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Javier Pedroza

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LISTEN to Javier Pedroza on 360 MAG podcast PT1 | PT2.

Javier Pedroza is a multi-talented host, producer, creative and visual director, founder of his own production company Under One Roof Productions, celebrity stylist, philanthropist, and Latinx Editor-at-Large for 360 MAGAZINE. His positive and innovative mindset have allowed Pedroza to rise to prominence in the entertainment industry. His impressive portfolio is comprised of editorials, fashion shows, movie premiers, life performances, showroom designs, pop-up shops, and window and merchandising displays. Pedroza is based in New York City, but he is surely taking on the world.

Before Pedroza’s successes with his own company and hosting, he collaborated with designer brands while he was the Visual Director for ESCADA in North America. ESCADA is an international fashion brand that celebrates feminine luxury. Pedroza also worked with clothing brands including Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, GANT, Gabriel & Co., and Coomi Jewelry.

Due to Pedroza’s incredible styling abilities, he has worked with supermodels and Hollywood celebrities alike at major award shows and red carpet events. The stylist’s abilities have been seen at the Oscars, the Emmys, The Golden Globes, The Grammys, and the SAG Awards.

Pedroza’s innovative mindset and charismatic ebullience has also landed him interviews with stars, including Carmen DeLeon, Piso 21, LaJune, and Raul Peñaranda. Additionally, Javier was named the Relational Organizer Director for Dianne Morales’ mayoral campaign. Pedroza’s unique perspective grants him exceptional event design and execution of production abilities. His astute creative direction has led to the success of many events.

Favoring to work with non-profit organizations– such as Wendy Williams’ The Hunter Foundation Inaugural Gala at New York City’s prestigious Hammerstein Ballroom, AID for AIDS Hero Gala held at the American Museum of Natural History and Latino Commission on AIDS Cielo Gala at Cipriani Wall Street– Pedroza’s philanthropic productions help these organizations reach their full potential. The designer is especially passionate about his involvement with The Latino Commission on AIDS, of which he has supported for the past thirteen years and became Chair of the Cielo Gala in 2019.

The visual director has used his platform to found his production company, as well as create various visual and audio podcasts. Pedroza’s two podcasts– Conciencias Con Cocktails and LatinX Heroes– both highlight cutting edge individuals. On such, Pedroza navigates discourse surrounding diverse leaders such as Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, Gen. Ignacia Zaragoza, and Dianne Morales.

Recently, Pedroza’s hard work and talent has resulted in him being signed to media brand, TAG Collective. He will be working with the Collective to secure brand deals, social media engagements, publicity outreach, and to expand his overall profile.

You’re invited! Now RSVP.

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Ivy League BLM Courses

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By: Emily Bunn

Ivy League Schools to Begin Teaching “Black Lives Matter” Courses

Proving their commitment to diversity and understanding, several Ivy League colleges will begin offering courses on the Black Lives Matter Movement. Whereas other Ivy League schools, such as Cornell, have created Africana Departments that focus on the centrality of Africa and the African Diaspora to the modern world, BlackLivesMatter classes are situated in a specific cultural moment. Though, of course, the Black Lives Matter falls under the umbrella of contemporary African history, it is positioned in a more concentrated, modern application. Princeton and Dartmouth are the two first schools to begin accrediting this intersectional coursework. While Princeton most recently enacted their BLM coursework, Dartmouth has been pioneering this change since 2015.

Dartmouth’s Black Lives Matter course discusses topics such as The Ivory Tower, understanding St. Louis and its racial history, race and class, racial violence, and systemic and unconscious racism, among other topics. Part of Dartmouth’s course description reads, “though the academy can never lay claim to social movements, this course seeks in part to answer the call of students and young activists around the country to take the opportunity to raise questions about, offer studied reflection upon, and allocate dedicated institutional space to the failures of democracy, capitalism, and leadership and to make #BlackLivesMatter. Developed through a group effort, this course brings to bear collective thinking, teaching, research, and focus on questions around race, structural inequality, and violence.” The course is taught by a wide variety of professors from different academic disciplines and social backgrounds. Taught for ten weeks by close to 20 different professors, Dartmouth’s Black Lives Matter coursework stands as a comprehensive example of a cross-disciplinary concentration that recognizes and situates history in a contemporary, American context.

Princeton’s #BlackLivesMatter class looks to examine the “historical roots and growth of the Black Lives Matter social movement,” and is “committed to resisting, unveiling, and undoing histories of state sanctioned violence against Black and Brown bodies.” Princeton’s #BlackLivesMatter’s course description reads as such: “This seminar traces the historical roots and growth of the Black Lives Matter social movement in the United States and comparative global contexts. The movement and course are committed to resisting, unveiling, and undoing histories of state sanctioned violence against Black and Brown bodies. The course seeks to document the forms of dispossession that Black Americans face and offers a critical examination of the prison industrial complex, police brutality, urban poverty, and white supremacy in the US.” The course’ sample reading list includes selections from Angela Davis, Claudia Rankin, and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor.

Princeton’s course will be taught by Professor Hanna Garth, who has previously taught “Race and Racisms,” “Postcolonial and Decolonial Theory,” and “Theories of Social Justice.” Garth’s self-defined interest in “the ways in which people struggle to overcome structural violence” and past experience has well-prepared her for teaching this class. Garth remarks, “All of my research, teaching, and mentoring is designed around my commitment to feminist methodologies and critical race theory.”

