Daily Archives: July 31, 2020

ATLANTA, July 31, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Two-time EMMY and three-time NAACP Image Award-winning television producer, social media influencer, entrepreneur, and branding guru Rushion McDonald welcomes a potent force of trailblazing guests this August on his popular podcast and syndicated radio talk show "Money Making Conversations." Filled with insights on career longevity, life lessons, entertainment, sports, community and financial empowerment, and using your gifts to make your own path, McDonald's range of guests feature acclaimed entertainment personalities, actors, inspiring speakers, and business moguls whose influence collectively reaches over 45 million viewers and followers and spans decades of experience. "Money Making Conversations"hosted by Rushion McDonald is available on http://www.MoneyMakingConversations.com and across digital platforms, satellite networks and syndicated radio including: Spotify, iHeartRadio podcast, Apple Podcast, YouTube, Spreaker, Stitcher, Alexa, SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channels 141 on Howard University's Campus, and 142 on HBCU Campuses, and multiple stations across the U.S in Michigan, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, California, Iowa, Virginia, Alabama, North Carolina and South Carolina, among other states.

Covering television entertainment, books, branding, networking, music and sports business, personal empowerment, and sharing financial and tech knowledge, the featured guest* interviews airing in August on "Money Making Conversations" include: Al Roker, EMMY-winning Journalist, Co-Anchor of "The Today Show" and "3rd Hour of Today," Owner/CEO of Al Roker Entertainment, and New York Times Bestselling Author (new book: "You Look So Much Better in Person"); Trent Shelton, Top Motivational Speaker and Social Influencer, Former NFL Player, Founder of the non-profit RehabTime, and Author (new book: "Straight Up"); Don Lemon, EMMY-winning Journalist, Anchor of "CNN Tonight with Don Lemon" and Host of the CNN podcast "Silence Is Not An Option with Don Lemon"; Darrin Henson, Actor, Speaker, and Award-winning Choreographer (BET+ "Carl Weber's The Family Business"; UMC's "Double Cross"; "Soul Food"; "Lincoln Heights"); Jacob Latimore, Actor and Recording Artist (Showtime's "The Chi"; movies "Collateral Beauty," "Ride Along," "The Maze Runner," "Detroit"); Deborah Joy Winans, Actress and Singer (OWN's "Greenleaf"); George Fraser, Networking Guru, Chairman & CEO of FraserNet, Inc., Founder of the national annual PowerNetworking Conference, and leading voice for African Americans on economic development, building global networks and wealth; Ronnie Green, Renowned Pro Fisherman, Telly Award-winning TV Host/Creator of "A Fishing Story," and U.S. Marine Corps Veteran; EMMY-winning Sports Broadcaster Mike Hill, FOX Sports Host, TV Personality, and Author (Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Atlanta"; memoir: "Open Mike"); Stephanie "TechLife Steph" Humphrey, Technology and Lifestyle Expert, TV Contributor, and Author (new book: "Don't Let Your Digital Footprint Kick You in the Butt!"); Michael Mauldin, Entertainment Music Executive, CEO of Mauldin Brand AC/VC and Chairman of the Black American Music Association; Odessa Jenkins, CEO of the Women's National Football Conference; Wole Coaxum, Founder & CEO of Mobility Capital Finance, Inc. [MoCaFi], a Black-owned and led financial tech company providing affordable banking and credit services to empower vulnerable communities and small businesses; and Megan Bennett, President of Light Years Ahead, a boutique public relations and marketing firm specializing in consumer brands.

Rushion McDonald produces "Money Making Conversations" through his multimedia company 3815 Media, where he is the business manager for ESPN's Stephen A. Smith and was the Chief Marketing Officer for the Air National Guard's national account for recruitment and retention in the 50 states, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington, DC. He recently won the prestigious Reggie Award for Local, Regional Market Marketing for his work handling the marketing and branding for the Air National Guard. A multiple EMMY and NAACP Image Award winner, Rushion McDonald is a television/film producer, sitcom writer, branding architect, award-winning baker, and his successes include building the Steve Harvey multimedia brand and producing acclaimed top sitcoms and syndicated shows like "Family Feud," "Evidence of Innocence," "The Jamie Foxx Show," "Sister, Sister," "Steve Harvey Talk Show," and hit movies "Think Like A Man" and "Think Like A Man Too." McDonald has a Mathematics degree from the University of Houston and was trained in marketing while working at IBM.

*List is subject to change

To connect with Rushion McDonald and Money Making Conversations, visit:www.RushionMcDonald.comwww.MoneyMakingConversations.comFacebook / Instagram: @RushionMcDonald, @MoneyMakingConversationsTwitter: @RushionMcDonald, @MoneyMakingConv YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MoneyMakingConversations

Contact: W&W Public Relations Jacinda Chen / [emailprotected]908-253-6360

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"Money Making Conversations" Welcomes Al Roker, Trent Shelton, Don Lemon, Darrin Henson, Jacob Latimore, Deborah Joy Winans, and More This...

There are plenty of words in the dictionary to describe the art created by a woman whose power radiates from within. For Cristina Martinez, a Black-Mexican artist from Seattle, that word is necessary. The 33-year-old mother and former fashion student was recently in the city finishing her 52-foot-long mural titled The Roots inside 3 World Trade Center. Martinez joins a handful of other artists who all create art centered around female empowermenta topic she knows a thing or two about.

