Fifteen Minutes

The Life of a Cup of Coffee, as Told by Sabine Parrish

“Consumers in the Global South have a right to the best coffees from their nations, their sister nations, from wherever they want.”

Jun 01, 2021
Thuy-Van Vu’s Art Points to the Story Beyond the Subject

As an artist, Vu was looking for a way to represent personal history without feeling like she was “performing otherness.”

Aug 19, 2020
Muchhadji Has Achieved the Bombay Dream—I’m Still Working on It

Most paanwalas sell loose cigarettes. I don’t smoke often, but when I do, I buy one or two. I never buy them from Muchhad.

Feb 03, 2020
Soleil Ho, San Francisco Chronicle’s Restaurant Critic, on Food, Fusion, and What’s Often Lost in Translation

“Dealing with someone else’s culture, someone else’s media, and trying to Americanize it is something I can’t understand.”

Jul 11, 2019
Japanese Breakfast, a.k.a. Michelle Zauner, Talks with Noah Cho About Food, Family, and Grief

“I found myself dwelling on these parts of Korean culture as a way to reconnect with my identity and also the memory of my mom.”

May 30, 2019
How Rachel Khong Built The Ruby, a Coworking Community for San Francisco Creatives

“How can we lessen everyone’s burden and give ourselves more time to work on what matters to us?”

May 16, 2019
Life Lessons With The Cacti Uncle of Sri Lanka

“Leave it alone and it knows how to grow,” says Uncle Nimal. “If you care too much, it will die.”

Apr 25, 2019
The Radio Repairman Who Started a Movement in Cuban Music

He begged his mother to let him buy the guitar. When she refused, reminding him that it was half of the month’s rent, he wept.

This Native Jewelry Designer Combats Stereotypes Through Art

“People really want to fit Native people into a box, in this safe stereotype space. I defy every single stereotype anyone has ever held about Native people. I enjoy breaking those stereotypes, completely smashing them.”

Mar 21, 2019
15 Minutes with Rose-Marie Swift, a Cosmetics Maven Who Sees Colors in New Ways

The beauty industry right now is run by dinosaurs. What’s in these things we put on our bodies?

Feb 14, 2019
Translation Is an Act of Love, a Gift That Transcends Borders: 15 Minutes with Fruznik Tadevosyan

“The books are my brothers,” Fruznik says, in one of his turns of phrase that sound seamlessly romantic. “They are not lifeless things. They are living.”

Jan 31, 2019
15 Minutes with Olive Thomas, Former Follies Girl and Full-time Ghost

Whenever something goes wrong at the New Amsterdam Theatre, it’s because of Olive Thomas. But the people working there don’t mind; they say, “Technically, she was here first.”

Jan 17, 2019
15 Minutes With Aaliyah Nitoto and Sam Prestianni, Makers of Lavender Wine

“Something as beautiful and unique as lavender wine shouldn’t just be at a country club.”

Jan 03, 2019
15 Minutes with Anshu, Expert Eyebrow Threader and Community Builder

I might’ve said too much for a first visit, but Anshu’s warmth had a way of dissolving my worry. To my emotional overspilling, Anshu said she will take care of me from now on.

Dec 13, 2018
15 Minutes with Exodus, Wig-Maker to the Drag Queen Stars

“Exodus is a large mass moving of people. My slogan is ‘Hair that moves you!’ which I think is cute.”

Nov 29, 2018
15 Minutes with Louis Mitchell, Who Brings Sesame Street Characters to Life

“My purpose in life is to encourage people to seek the things they love to do,” says Louis, “not what they think they have to do.”

Nov 15, 2018
15 Minutes with Abdul Sattar, the Man Who Serves the Karachi Press

“The day you sit idle, you are inviting illness and despondency upon yourself. I don’t want to be dependent on anybody. I have too much self-respect.”

Nov 01, 2018
15 Minutes with Arturo Talavera, Mexico City’s Photography Master

Arturo is a modern-day alchemist, creating beauty out of bending light, and capturing photons on glass, silver plates, and egg whites.

Oct 18, 2018
15 Minutes with Doug Schultz, a Ballet Class Pianist

Through Doug, I realized, musicians and writers have in common an invaluable quality: We get better as we mature.

Oct 04, 2018
15 Minutes with M. Jenea Sanchez: Weaving Community Through Art

“Yes, the border divides . . . but the culture of this place is of one, not two.”

Jan 18, 2017