While some have aggressively asserted that Princeton’s course readings are from a former communist party leader who once made it on the FBI’s Most Wanted List, their negativity further highlights the necessity of this course. While these assertions may be true, it is telling that certain critics commonly overlook the individual’s many (more recent) accomplishments. The author in question is Angela Davis – a revered, respected, and well-educated civil rights activist, philosopher, academic, and author. By painting Davis as an unpatriotic, dangerous criminal, it distracts from the important lessons that are to be learned from this influential leader. Similarly, Fox News’ article on Princeton’s new course links their mention of the “Black Lives Matter” movement not to an explanation of what the movement is, but instead to a page on US protests. As opposed to creating an educational resource for what the BLM Movement is, conservative critics are quick to jump to claims of Black violence and riots.

Especially in 2021, as the United States grapples with the fight for racial and civil justice, discussions surround race, policing, prison reform, and politics are more pertinent than ever. It is absolutely essential that our nation’s college students are exposed to critical race theory and critical thinking. By shielding America’s youth from the necessary history of this country – which is still being experienced today – we are only putting them in a position of increased vulnerability and ignorance. Knowledge is power and educating oneself on society’s issues is the only way to efficient work towards progressive social change. Hopefully, as the most prestigious academic institutions begin to model examples of intersectional and anti-racist coursework, other colleges and universities will soon follow suit.

IVY PARK RODEO

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adidas and Beyoncé Launch Fourth IVY PARK Collection: “IVY PARK RODEO”

Ditch the ten-gallon hat and say “howdy” to stylish, western wear. adidas and Beyoncé are returning to present the latest adidas x IVY PARK collection. Inspired by the inimitable style and undeniable influence of Black cowboys and cowgirls, the “IVY Park Rodeo” collection celebrates the formidable impact of Black men and women on American Western culture. Beyoncé recently featured the fierce collection on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar. 360 Magazine is impressed at this fashionable collection that brings to light an important history that often goes unspoken. The collection celebrates the oft-hidden history of Black pioneers within cowboy and cowgirl culture and their continued influence and impact on the American Rodeo.

The Collection

A bold celebration of classic Americana reimagined for today, this is a refreshingly contemporary take on classic Western wear. IVY PARK Rodeo is where audacious design meets thoughtfully remixed classic streetwear and athletic wear fused with inspiration from the Black cowboy experience. The collection features 58 adult apparel styles, 5 adult footwear styles, and 13 different accessories. Cowboys and cowgirls of all ages can join in on the fashion show. Boasting dark denim fabrics and washed heavy French terry materials throughout, the apparel and accessories are elevated with unique denim monograms and bold purple glow cow prints. Utilitarian-inspired zips and snap fastenings complete the details.

Highlights from the apparel collection include a denim body suit and wide leg snap pant, a denim tracksuit, a washed French terry hoodie and matching sweatpants, denim chaps, a denim bucket hat, and a small cotton canvas waist bag. The footwear offering is exciting as well, with two colorways of the IVP Ultraboost – one which mimics the look of denim and a new colorway for the IVP Forum Mid. This collection introduces the new IVP Super Sleek “Chunky”, with an exaggerated outsole combined with a classic upper in two dynamic colorways.

The fourth IVY PARK collection launches exclusively on adidas’ website for 24 hours on August 19th and is followed by a wider global launch on August 20th.

adidas x IVY PARK Drop 4 consists of the IVP Super Sleek “Chunky” (priced at $140), the IVP Forum Mid (priced at $150), and the IVP Ultraboost (priced at $200.)

It is clear that adidas x IVY PARK prioritizes inclusivity and diversity within all of their drops. Within this new capsule, clothing sizes range from XXXS-4XL / 1X-4X. Unisex sizes range from 4 US – 14 US, and specific women’s sizes range from 5 US – 14 US. Clothing prices range from $45 to $200 for adults.

With over 58 adult apparel styles, 5 adult footwear styles, and 13 accessories styles, there are plenty of choices for any wardrobe. Accessories including unisex hats, unisex bags, a denim bucket hat, a durag, socks, and bandanas. Accessory prices range from $25 – $75.

The collection concentrates on centering aesthetically pleasing colors and prints, including Dark Denim, Glory Blue, Dust Purple, Purple Glow, Ambient Blush, Prints are Dark Denim Monogram, Purple Glow Dark, Brown Cow Print. The soft, high-quality fabrics used in this collection include 100% Cotton 16.5oz blue twill denim, 99% Cotton 1% Elastane 10.8oz stretch blue denim, and 100% Cotton 13oz cow print cotton twill denim.

adidas and Beyoncé Introduce Kids’ Apparel for the First time with Fourth adidas x IVY PARK Collection: “IVY PARK Rodeo”

With this fourth launch, for the first time, adidas x IVY PARK introduces their kids’ collection, a capsule line of 16 apparel styles, offering an assortment of looks in sizes 2T-XL. Taking its creative inspiration from the adult collection, the line appeals to fashion conscious grown-ups who have a fresh eye on style and want their ‘mini-me’s’ to enjoy their wardrobe choices with the same enthusiasm and playful attitude towards fashion.

The Collection

A bold celebration of classic Americana reimagined for today, this is a refreshingly contemporary take on classic Western wear. IVY PARK Rodeo is where audacious design meets thoughtfully remixed classic streetwear and athletic wear fused with inspiration from the Black cowboy experience reimagined for the next generation. Highlights from the collection include purple glow cow print tights and a graphic t-shirt which reads ‘brought up rodeo’ in a printed cursive script font, as well as hoodies, shorts, sweatpants, and plain t-shirts.

