Posts made in July 2020

NEEDTOBREATHE – Banks

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GRAMMY Award-nominated rock band NEEDTOBREATHE have returned with Banks, the fifth song off their highly anticipated new album Out of Body. The track is available to stream and download starting today HERE. Watch a visualizer for the track HERE. Out of Body is due for release on August 28, 2020 via Elektra Records/Centricity Music, and is available for pre-order and pre-save now HERE. Limited edition merch bundles and experiences are available exclusively through NEEDTO BREATHE online store HERE.

“This song is about the women in our lives… they are strong, ambitious, patient, caring, and intelligent forces of nature, the band shared. Banks is our way of saying we support you and that there’s nothing more beautiful than watching you effortlessly become the very thing you were made to be.”

Earlier this week, NEEDTOBREATHE announced they will welcome their new album with Celebrating Out of Body, a fully immersive concert experience directed by acclaimed filmmaker Elizabeth Olmstead (Brandi Carlile, The Highwomen) that will see the band perform their new songs live for the very first time. Streamed from the studio in Nashville, TN, this high definition audio and video experience will put fans right in the middle of a live performance to celebrate the album’s release. Celebrating Out of Body will take place on Friday, August 28th at 9:00pm ET. Tickets are available now HERE.

NEEDTOBREATHE introduced Out of Body in April with the release of anthemic lead single Hang On and ballad Seasons. American Songwriter claimed, Hang On could easily be the next summertime sing-along, and E! News praised the track as The sort of anthem we all need right about now. Hang On has already soundtracked a national campaign for the PGA Tour’s Impact Initiative and been featured in the season finale of American Idol. Last month, NEEDTOBREATHE launched the album’s pre-order, and shared its third song Survival (feat. Drew & Ellie Holcomb). The band also shared the emotionally charged track Who Am I. Fans who pre-order Out of Body will receive immediate downloads of all five songs the band has unveiled.

On Out of Body, the platinum-certified trio, Bear Rinehart [vocals, guitar], Seth Bolt [bass, vocals], and Josh Lovelace [keys, vocals], examine life, family, and friends through a youthful prism. The guys take stock of not only two decades as a band, but also first-time fatherhood and the future over a rich soundtrack of soulful rock with stadium-size scope and poetic intimacy. After spending a week at a beach house in Charleston to gather thoughts and ideas, the trio headed to Nashville, to record alongside producers Cason Cooley and Jeremy Lutito. As they cultivated a team atmosphere, the songs organically came to life.

Out of Body follows 2016’s H A R D L O V E, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top Current Album Sales Chart, and featured the gold-certified title track Hard Love.

ABOUT NEEDTOBREATHE:

GRAMMY Award-nominated NEEDTOBREATHE have mounted a steady ascent to the top of the charts and packed arenas everywhere. Formed in 1998, the group attracted a loyal grassroots following with their full-length debut Daylight [2006] and its follow-up The Heat [2007]. Two years later, The Outsiders became their first Top 20 entry on the Billboard Top 200 before eventually going gold. During 2011, The Reckoning landed at #1 on the Billboard Top Rock Albums Chart and #6 on the Top 200. In addition to bowing at #3 on the Top 200, 2014’s Rivers in the Wasteland yielded the platinum-selling Hot 100 hit Brother [feat. Gavin DeGraw] and Multiplied, which garnered their first GRAMMY nod. Meanwhile, H A R D L O V E [2016] marked their highest chart bow yet, debuting at #1 on the Billboard Top Current Album Sales Chart, as the title track Hard Love [feat. Andra Day] scored a gold plaque. Along the way, they headlined and sold out iconic venues such as Red Rocks Amphitheatre, The Greek Theatre, and Ryman Auditorium, to name a few. The group picked up a pair of nominations at the Billboard Music Awards, and received praise from People, Rolling Stone, Forbes, and more. Now, NEEDTOBREATHE reflect the freedom of youth on their seventh full-length offering, Out of Body [Elektra Records/Centricity Music] over a rich soundtrack of soulful rock with stadium-size scope and poetic intimacy.

