In Culture

“We had to find what's that essential detail that really defines that garment as what it is and keep that, and all the other elements we were able to kind of strip away,” Jack McCollough says of the influence of Sol LeWitt’s approach to minimalism. In this episode of Variations on a theme, host Dessane Lopez Cassell speaks to the designer and his partner Lazaro Hernandez, of fashion brand Proenza Schouler, about how they distil...

“So many things can influence how the songs will just shift a little bit in each place, and I found that really interesting when I read that about his philosophy behind his wall drawings,” Julianna Barwick says of the influence of Sol LeWitt’s artistic process. In this episode of Variations on a theme, host Dessane Lopez Cassell speaks to the composer and performer about how she creates a choir of one — “loop by loop by loop, and s...

“A lot of people think that I was influenced to do conceptual art by looking at conceptual art, and that really wasn't the case. It was really a search for a certain sort of understanding of the self,” Charles Gaines says of his creative process. In this episode of Variations on a theme, host Dessane Lopez Cassell speaks to the pioneering visual artist about his radical approach to using systems and formulas as a critical langu...

“This COVID pandemic closely resembles a diagnosis like ALS. When I choose to see the trial or adversity as an opportunity, I'm able to accept and acknowledge the reality of my situation rather than resist or deny reality,” says Steve Gleason. He’s fought tirelessly for policy changes that have transformed lives and made crucial technology accessible to others living with ALS.  In this episode, Steve reminds us what a gift it i...

“I think right now in this COVID-19 pandemic, people with cognitive and social disabilities are really being overlooked. Because it's a really easy time to overlook them. We're all in isolation,” Delaney Foster shares.  Listen on, and learn more about how the Foster sisters are raising disability awareness and demonstrating that there’s not one-size-fits all when it comes to navigating the world. Kendall and Delaney are dev...

“For a lot of days of this quarantine, I forget that I'm visually impaired. It's so little of an issue because I'm able to do everything that I need to and want to because I'm so familiar with everything,” shares Casey Harris of the X-Ambassadors. He’s found that community and inclusion are more important than ever during times of social isolation. Listen on and find out ways we can uplift each other and create a mo...

Katie Sowers lives and breathes football. As the second woman ever to coach in the NFL, she helped lead the San Francisco 49ers to the Super Bowl LIV in 2020. Hear from Katie about her groundbreaking journey to the top. From facing job rejection for being an openly LGBTQ person to dealing with social media trolls after her team’s devastating loss, Katie lets her guard down for a vulnerable conversation. Listen on, and get to know h...

Meet Emily Adams Bode, the first female designer ever to show at New York Fashion Week: Men’s. In this episode, she opens up about breaking boundaries, the past that shaped her, and her innovative creative process. Discover the story behind Emily’s iconic and award-winning clothing line and hear her sage advice on how to turn your dreams into reality.

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Grace Nshimiyumukiza shares her courageous journey from Kakuma refugee camp resident to a computer skills and digital literacy teacher. Find out how she pushed through prejudice and personal strife to get her Master’s Degree and how she’s helping thousands of refugees learn digital skills. Find out how Grace brings passion and purpose to every facet of her life as she helps other women transform their lives. 

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Halee Mason is defying the odds as one of the few women in esports. Her path to becoming the lead data scientist at Cloud 9 was anything but straightforward. Learn how she carved her own path in a competitive and male-dominated industry. In this episode, Halee candidly explores her journey to the top. One of her tips? Never compromise and always unapologetically be yourself. Listen on to learn more.

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“I want to change a no into a yes. Because yes girls can code. Yes, girls can do whatever they want,” says 12-year-old wunderkind Anna Miller. A coder, app developer, educator, and accessibility activist, Anna Miller is the definition of modern Renaissance Woman.  The fact that she’s a person with Osteogenesis imperfecta feels like a minor detail when she shares the passion that powers her forward. Find out how she’s building a mor...

Civilization and culture are built upon learnings from the past. But our rich tapestry of culture and language isn’t accessible to all, and in some cases, it’s in danger of disappearing entirely. With help from technology, innovators are redefining preservation. In this episode, we’ll hear from thought-leader and Microsoft president Brad Smith, as well as digital architect Yves Ubelmann and translation expert Will Lewis on how tech...

In sports, the competition is fierce. But athletes and their coaches have found new ways to aim higher, achieve more, and respond to the rapidly evolving competitive landscape. How? With valuable insights from data specific to their teams, players, and strategies. In this episode, we’ll dive into the new approaches to data that are revolutionizing gameplay featuring interviews with Pierre d'Imbleval, chief information officer w...

Meet the new generation of visionaries who are exploring solutions to the fashion industry’s sustainability problem. In this episode, we’ll hear from fashion designer Ashwini Suhas Deshpande, fashion technologist Natasha Franck, creative technologist Kitty Yeung, and  Matthew Drinkwater, head of LCF's Fashion Innovation Agency about how they’re tapping into technology to reduce waste and resource depletion in fashion creation, ...

Musicians are tapping into technology like never before, transforming the way music is made, experienced, and consumed—and along the way, they’re changing the relationship between artist and listener. From Brian Eno’s technologist Peter Chilvers to composer Julianna Barwick to electronic musician Matthew Dear, we’ll hear from the forward-thinking artists who are pushing the limits of their craft.

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Now more than ever, technology’s bringing an exciting and unexpected dimension to storytelling, helping artists immerse audiences in experiences that educate, engage, and inspire. In this episode, our hosts speak with storytellers and curators who are exploring these new expanded and immersive realities including Kiki Wolfkill, an executive producer at Microsoft’s 343 Industries; Rocky Bucano, executive director of the Universal Hi...