by Brittney Melton

June 8, 2025

Good morning. This week, Pete Hegseth ordered the Navy to strip gay rights leader Harvey Milk's name off a ship, fans of the Nintendo Switch 2 waited in line for days ahead of its debut, and the iconic Goodyear Blimp turned 100.

More alike than different

Love is a beautiful thing, no matter the size, shape and color it comes in. Every day as I walk around D.C. and see couples holding hands, I am in awe of and for them. To find your person is a blessing. For many of us, just finding someone to spend our lives with seems like such a challenge, especially as the years tick by and social norms differ. However, the Up First newsletter team recently asked interracial couples to share stories about their relationships, and I was reminded that some couples face barriers even after finding love.

A collage of eight images showing different interracial couples.

Top row (left to right): Ayla Ludwig, Jenna Light Photo, delanoscott.com, and Nina Solis. Bottom row (left to right): Stacey Manley, Isaiah Schauer, Craig Wiesner, and Lynnea Hutton with the image taken by Miles Louison.

In 2025, interracial couples are fairly common. But less than 60 years ago, interracial marriage was illegal in parts of the U.S. It's shocking when I think about the fact that my grandma was in her 30s when the law still impacted couples.

The law changed after Mildred and Richard Loving, a Virginia couple who were arrested for being in an interracial marriage, won the landmark Loving v. Virginia case on June 12, 1967. Their court case set the precedent for interracial couples to be together without repercussions. To commemorate this decision, we wanted to hear from readers about their relationships. Like always, you didn’t disappoint. Over 200 entries came in. Readers didn't shy away from talking about their challenges, the love they share and the why they fell in love with their other half.

Though I am not in a relationship, I found myself understanding many readers' perspectives. Anytime I have considered dating outside of my race, I've been concerned about how my family would accept the person I would bring into the fold. I know my family loves me and wants the best for me, but dating outside of your race can sometimes feel complex if your household hasn't seen many mixed-race relationships.

More than anything, these stories shone a light on what is most important: the love between you and your life partner. Many readers expressed how they would receive weird comments about their relationships, receive side-eye looks or even have to cut off families for racist comments. This can feel overwhelming, scary and anxiety-inducing. Luckily, none of these readers have had to do it alone.

Couples shared with me not only their adversities but also how they are able to have lasting, deep relationships. Many couples expressed that their biggest challenges had nothing to do with being in an interracial relationship at all.

Debra Whyte says her relationship taught her that we are all just people, and the only thing that truly differs is our cultures and how we were raised. “If you just go up and talk to someone and get to know them, many things are the same and many are different,” she said. “If you respect those differences, acknowledge them and most importantly, accept them, this world will be a much more loving world. In the end, we are more alike than we are different.”

Read more life lessons from nine couples in interracial relationships here. Tune in to Morning Edition next week to hear even more stories from featured couples.

Check out more great reads from the NPR network you may have missed:

Tonight is the Tony Awards! The show starts at 8 p.m. ET and will feature the original cast of Hamilton reuniting for a performance for its 10th anniversary. Here’s how you can watch.
The Trump administration’s mishandling of data has hindered the government’s ability to produce census results, economic indicators and other key statistics. The mismanagement is one reason people may decline to share their information in ongoing government surveys.
According to the Labor Department, the federal government has shed 59,000 jobs since January and 22,000 in May alone as President Trump works toward his quest to shrink the federal workforce. Last month, hiring also slowed, with employers adding 139,000 jobs.
An NPR investigation found that in the juvenile system, the time that young offenders spend in jail awaiting trial isn't counted toward their ultimate sentence. However, the adult system does provide the time credit. As a result, months are added to the duration that young offenders are confined away from their families.

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Podcast Club

Eriko Koga/Getty Images

Thanks for tuning in last week to the Code Switch episode “Why tacos are as 'American' as apple pie.” The podcast examines the history of Mexican cuisine in the U.S. and asks what it takes for a food to be considered quintessentially "American." After checking out the episode, Michael Hartman said he found the discussion “interesting.”

Today, we’re listening to Short Wave. “Nature Quest: The Climate-Kid Question” discusses how Gen Z and younger millennials are the most climate-literate generation that the world has ever seen. They learned about climate change in school, and now it’s part of how they plan for the future. Climate change impacts many of their decision, from what jobs to take to whether to have children. Experts chime in on how to navigate raising a child in a way that is good for the kid and the environment. Listen to the episode or read the transcript here.

Has climate change impacted the way you feel about raising or having children? Listen to this episode and let us know. Your response could be featured in next week’s newsletter.

This week on The Sunday Story from Up First, NPR’s Investigations Correspondent Laura Sullivan discusses the obstacles many communities face when trying to rebuild after severe weather. Listen to Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

Phonetically 'Gay'

The words "Sunday Puzzle" over a white background. The name "Will Shortz" is under the Sunday Puzzle title, etched into red dice.

NPR

It's time for the Sunday Puzzle! For today's on-air challenge, every answer today is a word or name with the syllable “gay” — phonetically, in any spelling — somewhere inside it. For example, in the sentence, “Group of worshippers in a church,” the answer would be congregation (congreGAYshun). Test your skills here. Check this page later to hear the answers, or catch them live on Weekend Edition at 8:41 a.m.

This week's online challenge comes from listener Joseph Young, of St. Cloud, Minn. Name certain female animals. Insert a T somewhere inside the word, and you'll get a synonym for this animal's offspring. What animals are these? Submit your answer here and you could win a chance to play next Sunday's on-air puzzle.

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This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.

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