Follow NEEDTOBREATHE: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

Dennis Quaid × UTA

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Leading global talent and entertainment company UTA has signed multi-hyphenate superstar Dennis Quaid for worldwide representation in all areas. UTA will support Quaid as he expands his newly launched podcast business while furthering his thriving career in film, television, music, touring and more.

Most recently, Quaid co-founded Audio Up, a podcast content studio, network, and production company, and launched his own podcast, The Dennissance, on the platform. He will run Audio Up alongside CEO Jared Gutstadt. In addition to The Dennissance, Quaid is involved in several other Audio Up podcasts. He co-hosts The Pet Show with Jimmy Jellinek, which premiered on July 14; Uncle Drank: The Totally Hammered Podcast alongside Gary Busey, which will debut in October with Warner Records set to release the soundtrack; and Make It Up As We Go, which he is executive producing and is due to release this fall.

Quaid is an acclaimed actor known for his roles in hit films The Rookie, The Day After Tomorrow, Traffic, Vantage Point, Frequency, The Parent Trap, Soul Surfer, The Right Stuff, and Breaking Away. More recently, his latest big-screen credits include starring roles in Sony’s thriller The Intruder, Universal’s A Dog’s Journey and A Dog’s Purpose, and Roadside Attractions’ I Can Only Imagine, among others. For his role in Todd Haynes’ Far from Heaven, he won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for “Best Supporting Actor,” the Chicago Film Critics’ Association Award for “Best Supporting Actor,” the Online Film Critics Society Award for “Best Supporting Actor,” and the Film Independent Spirit Award for “Best Supporting Male.”

Currently, Quaid is developing The Charley Pride Story, which he will produce along with Ben Howard’s production company, Third Coast Content. Quaid is also set to star in the Ronald Reagan biopic, Reagan, produced by Mark Joseph, with production beginning in the near future.

On the television side, Quaid recently starred in and executive produced Netflix’s holiday-themed multi-camera comedy series Merry Happy Whatever. He also starred in the third season of Amazon’s Goliath opposite Billy Bob Thornton, which premiered in 2019. Previously, he was nominated for numerous awards including a Golden Globe, a SAG Award, and a Primetime Emmy for his portrayal of Bill Clinton in the HBO movie, The Special Relationship. Additional TV highlights include starring in and executive producing Crackle’s auctioneering drama The Art of More and starring in the BAFTA-nominated Amazon series Fortitude.

Along with his acting accomplishments, Quaid is a singer-songwriter and touring musician who performs both original songs and country standards. After years of playing clubs with his band, Quaid released his debut album, Out of the Box, in November 2018.

He continues to be managed by George Freeman and represented by attorney Stewart Brookman at Hansen Jacobsen and Scott Adkins of Adkins Publicity for PR/Publicity representation.

Leading global talent and entertainment company UTA represents many of the most acclaimed figures across film, television, news, music, sports, speakers, theater, fine art, literature, video games, podcasts and other social and digital content. A passionate advocate for artists, creators and innovators, the company also is recognized in the areas of film finance and packaging, branding, licensing and endorsements. UTA is known for its dedicated digital media group helping clients—from A-list talent to Fortune 500 companies—capitalize on a rapidly changing entertainment, media and business landscape. The agency’s worldwide presence includes its Los Angeles headquarters and offices in New York, London, Nashville, Miami and Malmö, Sweden.

Dennis Quaid is a renaissance man, one of the busiest people in show business. Besides being an actor, musician, songwriter, writer and podcast pioneer; he is also a jet pilot, amateur astronomer, fly-fisherman, philosopher, low handicap golfer, medical safety advocate and armchair historian. He has powered a NASCAR around an oval track, given speeches and appeared before congress on patient safety, played golf with 2 presidents, piloted a dogsled in the arctic, meditated on the shore of the Ganges River in India, has run and cycled marathons, team-roped on a quarter horse, trained dogs and people, pitched on the mound in Texas stadium, been a middle-weight boxer, and can change a diaper in 20 seconds.