The fourth IVY PARK collection launches exclusively on adidas’ website for 24 hours on August 19th and is followed by a wider global launch on August 20th.

The adidas x IVY PARK Drop 4 Kids offering consists of 16 kids apparel styles that include foundation and activewear (t-shirts, hoodies, shorts, sweatpants, and tights). Colors used within the collection include Purple Glow, Glory Blue and Ambient Blush and Off-White along with the Purple Cow Print. Clothing sizes range: 2T-XL for kids’ apparel and will be priced from $20 to $65.

Foundation: Washed French Terry Hoodie, Sweatpants, Crop and Graphic Tee
Active: Base Layer Boys Top and Tight, Woven Windbreaker and Short, Cow Print tight for Girls

Beyonce adidas x IVY PARK RODEO collection image via Kathryn Stelmack at PaulWilmotCommunications via Byl Thompson at Parkwood Entertainment for use by 360 Magazine

Beyonce adidas x IVY PARK RODEO KIDS collection image via Kathryn Stelmack at PaulWilmotCommunications via Byl Thompson at Parkwood Entertainment for use by 360 Magazine

Hobamine: The Game Changing Discovery for a Long Life

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By: Greg Macpherson, biotechnologist, author, “Harnessing the Nine Hallmarks of Aging.”

Free radicals are much-maligned molecules, blamed for causing many of the diseases we suffer from and even the aging process itself. We are regularly reminded of this in the fruit and vegetable isle at the supermarket and by supplement brands promoting antioxidants to counter the effect of free radicals.

But dig a little deeper and you will discover that free radicals have an interesting little secret. It turns out that we need free radicals to be healthy. Free radicals are harnessed by our cells to send messages around the cell and between cells. Our immune system uses free radicals as part of its initial immune process (imagine free radical “bullets” being fired at an intruder) to slow the bugs down while the rest of our immune system jumps into action to fight off the infection.

It turns out, for optimal health that we need to live in a “free radical goldilocks zone.” Too many free radicals and we shift into something called oxidative stress and if that persists for too long then we are on track to get a disease. But, if we have too few free radicals then it is equally harmful as our body loses the ability to mount a healthy immune response or to transmit messages that might notify the cell that something has gone wrong triggering a process where the cell removes itself for the health of the tissues that surround it.

However, science is now telling us to go a little easy on antioxidants and not over do it. The clues have been there for a long time. A large study many years ago found that smokers, who create a burden of oxidative stress in their body with every puff, that took a vitamin E supplement had an increased risk of death. In another study, older adults that took antioxidants alongside exercise didn’t get the same level of muscle growth as their peers who went to the gym without taking antioxidants. In each case the antioxidants interfered with the healthy free radical signalling process creating a problem larger than the one it was aiming to solve.

So how do we deal with the challenge of reducing oxidative stress whilst not over doing it and causing ourselves a serious health problem? Two strategies are coming to the fore. First, if you are going to take an antioxidant then take natural antioxidants that are derived from our diet such as curcumin, fisetin or pterostilbene. These bioactive molecules support the natural levels of antioxidants that our cells make to balance the levels of free radicals in our cells to keep us in the “goldilocks zone” and also have secondary health benefits, such ascurcumin, which is well known to reduce inflammation; fisetin, which is becoming well known as a senolytic, a molecule that helps remove senescent cells from the body; and pterostilbene, a molecule that activates key genes responsible for cellular repair and energy generation.

The second strategy and is one of the most promising I have seen for a long time is taking a molecule called Hobamine (also known as 2-HOBA). Hobamine is an extract from the humble Himalayan Tartary buckwheat. It is an interesting molecule that protects our cells from the downstream effects of free radicals whilst leaving the healthy free radicals alone to do their work. How Hobamine delivers its health benefits is fascinating. It is a member of a new class of natural molecules called reactive carbonyl scavengers. While that is a bit of a mouthful you could also call it an antioxidant 3.0 or a smart antioxidant. It is so cutting edge that it is hard to find in most supplements. In fact, my company SRW is only the second company in the world to offer it in our Cel1 Stability supplement.

Hobamine works to mitigate the damage that free radicals cause in our cells. If you remember from grade school, free radicals are molecules that are unstable and all they want to find and react with is another molecule to becomestable. They damage our cells because in the process of getting stable they steal a molecule from a part of our cell. Free radicals are not picky and damage whatever is closest to them: our DNA, our delicate cellular machinery, or our cell membranes. In the process the free radical becomes stable but whatever they damage becomes radicalised and reactive. Because we are carbon based the most common downstream effect of free radical damage is the formation of reactive carbonyl species. These molecules are highly reactive and only persist for fractions of a second. They are so short lived that you can’t measure them, but you can measure the result of the damage they cause.

Reactive carbonyl species bind with proteins, DNA and cell membranes affecting their function and, in some cases, interfere with the cells ability to remove the damage. Over time this is where the real damage from free radicals and oxidative stress is occurring within our cells and what is exciting is that Hobamine gives you a way, for the first time to slow the damage down. Hobamine neutralises the reactive carbonyl species before they have a chance to cause damage to the delicate cellular machinery, membranes and our DNA.

What makes this doubly interesting is that researchers have discovered that the immune system is activated by the end molecules that result from the process between reactive carbonyl species and our cell membranes and this may be part of the reason that we experience increasing levels of inflammation as we age.

