A whopping 7.5 million Americans are set to lose unemployment benefits when the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program expires on Sept. 6, which, ironically, is also Labor Day. The spread of the COVID-19 delta variant means the country’s economic recovery may now be tapering off, but one thing is for sure: With Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin saying he’s “done with extensions,” the financial support is living on borrowed time.

What should Americans expect when it ends? What about talks of an economic boom? What do economists say? Today’s Daily Dose delves into what happens when we drive off the “benefits cliff.”

post-pandemic boom?

Reasons to Be Optimistic

As the number of vaccinated Americans rises and a return to pre-pandemic living appears within reach again, many analysts are predicting the economy will surge. A JPMorgan Chase survey published last month found that 80% of business leaders are expecting higher levels of revenue and sales growth for the remainder of 2021. That figure reflects the most optimism the survey has recorded in 11 years. In fact, the U.S. economy has already made a full recovery by some measures. In the second quarter of 2021, economic output surpassed pre-pandemic levels of quarterly growth. But that does not mean all is well. With a possible surge of COVID-19 infections on the horizon, the economy could take yet another hit.

But for Whom?

While post-pandemic economic trends show promise, the majority of the wealth generated over the past 18 months has gone, and for the foreseeable future will continue to flow, to a select group of people. America’s winner-take-all economy is looking healthy for 2021 and beyond. Apple, Microsoft and Google parent company Alphabet reported combined profits in excess of $50 billion during the pandemic. Meanwhile, gig workers and freelancers, a vast cohort of the workforce that doesn’t typically qualify for state unemployment assistance, will be hit particularly hard once the federal unemployment benefits program ends on Sept. 6. Already, widespread job losses in low-income areas have been a feature of the pandemic.

Some Regions Up, Some Down

The amount of money Americans get from their unemployment insurance benefits changes depending on where they live. These benefits temporarily replace a portion of a worker’s wages when they have been laid off and are looking for a new job. Each state has its own process for determining how much of someone’s income should be replaced by benefits, the total amount of money a person can receive and how long the benefits will last — commonly 26 weeks. In March, Forbes Advisor ranked the best and worst states for unemployment benefits, analyzing the average weekly benefits, the duration those benefits can be received and each state’s cost of living index. Among the 10 “best” states, four are in the Midwest; of the 10 “worst,” five are in the South.

the question of race

The Race Reality

On average, Black workers face double the unemployment rate of white workers who share similar education levels. One reason is labor market discrimination against Black workers, as shown by studies such as the seminal 2003 work titled “Are Emily and Greg More Employable Than Lakisha and Jamal?” This field experiment proved that white-sounding names on identical résumés received 50% more callbacks from prospective employers than Black-sounding names. The findings also suggest that this bias contributes to longer periods of unemployment and an increased likelihood that Black workers will be forced to take lower-paying jobs. RAND Corp. economist Kathryn A. Edwards tells OZY that, according to research, since it is on average more challenging for Black workers to secure work, “Temporary benefits being cut off is more likely to disadvantage Black workers.”

Ways to Improve

How can the labor market be made more equitable for Black workers? One way would be to eliminate the differences among states’ unemployment insurance benefits. Edwards explains that this system is “more prone to unfairness and disparity” and exacerbates inequality “between Black and white workers.” For example, in the U.S., a quarter of Black workers live in three states (Texas, Florida and Georgia) and nearly 60% of the national Black labor force resides in the South. The example Edwards uses for an improved, standard system is that of Social Security, which is federally funded and unrelated to where people live or work. “Uniform benefits based solely on earnings and not location . . . would reduce some of that disparity,” she says.

What’s Next?

Although federal unemployment insurance benefits are set to expire on Labor Day, 26 states have already taken steps to ax them (of these, 11 are in the South). Alexa Tapia of the National Employment Law Project tells OZY that it’s been mainly states in the South (and some in the Midwest) that have opted to scratch the federal assistance. The result? Those states saw employment drop by approximately 0.9%. But for states that have kept them? Employment levels have risen by an average of 2.3%, according to research from Homebase. “It’s clear that unemployment insurance benefits allow workers to return to the right jobs . . . when they are able to,” Tapia says. “We really want to keep our foot on the gas, knowing that these benefits are working as intended.”

domestic bliss?

Renters in Need

Approximately 44 million households, roughly one-third of the U.S. population, rent their primary place of residence. This cohort tends to be less equipped to muscle through periods of joblessness without additional assistance. The link between having a job and being able to afford housing and its related costs is a close one. A March 2020 analysis from the Urban Institute showed that people who struggle to pay rent are more than twice as likely to be unemployed as those who never or rarely face that difficulty. Low-income renters, in particular, tend to work in the five most vulnerable industries which, according to a separate Urban Institute report, are the same sectors that faced the greatest number of layoffs in the past 18 months: accommodation and food service; construction; arts, entertainment and recreation; other service jobs including hairdressing, dry cleaning and repair work; and retail trade.

Rent Moratorium to the Rescue — for Now

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had issued an eviction moratorium in September that expired on July 31. Three days later, however, it issued a new 60-day eviction ban that ends Oct. 3 for qualified individuals. For people who cannot afford rent and are losing or have already lost their weekly $300 pandemic unemployment check, the moratorium “will coincide with the unemployment insurance benefits expiring around Labor Day and early September,” Tapia tells OZY. “Just as food stamp benefits are also being cut down again . . . we’re definitely going to see another devastating crisis,” she adds. The best option to avoid a crisis is for affected individuals to apply for rental assistance, although the administration of this program has been “plagued by delays,” according to the think tank Century Foundation.

