Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on July 28, 2021

It is never quiet in Israel, but July brought new scrutiny. First, news broke that governments around the world have used spyware purchased from an Israeli cybersurveillance company, NSO Group, to target journalists, human rights activists and politicians. The revelations could implicate the Israeli Ministry of Defense in granting NSO permission to export hacking software that was then used by countries with authoritarian governments to suppress dissent. The scandal topped international news for days, but Israeli officials were instead preoccupied with ice cream. On July 19, Ben & Jerrys announced it will no longer be available in the occupied Palestinian territories as of 2023. The divestment story (inaccurately characterized as a boycott) diverted attention from the role Israeli technology plays in global antidemocratic practices. Together the stories highlighted two of Israels defining national enterprises: high tech and perpetual military occupation.

The Israeli governments response to the Ben & Jerrys announcement was swift and voluble. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid insisted the move was anti-Israel and anti-Semitic. Israels ambassador to the United States, Gilad Erdan, appealed to governors of 35 U.S. states to activate anti-Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions measures against the company.

The Israeli government portrayed itself as the victim of a hostile and unethical move on the part of the ice cream company. As if Israel itself did not partake in any immoral behavior of its own; as if home demolitions, institutionalized discrimination, land expropriation, administrative detention and shooting at unarmed Palestinian protesters were not problematic; as if an Israeli company selling highly controversial technology to authoritarian regimes were not more questionable than an ice cream company denying its pints to customers who live in certain areas.

The uniformity of official reaction in Israel to the Ben & Jerrys decision reflects an Israeli political consensus unlike that of the international community that does not distinguish between Israeli territory within its internationally recognized 1948 borders and the territories it occupied in 1967.

Yet the message Ben & Jerrys is sending that the territories are not a legitimate part of Israel is not only consistent with international norms but also aligns with some of Israels political accords. In 2018, Benjamin Netanyahus government signed a cooperation agreement with the European Union that excluded the settlements, without crying anti-Semitism.

Israeli officials, of course, want the world to see Israel as a moral, benevolent and liberal start-up nation, notwithstanding the decades-long occupation. With Mr. Netanyahu out of office, Mr. Lapid has been hard at work to mend Israels diplomatic relations around the world.

But while the new governments tone has slightly changed from that of its predecessor, its position remains the same as reflected by what the NSO revelations make very clear: Israel is a belligerent occupying power with a thriving, offensive cybersurveillance industry.

Israel is a leading exporter of state-of-the-art surveillance technology such as face recognition, internet monitoring and biometric data collection. (High-tech industry constituted 46 percent of Israeli exports in 2019.) It tests and utilizes these tools every day in the occupied territories as part of its intricate system of control over the movement and lives of millions of Palestinians. In recent years, the Israeli military has installed thousands of cameras and monitoring devices at checkpoints in the West Bank, including facial-recognition software developed by an Israeli company, AnyVision. The director of the Technology and Liberty Project at the ACLU of Washington, Shankar Narayan, described such surveillance as possibly the most perfect tool for complete government control in public spaces.

Israel also operates an extensive network of cameras tasked with observing every corner of the Old City of Jerusalem. The city of Hebron, where some 800 Israeli settlers live cordoned off from its 200,000 Palestinian residents, is known in the military as a smart city because of its sophisticated system of data collection that helps field observers monitor the urban landscape from the safety of their control rooms. Israel conducted its last war, in May, with Hamas in Gaza primarily from an underground bunker, relying on intelligence and digital technology to direct its air force on which targets to strike. Many Israeli soldiers and officers who serve in elite intelligence units in the army for example, Unit 81, known for its covert cybertechniques have gone on to found cybersecurity start-ups. Roughly 100 veterans of the unit have started 50 companies.

In excoriating Ben & Jerrys, the Bennett-Lapid coalition is, in effect, defending decades of illiberal policies: military rule of the occupied territories, creeping annexation and a blurred distinction between 1948 and 1967 borders that insists on Israeli sovereignty between the Jordan River and the sea. At the same time, they are implicitly acknowledging that its not easy to maintain an enlightened and peace-seeking image (the Abraham Accords notwithstanding) when an ice cream company calls attention to the gap between rhetoric and reality. Nor when a duly licensed Israeli company climbs into bed with some of the most repressive governments on the planet.

