Posts made in March 2021

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21 Afro-Latinxs to celebrate in 2021 and beyond!

By: Javier Pedroza

It’s Black History Month, which gives the planet time to reflect on how African American achievements have contributed to US history and how African achievements have contributed to the world. Although, don’t forget it is important to highlight and celebrate Black accomplishments year around. Due to the current global climate, it’s important to become more knowledgeable and celebrate the Afro-Latinx population for its contributions to US history and the world.

After 2020, it is an especially important time to embolden the community to take part in the celebration of Black culture. This year, the Black History Month theme is “Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity” which explores the African diaspora and their contributions.

To really understand the African diaspora it is essential to acknowledge that there were more African slaves to Latin America than to the United States. “There were 11.2 million Africans who came to the New World in the slave trade and of that 11.2 million, only 450,000 came to the United States,” Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. said in a discussion about his PBS documentary series Black In Latin America. He added, “The real black experience, in terms of numbers, is all throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.”

Today, Latinx should understand their roots, which have an undoubtedly long history of African heritage. Hispanics & Latinx identities are beautifully complex, multifaceted and multidimensional. A Pew Research Center survey of Latinx, adults shows that one-quarter of all U.S. Latinx self-identify as Afro-Latinx, Afro-Caribbean, or of African descent with roots in Latin America. This is the first time a nationally representative survey in the U.S. has asked the Latinx population directly whether they considered themselves Afro-Latinx.

Many Latinos identify with their ancestral countries of origin – Puerto Rico, Colombia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Cuba, Peru, the Dominican Republic, etc. Others may also identify with their Indigenous roots and all of these experiences made contributions to Black History. A goal to have moving forward is to celebrate global Black History and continue to recognize the contributions African-Americans have made to the world, including achievements made by Afro-Latinxs & Afro-Indigenous people. It’s imperative for Latinxs to acknowledge their African & Indigenous heritage given that history and cultures are inextricably linked to slave trade in the Americas, genocide and the African Diaspora.

Here’s a growing list of amazing Afro-Latino (a,x) heroes and their contributions.

1. Arturo Alfonso Schomburg

(January 24, 1874 – June 10, 1938)

Place of birth: Santurce, Puerto Rico

Contributions: Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, born to a Black mother and father of German descent, was a historian. Mr. Schomburg is considered to be one of the Fathers of Black History & a key figure in the Harlem Renaissance. Schomburg’s lifework consisted of research and preservation—work that would lead him to become one of the world’s premier collectors of Black literature, slave narratives, artwork, and diasporic materials.

2. Dr. Marta Moreno-Vega

(January 3, 1942)

Place of birth: East Harlem, New York

Contributions: Dr. Marta Moreno-Vega is an Afro-Boricua who established the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI). Dr. Moreno Vega has been an advocate for cultural equity, cultural studies and education. As the second director of El Museo del Barrio, one of the founders of the Association of Hispanic Arts, Network of Centers of Color and the Roundtable of Institutions of Color, Dr. Moreno Vega has contributed to assuring that the contributions of African and African descendants are integral to the lives of civil society in the Americas.

3. Celia Cruz

(October 21, 1925 – July 16, 2003)

Place of birth: Havana, Cuba

Contributions: Celia Cruz was a singer & recording artist born and raised in Havana, Cuba. She was one of the most iconic artists of the 20th century. Her many honors included three Grammy Awards and four Latin Grammys for recordings such as Ritmo en el corazón (1988; with Ray Barretto) and Siempre viviré (2000).

4. Dr. José Celso Barbosa

(July 27, 1857 – September 21, 1921)

Place of birth: Bayamón, Puerto Rico

Contributions: Dr. José Celso Barbosa was a Physician, Sociologist and Politician. Known as the father of the Statehood for Puerto Rico movement, Barbosa was the first Puerto Rican, and one of the first persons of African descent to earn a medical degree in the United States.

5. Ruth Fernández (Ruth Noemi Fernández Cortada)

(May 23, 1919 – January 9, 2012)

Place of birth: Ponce, Puerto Rico

Contributions: Ruth Fernández, “El Alma de Puerto Rico Hecha Canción” (“The Soul of Puerto Rico Turned Song”) was a Puerto Rican contralto, actress, and a member of the Puerto Rican Senate. She was the first and only singer ever elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico. She was considered by many to be the Rosa Parks of Puerto Rico when she refused to enter the Vanderbilt Hotel in San Juan through its back entrance because she was a woman of color. The owners of the hotel stated that blacks had to enter through the rear of the building, but during one evening where she was set to perform at the hotel’s ballroom, she marched into the hotel via its front entrance. After this event, the hotel changed its policy.

6. Cardi B (Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar)

(October 11, 1992)

Place of birth: Manhattan, New York

Contributions: Afro-Latina Cardi B is a Dominican & Trinidadian rapper, songwriter, and actress raised in the Bronx, New York. Recognized by Forbes as one of the most influential female rappers of all time, Cardi B is known for her aggressive flow and candid lyrics, which have received widespread media coverage. She is the highest certified female rapper of all time on the RIAA’s Top Artists (Digital Singles) ranking, also appearing among the ten highest-certified female artists and having the two top-certified songs by a female rap artist.