Parental Leave During a Pandemic

The COVID-19 lockdowns affected most of the workforce, but they hit working mothers hardest. America’s working moms — who are also shouldering the majority of domestic duties — have experienced a greater share of job losses during the course of the pandemic than men. These women were already in charge of household duties — work some equate to a $178,000 annual salary — before COVID, but the added pressure of child care shortages on top of helping kids with virtual school is forcing 1 in 3 to consider leaving the workforce or downsizing their career, moves that could stunt their income permanently. Yale economics professor Ebonya Washington co-authored a 2018 paper, “The Mommy Effect,” which asserts that women miscalculate the difficulty of balancing work and raising a family when they make decisions about their education. Her theories related to the impact of employment on motherhood, ideas that are pertinent today: If the delta variant does take hold in the coming weeks and months, what will that mean for working moms?

What makes a place beautiful? The kind of breathtakingly stunning scenery that stays with you long after you’ve left, like a heartwarming childhood memory? Is it the unexplainable tickle that rises in your stomach when you stand, bug-like, atop a mountain, looking down? The exotic scents and unintelligible chatter that invade the mind when you find yourself in a foreign land?

The world is bursting with gorgeousness and, oh boy, we need it now more than ever. So, in this week’s Sunday Magazine, we’re going to spoil you. Here are some of our favorite places. Most are remote — making this a perfect getaway guide if you prefer a socially distant vacation when the world opens up. Ready to plan your next adventure?

up north

Northern Lights

It may be the closest (fingers crossed) you’ll ever get to encountering alien-like life forms. The northern lights are a natural spectacle of shiny green, blue and purple waves of light dancing in the night sky, like a kind of extraterrestrial water feature excited to just exist. Located in a region known as the Auroral Oval, the aurora borealis’ dazzling display forms as a result of the sun ejecting clouds of gas which, two to three days later, meet the Earth’s magnetic field and generate this spectacular show. The phenomenon is most common between September and March high in the Northern Hemisphere (Iceland is a particularly great location for viewing). Many cultures around the world have tried to explain the origin of the lights. Cree First Nations people, for example, once believed they were the spirits of the dead trying to communicate with their earthbound loved ones.

A Summit at the Top of the World

Staying in the Northern Hemisphere, this destination is a jaw-dropping stunner. A majestic piece of rock so beautiful it only agrees to be fully seen one out of every three days (due to cloud cover). Denali — meaning “the tall one” in the Koyukon language — is not only the highest mountain in North America (at 20,310 feet) but also the third highest of the “Seven Summits” (the tallest peaks on each continent). But this giant is also a very cold place. Visiting requires an 18-day round trip that includes a hair-raising flight in a small plane that lands on a snow-covered strip, where you’ll be met by some of the lowest temperatures on Earth. Attempting to reach the top is recommended only for the most experienced climbers. Thankfully, the rest of us can still enjoy its imposing gorgeousness from the forests of its namesake national park or, more likely, from the comfort of our sofa.

Ukrainian Train Trips

An overnight train is an environmentally friendly solution for all those who, like me, find a kind of inner peace on long journeys. In my experience, the combination of Soviet-era engineering and design, a cozy sleeping compartment and an Australian, an Argentine and elderly Ukrainian cabin mates gives you, well, a pretty awesome ride. Ukraine offers many overnight train services connecting its biggest cities. Allow me to paint you a picture: a couchette complete with two foldable bunk beds, pillows and duvets, as well as a tiny folding table set against laminated wooden walls, a small window and two dainty pink curtains. Then add four grown adults. In the hallway you’ll find more dated fabric curtains and a carpet that hasn’t been washed for decades. Eleven hours after jumping on the train in Ukraine’s capital, Kiev, you’ll arrive in Zaporizhzhia, the country’s fifth largest city and an industrial center that boasts a number of Soviet-era artifacts. Sweet story? Without speaking a word of Ukrainian, I somehow landed myself a bag of pomegranates harvested from the garden of a fellow passenger.

down south

Iquitos’ Waters

This colorful, enigmatic and vibrant port city in the corner of the Peruvian Amazon is an antidote for anyone who’s grown sick of their bed-to-dining room table domestic commute. Buried in South America’s lushest jungle, Iquitos can only be reached by boat or plane. Dubbed the “Venice of the Amazon,” it’s a gateway to South America’s past, where well-preserved Spanish colonial architecture combines with the rich sounds of tuk-tuks and jungle creatures nearby. Hungry? This former rubber-producing settlement is also home to bustling food markets. Wander amid the stalls and taste the super sweet lucuma, believed to have anti-aging properties, and the peach-like aguaje (fun fact: This small red fruit is almost exclusively sold and eaten by women — legend has it that it helps with hormone imbalances). If you’re craving more than fruit, head to Belén, a floating settlement in the south of Iquitos. The sprawling market there offers everything from fresh fish caught by local villagers to insect larvae and even bottled ayahuasca, a psychoactive brew popular in this part of the world. Take note: It should only be consumed by those in the know.

