Posts made in April 2021

Celebrity-Designed Bag Auction for Chema Vision Children’s Center

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Big Hearted Celebrities Act Fast to Help Children from Kibera Slum Go to School

Naomi Campbell, Halle Berry, Lenny Kravitz, Zoe Kravitz, Usher, Lionel Richie, Eddie Murphy, Evan Ross, Maggie Q, Raquel Bitton, Chrome Hearts and more come together using art and fashion so that students at Kibera’s Chema Vision Children’s Center can receive a quality education and a daily meal.

LA’s art and luxury fashion retailer to the stars Church Boutique and the eco-fashion house Ministry of Tomorrow (MOT) have teamed up with Christie’s and their charity auction partner Charitybuzz to produce “Art for Education”– the inaugural celebrity art auction fundraiser to benefit the Chema Vision Children’s Center (Chema) in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Chema School is situated in the midst of Kibera, Africa’s largest urban slum. The Chema School was established to provide quality education for some of Kibera’s most vulnerable children. Many of the students are orphans or children of single parents without income to pay for school fees.

Just before the pandemic, Chema was forced to relocate because the school structure was not up to code. MOT’s vegan bag production facility is located near the school and Julian Prolman, president of MOT heard about the school’s dilemma. Through an initial fundraiser orchestrated by MOT, Chema was able to relocate to a safe building. However, Chema is currently lacking much needed funds to pay its teachers and cover its operational expenses that includes a daily meal for the students.

When Church Boutique’s founders Rodney Burns and David Malvaney learned about the urgent need at Chema from their supply partner MOT, whose branded bags are featured at The Church Boutique, they quickly reached out to their celebrity friends to request their support. Celebrities will be painting their artistic expressions on MOT’s new organic canvas tote bags that will be auctioned online through Christie’s auction partner, Charitybuzz, starting June 1, 2021 with the final bid accepted on June 16.

Prior to the auction launch, the bags will be on display from May 19– 26 at Church Boutique in Hollywood, CA, and then brought to New York where the bags will be on display at Christie’s during the auction.

Without hesitation, Rodney and David’s luminary friends offered to help including Naomi Campbell, Halle Berry, Lenny Kravitz, Zoe Kravitz, Usher, Lionel Richie, Eddie Murphy, Maggie Q, Evan Ross and Raquel Bitton, with more mega stars soon to be announced. In addition, Laurie Lynn Stark, the creator of the international jewelry and clothing brand Chrome Hearts, has joined in to create her own unique MOT tote.

“We believe that luxury is a privilege that comes with the responsibility to care for others in need and therefore we are thrilled to collaborate with MOT to do what we can to make a difference in the lives of children born into challenging circumstances” said Rodney Burns.

The opening minimum bid for each one-of-a-kind celebrity designed bag will begin at $1,000.

All proceeds from the auction will be donated to Chema to help fund the schools operating budget with a goal to raise $100k.

“Chema is a Swahili word meaning something good, and that is what we are trying to do with Art for Education” said Julian Prolman.

About Chema

At the heart of Kibera, Africa’s largest urban slum in Nairobi, Kenya, is the Chema Vision Children’s Center, a school that offers quality education to some of Kibera’s most vulnerable children. Learn more at Chema Vision’s website.

About the Church Boutique

The Church Boutique, located in West Hollywood, offers mid-century modern home décor, exclusive high-end avant-garde fashion, fine art photography, art, jewelry, and more. Visit The Church Boutique’s website here.

About the Ministry of Tomorrow

MOT is a for-profit social enterprise that designs and produces high quality, eco-luxury, vegan bags and accessories that are sold directly to consumers on their website.

About Christie’s

Christie’s is a name and place that speaks of extraordinary art, unparalleled service and international expertise. Founded in 1766 by James Christie, Christie’s has conducted the greatest and most celebrated auctions through the centuries, providing a popular showcase for the unique and the beautiful. Christie’s offers around 350 auctions annually in over 80 categories, including all areas of fine and decorative arts, jewelry, photographs, collectibles, wine, and more. Prices range from $200 to over $100 million. Christie’s also has a long and successful history conducting Private Sales for clients and online sales are offered year-round across all categories. Christie’s global presence is spread across a network of international sale rooms and 61 representatives and offices. Christie’s website provides detailed articles and videos on the objects offered for sale alongside the latest advances in digital viewing tools to make Christie’s accessible to all.

*Please note when quoting estimates above that other fees will apply in addition to the hammer price – see Section D of the Conditions of Sale at the back of the sale catalogue.

*Estimates do not include buyer’s premium. Sales totals are hammer price plus buyer’s premium and are reported net of applicable fees.

Fearless (Taylor’s Version)

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FEARLESS (TAYLOR’S VERSION) BOWS AT #1 IN THE U.S., UK, CANADA, AUSTRALIA & MORE AND BECOMES TAYLOR SWIFT’S 3RD #1 ALBUM IN LESS THAN A YEAR & THE BIGGEST COUNTRY ALBUM DEBUT SINCE 2015

BIGGEST FIRST-WEEK DEBUT OF 2021 & BIGGEST FEMALE COUNTRY STREAMING WEEK EVER!

LISTEN TO FEARLESS (TAYLOR’S VERSION) HERE

Returning to #1 around the world and breaking numerous records, Taylor Swift has made history yet again with Fearless (Taylor’s Version). Notably, she’s the first woman with three new No. 1 albums in less than a year. Moving over 1 million units worldwide, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) logged the “biggest first week debut of any album this year,” “the biggest first week debut for a country album since 2015” and “the biggest female country streaming week ever.” Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is the only No. 1 album of its kind: a re-recording of an artist’s (own or another’s) previously released album.

Generating 50 million-plus streams on release day, it also achieved “the biggest first day streaming debut for any album on Spotify this year” and marked her fourth consecutive album to exceed 50 million Spotify streams in 24 hours. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) also becomes the first country album by a female artist to reach #1 on Apple Music’s US Albums chart.

