How Lenin and Red Square ended up in NYC
In the mid-1990s, a bronze statue of Lenin suddenly appeared on New York's Lower East Side – and became an unlikely symbol of gentrification in this gritty urban neighborhood...
Occupy protesters target Frieze art fair
On May 4-7, thousands of visitors flocked to Randall’s Island in New York for the city’s first ever Frieze art fair. Galleries reported promising profits during a sellout weekend, but on Sunday afternoon, a small group of activists and artists gathered outside to make a noisy stand about commercialization of the creative world.
The 99% Spring: What next for Occupy?
Last year, Occupy Wall Street triggered waves of international protest when a ragged group of activists set up camp in a New York park. As winter arrived and the occupiers were evicted, questions emerged about the movement’s future – but plans are currently afoot for a big summer campaign in cities across America.
In conversation with Emanuel Pimenta
Emanuel Pimenta is an intermedia artist who was born in Brazil and now lives between Switzerland and America. He pioneered the concept of "virtual architecture," has collaborated with contemporary musical luminaries like John Cage, and holds exhibitions around the world. This interview was broadcast on Monocle 24 Radio.
Kiss and run: new film casts light on pro-Putin youth movement
Masha Drokova was a rising star of the pro-Kremlin youth movement Nashi, yet she was also friends with Oleg Kashin – a critical journalist who was nearly killed by assailants allegedly connected to her organisation. A compelling new documentary captures this moral dilemma.
Latinos tell ABC: “We’re not drug dealers”
In January, a new ABC comedy called "Work It" was dropped after just two episodes. The show received sharp criticism for its depiction of cross-dressing men, but one particular scene stuck in the heads of Hispanic New Yorkers – and they've been protesting ever since.
Al Jazeera campaign attracts 23,000 supporters
Al Jazeera English is available in some 250 million households around the world – but in the United States, it’s a different story. A group of activists recently gathered 23,000 signatures demanding that Comcast – one of the biggest American cable companies – provide A.J.E. to all its customers.
As Violence Rises, a Sanctuary for East Harlem Women
A recent study revealed that nearly a quarter of American women experienced domestic violence last year. The Violence Intervention Program is working to reduce these negative numbers.
Park Advocates Uneasy over $7 Million Tennis Center Expansion Plan
Community activists from East Harlem and the South Bronx argue that the John McEnroe Tennis Academy should be more accessible for local people – but the man himself says he shares the same goal.
Faith Leaders Rally Against Fracking
Video: On December 8, representatives of diverse religious communities gathered to learn about hydraulic fracturing – and many are planning to petition state legislators to keep fracking companies out of New York.
A New Approach to Cutting Calories
Video: The Save Half for Later Campaign wants to shrink northern Manhattan’s waistline, and more and more restaurants are joining the cause.
Bringing Books to El Barrio
Despite the area’s rich cultural heritage, places to enjoy literature are hard to find in East Harlem. But now one woman has raised over $70,000 to open a new Latino bookstore for the community.
Iconic Mural Restored in El Barrio
Video: At the heart of Spanish Harlem, artists and activists recently repainted a 12-year-old portrait of Che Guevara and Don Pedro Albizu Campos, the father of Puerto Rico’s independence movement.