She grew up looking up to a 15-year-old Mexican mother and idolizing the art of Frida Kahlo; that Martinezs art is inherently feminine, resilient, and loud is no coincidence. The artists paintings and illustrations are a map of her lived experiences in the United States, and the world, as a Black and Mexican woman. Now, having found and continuously diversifying following, which includes H.E.R. and Ciara, Martinez is taking her art to new and high terrains in order to share the many stories she carries with her. All of my experiences in the world being a Mexican woman, being a Black woman, I know that I have to fight a little bit harder to be heard, she says of the mural. This is my chance to just put us all out there. On a humid post-rainy day in Manhattan, I met Martinez on the 79th floor of 3 WTC (all Covid-19 precautions taken into account) as she applied the finishing touches on the mural. High above the humming city streetssadly the city no longer bustleswe discussed, among other things, her journey in the art world, how Kahlo has guided her life, and the importance of Black and Brown bodies inside the mighty sky towers of New York Cityand the world.

ERNESTO MACIAS: Tell me about your journey with art, and what brought you here today to this mural.

CRISTINA MARTINEZ: Ever since I was younger I always felt this urgency to express myself.I didnt always understand how. Sometimes I would write, sometimes I would draw. It didnt always come in the form of painting, but the creative expression was definitely always there. I always talk about Bob Ross. I love Bob Ross so much. Being younger and seeing him painting on TV knowing that thats his job. It always seemed so far away, God, how did he get to that space? To be here now, and this is what I do is really crazy to me. I studied fashion for a little while, and I thought that that was the direction that I wanted to go in.

MACIAS: Where did you study?

MARTINEZ: At the Academy of Art in San Francisco. I loved it, and I do still love to sew now. I would spend so much time illustrating my garments and creating this whole person. I was always more drawn to the story than to actually the construction of the piece. It was in fashion school that I really was just starting to realize that Im a painter. Im not a fashion brand.

MACIAS: How long did it take you to realize that?

MARTINEZ: I would say I didnt fully accept it at first. Youre in school, you paid all this money, youre working so hard, but I finally just left school. I started trying to paint the ideas that were in my mind rather than referencing things. You reference so much in fashion school. I was just like, I wanted to do the complete opposite. I just wanted to tell the stories that were in my mind and it just started to develop. And now were here.

MACIAS: Were here on the 79th floor of this building. Youve mentioned a little bit that there are 30 something figures here, but tell me what this mural is and what it represents to you. What is it that youre painting on this wall?

MARTINEZ: When I first thought of the World Trade Center, Im like, Perseverance, pushing through. Buildings were down to nothing and now here they are. That whole idea of not being stopped, and continuing to push through, and to grow again, to bloom again after youre at your lowest point was the main idea in my mind when I first started to think about what I was going to put on this wall. Being on a floor where Im surrounded by other art thats all about female empowerment, that really is a story I tell in my work a lot. I kind of merged those ideas together. In my artwork, I usually focus on telling stories of people that have to work a little bit harder to be heard. So right now, in the state of the world that were in, having an opportunity to have this big of a space, to tell a story, I really wanted to focus on Black and brown women. So thats what I did.

MACIAS: I was thinking on the way here because one of my very first internships was literally down the street by the water. As a person of color, you see these buildings, and sometimes when you walk inside them, theres not many of us here. I was thinking about that extra layer of the meaning of so many bodies of color on this wall, which may not be the reality. How do you feel about that?

MARTINEZ: To me, its one of those things that I feel is so necessary. We are here, we have experiences, and we have stories. We belong in these spaces too. Ive made it my mission to use every opportunity that I have to make sure that there are faces that look like me, and my cousins, and my friends, and to be seen with a spotlight like this as well. Even when people walk through here, I know its different. I think that initially, it might be, Whoa, whats going on over there? Its an everyday reminder. We are here. We influence so much of culture. Im Mexican and Black, I was raised by the Mexican side of my family. And all of my experiences in the world being a Black woman, being a Mexican woman, I incorporate that in all of my work. I know that I have to fight a little bit harder to be heard. This is my chance to just put us all out there.

MACIAS: We talked about the personal meaning of this, and we talked about making people uncomfortable with something that is new. So what do you hope that people that arent of color, that arent Black, what do you hope they take away from it? What is the hope for this mural?

MARTINEZ: I hope that my audience looks at this mural and 1) understands. I just hope that it encourages them to want to hear these stories. To want to put themselves in someone elses shoes. Lately, I will say, normally if I did a painting that was all Black women, I sell to Black men and women, but lately, the diversity and the people that are collecting my art has grown so much. That is very inspiring to me. As I said, people have walked through here, and I can tell theyre looking, but to just take a minute, and to sit with it, and to understand why its necessary and why it is importantand why its in your face. Theres a very heavy Black and brown presence, and not just to look at it and just see that, but to understand it and why thats a big deal in this space.

MACIAS: Im going to ask you these light questions to get to know you a little better. Do you believe in astrology? And if so, whats your zodiac sign?

MARTINEZ: I have tried for so long to not believe in astrology, because Im like, I love god, but I believe that the sun has the ability to burn our skin, and the sun is so far from us. Thats crazy to me. So to think that were not affected by the placement of the planets, and the stars, and the moons, it seems impossible for us not to be. So now Ive grown to really believe. Every Capricorn Ive met, and I am a Capricorn, is like an OCD, very extra, very driven, does-too-much kind of person. So I cant really deny it anymore.

MACIAS: Are you a morning or a night person?

MARTINEZ: Im a morning person.

MACIAS: What does a typical morning look like for you?