Tasmania’s Ancient Forests

There’s something hypnotic about prehistoric rainforests. The palette of greens, the smell of mist, the fluorescent leaves hugging the damp bark of taller-than-life trees. Life growing upon life, worlds within worlds evolving as they’ve done for millennia. Tasmania, the island off Australia’s east coast, has so many rainforests you’ll be spoiled for choice. My favorite, however, is Tarkine in the island’s northwestern corner. This area has something for everybody, from mountain ranges to fast-flowing rivers, sandy beaches, grassy woodlands and the cutest, craziest animals you’ll ever see (yes, we mean the Tasmanian devil). No wonder Indigenous communities have had such a deep connection to this corner of the world for more than 40,000 years. Read more on OZY.

Humahuaca’s Earthy Rainbows

Speaking of ancient times, if boulders “rock” your boat, then Argentina’s Quebrada de Humahuaca is the place for you. A small town nestled in the foothills of the Andes, it gets its name from its rich Indigenous heritage. This is a favored stop for people trekking this section of the Inca Trail, offering a window into how early farming communities lived 10,000 years ago. The miles of gigantic red, orange and brown rocks that dot the region serve as an enormous, outdoor archaeological museum, hiding thousands of years of history and culture from the untrained eye. Sharpen your ears to the sound of the wind that has been shaping the landscape for millennia and, better still, listen for the traditional tunes that have for generations filled the air and the hearts of the people in this corner of our planet. But that’s not all. The food here is as good as the view. Heard of quinoa? This is its homeland. Have it as a side with locro, a hearty stew made from potatoes, carrots and beef, and wash it down with chicha, a fermented, corn-based alcoholic beverage. Worried about the altitude? At nearly 10,000 feet above sea level, it’s certainly a consideration, but don’t despair — that’s what coca leaves are for.

and places in between

COVID-19 Safe in Bhutan

Looking to really get off the beaten track, and stay safe? This tiny kingdom’s relatively unspoiled landscape and culture could be exactly what the doctor ordered. With 90% of its adult population fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Bhutan is among the safest places to be. For those who make the trip, head to the astonishing Tiger’s Nest monastery to appreciate spectacular views and architectural genius at an altitude of over 10,000 feet. But if you’re looking for complete solitude, Jigme Dorji National Park is the place to go. Its verdant, mountain-ringed valleys, dotted with colorful huts and temples, are ideal for trekkers or anyone searching for a cure for screen-weary eyes. The catch? Traveling around this tiny nation is only allowed with a local tour guide, which changes the meaning of solitude. Still, don’t let that put you off, as the authorities are looking to protect the country’s pristine environment from excessive tourism. Plus, having a local guide explain the ins and outs of this unique country (and to translate) will only deepen your experience.

Socotra’s Trees

An Indian Ocean island and World Heritage Site, Socotra is, simply put, out of this world. Located some 220 miles south of mainland Yemen, this place is so special that many animals and plants are endemic to the island. Among them is the dragon blood tree, which for years has been used as both a paint and a medicine, and the Socotran chameleon, a small, hissing reptile with a crazy long tongue. But there’s one more thing that makes Socotra feel almost alien: its mind-blowing white dunes, formed by years of strong winds blasting the island’s rocks. Be warned: Ascending these sandbanks is a cardio workout, but the reward when you reach the top is nothing short of spectacular. Considered one of the most remote places on earth (although it now has an airport), the history-rich Socotra attracts intrepid travelers looking to leave the beaten path behind.

Screaming Water in Lesotho

The Maletsunyane Falls in Lesotho plunge into a gorge so deep that the sun can’t reach its lowest points. Icicles can be found throughout the winter and spring. When you walk by this waterfall, which features one of the steepest drops in the Southern Hemisphere (630 feet, to be precise), your hearing feels like it’s taken on new powers. Close your eyes and listen carefully to the deafening sound of the furious water crashing into rock, much like the screams of people past, at least according to one terrifying legend. Scary stories aside, it hasn’t put off a handful of wild adventurers who every year travel to the area to rappel from the edge of the falls. If rock climbing and skydiving are not your cup of tea, you can always enjoy some of the most beautiful parks in this corner of Africa. Fun fact: Lesotho is the only nation in the world that is entirely 3,280 feet above sea level, with 80% of its territory reaching heights of 5,905 feet.

San Agustinillo’s Beaches

If there’s a natural phenomenon that best describes the collective feeling humanity has been experiencing over the past 18 months, it might be the Pacific Ocean: shifting uneasily, evolving and angry. If you spend enough time observing the Pacific’s waves, impatient and determined — as if purposefully trying to get somewhere — you can almost hear them speak. There are many places in the world to view the power of our largest mass of water, but few offer as winning a seat as San Agustinillo, a tiny fishing village hidden between some of Mexico’s most popular beaches. This strip of sand, home to a smattering of cabins and shacks, is the perfect spot for those easing their way back into the rat race of modern life. What more could one ask for than quiet evenings, huitlacoche fungus tacos and mezcal cocktails? Best of all, a short drive away, on Escobilla beach, visitors can visit a turtle sanctuary and rescue center — and help release hundreds of baby turtles back into the sea.

The Olympic Games are known for some surefire spectacles: an overdone opening ceremony, dazed athletes waving at no one in particular, tumbling records and tears of joy by the bucketload.

