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What's the New What? A series from Youth Radio and Day to Day.
Special Series

What's the New What?

Opinion

The End Is The New Beginning

It's the finale of our series What's the New What? For the last six months, we've been following a wide array of trends in youth culture, from slaktivists to sex without condoms. On our last day, we ask a variety of young people what trends we missed.

The End Is The New Beginning

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Yoga Studios Are The New Prison Rec Yards

Juvenile detention centers around the country are offering yoga as a form of rehabilitation for inmates. Youth Radio's Ankitha Bharadwaj reports that yoga is the new recreation yard.

Yoga Studios Are The New Prison Rec Yards

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Dissonance Is The New Harmony

Jangling collages of sound, atonal melodies and jumbled percussion, avant-garde music has gone through a lot of bizarre phases. And now "noise music" is picking up young fans through easy digital access. In the birthplace of R.E.M., members of the underground scene push the boundaries of sound.

Dissonance Is The New Harmony

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Opinion

Driveway Moments

Gay Fashion: The New Straight Fashion

Youth Radio's Mark Anthony Waters used to hear straight guys in his inner-city neighborhood whisper about his style on the bus. Now, they're copying his look.

Gay Fashion: The New Straight Fashion

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The Republican Convention

Convention Is The New Nightclub

Reporters under the age of 18 were not allowed in to the Republican National Convention this year. Ankitha Bharadwaj of Youth Radio reports that being left out makes budding journalists feel like the riff-raff stuck outside a hip night-club.

Convention Is The New Nightclub

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The Democratic Convention

Hope Is The New Rebellion

Protesters outside the Democratic National Convention are using Obama's message of hope as a way to frame their demonstrations, observes Youth Radio's Martin Macias. That solution-oriented framing is a departure from the "lesser of two evils" rhetoric that dominated protests four years ago.

Hope Is The New Rebellion

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Thai Is The New Latin Flavor

Latinos are flocking to Thai restaurants, says Youth Radio's Evelyn Martinez, because they offer dishes with similar flavors to their own. In turn, Thai restaurants are catering to their Latino clientele by translating menus into Spanish, ultimately creating cross-cultural alliances.

Thai Is The New Latin Flavor

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Public Is The New Private

Youth Radio's Lauren Silverman claims people under 25 are choosing to communicate publicly on their Facebook and Myspace walls, rather than send private messages. From the mundane to the scandalous, every detail of life becomes public.

Public Is The New Private

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Sex Without Condoms Is The New Engagement Ring

Youth Radio's Pendarvis Harshaw says that among his friends, the transition from condoms to no-condoms signifies a lasting commitment — more so even than walking down the aisle.

Sex Without Condoms Is The New Engagement Ring

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Killing Is The New Fighting

Youth Radio's Ayesha Walker has lived in Richmond, California for almost 21 years. Her mother has lived there for 52 years. She reflects on stories of "ancient" downtown Richmond; when young people actually walked the streets late at night without caution.

Killing Is The New Fighting

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Is the Fist Bump the New High-Five?

The gesture caught public attention when Michelle and Barack Obama bumped fists right before he claimed victory as the Democratic presidential nominee. While it may be new to politics, however, it's been around for years, says Youth Radio's Lauren Silverman.

Is the Fist Bump the New High-Five?

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Spanglish Is the New Ad Lingo

Youth Radio commentator Luis Sierra says more ads are using both Spanish and English to market to Latino audiences. Although this is the "new what" to advertisers, Sierra says that it's nothing new to him.

Spanglish Is the New Ad Lingo

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