From the biggest, blockbuster movies, to being a hilarious and insightful talk-show guest and host, Dennis does it all. All of Dennis’s famous friends have interests outside of the thing they’re known for. In each episode of The Dennissance, Dennis talks to his guests about those things and what makes them unique in the world. This ongoing series features compelling and shareable content that focuses on honest conversations. The Dennissance combines all of Dennis Quaid’s famous friends and Denizens into a weekly podcast full of can’t miss content. The Dennissance is executive produced by veteran network TV executive David Hurwitz. Season one is out now, and season two has just started!

Audio Up is a podcast content production studio, housing a world of infinite, audio based properties. Lead by founder and CEO Jared Gutstadt (formerly of the Jingle Punks), Audio Up is building an ecosystem of premium entertainment content within the music and audio space. From fictional scripted podcasts, which include a Marvel-like universe of musicals, where the records themselves become the story foundation, to Dennis Quaid’s unfiltered interview series, The Dennissance, Audio Up’s goal is to create a new and innovative form of IP. They are bringing audio blockbusters to life and taking this media from black and white, into technicolor. Their upcoming slate of projects include Uncle Drank: The Totally Hammered Podcast, Make It Up As We Go with Scarlett Burke and other huge country entertainment names, Halloween In Hell, Finding Pierre, Ego System, S’ad Land and Hero The Band.

Follow Dennis Quaid: Instagram

Follow Audio Up: Instagram

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Tyga Bites

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Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist, Tyga, joins forces with renowned restaurateur Robert Earl and Earl’s son Robbie, for the launch of TYGA BITES, a celebrity-owned virtual dining concept. Now available through Grubhub, TYGA BITES is a delivery-only concept that specializes in antibiotic-free, oven-baked, boneless chicken bites. Grubhub will be offering free delivery on orders of $15 or more for the entire month of August to new and existing customers on their first purchase of TYGA BITES*.

With the idea conceived by Tyga, Earl paired the artist with acclaimed chef, author, and TV personality, Eric Greenspan, to create a carefully crafted, bite-sized all-natural chicken that’s baked, not fried. Tyga curated TYGA BITES by adding his own specialty spice dusts that sprinkle the chicken with the right amount of sweet and spice, along with a wide variety of dipping sauces to further enhance the flavors.

“I wanted to make sure the whole menu, flavors, and even the packaging was on point,” said Tyga. “The bites are baked just right; choose a dip then take a sip! I even threw in some chocolate chip cookies for dessert.”

TYGA BITES’ online menu offers crispy, oven-baked chicken bites in three different spice dusts including Black Garlic, Lemon Black Pepper, and Peri-Peri, a mix of tangy, sweet and spicy. The bites will also be served with the option of twelve different dips, along with regular or sweet potato Tyga Tots, chocolate chip cookies, and beverages.

“Tyga has been an inspiration to collaborate with on this brand—his instincts are spot-on,” said Robert Earl, Founder of Virtual Dining Concepts. “Consumers can now enjoy TYGA BITES at home through our partnership with Grubhub, offering contact-free delivery for everyone’s added comfort and peace of mind.”

“Today begins the independent restaurant revolution,” Robbie Earl elaborates. “We have created a blueprint that restaurants can truly benefit from with our VACs (virtual additional concepts). We are offering restaurateurs the opportunity to operate a second brand within their existing brick and mortar location, increasing their bottom line by also becoming a virtual kitchen owner.”

“Working with our partners at Virtual Dining Concepts on the new TYGA BITES brand, we have the exciting opportunity to provide our diners a new variety to choose from when ordering in,” stated Kevin Kearns, Senior Vice President, Restaurant Network at Grubhub. “We’re thrilled to give independent restaurants on our platform the opportunity to increase their total business by working with TYGA BITES, and by adding new locations across the country for our diners to try – it’s a win, win for everyone.”

TYGA BITES is now available in more than 30 major markets across the country, and with the support of independent restaurants, it is projected to have contracts with up to 500 locations by the end of August. Consumers based in Los Angeles, New York, Boston, San Francisco, Phoenix, Chicago, Philadelphia, Denver, Las Vegas, Houston, Washington D.C., Austin, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Pittsburgh, Albuquerque, Sacramento, St. Paul, Kansas City, Scottsdale, Columbus, Minneapolis, and Louisville are among the first wave with many additional locations opening soon.