In addition to capturing #1 on the Billboard Top 200, #1 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart and #1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, it went #1 in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland. It debuted Top 5 in Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands and in Germany it was the biggest debut by a country album in the history of Germany’s album chart. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) charted at #1 on the iTunes Top Overall Albums Chart in 61 countries.

Fearless (Taylor’s Version) stands out as Taylor’s 4th #1 album in less than two years with the “3 biggest debuts since July 2020” with folklore, evermore, and Fearless (Taylor’s Version). It also emerges as “the biggest female country album debut since the inception of the Billboard Top 200 album-based conception charts in 2014.” Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is the eleven-time GRAMMY Award-winning, record-breaking superstar’s 9th #1 Album.

Taylor entered rarified air across the pond as Fearless (Taylor’s Version) became her 3^rd album to chart #1 during its debut week in less than a year in the UK. The Beatles had previously accomplished this incredible feat the fastest in 364 days, but Taylor eclipsed the speed of The Fab Four as she reached this benchmark and accumulated three #1’s in just 259 days—a difference of 105 days.

Not only did it become her 7th #1 in the country, but Taylor became “the first and only solo artist ever to claim three UK #1 albums in less than 12 months during the 21st century” and “the first ever international artist and first ever female artist to land three #1 albums in the UK within one year in history.”

Physical sales of Fearless (Taylor’s Version) outsold the remaining combined total physical sales of the UK Top 15. The permanent downloads also bested the remaining combined total permanent downloads of the Top 70. She shattered her own record for the second time in the last year as “the first and only female artist to garner 7 #1 studio albums in the UK this century.” Additionally, she has gathered “the 3rd Most #1 albums in the UK by a female artist.”

Down Under, Taylor is now “the first artist to release three #1 albums in a 12-month period in Australia.” Taylor is the first artist to have three different albums top the ARIA Charts in a twelve-month period. She bests her own record of “the shortest span of #1 albums in Australia” with only 17 weeks between evermore and Fearless (Taylor’s Version). Her previous record was 20 weeks between folklore and evermore. With eight total #1 albums in Australia, she is second for “female artist with most #1 albums” only behind Madonna and just behind Eminem for “most consecutive #1 albums.” At radio, “Mr. Perfectly Fine (Taylor’s Version)” bows in the Top 10 on the Airplay Chart.

REVIEWS OF FEARLESS (TAYLOR’S VERSION)

“A Rating” – The A.V. Club, Saloni Gajjar
“5/5 Stars” – The Daily Telegraph, Neil McCormick
“Fearless was always an exceptionally fine album of country-pop songs, detailing the romantic fixations of a wholesome teenage American girl on the verge of adulthood, and guess what? It still is.” – The Daily Telegraph, Neil McCormick
“4/5 Stars” – Rolling Stone, Jonathan Bernstein
“Her thirtysomething voice is richer, deeper, and more sure of itself.” – Rolling Stone, Jonathan Bernstein
“There are the songs that feel more moving now than they did 13 years ago.” – Rolling Stone, Jonathan Bernstein
“4/5 Stars” – The Guardian, Alexis Petridis
“Fearless is the kind of album in which fans have a genuine emotional investment.” – The Guardian, Alexis Petridis
“She’s changed from a talented kid with a guitar to one of today’s biggest superstars.” – USA Today, Hannah Yasharoff
“The new album is really well done.” – Entertainment Weekly, Lauren Huff
“Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” Is Even More Beautiful Than The Original Album” – Buzzfeed, Ryan Schocket
“Taylor’s vocals are undeniably stronger, smoother, and more connected than ever.” – Buzzfeed, Ryan Schocket
“The vault songs are making everyone question why the album wasn’t 27 tracks long to begin with.” – Buzzfeed, Ellie Bate
“Taylor Swift’s Fearless Re-Recording Is a Thrilling Timewarp.” – SPIN, Bobby Olivier
“4/5 Stars” – i Newspaper, Sarah Carson
“There are lyrics throughout Taylor Swift’s breakthrough record Fearless that nearly 13 years later, feel prophetic.” – i Newspaper, Sarah Carson
“There’s something really special about listening to Taylor sing these songs knowing the huge distance between where she is now and who she was when she wrote them.” – TIME, Annabel Gutterman
“I love that this re-recorded album is essentially a love letter to being a teenage girl. The world still dismisses teenage girls as not serious enough, too dramatic, and overall too much. Adolescence is often looked back on with embarrassment and shame. But these songs make me want to give my former 14-year-old self a hug and tell her she was doing just fine.” – TIME, Samantha
“It’s really a triumph of self-knowledge and self-awareness, in the way that Swift is so hyper-conscious of the ways she’s matured that she has the ability to un-mature before our very ears.” – Variety, Chris Willman
“Has there been a greater pop single in the 20th century than “You Belong With Me”? Probably not.” – Variety, Chris Willman
“It would not be surprising if, as we speak, Big Machine was putting a combined team of scientists and lawyers on the case of the new album’s waveform readouts, to make sure it’s not just the original album, remixed. Honestly, it’s that close.” – Variety, Chris Willman
“4/5 Stars” – NME, Hannah Mylrea
“‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’ both celebrates and stays true to Swift’s ‘Fearless’-era.” – NME, Hannah Mylrea
“Swift never cringes away from her younger self. Instead, she revisits the songs with kindness and affection, celebrating the success of her teenage releases.” – NME, Hannah Mylrea
“Taylor Swift’s Fearless album proves her songs were written to last.” – The Independent, Roisin O’Connor
“We can’t help but be impressed…” – Evening Standard, David Smyth
“Taylor Swift has taken control.” – Forbes, Abigail Freeman
“ALBUM OF WEEK: The real treats are the extra tracks, previously unreleased outtakes from the Fearless sessions. Maren Morris duets on the gorgeous You All Over Me, Keith Urban crops up and Mr Perfectly Fine is the banger that should have shown 13 years ago why country alone could never contain Swift’s talent.” – The Sunday Times, Lisa Verrico
“I immediately went to the chorus of “Fifteen,” one of my 2000s pop high-water marks, to see if I’d get chills. Good news: I did. Felt that gut punch during “White Horse.” “You Belong With Me” had that crucial air of resignation.” – The New York Times, Jon Caramanica
“As she dives back into her past work, it’s another reminder of what she brought to the genre — and what it lost when she moved on.” – The Washington Post, Emily Yahr
“The redone tracks from the original release, which make up the album’s first portion, are almost uniformly better than their forebears: warmer, crisper, more clearly enunciated. They sound newer and, at the same time, more lived-in.” – The Washington Post, Allison Stewart
“Taylor Swift releases a ‘perfect replica’ of Fearless.” – BBC, Mark Savage
“Damn, this album holds up – not only to the hype of its initial release, but despite that, beyond that.” – Consequence of Sound, Katie Moulton
“8/10” – The Line of Best Fit, Ross Horton
“4/5 Stars” – The Times, Will Hodgkinson
“Swifties grab your tissues, the release of Taylor Swift’s Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is finally here in all its nostalgic and emotional glory.” – Wonderland, Staff Writer
“8/10” – Clash, Lucy Harbron
“Like a restored photograph brightening from black and white into colour, Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is the same, but better.” – Clash, Lucy Harbron
“It’s the latest evidence that Swift is not just fearless but also relentless.” – Stereogum, Chris DeVille
“8/10” – Gigwise, Kelsey Barnes
“Swift is creating a bridge between two worlds; one where she’s merging older, timeless songs with a mature voice and outlook.” – Gigwise, Kelsey Barnes
“4/5 Stars” – The Evening Standard, David Smyth
“A masterclass in classic Nashville songwriting, from the searing melodrama of Love Story to the breakdown of a relationship in Breathe.” – The Times, Will Hodgkinson
“5/5 Stars” – The Sun, Simon Boyle
“This is brilliant pop” – The Sun, Simon Boyle

