The week of July 25, 2015 was being so cold, all the time; trying not stress about how overweight our luggage will be with all those bagels we’re smuggling to California; ranking Amazon reviews of Mein Kampf; and watching Nicki and Taylor tiff over race and feminism.

Mash-Ups in the News:

Taylor Swift Unknowingly Becomes a Critic of the Chinese Government with 1989 Merch

Or has she? No riots have broken out yet, but it turns out that 1989 wasn’t just the year Taylor was born! In China, “1989” represents the massacre at T.S., Tiananmen Square. Given that most young people in China have never even heard of the riots at Tiananmen, hard to say whether TSwizz T-shirts will become a symbol of the rebellion.

via Vox

What Is Comedy? A Large Multiracial Family

Oh please watch this. Last Comic Standing kicked off last night with a comedian from a huge mixed race family (with like 5 black brothers, 2 white brothers and 3 Asian). Turns out having this kind of family means you sometimes think a racist joke is a sincere question. We’ve watched 10 times.

via Last Comic Standing

Ex-Cop and Blackface Performer Plans Fundraiser for Police Indicted in Freddie Gray Case

You can’t make this stuff up.

via Baltimore Sun

World’s Greatest Tuba Player Trolls the KKK

There’s a KKK rally coming to town, what should I do? Probably take my tuba and create a hilarious soundtrack, including Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries. Hero Alert!

via Death and Taxes

Reading and Writing in English, Dreaming in Amharic

As an artist the language you use to express yourself might alienate you from your roots, until you make it your own.

via The Guardian

Sandra Bland: Watching a Tragedy Unfold

We are just numb.

via Huffington Post

The Complicated Relationship Between Asian-Americans and Affirmative Action

As a part of the model minority, sometimes being truthful about who you are is a disadvantage — especially when you are both white and Asian.

via Quartz

The U.S. Reopens its Embassy in Havana

Ya venimos!

via NPR

Margaret Cho is Brilliant and Did We Mention Brilliant?

Major LOLZ: “England is where white people begin the whitening process.” #KoreanLivesMatter

via Late Night with Seth Meyers

Why Aren’t There More Minority Journalists?

Interesting study on the path of minority journalists from school to careers.

via Columbia Journalism Review

The Sweetness of Mexico

Spicy, tangy elote paletas for everyone!

via NY Times

When ‘Nikhil’ Becomes ‘Nik,’ and ‘Piyush’ Becomes ‘Bobby Jindal’

Sometimes we Mash-Ups just have to choose a Starbucks name. In the meantime, how do we remain proud of who we are and also be a part of the world? We’re looking at you, Piyush.

via Washington Post

Meet the Korean-American Sisters Behind Coffee Meets Bagel

Love us some Mash-Up lady bosses helping people find love.

via KoreAm

A Chinese-American NPR Reporter Moves to Seoul, and This Is What She Learned

A fun exploration of expat life in Seoul. Koreans are obsessed with clean floors and all apartments are equipped with centralized vacuum systems. We can get down with that.

via Cup of Jo