She is the only female rapper with multiple billion-streams on Spotify and became the first artist to top the inaugural Billboard Global 200. Her accolades include a Grammy Award, eight Billboard Music Awards, five Guinness World Records, five American Music Awards, eleven BET Hip Hop Awards and two ASCAP Songwriter of the Year awards. In 2018 Time magazine included her on their annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, and in 2020, Billboard honored her as Woman of the Year.

7. Rosa Alicia Clemente

(April 18, 1972)

Place of birth: Bronx, New York

Contributions: Afro-Boricua Rosa Alicia Clemente is the 2008 United States Vice-Presidential Candidate, Producer, Journalist, Political Commentator & Scholar-Activist. Rosa is a graduate of the University of Albany and Cornell University. She is currently a doctoral student in the W.E.B. Du Bois Department of Afro-American Studies of University of Massachusetts Amherst.

8. Congressman Ritchie John Torres

(March 12, 1988)

Place of birth: Bronx, New York

Contributions: Ritchie Torres is an Afro-Boricua politician who is a member of the Democratic party. He is the US representative for New York’s 15th congressional district. Torres was the first openly gay candidate to be elected to legislative office in the Bronx, and the youngest member of the city council. Torres won the November 2020 general election and assumed office on January 3, 2021. This makes him one of the first openly gay Black men elected to Congress (along with Mondaire Jones). This also made Torres the first openly gay Afro Latino elected to Congress. As such, he is one of the nine co-chairs of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus in the 117th United States Congress.

9. Zoe Saldana (Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario) *Trending Now

(June 19, 1978)

Place of birth: Passaic, New Jersey

Contributions: Zoe Saldaña is of mixed ethnic heritage, with her mother being of Puerto Rican descent and her father hailing from the Dominican Republic. Zoe is the only performer to get star billing in more than one movie that grossed over $2 billion worldwide with Avatar and Avengers: Infinity War.

10. Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos

(September 12, 1891 – April 21, 1965)

Place of birth: Ponce, Puerto Rico

Contributions: Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos was a Puerto Rican attorney, social activist, nationalist and the son of a mixed-race mother who was the daughter of slaves and a Basque father from a farming and landowning family. The latter not only provided no financial support but also did not legally recognize his son until he was 19, and Albizu Campos grew up in poverty. In 1912 he was awarded a scholarship to study chemistry and engineering at the University of Vermont. He transferred a year later to Harvard University, majoring in chemistry and literature and becoming the first Puerto Rican Harvard graduate. Many people in Puerto Rico consider Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos the father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement.

11. Carmelo Kyam Anthony

(May 29, 1984)

Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York

Contributions: Carmelo Anthony is an Afro-Latino professional basketball player. He has been named an NBA All-Star ten times and an All-NBA Team member six-time Anthony also played in the 2016 Olympic Games, his fourth straight stint in the Olympics, which was a record for a US male basketball player, breaking the old record of having played in three Olympiads he shared with James and Robinson. He has celebrated his roots by giving back to Puerto Rico, remodeling basketball courts in a poor neighborhood 3 years in a row now.

12. La La Anthony (Alani Nicole Vázquez)

(June 25, 1981)

Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York

Contributions: La La Anthony is an Afro-Puerto Rican actress, host, producer and New York Times best-selling author. La La Anthony has supported charities such as the Elton John AIDS Foundation, Gabrielle’s, Angel Foundation, GLAAD and Voto Latino.

13. Rosie Perez (Rosa María Perez)

(September 6, 1964)

Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York

Contributions: Rosie Perez is an Afro-Latina actress, choreographer and community activist. Rosie was appointed to the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS by President Barack Obama in 2010. Among many honors, Rosie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Fearless as well as three Emmy Awards for her work as a choreographer on In Living Color (1990–1994).

Perez has also performed in stage plays on Broadway, such as The Ritz, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, and Fish in the Dark. In addition, she was a co-host on the ABC talk show The View during the series’ 18th season.

14. MJ Rodriguez (Michaela Antonia Jaé Rodriguez)

(January 7, 1991)

Place of birth: Newark, New Jersey

Contributions: MJ Rodriguez is an African American and Puerto Rican actress who is among the largest cast of transgender actresses on the show Pose. MJ made history by becoming the first Trans woman to ever sign a beauty deal with Olay Body. MJ was awarded the Hispanic Heritage Special Trailblazer Award at the 31st Hispanic Heritage Awards in Washington D.C.

15. Ramon E. Contreras

(22-years-old)

Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York

Contributions: Ramon Contreras is a young political activist, advisor and filmmaker who is changing the nature of civic engagement by championing and encouraging minorities to participate in politics. Ramon is a fierce gun control enthusiast and founded YouthOverGuns, a platform advocating for change in underserved communities of color. He led a protest of thousands across the Brooklyn Bridge and is the National Strategist for the nation-wide organization, March for Our Lives.

