This story is free to read because readers choose to support LAist. If you find value in independent local reporting, make a donation to power our newsroom today.
Aisha Harris on how pop culture shapes us
Listen
35:07
“Wannabe,” the debut single by the English girl group the Spice Girls, soared to the top of the charts after its release in June of 1996.
It’s one of the many moments in pop culture that Aisha Harris, cohost of NPR’s “Pop Culture Happy Hour” podcast, writes about in her new book “Wannabe: Reckonings with the pop culture that shapes me.”
The collection of humorous essays is a journey through music, movies and television. It takes a critical look at media, both past and present — from the era of Spice Girl fandom to the more open discussions of intergenerational trauma in kids movies in recent years.
The book weaves those moments into Aisha’s own life,and her identity as a Black woman who came of age in the ’90s and early 2000s. She joins us to talk about the pop culture that shaped her, and how we can all be better critics of the pop culture that shapes us.
Copyright 2023 WAMU 88.5. To see more, visit WAMU 88.5. 9(MDA1OTI3MjQ5MDEyODUwMTE2MzM1YzNmZA004))
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive from readers like you will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