The question is what happens now. Israel sees its high-tech sector as a point of national pride, and it constitutes an integral part of its economy and power in the world. It is not clear whether heightened scrutiny will bring consequences for Israels actions, either at home in the occupied territories or secreted in mobile phones around the world. Although the United States and other Western democracies have largely come to terms with Israels restrictions of Palestinians rights, now that some of that surveillance technology is being exported to restrict free speech in other parts of the world, the world is standing up and noticing. Israel is accustomed to having its ice cream and eating it, too. That apparently comes with a price, and not just for Palestinians.

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Opinion | What Ben & Jerrys Has to Do With Israel and Cybersecurity - The New York Times

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Posted By admin on July 28, 2021

The government of Israel has formed a special task force devoted to its beef with Ben & Jerrys, Axios reports. The ice cream maker announced earlier this month that it would stop selling its products in occupied West Bank territory starting in January 2023. The countrys government is worried the companys decision will set a precedent and plans to mount a campaign to have the decision reversed. The Israeli Foreign Ministry relayed a classified message to its diplomatic outposts in the U.S., Canada, and Europe to begin to pressure Ben & Jerrys and parent company Unilever. The directive also called for diplomats to engage Jewish organizations in condemning the ice cream company. The cable read, We need to make use of the 18 months that are left until the decision comes into force and try to change it. We want to create long-term pressure on Unilever and Ben & Jerry's by consumers, politicians, and in the press and social media in order to lead to a dialogue with the companies.

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Israel Orders Its Diplomats to Feud With Ben & Jerry's - The Daily Beast

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Posted By admin on July 25, 2021

T.B. Joshua is the General Overseer of The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN). The Founder is Jesus Christ! He is just one of those who has humbly submitted to the will of God (Isaiah 6:8).

Born on June 12th 1963 in Ondo State, Nigeria, T.B. Joshuas journey is a humbling story of how God raised a young man from a poverty-stricken home to lead an international ministry that would attract thousands worldwide to witness the reality of Gods power today.

From dropping out of secondary school in his first year and working in a poultry farm; from teaching little children while attending evening classes and washing peoples legs on the muddy streets of Lagos to embarking on a 40-day fast before receiving the divine call and starting a ministry with a mere eight members the life of T.B. Joshua is a story of amazing grace and unwavering focus. Today, he is a mentor to presidents yet a friend to the widows and less privileged, a role model to his generation yet a humble and hardworking man, toiling tirelessly for the advancement of Gods kingdom. His story is an encouragement that there is hope for the weak.

To read more about T.B. Joshuas remarkable testimony, Click Here We pray you will be inspired in your journey of faith as you watchhis story

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Prophet TB Joshua - The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations ...

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Posted By admin on July 25, 2021

Approximately six windows at the synagogue in Onset were broken in a suspected act of vandalism sometime in March or April, according to Eli Hauser of the Beth Israel of Onset synagogue.

There was no indication that the vandalism was directed at the synagogue intentionally or was a targeted anti-Semitic act, he said.

Hauser said it appeared as if someone had taken a stick and hit the windows that face Onset Avenue. It was just unpleasant vandalism, he said.

The synagogue, located at 7 Locust St. in Onset, is only open during the summer months. The windows were broken in the off season, so exactly when the vandalism occurred is unclear.

Coincidentally, its a synagogue, Hauser said. Im willing to bet they had no idea, because we take the sign off in the winter as much for the fact that we dont have services as the fact that its winter and we dont want the display to get ruined by the snow.

Wendy Hauser said they think its likely the synagogues windows were broken because it was a building that was there.

Eli Hauser said he reported the incident to the Wareham Police Department.

Beth Israel of Onset plans to replace the windows, but he said the damage was an unexpected expense that would cost a few hundred dollars.

Hauser noted a handful of people who noticed the broken windows had recently reached out to express their support for the synagogue.

We got an email that said, Ive been here my whole life, I love seeing the community, and cant believe this [happened], he recounted. So that was really nice.

The Hausers emphasized that the community has supported the synagogue during its more than 70 years of operation.

Onset has always been welcoming to all types and everybody, Wendy Hauser said. Weve always felt welcome here. [...] We love our neighbors and we love Onset.

Those interested in supporting the Congregation Beth Israel of Onset on Cape Cod can make a donation on Paypal using the Donate button on their website http://www.capecodshul.org.

Checks made out to Beth Israel Onset can also be sent to P.O. Box 24, Onset, MA 02558.