16. Laith Ashley De La Cruz

(July 6, 1989)

Place of birth: Harlem, New York

Contributions: Laith Ashley is a model, actor, singer-songwriter and entertainer of Dominican descent. He was the first transgender man to be featured in a Diesel campaign. Laith has been on the cover of countless magazines and has had featured stories published on countless others all around the world; ie, British GQ.

Laith was on the cast of the reality TV series, “Strut,” executive produced by Whoopi Goldberg, and raised the heart rates of viewers in his appearance on hit series, “Pose,” on FX. Ashley is also an activist, particularly in transgender issues. He worked with FLUX, a division of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which is dedicated to raising awareness and providing support to trans and gender-nonconforming people.

17. Dianne Morales

(June 21, 1967)

Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York

Contributions: Double Ivy League graduate Dianne Morales is an Afro-Boricua with degrees from Harvard University and Columbia University. Dianne is the former CEO of several multi-million dollar social service nonprofits and is also the first Latina / Afro-Latina candidate for New York City Mayor.

18. Johnny Pacheco

(March 25, 1935 – February 15, 2021)

Place of birth: Santiago De Los Caballeros, Dominican Republic

Contributions: Johnny Pacheco was one of the most influential artists of Latin music. He was one of the creators of The Fania All-Stars and Fania Record (#latinmotown), the most successful record label in the history of Latin music.

19. Aida Rodriguez (Aida Margarita Parada Rodriguez)

(August 29, 1977)

Place of birth: Boston, Massachusetts

Contributions: Aida Rodriguez is a comedian, host, producer, actress and the first Latina / Afro-Latina (Puerto Rican & Dominican) to appear in two comedy specials airing in one month on both HBO and Showtime. Aida’s latest comedy special premiered on Netflix as part of the “They Ready” series hosted by Tiffany Haddish. Rodriguez has also appeared on Comedy Central’s This Week at the Comedy Cellar, The Nightly Show, five-time host of the PBS Imagen Awards, NBC Last Comic Standing’s finals, TRUtv’s Laff Tracks and is also a regular contributor for The Young Turks.

20. Indya Moore

(January 17, 1995)

Place of birth: Bronx, New York

Contributions: Indya Moore is of Haitian, Puerto Rican, and Dominican ancestry. They are an actor among the largest cast of transgender on the show Pose. Moore does not identify as a Latinx, and instead identifies as Afro-Taíno. In June 2020, in honor of the 50th anniversary of the first LGBTQ Pride parade, Queerty named them among the fifty heroes “leading the nation toward equality, acceptance, and dignity for all people.”

21. Gina Torres

(April 25th, 1969)

Place of birth: Manhattan, New York

Contributions: Gina Torres is an actress and the first Afro-Latina to create, produce and star in her own show, ‘Pearson’. Torres won the ALMA Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Syndicated Drama Series for her role in Cleopatra 2525. Gina also received the Best Supporting Actress award by The Imagen Foundation (Spanish for “image”) Awards, the only premier Latino entertainment awards program dedicated to honoring the positive portrayal and creative excellence of Latinos and Latino cultures on screen.

Fact Check: We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn’t look right, contact us!

Happy Birthday Mister Rogers

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Virtual “Happy Birthday, Mister Rogers” Celebration Streams This Saturday, March 20th to Commemorate the Legacy of America’s Favorite Neighbor, Fred Rogers

Premiering on Saturday, March 20 at 10 am CT, Tom Bergeron (America’s Funniest Videos, Dancing with the Stars) will host a special virtual presentation of “Happy Birthday, Mister Rogers,” to commemorate America’s favorite neighbor, Fred Rogers’ 93 birthday. The virtual show will stream at the Mister Roger’s website, Facebook and on YouTube. It includes cameos and birthday shout-outs by celebrity recording artists Kellie Pickler, Vanessa Williams, Lee Greenwood, The Cowsills, Jaci Velasquez, Jim Brickman, Jon Secada, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr, Micky Dolenz, and Sandi Patty. The virtual celebration is also dedicated to the late Joanne Rogers, wife of Fred, who passed away earlier this year.

The virtual birthday bash is the brainchild of two-time Grammy and Emmy winning producer, Dennis Scott, who has produced two albums of Fred Rogers’ music: Songs from The Neighborhood – The Music of Mister Rogers (2005) & Thank You, Mister Rogers – Music & Memories (2019). Scott also interviewed numerous fans and supporters of Mister Rogers and was surprised by how many people received personal letters from him over the years. One compelling story is that of a young Connecticut girl who was visited by Fred while she was in a coma recovering from brain surgery.

“I wanted to give folks a chance to tell their stories and express their gratitude to Fred on what would have been his 93rd birthday,” said Scott.

Coincidently, producer Dennis Scott is simultaneously spearheading a grassroots campaign to get Fred Rogers nominated to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. A petition in support of that is viewable here.

