By any standards, the year 2003 was a monumental year across the board.

Just as the dust was beginning to settle after the catastrophic events of 9/11/2001, the United States declared war on Iraq. Though George W. Bush stood under a banner declaring "Mission Accomplished" in May 2003, the war was far from over eventually became the longest war the United States ever fought, shaping the geopolitical landscape we face today.

Simultaneously, the internet's potential was clarifying every day: in the founding of Myspace, in Howard Dean's online fundraising, in the popular adoption of Wifi, in music piracy that rankled the recording industry so much that by 2003 they were suing grandparents.

In popular culture, too, new forms were emerging with reality television's first iterations laying the groundwork for the TV that we still watch today, a slate of new programming such as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy that advanced LGBTQ representation and awareness, and a music landscape that saw the first solo work from Beyonce as well as the rise of Nu Metal and timeless hits like Outkast's Hey Ya that became the best selling song on the brand new iTunes.  

The OC and Arrested Development, two different takes on real estate families in Orange County, offer dark foreshadowing of 2008's housing crash, while shows like The Simple Life and Rich Girls reveal a fascination with a widening wealth gap that would only get more stratified in the ensuing decade. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

This podcast explores life at this turning point moment in history — when I posit the 21st century actually started — and how it still haunts us to this day. Each episode explores one or two topics, features a special guest who shares their expertise or experience and memories from the year 2003, and a song of the week.

It's an independent passion project created, produced, and hosted by me. If you'd like to learn more about the podcast or suggest a topic, please email classof03.pod@gmail.com.

Do you love it? Loves it.

Listen to Class of '03 wherever you get your podcasts today!