This week, we look not only at the protests once again raging in the streets over police brutality, but also at some of their underlying causes. Racism doesn't only show up in interactions between police and citizens: It can be seen in how we frame issues, in who gets to work from home and who doesn't, and who is most impacted by pollution. Our society has been built on concepts that are fundamentally unequal and need to be critically examined. Climate change, which is wreaking havoc with fires and floods around the globe, is only going to worsen existing inequalities.
The overall mission of BuzzFeed is to spread truth and joy, and I'm not gonna lie, this week it's almost all truth — straight, hard truth. I promise that there are moments of joy even in the heavy stories if you look closely, and I promise that photo stories are coming that are more fun. On this list, the New York Times story on the sounds of a quiet city is a genuine delight. In the meantime, don't forget to sign up for our newsletter, JPG, for the last interview with Gabriel Sanchez, our departing editor of joy.