“Fred loved writing songs and becoming a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, alongside other great American composers, is the best birthday present we could give him,” said Scott. “Happy Birthday, Mister Rogers!”

ROLLS-ROYCE BESPOKE CULLINAN BLACK BADGE

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“Every Bespoke Rolls-Royce represents a unique expression of the clients’ personal passions and character. We have had the privilege of working with Mr. and Mrs. Sloss on several previous commissions and were delighted to create a Cullinan Black Badge to augment an already impressive collection. This magnificent interpretation of our all-conquering SUV is a true work of art that captures their passion for racing, luxury, and automotive excellence. Mr. and Mrs. Sloss are highly discerning patrons with a clear vision and exacting standards. In their new Cullinan, as with all their Rolls-Royce motor cars, there is no compromise between style, luxury, and performance. We are delighted they have chosen to share their creation with the wider world.”

-Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Ben & Christine Sloss, car enthusiasts by day and endurance racers on the weekends, took delivery today of their latest Bespoke Rolls-Royce commission from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Los Gatos.

The Sloss’s new Cullinan Black Badge is finished in a unique Bespoke colorway, Pikes Peak Blue, created to their personal specification by the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective. The name is an homage to the legendary Colorado hill-climb, which is one of their favorite races. Combined with the vivid flashes of Forge Yellow on the hand-painted coachline, wheel-centre pinstripes and brake callipers, it carries the colors of the flag of Modena, the northern Italian province, and the livery carried by all the couple’s racing cars.

The Black Badge variant brings out the darker, edgier, more assertive side of Cullinan’s character. Mr. and Mrs. Sloss’s car includes the signature silver-on-black ‘RR’ monogram, dark window surrounds and custom two-tone Black Badge wheels. To underline the car’s performance credentials, the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy atop the dark Pantheon grille is milled from a solid billet of carbon fibre. Greeting the driver upon opening the front doors are personalized Black Badge tread plates designed to match the Black Badge logo. Each plate underwent a precise Physical Vapor Deposition coating process in Black, and then was engraved to reveal the silver metal of the client’s name – Benjamin on the Driver’s side, Christine on the Passenger’s side.

Inside, the seats are hand-crafted in navy-blue leather with accent stitching and monograms in Forge Yellow; similar contrast highlights appear on the fascia, door pockets and even the face of the brushed metal Bespoke clock. The Bespoke Technical Clock was created with Navy Blue Anodized brushed stainless steel surround and accented with Forge Yellow. The subtle accents with Forge Yellow highlights were developed especially for Mr. Sloss’s project to harmonize with the dark blue interior scheme. Each door panel is adorned with Mrs. Sloss’s personal racing logo – a stylized stiletto in embroidered leather – created by Mrs. Sloss and interpreted by a Bespoke specialist who previously worked as a shoe designer.

The Cullinan Black Badge perfectly complements the Bespoke Dawn Black Badge the Collective created for Mr. Sloss in 2018. In this spectacular example of the world’s most sociable drophead coupé, the color scheme is reversed, with the principal bodywork finished in bright yellow, and the bonnet and coachline in Pikes Peak Blue. The couple’s love of the open sky and Rolls-Royce elegance also carries over to Mrs. Sloss’s own two-tone Dawn.

BACKGROUND: BEN & CHRISTINE SLOSS

Black Badge Cullinan, Black Badge Dawn, Dawn, Wraith

“Our Rolls-Royce story began here at Pebble Beach in 2014 when we were looking for a two-door coupe with four useable seats for adults,” comments Ben Sloss. “Brands such as Aston Martin or Bentley do not offer anything suitable. When we saw the Rolls-Royce Wraith, we loved the style and elegance of the coupe, and when we took it for test drive we were impressed (really, startled) by how well it accelerated and handled, in addition to the sublime ride quality and materials we already associated with the Rolls-Royce brand. The Wraith offered a unique combination of luxury car experience and sports car performance, and we fell in love with it on the spot.”

Ben’s wife Christine subsequently commissioned a Rolls-Royce Dawn, a motorcar that quickly became her daily driver. “You can tell which are the favorite cars in our family by the mileage they have on them,” comments Mrs. Christine Sloss. “My Dawn has over 13,000 miles on the clock, because both Ben and I drive it regularly, and we enjoy its open-air experience so much that Ben decided he wanted one too.”

“Christine and I are both gentleman… err, gentleperson racing drivers, competing in endurance races in GT racing cars, and many of our street cars are two-seater supercars with a very distinctive and personal livery,” continues Ben Sloss. “Michael Fux showed me that Rolls-Royce’s craftspeople could create completely personal, outrageous but beautiful colour schemes, and when I heard about the sportier Dawn Black Badge, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to commission a very personal Rolls-Royce.”

Ben Sloss Dawn Black Badge

Through the Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Los Gatos dealership, Ben Sloss worked closely with the Bespoke Collective at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood to realize his vision for his perfect personal Rolls-Royce. His motor-racing pursuits led him to the more driver-focused Dawn Black Badge as the canvas for his vision, a reinterpretation of the livery on the couple’s racing cars.

