In this two-part episode on the corporatization of drag, hosts, Sam Perri and Pragnya Vella, interview Grayce Burns, a Harvard Law student, to discuss the rising popularity of drag as both a hobby and profession -- and as a form of both personal and political expression.

In Part 1 Grayce explained how corporate control over drag queens is reshaping drag, undermining unique local drag cultures and harming queens who go on popular shows like Drag Race through restrictive non-disclosure agreements -- or NDAs (as they’re called in the biz) -- and meager pay. Grayce explains how, despite those challenges drag persists as a vibrant form of queer visibility and artistic expression for queer identities.

In this second part, the conversation continues, as Grayce sheds light on how some queens are pushing back to reclaim the activist roots of drag culture and offers ideas for how we can support local drag performers outside of the Drag Race monopoly.

Guest Bio:

Grayce Burns is a student at Harvard Law School in the Class of 2025 and a Linthicum, MD native. She’s interested in international litigation and arbitration, and enjoys examining issues at the intersection of law, philosophy, and economics. When the Law School lets her go outside, she enjoys hanging out with her hairless cat, Dr. Benjamin Franklin, and cheering on any and all Maryland sports teams.

For more information and complete show notes, go to the episode's webpage: https://theflaw.org/?post_type=articles&p=4409&preview=true.

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If you enjoyed this episode of [F]law School, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts! Class dismissed!

In this two-part episode on the corporatization of drag, hosts, Sam Perri and Pragnya Vella, interview Grayce Burns, a Harvard Law student, to discuss the rising popularity of drag as both a hobby and profession -- and as a form of both personal and political expression.

In Part 1 Grayce explains how corporate control over drag queens is reshaping drag, undermining unique local drag cultures and harming queens who go on popular shows like Drag Race through restrictive non-disclosure agreements -- or NDAs (as they’re called in the biz) -- and meager pay. Grayce explains how, despite those challenges drag persists as a vibrant form of queer visibility and artistic expression for queer identities.

In Part 2, the conversation continues, as Grayce sheds light on how some queens are pushing back to reclaim the activist roots of drag culture and offers ideas for how we can support local drag performers outside of the Drag Race monopoly.

Guest Bio:

Grayce Burns is a student at Harvard Law School in the Class of 2025 and a Linthicum, MD native. She’s interested in international litigation and arbitration, and enjoys examining issues at the intersection of law, philosophy, and economics. When the Law School lets her go outside, she enjoys hanging out with her hairless cat, Dr. Benjamin Franklin, and cheering on any and all Maryland sports teams.

For more information and complete show notes, go to the episode's webpage: https://theflaw.org/?post_type=articles&p=4409&preview=true.

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

• Podcast Home: Our podcast episodes can be found at flawschool.org
• [F]law Website: Find more articles and content from The [F]law magazine at theflaw.org
• Systemic Justice Project: All [F]law content is a product of the Systemic Justice Project at systemicjustice.org
• Newsletter Sign-Up: Subscribe to receive curated content from The [F]law here.
• Contact Us: Have questions, comments or feedback? Reach out to us at justice@law.harvard.edu.
• Listen to [F]law School on Your Favorite Platform:
  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Youtube Music
  • Buzzsprout
  • Systemic Justice Project Youtube

If you enjoyed this episode of [F]law School, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts! Class dismissed!

Summary:

In this episode of [F]law School, hosts Jessenia Class and Thy Luong explore the corporate construction and manipulation of boredom with special guest Nelson Reed. They explore how companies have turned boredom into a profit center by pushing myths about why feeling bored is our fault and readily cured by purchasing their products. Get ready for a fascinating discussion about the business of boredom.

Guest Bio:

Nelson Reed is a student at Harvard Law School in the Class of 2025. He is also a graduate of Yale University. He is passively looking for bandmates.

For more information and complete show notes, go to the episode's webpage: https://theflaw.org/articles/flaw-school-episode-5-the-business-of-boredom/.

