DAMN, it’s Kendrick Lamar

GRAMMY-award winning rap superstar Kendrick Lamar released his third studio album DAMN last month. There was a lot of hype and anticipation for this album. A lot of people including myself were wondering whether the overall sound of the album would mimic his sophomore album, To Pimp a Butterfly. After the release of the first single from the new album, “Humble” the answer was no. Lamar went the route of using hard hitting beats over his vicious flows and it’s a refreshing change of pace.


Early Summer Solstice Reads

I recently finished up a course of study, and I am really excited to get back into reading some books that weren’t assigned to me by someone. I’m also excited that we’re getting toward the summer. With summer comes the Summer Solstice right around the corner. The longest day of the year is a holiday for some, an astronomical point of reference for others, but a noteworthy occurrence.




Examining Life Through Bots and Bodies: Jorie Graham’s Newest Poetry Collection

As far as American poets go, Jorie Graham is a superstar. With over thirteen collections of poetry to her name, she steadily remains well-loved and revered. She has served as Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, has received a John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Fellowship and took over Seamus Heaney’s role as the Boylston Professor of Oratory and Rhetoric at Harvard. To say she is a heavy hitter in the poetry world would be a gross understatement.


Throwback Thursday: Solomon Northup: Keeping the Legacy Alive

Last year, a patron named Clayton Adams showed me an amazing story that taught me a lot about injustice, resiliency, and hope. It began with trust, followed by deception and injustice, and ends with justice and reunion. And the fact that this story happened at all and that we can go out and read or watch it (I encourage you to do both) is what ultimately gives me hope that we will progress. This story is called Twelve Years a Slave by Solomon Northup.


A Sex and the City Reading List

June 6th, 1998 was like any other Saturday at the end of the millennium. Bill Clinton was president, people were jamming out to Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy is Mine,” … Continued


Aziz Ansari’s Take on Life and Romance

You probably know Aziz Ansari best as Tom on the TV show, Parks and Recreation. But Ansari does more than just acting; so far he’s written a book and created a TV show!


Happy Remake Learning Days!

In Pittsburgh, we have so many great places for kids: the parks, the Children’s Museum, the Science Center and the libraries (of course) among others, so there’s always something great to do for young people here in “Kidsburgh.” You may have noticed that this week has been ESPECIALLY packed full of cool stuff for kids. That’s because we are smack-dab in the middle of Remake Learning Days!