“Our racing cars carry the colors of the flag of Modena in Northern Italy. I wanted to see what Rolls-Royce could do with those same colors,” comments Mr. Sloss. “The first time I saw the livery the Rolls-Royce team had created for the Dawn, I burst out with “O my God, that’s unreal– I love it!!’ It’s outrageous, it’s over the top… it’s perfect. I still grin every time I see it.”

The Bespoke Collective set to work reinterpreting the color scheme into Rolls-Royce design language, creating two new bespoke paint colors for the exterior of his Dawn Black Badge. The intense deep yellow that adorns the main bodywork has been named ‘Superflare’ due to its radiance under the California sun, whilst it is contrasted with the darkest of navy blues named Pikes Peak Blue, due to Mr. Sloss’ interest in the king of timed hill climbs. A further flash of Superflare yellow offsets the black of the 21” carbon fibre and aluminium wheel.

The same color scheme is continued throughout the interior of Mr. Sloss’ Dawn Black Badge, with the seats, dashboard, tonneau cover and rear seat waterfall clad in Navy Blue leathers, highlighted with Bright Yellow seat piping, stitched RR headrest logos and unique to Black Badge model infinity logo between the rear seats. The yellow theme continues in the cabin with a yellow flash along the door interiors, two-tone Navy Blue and Bright Yellow steering wheel and an exclusively developed Bright Yellow pinstripe applied to the Piano Milori Blue wood dashboard, the first use of Milori Blue outside the one-off customer Phantom, ‘Whispered Muse’, shown at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. Mr Sloss’ Dawn Black Badge is finished with a Navy Blue, leather-clad Aero Cowling enclosing the rear seats.

PUMA x KidSuper Studios

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PUMA and creative artist collective KidSuper Studios are back for another football-inspired, co-branded collection, which is infused with boundless imagination and continues to explore KidSuper’s artistic and experimental way of thinking.

The PUMA x KidSuper Studios collab boasts mix-and-match design elements and fun prints, and challenges the conventional look of a sneaker. Hook and loop closures, decorative zig-zag stitching, and embroidered branding are complemented by raw edges for a purposefully unfinished look. Inspired by founder and designer Colm Dillane’s unbridled love of football, the campaign images were shot with his favorite team–recent Copa Libertadores champions–Brazil’s Palmeiras. PUMA sponsored athletes Willian, Gabriel Veron, Weverton and Renan serve as the models for the collection.

Classic PUMA footwear styles are practically unrecognizable with the transformations in this collection. The RS-2K Slip-on is the standout piece, featuring the same camo inspired face print as the fleece top and pants, with a quilted upper. The Mirage Mox and Trailfox Boot get colorful transformations and feature unique aspects like stitched leather pieces on the collar to hold a pencil on the Trailfox, and tie dye laces on the Mirage Mox. The Ralph Sampson 70 offers a more subtle option, with a white leather upper and semi-translucent rubber overlay on the heel, KidSuper Studios embroidery on hook and loop straps, and an exposed foam edge on the formstrip and tongue.

Outfit yourself in a work of art when the PUMA x KidSuper collection drops on PUMA’s website, the PUMA NYC Flagship store and select retailers on March 20. Prices range from $60 to $160 for collection items.

Creating A Limitless Life

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Creating A Limitless Life”

Register for free on their website.

Chopra Global, the leading whole health company founded by Dr. Deepak Chopra, today announced the final release of the wildly popular 21-Day Meditation Experience titled “Getting Unstuck: Creating a Limitless Life,” led by Deepak Chopra and Oprah Winfrey. March 2021 marks one year since the COVID-19 pandemic has transformed daily life, with many people remaining “stuck” at home. The free, 21-Day program begins today and will help participants cultivate presence, tap into potential and unlock creativity to release stagnation and improve mental health.

Registration also includes access to an exclusive talk with Deepak Chopra reflecting on these challenging times and offering meditation and tools for cultivating mindful awareness. The program and talk are designed to help people tune into the power of the present and find joy and fulfillment in the everyday.

“Getting Unstuck: Creating a Limitless Life,” offers a 20-minute audio meditation each day and a series of thought-provoking reflection questions designed to anchor the teachings with a centering thought and mantra. The meditations are easily accessible from a tablet, computer, or Chopra Global’s new Meditation and Well-being App available in the Apple App Store and on Android.

“For the past eight years, Oprah Winfrey and I have joined forces to offer the 21-Day Meditation Experience programs. Now, we invite you to join us one last time to develops tools to guide you through these challenging times and create a limitless life in mindful awareness,” said Deepak Chopra.

“Getting Unstuck: Creating a Limitless Life” follows “Creating Peace from the Inside Out, which was re-released in November 2020. The 21-Day Meditation Experience series featuring Deepak and Oprah Winfrey first launched in 2013, and has since become a global phenomenon, with millions of participants and meditation groups around the world. The franchise currently features a catalogue of 18 different programs and features beautiful soundscapes, mantra-based meditations, and centering thoughts. For a limited time, the full library is still available for purchase at chopra.com/oprah.