A delivery-only virtual restaurant launched by Grammy-nominated recording artist Tyga and restaurateur Robert Earl, TYGA BITES taps into kitchens of existing brick-and-mortar restaurants located across the U.S. and is delivered to your door thru Grubhub. The menu features tender chicken that is baked and flavored with a choice of seasoning dusts, accompanied with a wide selection of dipping sauces, sides, and cookies. TYGA BITES initial rollout includes the following cities: Los Angeles, New York, Boston, San Francisco, Phoenix, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Denver. Additional locations will be added regularly. Consumers looking for a location near them should search for TYGA BITES on the Grubhub app. For more information please follow us @eattygabites on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

Grubhub is a leading online and mobile food-ordering and delivery marketplace with the largest and most comprehensive network of restaurant partners, as well as nearly 24 million active diners. Dedicated to connecting diners with the food they love from their favorite local restaurants, Grubhub elevates food ordering through innovative restaurant technology, easy-to-use platforms and an improved delivery experience. Grubhub features nearly 300,000 restaurants and is proud to partner with more than 200,000 of these restaurants in over 4,000 U.S. cities. The Grubhub portfolio of brands includes Grubhub, Seamless, LevelUp, AllMenus and MenuPages.

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BabyJake – Head In The Clouds

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Today, singer, songwriter BabyJake gifts fans with his new single, “Head In The Clouds,” taken from his debut EP, Don’t give me problems, give me wine, out this Friday—listen HERE and watch the visual HERE!

On the bouncy, jangly “Head in the Clouds,” BabyJake explores the hidden weight of emotional escape, juxtaposing bright guitarwork against moody lyrics about self-defeat and the pitfalls of depression and avoidance. Of the song, he says, “I’m always late. I have a hard time focusing. My mind is always somewhere else. ‘Head In The Clouds’ is about that…my daily struggles.”

“Head In The Clouds” follows BabyJake’s breakout singles, “Confidant,” “Blue Cellophane” and “MadHappySad,” as well as his collaborations with Dillon Francis, “You Do You” and “Touch,” released earlier this spring. Stay tuned for Don’t give me problems, give me wine out this Friday!

ABOUT BABYJAKE

Jake Herring, the artist who records as BabyJake, has a complicated relationship with music. Growing up in Fort Meyers, Florida, Herring first picked up the guitar when he was eight years old. By the time he was in high school, he was juggling a deep, somewhat private love of music with genuine enthusiasm for sports and partying with his friends. He didn’t feel like he fit in in any specific social group, and soon felt alienated. For solace, Herring turned to his dad’s folk records, favoring the low-key contemplative sounds that resonated with the sense of alienation that he was feeling. Though he maybe wasn’t conscious of it at the time, Herring was priming himself to be a sort of musical chameleon. Well versed in the building blocks of rock music, the intimacy of folk, and with an innate understanding of the rap and pop music he grew up around, he was constructing a well of disparate influences to draw from when he eventually made a serious go at a music career. After his freshman year of college, Herring dropped out and started writing songs as often as he could, debuting as BabyJake in 2019 with his viral single “Cigarettes on Patios,” which has accumulated over 35 million streams to date. Before too long, he had his first official body of work, which quickly evolved into a multifaceted career that currently involves a record label called daycare with an added merch/streetwear line and a budding career penning and producing songs with other artists. His seven-song debut EP, Don’t give me problems, give me wine, feels like the result of an artist older than his years, someone who has lived recklessly and loved hard and is ready to put it all on record.