But they also throw up events and precedents that no one can expect. Shocking failures and miracle moments that need to be seen to be believed. As the Tokyo Games come to a historic close this weekend, we thought it apt to fill you in, dear reader, on the biggest, most outrageous surprises of the past two weeks. Join us in today’s Daily Dose as we toast the astounding first-time Olympians, the shocking mess-ups and other essential Olympic surprises that will leave you feeling smarter. And probably a little smug.

breakout debuts

Explosive Debut

Twenty-two-year-old wunderkind Luka Dončić started his Olympic career with a monstrous performance, one rarely witnessed in international basketball. The Slovenian exploded for 48 points, with 31 coming in the first half of Slovenia’s match against Argentina on July 26. Dončić also snagged 11 rebounds and dished five assists in his team’s 118-100 win. As the best scoring output by a European in Olympic history, Dončić’s achievement was sensational and stands joint second-best overall (tied with Australian Eddie Palubinskas) behind the 55 points scored by Brazil’s Oscar Schmidt at Seoul in 1988. Many basketball fans know Dončić is special, but this was an absurd first game in Olympic play that no one saw coming.

Stage for a Statement

Political statements by athletes have become popular in recent months, and that continued on the biggest stage of all in Tokyo. First-time Olympian Luciana Alvarado became the first Costa Rican gymnast to reach the Games, making her debut count with a memorable floor routine. But that wasn’t all. The 18-year-old concluded her routine by taking a knee and raising a fist in the air in a tribute to the Black Lives Matter movement in what was deemed an artistic element of her routine. She managed to skirt a rule forbidding political gestures, which some believe is outdated and which prevents Olympic athletes from political protests or demonstrations while on the awards podium or the field of play. Alvarado later told the Associated Press that the pose was intentional and that she did it to highlight the importance of equal rights, “Because we’re all the same . . . and we’re all beautiful and amazing.”

Canadian Softball Protest

One thing you don’t see every day is Olympians walking off the field. Well, that’s exactly what the Canadian softball team did on July 25 in protest of an umpire call during a 1-0 extra-inning loss to home side Japan. When the umpire chose not to allow Team Canada to switch pitchers, its coach, Mark Smith, pulled his team. Smith then submitted a formal protest with the World Baseball Softball Confederation. He got his way: The controversy was rectified when the substitute was later allowed to come on. Regardless, Canada lost, but did eventually nab its first medal of the Games, a bronze in softball, by later beating Mexico 3-2.

skateboarding: a brave new world

Enter Thrilling Skateboarding

Let’s all be glad that skateboarding is now an Olympic sport. For if it wasn’t, we’d have missed the wealth of incredible talent that’s out there. Some might have considered it an un-Olympic discipline. But we marveled as three girls performed near miracles and earned gold, silver and bronze in the women’s park event. At age 13, we were astounded as Great Britain’s Sky Brown became the youngest athlete and medalist for the nation. The self-taught Brown turned professional at 10 years old. Just ponder that for a moment. Skateboarding’s inclusion has inarguably brought a new dimension to the identity of the Games — and vice versa. Brazil’s Kelvin Hoefler, who won silver in the men’s street event, used to sleep with his board as a youth. Now, he believes that kids back home may start ditching the soccer ball for the skateboard. “It’s going to be mind-changing for them,” he said. Skateboarding may have a ways to go to catch up to the likes of soccer, but capturing the world’s imagination at Tokyo will do the sport wonders.

Kokona Hiraki

In what has turned into the Olympics of and for the youth, 12-year-old Hiraki became the youngest medal winner in Japan’s history and one of the youngest of all time at the Olympics after taking silver in the women’s park event this week. Momiji Nishiya, 13, who earlier won the street skateboarding discipline, became the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport. It was another Japanese teen, 19-year-old Sakura Yosozumi, who won gold in the women’s park event. It’s a reminder that you’re never too young to have your name permanently etched in the record books. In a Games that has seen big names disappoint, teenage skateboarders have put smiles on the faces of millions of Olympics fans.

Japan and Skateboarding

For the longest time, skateboarding has been looked upon unfavorably in Japan. It was perceived as disrespectful and unseemly in public spaces because it was viewed as noisy and disruptive and was believed to damage public property. However, appreciation for the sport may be growing following the medal hauls from the aforementioned women, 22-year-old Yuto Horigome in a men’s event and others. Japanese pro skater Ryo Sejiri is counting on these prominent showings to change skateboarding’s reputation in the country. “I’m sure skateboarding has had a bad image up until now, because we do it out in public and people think of it as an inconvenience, but I think that will change now,” he said.

firsts for their country (or in a very long time)

From DIY Gym to Gold

Tokyo has shown us that defying the odds is not impossible. On top of becoming the first athlete from the Philippines to ever capture Olympic gold, Hidilyn Diaz set an Olympic record for lifting a combined weight of 224 kilograms. The 30-year-old attained the Philippines’ first gold since the country made its Olympics debut in 1924, and pulled it off even after having to deal with COVID-19 challenges. While in Malaysia, an outbreak forced her team to stay there for months, causing her to miss an Olympic qualifying event in Peru. Workout facilities were shut down, but Diaz continued to prepare and did it DIY-style: She built her own gym and trained with barely any professional equipment. She created lift sets using water jugs and bamboo sticks, an interesting full-circle moment to her days as a youth when she trained using plastic pipes and concrete weights.

The Table Tennis Miracle

History made. Japan’s Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito have become the first non-Chinese athletes to win gold in the sport since 2004, defeating China’s Xu Xin and Liu Shiwen on July 26. After falling behind in the final, the pair then rallied to victory. Their secret? A chemistry and trust built from years growing up together, even though they are 12 years apart in age. Their nonverbal communication was a central reason why they achieved the first-ever gold for Japan in the sport. In the words of the 32-year-old Mizutani after the match, “a miracle happened.”

