Meet the Fellows: An Interview with Tiffany Cross

Tiffany Cross is a Spring 2020 Fellow at the Harvard Institute of Politics and the co-founder of The Beat DC, a platform that provides critical analysis of national politics, policy, business, and media, highlighting their impact on and relationship with communities of color. She has worked at CNN as an associate producer for the network’s … Read more

COVID-19 and the Politicization of Personal Protective Equipment

Healthcare workers wearing personal protective equipment (PPE). The COVID-19 pandemic will not be contained without international solidarity and coordination, but not all high-level cooperation is productive — in fact, the politicization of some responses has critically compromised them. A particularly high-stakes example of this trend is the distortion of the personal protective equipment (PPE) supply … Read more

Expanding the Mail-In Vote

Expanding the Mail-In Vote

During these unprecedented times, something on many people’s minds is how voting should work in the time of COVID-19. However, this is not a new question. In the past, there has been widespread disagreement about what voting in modern America should look like — should there be automatic voter registration, more vote-by-mail, stricter voter ID … Read more

Stop Blaming Urban Density for Coronavirus

Stop Blaming Urban Density for Coronavirus

As the coronavirus pandemic has progressed, some have blamed a specific urban culprit for increasing the transmission of the virus: population density. The case of one badly-hit American city, New York, has fueled this layman’s theory of viral transmission. “It’s very simple,” said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo at a press conference. “It’s about density. … Read more

Biden’s Oblivion isn’t a Defense; It’s the Heart of the Problem

Please note: This piece contains discussion of sexual harassment and/or assault. I am not equipped to write about Tara Reade’s horrifying allegations of sexual assault against Joe Biden. I am not prepared to stake my position in a debate over epistemology and evidence that encircles the truth, but doesn’t quite touch it. Instead, I want … Read more

“Never Have I Ever” Can Do Better

“Never Have I Ever” Can Do Better

At its core, Mindy Kaling’s long-awaited Netflix series, “Never Have I Ever,” purports to be a story of loss. Its very name alludes to forgone experiences, as it follows the story of Devi Vishwakumar, a 15-year-old Indian American girl grieving over the loss of her father. That emotional loss is accompanied by a physical loss … Read more