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Onset synagogue plans to replace windows after vandalism this spring - Wareham Week

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Posted By admin on July 25, 2021

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Posted By admin on July 25, 2021

AFRICA-GLOBAL

Many countries in Africa, and elsewhere, have developed policies to guide the broader engagement of their diasporas, while concerned government agencies and higher education institutions have also crafted strategies to enable the participation of diaspora intellectuals in academic, research and development, as well as innovation activities.

These policies and strategies, however, often focus on the circumstances and needs of the institutions on the receiving end of the engagement relationship.

They seem to lack as does the literature on the subject in adequately accounting for the complexities and nuances in the experiences of the diaspora, which hold a significant bearing in shaping the decision, nature and persistence of their engagement.

Using the Ethiopian academic diaspora in the US as a case, a study recently published in the International Journal of African Higher Education explores some of these complex factors.

Sense of debt

Many in the diaspora carry a sense of debt and duty to give back as they received free education in their country of birth and have been privileged to pursue studies and a career in an advanced system.

Early age inculcations of the values of love of country and patriotism lay the foundation for this sense of responsibility.

The experience of having studied in extremely resource constrained environments, compared with the abundance observed in the country of residence, further reinforces the aspiration to help create a better learning environment for the new generation of students in the home country.

Continued social and cultural connections with the home country also present frequent opportunities to diaspora academics to witness the striving state growing, improving but also struggling of higher education which, in turn, strengthens the urge to contribute to its betterment.

Outcomes of engagement

The anticipated and realised achievements of engagement efforts constitute another set of factors that shape the nature and persistence of engagement.

Outcomes expressed by such measures as the number of graduate students advised, the number of sessions and people trained, the classes taught, the resources mobilised and successful conferences and seminars organised underpin continued commitment, as much as they offer critical input for improving engagement efforts.

On the other hand, the notion that efforts directed to the home country are far more meaningful and rewarding is a key factor in transnational diaspora engagement in higher education.

This notion is explained, not only by the satisfaction derived from fulfilling the perceived duties discussed above, but also from the understanding that, for many, their field of expertise remains largely embryonic in their home countries.

Therefore, small efforts can make a significant difference compared to the well-established academic scene in their countries of residence, where the opportunity for making a recognisable contribution is limited.

However, it is worth acknowledging that efforts by diaspora academics could also have hefty emotional and social costs, in addition to the economic one.

The common case of academics who went above and beyond to mobilise colleagues in their institutions and networks to organise such activities as research seminars and panel discussions, only to have a turnout that causes them social and professional embarrassment is a typical example.

Similarly, it is not uncommon for engagement relationships to be a source of tension and even conflict. Such outcomes both positive and negative determine the success and continuity, or lack thereof, of engagement.

Racial relations

Whether it comes in the form of blatant discriminatory practices or subtle micro-aggressions, an unpleasant racial environment in the institutions where diaspora academics are working and trying to build careers, has implications for transnational engagement in one of two ways.

Some say that their abilities are undermined, and their competencies routinely questioned so that they have to prove themselves over and over again. This would call for them to put in much more effort than their colleagues to achieve the same thing in their careers.

This burden of extra hard work and overconsumption of their emotional capital leaves them with little to no time and energy to spare for work with their home country and its institutions.

Other diaspora academics maintain that the racially charged environment in their institutions is full of constant reminders that they do not belong.

Those signals of alienation push them to seek emotional refuge in their connection with home countries.

This, among other things, manifests in strengthening their relationships with colleagues and institutions in their country of origin, hence positively contributing to their professional engagement.

This sentiment has increasingly become common with the rise of exclusionary nationalistic rhetoric in many parts of the world.

Personal circumstances

The personal circumstances of the individual academic take a central position in the analysis of critical factors that shape and predict the success and continuity of transnational diasporic engagement.

Schooling of children is, for instance, one of the most salient factors that determine availability of time and flexibility, particularly to travel for in-person engagement.

Those with school-age children often tend to have a well-established routine with narrow scope for travelling. A critical enabling factor in this regard is, of course, the nature of the occupation of a spouse.

It is, however, worth noting that, with the recent upward trend in virtual engagement, these factors are becoming less relevant than before. Activities like advising graduate students or occasionally conducting seminars are preferred for their flexibility, compared to more structured engagements like teaching courses or conducting major research projects.

Financial stability and the opportunity cost of time that could have been spent on income-generating activities, such as grant writing, are also considered to have a crucial role. Grant writing is, in fact, identified as having a double perk both financially and career-wise.