ABOUT REPUBLIC RECORDS

A division of Universal Music Group, the world’s leading music company, Republic Records is home to an all-star roster of multi-platinum, award-winning legends and superstar artists such as Ariana Grande, Drake, Florence + the Machine, Greta Van Fleet, Hailee Steinfeld, Jack Johnson, James Blake, James Bay, Jessie J, John Mellencamp, Jonas Brothers, Julia Michaels, Kid Cudi, Liam Payne, Lil Wayne, Lorde, Metro Boomin, NAV, Nicki Minaj, Of Monsters and Men, Pearl Jam, Post Malone, Seth MacFarlane, Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Zendaya and more. Founded by brothers and chief executives Monte and Avery Lipman, it is also comprised of innovative business ventures, including American Recordings, Boominati Worldwide, Brushfire, Casablanca Records, Cash Money, Lava Records, Monkeywrench, XO, Young Money, among others. Republic also maintains long-standing strategic alliances with Universal Music Latin Entertainment (J Balvin and Karol G) and Hollywood Records. In addition, Republic has expanded to release high-profile soundtracks for Universal Pictures (Fifty Shades of Grey), Sony Pictures (Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse) and NBC TV (The Voice), as well as other notable film and television franchises. Extending further into the worlds of film, television, and content, Republic launched Federal Films during in order to produce movies and series powered by the label’s catalog and artists. Its first production is the Jonas Brothers documentary Chasing Happiness for Amazon Prime Video.

Follow BabyJake: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Bed Bath & Beyond

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By Armon Hayes

Post quarantine, many global citizens are adapting to the New World Order grand opening. College students, in particular, are navigating this semester, presenting new challenges, and subsequently shaping the future. COVID-19 has not only impacted economics across the board, but education as well.

Bed Bath & Beyond has products, services, and solutions to help everyone get ready for on or off-campus living. This is a crucial decision that many students will face, so it’s important that Bed Bath & Beyond makes college shopping easier and more convenient with great services and solutions. Bed Bath & Beyond is here to help with essentials, across the country students share faves and recommendations of what they couldn’t live without at school. Check out recommendations HERE.

No need to lug stuff from home to school. Students can pick out what they love online or at their local store and pick up at a store near campus to build a personalized workspace, whether students are home or away. From bedding to lighting, and décor, find everything needed to make a space cozy, functional, and authentically “you”! Utilize the Dorm & Apartment Checklists: A favorite resource among students and parents. These checklists have all they need for dorm or apartment life. Get it in-store or purchase online.

Whether it’s building a study-at-home setup or outfitting a new space, as of late, Bed Bath & Beyond outfitted live-work space for 360 Magazine. Gifting included Wamsutta collective comforter, designed with glamping in mind – a tent inspired bed set that’s beyond practical with deep cargo pockets, each at the head to store bedtime necessities. It is army green, which is the perfect neutral and ideal for anyone who enjoys snacks in bed. To complete the set, there are matching pillow shams with ringlet outline details. The awesome extras were two Dawson UGG pillows reminiscent of their iconic footwear and comfort.

They are experts for all thing’s college and solutions to help everyone get ready for on or off-campus living based on a student’s needs and budget. Save with Bed Bath & College Savings Pass: Get 20% off every purchase. Receive a great value on made-to-last items when shopping with the College Savings Pass! Unlimited use in-store or online through 9/30/20! Sign up HERE.

TCM To Celebrate Legendary Actress Olivia de Havilland

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A 24-Hour programming tribute to Olivia de Havilland will air on August 23rd with Summer Under The Stars.

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will celebrate the life and career of iconic actress Olivia de Havilland with a 24-hour programming tribute on Sunday, August 23 as part of its Summer Under The Stars series. De Havilland, who passed away on July 26 at the age of 104, was known for her enduring work in the classic movie era. Acting in more than 45 feature films, she earned five Academy Award® nominations, including Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her memorable turn as Melanie Hamilton Wilkes in Gone With the Wind (1940). She earned two Academy Award® wins for Best Actress in a Leading Role for To Each His Own (1946) and The Heiress (1949).

Off screen, her enduring legacy was the establishment of the informally named “De Havilland Law”, one of the most significant and far-reaching legal rulings in Hollywood. In 1943, de Havilland filed a lawsuit against her studio, Warner Bros., after it attempted to extend her seven-year contract. De Havilland’s eventual court victory helped shift the power away from the big studios into the hands of individual stars and talent agencies.

View a tribute video HERE.

The following is the complete schedule for TCM’s on-air tribute to Olivia de Havilland:

TCM Summer Under The Stars – Sunday, August 23

6:00 a.m. The Male Animal (1942) – A college professor fights censorship and an amorous football player who’s after his wife.

8:00 a.m. Princess O’Rourke (1943) – A flying ace’s romance with a princess creates diplomatic problems.