The Smartest Cyclist You’ll Meet

Ever seen someone with a Ph.D. in mathematics win gold? If you haven’t, meet Anna Kiesenhofer, who stunned the world with one of the biggest cycling upsets in Olympic history. The 30-year-old Austrian took gold, making it her nation’s first cycling win since the inaugural 1896 Athens Games. “It feels incredible. I couldn’t believe it,” Kiesenhofer said after the July 24 race. “Even when I crossed the line, it was like, ‘Is it done now? Do I have to continue riding?’ Incredible.” She hasn’t been cycling professionally for long, either: She has ridden just one season with professional Belgian team Lotto-Soudal, in 2017, and since then has only raced for her country. Despite the inexperience, she has come out triumphant, doctorate and all.

Olympians From Everywhere

San Marino has become the smallest country in Olympic history to win a medal, and it’s thanks to 33-year-old Alessandra Perilli. The Sammarinese shooter scored a bronze medal in the women’s trap competition for her country, the third smallest independent state in Europe. “This is the first medal for me and for my country. We are a small country but very proud,” she said following her medal ceremony. “They [her fellow citizens] are for sure going crazy, crying.” The tiny nation then went on to win a second medal, also in shooting. The 34,000 people of San Marino are definitely proud.

american woops

Turning Point for U.S. Soccer?

Are we witnessing the end of an era for the U.S. women’s national team? The No. 1 ranked team coming off back-to-back World Cup victories and 44 consecutive wins before traveling to Tokyo has, incredibly, been beaten two times in the past two weeks. The squad had been aiming to become the first women’s soccer team to earn an Olympic gold medal as reigning FIFA World Cup champions. What happened? While the inquest has yet to fully start, one theory centers on the team’s age. Of its 18 players, half are over 30. Superstar players Carli Lloyd and Megan Rapinoe are 39 and 36, respectively. A rebuild is now a must for one of the greatest soccer teams of the modern era. But for now, the team celebrates winning bronze after a 4-3 victory against Australia yesterday.

There’s a Team Without Simone Biles

During the 2021 Olympics, we learned that the U.S. women’s gymnastics team can still be successful — even without the best gymnast in the world among its ranks. The team pulled off six medals, including two gold, courtesy of Jade Carey and Sunisa Lee. Earlier in the Games, the 24-year-old Biles withdrew from four individual finals, citing mental health reasons. She was experiencing “the twisties” — a sense of feeling lost in the air due to the mind and body not being in sync. Her decision to withdraw was not simply due to the immense pressure placed on her. She chose to do what was in her best interest by not competing to avoid a potentially serious injury. Fortunately, the four-time Olympic champion did make a return for the balance beam event and took home bronze, two days after a family member passed away.

Missed Medals?

Sure, lots of countries saw their athletes miss out on the Games due to COVID-19. But how many were on course for glory like the Americans who missed out? Take the world’s No. 7 ranked golfer, Bryson DeChambeau. The Californian, who has chosen not to get vaccinated, caught COVID-19 and was forced to miss out on potential Olympic glory. Seventeen-year-old tennis sensation Coco Gauff last month caught the virus and was thus forced to sit out the Games, as did men’s pole vault gold medal contender Sam Kendricks. In total, around 100 U.S. athletes have traveled to Tokyo unvaccinated. Are they to blame? Neither the International Olympic Committee nor the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee required athletes to be vaccinated prior to taking part. The jury’s out.

In June, Victoria’s Secret announced it would completely redesign its brand, starting by doing away with calling its models “angels.” It has also ditched it’s glitzy fashion show in favor of “redefining sexy.” These moves some say, are too little, too late. Lingerie brands like Aerie from American Eagle have already been featuring models of different weights, ethnicities and abilities for years.

So, if these moves by the lingerie giant really are little more than window dressing, then who has taken up the mantle? What new forces are defining the future of modeling?

Join us for a close-up look at the models creating their own catwalks, read how virtual modeling is an actual thing and dive into the incredible innovations set to upend the fashion world as we know it.

future of modeling: the pathbreakers

Halima Aden

The 23-year-old Somali American grabbed headlines by becoming the first model to don a hijab and burkini for the cover of Sports Illustrated. Aden is a genuine trailblazer. She had negotiated a contract that would see her only work with agencies that let her wear the hijab and work only with female stylists. It worked, but only temporarily: Last year, she quit modeling to protest the industry’s exploitative practices, “taking one for the team,” she says, to help others feel more comfortable about speaking up. Industry issues aside, Aden still hopes to represent Somalia in the Miss Universe pageant. While it would be a first for a contestant to compete while wearing a hijab, that doesn’t scare Aden, who has made a career out of breaking down barriers.

Leyna Bloom

When the latest swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated dropped last month, it created history by featuring Leyna Bloom, its first transgender cover star. “The idea of me being the first person of color . . . [and] of trans experience, to be in that magazine, it was truly like the universe coming full circle,” she recently said on The Carlos Watson Show. She’s not just a knockout in the glossies; she’s also tackling the silver screen this year with a role in Port Authority. What is Bloom looking to take on next? Hopefully more acting roles, further redefining beauty and increasing representation for trans youths.

Seema Hari

In a country where fair skin is an obsession among many, this dark-skinned beauty is going down a different road entirely. Seema Hari is confronting colorism in India’s modeling industry with full force as an ambassador for the advocacy campaign Dark Is Beautiful, a social media presence and as a writer. Growing up, Hari faced bullying and harassment for her dark skin tone. But she didn’t let the naysayers dim her light. Instead, she shines as a model, DJ, activist and engineer. Her Instagram is a gold mine of content celebrating dark skin tones while addressing issues such as India’s caste system and transphobia.