Below is an overview of what participants can expect throughout this experience:

Week One: Creative Living is Here and Now

Week One will focus on expanding awareness of living in the present moment, which, in itself, is a renewal that brings new possibilities to the surface. By actualizing the present moment, the eternal “now,” we see ourselves in the limitless place where thought, feeling, and action can emerge in unique creation.

Week Two: Activating Your Creative Potential

Week Two is about expanding our participation in being alive by expanding our daily awareness of our own existence. The expansion of awareness holds the key to living from the creative source. Instead of struggling to change your life, you allow a growing awareness to create the change you want to see.

Week Three: Living the Complete Spirit of Creativity

The third week focuses on allowing newly awakened creativity to impact our lives at every level. Then, having awakened our fuller potential, we share the spirit of creative awareness – and spread the energy of “getting unstuck” to the people around us. The key is closing the gap between the self we see in the mirror and the true self. When those two are merged, anything becomes possible.

About Chopra Global

Chopra Global is a leading whole health company that is empowering personal transformation for millions of people globally to expand our collective well-being. Anchored by the life’s practice and research of Dr. Deepak Chopra, a pioneer in integrative medicine, Chopra Global’s signature programs have been proven to improve overall well-being through a focus on physical, mental and spiritual well-being. Chopra Global has been at the forefront of health and wellness for more than two decades with a portfolio that includes an editorial archive with more than 2,000 health articles, meditations, masterclasses, teacher certifications, live events and personalized retreats. By providing tools, guidance and community, Chopra aims to advance a culture of well-being and make a healthy, peaceful and joyful life accessible to all. For more information, interact with the team on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Deepak Chopra, M.D.

DEEPAK CHOPRA™ MD, FACP, is founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and of Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 90 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. For the last thirty years, Chopra has been at the forefront of the meditation revolution and his latest (and 91st) book, Total Meditation (Harmony Book) helps to achieve new dimensions of stress-free living and joyful living. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as “one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.” To learn more, visit his website.

How Does Online Sports Betting Work?

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With more and more of the world spending time at home, the interest in leisure activities has shifted. Over the past year or so, many are looking for ways to relax without spending a fortune. With trips to casinos often on hold and card nights amongst friends canceled, those who have fun gambling are often at a loss.

However, activities such as sports betting are available online and easy for anyone to get started. For those who don’t know how sports betting online works, it can feel like a scam. Worse yet, it can be a self-destructive hobby. In reality, it’s neither. Sports betting doesn’t require a large financial investment or blind faith in a website. In fact, many reputable sports betting sites will give you a hand getting started.

Is Online Sports Betting Illegal?

Absolutely not. While many forms of gambling, including online poker and blackjack, are now illegal in some countries, online sports betting is perfectly legitimate. There are, of course, strict rules and regulations that keep the industry in check. However, these rules and regulations are for the benefit of those placing bets. The crackdown on internet gambling that began a few years ago made sure that those sports betting sites that operate today are trustworthy and honest.

You can win real money with online sports betting, but most players deal in small amounts. The thrill of winning is not necessarily in the form of a briefcase full of cash but the fun of rooting for your favorite teams and players.

How Do I Get Started?

If you’ve placed money on a game before, you’re likely somewhat familiar with sports betting. The goal is to maximize the opportunities to win, plain and simple. However, each website has its own way of handling transactions and making bets. Before you begin playing, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations.

Read the fine print carefully to find out how long it takes for winnings to hit your account, when you can cash out, and how many transactions you can place in any given period. Fans of sports betting online tend to enjoy the convenience of logging in and seeing all activity in one place. That way, betting and money management are simpler.

What Is a “No-Deposit” Bonus?

It may sound too good to be true, but sometimes there’s such a thing as free money! Most large online sports betting establishments attract customers by offering a no-deposit bonus. This means you’ll be given a certain amount of money just for signing up and completing registration, a perk of many gaming and gambling sites.

However, in sports betting, it’s not just applicable to your first deposit. You have the option to only bet using the money given to you as a bonus. It’s typically a small amount, from $5 to $15. If you win, you’ll win real money as with any other kind of bet. If you lose, you’ve only lost free bonus money. Many websites even return this in some form. It’s a wonderful way to ease into a new hobby or check out a new website.

How Do I Know if This Is for Me?

The benefit of the no-deposit bonus is that, win or lose, you have a sense of how online sports betting works and the culture of a particular website. Many will also offer chat rooms, forums, and interactive tools that connect players. Any new hobby tends to be fun when shared with like-minded individuals, and it’s not necessary to study sports and stats to enjoy betting.

If you end up not enjoying a particular site or sports betting doesn’t hold your interest, there’s nothing lost. With a responsible and knowledgeable attitude, though, many find fun and success. The past year has been one of exploring new interests from the comfort of home for many people. Why not give it a try?

