Macy’s is closing 66 stores this year, but is anyone surprised?
And Pakistan hosted its inaugural conference on girls’ education in the Muslim world over the weekend.
“The Intersection” is your Monday, Wednesday, and Friday briefing on global affairs, business, culture, and design—offering fresh insights through the lenses of sustainable development, women-centered perspectives, and emerging global trends. The aim? To keep you informed, curious, and always ready with a compelling conversation starter at the dinner table.
Good morning! I hope your weekend was a perfect mix of rest, great company, delicious food, and a little intellectual curiosity—what more could one need? Mine was a celebration of connections and indulgences. My boyfriend and I marked our three-year anniversary with a remarkable southern feast at Virtue—every bit as exceptional as its reputation suggests. Then, the “Pasta Gals,” my cherished group of girlfriends, kicked off our 2025 season with brunch at Daisies.
On Sunday, I shifted gears and joined some collaborators to brainstorm a co-op development project. There's so much to learn in that space, and I find the prospect of exploring alternative ways of doing business endlessly exciting. It feels good to spend time on ideas that could reshape how we work and live together.
For some quiet time, I turned to my book club’s pick for this month, Mara and Dann by Doris Lessing. I’m still finding my way into it—it hasn’t quite grabbed me yet, but I’ve got another week to give it a proper go. Here’s hoping the coming days bring that spark of connection between reader and text.
American Airlines is held liable for 401(k) plan ESG investing. According to a Texas federal judge, the company violated federal law by filling its 401(k) plan with funds from investment companies that pursue ESG goals. It violated the law because it “breached its fiduciary duty of loyalty—but not its fiduciary duty of prudence—in allowing its $26 billion retirement plan to be influenced by corporate goals unrelated to workers’ best financial interests”. Every day, I read something that just blows my mind…today it was this.
Armenia’s government approved a bill to begin the process of applying for European Union membership. The final decision will be made in a national referendum
Beijing is reportedly set to dispatch a high-ranking envoy to attend Trump’s inauguration. This move signals a notable departure from China’s usual practice of just sending its ambassador to such ceremonies.
Apple's board has called on investors to vote against a proposal to end its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programmes. Good job, Apple board.
JPMorgan Chase has joined a growing list of major U.S. banks to depart the United Nations-backed Net Zero Banking Alliance. Bad job, JPMorgan Chase.
Pakistan hosted its inaugural conference on girls’ education in the Muslim world over the weekend, a gathering aimed at fostering dialogue and action on a pressing global issue. Notably, Afghanistan—where girls are currently barred from attending school under the Taliban—was invited but absent. The event brought together international dignitaries, advocates, and Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, who urged attendees to challenge the Taliban’s oppressive laws. Yousafzai also called on political leaders to advocate for gender apartheid to be recognized as a crime against humanity under international law. Her appeal underscored the urgency of collective global action to ensure education remains a universal right, not a privilege. While Afghanistan’s representatives were missing from the discourse, the conference spotlighted the critical need to address barriers to education for girls, particularly in regions where gender inequality is deeply entrenched. It’s a poignant reminder that education, as Yousafzai once said, is “the power to change the world.”
I missed the part when a South Korean company bought Poshmark? In 2023, Naver, South Korea’s biggest search engine and online marketplace, bought the company in a deal valued at $1.6 billion, less than half its IPO price. Now, the company is betting it can rebuild Poshmark to make it a better place to sell and shop and less of a frustrating endless scroll. I am not a Poshmark user because I generally dislike the wide variety of user-generated photos and descriptions (it is why I shop ThredUp and TRR - consistency!), so I am curious to see what steps they take to make it a more compelling shopping experience.