Victoria Ripa

The designer of the iconic lingerie brand Srta. Peel discovered Victoria Ripa at a circus in 2014 in Montevideo, Uruguay. But don’t worry, no animals were harmed in the making of her modeling career. She was rocking out at the circus-themed fundraising event with her band, Croupier Funk, when spotted by Srta. Peel founder Loreley Turielle. The day after the event, Ripa had booked her first campaign with the brand. As a size XL, Ripa told OZY that she was at first hesitant to take on modeling as a career because she rarely saw her size or body type represented in South American fashion or advertising. Yet, she has become a celebrity in the world of plus-size modeling.

Read More On OZY

virtual modeling

Futuristic Fashion

At CES 2021, the future of fashion events was front and center in discussions between industry leaders, including Moschino Creative Director Jeremy Scott and Balenciaga CEO Cédric Charbit. Under Charbit’s direction, Balenciaga debuted its fall 2021 collection with a video game in which players embarked on their very own fashion adventure. Players walk past avatars of models wearing the collection on a city street and make their way to a secret rave in a forest. The game was an inventive solution to pandemic restrictions that have made in-person runway shows impossible. According to CES panelists and Charbit himself, audience members should now be seen as the focal point, rather than as inactive viewers. Placing audience members in the show and letting them consider how they would wear the couture walking by them is a departure from the fashion elitism synonymous with luxury brands.

Virtual Models

What the heck is a virtual model? Well, they are digital avatars that look a lot like real people, but are actually created on a computer. Avatar models such as Shudu, the world’s “First Digital Supermodel,” Miquela and others have made waves on platforms like Instagram, where their creators have landed lucrative sponsorships and work with designer brands. They are essentially money-making machines for the people behind the screens controlling them. Miquela has 3 million Instagram followers and has worked with brands like Calvin Klein and Prada. She earns her creator $8,500 per sponsored post, despite her inability to live and breathe as real-life models do.

Fashion and Beauty Go Digital

The pandemic has forced brands to put away their runway seating and turn instead to virtual shows to release their collections. But fashion shows weren’t the only events driven online. The Miss Venezuela pageant, which has produced seven Miss Universe winners since 1979, was held virtually last year. Contestants completed a six-month training process to become pageant ready, including interview prep and walking lessons, entirely over Zoom from their homes. Then, each was filmed individually onstage at the television studio. The separate components were assembled by pageant producers to create the final show, marking the first time that the 67-year-old beauty contest has been produced virtually.

change is coming

Sky-High Fashion

Designer Iris van Herpen sent shock waves through the fashion world when she released her autumn/winter 2020/2021 collection Earthrise last month. Why? Because she sent champion skydiver Domitille Kiger hurling through the air modeling one of her dresses. The result is an utterly stunning demonstration, perhaps a redefinition of modeling itself. But it’s not the first time van Herpen has pushed the fashion envelope. The Dutch designer uses 3D printing, laser cutting and futuristic elements such as artificial fire opals in her designs. Standing at the pinnacle of high-tech couture, if Earthrise is any indication, she isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

Amplifying Their Voices

In her time as a model, Joleen Mitton has experienced firsthand photographers’ desire to lighten her skin tone, as well as offensive comments made in her direction. The modeling industry can be an extremely hostile environment for Indigenous models. That prompted Mitton and photographer Patrick Shannon to establish the first all-Indigenous modeling agency in the world. Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Supernaturals represents 15 models who hail from all over Canada, from the Shíshálh Nation to the Cree Nation. The company’s mantra is “Representation is good, but good representation is better.” The idea is that while featuring more Indigenous models is a good start, how those models are treated behind the camera and how they are portrayed are equally as important.

Tech and Fashion

Virtual reality dressing rooms you can use to try on clothes. Artificial intelligence that tells us where fashion trends are heading. Sound crazy? Well, these innovations are less far out than you’d think. Amazon is working on a project using AI algorithms to determine whether a product is stylish or not and to recommend clothing. Companies such as Stitch Fix are looking at AI as an integral part of the fashion life cycle, using it in their design process and inventory management. AI can even allow customers to input preferences and then, based on that data, determine a design for a clothing item, manufacture it and send it in the mail.

Gamers as Models in China

These days, it seems like video gamers can do it all — join a professional sports team, win millions and now even run a modeling hustle on the side. Luxury brands are looking beyond Instagram influencers and focusing on video gamers for their next potential pool of brand ambassadors because of gaming’s rising popularity. At the 2019 League of Legends World Championship in Europe, the winning team from China was presented with a trunk and some custom goodies from Louis Vuitton. The team, FunPlus Phoenix, instantly became ambassadors for the brand.

Read More On OZY

controversy

Who Gets Forgiveness?

When Dolce & Gabbana released a campaign featuring a Chinese model struggling to eat spaghetti and pizza with chopsticks in 2018, all hell broke loose. The model, Zuo Ye, later recounted that the campaign almost killed her career. She spoke out in 2019 on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, saying her hands were tied while working with D&G and that she felt the dream opportunity had turned into a nightmare. Since the incident, the brand has been on a public relations crusade to get back into consumers’ good graces, donating to the NAACP and COVID-19 research and partnering with The Trevor Project. It is even working on reestablishing its brand in China. All this begs the question: Has D&G ever met a controversy it didn’t like?