LISTEN TO FEARLESS (TAYLOR’S VERSION) HERE

Backyarding is Here to Stay

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Backyarding is Here to Stay & It Has a Purpose. What’s Yours?

By Kris Kiser, President & CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute

What once only happened indoors now happens outdoors. It’s called “backyarding,” and it’s a trend that’s here to stay. From office work to working out, from eating to entertaining, if these activities were once typically held inside a home or office, they are now being brought to the great outdoors.

Simply think back over the last year and recount the number of times your backyard has taken center stage in your everyday life. The family yard became the safe and purposeful space where we could gather and recharge. Spending time outdoors is great for your physical and mental health, and our backyards are the bridge between indoor and outdoor living.

The backyard is nearly limitless with possibilities, and you can get really creative in how you expand and enjoy your yard. But before you get to work in your yard, you must first identity what type of “backyarder” you are. Then, you can keep that idea in mind to create a more purposeful outdoor space that is customized to your family’s needs.

Here are just a few of the backyarding personality types. Which one(s) are you?

Entertainer Extraordinaire
Your backyard was the neighborhood hot spot long before the pandemic made that trend posh. Family milestones, birthdays, graduations, reunions, socially distanced BBQs – your yard is *the* place to gather. Your yard is set up for success with patio furniture, fire pit, yard games, plenty of outdoor seating, string lights, and maybe even an outdoor kitchen. The family yard and community park are five-star event spaces that are always easy to book!

Environmentalist
You know that nature starts in your own backyard and that taking small steps in your yard can make a big impact on climate change. As the proverbial Robin to your yard’s Batman, you embrace your role in supporting the superhero powers of your living landscape. Those include capturing and filtering rainwater, producing oxygen, and absorbing carbon, just to name a few.

Expert Landscaper
Your yard makes neighbors green with envy. You know how to maintain a healthy living landscape all year long, and you have the latest outdoor power equipment to make even big jobs easier. Your idea of a good time? Spending the weekend doing yardwork. You love the sense of accomplishment that comes from working in your yard, and friends can count on you for advice about their own living landscapes.

Horticulturist
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is bookmarked on your browser because putting the right plant in the right place is the living landscape Golden Rule you live by. You consider location, maintenance, sunlight and watering requirements, as well as your climate zone and lifestyle needs, before you even think about sticking your shovel in the dirt.

Kid Zone Creator
You know the safest place for your kids to be is in your own backyard, and you work hard to create an outdoor fun zone they will never want to leave. A flat area of sturdy turfgrass to play sports and pitch a tent? Check. Treehouse? Check. Zipline strung safely between backyard trees? Check. An elevated garden where kids can help grow the family’s meals? Check. Natural playscapes, like a patch of sand bordered by rocks and log stump seating? Check. “Fun” is your middle name, and you are winning at this game.

Nature Lover
No binging Netflix for you. You subscribe to “Nature TV” and prefer to spend your free time watching the birds, bats, butterflies and other wildlife that count on your yard for food and shelter. You cultivate a living landscape that supports a rich biodiversity with butterfly bushes, flowering plants, water sources, and trees and shrubs with nooks for nesting and food.

Pet Pamperer
Your focus is on Fido, and you take cues from your four-legged friends about how to purpose your backyard. You’ve planted sturdy turfgrass like Buffalo or Bermuda that can stand up to pet play, and you’ve used soft foliage to create a natural barricade between “off limits” areas and the rest of the lawn. Trees and shrubs are strategically planted for shade, and you’ve even set up a shallow water feature to help your pup cool off on hot days. For you, planting with purpose means keeping toxic plants out of the picture. (For a complete list, visit ASPCA’s list of non-toxic and toxic plants.

