Rafael Ithier, founder and musical director of El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico, has passed away at 98. A monumental loss for salsa and Latin music worldwide.

Religious leaders from churches, Jewish temples and mosques from across the state opposed remarks from President Donald Trump that included calling Somalis “garbage.”

Since entering office this year, the Trump administration has encouraged people multiple times to send in tips about people who are not aligned with its agenda or ideology on a number of issues. Historians and experts on authoritarianism have a word for this: denunciation – the practice of citizens monitoring each other and reporting perceived wrongdoing to the state. Many Americans have expressed resistance to the idea of becoming a government informant, but it’s another sign of how the country may be slipping into authoritarianism.

From ‘Unnamed Negro Messman’ to American Hero