America’s Next Cancel

Let’s face it, America’s Next Top Model was a mess, from forced makeovers to photo shoots where models darkened their skin to pose as people of different races. Participating models including Lisa D’Amato have spoken out about the strange experience. In a January video, she slammed host Tyra Banks and the show’s production team for unlivable conditions and using contestants’ traumatic past experiences as fodder for entertainment. D’Amato isn’t alone. When Victoria’s Secret announced it was revamping its brand, former “angel” Bridget Malcolm took to TikTok to eviscerate the company for the switch. The video post reveals how unhealthy and underweight she had become while modeling for the fashion behemoth: She holds a size 30A bra to the camera and shows footage from a 2016 fashion show in which the bra is disturbingly far too big for her frame. Both Malcolm and D’Amato are part of a wave of models exposing the hidden horrors of the industry.

Following Through?

Many fashion brands promised more diversity during last year’s Black Lives Matter protests, but have they delivered? An investigation published in March by The New York Times yielded mixed results. Some companies declined to share their diversity and inclusion data and instead made vague commitments to anti-racism. Others did better. Twenty-five brands shared spring/summer 2021 lookbooks that included Black models. But while the number of Black models featured in campaigns, lookbooks or runway shows had improved from previous years, there was still a lack of representation behind the camera and behind the scenes.

Have you noticed a trend this summer? No, not that face masks in many countries are making a comeback; we’re talking about the fires, devastating floods and heat waves of almost biblical proportions that have hit vast swathes of our world, from Canada to China to Siberia to Germany. There may still be a raging health pandemic, but we need to also pay attention to another deadly, global plague that’s getting worse, not better: climate change. 

In today’s Daily Dose, we detail how five diverse cities (including one that’s yet to be built) are using innovative ideas to carve paths — not always successfully, mind you — in the pursuit of environmental sustainability. Read on to learn more!

anchorage, alaska

Cold No More. If you’ve ever watched National Geographic’s Life Below Zero, in which hardy men and women tough it out in the icy wilds of the Alaskan frontier, you’ll be surprised to hear the region is under severe threat from a warming climate. In fact, the state has often been referred to as “ground zero” for climate change. Ever hotter temperatures are causing age-old glaciers to recede, sea ice to melt and more frequent, larger wildfires to burn across expanses of tundra. Temperatures in the state are increasing almost twice as fast as in the lower 48. The city of Anchorage, population 283,000, is on the front line, experiencing temperatures 1.5 degrees higher than normal during some winter months. 

Action Stations. What are Alaskans doing about it? After Republican governor Mike Dunleavy came to office in 2018, he put his predecessor’s climate action plan on ice, so to speak. So the people of Anchorage did as Alaskans of yore have done and struck out on their own. Their climate change plan sets an 80% emissions reduction goal for 2050, outlines a shift to electric vehicles and renewable energy and encourages residents to form community gardens to improve food security. Now Alaskans also hope President Joe Biden’s American Jobs Plan will provide new ways of funding efforts to combat climate change and pursuing forward-looking clean energy projects.  

Results Already. Since the city’s municipal authority, the Anchorage Assembly, voted in its ambitious climate action agenda two years ago, has any progress been made? Yes, according to their most recent annual report. “We expanded our renewable energy generation, won grants for innovative clean energy projects [and] expanded opportunities for residents to engage in climate action,” the report reads. In December, before the U.S. rejoined in the Paris climate agreement, Anchorage signed the “We Are Still In” declaration, confirming their commitment to the goals of the Paris accord. In a short time, Anchorage has upgraded over 16,000 street lamps to LEDs, and long-term loans are now available to businesses seeking to establish clean energy projects. The city also received a grant to fund its first electric garbage trucks and purchased hybrid-electric police vehicles.

copenhagen, denmark

Carbon-Free Philosophy. As cities grow both in number of residents and by physical size, they face a conundrum in terms of how to control and reduce their carbon footprint. Copenhagen finds itself way ahead and is on track to become the world’s first carbon-free city. Since committing to the idea more than a decade ago, residents have rallied to the cause. The city logs a carbon output of 2 million tons, which is modest compared to other (albeit larger) cities like Seoul, which in 2018 was ranked the worst carbon emission offender. But why should cities bother? Among the principles agreed upon in the 2015 Paris Agreement, signed by nearly 200 countries, is a pledge to reduce all signatories’ carbon outputs.

Bike Is Best. A chief avenue to carbon neutrality is reducing the number of vehicles on the streets, and that’s where Copenhagen is ahead of the game. As a city of biking lanes, bike jams and bike-only bridges, you’re more likely to be hit by a bike than by a car, but how did the city manage this? It invested 1 billion krone ($113 million) building out infrastructure for bikers and pedestrians, effectively relegating the vehicle to third place. To be sure, other significant emissions culprits remain, but doing what they can to promote two-wheel transport helps shift residents’ attitudes too. 