Work (and learn!) from Home Warrior
You don’t need to turn to technology to create a virtual backdrop for your video calls. The natural setting created by your yard’s trees, flowers, bushes and other plants is your go-to video call background. Your kids aren’t doing in-person school? No problem. Your backyard or neighborhood park is a living laboratory for learning that supports outdoor learning, even when school isn’t in session. Your kids take online classes under the shade of a tree. Do homework at a patio or picnic table. Brush up on STEM education by planting and studying flowers, bug hunting, and weather watching.

Zen Master
Enjoying your morning coffee on the balcony as songbirds serenade you. Meditating under the shade of a tree. De-stressing by swinging in a backyard hammock. Taking a break from your busy day to feel the sun on your face and the breeze in your hair. Your backyard is your sacred space for rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. It’s the best “green spa” in town. You know that spending time outside is good for your health and well-being and that, thanks to your yard, these benefits are only steps away.

Setting the stage for backyarding. One final and important note to backyarders of all kinds. Creating a yard that supports all of the aspects of your family’s outdoor lifestyle means taking stock of what you might need to care for your lawn. Take an inventory of your outdoor power equipment to make sure you are prepared. Then, get out there and create your canvas for even more backyard memory-making.

To learn more about creating the yard of your dreams, visit TurfMutt.

Black Rob Has Passed Away

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Black Rob, Rapper and Former Bad Boy Artist, Has Passed Away at 52 Years Old

Best known for his 2000 single “Whoa!” the rapper was recently hospitalized in Atlanta

Robert Ross, the rap artist known as Black Rob, died April 17 at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. Fellow Bad Boy rapper Mark Curry stated the cause of death was cardiac arrest, according to Pitchfork. He added that Black Rob was dealing with a number of health issues prior to his death, including lupus, kidney failure, diabetes, and multiple strokes. Black Rob was 52 years old.

“I don’t know where to begin this, but I thank everybody for the donations. Rob passed away about an hour ago,” a teary-eyed Curry said in a video. “I need for his daughter, Iona Ross, little Robert Ross, y’all get in touch with me, please.”

In a second video, Curry stated that he had spoken to Bad Boy founder Combs for the first time in 15 years following Rob’s passing.

“I just want to say thank you. We really did some amazing stuff. RIP to my brother. I was dead with him, I was dead with him,” Curry said. “I ain’t talk to Puff in 15 years. We talked today. This is the beginning of a new us. Rob made sure he knew what he had to do before he parted this world to make sure we all alright — and that’s what he did. Bad Boy for life, yo.”

Diddy posted a tribute on Instagram, stating: “Rest in power King @therealblackrob! As I listen to your records today there’s one thing that they all have in common! You have made millions of people all over the world feel good and dance! You are one of a kind! GOD BLESS! Love. You will be truly missed!!!!”

Born Robert Ross in Buffalo, N.Y., the Bad Boy rapper grew up in East Harlem where he began rapping as a preteen leading to the formation of his first group, the Schizophrenics. He released four studio albums, his most successful being his 2000 debut “Life Story.” Rob is best known for his hit single “Whoa!” which peaked at No. 43 on the Billboard Hot 100. Along with Curry, Rob was featured on Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ “Bad Boy 4 Life,” which charted at No. 33. Though he left Bad Boy Records in the mid-2000s, Rob reunited with the crew for select dates of the Bad Boy Family Reunion Tour in 2016.

Brands You Will Love In 2021

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There is no shortage of new and established products out there for consumers to try in 2021. One thing that has become obvious over the past year is consumer preference for quality. Because online shopping has skyrocketed consumers in the U.S. and around the world are seeming to tend to require more information about the products they buy. The reason being that, while browsing is something you do even when shopping in person, the level at which you can browse when ONLINE shopping is far superior.

Say you are at a big box store looking at laptops. Maybe there will be ten options there for you to choose from or, if the place is especially large, maybe you’ll get twenty. But on the internet, there are literally hundreds of options – all of which you can research and choose from at your leisure until you choose the right one. While increased variety is certainly not a bad thing, it can also lead to something called “decision paralysis” where your mind gets overwhelmed at the number of options and defaults to something familiar. This is where curated lists like the one below come in handy: We did the research to pick out some of the best brands so that you don’t have to!

Organic Protein

Whether you are a fitness fanatic or not, protein powder is on just about everyone’s shopping list these days. Supplementation should not be thought of as a “substitute” for a good diet but, when taken in combination with a good diet, high-quality (preferably organic) protein products like those from Orgain can make a world of difference in terms of your overall health.

Adding a high-quality protein powder or drink to your diet can lead to better muscle growth, improved appearance of your skin, more energy, less hunger, and more.

A Secure, Portable Cubby

Tech Tub2 is a way to keep multiple electronic devices safe when you travel with kids, or students, or whatever the case may be. The device is epecially designed for educators but also has important uses for coaches, parents, and others.

Athletic Apparel

Like every other facet of life, exercise (and physical activities in general) have a uniform. That’s not to say you should be wearing a suit on the basketball court, but you should be wearing the athletic version of the RIGHT STUFF. And that’s where tasc performance comes in. Offering some of the best in bamboo-based technology, clothing from tasc will help you look the part and feel the part whenever you are doing something athletic. It’s high-performance athletic apparel for adults with an authentic approach to their fitness.

High-Quality CBD

CBD has a wide range of benefits, many of which are only now be discovered by the American public. But not all CBD is created equal. If you are looking for a product to help you sleep better or to help reduce your muscle or joint aches and pains, considering going with broad spectrum CBD from Healist Naturals.

Shaving Done Right

LTHR Shaving makes shaving a genuinely enjoyable experience. Sure we all know that a warm, old-fashioned shave feels better and makes you look better than a rush job. But who has the time? With the hot lather shaving device by LTHR, now you do!

