The contemporary YA novel I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, written by Erika Sánchez, tells a painful, nostalgic story with a mysterious edge. The publisher’s note reads, “Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family. But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role.” But when Olga is killed in a tragic accident, it is up to Julia to fill her place.  Julia struggles to equal Olga’s perfection, until she realizes that even Olga had her secrets. This story spins a tale that many Hispanic/Latinx teens know through personal experience: the feeling of failing to live up to the expectations of their parents. It fuses hints of mystery with realistic elements such as mental health disorders, and is a strong portrayal of immigrant experiences that paints a vivid picture of life in the Mexican community. 

Mendes learned to play guitar by watching YouTube tutorial videos at the age of 14 in 2012. Less than a year later he started posting cover videos on YouTube. After that he gained millions of views and followers in a few months, becoming well known for his six-second snippets of renditions of many popular songs. He was the third most-followed musician on Vine and won Ryan Seacrest's "Best Cover Song" contest. The song celebrates the power of young people, the video highlights real-life trailblazers, including musical prodigies Elias and Zion Phoenix, drag performer and YouTuber Clawdeena, visual artist Autumn De Forest, and fire performer Parker Clark. 

The 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago was the scene of an anti-war protest led by a coalition of students and civil rights and counterculture activists opposed to the Vietnam War. After a riot incited by the Chicago police, seven “ringleaders” would go on trial, accused by the government and a hostile judge of provoking the chaos. The film covers both the lead-up and aftermath of the protests. This true story gripped the nation and the world, as it shed a light on police brutality and government corruption. “The world is watching,” a chant repeated by crowds outside the trial, would have been just as relevant at this summer’s protests against police brutality.