Reactive carbonyl species and how to mitigate damage from them is now an active area of research and medical researchers have identified the link between reactive carbonyl species damage and diseases like Alzheimer’s, autoimmune, heart disease and high blood pressure. The list will continue to grow, and it is looking like the discovery of this new class of bioactive molecules could potentially reduce the burden of damage across our cells that we all accumulate as we age and potentially lead to helping protect ourselves from a wide range of conditions or better, get ahead of the damage and slow the aging process itself down. Hobamine is an exciting new tool in the fight to extend our health-spans so that we all get the opportunity to be healthier for longer.

Biography:

Greg Macpherson is a pharmacist, biotechnologist, cellular health expert and author of, “Harnessing the Nine Hallmarks of Aging: to live your healthiest life.” For more than a decade, he has been working in the biotechnology sector, specifically focusing on the aging process at the cellular level. This work led him to discover ways to harness the nine identified, scientific hallmarks of aging, which is the premise of his book that addresses the natural aging process, how to age more favorably and simple strategies to slow the aging process and build a functional healthspan. Beyond theory and concept, Macpherson has used his entrepreneurial spirit to further develop solutions to this new paradigm of aging, described in his book, by launching SRW Laboratories, a science and research based company that curates the latest biotechnology research to formulate natural products designed to help slow the onset of aging and disease, and develop evidence based solutions for those who are experiencing age-related health concerns or who want to improve their healthspan. SRW, which stands for Science, Research and Wellness, is Macpherson’s natural world laboratory that will develop the preventative formulas for cellular health from nature required to slow down the aging process based on the nine hallmarks of aging, which include mitochondrial dysfunction, telomere attrition and cellular senescence, to name a few. With aging being the single biggest risk factor for developing disease, Macpherson’s mission to slow the aging process at a cellular level could help millions of people delay the onset of diseases associated with advanced aging like Alzheimer’s and heart disease and increase healthspan.

Bombazo Caribbean Skirts Featured at New York Fashion Week

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By: Javier Pedroza

Milteri Tucker Concepción is a busy and multi-talented Afro Boricua who holds degrees in Biology, Chemistry and a master’s in Dance Education. She is an author, a mother and was casted in Lin Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights the movie. As we approach #NYFW2021, Milteri puts on another hat, as designer.

Milteri is the founder of BOMBAZO and the artistic director of Bombazo Dance Co. The Puerto Rican-Bronx based non-profit dance organization’s focus is to educate, advocate, preserve and perform Bomba Puertorriqueña. As an author, educator and master Bomba dancer, she lectures across the United States and the world. I sat with Milteri and we spoke about Bomba, fashion and Puerto Rico.

Milteri, tell our readers, who is Milteri Tucker Concepción?

Well, I was born and raised in Puerto Rico and grew up with a passion for dance since I was 5 years old. I recall dancing in “la Sala”(the living room) with three of the most influential women in my life: my grandmother, mother and aunt. As part of my upbringing I remember dancing, planting and assisting my elders in the kitchen. I also vividly recall shopping for fabrics with my aunt and watching my grandmother Abuela Teresa, warmly referred to as “Mama” sewing. My aunt “Titi” Maria Concepción was a designer who attended FIT and designed clothes for top actors in Puerto Rico. I was blessed to have been raised in a household full of love, and love for my culture!

As a teenager, I studied dance in La Escuela de Bellas Artes in Ponce, PR. At 17, [I] moved to NYC to pursue careers in dance and science. In 2006, I graduated with a dual major of Dance and Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Hunter College. I currently hold a masters degree in Dance Education from NYU Steinhardt. Today I am a renowned Bomba master dancer, choreographer, scholar, dance educator and author. [I wrote] the first bilingual Bomba children’s book, titled “Bomba Puertorriqueña” and illustrated by Boricua artist, Mia Roman.

I’ve had the privilege to perform in multiple venues across NYC and the world – from the prestigious Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, City Center, Summerstage, Pregones Theater, BAAD, The Latin Billboards Awards, dancing for Don Omar with choreography by Maria Torres O’Connor, to amazing community centers.

I am a cultural warrior (guerrera cultural) who safeguards our traditions of Bomba Puertorriquenas, via [my] 501c3 non-profit dance organization: Bombazo Dance Co, Inc and international brand of Caribbean dance skirts: Bombazo Wear-Bomba & Caribbean Dance Skirts®. I was recently featured in Lin Manuel Miranda’s movie, In The Heights, as the Bomba representation.

How was your experience filming ‘In the Heights’?

Being invited to dance Bomba for In the Heights was a surreal experience and a dream come true! It was an honor to represent our African heritage through our traditional dances. However, one of my favorite memories came after the movie premiered…. I had the opportunity to open the 2021 Virtual National Puerto Rican Day Parade in NYC, where Lin and I danced Bomba together.

What is the history of Bomba?

Bomba is Puerto Rico’s oldest musical genre, dating back to the 17th century and created by the African enslaved and free people of color from the Caribbean. This was one of the ways they communicated in our coastal sugarcane and coffee plantations. It is a secular practice, where the community gathers to sing, dance and drum.

Why did you create Bombazo Dance Company?

I founded Bombazo Dance Company to show the world that Puerto Rico has rich African ancestry, and that our traditions are very much alive. As a Bomba dance company, we communicate through dance and drumming. [This is] reflected in our traditional folk art dancers. It is also important to create a safe space to fuse Bomba with other forms of dance – such as ballet, contemporary, social dances and dances of the African and Caribbean diaspora.

What inspired you to create Bombazo dance wear?