Show Me the Numbers. As of 2019, 62% of Copenhagen residents brave the chill to commute on their bikes, up 36% from 2012. In 2016, the number of bikes outnumbered cars on the city’s roads for the first time. The most recent figure is that Danes own 6.6 times more bikes than cars. While bikes are good for the environment, they are also good for the health of the people riding them. The Danish finance ministry estimates that each time someone spends 1 kilometer (.6 of a mile) in the saddle, the city makes 4.80 krone ($0.77). How? Cyclists take less sick leave (as a nation, Denmark’s bike-first posture helps it save an estimated €40 million or $6.4 million annually on health care costs. What’s more, cyclists spend more in the shops than motorists. Cities such as New York, Lisbon and Oslo are all following Copenhagen’s lead.

ulaanbaatar, mongolia

A Smokey Situation. With an estimated 70% of Mongolia’s grazing lands impacted by desertification that took hold as far back as the 1950s, by 2019, 600,000 nomadic people and herders were forced to leave the country’s vast steppe and pitch their tents around Ulaanbaatar, the capital. The tents, known as gers, and other forms of shelter have been heated by coal-burning stoves, wreaking havoc on the city’s air quality. As a result, Ulaanbaatar struggles with some of the most polluted air on earth. In 2018, levels of dangerous particulates reached 133 times the World Health Organization’s recommended limit. In 2019, 80% of the city’s air pollution resulted from coal-burning in the settlements on the city’s outskirts, which housed 60% of the city’s residents. 

Putting Out Fires. On May 15, 2019, Mongolia banned the use of raw coal, the predominant fuel source used by low-income families to keep warm during the winter and the culprit of Ulaanbaatar’s notoriously awful air quality. They also introduced refined coal briquettes to the market, subsidizing them so the briquettes would be close to the price of raw coal. The Asian Development Bank approved a $160 million program to help improve air quality in the embattled city by working with the existing government program, which began in 2017 and extends through 2025, providing supplemental funding and other aid. Other programs like Sub Center are working to improve city infrastructure and move families out of gers and into housing developments that would further reduce air pollution. 
Success, Until COVID. While banning raw coal was a positive step, and air quality measured in October 2019 registered an improvement, the ban failed to address the reason families were turning to raw coal in the first place. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck and triggered a countrywide economic shutdown, many in Ulaanbaatar couldn’t afford the refined briquettes and turned instead to cheap flammable materials like trash or raw coal found on the sly. Despite the ban on using raw coal, by October 2020 Ulaanbaatar’s air quality still ranked as the worst in the world. Read more on OZY.

istanbul, turkey

Food Shortage. Food insecurity is Istanbul’s most pressing climate-change-related threat, according to scientist Levent Kurnaz. Drought and water shortages are threatening agricultural producers across Turkey, who supply Istanbul with produce, and stressing the entire food system from the top down. Moreover, water shortages and extreme weather events exacerbated by global warming like severe droughts also cause the cost of food to skyrocket, which detrimentally impacts residents of Istanbul who have limited access to goods or are unable to afford the sky-high prices. In April, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan even launched an aid campaign that delivered potatoes and onions to needy families to address the growing crisis. 

Ancient Gardens. While modernizing agriculture is one proposed solution to fixing food insecurity in the city, some of Istanbul’s most enterprising farmers have been leaning on one another. Instead of relying on stores or food trucked hundreds of miles from Anatolia, they have been growing their own food right in the city center, alongside and among the ancient city’s Byzantine-era walls. Surrounded by walls more than 1,600 years old, are some of the oldest urban gardens in the world. The narrow green areas between the high walls are the perfect setting for small farmers who tend the Yedikule market gardens. With the Yedikule Fortress as a backdrop, some 200 market gardeners are repurposing public spaces to grow food that feeds their communities and families while earning them money.
The Struggle Goes On. Same day harvesting means the produce they grow is fresher and cheaper than what’s available in supermarkets or on store shelves, something that has turned the farmers into a community staple. The gardens also provide income for the farmers, while utilizing age-old infrastructure and providing a link to an ancient way of life. But their way of life has been threatened as Turkey pushes to modernize its largest city. The Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality owns the mile-long stretch of green space; the farmers in turn pay a fee to use the land. But while the municipality can give, it also has the power to take away. In January 2016, authorities declared that farming would no longer be permitted along the walls, and within weeks had set about knocking down several sheds used by the farmers. Concerned citizens and environmentalists, however, quickly stepped in (Istanbul is home to a robust green movement). People rallied to the farmers’ cause and forced the municipality to formalize the arrangements with a number of those farming the area.

akon city, senegal

Poverty and Unemployment. The closest hospital to the impoverished coastal town of Mbodiène is an hour away in the Senegalese capital of Dakar. There are no paved roads in the town. The area is mainly populated with fishermen and farmers, and many young people are unemployed. So it’s hard to imagine Mbodiène being transformed into an environmentally friendly, solar-powered, futuristic “smart city” of glass and chrome skyscrapers.

Superstar Solution. But that’s the wildly ambitious, eponymous brainchild of a Senagalese American R&B superstar. Born in the U.S. but with family roots in Senegal, Akon wants to give back to his homeland and says he plans to do so in the greenest way possible. His Akon City, he says, will not only benefit the Sengalese but also be a haven for a Black American diaspora who face racism in the U.S. Residents of the city will use a crypto-currency dubbed “Akoin.” The singer has selected Mbodiène as the location for his $6 billion project, which is expected to take years to build, and Akon City will be certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The singer-turned-philanthropist’s company, Akon Lighting Africa, already provides electricity to rural villages in 14 countries.

Results Are Out. The jury’s still out on the project, which many are comparing to the fictional land of Wakanda in the movie Black Panther. Skeptics note that despite promises to create jobs, Akon City is being designed by an Abu Dhabi-based architect and is due to be built by a U.S. developer. Construction is slated to start this year, and another African nation, Uganda, has already asked the “Smack That” singer to build a similar city there.