Quick Guide to the Top 30 Beaches in Mykonos

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The Greek beaches of Mykonos island are known for their crystal blue waters and white sand. There are 22 official beaches that cover this island and most are crowded with umbrellas, sun beds and music. However there are few secret locations and the best way to escape the crowds is to rent one of the many villas in Mykonos for your own personal hotel beachfront.

No matter what kind of beach you are looking for, Mykonos has it. Check out our quick guide to the top 30 beaches on the island:

Beaches for Families

These beaches are great for those with children or those wanting to escape the parties and nudists. They offer calm, shallow waters and plenty of beachfront restaurants.

Platy’s Gialos
Ornos
Kalo Livadai
Agios Loannis
Kalafatis
Agios Stefanos

Beach Parties

For those looking for music and dancing (and maybe a chance to run into a celebrity!), these beaches are the most popular.

Paradise
Super Paradise
Paraga

Beaches for Swimming

With beautiful, calm, clear blue waters these beaches are perfect for swimmers.

Psarou
Agia Anna Paraga
Agia Anna Kalafatis
Paradise
Ornos
Kalo Livadi
Agrari
Agios Stefanos

Nude Beaches

Nudists are commonly found on these beaches because they are less crowded and offer more seclusion.

Elia
Panormos
Agios Sostis
Agrari
Kapari
Fokos

Beaches for Watersports

These beaches tend to be more windy, which is excellent for watersport adventurers.

Kalo Livadi
Kala Fatis
Lia
Agios Stefanos
Ftelia
Megali

Relaxing Beaches

To escape from it all and forget about your worries these are the beaches you need to visit.

Megali
Fokos
Ftelia
Oil Port
Agios Ioannis
Lia
Kapari
Agios Anna Paraga

Gay-Friendly Beaches

For a gay-friendly atmosphere, head to these beaches.

Super Paradise
Elia
Panormos
Agrari

Secret Beaches

Secluded and remote, some of these beaches are actually found next to some very popular spots, while others are way off the beaten path, down long dirt roads.

Divounia
Glyfadi
Houlakia
Merchia
Mersini
Tigani
Korfos
Agios Lazaros

There you have it – the top 30 beaches in Mykonos. Now, get out and find your favorite today!

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport

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Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport Receives High Marks in North America: The Pur Sport continues to impress in the U.S.

Following its virtual debut last year, the Chiron Pur Sport has arrived in the United States. Limited to only 60 units, the newest production model from Bugatti is a pure driving machine designed for increased agility and handling – an uncompromising hyper sports car created for corners.

“The Pur Sport offers U.S. customers a new dimension of the Chiron that doesn’t require the Autobahn to fully experience,” said Cedric Davy, Chief Operating Officer of Bugatti of the Americas. “We now have the car for those customers who have been waiting for a Chiron geared more towards agility and dynamic cornering.”

In the short time, the Pur Sport has been in the United States, it has earned top marks from some of the country’s most prominent automotive publications:

“The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport is the best car I’ve ever driven. Period. Full stop. End of story. It just is.” – Motor Trend

“Less weight, more grip, and shorter gearing make the Pur Sport an even wilder Bugatti Chiron.” – Car and Driver

“The Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport Is Worth Every Penny. Your $4 million car better be good, and this Bugatti delivers.” – Autoweek

In addition to rave reviews by journalists, the Chiron Pur Sport left a lasting impression on 24 Hour of Le Mans class winner and longtime Bugatti test driver Butch Leitzinger while testing in Southern California. “The seamless marriage of agility and brute force gives the Pur Sport abilities that are unmatched, not only by any other car but also by any other Bugatti.”

The Pur Sport has a starting price of $4 million and features a W16 engine that generates 1,500 horsepower and 1,180 lb.-ft. of torque.

For more information, please visit Bugatti’s website.

3 Must-Have Tools for Modding Your Vehicle

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Modding your car can be a great way to optimise a vehicle for your needs without paying for costly mechanic fees. It can extend the life of old vehicles by restoring them to factory condition. Customising your car can be a laborious process, though. The best way to make the process as smooth as possible is to ensure you have all the right equipment. Here are 3 of the most important tools you’ll need to create a world-class custom auto.

Welder

Whether you’re installing a new body kit or patching up your car’s original frame, you’re going to need a welder to do it. Welders use extremely high temperatures to join metal together. Given the heat required, safety should therefore be your number one concern while welding. There are 3 main types of welding – MIG, TIG and stick welding. MIG welding creates heat through a wire electrode, and is easy to learn and usable on most metal thicknesses. TIG uses tungsten to produce the weld. It is the most reliable choice for particularly thin sheets of metal, but is also the slowest method. Finally, stick welding generates heat through an electric current between the metal and the electrode attached to the welder. This is the most versatile method of welding, as it can be used on most alloys, and also works on dented or rusted metals. However, it is also probably the most difficult one to learn. Given the different strengths and weaknesses of these methods, you should consider investing in a multi-process welder for the best results. MIG TIG stick welders can perform all the main welding processes so you can always use the best one for your modding, depending on the material and the thickness of your car’s frame.

