But when I turned 11 years old, Memorial Day wasn’t just a day off from school anymore. It meant sitting through an actual memorial ceremony where everyone stared at me pitifully, like I was a hurt puppy. It meant my dad was not coming home. On February 18, 2007 — just before his 37th birthday — he and seven others died in a CH-47 helicopter crash in southeastern Afghanistan. This holiday became personal. The discounts became a lifelong membership to a club I didn’t ask to be a part of. getting away with it. Each time a police officer has taken the life of an unarmed Black person and our justice system has declared them “not guilty,” both institutions are telling the world that Black livesdon’t (both of whom have written for Britney Spears, Selena Gomez, and Justin Bieber, to name a few).ContentView Iframe URL Hailing from Wisconsin—and helping represent the Midwest at SXSW—this six-piece band booked some buzzy gigs after playing at last year's festival. They're returning this year with some major touring under their belt, including opening up forThe Lumineers