MARTINEZ: I usually wake up at 5:00 a.m. I have a 10-year-old and a 5-year-old, so I make time to have my own time in the morning. They usually are up by 8:00, so before breakfast, Ive already drawn Beyonce three times. I get a lot done early in the mornings. Waking up here has been no problem really, just because its Ive been up at 8 a.m. here every day from the sunlight. As Ive gotten older Ive learned that the resting part of the creative journey is so necessary. You make better art when your body is good. So I do make it a point to sleep.

MACIAS: You went to school for fashion, but do you have any other creative pursuits that you go to?

MARTINEZ: I love to shoot video, I love to take pictures. I document my own creative process a lot. Ive always really been into that. Its just like another outlet with no expectations. I can pick up the camera, and its something I can learn, and theres no pressure with it. Also, my boyfriend actually just bought me a typewriter from 1932.

MACIAS: That is so cool.

MARTINEZ: Im so excited about it. Im not a writer at all, but I do like to put my thoughts on paper, and I dont know. People always talk about my Instagram captions, because they are Just whatever my brain is thinking. I write it in that way. And I like to do that. I like to have a physical journal of my thoughts.

MACIAS: You said something, and you said it so casually, but picking up instrument or doing art without any expectation. I think that a lot of artists, a lot of young artists, or creatives in general, are always, in the back of their head, making art with an expectation. How do you get to the point of making art or creating things without that pressure?

MARTINEZ: Im so glad you asked that. I dont know if social media has done that or what, but Ive noticed that people if they want to paint, they feel like they have to be a painter. I try not to even identify. Just creatively I just try to flow, because it gets weird. If you feel the need in yourself to express something, the means to do that are limitless. The most important thing to me is to break down that wall to be able to be vulnerable in a creative way. Thats all people should really focus on. The expectations that we have of ourselves, its just not necessary. Not in that way. Its supposed to bring peace. Making art should bring peace. Worry about making money from it and all that later. First, just connect with art.

MACIAS: You know especially because all thats happened in the world and in our country lately, I think that artI live in Brooklyn. I just moved to this new neighborhood. The graffiti, even though the street is covered with All Black Lives Matter, and Ive seen art in New York before, I dont know that Ive seen art, in my lifetime, used as a revolutionary tool to express emotions. I think that people are getting to that point where theyre just letting it out.

MARTINEZ: I think that more often than not when you have a quiet moment, I believe that theres a creative in everybody, and maybe your outlet for it is different, but that need to create is there. You just have to fuel it. When we have these limitations, especially with COVID, being in our homes, the amount of people that Ive seen turn to art is so crazy and inspiring because it just shows that the power of art is there. You just have to really tap into it.

MACIAS: Who are some people that inspire you the most?

MARTINEZ: I would definitely say creative Frida Kahlo. I have loved Frida my entire life. Again, with her, the most inspirational thing about her for me is just her entire life was about facing challenge, after challenge, and she continued to turn to her art. I keep that with me all the time. I dont even feel comfortable saying, Oh, Im not inspired right now. Because to me its just an excuse. Being able to turn to my art, no matter what Im facing has come from her.

Outside of that, my kids and the way that they see the world is very inspiring. I was just telling my mom the other day that my daughter was like, Ill see you again when the sky is blue and the clouds are out, but shes really just trying to say, Ill see you tomorrow. Its apainting in my head.

MACIAS: Even when you dont know someone, but you recognize references, its like you already know them. What would you be doing if you werent creating art or an artist?

MARTINEZ: I always say the two things I care about the most are being a really great artist and a really great mom. I would probably have 10 kids. If it wasnt for my art, I would probably have, literally, 10 or 15 children.

MACIAS: Well, now you have 40.

MARTINEZ: I love, I love, I love being a mom. I love my kids. I loved that whole experience. The responsibility of taking care of a human, and giving them the tools that they need to go on and do great things. Thats just a blessing.

MACIAS: I didnt grow up with artist parents, and so I cant imagine what its like.

MARTINEZ: Oh, my kids are crazy.

MACIAS: But when I speak to people that have made a certain mark in life, or whatever, its usually they grow up with no limitations, and art is always part of it. So thats really exciting for your kids.

MARTINEZ: Exactly. My daughter just sold a painting the other day for $1,300. My son has green hair.

MACIAS: See, that is so cool.

MARTINEZ: Im always like, if I was exposed to art this young, I wonder what I would have been like?

MACIAS: You made it here without being directly exposed. Now imagine. What is your favorite movie?

MARTINEZ: Spanglish. Ive watched Spanglish so many times. I can relate to that movie so much because of the way I grew up. Every time I just need something on, I watch that movie.

MACIAS: I love that. You reminded me of it. I forget about it.

MARTINEZ: And the girls name is Cristina, too.

MACIAS: Its such a weird cast, and it worked. What books are you reading, or whats the last book that you read?

MARTINEZ: I read a lot of books. I read a lot of fiction books because I liked to just not think about anything for a while. The last book that I read was probably Little Fires Everywhere. I read it again so I could watch the show. Very triggering, but really good.

MACIAS: All those shows that that group of women have been creating

MARTINEZ: Its a lot. I would only let myself watch one episode a day, because it was like, This is too much. Im going to absorb all this energy and then be in a bad mood.

MACIAS: What was the last thing you were embarrassed about?

MARTINEZ: My son just asked me this the other day. Probably sending a text to the wrong person. Im notorious for that.

MACIAS: What was the last thing you were proud about?

MARTINEZ: This, being here? For sure. I will remember doing this.

MACIAS: I think this is a pretty big deal. What makes you happy?

MARTINEZ: Being a mom for sure. Being in nature, growing up in Seattle, just being outdoors. The sun makes me happy. Ive learned to really appreciate that stuff, honestly. Being up here, being able to see the sunset, reading books, traveling. Ive had a rough last few years and being able to find happiness in the smallest things has been key for me lately.

MACIAS: I think thats a major part of surviving the times right now. Do you have any regrets?

MARTINEZ: I regret not finishing art school. I wish I would have just changed my major rather than being so discouraged by the fact that I knew I wasnt doing the right thing, because yes, it was in fashion, but it was still art. I dont think education is for everybody, but for me, sometimes I think that the stories in my mind are so intense that I should have grown my technical skill more. I am doing that on my own just at a different pace. I got so discouraged knowing that this isnt what Im supposed to be doing, that I didnt really stop and think. Now, if I could go back to school right now, I would.

MACIAS: Whats next for you?

MARTINEZ: Im going to keep making art. Im continuing to put myself in spaces to have my work seen, mainly, because of the story that Im telling. If I could completely remove myself from all of it and just tell these stories, it would still be that important to me. This is my way of giving back, fighting for these people that have to fight to be heard, myself included. Really showing people that art can bring peace. I dont just show the good stuff. Its a journey, and Ive been pretty open about my journey artistically and personally. My audience has really seen art heal me in a lot of ways. I encourage people to just use art, to find peace. If everybody just made art the world would be a lot better.

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A Personal (and 6ft. Apart) Conversation With Artist Cristina Martinez - Interview

It's time for the CBC Booksannual writers to watch list! Here are 24 writers on the rise the CBC Books class of 2020.

Sarah Louise Butler is a writer from Nelson, B.C. Her work has appeared in Room. Her first novel,The Wild Heavens, came out in spring 2020.

The Wild Heavensis a novel about the magic and mystery of nature and our relationship to it. Over the course of one cold winter day, a young mother, Sandy Langley, reflects on her grandfather, who was obsessed with a mysterious creature in the woods, their relationship, motherhood and more, while finally coming to terms with the mysteries and tragedies that shaped her life and made her who she is.

Jillian Christmas is a Vancouver-based educator, activist,community organizerand spoken word poet who focuses on increasinganti-oppression initiatives in spoken word.She is the former artistic director of Vancouver's Verses Festival of Words.The Gospel of Breakingis her debut poetry collection.

The Gospel of Breakingdraws on Christmas's politics, family history and queer lineage, telling stories of love, friendship and community.

Desmond Cole is ajournalist, radio hostand activist based inToronto.His writing has appeared in the Toronto Star, Toronto Life, Now Magazineandthe Walrus.The Skin We're Inis his first book.

The Skin We're Inlooks at one year, 2017, and chronicles Cole's personal journalism, activism and experiences alongside stories that made the headlines across the country, including refugees crossing the Canada-U.S. border in the middle of winter and the death of Somali-CanadianAbdirahman Abdiat the hands of the Ottawa police.

Megan Gail Colesis a playwright from Savage Cove on the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland. She has published theshort story collectionEating Habits of the Chronically Lonesomeand the novel Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club. Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club was a finalist for the 2019 Scotiabank Giller Prize and was defended on Canada Reads 2020 by Alayna Fender.

Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Clubrevolves around a cast of flawed characters all connected to a trendy St. John's restaurant. Over the course of a snowy February day, theyare implicated in each other's hopes, dreams and pains as they try to survive harsh economic times in the province.

Eva Crocker is a novelist and short story writer from Newfoundland. She is the author of the short story collectionBarrelling Forwardand the novel All I Ask.All IAskwill be available in August 2020.

In All IAsk, Stacey wakes up one morning to the police pounding on her door. They claim they are looking for "illegal digital material" and seize her phone and computer. Worried for her safety, Stacey bands together with her friends to seek a way toan authentic, unencumbered way of life.

ChantalGibson is an artist, poet and educator from Vancouver. With ancestral roots in Nova Scotia, Gibson's literary approach is dedicated to challenging imperialist ideas by way of a close look at Canadian literature, history, art, media and pop culture. She is the author of the poetry collectionHow She Read.

How She Readis a collection of genre-blurring poems about the representation of Black women in Canada from a cultural perspective. It was a finalist for the 2019 Griffin Poetry Prize.

Michelle Good is a Cree writer and lawyer, as well as a member of Red Pheasant Cree Nation in Saskatchewan. She published her first novel,Five Little Indians,in spring 2020.

InFive Little Indians, Kenny, Lucy, Clara, Howie and Maisie were taken from their families and sent to a residential school when they were very small. Barely out of childhood, they are released and left to contend with the seedy world of eastside Vancouver. Fuelled by the trauma of their childhood, the five friends cross paths over the decades and struggle with the weight of their shared past.

Gemma Hickey is an LGBTQ activist and writer from Newfoundland. They became the first person in Canada to receive a gender neutral birth certificate and passport. Their first book,Almost Feral, came out in 2019.

A few years ago, Hickey did a908-kilometre walk across the island of Newfoundland. They did it to raise awareness and money for survivors of institutional religious abuse. Their memoir,Almost Feral, describes that journey and the equally hard road ofcomingto terms with their identity throughout the journey digging into the good and bad in theirpast along the way with an eye on motivating others to accept themselves and what they stand for.

Jasmin Kaur is a poet who's been embraced by pop culture. She's a Sikh illustrator and spoken word artist living in Vancouver whose work has shown up everywhere, from Reese Witherspoon's social media toJennifer Lopez's performance at the 2018 American Music Awards. Her first poetry collection is calledWhen You Ask Me Where I'm Going.

When You Ask Me Where I'm Goingis a mix of poetry, prose and artwork. The book aims to spark debate around themes of mental health, feminism, immigration and personal empowerment. It's a look at what it means to be alive and willing to fight for rights in theworld.

Adnan Khan is a journalist and magazine writer from Toronto.He was the recipient of the2016 RBC Taylor Prize for Emerging Writersand was a readerfor theCBC Nonfiction Prizein 2017. He published his first book,There Has to Be a Knife, in 2019.

There Has to Be a Knifeis about a chef who unravels after the death of his ex-girlfriend.When Omar Ali is informed his ex-girlfriend Anna has died, he resolves to retrieve her suicide note from her parents. Filled with grief and unable to cope, the 27-year-old line cook spirals out of control, participating in break-ins and online terrorism.

Helen Knott is a social worker, poet and writer of Dane Zaa, Nehiyaw and European descent.Her memoir,In My Own Moccasins, is a story of addiction, sexual violence and intergenerational trauma. It explores how colonization has affected her family over generations. It is also a story of hope and redemption, celebrating the resilience and history of her family.

In My Own Moccasins,was onthe 2020 RBC Taylor Prize longlist. In 2020, she launched a literary prize for single parents.

Stphane Larue is a novelist from Quebec. He's spent 15 years in the restaurant industry, where he started as a dishwasher. This became the inspiration for his first novel,The Dishwasher.

The French version of the book,Le Plongeur,won thePrix des libraires du Qubec and thePrix Senghorand was shortlisted for the Governor General's Literary Award for French-language fiction.It was translated into English by Pablo Strauss. The English version won the 2020 Amazon First Novel Award.

David Ly is a poet who lives in Vancouver.His poetry has appeared in publications like The Puritan, PRISM international and The Temz Review. His first poetry collection,Mythical Man,was published in spring 2020.

Mythical Man explores the many facets of queer love. The book builds on themes of toxic masculinity, race and identity in the 21st century.

Karen McBrideis an Algonquin Anishinaabe writer from the Timiskaming First Nation in the territory that is now Quebec. Her first novel,Crow Winter, was published in 2019.

Crow Winter is about a young Indigenous woman namedHazel Ellis, who has the magical power tocross between thespiritualandmaterialworlds. Following the loss of her father, Hazel returns to her reservation, Spirit Bear Point First Nation,to be with her mother and to reconcile her grief.

J.R. McConvey is a writer from Toronto. His work has been published in the Malahat Review, Joyland and the Dalhousie Review.He was also longlisted for the2016CBC Poetry Prize. His first book, the fantastical short story collection,Different Beasts, was published in 2019.

Different Beastsis a short story collection that explores the beastly side of humanityand the human side of monsters. The characters are both otherworldly and earth-bound, ranging from mutant angels and insectoid demon-gods topoliticians and parents.Different Beastswon the 2020 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize in the speculative fiction category.

Noor Nagais aCanadian-Egyptian writer.She won the 2017 Bronwen Wallace Awardfor her poemThe Mistress and the Ping.She also wonthe Disquiet Fiction Prize in 2019.Her debut novelAmerican Girl and Boy from Shobrakheitis forthcoming in the fall 2021. Her first book is the poetry collection Washes, Prays.

Washes, Praysfollows Coocoo, a young immigrant woman living in Toronto who begins to question her faith after falling in love with Muhammad, a married father of two. Coocoo wonders how she can reconcile her faith with her actions and whether her relationship withMuhammad can really last.

Cole Pauls is a Tahltan comic artist. He created the comicDakwkda Warriorsas a language revival initiative. In 2017, it won Broken Pencil Magazine's Best Comic and Best Zine of the Year Award. It's now a full-length graphic novel, which wasshortlistedfor the 2020 Doug Wright Award for best book for kids.Pauls was also nominated for theforthe 2020 Doug Wright Award for best emerging talent.

In Dakwkda Warriors, two Earth Protectors are charged with saving the planet from evil pioneers and cyborg sasquatches.The comic, which incorporates a blend of English and Southern Tutchone, serves as an allegory for colonialism.

AlexPugsleyis a filmmaker and writer from Nova Scotia. He is the co-author of the novelKay Darling. His fiction has appeared in the Dalhousie Review, Brick and McSweeney's.His latest book is the novelAubrey McKee.

Aubrey McKeeis the the first in a series of five autobiographical novels by Alex Pugsley.Aubrey McKeetells the story of a boy growing up in 1970s and 1980s Halifax. The second novel in the series willfollowthe narrator's arrival in Toronto as a young man.

Yusuf Saadiis a poet from Montreal.Pluviophileis his first collection. He won theMalahat Review's 2016 Far Horizons Award for Poetry for the poemThe Place Words Go to Die, which is inPluviophile.

Pluviophileis a mix of longer sonnets and shorter meditations, all of which explore humanity's relationship with divinity and how we value our bodies, our language and how we connect with each other and the greater world.

John Elizabeth Stintzi is anovelist, poet, teacher and visual artist. They won the RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for emerging writers for their workSelections From Junebat.The complete poetrycollection,Junebat, was published in spring 2020. Stintzi is also the author of the novelVanishing Monuments.

InVanishing Monuments,Alani Baum has not seen their mother since they were 17 years old almost 30 years ago. The non-binary photographer ran away from home with their girlfriend.When their mother's dementia worsensAlani is forced to run back to her. In the face of a debilitatingillness, Alani has to contend with painful memories from the past.

Souvankham Thammavongsais an Ontario writer and poet.Her stories have won an O. Henry Award and appeared inHarper's,Granta,The Paris ReviewandNoon.She has published four books of poetry, including 2019'sCluster.She published her first work of fiction, the short story collectionHow to Pronounce Knife, in spring 2020.

How to Pronounce Knifeis a collection of idiosyncratic and diverse stories. From a young man painting nails in a salonto a housewife learning English from soap operas,How to Pronounce Knifeexplores the tragedy and humour inthe daily lives of immigrants.

Jesse Thistle is a Mtis-Cree academic specializing in Indigenous homelessness, addiction and inter-generational trauma. For Thistle, these issues are more than just subjects on the page. After a difficult childhood, Thistle spent much of his early adulthood struggling with addiction while living on the streets of Toronto. Told in short chapters interspersedwith poetry, his memoirFrom the Ashesdetails how his issues with abandonment and addiction led to homelessness, incarceration and his eventual redemption through higher education.

From the Ashesis his first book.From the Asheswas defended byGeorge CanyononCanada Reads2020. It won the 2020 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize for nonfiction.

Jenny Heijun Wills is an academic and author who currently teaches at the University of Winnipeg. She was born in Korea and adopted as an infant by a white family in southern Ontario. In her late 20s, Wills traveled to Seoul to look for her first family. She chronicles this emotional,rocky reunion in her memoirOlder Sister. Not Necessarily Related.

Older Sister. Not Necessarily Related.shares this journey in a series of vignettes and letters. It also explores the impact of being raised by a family of a different ethnicity and culture. It won the$60,000 Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction.

Evan Winter is a writer currently living in Markham, Ont.He was born in England to South American parents. The fantasy novelThe Rage of Dragonsis his first book.The Rage of Dragonswas originally self-published before it was acquired by Orbit Books. It is the first book in a planned series. The second novel, The Fires of Vengeance, is set to be published in fall 2020.

InThe Rage of Dragons, a world is caught in an eternal warand protagonist Tau is his people's only hope for survival. Describedas a mix ofGame of ThronesandGladiator,The Rage of Dragonsfollows Tau as he attempts to get revenge and become the greatest swordsman to ever live.

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The CBC Books Writers to Watch list: 24 Canadian writers on the rise in 2020 - CBC.ca

Porsche hails from the beautiful Hawaiian islands where she was born and raised. She has a Masters of Public Health degree with an emphasis in Health Education and a Bachelors of Science degree in Commercial Health Promotion. She has over 27 years in the Health, Fitness, and Wellness field teaching self empowerment classes and practices. She served as a Fitness Director, Trainer, and Fitness Instructor for creative health programming. She also served as a Promotional Director, Social Media Coordinator, and Community service outreach Volunteer Coordinator.

Porsche has served her local community as Ms. Asian Universal Hawaii. She also had the great honor of serving as Ms. Eco China last year 2019, and enjoyed sharing her personal platform of Love, Peace, Harmony movement with the world.She is also grateful to be a Greatest Divine Love Teacher, Certified Tao Academy Tao Hands Practitioner, Tao Hands Ambassador, Tao Science Ambassador and Love Peace Harmony Ambassador to the world especially now when our world is going through tremendous transformation to usher in the True Golden Age.

She is so honored to have finished her first book Break Through Blockages, her personal self empowerment journey and experience with over 25 years of teaching students globally. Now Porsche is currently working on her third book in the Love Empowerment series and well as teaching many self empowerment wisdom from her books to students worldwide. Truly her very Magical dream come true. Find Porsche's first book here:https://bit.ly/lovempower

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Break Through Blockages: from Fear to Flow (Love Empowerment) w Porsche Ing - BlogTalkRadio

Exactly a year ago today, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019, was passed by both Houses of the Parliament. This Act, in substance, declared the triple talaq, ie talaq-e-biddat or any other similar form of talaq, illegal. Any Muslim husband who pronounces such talaq to his wife can suffer imprisonment for a term of three years and also be liable for fine.

The offence under this law is cognisable only if the information given to the police is either by the married Muslim woman to whom the talaq is pronounced or by any person related to her by blood or marriage. This is designed to prevent misuse by outsiders. Under the Act, bail can be granted only after hearing the victim woman and on reasonable grounds.

There is provision for subsistence allowance for the wife and her dependent children as determined by the magistrate, including the right of the wife for the custody of her minor children. Significantly, the offence punishable under the Act has also been made compoundable but only at the insistence of the Muslim woman and with the permission of the magistrate on appropriate terms, which the court may determine.

It is indeed a sad commentary that in spite of more than 20 Islamic countries having regulated triple talaq in one form or the other, it took us more than 70 years since Independence to pass such a law in Parliament, after so much opposition and campaign by vested interests. I had repeatedly argued in Parliament that this legislation is only designed for gender justice, equity and empowerment and has no religious overtones at all.

Should an India be governed by constitutional principles including fundamental rights, which so proudly proclaim gender justice and empowerment, allow a big segment of our women to suffer this rank discrimination, that too when majority of the victims came from economically weaker sections? Prime Minister Narendra Modi was very clear that the government must work to ensure justice to victims of triple talaq, support their cause in the court and also bring out a robust law.

While doing the homework for the Bill, I was distressed to learn about many instances wherein triple talaq, irrevocably annulling the marriage, was pronounced for the flimsiest of reasons which included food not being cooked properly, or the wife waking up late in the morning. An IT professional, who reached out to me, had to suffer the ignominy of triple talaq through WhatsApp from her husband from a Middle Eastern country, because her third child was also a daughter.

Today is also the occasion for me to salute the great courage shown by many Muslim women organisations and victims, who took up this cause and challenged it in court. The Supreme Court ultimately declared triple talaq as unconstitutional in a majority judgment. Two judges declared triple talaq to be manifestly arbitrary and therefore violative of Article 14 of the Constitution.

All India Muslim Personal Law Board vehemently argued before the court that they will themselves educate their community against this form of divorce and the court shouldnt intervene. Regrettably, instead of educating their community effectively they took the lead in opposing the proposed law itself when it was under parliamentary scrutiny.

Our post-Independence history has always witnessed progressive laws designed to curb instances of atrocities against women. Dowry Prohibition Act 1961, or Section 32 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005, or Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) relating to cruelty against a woman by her husband or his relatives, are all cognisable and non-bailable offences and they are religion neutral. Further, Section 304B of the IPC made the offence punishable with life imprisonment if death because of harassment of the wife occurs within seven years of marriage. Requisite amendments were also made under the Evidence Act about presumption of abetment to suicide and dowry death.

In 2018, we amended Section 376 of the IPC where deterrent punishments of death in case of rape has been provided if the victim is 12 years or below in age. I need to acknowledge that all these legislations were supported over the years by all the political parties where religion of the offender or victim was irrelevant. Why is it that in case of triple talaq, such progressive evolution of Indias society and polity was found to be wavering? The only inference is that from Shah Bano in 1985 to Shayara Bano in 2017, vote bank politics continued to dominate vested political interests at great cost to Muslim women.

While moving the Bill in the Parliament, I had shared statistics on the continuation of practice of triple talaq even after the judgment of the SC. I am happy to learn that the department of minority affairs has elaborately examined the state wise data, after getting feedback from various Waqf Boards and other sources, and found out a significant decline in number of cases of triple talaq after the enactment of this law, as compared to the number reported earlier. Further, in many cases, respectable compromise has also been achieved. This is an assuring sign of empowerment and redemption. Getting this historic legislation passed by the Parliament was indeed personally very satisfying for me.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

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Law banning triple talaq: A year ago today, we reached a defining moment in empowerment of women - The Times of India Blog

Theres something curious about mobile and online personal finance apps and websites, sometimes called fintech. Theyre not used much by people over 50, especially low-to-moderate income older adults.

What Id tell my fellow 50-plusers: Its not you, itsthem the fintech designers and marketers.

Online bankinghas never been more important than it is now for older adults, Linda Peters, director of Older Adult Programs at the Northwest Side Housing Center in Chicago, said in a digital empowerment presentation at the recent National Council on Aging (NCOA) virtualAge & Actionconference. And yet, she added, there has been a huge digital divide between older adults and banking.

The sites really are not intuitive. Im not sure theyre designed for younger people. Its just that younger people are used to dealing with crappy websites, so they just keep going.

As thepandemichas temporarily closed some bank branches and made visiting open ones and ATMs a potential COVID-19 risk, however, its definitely pushing some people who were previously reluctant adopters to adopt online banking, saidThomas Kamber, executive director of Older Adults Technology Services (OATS) and a Next Avenue Influencer in Aging.

But as the nonprofit Financial Health NetworksFintech Over 50: Designing for Low-to Moderate-Income Older Adultsresearch report (sponsored by the AARP Foundation in collaboration with Chase JPM, -0.39% ) shows, fintech designers and marketers have done a pretty crummy job making their tools ideal for boomers, Gen Xers and the Silent Generation.

Thats especially true for the 56 million Americans over 50 with incomes under $45,000 or so, who could really use the help. According to the Financial Health Networks researchers, only 17% of low-to-moderate-income adults over 50 are financially healthy; 57% are financially coping and 26% are financially vulnerable.

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Its not as if people 50+ are tech Luddites. Most are active users of smartphones and other technology offering access to fintech solutions. Some 86% of adults in their 50s and 81% of those in their 60s have smartphones.

Older low-to-moderate-income adults, the Financial Health Network report said, prefer to feel fully in control over their money and personal information and will be most drawn to fintech companies that put them in the drivers seat. Theyre especially concerned about financial fraud; more than 3.5 million Americans 60+ were victims in 2017.

One reason so many older Americans still dont deposit checks through their bankssmartphone app: fear of what might happen if they do.

In my experience, theres distrust. How do I know my money is going to get to you as opposed to handing my check to a teller? said Donna Turner, chief operations officer at Zelle, a digital payments network owned by a group of major banks.

See: Why you should be using a VPN if you bank and invest online

The percentage of older adults using mobile checking to deposits has been on the rise during the pandemic, though. A June 2020 SYKES survey of 1,000 people 55+ found that 18% who do use mobile checking did so for the first time due to the pandemic. And Zelle says 55% of people 55 and older are using mobile banking more frequently since the start of the pandemic.

Fear also prevents some older Americans from using personal finance apps to manage their savings and investments.

Said Kamber: If youre using Google Maps and you make a mistake and go down the wrong street, you go down one block. If you use your retirement savings account and accidentally put money in the wrong place, you could lose thousands of dollars.

Kamber is somewhat annoyed by many in the fintech world.

There seems to be a war between user design and engineering and unfortunately, engineers have won. The sites really are not intuitive, he said. Im not sure theyre designed for younger people. Its just that younger people are used to dealing with crappy websites, so they just keep going.