The Best In Men’s Jewelry

JAXXON is bringing back men’s jewelry in a big way. Whether you’re thinking about a gold chain, silver bracelet or anything in-between checkout JAXXON for high-quality jewelry at reasonable prices.

The Best Way to Get Comfy

This faux fur blanket from Everlasting Comfort is the only comfort you’ll need while traveling or when snuggling up on the couch. The right blanket makes all the difference when it comes to sleep or relaxing at the end of a long day. That is why, even when it comes to your blanket, it pays to get something that is genuinely high quality and which will feel comfortable enough to help sleep better and relax easier.

Conclusion

Organic protein, athletic apparel, and more. Many products have come out over the past year with those listed here being among the best. Enjoy!

Ten Anti-LGBTQ Bills Sit on Governors’ Desks

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Ten Anti-LGBTQ Bills Sit on Governors’ Desks, Poised to Undermine Rights Across the Country

As a fast and furious effort led by national groups aiming to stymie LGBTQ progress made on the national level and in many states continues to intensify, ten anti-LGBTQ bills currently sit on the desks of governors across the country waiting to be signed into law. These bills are only the latest examples of a concerted effort in state legislatures to undermine LGBTQ rights that has already resulted in the passage of several anti-LGBTQ pieces of legislation in recent months.

“State legislators across the country were elected to represent all of us, not just some of us and yet they continue to send hateful and discriminatory anti-LGBTQ bills to the desks of governors to sign into law, threatening the well-being, health, and fundamental rights of thousands of LGBTQ Americans in states from coast to coast,” said Human Rights Campaign President Alphonso David. “From anti-transgender sports bans to erasing LGBTQ people from school curriculum, these bills are driven by fear and would have a significant negative impact on the lives of so many LGBTQ people. The governors of these states are responsible for protecting their citizens, and they must refuse to sign these baseless and unconscionable cruel bills into law. Otherwise, they should and will be held accountable for the consequences.”

These bills include blatant attacks on transgender youth, including prohibiting transgender kids from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity, allow student organizations to discriminate against LGBTQ students under the guise of free speech, erase LGBTQ people from history books, and add substantial hurdles for transgender people who want to change the gender on their birth certificate by first requiring gender-affirming surgery.

Below is a roundup of the ten anti-LGBTQ bills currently sitting on the desks of governors:

ALABAMA
- House Bill 391 – ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BILL
  - The Alabama Senate and House passed House Bill 391, an anti-transgender bill that would ban transgender youth from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity. The bill now heads to Governor Kay Ivey’s desk for signature or veto.
ARIZONA
- Senate Bill 1456 – SEX ED PARENTAL NOTIFICATION BILL
  - The Arizona State House passed Senate Bill 1456 – discriminatory legislation that affects not only sexual education material, but all learning materials in the classroom and makes it harder for LGBTQ kids to see themselves in school curriculum.
  - The bill, which would make Arizona’s sex education laws some of the strictest in the nation when it comes to teaching about LGBTQ issues, now heads to Governor Doug Ducey’s desk for consideration.
ARKANSAS
- Senate Bill 389 – SEX ED PARENTAL NOTIFICATON BILL
  - The Arkansas Senate passed Senate Bill 389, a bill which would require a school district to notify parents before “providing a sexual orientation curriculum or gender identity curriculum” in any kind of instruction, including but not limited to education on sexuality.
  - In addition to making it harder for students kids to access sex education, it could also preclude discussion about sexuality more broadly, including in literature and history classes, for example. A district could be forced to notify parents, provide curriculum materials, and allow parents to opt students out of learning about important modern and historical events, from the A.I.D.S. epidemic to the Stonewall riots to even Supreme Court jurisprudence. This bill disproportionately disadvantages LGBTQ youth who may not have supportive families and put children at greater risk of health consequences.
KANSAS
- Kansas Senate Bill 55 – ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BILL
  - The Kansas Senate passed Senate Bill 55, an anti-transgender bill that would ban transgender girls from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity.
MONTANA
- Senate Bill 280 – BIRTH CERTIFICATE BILL
  - The Montana Senate passed SB 280, a bill that adds substantial hurdles for transgender people who want to change the gender on their birth certificate by first requiring gender-affirming surgery.
- Senate Bill 215 – RELIGIOUS REFUSAL BILL
  - The Montana House passed SB 215, an expansive religious refusal bill that could grant a license to discriminate against Montanans and visitors, including LGBTQ people, people of faith, and women, across a wide range of goods and services in the state.
NORTH DAKOTA
- House Bill 1503 – ANTI-ALL COMERS BILL
  - Many public colleges and universities have long had “all-comers” policies that require student organizations receiving financial and other support from the institution not to discriminate against students based on race, sex, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.
  - These policies allow all members of the student body to participate in student organizations and prevent such organizations from discriminating against students with state funding. The Supreme Court upheld these all-comers policies as constitutional in the Christian Legal Society v. Martinez decision in 2010.
  - North Dakota HB 1503, in part, undermines inclusive “all-comers” policies at North Dakota public colleges and universities, by allowing student organizations to discriminate against LGBTQ students under the guise of free speech.
- House Bill 1298 – ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BILL
  - The North Dakota Senate passed House Bill 1298, an anti-transgender bill that would ban transgender girls from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity.
TENNESSEE
- Senate Bill 1229 – SEX ED PARENTAL NOTIFICATION
  - The Tennessee Senate passed Senate Bill 1229, a bill which would require a school district to notify parents before “providing a sexual orientation curriculum or gender identity curriculum” in any kind of instruction, including but not limited to education on sexuality.
  - In addition to making it harder for students kids to access sex education, it could also preclude discussion about sexuality more broadly, including in literature and history classes, for example. A district could be forced to notify parents, provide curriculum materials, and allow parents to opt students out of learning about important modern and historical events, from the A.I.D.S. epidemic to the Stonewall riots to even Supreme Court jurisprudence.
  - SB 389 also disproportionately disadvantages LGBTQ youth who may not have supportive families and puts children at greater risk of health consequences.
WEST VIRGINIA
- House Bill 3293 – ANTI-TRANS SPORTS BILL
  - The West Virginia Senate passed House Bill 3293, an anti-transgender bill that would ban transgender girls from participating in school sports consistent with their gender identity.