10:00 a.m. Light in the Piazza (1962) – A woman’s efforts to marry off her daughter are hindered by a family secret.

12:00 p.m. In This Our Life (1942) – A neurotic southerner steals her sister’s husband then vies with her for another man.

1:45 p.m. Captain Blood (1935) – After being unjustly sentenced to prison, a doctor escapes and becomes a notorious pirate.

4:00 p.m. Dodge City (1939) – A soldier of fortune takes on the corrupt boss of a Western town.

6:00 p.m. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) – The bandit king of Sherwood Forest leads his Merry Men in a battle against the corrupt Prince John.

8:00 p.m. Gone With the Wind (1939) – Classic tale of Scarlett O’Hara’s battle to save her beloved Tara and find love during the Civil War.

12:00 a.m. The Heiress (1949) – A plain young woman’s money makes her prey to fortune hunters.

2:15 a.m. To Each His Own (1946) – A single mother gives up her son, then fights to remain a part of his life.

4:30 a.m. Hard to Get (1938) – An unemployed architect falls in love with an heiress.

For more information, please visit TCM Remembers.

(All times Eastern)

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting the entire spectrum of film history. TCM features the insights from Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz along with hosts Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Jacqueline Stewart and Eddie Muller, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests and serves as the ultimate movie lover destination. Currently in its 26th year as a leading authority in classic film, TCM offers critically acclaimed series like The Essentials, along with annual programming events like 31 Days of Oscar® in February and Summer Under the Stars in August. TCM also directly connects with movie fans through events as the annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, the TCM Big Screen Classics series in partnership with Fathom Events, as well as through the TCM Classic Film Tour in New York City and Los Angeles. In addition, TCM produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs, and hosts a wealth of material online on the TCM Website and through the Watch TCM mobile app.

Follow Turner Classic Movies: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pressroom

Don’t Bank on the Bomb and Civil Society

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By Susi Snyder

A vibrant civil society is an indicator of a healthy society. It encompasses many things, from the business sector to NGOs to coalitions and campaigns. Civil society can calibrate the moral compass we need to guide decision making. Often driven by a humanitarian imperative, civil society works consistently to strengthen international law, to protect civilians, and to advance our human development beyond old clumsy tools of indiscriminate harm. Civil society helps us hold our elected officials accountable to their commitments to disarmament and building just peace. I am honored to stand on the shoulders of those who came before me, who kept the fire burning for nuclear abolition.

In 2017 the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) won the Nobel Peace Prize for the Treaty to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons. One of the projects we are proud to implement as part of ICAN is Don’t Bank on the Bomb. Through our unique research and publication, we publicly identify the companies behind the production of nuclear weapons.

Because nuclear weapons are not only produced by government agencies, in most of the nuclear-armed countries, private companies produce the key components necessary to use nuclear weapons.

Don’t Bank on the Bomb identifies the companies involved, and also names the banks, pension funds and insurance companies that invest in them. These financial institutions are trying to make a profit by helping to build inhumane and indiscriminate weapons. We name them and actively engage with them to encourage them to end their investments. We also encourage the governments that are currently ratifying the treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons to include an understanding that the prohibition on production also prohibits any investment in the companies that produce them.

Don’t Bank on the Bomb is also a way for civil society to play another of its necessary roles–to keep offering hope and confidence that change is possible. We make it a point to also profile those institutions that have rejected any association with nuclear weapons producers–those that have excellent policies prevent investment. It is important to always have role models.

We know from other efforts that divestment, by even a few institutions, for the same reason can have a tremendous impact on the way a company operates. In 2017, two American companies decided to end the production of cluster bombs, despite the failure of the US to sign onto the Cluster Munitions Convention. The companies said they wanted to enable European investors to invest in them again.

Divestment activities are powerful, and they generate change. They are also something anyone who has a bank account or pension plan can do. The recipe for success is simple: a bit of information, a bit of courage, and a healthy dose of perseverance. Simply asking your bank if they have a policy on nuclear weapons and telling them if they don’t, they should, is a great way to start. Sending a message like that actively reinforces the idea that nuclear weapons are inhumane and unacceptable. They are not a sustainable industry, and the time to end investments is now.

