The Guardians of Elmhurst

“As COVID-19 spread across the United States, one hospital in New York found itself in the epicenter of the epicenter. With the virus on a warpath, its staff risked it all in the fight for our lives. “

Source: Glamour
Published: Oct 13, 2020
Length: 13 minutes (3,469 words)

The True Story of the Antifa Invasion of Forks, Washington

A false report on Twitter about violent leftist activists traveling by bus exploded into a call to arms. Then a bus, carrying a family and two dogs, rolled into a remote Northwestern town best known as the setting for the Twilight series. Chaos ensued.
Source: Wired
Published: Oct 8, 2020
Length: 36 minutes (9,000 words)

My Mustache, My Self

A quarantine facial-hair experiment led Wesley Morris to consider his Blackness, maleness, and self.

Published: Oct 14, 2020
Length: 22 minutes (5,542 words)

The (Mostly) True Story of Vanilla Ice, Hip-Hop, and the American Dream

“He grew up lower middle class and toiled away at menial jobs while chasing his dreams—the lone white boy battling in an almost entirely Black environment. The plot of 8 Mile was Vanilla Ice’s story first.”

Author: Jeff Weiss
Source: The Ringer
Published: Oct 6, 2020
Length: 42 minutes (10,659 words)

Summer Mother

“Michael A. Gonzales recounts the life lessons of a favorite auntie.”

Source: Longreads
Published: Oct 14, 2020
Length: 6 minutes (1,720 words)

I Called Everyone in Jeffrey Epstein’s Little Black Book

“What I learned about rich people, conspiracy, ‘genius,’ Ghislaine, stand-up comedy, and evil from 2,000 phone calls.”

Source: Mother Jones
Published: Oct 9, 2020
Length: 48 minutes (12,074 words)

Donald Trump’s Worst Nightmare

“Rebecca Acuña is a Mexican immigrant running Biden’s Texas campaign. She has the audacity to think she can turn the state blue.”

Author: Zac Crain
Source: D Magazine
Published: Oct 1, 2020
Length: 13 minutes (3,299 words)

You Could Make This Place Beautiful

Great,” she says resignedly. “What I’ll always be known for is writing this poem about how bad things are, and maybe they could be better, but they’re bad.”

Author: Dan Kois
Source: Slate
Published: Oct 6, 2020
Length: 18 minutes (4,647 words)

A Popular Online Learning Platform Was Actually Created by an Underground Religious ‘Cult’

OneZero investigates remote learning platform Acellus and its cult leader, Roger Billings, who has been accused of violence and abuse.

Source: OneZero
Published: Oct 10, 2020
Length: 27 minutes (6,885 words)

Pathways in the Urban Wild

“As Lucy Jones and her daughter encounter wildflowers in a housing development, Lucy considers the healing benefits of an attentive relationship with the living world and the complex barriers to that relationship within urban areas.”

Author: Lucy Jones
Published: Jul 27, 2020
Length: 8 minutes (2,140 words)