"Pidgin English and art have always been intricately linked in Nigeria. Frowned upon in schools as a broken language, it may be the most widely spoken language not yet with a formal orthography, although several have been developed..."

Eleven years later, the speech stands as a striking example of courage in speaking truth to power, and the unpredictable paths of progress.

In 2019, the Hard Rock Hotel construction site in New Orleans collapsed, killing three workers and injuring many more. But for one undocumented worker who survived, the aftermath of the situation brought on more challenges than injuries.

While professional leagues dominate headlines, informal sports around the world continue to thrive. In Nigeria, one beloved example is “monkey post,” a local, stripped-down form of soccer often played throughout neighborhoods wherever space is made.

In this week's Long Read, our publisher, Abby Rapoport remembers two stalwarts of Texas journalism who recently passed away. John Thornton, founder of the Texas Tribune and Carlton Carl, former CEO and board member of the Texas Observer.

For a long time now, plenty of people from different backgrounds and persuasions have demanded change, organized for it, and encountered a sclerotic system, increasingly toxic but still predictable.