Strands of Genius: How Netflix's Adaptation of Passing Reflects the Novel's Time, The Stunt That Swept TikTok, Harvard Students Aren't That Smart After All
Guest curated by Oyinda J. Amu
Each year we’re aiming to highlight 50 creative thinkers that have inspired us, by giving them the opportunity to guest curate this newsletter, Strands of Genius. This edition is guest curated by Oyinda J. Amu, as part of our collaboration with 600 & Rising.
:: A BIT MORE ABOUT GUEST CURATOR, OYINDA J. AMU ::
LOCATION: NYC
PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: Squarespace
I’m currently a content creator with Squarespace, a creative consultant, podcaster, grad student and food lover. Born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria and spending the last decade in NYC, I continue to nurture a passion for culture and communities in pretty much everywhere it manifests from art, to music to activism. People are my passion.
Editor’s Note (Genius Steals Team): This edition of Strands is part of our ongoing partnership with 600 & Rising, an advocacy group for Black talent in advertising and PR. Thanks so much for being here, Oyinda, and for sharing the links below!
:: THE LINKS ::
HOW NETFLIX’S ADAPTATION OF PASSING REFLECTS THE NOVEL’S TIME - AND OURS
In conversations about colorism, within the black community, we tend to center the physical or sociological effects. I felt this was a really good cross section of what the psychological effects of passing are. Rebecca Hall saying “The people who live in the midst of them find themselves hemmed in by those constructs — some more than others” rings increasingly true even in our present reality. (Vox)
THE STUNT THAT SWEPT TIKTOK
Like a typical zellenial, I’m obsessed with TikTok. I watched this saga that started as a prank by creator Kyle Sheele, manifest into a partnership for a good cause with Kum&Go somehow restored a little bit of my faith in social media and “viral” marketing (as intense as that sounds haha) (Adweek)
HARVARD STUDENTS AREN’T THAT SMART AFTER ALL
In a not so shocking turn of events, nearly half of Harvard’s white student body weren’t admitted on merit. I’m hypercritical of our higher educational systems and I feel this should prompt the question, at what point do we start to deconstruct our hyper-racialized institutions that shape our society as we know it? (The Guardian)
Looking for more from Oyinda J. Amu? Those enrolled in The School of Stolen Genius will receive a deep dive from her in their inbox shortly! You can access all our expert interviews for SOSG here.
:: AND NOW… SOME FAST FAVORITES ::
:: Game :: Candy Crush
:: City :: Tulum, Mexico
:: Book :: Queer, There and Everywhere by Sarah Prager
:: Podcast :: ISWIS by FK and Jola
:: Album :: My Beautiful Melancholy by The Weeknd, Take Me Apart by Kelela, TADYK by Amaarae
:: THE MIND ::
“The mind is everything. We think what we become.”
Super open to connecting with like minded folks so definitely connect with me!
Oyinda J. Amu
Oyindamola.amu@gmail.com
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It's called Genius Steals because we believe ideas are new combinations and that nothing can come from nothing. But copying is lazy. We believe the best way to innovate is to look at the best of that which came before and combine those elements into new solutions.
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