Top Rank Magazine

We are all being watched. From our phones to our Facebook activity, our data is being collected—and, in many cases, sold—to target us with ads, predict our identities and interests, determine our credit worthiness, and even evaluate our propensity for commiting crimes. In the midst of a crucial moment in conversations about surveillance and public “safety,” we talked with Sareeta Amrute, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Washington and director of research at NYC think tank Data & Society, to discuss the history of the data and surveillance economies and what’s at stake now.

“Diversity”—in particular, the lack of it—has become a buzzword in the past two decades, especially within the realms of education, entertainment, and corporate America. Companies and institutions alike are spending millions of dollars on programs to make their ranks more inclusive and reflective of ever-shifting demographics. Yet, as journalist and professor Pamela Newkirk (@ptnewkirk) argues, diversity remains “conspicuously lacking” in these contexts, both despite of and, in some ways, because of the efforts to confront it. On this episode, we speak with Professor Newkirk about her new book “Diversity, Inc: The Failed Promise of a Billion-Dollar Business,” and the paradoxes, pitfalls and potential of business-driven approaches to rectifying social inequality. Check out Pamela Newkirk's book here: https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/pamela-newkirk/diversity-inc/9781568588230/ Follow her on Twitter and Instagram @ptnewkirk

If the ongoing COVID-19 crisis has unveiled anything, it is the sheer unsustainability of our contemporary conditions. Just a few weeks ago, life as we knew it was “normal,” but that sense of normal was a world already in crisis, in which the sustainability of life on Earth was being sacrificed again and again for capital gain. On this episode, we spoke with Whitney McGuire & Dominique Drakeford, founders of Sustainable Brooklyn, about the story behind their friendship and organization, and what sustainability means in these uncertain times. Check out Sustainable Brooklyn: https://www.sustainablebk.co/ @sustainablebk @whitneymcguire @dominiquedrakeford Follow the @toprankpodcast on SoundCloud and iTunes for more episodes

After a brief hiatus as we transitioned into this new year and decade, we are back in the booth with Jessica Lynne, a writer and cultural critic from coastal Virginia and co-founder of ARTS.BLACK, an online journal that publishes art criticism from Black perspectives. We spoke with Jess about the craft of criticism, the relationship between research, love and vulnerability, and the art of finding balance. Find Jessica online at @lynne_bias. https://www.jessicalynne.co/ https://arts.black/

Who has the power to write history and how has the digital age transformed this process? On this episode, we speak with Professor Maria Cotera about her approach to grassroots community history-making with the Chicana por mi Raza Digital Memory Collective, an ongoing Chicana feminist history project documenting the oral histories and personal archives of women across the U.S. We speak with Professor Cotera about the politics of producing knowledge, the role of social media in new modes of archiving, and practical tips for independent scholars interested in pursuing their own research. Professor Cotera is an Associate Professor in the Department of Women’s Studies and the American Culture Department at the University of Michigan. You can learn more about Chicana Por Mi Raza here: http://chicanapormiraza.org/about

Salome Asega is a NYC based artist, educator and researcher whose work engages with the intersection of technology, design and social justice. Currently, she is the Technology Fellow at the Ford Foundation's Creativity and Free Expression program area, and a director of Powrplnt, a digital art community organization for youth in Brooklyn. On this episode, we chat with Salome about her dynamic interdisciplinary career, how her childhood has shaped her practice, and the political urgency of deploying design principles to imagine a more just present & future. Keep up with Salome here http://www.salome.zone and on IG @computers_puting

On this episode, we spoke with our friends Mia & Danielle from the new podcast "New York's Loudest" about their passion and expertise in the cannabis industry. From chatting about our first experiences with weed, to diving into the debates surrounding its legalization, our discussion highlights the deeply personal & political stakes of cannabis use. Check out "New York's Loudest" across all platforms! http://theemeraldmagazine.com/new-yorks-loudest-podcast/

Kimberly M. Jenkins is a leading expert on the intersections of race and the fashion industry. In the midst of Gucci's recent controversies, Kimberly has recently become the brand’s first in-house scholar, for which she will consult on responsible design practices that do not invoke racial stereotypes and iconography. We spoke with Kimberly on what the study of race and fashion means to her, and her plans for Gucci and beyond. Follow Kimberly here: http://kimberlymjenkins.com @kimberlymjenkins

On this episode of the Top Rank Podcast, we had the pleasure of speaking with Jonathan González — multidisciplinary performance artist, professor, farmer and dear friend of ours. We chatted about his NYC upbringing, his ever-evolving performance practice, and the politics of identity in the murky value systems of contemporary art. Follow Jonathan's work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jonathangonzalezetc/ Follow the Top Rank Podcast @toprankmagazine

For our 20th episode, we did something we never have done before - we interviewed each other! After three years of making this show, we realized we never properly introduced ourselves. For this episode, we chat about the story of our friendship and the ways consumerism shaped our childhoods & informed our ongoing *critical* interest in globalization, branding, and identity. For more, follow us on IG: @toprankmagazine ; @isabelflower ; @marcelrosasalas

There is no biological experience more fundamental than birth. However, the ongoing conversation in the US between medical doctors, natural-birth practitioners, researchers, and mothers about what could and should be a safe and positive birth experience has remained extraordinarily controversial. For some, midwifery & doula care are complementary methods of maternal care that are being more frequently tapped into. To understand more about these forms of care, we’ve had conversations with several guests, to learn more about their experiences in the field, and their perspectives on the current state of birthing in the U.S. Check out the mini-episodes below to learn their perspectives.