At the same time I started Bombazo Dance Company, I was teaching Bomba classes to the community and needed skirts. Believe it or not, it was hard to find a seamstress who could make Caribbean skirts or a location to purchase them. I wanted to create skirts that fit all Caribbean dance styles, because I am that dancer. And voilà – Bombazo Wear Bomba Caribbean Skirts was born! My mother, Dr. Margarita Concepción, and I are the CEOs and we sew the [skirts] too. Our skirts are handmade, custom[ized] and tailored to each client. A part of the funds go to aid families affected by the earthquakes in Southern Puerto Rico.

How does it feel to be invited to NYFW 2021 / Harlem Fashion Week?

It is an honor to have been invited to showcase for a second time in HFM! The organizers are truly showcasing diversity within their shows and providing opportunities for designers of color to present their designs to the world. It’s important to me – as a woman of color, a Latina and AfroBoricua – [that] they understand my vision of dance as fashion. And my skirts have fashion written all over them!

Tell us about your upcoming collection “Resistencia y Libertá!” (Resistance and Freedom).

I am the creator of the Puerto Rican Bomba Flag Skirt®. A flag; its colors, represents a collective orgullo – pride for its people. Our flag was conceived and designed here in NYC. It was prohibited to fly The Puerto Rican flag in both Puerto Rico and New York at one time. Its pride is back after Hurricane Maria, [now] you see our colors in every town’s building and rinconcito (corner) in both Puerto Rico and the diaspora! Therefore, my new collection for 2021 is titled: “Resistencia y Libertá!” Where each skirt in the collection represents a social cause affecting Puerto Rico – such as the cultural resistencia by the people, No al Feminicidio, Boricua hasta en la Luna, Afroboricuaness, LGBTQ+ representation and support in the Bomba Community, ect. It is important to note that this is a brand and line designed and sewn by a Bomba dancer, a person from the community. These are skirts [are designed] with a mission. Part of the funds go to help families affected by the earthquakes in the South of Puerto Rico and organizations/community ensembles continuing the labor of safeguarding Bomba traditions in the island.

Any advice for the youth who want to connect and immerse themselves with their African roots and Culture?

Learn about all parts of you! That makes you unique and special. Speak to your elders: abuelas, abuelos, tias, tios and elders from your community. They have a lot of wisdom and years of experience you can learn from. Always connect to your culture, to your African roots! There is an African proverb I love : “Sankofa– in order to move forward you must know your past!” Know who you are, where you come from, so that you can pass the knowledge to your next generation! Ubuntu! (an African Proverb [that] means “I am because we ALL are!”)

For more information and to view images, please visit HERE.

Four Questions to Ask Your Personal Injury Attorney

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Meeting with a lawyer for the first time can be stressful, especially when you’re pursuing an important personal injury case. Need some help figuring out what to ask? Here are a few helpful suggestions:

How Much Will This Case Cost Me?

One of the most important factors to consider before pursuing a personal injury case is if it’s worth the time and effort. One way to decide that is to find out how much it will cost you. That means asking your injury attorney what their fees are.

Most lawyers work on contingency, meaning they only get paid if you win the case, in which case the amount they received is based on a percentage of your settlement. It’s also worth checking what advance costs (filing fees, medical record retrieval fees, expert witness fees, etc.) you’re liable for if you don’t win.

What Could My Settlement Be Worth?

Another major factor in deciding if a case is worth pursuing is how much you stand to gain from it. Injury attorneys can calculate an estimated settlement amount for you based on things like the cost of your medical bills, any property damages you may have suffered, wages lost due to missed work, and more.

Getting an idea of how much you can expect from a settlement is good not only for helping you choose whether or not to pursue your case, but also if a certain lawyer’s terms are acceptable to you, or if you should consider hiring someone else instead.

What Will My Role in the Case Be?

Different lawyers work in different ways. Some require a high level of participation from their clients, while others are happy to work on things on their own and only contact you when they need information. Likewise, you may want to take a more active role or you may prefer to leave it in their hands.

Whatever your preference, it’s important to know what is expected of you, and also for your injury attorney to know what you expect of them. Establishing these things through clear and upfront communication is vital to the success of any personal injury case.

How Much Experience Do You Have?

One of the most important factors to consider when hiring a lawyer, if not the number one most important factor, is how much experience that lawyer has with cases similar to yours. Even if a lawyer has worked on numerous personal injury cases over the years, there are different kinds of cases within that milieu.

From car accidents to work-site injuries to commercial negligence, an attorney can work for many years without once representing a case like yours. If you want the very best representation possible, you want to know that the lawyer you’re talking to has had both experience and success in cases like yours.

Spa Guide

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empyri

empyri is a cannabis wellness and skin care company based in London, Ontario, Canada. Founder Jen Grant fused her passion for personal health and wellness with her biochemical engineering background to create a revolutionary skincare company with three simple principles in mind: Clean Beauty, Conscious Consumption and Honouring Diversity. empyri is the first consumer brand on the market to use cannabis roots in wellness products, combining tenets of Traditional Chinese Medicine with evidence-based science. The brand is committed to empowering and inspiring individuals to achieve harmony – both with their health, and in their lives.

empyri products are formulated with cannabis roots, cannabis seed extract and cannabis seed oil to nourish and heal stressed out skin. Canadian made in GMP facilities, containing no THC or CBD, cruelty-free, chemical-free, vegan, and all packaging is 100% recyclable. For more information, please visit here.

