It's Been a Minute Folgen

Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last week, the city's 39 year old mayor, Brandon Scott, a Black man, stepped out to address the crisis. Hours later, a tweet went viral calling Scott a "DEI Mayor." To which Brittany and her guests, NPR's Gene Demby and Alana Wise, say "wait what?" The three dig into the racism lurking under the surface of this kind of rhetoric.Then, as March Madness reaches its final nail-biting stages, Brittany takes a look at the reality of "student-athletes." What may feel like an accurate descriptor of these players is actually a legal classification that bars them from asking for worker's compensation and other benefits - benefits usually given to employees. Brittany is joined by sports business reporter Amanda Christovich and Assistant Professor of Legal Studies in Business at Boise State University Sam Ehrlich. They discuss how the recent news of Dartmouth men's basketball team unionizing opens up doors for broader conversations around how we value "work."Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This week, we're revisiting an exploration of hair braiding gone wrong. Online, women looking to get box braids have gone viral with their complaints about confusing pricing structures, minimal care, and poor customer service. Brittany Luse chats with public historian and YouTuber Jouelzy to get an overview of the tension. Then, Jessica Poitras, legislative counsel for the Institute of Justice, joins the show to talk about the legal roadblocks many hair braiders face in setting up their businesses. And later, Brittany is joined by stylist Tyré Rimple to discuss the hidden costs behind braiding. This segment first aired last summer.Want to be featured on the show? Record a question for 'Hey Brittany' and send it to ibam@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

TikTok has come under fire for its addictive algorithm and for being a place where misinformation spreads. But still, there is one institution that thinks TikTok actually has the potential to be a source of good in our world: Harvard. To be more specific, it's the Harvard Chan Center for Health Communication.To hear more about how the center is working with TikTok influencers to share researched information with the public, host Brittany Luse is joined by Kate Speer. Kate started as a mental health TikToker, but was recently hired as a marketing director for the Harvard Chan Center for Health Communication. Kate also shares her mental health journey and what it's been like to work within a mental health system that harmed her.Then, Brittany looks at the history left out of the new Netflix film, Shirley, which follows the presidential run of Shirley Chisholm. Brittany sits down with Dr. Anastasia C. Curwood, author of Shirley Chisholm: Champion of Black Feminist Power Politics, to discuss what came before the historic race. They talk about how Shirley's various identities informed her approach, and scan for her fingerprint on American electoral politics today.Want to be featured on the show? Record a question for 'Hey Brittany' and send it to ibam@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy