Good morning,
This week we published a lot of stories. The Detail, Issue 005 has been rolling out across our channels, and the full interviews with Papz, Zayz and Aziza are now on Substack, at full length.
We also started Soapbox. The idea is simple: one person, the same three questions every time, about being misunderstood, about trust and about what they would change. Our first series, Black Boy Joy, asked three young men what joy looks like for them. The answers were short, but none of them were small.
Soapbox exists because opinions alone rarely change anyone’s mind, but a person’s story often does. That’s what we mean by understanding, trust and change, and it’s why everyone on our team will be taking a turn on the box.
So here is my question for you this weekend. What is the biggest misunderstanding people have about you, and when did you last get the chance to put it right?
Does Britain treat Muslims as suspects? // Dr Rizwaan Sabir
In this episode Mike sits down with Rizwaan Sabir to ask a question many British Muslims say they live with every day: does Britain treat them as suspects?
Rizwaan knows the question from the inside. In 2008, as a postgraduate student at Nottingham, he was arrested on suspicion of terrorism over a document he had downloaded for his research. He went on to become a criminologist at Liverpool John Moores University, studying the counterterrorism system that once had him in its sights, and wrote about it in his book The Suspect.
The full episode is on our YouTube channel now, with clips and a behind-the-scenes look across our socials.
The Detail, Issue 005: the full interviews.
Issue 005 of The Detail is about the content creators shaping culture right now, with 30 up-and-coming names in its pages.
This week the full interviews started landing on our Substack. Papz, our guest editor, went first on Wednesday, followed by Zayz and Aziza on Thursday. You get the whole conversation, not just the highlights.
Read the issue here: https://www.tcsnetwork.co.uk/the-detail-issue-005-content-creators-shaping-culture/
Soapbox: Black Boy Joy.
Soapbox is our new home for human stories and connection. Everyone who steps up answers the same three questions, about understanding, trust and change, the ideas at the heart of everything we do.
It opened for Black History Month with Black Boy Joy, three conversations with Okiki, Nathan and Tunji, released Tuesday to Thursday. More people will take their turn in the weeks ahead.
Watch all three and follow along at @soapbox_cs on Instagram.
Bank of England raises interest rates for the first time since 2023.
The Bank of England has raised interest rates from 3.75% to 4%, its first increase in more than three years.
The Monetary Policy Committee voted 8 to 1 on Thursday. The one member who voted against wanted a bigger rise, to 4.25%.
The Bank said high energy prices, linked to conflict in the Middle East, are pushing up other prices. Inflation was 3.5% in September, well above the 2% target, and the Bank expects it to reach around 5% by mid-2027.
Governor Andrew Bailey said further rises are possible but not inevitable. The next decision is due on 17 December.
An election of firsts as Democrats win Congress.
Democrats have won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate in the US midterm elections held on Tuesday, flipping Senate seats in states including Kansas, Iowa, Texas and South Carolina.
The night also produced a string of historic firsts. Abdul El-Sayed became the first Muslim elected to the Senate, and Chris Pappas became the first openly gay man elected to it. In Georgia, Keisha Lance Bottoms became the first Black woman elected governor in US history, and in New Mexico, Deb Haaland became the first Native American woman elected governor of any state.
Firsts came from both parties. Republican Byron Donalds became Florida’s first Black governor, while Nevada and Wisconsin also elected their first Black governors.
President Trump said Democrats did a good job and blamed Republican candidates for the losses. The new Congress sits in January, and some races are still being counted.
More from The Detail next week, as the full interviews from Issue 005 keep landing on our Substack.
Build Your Brand Online: a Hyphen masterclass with Courtney Daniella Jesse.
Having an audience isn’t the same as having a community. Courtney, co-founder of To My Sisters, built a podcast into a global community. On Friday 20 November at 7pm, at Common Sense Studios, she’ll share how to grow your brand online and turn followers into people who show up, followed by a live Q&A. It’s free for Hyphen members, and tickets for everyone else are on Luma. Spaces are limited. Book your place: https://luma.com/ilo6jy30
Building a Portfolio Career with Mike.
On Tuesday 8 December, Mike will share what he’s learnt about building a career across more than one path. More details soon.
Courtney’s masterclass is one of a growing number of events for Hyphen, our private members community for multi-hyphenate creatives. Members get free entry to events like this one, so if you’ve been thinking about joining, now’s a good time.
Have an amazing weekend,
Social and Creative Lead,
Tunji Adeoba
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