Elana Brody Q×A

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By: Emily Bunn

Celebrating the beauty of human experience and the universality of dance, Elana Brody enchants fans with her exhilarating dance-pop music. Her most recent single, “Rock Steady,” showcases the singer’s joyous choreography and passionate songwriting ability. The “Rock Steady” music video can be viewed HERE. The bold, emotional ballad was produced by Max Martin protégé, Dominic Fallacaro. Brody spoke with 360 Magazine about the spirituality that courses through her songs, her music production process, and upcoming releases.

Your recent material was written during the pandemic. How did you manage to find inspiration during lockdown?

As a songwriter, lockdown – with all its grief and deep, life-changing themes- was a very fertile time for me. For one, I retreated from NYC to my childhood homestead in Virginia – in one of the most remote places East of the Mississippi. While there in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia, with the music world at a stand-still, I found myself with very little to do but be in nature and play music. My then-partner had come with me, and we spent much of our time playing music together. I also felt called to offer musical prayer services online for those who needed inspiration and connection to Spirit. Because of this, I began by writing new prayer music – which felt right for the time. But, after my partner decided to split with me, as you can imagine – the folk songs started pouring out. This break-up, combined with being my original creative habitat, the pandemic, the Black Lives Matter uprising, the political election-year insanity, and a life far from community, took me the deepest I’ve been in my writing for a long time – especially as a lyricist. I think some of the lyrics you will hear on my upcoming EP are possibly my best yet.

What does your songwriting process look like?

It depends on the song. Sometimes snippets of lyrics, with a bit of their melody, come first. Sometimes a really awesome piano hook comes first. Over the last many years, I have found my songwriting process to be mostly a long-winded jam session where I sing out my heart for hours, creating spontaneous free-style lyrics. Many of those lyrics disappear forever, but at least a few of them make the cut! Once I get a sense of the general narrative of the song, I think about phrases that will help move the story along, and then build new lyrics around the original “spontaneous-gems” to flesh it out. Over the pandemic, lyrics were everything – and I found myself caring more about them than the music. The music could have been 3 chords, and I’d be totally okay with that, as long as the lyrics were telling the story. But, in other phases of my life as a writer, I would basically compose a piano concerto! And then, lyrics come in afterwards. I love and live music. And honestly, I don’t have to work hard to have music flow through me. I have found the best music and lyrics that I have written, have written themselves. It’s actually that simple. “Rock Steady” was a bit like that.

Are you still looking to release your EP eventually, or have you decided to shelve it in favor of tracks like “Rock Steady”?

Yes, to the EP! If all works out with piecing it together (because it was recorded in many different settings over the pandemic) then I would really like to release it in the late fall. But! Because “Rock Steady” is such a banger and I want to make more songs like that, I decided to quickly write and record a new song called “Quicksand,” which is another pop-influenced song, to release as a follow up – before I transition into my folk music.

Why did you choose Costa Rica as the location for the “Rock Steady” music video?

It chose me! My friend lives there and she invited me to come out to visit. I said I would, but under the one condition – that we film a music video! She is a great networker and knows so many people to reach out to and work with. She also happens to be an ecstatic dance facilitator and DJ and was planning a dance on the weekend of my visit. So, naturally, we organized to film the dance party at an already scheduled and high-vibe (to use a very Costa Rican term) dance party! It couldn’t have been more perfect. We also did all our beach filming at a beach called Roca Beach – aka Rock (Steady) beach!

How does your spirituality factor into the way you create music?

Once, after I auditioned for the first season of USA’s XFactor, I left the stage (a story for another time!) and was interviewed by a faceless producer speaking to me from behind a black curtain. This producer asked me, “When you sing, it seems as if you are connecting to some higher power. Is this true for you? And what is that higher power?” At the time, I wouldn’t have considered myself a prayer-leader or religious at all, but I knew the answer to that right away. I said, “Yes. God.”

God can bring up a lot for people. And for me too. Growing up in rural Virginia, the idea of “God” sometimes felt like some kind of angry, repressive, overpowering righteousness. But – in my family – and in my own experience – God was gentler than that. The spirit between things. As a youth, I was surrounded by the most beautiful, untouched nature – and witness to the seasons in their full force. With below-zero cold and windy winters, slow-to-pop springs, abundant green summers with my folks’ organic gardens in full bloom, and then the rainbows of colorful Appalachian autumns – I knew what Spirit had to offer us humans. And music had always been my human way to offer Spirit back to Spirit, if that makes sense. It’s a giving and receiving from the big, wild wonders of creation, and then music is my way to return it back. Now that I have dived into my Jewish roots, and studied the traditions, I would say that song is the modern equivalent of sending burnt offerings up to the Creator. Instead of smoke, we let our voices rise. And I don’t see prayer music and pop music as all that different. Different themes, different stories, but ultimately, what we sing or speak is all prayer. And, especially now that I am very involved in prayer-leadership, as I create more songs, I do think about that in my writing.

What do you anticipate the reaction to “Rock Steady” will be like?

A fun one! Hopefully one that makes people dance and dance some more! Because I haven’t released much of my other music yet on the bigger platforms, most people won’t know the difference. Like, how did that happen? All of a sudden, I’m a pop star! The truth is, I’ve always been a pop star. Christina Aguilera and Celine Dion were my first vocal idols, and all of the first music I ever wrote sounded like it could have been in a Disney Channel original movie. Anyhow, I had this thought that I should go about my career in the opposite way of other folk artists, a la Jewel circa “Intuition,” and drop in with the fun and danceable stuff first. I don’t see myself ever being too genre-confined, anyway. Life is too short not to write whatever you feel and whatever is coming through you! I did think, “oh, maybe I should sell this song to Rhianna or another artist who could do it amazingly.” But honestly, this route of self-producing is very fun, and maybe even better. Now I get to be heard singing like a pop star too!

