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Turkey’s War On Free Speech Is Intensifying, Says Author Elif Shafak

Shafak wants the world to pay attention to what Erdogan has been doing since the failed 2016 coup: “Much has been said about the anti-liberal nature of authoritarian populism, but relatively little about two other features concomitant with its rise: anti-intellectualism and anti-feminism. Authoritarian populism likes to divide society into two camps: the pure people versus the corrupt elite. Writers, poets, journalists and scholars are often associated with the latter group. In the populist imagination, being elite has nothing to do with economic power or social status. It is about values.” – The Guardian (UK)

The Classical Musicians Who Created The New Live-Action ‘Lion King’ Score Because Representation Matters

The African American and Black musicians who make up the Re-Collective Orchestra recorded a chamber-music version of Black Panther‘s “All the Stars Are Open.” Hans Zimmer heard it, and then he asked the musicians to record the score for the Disney behemoth’s live-action version of its massive 1994 hit. For bassoonist Lecolion Washington, the experience “felt like an acknowledgement that who makes art, and the stories they bring, holds as much value as the art itself.” – WBUR (Boston)

The Family Lie That Turned Into This Summer’s Breakout Indie Film

Lulu Wang’s family didn’t want to tell its matriarch that she was dying of cancer – and the resulting efforts to get everyone to say their goodbyes, without letting her in on the reason, turned into The Farewell, an indie movie starring Crazy Rich Asians‘ Awkwafina that, over its opening weekend, did the best per-screen business of any 2019 film (and that’s with the Manhattan blackout that took one of its few screens dark). – The Atlantic

Years After Falling Ill With A Mysterious Disease, This Ballerina Says She’s Ready To Return To The Stage

Kathryn Morgan had to leave City Ballet in the fall of 2012 after an autoimmune disease screwed up everything from her hair to her balance, starting a couple of years earlier. “What Morgan initially believed would be a few months of recovery became a nine-year ordeal: of doctors who dismissed her, of surrendering a dream, of personal turmoil and a life repeatedly upended. And, now, as she prepares to return to ballet on her own terms, a rebirth.” – CNN

What Libraries Mean To The American Dream

Last year, an economics professor suggested killing off the public library and replacing it with Amazon. The backlash was swift – and it’s ongoing. Why? Libraries are free, providing a refuge for everyone, and helping those disenfranchised gain more and more agency – and more: “Libraries are the cornerstones of democracy, where all people—regardless of income, race and religion—are welcome. To me, they’re also the one place where I truly feel at home.” – LitHub

Sadie Roberts-Joseph, Founder Of A Museum And Tireless Activist For Historical Memory, Has Been Found Murdered

Roberts-Joseph was an icon in the Louisiana capital city, and she devoted her life and work to historical memory – and making Juneteenth a national holiday. Then there was “the Odell S. Williams Now and Then African-American History Museum, which she founded in 2001 and ran with volunteer help and donations. The Baton Rouge museum spotlighted black history and hosted gatherings for holidays such as Memorial Day, Kwanzaa and Juneteenth.” – Washington Post