relatable, doable, possible for any young person watching.

I think YouTube did a great job on this and I learned quite a bit about J Balvin's early story that I didn't know before.

Produced by YouTube, this short film is a look inside the life of José Álvaro Osorio Balvin. It provides a more personal perspective than we have seen before, from his early days freestyling in the streets and barbershops of Medellín, Colombia, to sold out arena shows across the globe. This is a look at who J Balvin is as a person beyond the artist–a glimpse into his lifestyle and process, how he stays centered, and why he does what he does for people around the world.

Walter Thompson-Hernandez is the child of a black father and Mexican mother, who naturally found himself at a cultural intersection growing up in Los Angeles. Today, he is a multimedia reporter for the New York Times where he travels the world asking what it means to belong. Whether it's the albino community in Ghana or black people in Compton redefining cowboy culture (you MUST check out his story on the Compton Cowboys!!!), he uses words, pictures, and film to tell the stories of those who historically have not had a voice. This is a discussion with him on how men can let go of gender stereotypes, and how men can talk to each other about sexism. I hope all my male subscribers check it out.

I tried something a little different with the format this week, so as always please reply with your thoughts or suggestions.

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