Therefore, particularly for early career academics and researchers, diasporic engagement could appear as a competing force to these important endeavours.

Robust approaches that encourage the inclusion of certain elements of diasporic engagement in these activities could easily address this predicament.

On the other hand, factors like the philosophy and strategy of home institutions regarding international engagement, the availability of support and resources at department or school level, and the burden of administrative responsibility account for the extent to which effective and sustainable diasporic engagement is possible.

Flexible programming

A careful consideration of these factors and their complex interplay is key in tapping into the intellectual resources of the diaspora.

A reasonable balance between flexibility on the one hand, and accountable and efficient bureaucracy on the other, is important in setting policies and institutional arrangements.

Programming needs to pay attention to possible nuances in experiences and circumstances personal, familial and institutional on the part of the diaspora, as it does take note of broader factors such as disciplinary differences and academic calendars.

Ayenachew A Woldegiyorgis, PhD, is a postdoctoral research associate at the Centre for International Higher Education, Boston College, United States, and can be contacted on woldegiy@bc.edu.

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The complexities of engaging Africa's academic diaspora - University World News

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Posted By admin on July 25, 2021

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

This case study is part of the Diaspora Emergency Action and Coordination Plat- forms (DEMAC) Research study on diaspora humanitarian response and engagement.

Somalia has been plagued by violent conflict for more than 30 years. The devastation caused by the ongoing violence has been compounded by the impact of recurrent climatic shocks which have seen parts of the country ravaged by drought and famine and shattered by periodic floods. With nearly six million people in need of humanitarian assistance in 2021, the institutional humanitarian system carries out multi-sectoral programming in parallel to support provided by emerging actors and Somali social networks including diaspora organizations and groups.

The Somali diaspora, which numbers well over two million globally, has a deep-rooted tradition of providing both continuous and ad-hoc support, often in the form of remittances, to their families, clans and communities. In times of severe crisis, diaspora contributions scale-up significantly. While largely remaining informal, the diaspora has formed organizations and groups to respond.

These organizations have become increasingly active in times of larger-scale crises, sometimes blurring their support between ongoing development actions and humanitarian response.

This case study identified 22 Somali diaspora organizations that were regularly activein humanitarian response with the majority based in Europe, followed by North America. Over half have formal structures and set-ups. They have varied operating models. Some were project-based interventions dependent on sporadic diaspora contributions implemented by contacts on the ground with no interaction with institutional humanitarian actors. Others focused on humanitarian and development interventions supported by institutional donors and implemented with local partners who participate in humanitarian coordination mechanisms.A sense of belonging and a charitable obligation are strong motivators which drive diaspora engagement in humanitarian response. Diaspora are alerted to crises through friends and relatives, their own humanitarian networks in Somalia, and social and mainstream media.

Diaspora organizations were involved in multiple areas of intervention and focused mainly on livelihoods, womens empowerment and education; they were less involved in protection, nutrition, provision of direct health services, livestock treatment and economic development. The majority of their responses were for sudden-onset crises such as floods and cyclones. Displacement due to armed conflict and spikes in drought were other leading reasons for diaspora organizations humanitarian response.

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Diaspora organizations and their humanitarian response in Somalia - Somalia - ReliefWeb

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Posted By admin on July 25, 2021

In a multi-part series, our contributor, Chinea Rodriguez, interviews Niambi Cacchioli, Founder of Pholk Beauty. Our All the Pretty Birds community are in love with this new clean beauty brand and its holistic origins to the African Diaspora. The richness and depth of conversation imparted to us by Cacchioli prompted our team to divide the interview so that we make space for the culturally nuanced narratives we love. Read on to discover the magic of African Diasporic ingredients.

We call Pholk soul food for the skin because for the most part our active ingredients are sourced from cultivators across the diaspora. African North African, Caribbean, and I also include the South, because those are my southern roots. Hemp seed oil, I reclaim that as an African diaspora ingredient because its from my home state of Kentucky. The history of cultivation in Kentucky is that black folk were cultivating the crop during the slavery era and it was actually hemp and tobacco, not cotton. We have a long history of being in the hemp industry. This year especially, Ill be working with more small farmers in the south to really tell them more of the black American story because like you were saying at the beginning of our conversation when people think about African diaspora ingredients they tend to think about either Africa or the Caribbean. Hemp is in 65% of our products. I love hemp seed oil for melanin-rich skin because it will not clog the skin. Since a lot of us have oily, combination skin, its a good ingredient for all skin types.

I am really obsessed with honeysuckle. Its very hydrating, balancing, and super gentle. People know rose water as being hydrating and calming, honeysuckle is antibacterial. Its a nice way to keep your pores clean and when you keep your pores clean especially when youre dealing with maskne then you diminish your chances of breakouts. Were always thinking about breaking out at Pholk and clogged pores because a lot of women, after a breakout theyll either have scarring or theyll have a black mark. We love that in the beauty aisle, there are more options for women of color and dark mark hyperpigmentation serum that can act as a targeted treatment, we love that those are on the shelves. Where we really come in is finding ways to minimize breakouts. If you dont have a breakout because your pores are clean then, youre less likely to even need or do any sort of dark mark fading treatments which can be a little bit more aggressive.

The latest plant in our plant family is lemon balm. Youll see me talking about that all the time Im growing lemon balm, Im putting lemon balm in my tea. Lemon balm is part of the mint family when you eat it it tastes like a lemon drop. I love it a little bit in my salad. Lemon balm grows wild and plentiful in Kentucky and in other parts of the south. It is like an instant stress relief. We have lemon balm in our Aloe lemon balm face mist. Its cooling, its gentle, it keeps your pores clean, and it helps minimize the size of your pores. It gives a nice fresh scent, a lot of people like a lemony citrus scent on their face. I dont use any citrus in my face products because some people are photosensitive to it so having a lemon balm aroma, its just instantly calming and uplifting.

From the diaspora, one of my favorite ingredients to talk about is Moringa. We get our Moringa from Ghana. I love talking about our Moringa because we source our moringa oil from another beauty brand called True Moringa. They also have a wholesale supplier line called Moringa Connect. One of the founders Kwame is based in Ghana, and he sources moringa from like 5000 small Ghanaian farmers and then he processes it. I love that we can continue to grow our mission of cooperative economics. Theres nothing more cooperative than getting one of your core ingredients from a fellow beauty brand. I think thats the way forward, to really think through, how not only can we impact womens health by getting them healthier ingredients and beautiful ingredients for their skin? But also how can we use Pholk on the back end to create relationships of cooperation? Its the healthiest way for me to build my business.

The ingredients are all-natural. There has been a lot of research on the toxins that still exist in the multicultural aisle, like hormone disruptors, some are known carcinogens. Just the fact that those are not in our products its a health goal for us to encourage black and brown women to really think through the ingredients that theyre putting on their skin. Beauty is at the heart of our culture. As were growing more knowledgeable about what were putting in our bodies, and eating. Really embracing our own cultural traditions of healthy eating, really connecting our cultures with the farm-to-table movement and the Healthy Eating movement. As black and brown people start to embrace this part of our culture, they are really starting to think about what theyre putting on their skin. I think for a long time we have a lot of pressure for our skincare to be to have certain results were very results-oriented. The fact that our products work, that they are real solutions for the concerns that women of color have, they moisturize, they hydrate they clean, they diminish breakouts. When a person shops the first time they may be interested in the culture of Pholk, and they may be interested in the ingredient stories but if they dont work, theyre not going to replenish. Were always thinking about the wellness of our customers. We want it to be easier for people and for women of color to make healthier decisions for their skin because it does impact their health.

We only use natural fragrance. All the scents, which are super light, theyre all either from the hydrosols or the oils, or the or essential oils which also have calming and uplifting mood, boosting effect. Thats probably where my sociology background comes in. Im always thinking about what mood I want to evoke with our products.

At the beginning of the shutdown, we were getting DMs, emails, I was getting calls on my cell phone from customers who had discovered us through social media. Their skin was breaking out or theyre having dry patches. Were one year into the new normal. If you remember there were so many transitions that people had to get used to and a lot of our customers are front liners. They had never worn masks in the way that they were wearing masks and they were working overtime and it was so stressful. Most of their lives felt out of control. I think a lot of people started to focus on their skin because they felt like it was something that they could control.

We talk about skincare, but we also make sure that with our platform that were also just talking about real life. 2020 really shaped how we reshape how we build community at the end of the day, were, were community builders. If you look at our Instagram most of our lives are about other aspects of wellness. Last week we had Dr. Little Scott Williams, who is a Puerto Rican psychologist and astrologist and we didnt even talk about skincare. We were talking about, like, how to move into the spring with ease with action, and with joy. Skincare is how we pull people onto our platform and were really able to slide in our wellness intentions. If youre stressed, your skins gonna show it right? Were always thinking about the larger lifestyle needs of our customers and just like filling those in where its possible.

It was an awakening, I would say. It was, it was a moment where every skill that I had cultivated in my life, all came together. My background as a historian, my training as an aesthetician, my love for community building, and my own exploration of black global herbalism all of it came together, and being a woman as well.

Being a mother, was really at the core because my children were at home. On one hand, I found that this was a way that I really could help, I couldnt be out in the streets protesting. In my earlier days, I was always out in the streets in some social movement but because I have kids at home I didnt feel like that was my place to be out there. Sometimes we put aside skincare and we just talk real, like, Breonna Taylor is from my hometown. It was an emotionally draining year for me. I realized this is actually a way that we can connect with women. I also have a small team of black and brown women that work at Pholk, theyre young, theyre my ride or dies and I thought to myself, what opportunities are they going to have this year? Everything is shutting down.I just made a decision after week two of our sales growing that I was going to develop their talents. The Pholk story for last year offline is really about our team, its about investing in their growth.

It took a lot of trust because I had to spend time with my kids and make sure that they understood the virtual landscape. Which meant that if we were going to continue with Pholk because we still make everything and pack everything ourselves. Very quickly, the one person that I had as a salesperson, transformed into my social media manager, and we hired her sister because they live together. Her sister was an aesthetician student, we brought her into apprentice with me. I taught her all of our formulas, all of our batching, all of the ingredients. Then I brought in another young person from the community to start handling our shipping. It was mayhem at the beginning because we went from having like six orders a day to having like 100 orders a day and we had to learn how to scale in real-time.

What I learned is that the Pholk story is now our story like its not just my founder story, it really is about the sisterhood that we have created around our work table. We even brought in a retired like a retiree from the community and she does all of our labels, she had worked on assembly lines before she retired. Every day theyre in there making products, communicating with our customers. Its about really growing opportunities for them, its been a transformation. It pushed me to transform from being like a solopreneur, and really focusing on my founder story, to creating opportunities and growth for the sisterhood.

Its a real community. I had so many opportunities because somebody reached into my life when I was younger. Teachers or mentors or a professor would reach into my life when I was struggling and they saw what I didnt see. They would provide these pockets of rest for me. I had mental health concerns when I was growing up and I had women along the way who reached into my life and said, You see where you want to go, pause right here and well help you. Jersey City is the most diverse city in the country. Ive worked alongside these young women, they come in and out of Pholk, I see them at cafes and theyre super bright, all they need is an opportunity to show what they can do. During the social unrest, what sparked, there were so many orders coming in, Pholk was on 90% of the press list and I thought, what am I going to do with this? Then I looked around at what was happening with the young folk and theyre all being laid off. Growing opportunities for them, thats the best thing that I can do right now. Its absolutely transformed my company.

[This concludes Part Two of this multi-part interview]

Niambi Cacchioli gifted our Head of Beauty, Chinea Rodriguez, with such rich conversation. We didnt want to leave anything out for you, Pretty Birds! This first installment centers on the origins of Pholk Beauty by way of Cacchiolis personal narrative as a Historian and thoughtful pursuit of treating melanin-enriched skin. We encourage you to revisit Part One of this series if you havent already, to be further blown away by this beauty brand and the brains behind it!

In Conversation with Diarrha NDiaye, Founder of Ami Col: Clean Makeup for Women of Color

In the Business of Passion: How Lauren Jin Translated Her Career in Fashion to a Clean Beauty Empire

Cleaning Up Your Beauty Routine in 3 Easy Steps

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How to Nurture Melanin with Ingredients from the African Diaspora The pink report news - The pink report news

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Posted By admin on July 25, 2021

In a pre-pandemic 2020, music composer Santhosh Narayanan remembers being blown away by a man rapping to the beats of the mridangam at a music festival. The two decided right away that they must collaborate at some point.

A year later, that man Canadian hip hop artiste Shan Vincent de Paul, has released Neeye Oli, with Santhosh. Part of the soundtrack for Pa Ranjiths Sarpatta Parambarai, the thumping trap-inspired anthem ensures the adrenaline flows until long after the boxing drama ends.

Neeye Olis video, which premiered on maajja, is the third song on the AR Rahman-led platform for Tamil independent artistes. The video features Canadian Tamil rappers Shan and Navz dressed in futuristic, avant-garde fashion. My vision is to strengthen the bridge between the Tamil diaspora and our motherland, says Shan, sitting in his Toronto home, as he tears himself away from reaction videos to his song.

Shans raps are rooted in the feeling of displacement, alienation and resilience of the Tamil Eelam community, which is also the theme of his upcoming album, Made in Jaffna. It was one of the reasons Santhosh felt his voice was needed in Sarpatta Parambarais anthem. I felt that an authentic rap that understands the history of Tamils in India and Sri Lanka would be appropriate and would also connect with people, says Santhosh.

When Santhosh sent the track (with Arivus lyrics penned in Tamil) to Shan, to add his English portions, he also described the character of Kabilan (played by Arya) in the film. Santhosh told me about Kabilans story of perseverance and how the character had to restart his career. And I felt like that has been my story too, in terms of the trajectory my music career has taken. I have had to reset a bunch of times, he says.

Commercial success came late to Shan, well into his thirties. He started out as part of different rap groups, then as part of a duo, before going solo in 2016. It was a constant battle to find my audience, he says. This, he did in 2019, especially in South Asia, as his Mrithangam Raps series took off.

Shans music now is often about bridging cultural worlds with Tamil identity at its core. In his recent rap Savage, he collaborates with Usha Jey, a Bharatanatyam dancer. The aggressive, swearing lyrics are channelled through the classical dance form.

The term savage was used against us by colonisers. They would point out to our everyday routine, like using our fingers to eat, and call it savage. So this is a tongue-in-cheek response to it. You wanna see a savage? Okay, I will show you that savage aggression ironically, he says. It is a similar conflict even within our South Asian community (within different castes), that I wanted to tap into.

Savage also premiered on maajja, just before the release of Neeye Oli. The latter is, however, Shans first song to be included in a movie. Santhosh is the first major artist from India to believe in me. That someone like him, who is at the top of his game right now, recognised my talent meant the world to me. I hope that his debut in the cinema space opens many more doors for independent Tamil hip hop.

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Neeye Oli rapper Shan Vincent de Paul wants to bring the Tamil diaspora closer to the motherland - The Hindu

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Posted By admin on July 25, 2021

In the aftermath of the nightmare that unfolded for Greenwoods Black residents, every home and business were destroyed, at an estimated cost in 1921 dollars of $4.5 million dollars.

Those survivors who werent able to escape the conflagration, which included World War 1-era biplanes dropping gas bombs, found themselves being herded at gunpoint into concentration camps.

The number of killed and injured are believed to be in the thousands, a number that included many women and children.

Two of those children, Viola Fletcher, age 7, and her newly born brother, Hughes Van Ellis, now 107 and 100 respectively are survivors of those two terrible days in 1921.

Viola Fletcher affectionately known as Mother Fletcher appeared on the National Newspaper Publishers Associations morning breaking news program, Let It Be Known, on Monday, July 19, 2021.

The program, which airs at 7:30 a.m. EST, can be seen live at Facebook.com/BlackPressUSA/Videos, YouTube.com/c/BlackPressUSATV, and on Twitter @BlackPressUSA.

Mother Fletcher, who witnessed most of the violence and horror, says that shes been haunted every day of her long life with terrible dreams and memories.

On that first night, Mother Fletcher recounted, I went to bed in my familys home in Greenwood, a community that was rich, not only in terms of wealth, but in culture, community, and heritage. My family had a beautiful home. We had great neighbors, and I had friends to play with.

She continued:

I felt safe and had everything a child could ask for. I had a bright future ahead of me there in Greenwood, a place that could have given me the chance to truly make a good life in this country. But within a few horrible hours, all of that was gone.

The night of the Massacre, a young Viola Fletcher was roused with her siblings by her parents, Lucinda Ellis and John Wesley Ford, and were told they had to leave their home immediately.

When the family came out into the street, they were greeted with images of unspeakable violence resembling scenes from Dantes Inferno!

The smell of acrid smoke and orange hot glow from burning homes, businesses, and buildings created a horrific glow in the night sky. Worse of all, the children saw bodies of the dead lying in the streets as the white mob made its way through Greenwood.

We were lucky. Many people werent. I will never forget the violence of the white mob as we made our escape, and to this day I still see Black men being shot, still smell smoke and everything around us on fire, Mother Fletcher said.

