I thought yellow vest protesters in France were a uniform group of angry radicals. But I talked to citizens and discovered it’s much more complicated. A newspaper stand burned down by protesters in France (photo by Claire Wang) This piece tied for first prize in...
Gen Zers care about climate change, but we fuel the fast-fashion industry, a contributor to global warming. Are we ready to shift our fashion choices? Customers in a clothing store in Tokyo, Japan, 23 August 2005 (EPA/EVERETT KENNEDY BROWN) This story was runner-up in...
Is the meat industry destroying Earth? Two committed vegetarians come to surprising conclusions in this episode of “The Kids Are Alright” podcast. Cattle graze among wind turbines near Castro Valley, California, 28 March 2018 (EPA-EFE/MIKE NELSON) A cattle...
I wanted to dispel preconceived notions about women in Africa. Three goddesses capture the strength of African women and celebrate blackness. “Uungu” My short film is a joint collaboration with makeup artist Fatima Yunusa that presents three African...
What do we say about women who have their lives cut short because of violence? Why should we live in fear of what could happen to us as women? A woman demonstrates against gender violence, Johannesburg, South Africa, 13 September 2019 (EPA-EFE/KIM LUDBROOK) This poem...
By Alexandra Gray More than 30 insightful, articulate and entrepreneurial young people have stepped up to the plate to lead teams of students who are eager to tackle big issues and connect with youth across the globe. They are News-Decoder’s Student Ambassadors for...
Are the frustrations and joys of New York’s subway unique to my home city? A summer criss-crossing Paris in its metro answered my question. As a New Yorker, I am familiar with the dirt and delays that can define a commuter’s experience in a city where 5.4...
Canadian newspapers and schools do little to foster interest in journalism among youth. Hong Kong has taken a radically different approach. Students talk during an editorial board meeting at a student-run newspaper. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) If you’re a Canadian...
Chinese immigrants form a growing community in France. Two manicurists gave me insight into challenges facing workers in Paris’s beauty industry. Finding a good nail salon in a new city can be a challenge. After roaming the streets of Paris’ 14th arrondissement...
A trip to Hong Kong taught me why Cantonese opera and ca trù singing, which I once thought boring, are so important to cultural identity. Like many young people, I used to consider ancient art forms to be boring and old-fashioned. A recent trip to Hong Kong changed...