Hope is fuelled by the opportunity to take action. These opportunities are provided by civil society globally and they build on one another. A small success can build and grow and eventually become a world changing event.

Twenty years ago, when the treaty to ban anti-personnel landmines was signed, we witnessed the power of civil society and the potential of humanitarian disarmament. It continued with the prohibition of cluster munitions and now includes the prohibition on nuclear weapons. Civil society, working with States and international organizations, can and does harness the power to prevent unacceptable suffering and redirect energies towards building sustainable and just societies.

Civil society plays many roles. It elevates and amplifies the voices of those affected. It reframes and reshapes discussions. Civil society can move politicians to show leadership and advance policies to move mountainous agendas, at least a little bit. Civil society provides the evidence, the research, and the justification for acting to prevent harm, to disarm now–before it is too late. And civil society is creative. We come up with slogans and cheers, demonstrating in the streets, or dancing atop decommissioned missile silos. Civil society is a necessary partner in moving the abolition agenda, and through all our efforts, civil society continues to hope–hope that the goodness in every human heart will shine through the darkest of times and lead us to the light of a nuclear-weapons-free world.

Today we need that hope. The hope found in campaigns like the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). The hope portrayed by our partners around the world. And with that I hope we will continue to work together to achieve nuclear disarmament and integral human development.

Susi Snyder is the primary author and coordinator of the joint PAX and ICAN project, Don’t Bank on the Bomb. Her testimony for the Holy See is published in A World Free from Nuclear Weapons: The Vatican Conference on Disarmament (Georgetown University Press, 2020). It is published at the solemn 75th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

Follow A World Free From Nuclear Weapons: Facebook

Westside Gunn x New Album

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Westside Gunn has announced his long-awaited, incredibly anticipated Shady Records debut LP Who Made The Sunshine for August 28. The release date coincides with the second annual Westside Gunn Day, a day in Buffalo commemorated by the Mayor of the city recognizing everything he has done for his hometown. Gunn, who is a strong believer in the power of album cover art, has previously worked with such creative minds as Virgil Abloh on Pray For Paris and has always followed his own vision to create truly unique and inspiring art for all of his projects. This time he finds his inspiration close to home, with the artwork designed by WS POOTIE, Gunn’s daughter. On art and Who Made The Sunshine Gunn explains “I live my life based on ART, everything is ART, sometimes you might understand it sometimes you might not, sometimes you might not get the masterpiece until later on, but I knew it was a masterpiece the moment I made it”.

Westside Gunn is one of the most prolific artists currently in the game having already turned heads and made waves this year with Pray For Paris. The album garnered widespread critical acclaim, with heavy praise coming from the likes of GQ, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, The Ringer, Stereogum, NPR to name a few. The album also saw Gunn’s entry into Billboard Top 200 for the first time. Three months later Gunn released his FLYGOD Is An Awesome God II mixtape, yet another highpoint for rap in 2019, and another addition to an impeccable discography. Gunn’s rap acumen and grind have brought him from the streets of Buffalo, NY to cosigns and deals with two of the biggest and most important rappers of all time; via a deal with Eminem’s Shady Records and a management partnership with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation, and his drive, determination and vision has established his independent record label, Griselda, as one of the most important and exciting imprints in the culture. Stay tuned for more details on the album coming soon.

IGTO Canada × ACTA

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As a proactive initiative to begin the reopening of the international tourism industry and travel abroad – and more importantly to Israel from Canada – on July 21, 2020, the Israel Ministry of Tourism / IGTO Canada signed a corporate partnership with ACTA.

The Israel Ministry of Tourism was eager to build a stronger collaborative relationship in Canada’s travel industry and with ACTA retail travel agency members and their clients from coast to coast. The ACTA partnership with the Israel Ministry of Tourism will promote education, Israel specialist accreditation and other public relations and sponsorship avenues designed for Canadian companies to learn just how broad a spectrum Israel niche experiences offer – and the bottom line revenue that can be generated.

Through the agreement, ACTA and Israel Ministry of Tourism will support each other in growth through their mutual commitment to work together in the best interest of the travel agency community.