Wide range of businesses and advocacy groups oppose anti-trans legislation

More than 65 major U.S. corporations have stood up and spoken out to oppose anti-transgender legislation being proposed in states across the country. New companies like Facebook, Pfizer, Altria, Peloton, and Dell join companies like Amazon, American Airlines, Apple, AT&T, AirBnB, Google, Hilton, IBM, IKEA, Microsoft, Nike, Paypal, Uber, and Verizon in objecting to these bills.
The nation’s leading child health and welfare groups representing more than 7 million youth-serving professionals and more than 1000 child welfare organizations released an open letter calling for lawmakers in states across the country to oppose dozens of bills that target LGBTQ people, and transgender children in particular.

The NCAA opposes efforts to limit participation of transgender students

The NCAA Board of Governors released a public letter making clear that it “firmly and unequivocally supports the opportunity for transgender student-athletes to compete in college sports.” Moreover, “When determining where championships are held, NCAA policy directs that only locations where hosts can commit to providing an environment that is safe, healthy and free of discrimination should be selected.” This puts the 30 states with discriminatory anti-transgender legislation under consideration on notice that their actions will have repercussions for their states.

A fight driven by national anti-LGBTQ groups, not local legislators or public concern

These bills come from the same forces that drove previous anti-equality fights by pushing copycat bills across state houses — dangerous anti-LGBTQ organizations like the Heritage Foundation, Alliance Defending Freedom (designated by Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group), and Eagle Forum among others.

For example, Montana’s HB 112, the first anti-transgender sports bill to be passed through a legislative chamber in any state, was worked on by the Alliance Defending Freedom.

Trans equality is popular: Anti-transgender legislation is a low priority, even among Trump voters

A new PBS/NPR/Marist poll states that 67% of Americans, including 66% of Republicans, oppose the anti-transgender sports ban legislation proliferating across 30 states.

In a 10-swing-state poll conducted by the Human Rights Campaign & Hart Research Group last fall:

At least 60% of Trump voters across each of the 10 swing states say transgender people should be able to live freely and openly.
At least 87% of respondents across each of the 10 swing states say transgender people should have equal access to medical care, with many states breaking 90% support
When respondents were asked about how they prioritized the importance of banning transgender people from participating in sports as compared to other policy issues, the issue came in dead last, with between 1% and 3% prioritizing the issue.

Another more recent poll conducted by the Human Rights Campaign & Hart Research Group revealed that, with respect to transgender youth participation in sports, the public’s strong inclination is on the side of fairness and equality for transgender student athletes. 73% of voters agree that “sports are important in young people’s lives. Young transgender people should be allowed opportunities to participate in a way that is safe and comfortable for them.”

States that pass anti-transgender legislation suffer economic, legal, reputational harm

Analyses conducted in the aftermath of previous divisive anti-transgender bills across the country, like the bathroom bills introduced in Texas and North Carolina and an anti-transgender sports ban in Idaho, show that there would be or has been devastating fallout.

The Idaho anti-transgender sports bill that passed was swiftly suspended by a federal district court. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) came out against the Idaho bill and others like it and subsequently moved planned tournament games out of Idaho.
The Associated Press projected that the North Carolina bathroom bill could have cost the state $3.76 billion over 10 years.
During a fight over an anti-transgender bathroom bill in 2017, the Texas Association of Business estimated $8.5 billion in economic losses, risking 185,000 jobs in the process due to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and professional sporting event cancellations, a ban on taxpayer funded travel to those states, cancellation of movie productions, and businesses moving projects out of state.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organizations working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people. HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

Miss America Partners with Rowan University

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Miss America Partners with Rowan University for 100th Anniversary Archival Project

With an eye on history and ideals of beauty, students digitize Miss America archives

“There she is…”

One hundred years of artifacts from the Miss America Competition—from jeweled crowns and velvet capes to programs, photographs, judges’ books, oil paintings, films, and business records—tell more than the story of the competition.

They also provide a rich look at both American and New Jersey history and help illustrate how ideas surrounding beauty and women’s roles in society have changed over a century.

Now, through a unique partnership with the Miss America Organization, Rowan University students are sifting through the organization’s expansive archives and digitizing the artifacts. Their work, currently underway in the Digital Scholarship Center at Campbell Library, will be the cornerstone of the new Rowan Digital Collections.

Scholars worldwide eventually will have access to the artifacts through the archive, hosted by Rowan Libraries.

Currently, the massive Miss America collection is tucked away in storage in South Jersey. The storage contains a treasure trove of floor-to-ceiling artifacts from the competition.

The Miss America Organization will continue to retain the physical artifacts. But the digitization, which began with program books and some oil paintings of former winners, will ensure the artifacts are categorized and documented–and available widely to future scholars.

The preservation partnership was orchestrated by University administrators, who were approached by the Miss America Organization.

‘An enduring feature of American culture’

“We’re excited Rowan is doing this, and we’re thrilled the University sees value in this project,” says Shantel Krebs, chair of the board and interim president and CEO of the Miss America Organization.

“This is New Jersey history. The digitization project will help others learn more about the quintessential competition and its evolution from a ‘bather’s revue’ into a nationally recognized non-profit that offers scholarship assistance and helps thousands of young women from America to improve their communities through service.”

The project will be a crucial resource to scholars and students, notes College of Humanities & Social Sciences Dean Nawal Ammar.

“The Miss America competition has been an enduring feature of American culture, producing idealized images of female beauty and achievement,” says Ammar.

