NYC’s Surf Collective Diversifies The Waves In Far Rockaway

Laru Beya Collective is a non-profit organization offering free surf lessons and water safety education to Black and Brown communities in NYC’s Queens borough. At Rockaway Beach, “environmental racism prevents access and comfortability: from lack of protection from lifeguards to poor beach maintenance, not to mention a stark wealth inequality along the channel.” This, coupled with a generational fear of water apparent in Black communities, makes …

Photos of Bygone Movie Theaters Capture “Decay In Its Divinity”

Between tattered wallpapers and crumbling seat cushions, French photographers Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre find beauty in the abandoned American movie theaters of old. Their new photobook, Movie Theaters, celebrates the vast architectural opulence of forgotten early 20th-century auditoriums, journeying through the history of American entertainment from neo-Renaissance to neo-Byzantine to Art Nouveau and other eras. Find out how the pair locate “decay in its …

New Platform Creates Better Futures For Hospitality Workers

The restaurant industry is notoriously fraught with low wages and few (or zero) healthcare benefits. When these conditions worsened due to the global pandemic, restaurant owner-turned-organizer Jennifer Kim decided to close the doors to her celebrated Chicago eatery, Passerotto, and create pathways to better support the industry instead. She began working on Alt Economy, a platform for creatives and hospitality workers to contribute to mutual …