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

• Podcast Home: Our podcast episodes can be found at flawschool.org
• [F]law Website: Find more articles and content from The [F]law magazine at theflaw.org
• Systemic Justice Project: All [F]law content is a product of the Systemic Justice Project at systemicjustice.org
• Newsletter Sign-Up: Subscribe to receive curated content from The [F]law here.
• Contact Us: Have questions, comments or feedback? Reach out to us at justice@law.harvard.edu.
• Listen to [F]law School on Your Favorite Platform:
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If you enjoyed this episode of [F]law School, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts! Class dismissed!

Summary:

In this episode of [F]law School, hosts Sam Perri and Reya Singh chat with author Frank Obermeyer about his recent article, Harvard Law School’s Graduation Propaganda. Their conversation uncovers the numbers behind Harvard Law’s public interest rhetoric, explores some of the institutional and structural sources of students’ career drift toward BigLaw, and offers a candid assessment of the chasm between Harvard Law School’s messaging and the reality of its students’ general career trajectories.

Guest Bio:

Frank Obermeyer is a member of the Harvard Law Class of 2025. He loves to cook, run, and play music. Check him out on Spotify!

Editors:

Special thanks to Shyun Moon and Mirei Saneyoshi for production and editing assistance and Heer Singh and Pragnya Vella for Social Media assistance.

For more information and links, go to the episode web page.

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

• Podcast Home: Our podcast episodes can be found at flawschool.org
• [F]law Website: Find more articles and content from The [F]law magazine at theflaw.org
• Systemic Justice Project: All [F]law content is a product of the Systemic Justice Project at systemicjustice.org
• Newsletter Sign-Up: Subscribe to receive curated content from The [F]law here.
• Contact Us: Have questions, comments or feedback? Reach out to us at justice@law.harvard.edu.
• Listen to [F]law School on Your Favorite Platform:
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If you enjoyed this episode of [F]law School, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts! Class dismissed!

Summary:

In this episode of [F]law School, hosts Jessenia Class and Reya Singh speak with Harvard Law student Pantho Sayed about his article, titled “Not Just a Game,” on the challenges within the video game industry. Sayed focuses on the intense pressure developers face due to the corporatization of game production. An avid gamer and writer, Sayed explains how “crunch,” or extended periods of overwork, has become a systemic issue, as large publishers prioritize profits and deadlines over the well-being of game developers. The conversation explores the disconnect between gamers’ expectations and the realities of game production, as well as how the industry’s power dynamics impact workers’ mental health and game quality. Sayed also discusses potential solutions for both workers and gamers, highlighting the importance of ethical consumption in pressuring the industry to change.

Guest Bio:

Pantho Sayed is a student at Harvard Law School (Class of 2025) interested in government and technology legal work. He is also a graduate of Fordham University. Pantho remains a lifelong video game player, graphic novel enthusiast, and overall geek.

Editors:

Special thanks to Mirei Saneyoshi, Safowana Islam, and Gauri Sood for production and editing assistance.

Visit our homepage for more shownotes.

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

• Podcast Home: Our podcast episodes can be found at flawschool.org
• [F]law Website: Find more articles and content from The [F]law magazine at theflaw.org
• Systemic Justice Project: All [F]law content is a product of the Systemic Justice Project at systemicjustice.org
• Newsletter Sign-Up: Subscribe to receive curated content from The [F]law here.
• Contact Us: Have questions, comments or feedback? Reach out to us at justice@law.harvard.edu.
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Summary:

In this episode of [F]law School, hosts Troy Brown and Thy Luong speak with Harvard Law student Brandon Martinez about his article, titled “Representation = Taxation,” on U.S. tax policy. In their conversation, Martinez explains how, since the post-World War II era, conservative movements have worked to dismantle progressive tax structures, benefiting the wealthy and making tax avoidance common among the ultra-wealthy. He also highlights how racism has shaped tax policy and how those policies deepened systemic racial inequities. There is some good news. For example, Martinez points to growing grassroots efforts at the state level to challenge these disparities, leading to broader engagement in efforts to reform tax systems to hold corporate power accountable and create a more equitable society.