“However, the pageant also has been a space to challenge those images, both inside and outside the competition hall. This collection will be an invaluable source for the study of American history, culture, women’s history, business history, media studies, and many other topics.”

Project manager Katie Turner, a professor of history and American Studies, says Rowan students working on digitization are gaining first-hand experience of the archival process.

“This is a great opportunity for our students to get their hands on history and to really see what goes into making a collection,” adds Turner. “Everything today is digitized for students. They often don’t get to see and touch historical documents. When you sift through paper and do research in an archive, there’s a real commitment to the work.”

Founded as a bather’s revue by businessmen in 1921 as a gimmick to lengthen the summer tourist season in Atlantic City by capitalizing on popular American ideals of female beauty, the competition in its early years was often a steppingstone for women who wanted to pursue show business careers. More than 100,000 people swarmed onto the Atlantic City Boardwalk the first year to watch 16-year-old Margaret Gorman be crowned.

Candidates in the 1920s were rated by judges on everything from the construction of their heads to their “grace of bearing” to their eyes, hair, torso, and hands. Every measurement—from ankles to biceps to head—was recorded by judges and assessed on a points system.

By the 1950s, the competition, under the leadership of Lenora Slaughter, the program’s director for more than 25 years, had been transformed into a source of scholarships for contestants. In 1958, more than $200,000 in scholarships were awarded.

A crown jewel for Atlantic City.

But the competition, a crown jewel for Atlantic City, has not been devoid of controversy. In 1968, it was the site of the first major women’s liberation protest in the United States, when the New York Radical Women, some 400 strong, protested on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. They maintained that the competition objectified women and upheld female stereotypes.

Protestors through the years also objected to the program’s exclusion of women of color. The first Black Miss America, Vanessa Williams, was crowned in 1983—more than 60 years after the competition’s founding.

That isn’t lost on Rowan senior English and writing arts major Destiny Hall, who is working on digitization. She started with the 1984 Miss America magazine, where Williams is featured prominently. Hall, a women’s and gender studies minor, says work on the project has been eye-opening as she explores her own views of feminism.

“Part of being a feminist is allowing women to be whatever they want to be. I have a complicated history with Miss America. In the beginning, I saw it as sexist. Now, I see it as a celebration of womanhood. Many of these women compete to further their careers,” says Hall, 22, who will attend graduate school at Columbia University in the fall as she pursues a career writing fiction for women.

“Through this project, I feel like I’m preserving history and I really appreciate that. It’s important to have this information and to have access to it.”

Freshman English major Grace Fox, who is pursuing the Thomas N. Bantivoglio Honors Concentration in the Honors College, is digitizing program books.

“I’m hoping I’ll find one nugget…something nobody knows about,” says Fox. “I’m definitely looking at the advertisements, the kinds of products they marketed, the images of fashion. There’s so much value in this work. It’s so applicable to things we talk about in class, including how societal views on women’s bodies are enmeshed in the culture we see.”

Robert Hilliker, interim associate provost and director of research engagement and scholarship at Rowan Libraries, and Michael Benson, digital scholarship specialist, are overseeing the digitization work. Additionally, Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication Director Julie Haynes, whose research focuses on depictions of gender in popular culture, is involved in the project.

About the collection

While programs, photos, and other ephemera are being scanned, other artifacts, such as crowns, trophies, and a Waterford scepter carried by winners, will be photographed. Scores of oil paintings and sketches of winners, including some sketches by renowned portrait artist Everett Kintsler, whose work includes official White House portraits of Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, will be digitized under the guidance of Rowan art historians.

Rowan’s Department of Radio/Television/Film may assist in digitizing hundreds of films and slides, some of which were donated by shore-area residents who religiously attended the annual Miss America parade on the Boardwalk.

“Prioritization of the digitization will be quite a project,” Hilliker notes. “The collection is so special from an archivist’s standpoint because it contains varied materials. That will make for some interesting research projects, but it also presents a lot of technical challenges. For our students, this project certainly will be an excellent apprenticeship in digital preservation.”

The collection is an eclectic mix.

The same storage that currently houses the unwieldy Golden Mermaid trophy, presented in the early 1920s to the winner, also includes the crown of 1955 winner Lee Meriwether, who went on to a successful television career. Then Miss California, Meriwether was the first Miss America to be crowned on television, an event that drew 27 million viewers.

Stars flocked to the competition over the years. Grace Kelly was a judge. Marilyn Monroe was the grand marshal of the parade in 1952. Eddie Fischer was a host before Bert Parks, famed singer of the “There She Is” Miss America theme, emceed for 24 years.

The collection also includes Slaughter’s personal scrapbooks. Some of her other papers are housed at the Smithsonian Institution.

Some of the artifacts, such as the film of Meriwether being crowned, were lost during an Atlantic City Nor’easter some years ago. That makes the digitization project particularly valuable, Krebs notes.

BeBe Shopp, Miss America 1948, says she’s delighted Rowan students are preserving Miss America’s legacy.

“This will make it easier for anyone to view our history and learn how Miss America has grown and become even more vital to young women today,” says Shopp, who represented Minnesota in the competition. “This is important. What an experience the students must be having combing through hundreds of thousands of documents and learning about our past. At my age, I’m thrilled that they are going to preserve me for ages to come.”

Supporting the archival work

The Miss America Organization has established a campaign to help fund the digitization project and preserve the thousands of artifacts in the organization’s 100-year history. Visit the organization’s funding site to learn more about supporting the work.

Indianapolis FedEx Mass Shooting

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EIGHT KILLED IN INDIANAPOLIS FEDEX FACILITY SHOOTING

What we know so far

Brandon Hole, the shooting suspect, opened fire outside and inside of a FedEx facility in Indianapolis, Indiana on Thursday evening.
Eight people were shot and killed, while several others were wounded in addition to the gunman.
Police believe the gunman killed himself as officers encountered him.
The motive for the shooting known at this time.