Gal Hana, Consul for Tourism, Director for Canada – Israel Ministry of Tourism stated: “I am pleased to sign another significant cooperation agreement with a main stakeholder in the Canadian market such as ACTA. With this, Israel continues to increase our investments in the Canadian market as a result of the record tourist numbers of the last three-to-five years and with the Canadian travel industry understanding the potential of Israel. When it comes to responsible tourism, ACTA is a natural and meaningful partner to promote such an important topic within the industry. We cannot wait to open the borders between Israel and Canada and to welcome tourists back into both countries.”

Wendy Paradis, ACTA President stated: “It is fantastic that Israel and ACTA will be working together to educate travel agents across Canada on this very unique and intriguing destination, as well as jointly promoting Israel and the value of working with a professional travel agent when planning for a trip of a lifetime.”

ACTA is a national member-based trade association that represents the retail sector of Canada’s tourism industry. Over 24,000 travel agents across the country work with member travel agencies representing more than 80% of the travel businesses booked through a travel agency in Canada.

ACTA is an industry led, non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of members with governments, regulatory agencies and travel suppliers in the best interests of the retail travel sector and consumers who benefit from the professional services provided by our members.

The Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT), is Israel’s national tourism agency responsible for planning and implementing marketing and promotional initiatives to position Israel as a preferred travel destination. IMOT aims to increase tourism traffic to contribute to Israel’s economy, and to enhance and diversify the visiting experience. IMOT offices in North America are in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago and Toronto.

Disclosure – Douha (Mali Mali)

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In keeping with their tradition of enlisting international collaborators, Disclosure once again teams up with Fatoumata Diawara on their new single, Douha (Mali Mali); Brothers Guy and Howard Lawrence first teased the song during their April Boiler Room session, live from isolation, and fans have been asking for it ever since. A sonic exploration of impressive proportions, Douha (Mali Mali); transports listeners from the dancefloor of collective memory, over continents to distant lands, to languish in ecstatic escape from the dire straits around us. Diawara, who featured on the duo’s GRAMMY-nominated 2018 single, Ultimatum; sings in celebration of her birthplace and urges all Malians to be proud of their country. Download/stream HERE.

Disclosure have long championed the ethos of unity and the power of rallying a global community through dance music and their new album, ENERGY, alongside this new flagship single, strives to do just that. The breathtaking video, directed by Mahaneela, encapsulates this concept in full. View HERE.

Mahaneela said, Éc; Right now, all over the world, we’re going through an incredibly strange time. I wanted to makes something that was visually beautiful, but also felt symbolic of what we’re all going through; People feel more isolated than ever and I wanted to create something joyful that really shows the power music and movement has and the connectivity it brings.

Shooting any video during a global pandemic is challenging, but the international effort employed here has delivered amazing results. Filming Fatoumata plus a series of different dancers all moving together to the song, all over the worldwas no mean feat. The video was shot in three countries using nine different locations with three separate local film crews, all adhering to safety guidelines. Together, they captured remarkable rural and cityscapes in Como, Italy, Johannesburg, South Africa, and New York.

Disclosure launched ENERGY, their third album, with the carnival-infused title track featuring Eric Thomas in May and followed up with another bold statement of intent in June: MyHighÉd; ft. Portland’s Amin; and Northampton’s slowthai going head to head on an insanely exciting hip-house rampage. Fans who pre-order the album digitally will instantly receive Douha (Mali Mali); plus Éc; My HighÉd; and the title track. Set for August 28 release, ENERGY will also be available on vinyl, CD, and cassette. Pre-order HERE.

This year marks 10 years since Disclosure debuted with the single Éc; Offline Dexterity. Éd; In that decade, Guy and Howard Lawrence, who are still in their 20s; have released two albums Settle (2013) and Caracal (2015) clocked up 5.1 billion streams and 4.8 million album sales, received five GRAMMY nominations, sold 500,000 tickets to their headline shows and topped festival bills all over the world. Both of their full-length albums topped the U.K. Official Albums chart and received GRAMMY nominations for Best Dance/Electronic Album. Settle was named the No. 1 dance album of the decade by Billboard. A pair of EPs Moonlight and Ecstasy followed.