What is believed to be the world’s largest-ever gathering, India’s Maha Kumbh Mela, begins today. This six-week Hindu festival in the northern city of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, is steeped in ancient tradition and draws millions to the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers for a sacred dip believed to absolve sins and bring spiritual salvation. Held once every 12 years, this year’s is considered particularly auspicious, making this iteration a magnet for devotees and visitors alike. To accommodate the estimated 400 million participants, authorities have transformed 4,000 hectares of riverbank into a sprawling temporary city. Indian Railways has introduced 98 special trains to facilitate over 3,300 trips, supplementing regular services to Prayagraj. The festival also carries political undertones, with the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) keen to leverage the Maha Kumbh’s symbolism. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh’s Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, this monumental gathering aligns with their agenda of elevating India’s Hindu heritage. It will be interesting to see whether they can pull off the insane logistics and security that this event requires.
The Supreme Court is most likely not going to save TikTok. This doesn’t seem worth mentioning because we knew this, right? However, I do think it is interesting to know which legal principles are involved in this case. Historically, the U.S. government has prohibited foreign nationals from controlling critical communications infrastructure, a policy dating back to the Radio Act of 1912. This precedent limited radio station licenses to American companies and citizens, establishing a framework for media ownership that remains relevant in this case. Instead of a radio station, the critical communication infrastructure is a social media platform. On the free speech front, several justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts, appear to support the legality of a TikTok ban because Congress's motivation isn’t rooted in restricting speech but rather in addressing concerns about foreign influence and security. In his words, the issue is not about “the content” on TikTok but about “what the foreign adversary is doing.” Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson offered a further perspective, framing the matter as one of association rather than speech. While the First Amendment often protects the right to associate freely, Jackson pointed out that laws have historically restricted ties to terrorist groups and foreign adversaries. In this case, the Court may determine that TikTok’s association with its China-based parent company falls within that precedent. Most likely, based on the justices’ comments during the oral argument, they will uphold the ban, but they are grappling with which “level of scrutiny” to apply to the case to ensure that it is crafted in a way that doesn’t make it too far-reaching.
A woman has been appointed to lead a Vatican office for the first time in history. Sister Simona Brambilla will helm the Dicastery for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, the department responsible for overseeing religious orders for both men and women in the Catholic Church. The appointment is seen as a significant step forward in increasing female representation within the Church’s leadership ranks. However, the decision to name Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime as co-leader alongside Brambilla has sparked criticism. The move underscores ongoing limitations for women in the Church, who remain barred from the priesthood and from performing key sacramental duties. This dual leadership structure ensures that sacramental functions fall under Artime’s purview, despite Brambilla’s extensive qualifications and leadership experience. While Brambilla’s role is a milestone, it also highlights the complex interplay of tradition and progress within the Vatican, as debates around women’s ordination and equality in decision-making persist.
Ghana’s Kente cloth secures UNESCO heritage status. The designation on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity celebrates this vibrant textile's cultural and historical significance, originating from Ghana’s Asante and Ewe communities. Known for its bold colors, intricate patterns, and rich symbolism, Kente reflects the creativity and identity of the Ghanaian people. Historically, it was draped toga-style by the Asante, Akan, and Ewe, with its roots tracing back to Bonwire in the Ashanti Region. Today, Kente cloth is a mainstay of special occasions, with bespoke designs from master weavers highly sought after. The global appeal of Kente has led to a rise in mass-produced prints inspired by its patterns, which are now seen across West Africa and beyond. From academic stoles at graduation ceremonies to contemporary fashion statements, Kente’s reach is vast. Yet, its essence lies in the stories woven into each pattern. Hundreds of unique designs exist, each named or imbued with messages by the weaver. These names draw from proverbs, historical events, revered leaders, or even flora, making the selection of Kente cloth as much about narrative as aesthetics. An intriguing detail in Kente’s legacy is its weaving tradition—an art historically dominated by men, in contrast to the global norm of fabric-making being typically women’s work.
