In this spirited episode, hosts Shangbie and Haris dive into the world of sports, where passion collides with politics, and the playing field is anything but level. Fresh off Arsenal’s sensational Champions League semifinal berth (and a cheeky dig at Liverpool’s woes), the conversation takes a sharp turn into the deeper currents of race, class, and hypocrisy in global sports.

Specifically, we discuss the Western male gaze on sports that are popular in the Global South, the hypocrisy in the Paris Olympics, and Eurocentrism and Elitism in football.

Credit to @Stopynn on YouTube for the opening football commentary snippet.

In this episode of Everything is a Riot, the hosts, Mariya & Shangbie, alongside Haris discuss the communal and political importance of food, contrasting it with the rise of exclusionary fine dining.

The conversation examines how food can be a form of resistance and identity but also how it can be appropriated and commodified, losing its cultural significance. We critique the homogenization and westernization of diverse food cultures and highlight the violent nationalism linked to food politics.

The hosts underscore the power dynamics and racialized perspectives that shape food narratives and market demand, and call for reclaiming communal food practices as a form of cultural and political resistance.

Credits | @themarinerapper on Youtube for 'Eating the dogs eating the cats.'