A few highlights from theFintech Over 50report (noted in bold), based on Financial Health Networks focus groups with 90 low-to-moderate-income older adults, along with insights from experts about what those people said.

Many fintech solutions are designed for younger users and dont address the needs of users over 50 properly.

It is surprising, said Heidi Johnson, director of behavioral economics at Financial Health Network. The financial health needs of low-to-middle-income older adults are often serious and similar to those we all experience, with the challenges of building up short-term savings and that we might have to keep working.

Also see: The financial planning business is mostly white, but these investment advisers are trying to change that

Johnson and Kamber believe its less about designing money management tech tools specifically for older users and more about incorporating these users in the target audience. This population doesnt need super-tailored products, said Johnson. They just need to be included in solutions.

Even though older adults are catching up to younger generations technology use, the stereotype of the tech-illiterate older person persists. Many of the focus group participants, the report noted, seemed to have internalized this stigma of technological ineptitude and largely identified themselves as bad at technology.

Kamber said hes seen it a million times, adding that older people are treated condescendingly and in dismissive ways when theyre trying to learn technology. Then, he said, the worst thing that happens is you dont use the tools to manage your money and you then spend money you dont have.

Only a small number of the focus group participants had tried (or were aware of) more holistic digital financial management tools or more targeted offerings that could help them manage their most common financial challenges, such as insufficient short-term savings, unmanageable debt, inadequate protection from medical shocks, inability to retire fully and financial obligations.

I hear [older] people say: I got my smartphone to send pictures and share photos and for Google Maps, said Kamber. They dont think of financial management as one of the core killer apps.

Some of the focus group participants ran into challenges navigating within an application, losing their way after an inadvertent click or a transition to an unfamiliar page.

The focus group participants would sometimes respond by abandoning their task, closing an application or turning off a device just so they could find their way back to familiar territory.

Older people want good, clean design, said Kamber. Theyre like the Scandinavian design consumers of the internet.

Some participants were wary of automated bill paying or account transfers, which raised fears for lower income older adults who wanted the ability to monitor and control the flow of money in and out of their accounts closely.

For many of them, the researchers said, taking financial decisions out of their hands put them at risk of paying additional fees.

Many participants expressed an aversion to fintech products specifically targeted toward older users.

Instead, they said they desired a mass-market product that meets their specific needs, without marginalizing them for their age or demographic.

What could help make personal finance apps and tech tools better for people 50+? The Financial Health Network researchers, Johnson and Kamber have numerous recommendations for fintech designers, including these eight:

1. Have older adults as part of your initial focus groups when designing the products and services. Its extremely rare for the companies to do that, Kamber said. He estimates less than 2% of fintech online products are user tested with people over 60. Maybe less than 1%, he added.

And they have to do it in a way thats not tokenistic, Kamber said. That means not calling your grandmother and saying What do you want? and then going to a business meeting and saying: She wants big buttons. Companies instead need to invest enough energy so the information they get about older users is meaningful.

2. Use inclusive messaging, showcasing different ethnicities and backgrounds and framing aging in a positive light. Dont single out low-to-moderate-income older adults for their age, disability status or financial situation.

Said Johnson: When older adults see themselves reflected in marketing and as potential users, theyre much more likely to be interested in trying them out.

3. Make fees clear and tell users what the costs are upfront.Older adults with lower incomes are particularly sensitive to hidden costs and fees, the Financial Health Network researchers noted.

4. Let users test things out.Allow pre-adoption exploration of features by offering product demos and functional mock-ups online where people can browse them, the Financial Health Network report said.

5. Share information concerningfraud protectionand data security early in the users experience with the product.When asking for personal information, explain why, as well as how it will be used and protected.

Older adults who identify with historically marginalized communities, such as people of color, documented and undocumented immigrants and religious minorities often feel apprehensive when financial companies ask for personal information, the Financial Health Network report noted.

6. Let users hit pause on any automatic or recurring actions with their money.Those include auto-payment of bills or auto-contributions of savings. There may be months, particularly for low-to-moderate-income older adults, when they wont have the spare cash to automatically pay a bill on a certain date or move money from checking to savings.

7. Provide navigation signposts.The more the experience is clear, as well as intuitive, the better. Otherwise, older adults may give up because they feel lost.

8. Offer human support to help users when something goes wrong and provide training that covers the full range of the content.Tutorials should include things like a key for icons in the interface; learning materials and how to easily get software updates.

To help train older adults, Zelle has joined with Kambers Senior Planet program from OATS, offering people 60+ free classes about mobile banking and avoiding financial scams.

Also on MarketWatch: Apple, Google release technology for coronavirus-tracking apps

And programs like Capital Ones Ready, Set, Bank: Online Banking Made Easy can help. It works with groups like the Northwest Side Housing Center in Chicago and OATS to teach older residents how to use online and mobile banking tools.

Jamie Lutton, senior management of community development for Capital One COF, -1.60% , said at the NCOA conference that after taking its classes, 76% of seniors were more comfortable with online banking and 77% felt safer banking online. But, its worth adding, just 29% actually signed up for online banking afterward.

Johnson believes designers and marketers of personal finance apps and sites have a lot to gain by better serving low-to-middle-income Americans 50 and older.

Think about including them and designing products and services for them and you will be positioned to carry forward with them well beyond the pandemic, she said.

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This is what personal finance apps should be doing to better serve older people (and maybe everyone) - MarketWatch