I still see airplanes flying overhead dropping firebombs and still, hear the screams of terrified people. I relive the Massacre every day.

In May 2021, as the City of Tulsa, enriched with millions of dollars dedicated to the Centennial of the Tulsa Massacre, Mother Fletcher made an appearance before the United States Congress to give testimony regarding the hardships of her life.

When my family was forced to leave Tulsa, I lost my chance at a good education. I never finished school past the fourth grade. I never made much money, Mother Fletcher told Congress.

My country, the State of Oklahoma, and the City of Tulsa took a lot from me and from so many others. Despite this, I spent time supporting the country during the Second World War, working in Californias shipyards.

She continued:

But for most of my life, I was a domestic worker serving white families. But to this day, I can barely afford my everyday needs, while the City of Tulsa has unjustly used the names and stories of victims like me to enrich itself while I continue to live in poverty.

Recently, after years of being relegated as hidden history, the Tulsa Oklahoma/Black Wall Street Massacre has finally begun to gain its rightful place in the history of the United States of America, with news media interviews and entertainment programs (most notably 60 Minutes on CBS, and HBOs The Watchmen series), and documentary films retelling the story of the events that took place so long ago in Tulsa, events most people in the United States, until now, had very little knowledge of, and when and if it was spoken of, was classified as a race riot which has very different connotations than a massacre.

Imagine a long life where you saw men walk on the moon, and every conceivable accomplishment of this nation, including the Civil Rights Movement, and even the election of a Black President, said Dr. Toni Luck, Chief Operating Officer of Our Black Truth, Inc.

And then you have people like Mother Viola Fletcher, who lived to see all of that, but who has been haunted for 100 years by painful memories of all she and others in the Greenwood community suffered those two days from May 30 to June 1, 1921.

Its for this reason that my organization and our sponsors are taking Mother Fletcher and Uncle Redd to Africa. When we met her and her brother in Tulsa during the Centennial, she expressed a wish to finally and at last see Africa, a personal dream Mother Fletchers had for decades.

And thanks to my partners, two young African American geniuses, Michael and Eric Thompson, founders of the new social media platform,Our Black Truth, she will, at long last make that wished-for dream come true, replacing bad memories with what we know will be good ones in beautiful Ghana.

In addition, Our Black Truth will also produce a documentary film to capture every moment of this historic occasion.

Mother Fletcher and her brother, Hughes Van Ellis, known in the community as Uncle Redd, will be traveling to Accra, Ghana during the month of August 2021, and will enjoy a spectacular itinerary and the great hospitality of the Ghanaian people, government officials, tribal chiefs and Nanas, tour Cape Coast to see the dungeons at the slave castles there, and stand in the Door of No Return.

They will also be greeted upon arrival by Our Black Truths on-ground partner, H.E. Ambassador Erieka Bennett, Head of Mission at the Diaspora Africa Forum, the only embassy for the African Diaspora, and is located at the historic W.E.B Dubois Center in Accra.

They will be feted by an adoring public here in Accra and receive honors from Ghanaian chiefs and nanas and a delegation of nobles from Nigeria based here in Accra, said Ambassador Bennett.

They will also place wreaths on the grave of Dr. W.E.B. Dubois and place names of 4 their ancestors on the Sankofa Wall, a memorial established here on the grounds of the Diaspora Africa Forum.

They will also be welcomed at Jubilee House by the President and Vice President of the nation, the Ambassador continued.

We believe every African American, in their heart of hearts, has a desire to see the Motherland, said Ike Howard, grandson of Mother Fletcher.

My Grandmother wants to see where she believes our history originated and at 107 years old has made visiting Africa a priority to be realized during her remaining years.

Our Black Truth (OBT) is a recently launched social media platform that is designed to provide freedom of expression and respectful exchange that members of the African American community often do not experience on some social media platforms, finding themselves censored for strong and righteous opinions, and their personal data sold to corporations.

Our Black Truth is the 21st-century gateway to reach and connect the African American community and the African diaspora with a place of our own, said OBTs CEO, Michael Thompson, a systems engineer who began his career in digital technology solving connectivity problems for America Online (AOL).

Along with Our Black Truth social media, some of the other sponsoring organizations on both sides of the Atlantic of this historic undertaking include The Diaspora Africa Forum, The African Communications Agency, The Africa Legacy Fund, and United Airlines.

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'Mother' Viola Fletcher among 200 Black Wall Street survivors headed to Ghana - The Atlanta Voice

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