What other artists, musicians, or bands serve as inspirations for your music?

It’s a long list…

Joni Mitchell is my in-utero and post-utero,songwriting teacher. I used to call her my piano teacher, because I learned to play by playing so many of her songs. Several other musicians of my parents’ 60s/70s era also come in close as primary inspirations – including Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Carole King, and the Beatles. They have shaped what a well-written song could be for me.

It’s hard to decipher what is an influence now because it’s just one big, long-cooked stew or spicy mole at this point.

I have always liked lyric-forward music, with bands like Of Montreal (his candidness in writing was life-changing for me!) and Death Cab for Cutie (the simple metaphors and speaking-style of his writing) and the Decemberists (storytelling, bard-like songs.) And the orchestral and lyrical artistry of the Fleet Foxes is stellar.

I have also always liked some good classic, chunky, Rock’n’roll and music that gets ya’ dancing, like Led Zeppelin and CCR. And the blues, especially blues piano music, has played a role in my music education since early childhood.

Then, there’s the eternal list of female influences. My most listened to, other than Joni, from the beginning are Ani DiFranco and Sarah McLachlan. Then: Jesca Hoop, My Brightest Diamond, Regina Spektor and Kate Bush. And now: artists like Gillian Welch, Brandi Carlile, Sylvan Esso, and Sarah Jarosz have taken up a lot of my listening time. Sarah Jarosz’s album World on the Ground was really powerful to listen to last year during the pandemic. I hope that I can achieve that level of presence and intelligence in the instrumentation when I go to make my full-length album next year!

I also derive a LOT of influence from pop music. I can’t help it. I definitely fell in love with Ariana Grande’s album positions this year, and right now I am going down a Dua Lipa rabbit hole. I would say Rhianna is my number one, though. And I finally fell in love with Lady Gaga after seeing A Star is Born and listening to Joanne. Her belt has inspired me a lot. And I love vocalists in general. I have spent a lot of time really listening to vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand. These days, Elvis is my number one!

I will also never not want to listen to albums of bands like Nickel Creek, the [Dixie] Chicks, Bela Fleck, Mandolin Orange/Watchhouse, or the band Solas, to bring me the feeling of my early mountain roots and make me feel good.

I am truly a world music fan. I love to listen to the magic of music across the world. I am really inspired to hear virtuosity, no matter what genre. I love vocal virtuosos and am listening right now to the artist Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. I am curious as to when I’ll be able to imitate him. (I’m really good at imitating!) Bobby McFerrin has also been a teacher in real life. He inspires me to become more accurate in my improvisations.

I also listen to prayer music, but mostly of the Sikh or Kundalini yoga genre. Sometimes you’ll find me jamming out to Jewish artists (many of them friends of mine) or Gospel music. Anita Wilson, a modern gospel singer, has been a vocal inspiration for me because she really sings with the lows of her range.

Musical theater music is also a major influence. That Roger and Hammerstein stuff pours out of me like it were an extension of my soul! Lastly, at this point, after spending time at Berklee College of Music, I have been greatly inspired by jazz and R&B.

Besides “Rock Steady” and the EP, can fans look forward to any other releases to come in 2021-2022?

Yes! I mentioned that I am wanting to get cracking on my full-length album that will be mostly in the Americana, New Orleans blues, Rock-and-Roll, and folk pop styles. I am really, really excited about it. But I’m not sure yet who I will work with on it. An exciting unknown. I imagine it will end up feeling like a magnum opus when it is finished because I’ve been with these songs for so long. Nothing will be more amazing than when they are out in the world surrounded by strings, the right instrumentation and arrangements. I also would like to produce my song “City of Man” in a big vaudevillian, brassy style. [I want to] make a little music-video theater piece out of it. I have also been sitting on this one for a long time. It sort of harkens to the fall of capitalism…that is going on in our world and the post-Trump era– it’s due time that I get that one out. Look out for it all!

AViVA – MELANCHOLY

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AViVA PREMIERES NEW SINGLE “MELANCHOLY” LISTEN HERE

WATCH THE OFFICIAL VIDEO FOR “MELANCHOLY” HERE

AUSTRALIAN ARTIST’S DEBUT NOVEL SELF/LESS DUE OUT 9/28

Today, Australia-born artist AViVA makes her Capitol Records debut with ”Melancholy” : a new single and video spotlighting her immersive and electrifying brand of alt-pop. An unfiltered look at the downward pull of depression, “Melancholy” also showcases the uncompromising originality that’s earned AViVA a passionate global following in recent years. Go HERE to download/stream “Melancholy,” and check out the video HERE.

With its moody backdrop of minimalist beats, “Melancholy” sets its emotionally vivid lyrics to an infectious sing-song melody (“One, two, three, four/Vicious, knocking at my door/Seven, eight, nine, ten/Burn the candle at both ends”). Throughout the track, AViVA delivers a captivating vocal performance, flaunting her effortless flow and fierce yet vulnerable presence. 360 Magazine loves AViVA’s vibrant energy and passionate lyricism.

On the single, AViVA says, “Seemingly cheerful and upbeat from the outside, it doesn’t matter what makes you feel that way, sometimes feeling down is the only way you can feel, but the power of the last line ‘it will never be the same’ is where the core message of the song lies. Even though after negative experiences things often aren’t the same, we are always free to learn and grow from our experiences. Feeling melancholy, like so many feelings, is just a temporary state. Things will, as they always do, get better.”