We cannot know the future, but remembering the past with care and accuracy equips us to navigate it. That past includes decades of warnings from climate scientists that we are heading into a more turbulent and destructive era. They and climate activists have offered not just warnings but clear knowledge of what to do to limit how bad it gets. We are deciding whether or not to act on that knowledge now, including with who we elect and what we support. We know that the future is being reshaped by human-caused climate change, and we do know exactly what to do about it and who is preventing us from doing it. We are often urged to be prepared for our local disaster, be it blizzard, earthquake, hurricane or fire, but no personal preparation can compensate for the lack of the collective preparation that is meaningful international climate action. The current fires are reminders of the costs of forgetting.
What do we think about the trailer for Meghan Markle’s new show? I like her a lot and want to see her succeed, but I do think this feels a little too 2012 and a bit boring… There are already so many lifestyle vloggers and creators who make more relatable (but still aspirational) content that has really high production quality. Personally, I would be a lot more interested in a show about their foundation, her humanitarian work/advocacy, etc. She does so much of it!
Macy’s is closing 66 stores this year, but is anyone surprised? This move forms part of its Bold New Chapter strategy, unveiled in February 2024, which targets the closure of 150 underperforming locations while reinvesting in 350 "go-forward" stores deemed critical to the company’s future. You can see which ones are closing here. This comes as retailers across the industry continue to recalibrate and try to adapt to changing consumer habits (on the same day, Kohl’s announced they are closing stores). Personally, I just don’t see these mega department stores being able to come back. I think consumers want discovery, but in smaller doses, like mid-sized boutiques and stores that really offer an experience and have a point of view.
Yellen is getting the Sprung treatment. Sharon Sprung, the celebrated Brooklyn-based artist behind Michelle Obama’s incredible official portrait, is turning her attention to another trailblazing woman: U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Once completed in August, Yellen’s portrait will join the ranks of her male predecessors, from Alexander Hamilton onward, displayed on the third floor of the historic Treasury building. Sprung, known for capturing the essence of her subjects, has painted other historic figures, including Representative Patsy Mink of Hawaii, the first woman of color and Asian-American elected to Congress. Yellen’s portrait marks another milestone for a woman who has shattered economic glass ceilings, becoming the first to lead the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, and the White House Council of Economic Advisers. Reflecting on her storied career during a Treasury event honoring her service, Yellen spoke of economics as more than theory, calling it a “powerful tool to uplift lives and create opportunity.” Looking back over history, it is still a big deal that women are in these positions and are both getting their portraits done and doing the portraits.
Elinor Claire "Lin" Ostrom (1933–2012), a trailblazing political economist, reshaped our understanding of how communities manage shared resources. In 2009, she became the first woman awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for her groundbreaking "analysis of economic governance, especially the commons." Her work challenged the prevailing notion of the "tragedy of the commons," demonstrating through meticulous fieldwork and game theory that local communities could sustainably manage common-pool resources without state control or privatization. Her insights, detailed in her seminal book Governing the Commons, drew from studies spanning Spanish irrigation systems to fisheries in Maine and pastoral lands in Africa.
Ostrom’s path to academic renown was unconventional. Growing up near Beverly Hills High School, she graduated in 1951, defying gendered expectations by pursuing a degree in political science at UCLA. Her curiosity about resource management began during her PhD research in the 1950s, studying groundwater disputes in Southern California. There, she observed how overlapping jurisdictions resolved conflicts collaboratively, sparking her lifelong focus on polycentric governance. Later, at Indiana University, she co-founded the Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis, where scholars engaged in cross-disciplinary research on the management of shared resources.
Ostrom’s contributions were both theoretical and practical. Her "Ostrom’s Law" asserts, "A resource arrangement that works in practice can work in theory," underscoring her emphasis on empirical solutions over one-size-fits-all models. From analyzing Nepalese irrigation systems to facilitating student experiments in resource-sharing, Ostrom championed a bottom-up, trust-driven approach to governance. Her 2009 Nobel Prize, shared with Oliver E. Williamson, validated her pioneering research, with the prize money donated to her Workshop—a fitting tribute to a scholar whose life’s work exemplified collaboration and community stewardship.
Go get them this Monday!
Jennifer
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