Guest Bio:

Brandon Martinez is a rising third-year law student interested in economic justice, environmental law, and democracy reform. He studied political economy at Harvard College. He is from Orange County, California, where he has worked in local politics, legal aid work, and civic education.

Editors:

Special thanks to Safowana Islam, Mirei Saneyoshi, and Pragnya Vella for production and editing assistance.

Visit our homepage for more shownotes.

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

• Podcast Home: Our podcast episodes can be found at flawschool.org
• [F]law Website: Find more articles and content from The [F]law magazine at theflaw.org
• Systemic Justice Project: All [F]law content is a product of the Systemic Justice Project at systemicjustice.org
• Newsletter Sign-Up: Subscribe to receive curated content from The [F]law here.
• Contact Us: Have questions, comments or feedback? Reach out to us at justice@law.harvard.edu.
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If you enjoyed this episode of [F]law School, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts! Class dismissed!

Summary:

As campus protests swept the nation last spring, invasive surveillance technology put protestors and student organizers in precarious positions. Through targeted fear-mongering, tech surveillance companies changed cities’ and university’s perceptions of activism. From racially-biased facial recognition to predatory cell towers, corporations stripped protestors of constitutionally protected speech and manifestations of democracy for profit. In this episode, Jessenia Class joins Sam Perri and Reya Singh to break down protest suppression tactics, corporations’ tactics for dodging accountability, and the importance of storytelling as a pathway to justice.

Guest Bio:

Jessenia Class is a law student at Harvard Law School and a graduate of Harvard College. Before law school, Jessenia was a program associate at an organization that engaged in public interest law and philanthropy.

Editors:

Special thanks to Mirei Saneyoshi and Pragnya Vella for production and editing assistance.

Chapter Markers:

• Introduction [0:00]
• Campus Protests in 2024 [3:10]
• Dangers of Surveillance Technology [5:28]
• Misleading Corporate Narratives [8:00]
• Protest Suppression [11:28]
• Holding Corporations Accountable [15:21]
• Ruse of Consent for Protestors [19:33]
• Corporate Power Imbalances [21:18]
• Impact of Storytelling [23:22]
• Perseverance Under Surveillance [25:27]
• Action Steps & Resources [27:38]

[F]law Resources:

• Suppression by Surveillance by Jessenia Class ([F]law Article)
• Corporations are Keeping Cop City Alive by Jessenia Class
• Shots Fired, and Profited On: Inside the Campaign against “ShotSpotter” in Chicago, by Anna Bower
• Nowhere to Hide: A World Without Privacy, by Jessica Grubesic
• Surveillance Advertising, by Amer Mneimneh

Listen, rate, and subscribe!

• Podcast Home: Our podcast episodes can be found at flawschool.org
• [F]law Website: Find more [F]law articles and content at theflaw.org
• Systemic Justice Project: All [F]law content is a product of the Systemic Justice Project at systemicjustice.org
• Newsletter Sign-Up: Subscribe to receive curated content from The [F]law here.
• Listen to [F]law School on Your Favorite Platform:
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If you enjoyed this episode of [F]law School, please leave us a review wherever you listen to podcasts! Class dismissed!

For more information, go to thie episode's

Welcome to [F]law School, a podcast created by high school, college, and law school students, as well as young lawyers interested in exploring the flaws in the law.

The podcast will focus especially on how many of our most urgent social problems are the product of those flaws and how those flaws are the product of corporate power and influence over of the legal system — including legal education, the legal profession, and the judiciary.

Each episode features interviews with authors from The [F]law magazine, discussing their articles and personal experiences. Learn more on our webpage at flawschool.org and in this brief trailer.

Please subscribe there or wherever you listen to podcasts.