In celebration of Juneteenth, we headed uptown to visit the Studio Museum in Harlem, which exhibits work reflecting the African diaspora. The Museum, founded in 1968, is rich with history and showcases a stunning collection of art, from icons like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kehinde Wiley to up-and-coming names supported by their Artists-in-Residence program. On display right now as part of the “To Be A Place” exhibit, is “African-American Flag” by David Hammons, an artist known for his use of political symbolism throughout multimedia practice. Another flag made by Hammons, this one untitled, is proudly hoisted in front of the museum. Together, the works stand as symbols of joy, resilience, and history, reflecting the rich cultural legacy of Harlem’s Black community and inspiring audiences far beyond the neighborhood.
Juneteenth at “To Be A Place”
Federal Court Vacates USCIS Processing Holds for Applicants From Travel Ban Countries
On June 5, 2026, a federal court in Rhode Island ruled that several United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) policies that placed immigration benefit applications on hold for individuals from designated travel ban countries were unlawful. The decision provides relief to foreign nationals whose applications for immigration benefits had been delayed or effectively frozen because of their country of origin.
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The New Museum Gets a Sci-Fi Makeover
After a hiatus, the doors of the New Museum on the Lower East Side of Manhattan have reopened to the public to showcase a brand-new and expansive exhibit called New Humans: Memories of the Future. We recently visited the museum during its beloved Thursday late night hours, where we found the multistoried space chock-full of other guests taking in the eclectic creations on display. Leading with the quote, “Nothing is stranger to humans than their own image,” from Czech writer Karel Čapek, the exhibit presents artistic work at the intersection of humanity and technology. Visitors can glimpse mind-bending paintings layered with collage, mechanically driven devices, floating drones overhead, and dangling humanoid figures, all of which range from endearing and engaging to grotesque and uncanny. As we perused narrow hallways, wide galleries, and secret staircases, we could hear the clicking of an automated typewriter, the rattling of an unexplained jar of crystal shards, and the lilting music of a short film. The exhibit is a love letter to science fiction and the strange, while explicating the real and sometimes harrowing cultural roots of each artist, movement, and reference featured. One imposing construction by artist Tau Lewis, a colossal human frame built from an assortment of textiles, found objects, and fragments of shell, bone, and pearl, bears the unsettling proverb “When the axe came into the forest, the trees said, ‘the handle is one of us.” As a jellyfish-like robot whirs overhead, piloted by unseen engineers behind a gallery wall, the figure opens its arms in an embrace, a fusion of organic materials and steel with a human form. Perhaps it asks us, how much are we made of nature? How much are we made of technology? And how much does it matter?
Federal Court Strikes Down Trump Administration’s $100,000 H-1B Petition Payment Requirement
In a significant development on Monday, June 8, 2026, a federal court ruled that the Trump administration’s $100,000 payment requirement for certain H-1B petitions was unlawful and vacated the policy implementing it in its entirety. The decision provides immediate relief to employers and foreign nationals who were concerned that the new payment would make many H-1B filings financially impossible. US District Judge Leo Sorokin of the District of Massachusetts invalidated the policy, finding that the administration exceeded its authority when it attempted to impose the charge through executive action.
Read moreThe Contributions of Foreign Students to American Culture
Knicks Fever
Our neighbors at Madison Square Garden are having quite the exciting season! For the first time since 1999, the New York Knicks are playing in the NBA Finals, and, along with the rest of New York, we could not be more delighted. Game one was a thrilling win that has us hoping for a sweep. In celebration of their historic run, we stopped by the specially designed Knicks Subway station stairway at Madison Square Garden, planned by the MTA. With basketball-shaped light posts and the team’s signature orange and blue colors painted across the gates, the stairway has certainly brightened our commute. Our office, just a few blocks south of the team’s home arena, is betting on Brunson and gearing up for what is sure to be a fantastic second game tonight. Let’s Go Knicks!
Colbert's Alternative Poem
Outdoor Exploration
In celebration of New York Art Week, we explored the latest art installations in the Hudson Yards and Flatiron neighborhoods.
Our first stop was Roberto Lugo’s exhibition “Alfarero del Barrio” or “village potter,” which consists of a larger-than-life orange fire hydrant and a twenty-foot-tall urn, both carved from milled foam. Together, these works celebrate the artist’s Puerto Rican heritage and invite viewers to engage directly with a culture that has a vibrant and enduring presence in New York City.
We then stopped by Hudson Yards to see Brendan Murphy’s newest installation “Love Matters Everywhere,” which features a 12-foot reflective teddy bear, named “Loretta,” and sitting on a nearby bench, a masked astronaut. Murphy explores the complexity and beauty of the human experience, asking onlookers to look directly at themselves as they admire his sculptural work.
Just across the street, we cooled off by the fountains and took in Giangaetano Patane’s “The Last Five Fish in the Sea,” an installation of five terracotta fish, swimming at the base of the fountain’s pool. An intimate and simple portrayal of the sea, Patane’s work offers a calming respite in the middle of Manhattan.
With great art all around, we hope you get a chance to check out some of the ongoing exhibitions and installations!
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