The video for “Melancholy,” co-directed by AViVA and long-time collaborator Jeffeton James, amplifies the song’s raw and powerful intimacy. To that end, the wildly colorful visual places AViVA in a series of isolated situations: lying in a hospital bed, trapped behind a school desk, singing to her own reflection inside the room of an abandoned and decaying home. As the song unfolds, the 27-year-old artist reveals her unapologetically punk spirit, inhabiting each frame with a feverish intensity.

A multidisciplinary artist, AViVA will release her debut novel SELF/LESS via Macmillan on September 28. Set in a dystopian society in which all forms of self-expression and creativity are outlawed, the book follows its 17-year-old protagonist Teddy as she rebels against her upbringing and discovers a secret world beneath the walled-in city where she was raised. According to AViVA, SELF/LESS fulfills a longtime mission of creating her own distinct multiverse that seamlessly merges music and literature.

*Photo Credit: Matais C

Madonna × Warner Music Group

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Madonna and Warner Music Group Announce Milestone, Career-Spanning Partnership

Landmark, Multi-Year Catalog Series to Launch Next Year

2022 Will Mark 40th Anniversary of Madonna’s Recording Debut

WMG Will Now Represent Madonna’s Entire Body of Work Across Both Recorded Music & Music Publishing

Madonna and Warner Music Group today announced a milestone, career-spanning global partnership that includes a new agreement for her entire recorded music catalog. With global sales of over 300 million records, Madonna is the best-selling female artist of all time, with countless accolades that include seven Grammy Awards, 24 ASCAP Pop Music Awards, and numerous international trophies, including BRIT, Bravo Otto, Danish Music, Edison, GAFFA, International Dance Music, Ivor Novello, Juno, MTV, and World Music Awards, among many others across the globe. She was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2008.

This partnership marks the revitalization of a decades-long relationship with Warner that began with the release of Madonna’s debut single in 1982. The deal encompasses her entire Sire/Maverick/Warner catalog, including global smash albums such as Madonna, Like a Virgin, True Blue, Like a Prayer, and Ray of Light. It also includes her three most recent studio albums, MDNA, Rebel Heart, and Madame X, which will join the Warner catalog beginning in 2025. All in all, the new pact includes 17 studio albums plus singles, soundtrack recordings, live albums, and compilations.

Warner Chappell Music also globally administers all of Madonna’s songwriting work. This features such top-charting hits as “Like A Prayer,” “Vogue,” “Into the Groove,” “La Isla Bonita,” “Live to Tell,” “True Blue,” “Open Your Heart,” “Who’s That Girl,” “Express Yourself,” “Lucky Star,” “Take A Bow,” and many more.

2022 will mark the40-year anniversary of Madonna’s recording debut. This new deal heralds the launch next year of an extensive, multi-year series of catalog releases that will revisit the groundbreaking music that made her an international icon. For the first time, Madonna will personally curate expansive deluxe editions for many of her landmark albums, as well as introduce unique releases for special events, and much more. The series of releases will be overseen by Warner Music’s catalog team, led by Kevin Gore, President of Global Catalog, Recorded Music, with the first release to be announced soon.

This monumental deal was executed by Madonna’s longtime manager Guy Oseary at Maverick, Allen Grubman of Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sachs P.C., her business manager Richard Feldstein of NKSFB, and Max Lousada, CEO, Recorded Music, Warner Music Group.

Madonna said: “Since the very beginning, Warner Music Group has helped bring my music and vision to all my fans around the world with the utmost care and consideration. They have been amazing partners, and I am delighted to be embarking on this next chapter with them to celebrate my catalogue from the last 40 years.”

Guy Oseary said: “Over the past 30 years, I’ve been fortunate enough to meet and spend time with many of Madonna’s incredible fans, and this new partnership will bring to fruition what so many of them have been patiently waiting for: a celebration of her groundbreaking catalogue. My partner Sara Zambreno and I are working closely with Warner Music Group to bring new life to these iconic works.”

Max Lousada added: “We’re honored to be forming a dynamic new partnership with an incomparable superstar whose influence on our musical and artistic landscape is immense and immutable. Madonna has changed the course of pop and dance music, while taking live performance to new heights of drama and invention. At the same time, she uses her fame to amplify some of the most important social issues and movements of our time. Constantly and fearlessly challenging convention, her four decades of music are not only an extraordinary body of work, but a playbook for creative and cultural evolution.”

On October 8, Madonna will be releasing her highly anticipated documentary film, MADAME X, exclusively on Paramount+, the streaming service from ViacomCBS, and MTV Entertainment Studios in the U.S., Latin America, Australia, the Nordics, and Canada. Fans outside of these markets can watch the documentary on MTV. Filmed in Lisbon, Portugal, the film captures the pop icon’s rare and rapturous tour performance, hailed by sold-out theatrical audiences worldwide. The unprecedented, intimate streaming experience will take viewers on a journey as compelling and audacious as Madonna’s fearless persona. Madame X is a secret agent traveling around the world, changing identities, fighting for freedom, and bringing light to dark places.

In other news, Madonna has announced her birthday wish for friends and supporters to adopt a bed at the Mercy James Centre hospital in Malawi, built especially for children. There are 50 beds in the hospital’s ward, where children recuperate after surgery or regain strength following intensive care. By adopting a bed, you can ensure that any sick or injured child that comes through the hospital doors has access to world-class specialized care. Madonna has challenged supporters to adopt all 50 beds in honor of her birthday. For more information on how to donate, visit HERE.