From Ella Mae “Big Mama” Thornton’s “Hound Dog” to Kendrick Lamar’s “HUMBLE.,” black musicians have created much of what we know as American music and culture. For decades, their contributions to music have largely been erased. Take, for example, the millions of people who think of Elvis Presley’s 1956 version of “Hound Dog” as iconic but have no idea of Thornton’s original or the shades of meaning s...

How many people must be shot until something is done?This question has been asked repeatedly after the nation witnessed dozens of mass shootings, but now we must ask that question of police-involved shootings that continue to take lives.On April 6, a University of Chicago police officer shot and wounded Charles Thomas, a student at the university who ran toward officers while carrying a metal pipe. It appeared Thomas was su...

After mass violence, do we remember the victims or the perpetrators?A string of bombings beginning March 2 in Austin, Texas, terrorized the community. Of the seven explosive devices authorities connected to suspect Mark Anthony Conditt, three detonated in East Austin, home to the majority of the city’s black and Latino residents. The first three bombs were hand delivered to the victims’ homes, killing two men and injuring o...

Uber launched Uber Health on March 1, a new form of non-emergency medical transportation.The new service allows patients to schedule rides to and from medical appointments hours before or up to 30 days in advance. Providers who order the rides do so through an online dashboard, and patients receive a text message or phone call for information about their trip, making rides accessible to those without  smartphones.Lyft Conci...