Torque Wrench

When removing extremely tight and often rusty nuts and bolts on your car, you will soon realise that in many cases manual wrenches are not sufficient. Powered torque wrenches are therefore an absolute necessity for installing or getting rid of equipment in your car. Not only can they tighten and remove bolts in a flash, you can also set them to the exact power and accuracy you need for a job. Their widespread use among professional mechanics and hobbyists also mean that they are easily available, and less expensive than you might think.

Work Light

Lighting may not be an aspect you consider straightaway when working on your car. However, given the amount of small, precise parts you’ll need to access under your hood, you’ll soon realise its importance. Lighting is especially important for making modifications to your engine and battery, which both involve a lot of hard to reach, small parts. While mechanic-grade lighting installations can be prohibitively expensive for many modders, LED work lights are a great and economical alternative. LED lighting produces a bright white light that is ideal for engine visibility, and the portability of these work lights means they should be able to brighten even the most inaccessible parts of your vehicle.

Emmett Till × Mamie Till Mobley

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National Trust Partners’ Advocacy Leads to Roberts Temple: Emmett Till and Mamie Till Mobley Senate Bill

Sen. Tammy Duckworth introduced a bill with Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) as co-sponsors to establish Chicago’s Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ as a National Monument. The move would offer the highest level of federal support for the church and would ensure that the National Park Service will preserve, protect, and interpret its powerful impact on American civil rights history for generations to come. Civil rights activist Mamie Till Mobley was a member of Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, and the church played a historic role in the funeral of Emmett Till, her fourteen-year-old son killed on August 28, 1955, during a visit with relatives in Money, Mississippi.

Rather than cover up the brutality of the murder, Mobley bravely decided to hold an open casket funeral at Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ so people could witness the bitter consequences of racism. When tens of thousands of people came to view young Till’s mangled body from September 3-6, 1955, and photographs of his mangled face were published in journals around the country, it ignited the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s, similar to the way George Floyd’s death has impacted movements today. TIME magazine named a photo of the Till funeral one of the 100 most influential images of all time.

Last year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation placed Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ on its 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list, recognizing its groundbreaking significance and the need to restore and preserve the site. Support has continued through Trust grants and technical assistance as well as through advocacy to gain federal support to maintain the site. The Trust has partnered in this work with members of the Till and Roberts families, The Emmett Till Interpretive Center, the National Parks Conservation Association, Latham & Watkins LLP pro bono program, and other interests committed to the longevity of this historic landmark. Efforts are also ensuing to obtain National Park status for Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, as well as for important sites linked to Emmett Till in Mississippi.

“The Roberts Temple Church is both extraordinarily and heartbreakingly important to Chicago, our state, and to our country’s history,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth said. “It’s time we recognize how historic sites can not only teach us about our history – but provoke us to build a more just future. By designating this church a historic site, we will help ensure that this awful chapter is not erased and that generations of Americans to come can show respect to Mamie and Emmett’s stories.”

The National Trust’s Chief Preservation Officer Katherine Malone-France said, “Our nation will benefit tremendously when Roberts Temple is designated a National Monument, lifting up its profoundly important role in American history. It is imperative that our country appropriately honors the site of Emmett Till’s funeral and of Mamie Till Mobley’s remarkable courage. We are honored to support the Roberts Temple congregation, the Till family, and the local community as they advance this designation and determine how to carry forward the legacies of this powerful place, as a unit of the National Park system.”

Reverend Wheeler Parker, who witnessed his cousin Emmett’s abduction in 1955, and his wife, Dr. Marvel McCain Parker, said, “We are grateful for the introduction of legislation to preserve the legacy of Emmett Till and Mamie Till Mobley by making Roberts Temple a National Monument, which will help to fulfill Mamie’s request for my wife and I to continue her work to ensure her son’s death was not in vain.”

Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ was founded in 1916 and is known as the “mother of all of the Churches of God in Christ in Illinois.” With its founding, it became a central place of worship and political organizing for many who migrated to Chicago from the South during the early 20th Century.

Today, the building remains in use by the Church of God in Christ denomination, now led by Elder Cleven Wardlow who said, “On behalf of the congregants of Roberts Temple and members of the Roberts Family, we strongly support this endeavor as well as the ongoing efforts by racial justice and preservation organizations to obtain federal protection for Roberts Temple.”

Patrick Weems, Executive Director of the Emmett Till Interpretive Center stated, “What took place at Roberts Temple changed the world. We commend the Roberts Temple congregation, the Roberts and Till families, especially Rev. Wheeler Parker, Jr., Dr. Marvel McCain Parker, and Ollie Gordon for their commitment to telling the truth, and we want to thank Senator Duckworth for her leadership in bringing forth this legislation.”

“The time for turning away from this painful chapter in American history is long over” stated Alan Spears, Senior Director for Cultural Resources. “The National Parks Conservation Association applauds Senator Duckworth for introducing this very significant piece of legislation commemorating the legacies of Emmett Till and Mamie Till Mobley.”
For more information on the campaign to designate the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ National Monument visit their website.