Law enforcement were notified of a mass casualty situation at the Indianapolis FedEx location late Thursday evening. Timothy Boillat, a FedEx employee, was inside of the building when the gunshots began, according to CNN. He was on break when he heard “two loud metal clangs,” not realizing that it was gun shots. Boillat said his friend saw someone grabbing a gun out of the trunk of their car. It was at that moment that Boillat saw a body on the ground. Levi Miller was interviewed this morning by the Today Show and stated “I saw a man, a hooded figure. The man did have an AR in his hand, and he started shouting and then he started firing. I thought he saw me, so I immediately ducked for cover.”

Deputy Chief of Criminal Investigations for Indianapolis Police, Craig McCartt, stated that four of the victims were found inside of the FedEx facility and four were found outside. The suspect was found deceased, in addition to eight other people. The Indianapolis Police Department said they have an idea of who the suspect was, however, have not formally identified him. The Department believes that the shooter was using a rifle, but they do not yet have any specifics on the weapon. The police are being assisted by the FBI in searching the suspect’s house. Special agent Paul Keenan is in charge.

During a news conference McCartt stated, “This suspect came to the facility. He got out of his car and pretty quickly started some random shooting outside the facility. There was no confrontation with anyone. That began in the parking lot and then he did go into the building.”

Alfarena McGinty, the Chief Deputy Coroner at the Marion County Coroner’s Office, said that the Department is conducting an investigation, but cannot yet enter the crime scene to confirm the victims’ identity until all evidence has been collected. “We are still a number of hours out before we are able to go on to the scene to conduct our investigation, and then after that, we’ll work with the families. Following that process, what we have to do is we will perform our examinations,” she said, adding that extra staff will be called in to complete those examinations in the next 48 to 72 hours, reports CNN.

According to data from the Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 147 mass shootings incidents in 2021 in the United States. The Gun Violence Archive is an online archive of gun violence incidents collected from various law enforcement, media, government and commercial sources daily in order to provide near-real time data about the results of gun violence. GVA is a non-profit corporation based out of Washington DC, as stated on their website.

UPDATE:

Indianapolis Police has released the names of the deceased victims from Thursday night’s shooting.

The victims are:

32-year-old Matthew R Alexander
19-year-old Samaria Blackwell
66-year-old Amarjeet Johal
64-year-old Jaswinder Kaur
68-year-old Jaswinder Singh
48-year-old Amarjit Sekhon
19-year-old Karlie Smith
74-year-old John Weisert

A statement by IMPD says the next of kin has been notified by the Marion County Coroner’s Office.

The cause of death will be determined after autopsies are complete, according to the statement.

IMPD said the names of those injured are not being released.

Bike4Tourism × Cycle the World

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Bike4Tourism Invites Would-Be Travelers to Cycle the World, Virtually

Seeking a Global Community to Bike Together While Apart and Share Images of Each Other’s Routes

Missing international travel? Wishing you could host some out-of-town friends to show them your most beautiful locations? Then Bike4Tourism has an inspiring global event tailor-made for you this Memorial Day weekend, on Sunday, May 30th.

Bike4Tourism aims to promote healthy living and sustainable tourism. The goal of the event is to have as many participants as possible, in every country, riding bikes and sharing photographs to the global community of the most beautiful places near their homes.

In sharing each other’s images, cyclists will virtually visit cities, countries and continents, without need for a passport — just a helmet and the will to discover or rediscover the places that surround us and show them to others.

Organizers are hoping for more than 115,000 participants around the world to break the current record. Proceeds will support environmental conservation charities and aid tourism businesses in financial need following Covid-19 travel restrictions.

It’s hoped that participants are left with even more desire to travel, sustainably, with a huge selection of photos of beautiful places from which to choose their next journey.

All are welcome to participate, and free tickets will be made available for children to encourage family bike rides. Early bird tickets are available from April 20th. For more information, visit Bike 4 Tourism, and Facebook.

Andine Announces Fred Segal Limited Time Popup

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ANDINE ANNOUNCES FRED SEGAL AS FIRST RETAIL PARTNER FOR LIMITED-TIME POPUP

The Loungewear and Sleepwear Brand Is Exclusively Launching Its Collection With The Retailer, Available In-Store and Online

Fred Segal, the iconic Los Angeles based multi-brand and multi-platform retailer, today announced a limited-time popup in partnership with loungewear and sleepwear label, Andine. The partnership includes the exclusive range of Andine’s soft, sexy, super-comfortable loungewear and sleepwear including the launch of Andine’s Stretch Lace collection and will serve as the brand’s first-ever retail home outside of their LA flagship and atelier. The collection is available today through July 16 exclusively at Fred Segal’s West Hollywood Flagship location.

Founded by Los Angeles-based designer Elisabeth Weinstock, Andine’s collection features a range of fabrics that you have to feel to believe. From feather weight cotton batiste, the softest brushed French terry and the finest two-way stretch lace in feminine silhouettes providing the perfect, sexy fit. Every Andine piece including the Colette (cropped tank), Delphine (short), Rosario (long sleeve fitted t-shirt) and the Olivetta (legging) are designed, hand-cut and sewn at the House of Andine in Los Angeles.

“Fred Segal is excited to announce our partnership with fellow Los Angeles brand, Andine, and serve as their first wholesale partner,” said Elisabeth Weinstock. “The brand’s effortless spirit and timeless sensibility is ideal for the Fred Segal customer.”

“Every woman is Andine. She’s a European ingenue who’s apartment smells like freshly brewed espresso and croissants in the morning, roses throughout the day and homemade exotic cuisine at night. Andine knows the backstreets of Lisbon, the six-seat sushi bar in New York and the best art galleries in London. She’s the coolest girl you know or have yet to meet. Go out. Stay home. Sleep over. Andine is a brand designed for every woman,” said Elisabeth Weinstock.

The collection, which ranges from $65-$295 is now available in-store Fred Segal.