Photo via Billboard
Edited by Mara Meyers

This week we’re sharing insight into the multiple layers of slayage that is Beyoncé, the literal price of a Black life, and all the “rewards” the “woman card” will get you.

What we’ve been checking out…

From her allusions to Yoruba culture to Black women dressed in white baptism dresses, it’s as if Beyoncé’s inspiration came directly from the #BlackGirlMagic hashtag.

There are only 20 women in the Senate and there are no black women, but this Senate race could change that.

An outstanding response to Trump’s latest ridiculousness: From lower wages to free comments from strangers telling you to smile, the “woman card” will get you premium discounts.

Rev. Jesse Jackson is an unexpected champion for diversity in tech, and his passion for it may be even stronger than it was during the civil rights movement.

When you only interview one woman or one minority for a position they won’t get hired. Interview two and the chances skyrocket.

The cost of leaning-in might not be worth the risk.

ReFRESHing conference of the week: Know Her Truths centers the stories of those who are often rendered invisible. The conference, which runs from April 28-29, will be live streamed here.

The latest from our speakers…

Speaker Spotlight: Zerlina Maxwell is the embodiment of a boss. Whether she’s dismantling rape culture, providing insight into politics, or casually serving as the Progressive Outreach Director for Hillary Clinton, there’s nothing this woman can’t do.

This round-table discussion of Beyoncé’s Lemonade brings intellect and and insight from some of the most brilliant minds, including Brittney Cooper and Mychal Denzel Smith.

The settlement Cleveland gave Tamir Rice’s family wasn’t justice–it was the going rate for a Black life. Jamil Smith’s painful observation for MTV.

We’re so proud of Vanessa Valenti who is one of the bright changemakers in the first class of TED Residents.  

Celebrity deaths have become just another excuse to express ourselves. Ann Friedman reminds us that there is also comfort in silence.

Courtney Martin challenges Western do-gooders on the seduction of other people’s problems, particularly those in the global south.

Beyoncé’s latest album is a part of a larger body of music in support of Black Lives Matter. Mychal Denzel Smith wonders what these Black protest albums demand of us.

We couldn’t be more thrilled for Mia Birdsong and Natalie Foster, who are both 2016 New America CA Fellows.

As a transmasculine person, Tiq Milan doesn’t define his manhood as the antithesis of femininity, but instead as its counterpart.

Finally, using “religious freedom” laws to discriminate in America isn’t new; Jamil Smith traces the legacy of this disturbing history.

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