There is no biological experience more fundamental than birth. However, the ongoing conversation in the US between medical doctors, natural-birth practitioners, researchers, and mothers about what could and should be a safe and positive birth experience has remained extraordinarily controversial. For some, midwifery & doula care are complementary methods of maternal care that are being more frequently tapped into. To understand more about these forms of care, we’ve had conversations with several guests, to learn more about their experiences in the field, and their perspectives on the current state of birthing in the U.S. Check out the mini-episodes below to learn their perspectives.

There is no biological experience more fundamental than birth. However, the ongoing conversation in the US between medical doctors, natural-birth practitioners, researchers, and mothers about what could and should be a safe and positive birth experience has remained extraordinarily controversial. For some, midwifery & doula care are complementary methods of maternal care that are being more frequently tapped into. To understand more about these forms of care, we’ve had conversations with several guests, to learn more about their experiences in the field, and their perspectives on the current state of birthing in the U.S. Check out the mini-episodes below to learn their perspectives.

There is no biological experience more fundamental than birth. However, the ongoing conversation in the US between medical doctors, natural-birth practitioners, researchers, and birthing people about what could and should be a safe and positive birth experience has remained extraordinarily controversial. For some, doula care are complementary methods of maternal care that are being more frequently tapped into. To understand more about these forms of care, we’ve had conversations with several guests, to learn more about their experiences in the field, and their perspectives on the current state of birthing in the U.S. Check out the mini-episodes below to learn their perspectives.

There is no biological experience more fundamental than birth. However, the ongoing conversation in the US between medical doctors, natural-birth practitioners, researchers, and mothers about what could and should be a safe and positive birth experience has remained extraordinarily controversial. For some, midwifery & doula care are complementary methods of maternal care that are being more frequently tapped into. To understand more about these forms of care, we’ve had conversations with several guests, to learn more about their experiences in the field, and their perspectives on the current state of birthing in the U.S. Check out the mini-episodes below to learn their perspectives.

Feminism has reached new levels of mass popularity. Such a shift in public discourse and top line awareness about the daily realities of gender inequality must be acknowledged and celebrated. Yet, it begs many questions: What are the feminist ideas that are becoming popularized, circulated, and, sold today? Who does pop culture feminism benefit? Who might it foreclose and even erase? How do we harness the potential of this shift to bring about lasting social change? To talk through this and more, we are thrilled to have Dr. Sarah Banet Weiser on the show, professor of media and communications at the London School of Economics, and author of the new book Empowered: Popular Feminism and Popular Misogyny.

Recorded live from Abrons Arts Center in New York City, this episode of the Top Rank Podcast features Desmond Napoles, aka "Desmond is Amazing," who at just 11 years old, has made an international name for himself as a drag performer, LGBT advocate, and social media influencer with over 100K followers on Instagram. Marcel & Isabel had a lively chat with Desmond on what it is like to have such a large platform in just the 6th grade, how he balances school & career, and how he thinks children can change the world. follow Desmond on Instagram @desmondisamazing

On this episode, Marcel & Isabel chat with Zenat Begum, the owner of Playground Coffee Shop - a multidisciplinary cafe, bookstore, event space and community non profit in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. In addition to learning about Zenat's life as young, New York native and business owner in a rapidly gentrifying Brooklyn, she also offers insight on the challenges and triumphs of being an entrepreneur as a woman of color, and shares advice for young people seeking to start their own business. Visit Playground Coffee Shop at 1114 Bedford Ave in Brooklyn, NY Learn more about Playground Coffee Shop https://www.instagram.com/playgroundcoffeeshop/ http://playgroundcoffeeshop.com/

On episode 15 of the Top Rank Podcast, “Resource Generation” co-hosts Isabel Flower and Marcel Rosa-Salas spoke with Holly Fetter and Dominique Tan, representatives from the nonprofit organization Resource Generation. For two decades, Resource Generation has been advising and enabling young people with wealth and class privilege in the United States to work towards the equitable distribution of wealth, land, and power. In the U.S. today, the top one percent of households own more wealth than the bottom ninety percent combined. On this episode, we spoke with Holly and Dominique about scrutinizing the idea of meritocracy, constructing comprehensible and productive definitions of wealth and class (and how these categories intersect and overlap with varying identity categories), as well as RG’s strategies for action.

On episode 14 of the Top Rank Podcast, “The New Racial Science” co-hosts Isabel Flower and Marcel Rosa-Salas spoke with Professor Dorothy Roberts about the politics of genetic ancestry tests. In 2017, over 12 million Americans had their DNA analyzed by genetic ancestry testing companies. This recent boom in popularity has turned “knowing your roots” into one of the biggest consumer products of the past decade. However, it is critical to the question how genetic ancestry tests are shaping societal understandings of race and ethnicity. Professor Dorothy Roberts is an acclaimed scholar of race, gender and the law, and a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, with joint appointments in the Departments of Africana Studies, Sociology and the Law School. She is also founding director of the Penn Program on Race, Science & Society in the Center for Africana Studies. Her major books include Fatal Invention: How Science, Politics, and Big Business Re-create Race in the Twenty-first Century ; Shattered Bonds: