Category Archives: Personal Empowerment

2021 awardees from left, Ashley McGuigan, Erica Molnar-Bufanda, Kendra Nip and Caitlin Williams

A doctoral fellowship presented to students whose area of study improves the lives of women and girls, and contributes to the welfare of society was awarded to four University of Hawaii at Mnoa students. Ashley McGuigan, Erica Molnar-Bufanda, Kendra Nip and Caitlin Williams received the Founder Region Fellowship from Soroptimist Founder Region Fellowship, Inc. The award includes $10,000 of unrestricted funds to cover expenses to complete their doctoral degrees.

For a second consecutive year, UH Mnoa led the number of fellowships received with four of the eight awardees. The recipients come from graduate schools located in the Founder Region which encompasses Northern California, Hawaii, Guam, the Mariana Islands and the Republic of Palau. They each were honored at this years Founder Region conference in April 2021.

This award has allowed me to continue to take care of my family while devoting more time to completing my dissertation research this school year, said Nip, a doctoral candidate in educational psychology. As an added benefit, I had the opportunity to connect with other women who are also pursuing their doctorates, as well as a whole network of women who are committed to enriching the lives of others through education.

Founded in 1921, Soroptimist is a global volunteer organization committed to promoting the empowerment of women through access to education to achieve economic empowerment and participation in decision-making at all levels in the community. The Founder Region Fellowship is awarded annually to outstanding women doctoral candidates, including international students, who are in the final phase of their degree program, and are focusing on an area of study that improves the lives of women and girls.

Kristen Connors, UH Mnoa Graduate Divisions fellowships, scholarships and professional development coordinator, added, When attending the Fellowship Awards Gala, I was extremely impressed with the recipients and their professional and personal accomplishments. These are exceptional women who are truly redefining success. We are very appreciative for our ongoing collaboration with Soroptimist who support and recognize our graduate students making significant contributions in their field and communities.

The work and dedication shown by UH Mnoa women doctoral applicants is second to none. Past award recipients have gone on to become leaders in their respective fields of study. Because of the outstanding quality of the materials from applicants, it was indeed a challenge for the board to select a short list of candidates, and ultimately the final awardees. The Fellowship Board and I look forward to receiving and reviewing the applications for our 2022 Fellowship awards, said Cheryl Poncini, fellowship president who has served on the Soroptimist Founder Region Fellowship Board of Directors for more than five years.

From the College of Natural Sciences, McGuigans dissertation focuses on agroforestry and food system resilience to new socioeconomic and environmental changes, and the effects of this on womens dietary nutrition and the conservation of biodiversity in Fiji. McGuigan collaborates with the University of the South Pacific, government ministries, and local and international NGOs to examine how a recent Category 5 cyclone influenced peoples agroforest management decisions, biodiversity and diets post-impact across 10 villages. Her work is important to understanding social and ecological resilience, combating the non-communicable diseases and can help inform adaptive management strategies that enhance food security in the face of global change.

For Molnar-Bufandas doctoral research in the Institute for Astronomy, she tracks down newly discovered long period comets (comets from the Oort cloud) and collects data on this population using professional telescopes Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope and Gemini North on Maunakea. Her thesis involves characterizing comet orbits, colors and ice species. By the time of her dissertation defense, she will have a population of nearly 100 comets which she is simultaneously developing tools for to answer fundamental questions about planetary science. Her thesis work will provide the observational groundwork for upcoming spacecraft missions and statistics on potentially hazardous objects to Earth.

Nip, from the College of Education, is focusing her dissertation on evaluating the questions on a popular neuropsychological test of naming ability. This test is frequently part of a collection of cognitive assessments used to diagnose language and memory deficits among a wide range of disorders such as Alzheimers disease and traumatic brain injury. The results of this research may identify test items that could be potentially biased for people from a particular geographic area. Nip hopes that her research will aid test developers in creating fair and accurate diagnostic assessments in the future.

Williams, a doctoral student in tropical medicine at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, researched antibody responses to novel Ebola vaccines for her dissertation, specifically characterizing protective antibody responses. Williams project investigates mother to child transfer of antibodies specific for Ebola. Ebola disproportionately affects pregnant women and infants. Pregnant women face higher case fatality rates as well as high rates of pregnancy loss. Infants born with Ebola rarely survive. Her work helps lay the groundwork for developing an Ebola vaccine for pregnant and nursing women which can protect mom and baby.

For those interested in learning more about the Founder Region Fellowship and how to apply, UH Mnoas Graduate Division will hold a virtual information session on Friday, November 12, at noon. Visit this website to register for the session. The deadline to submit applications for the 2022 competition is January 14, 2022.

This fellowship is an example of UH Mnoas goals of Enhancing Student Success (PDF) and Excellence in Research: Advancing the Research and Creative Work Enterprise (PDF), two of four goals identified in the 201525 Strategic Plan (PDF), updated in December 2020.

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Fellowship promoting women empowerment awarded to 4 UH students | University of Hawaii System News - UH System Current News

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif., Nov. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Coastline College, in keeping with its tagline 'Leader of Innovative Education' is taking its mascot in a direction like no other college or university. 'Fin' the college's newly designed dolphin mascot has joined forces with the Dolphin Project and the Ocean Conservation Society, to help bring awareness of life in our seas and help protect dolphins and other ocean marine life along the Orange County coastline.

Coastline College students are already working with Back Bay Science Center and Moore Lab at Scripps Marine Biotechnology and Biomedical Institute to culture bacteria from sponges to search for microbes that produce compounds that show antibiotic properties as part of their major's-level course work and in the independent studies, Work-Based Learning courses. The Back Bay Science center conducts a monthly program called Marine Life Inventory that collects monthly data on water quality, plankton, and marine organisms. The samples from the MLI are used to collaborate with the Tiny Earth Program. Tiny Earth is a network of talented students and instructors that share research, best practices, and enthusiasm for discovery in effort to "save the seas." Both research programs help support populations of marine mammals from the back bays to the open ocean.

Coastline students participating in ecological research at the Newport Back Bay Science Center gain hands-on experience in data collection, entry, management, and analysis, and build relationships with scientists' skills as they learn about the biodiversity.

"The steps we take to protect and conserve our ocean will positively impact the success of the entire planet." Tanya R. Hoerer, PhD., Professor of Organismal Biology and Marine Science, Dept of Biological Sciences.

Coastline College (and Fin) has also partnered with the Ocean Conservation Society, a nonprofit organization conducting long-term marine mammal research and educational projects for the protection of the oceans and marine wildlife. They study dolphins, whales, and other species in the wild and use scientific data to bring about policy changes and raise public awareness. Coastline will work with the organization in promoting awareness around how to approach dolphins at sea and promote an ongoing Instagram campaign where students who can take a photo of a dolphin along our coastlines can submit it to the college and then the Ocean Conservation Society will tell us what the name of the dolphin. They have named all the dolphins that swim along the coast.

Additionally, Coastline College has partnered with The Dolphin Project, a non-profit organization, dedicated to the welfare and protection of dolphins worldwide. They help to rehabilitate captive dolphins for retirement and/or release. The college has adopted a dolphin named Johnny that is being rehabilitated and trained to be released back into the wild. Coastline College will be sharing ongoing videos on all their digital platforms showing the ongoing progress of the dolphin as it prepares to be released into the wild at the same time Coastline college graduates are also released into the "wild" world.

About Coastline College:

Coastline College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. For eight consecutive years, Coastline College was selected as one of the top 150 colleges by The Aspen Institute for Community College Excellence which is considered the nation's signature recognition for America's community colleges. Coastline College guides diverse populations of students toward the attainment of associate degrees and certificates leading to career advancement, personal empowerment, and transfer. By meeting students where they are, Coastline provides innovative instruction and services designed to achieve equitable outcomes.

CONTACT: Dawn Willson, [emailprotected], 714-241-6186

SOURCE Coastline College

http://www.coastline.edu

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Coastline College Dolphin Mascot to Help "Save the Seas" - PRNewswire

Since fall of 2019, the dedicated Barnes Center at The Arch team has only gained momentum in enhancing the student experience through holistic health and wellness. From opening a state-of-the-art facility to supporting the campus community throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the team has continued to redefine and weave health and wellness into what it means to be Orange.

From early conversations of integrating health and wellness on campus, our team and goals, have been motivated by incorporating experiences that encompass mind, body, spirit and communityfor all of our students, explains Cory Wallack, Ph.D., Barnes Center at The Arch executive director of health and wellness.

In the pursuit of growing student-focused integrated care, with emphasis on the individuals unique journey and empowerment of self-defining how to Be Well, the Barnes Center at The Arch team introduces their interpretation of the Dimensions of Wellness.

The Dimensions of Wellness provide a strong foundation to enhance our student experience not only at Syracuse University but helps grow a skillset that will help [students] navigate their unique and evolving wellness journey throughout a lifetime, shares Wallack.

Barnes Center at The Arch Dimensions of WellnessThrough social media, television, our relationships and more, as humans were bombarded with countless health and wellness messages throughout each day. Not always from a reputable source, these messages often talk at audiences by trying to motivate actions without knowing the most important partthe individual along with their unique needs and goals.

Flipping the status quo, the Barnes Center Dimensions of Wellness opens opportunities to not only talk with but places students in the drivers seat of their unique holistic health and wellness journeys.

The introduction of the Barnes Center Dimensions of Wellness, brings with it a new era of health and wellness at the University. This evolution empowers students to explore and experience resources and services. While strengthening faculty and staff resources, expanding campus partnerships and more, the Barnes Center continues to recruit and motivate all campus community members to be catalysts of student-focused health and wellness.

Students can use the Barnes Center Dimensions of Wellness to better understand the many facets of health and wellness, how each dimension can impact a persons holistic well-being and to discover ways to enhance their personal health and wellness, shares Katelyn Cowen, Barnes Center at The Arch health promotion director. At the same time, we in the Barnes Center are building resources and partnerships that address each Dimension of Wellness, so that students can create their own health and wellness experiences.

The Dimensions of Wellness are experienced differently by each person and throughout different times in life. The Barnes Center Dimensions of Wellness not only recognizes that but welcomes and empowers continuous exploration.

Taking the Wellness Wheel for a Spin

Woven into the Barnes Center at The Arch Wellness Philosophy and similar to a personalized guiding compass, the Barnes Center Wellness Wheel is a visual representation of holistic wellness through the eight Dimensions of Wellness. All of which host a core of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA).

Hosting as a launch pad into health and wellness, the Barnes Center at The Arch Wellness Philosophy webpage shares descriptions, examples, available Syracuse University resources and experiences for each Dimension of Wellness. Resources reflect not just one dimension, but a variety of dimensions and the intersection of these dimensions.

Learn more by visiting the Barnes Center at The Arch website by or calling 315.443.8000.

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Transforming Student Well-being: Introducing the Dimensions of Wellness - Syracuse University News

Trauma is the baggage we carry that is often associated with a traumatic event, such as a natural disaster, domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, death of someone close to us, and many other situations. Everyone experiences trauma at some point in their life, no matter the age or gender of the individual. How do our brains react to these experiences? Emotional damage or trauma can stay with us for a long time. So much so that our brain interprets all triggers associated with that trauma as active threats, throwing someone into a state of severe anxiety or hypervigilance. Some trauma may be recognized as PTSD or other stress disorders. Trauma can have an impact on many different aspects of our character, and it can even impact our relationships or attachment style. How can we overcome the affects our trauma has had on our lives? What are the signs someone has experienced trauma? What are the phases of trauma recovery? Where can we find the help we need?

I have experienced my fair share of bad situations, many of which I recognized as trauma later on. These past experiences influence my behavior today, they influence how I treat others, how I perceive others, and have impacted my emotional maturity. Sometimes I joke that traumatic experiences increase character development, and that I am a better version of myself for having gone through it. I have heard a lot of people say that or something along those lines, and it makes me think that the trauma I experienced wasgoodandthat what I went through was just part of the process everyone goes through as they get older. You make mistakes and you learn from them, or learn from the mistakes of others. In reality, the experiences I have had were justawful things that happened to me that should not have. For the most part, sure, I learned to be and do better but it has mostly impacted me in a negative way. I struggle with depression, anxiety, and many other personal issues but I am trying to heal just like anyone else; because just like anyone else I do not want these things to dictate my life or let them control me anymore. I am bigger than my mistakes.

There are many stages in the process of healing from traumatic experiences and breaking down harmful or insufficient coping mechanisms, as well as desensitizing your triggers. One of the first phases of trauma recovery is finding safety and stability. This is one of the most important steps to start you on your journey. Individuals who have been or continue to be affected by trauma will often feel a heightened sense of danger or feel very disconnected from their own bodies, and especially in their personal relationships. In my own experiences I have felt something very similar. It can be difficult to reach somewhere that feels normal again. It can help to figure out what needs to be changed, or stabilized in your life as you move forward. Overcoming these feelings can take time and it all depends on the person. However, sitting with these feelings and working through them can make a difference too.

Another phase of trauma recovery has to do with recognizing these traumatic events, remembering them and feeling what you have to feel. In other words, it has to do with remembrance and mourning. How we process our trauma, whether it be consciously or subconsciously, is a big part of recovery and restructuring our lives. This can sometimes happen as a natural part of the healing process, though it may be difficult to think about the things that you have been through. It may help you recognize the things that trigger these feelings and how to overcome those triggers. That brings us to the final phase of recovery.

The final phase of trauma recovery involves reconnecting with things associated with your trauma and not letting them control you any longer. This can have to do with rebuilding or establishing new relationships with others. It allows us to integrate trauma as part of our story rather than something that defines our story as a whole. This phase is all about empowerment, self-realization, and self-resolution. It has to do with acceptance. The phases of trauma are much like the five stages of grievance in that regard. There are many resources available to us, as students and other individuals in need of help, that can move the healing process along.

As always, the University of North Dakota has a lot of great resources for students mental health. This, of course, includes the counseling center on campus. They offer individual counselling, in-person and by tele-medicine appointments. They also offer larger group sessions, as well as treatment for substance use. You may schedule an appointment via phone call or by using the UND health portal; both listed below. Opening up to someone, in a safe and judgement free environment, can make a big difference in your mental health. Though, that may be easier said than done. It takes time to break through our personal barriers, heal, and learn to trust again. Big changes, in most regards, do not happen overnight but patience is key. Have you ever been through a traumatic experience? How has it impacted your life? If you would like to share your own thoughts or comments or even offer any advice, you may reach me by email.

UND Health Portal:https://undgf.medicatconnect.com/

UND Counselling Center #:701.777.2127

Demetria Slyt is a Dakota Student Opinion Editor. She can be reached at [emailprotected]

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What Did It All Mean? Dakota Student - UND The Dakota Student

Los Angeles, Nov. 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A coalition of educators, entrepreneurs, and art and music leaders, led by Austin Beutner who has served as Superintendent of Los Angeles Unified School District and CalArts Board Chair filed a proposed statewide ballot measure to increase funding for arts and music education in K-12 public schools statewide without increasing taxes. The measure provides for a new funding stream dedicated to arts and music education equivalent to 1% to the states existing K-12 annual investment generating roughly $800 million more in funding. This measure would provide additional funding for schools beyond Prop. 98 and is specifically designed to protect existing public education funding, including Prop. 98 dollars.

Click here to read the proposed ballot measure on the Office of the California Attorney Generals website.

California spending on arts and music education has lagged significantly behind other states; and, 96% of middle schools and 72% of high schools in California are failing to provide high-quality instruction in arts and music. Access to arts education is less at high-poverty schools. The cause of the lack of arts education offerings in California, despite the state serving as the arts and entertainment capital of world, is directly linked to inadequate and unstable funding of such programs.

To fix that, this coalition of educators, entrepreneurs, artists and musicians, under the leadership of Austin Beutner, are seeking to make arts education a priority for the State of California. This proposed measure, intended for the November 2022 general election, would:

Provide the equivalent of 1% of Prop 98 funding which would be dedicated each year to arts education programs roughly $800 million a year in new funding that cant be touched by politicians.Protect existing Prop 98 funding the proposed new funding for arts and music education would be in addition to existing Prop 98 funding.Provide increased funding to all public schools K-12 statewide, with an additional allocation for schools that serve low-income students to address the lack of equitable access to arts and music education.Include strong accountability and transparency measures, including requiring school districts submit annual, public reports to verify the funds are spent as intended.This new funding will increase the number of arts and music educators in the classroom by more than 50%.

This effort will make sure every child in California has a chance to participate in music and the arts, creating the foundation to help them succeed in school and in life, said Austin Beutner, Proponent of Ballot Initiative. As a shy student entering my fourth new school in February of 5th grade, I didnt know anyone and was without friends. A teacher suggested I join his music class at lunch and learn to play the cello which kicked off a lifelong passion for music. This is a passion project for me and in a time of record state budgets, we must make the kids in our public schools a priority.

Studies on educational achievement show that arts education improves student learning, social emotional development, and overall mental wellness. Music education has been shown to improve cognitive development and spatial reasoning, while the dramatic arts improve reading comprehension. Experiencing arts and music contributes to ongoing school readiness and educational outcomes, with studies finding strong correlations to both math and reading skills. Arts education is also linked to developing students who are more engaged and resilient, building skills that support them in and outside of the classroom for lifelong healthy success. Students from low-income backgrounds with an arts education are less likely to drop out of school, more likely to receive a research degree, and more inclined to pursue a professional career.

A recent Tulchin Research poll of likely November 2022 voters finds strong support for the ballot measure:

76% of voters saying they support increasing funding for arts and music education;81% of voters support increasing arts and music education funding without raising taxes.

The ballot initiative has received endorsements from some of the top artists and educators in California:

Im all in on giving kids more access to music and arts education because creativity saved my life. I want to do that for every kid in California, said Dr. Dre. Our recent school program in South LA is just the start. We have the opportunity to do something that is truly transformative that hasnt been done before. Thats the goal in this effort.

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"Thanks to Arts and Music education classes, students can learn crafts and computer skills that turn into careers in fields like animation, graphic design, video gaming, video production, and audio engineering. Arts and Music education also teach collaboration and creative thinking that are essential in life and virtually every job,"said will.i.am, Grammy Award-winning musician, producer, and tech entrepreneur. "California schools must do more to put contemporary arts programs into classrooms, which is why I supportthis effort to increase funding for arts and music in schools."

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This ballot measure will help define the promise of the next generation of storytellers by ensuring all California students get the high-quality arts and music education they deserve, said Issa Rae, actress, writer and producer. It will especially benefit students from communities of color, who often experience a lack of access and equity in access to arts and music education. I have directly benefited from arts education.

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"California is an enormous part of the worlds creative economy in arts, music, entertainment and entrepreneurship, said Jimmy Iovine. This effort will help prepare every student in California public schools to be a part of this future. This is a pure win for everyone."

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Fenders home is California and our commitment to music has endured for 75 years, said Andy Mooney, CEO Fender Musical Instruments Corp. This initiative expands on the commitment Fender has made to music teachers and students in Los Angeles Unified schools through the Fender Play Foundation.

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Kids love art and music! The school day is that much better and more engaging when kids have the chance to be creative and social through the arts. It also increases kids confidence and so much more, said Richard Lovett, Co-Chairman, CAA. I am so proud to support the initiative and look forward to the positive impact it will have.

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Equity and access area among the biggest challenges we face in public education in California, said Pedro Noguera, Dean of the Rossier School of Education at USC. For too long, students from low-income communities, in particular children of color, have lacked access to education in music and the arts. This initiative is an important step in addressing the issue.

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Given the importance of creative industries to California, it is inexcusable that we are denying over 6 million public school students education in music and arts, said Chris Meledandri, Founder and CEO of ILLUMINATION.

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Arts education is essential to our human future, said Michael Govan, CEO and Wallis Annenberg Director, Los Angeles County Muesum of Art. It not only inspires and motivates students to enjoy learning, but it also supports the development of motor, language and social skills. And yet, despite the impressive benefits of arts education, not every student has access to these quality learning experiences. As one of the largest museum in-school arts programs in the country, we hear firsthand from schools asking for more support. We all understand students' lives are changed for the better by the arts in schools. Creativity is key to our human future. The arts aren't optional in education.

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"Access to arts education validates the unique, individual lens through which young people see the world, giving them the agency to cultivate their engagement in their communities and our democracy," said Ravi Rajan, President, California Institute of the Arts.

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The goal of our work at California Community Foundation is to make sure every child, in particular those from underserved communities, are provided with a safe and supportive learning environment and a great education, said Antonia Hernndez, President and CEO, California Community Foundation. This effort to provide more students with access to arts and music education will go a long way towards making that possible. We hope others will join us in helping turn this dream into a reality.

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School is the place we nurture young minds. I never forget my humble beginnings playing trumpet in middle school with my music teacher Mr. Simon. He had so many instruments and we were so many students. It seemed like the resources were there, all we had to do was show up and take advantage of them, said Eloy Adame, Secondary Instrumental Music Teacher at Elizabeth Learning Center. I am a Los Angeles native and product of the Los Angeles Unified school system, as a professional trumpet player, I have toured around the United States and abroad. Now, in present time, I find myself teaching in the community that I love and grew up in. I see, along with my colleagues, first had the meager resources allocated to arts education in our public school system. This is why I want to get involved in a ballot initiative that would allow teachers like myself guide more students and help them find their creative potential in all the arts.

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As an art teacher, I see firsthand how students build confidence, strong friendships and take ownership of their schools as they learn to express themselves through art, said teacher Jesus Sotelo Martinez. When we speak of personal empowerment, nothing comes close to the power of art. We can do so much more for students if we have additional resources, and this effort will also allow us to reach many more children.

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Adam Sechrist Actum LLC 913-488-9104 asechrist@actumllc.com Claire Totten Actum LLC 805-901-0447 ctotten@actumllc.com

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EDUCATION, ARTS, MUSIC LEADERS FILE PROPOSED CA BALLOT MEASURE TO INCREASE FUNDING FOR ARTS AND ... - The Bakersfield Californian

CHICAGO, Oct. 28, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) marked the five-year anniversary of its popular Innovation Lab this week during the Money 20/20 USA conference. Since its inception the Innovation Lab has helped dozens of banks, insurers, lenders and other financial institutions with customized data and analytics capabilities. The insights derived from the labs have improved millions of credit decisions, driving more access to affordable credit for consumers and helping companies better match products to prospects.

Over the past five years, weve provided our Innovation Lab services to a variety of companies across financial services and insurance, ranging in size from FinTechs and credit unions to some of the largest global financial institutions, said Michael Umlauf, senior vice president of Data Science and Analytics at TransUnion. Weve helped them address their biggest business challenges and provided them with insights that offer a competitive advantage.

The Innovation Lab enables organizations to collaborate with TransUnion and utilize resources to develop models and other analytical solutions that address key customer business issues. Customers of the Innovation Lab benefit from the vast amount of trended and alternative credit data, the speed at which new strategies, solutions and models are built (in days instead of weeks or months), and the collaboration with TransUnions Data Science and Analytics team.

As financial institutions return to lending in a changing economy, the Innovation Lab provides our customers with near real-time access to TransUnions vast analytic credit database, supported by experienced data scientists who help our customers rapidly translate ideas into actionable insights and models, said Jason Laky, executive vice president of financial services at TransUnion. The Innovation Lab allows our customers to accomplish in days what used to take months, and in the process, expand access to credit for millions of American consumers.

Business use cases for Innovation Lab participants can include market sizing, consumer segmentation, performance benchmarking, risk mitigation and asset class expansion, to name a few. New product launches and building actionable prescreen and underwriting solutions are also areas in which an Innovation Lab session may provide customers with valuable tools to optimize their business strategies.

The Innovation Lab leverages many of TransUnions hundreds of data scientists worldwide to ensure participants are improving existing consumer decision-points and exploring new business questions and sources of insight. With access to trended and alternative credit data as well as a state of the art machine learning platform and toolkit, participants have developed production-ready risk management or marketing models in as little as three days.

The Innovation Lab embodies our belief that the best outcomes are those where we bring together the industry and functional expertise of our customers data scientists with the deep data and modeling experience of TransUnions data scientists to create results that neither could achieve on our own. Thats a true win-win, continued Laky.

In addition to the United States, the Innovation Lab is currently available in the United Kingdom, Brazil, Canada and India. Financial institutions interested in participating in the lab can apply for 2022 sessions onthe Innovation Lab website.

About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing a comprehensive picture of each person so they can be reliably and safely represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good.

A leading presence in more than 30 countries across five continents, TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people.

http://www.transunion.com/business

2021 GlobeNewswire, Inc., source Press Releases

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TransUnion Marks Five-Year Anniversary of its Innovation Lab as More Financial Institutions Seek New Models to Offer Access to Affordable Credit -...

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Disposable Baby Diapers Market Overview, 2021-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the market categorized into By Market (Overall, North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia Pacific & Middle East- Africa) By Country, along with trends & forecast of the diaper market around the world. A diaper is an underwear that allows the baby to urinate and defecate without a toilet without spoiling the external clothing as it absorbs the waste.

A disposable diaper is made of an absorbent pad sandwiched in two sheets of nonwoven fabric. These pads are designed in a way that they absorb and retain body fluids and give a comfortable shape & prevent leakage.

In 2026, the market is expected to reach a value of over USD 49.54 Billion, which was growing with a historic CAGR of 5.91%. Such disposable diapers are convenient, safe, and time-saving, which is a boon for the parents. The demand is increasing even from the less affluent parent class. Most parents are still unaware of the adverse effects of baby diapers on the baby's skin. Diaper rash, candida infections, skin irritation, and food sensitivities are symptoms that appear to be a diaper allergy. The use of chemicals like polypropylene and sodium polyacrylate, which is used to manufacture diapers, also damage a baby's skin and cause allergies. Furthermore, owing to an allergy-related problem with baby's most doctors don't advise the use of the baby diaper. Thus, the rise in allergies among babies is restricting the growth of the baby diapers market.

The hypermarket & supermarket sales channel remains the highest contributor in the market owing to the availability of a range of brands under a single roof, with an added discount. However, the increase in urbanization, rise of women empowerment, and competitive pricing are to allow the online sales channel segment to grow with an anticipated CAGR of 8.22%.

The baby diaper market is one of the few markets which were not affected negatively during the Covid pandemic. By region, Asia dominates the market, while the Middle East & Africa region accounted for the least of the market share. In 2020, Asia was at a share of more than 42%, while the Middle East & Africa was at a value of USD 3.76 Billion.

The market is highly competitive, with a considerable number of regional and global players, while this report includes company profiling for the companies like- First Quality Enterprises, Inc., Hain Celestial Group, Inc., Hengan International Group Company, Johnson & Johnson, Kao Corporation, Kimberly & Clark Corporation, Medline Industries, Inc., Procter & Gamble, The Daio Paper Corporation, Unicharm Corporation

Key Questions Answered:

1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Baby Disposable Diaper Market?

2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Baby Disposable Diaper Market during the forecast period?

3. Which region outstands in the Global Baby Disposable Diaper Market?

4. Which are the segments to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Baby Disposable Diaper Market?

5. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Baby Disposable Diaper Market?

6. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Baby Disposable Diaper Market?

7. What are the major companies in the Global Baby Disposable Diaper Market?

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

2. Report Methodology

3. Market Structure

3.1. Market Consider

3.2. Market Definitions

4. Global Baby Disposable Diaper Market Outlook

4.1. Market Size by Value

4.2. Market Share

4.2.1. By Sales Channel

4.2.2. By Region

4.2.3. By Country

5. North America Baby Disposable Diaper Market Outlook

6. Europe Baby Disposable Diaper Market Outlook

7. Asia Pacific Baby Disposable Diaper Market Outlook

8. Latin America Baby Disposable Diaper Market Outlook

9. Middle East & Africa Baby Disposable Diaper Market Outlook

10. Market Dynamics

1.1. Key Drivers

1.2. Key Challenges

11. Market Trends and Developments

12. Company Profiles

12.1. Domtar Personal Care

12.2. Hengan International Group Company

12.3. Kao Corporation

12.4. Kimberly-Clark Corporation

12.5. Procter & Gamble

12.6. Unicharm Corporation

13. Strategic Recommendations

14. Related Reports

15. Disclaimer

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/a4wklj

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The Worldwide Disposable Baby Diapers Industry is Expected to Reach $49+ Billion by 2026 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

In a moment when modern collectives like Sons of Kemet, Irreversible Entanglements, and The Comet Is Coming are rewriting the rules of jazz by pulling in all sorts of outside genre and ideological influences as major tenets of each individual outfit, its only natural that we should start seeing solo offshoots of these projects (outside the vast realm of the Shabaka Hutchings extended universe) experimenting even further with these ideas. Theon Cross plays tuba in the first of those listed bands, though he also launched his own solo career back in 2015 with an EP which was followed up four years later by a proper debut and, today, a sophomore album entitled Intra-I which sees Cross opening up the project to heavy collaboration.

With the influence of guest vocalists, the LP weaves in and out of a broader range of genres, from hip-hop on the beat-heavy second track We Go Again to dub on late-album highlight Forward Progression IIinfluenced by and titled as a sequel to a track Cross fathers reggae band once put to tapewhile remaining firmly rooted in the traditions of jazz. The main concept that binds these tracks together, though, is ideological, with Cross explaining how ideas of self-empowerment and self-actualization inspired the record.

For more on that, as well as the records ancestral roots and notes on its many collaborations, read through Cross track-by-track breakdown below.

1. Intro (feat. Remi Graves)

This track features the incredible Remi Graves, and is an intro at the top of the album to introduce the themes that will come up throughout the rest of the record, including self-actualization, self-empowerment, self-love, and the journey of knowing oneself to gain peace of mind.

2. We Go Again

We Go Again is a mantra that signifies that one of the first steps to becoming the greatest version of ourselves is to forgive ourselves for past mistakes in life and to make the conscious decision to treat each new day as an opportunity for growth and reinvention.

3. Roots (feat. Shumba Maasai)

This song represents the philosophy that knowledge of self comes from understanding the journey of those that came before us in various different senses. In order to create meaningful change you must stay connected to the roots. This is something that Shumba and I bonded on and we both had an affinity for the words and teachings of Marcus Garvey, which he used as a lyrical basis as well as bringing in his own personal story. A people without the knowledge of their past history is like a tree without root. Marcus Garvey

4. The Spiral (feat. Afronaut Zu & Ahnanse)

The spiral is a metaphor for the winding journey into self from which we return with more power and wisdom. It also represents moments of unease and discomfort that come up in our lives that, although they can be difficult obstacles, make us stronger as people once overcome.

5. Trust the Journey

Trust the Journey is about having the foresight to realize that challenging and difficult situations will work themselves out eventually. Not always in the way we anticipate them to, but often in ways we can learn from.

6. 40tude

My grandparents and many Caribbean immigrants that came to London were initially sold a dream and told that the wealth they could accumulate by coming to Britain to work for five years would mean that they could return to the West as much wealthier people within that time. This was untrue for most, and my grandparents ended up staying for 40 years before moving back to build their home In Saint Lucia in 2000. This song celebrates the fortitude of the entire windrush generation and acknowledges that the hostile social environment they had to fight through has meant that their children and grandchildren are able to have more opportunities and live in a less hostile environment than they had to live through. 40tude is also a reflection on the many different positive cultural changes that their mass migration had on the country to enrich it for the better culturally.

7. Watching Over

Whilst creating this album my dad unfortunately passed awaythis song, for me, is about venting the emotions that comes from grief, but is also a track that acknowledges that though he may not be with me in physical form, I believe he is still present in another form watching over and sending support and blessings. This song celebrates him as well as my ancestors who are no longer living, but is also a track I hope others that have lost loved ones can relate to.

8. Forward Progression II

This track is a continuation of a concept of self-empowerment and progress that I was able to rediscover when I came across some of my dads old tapes of his reggae band from the 80s. The tune I heard of his was called Forward Progression, and the lyrics for the chorus were, Forward progression, you got to know yourself first. This was really significant to me because I felt that it very much summed up the concept that I was trying to present with Intra-I and made me realize that through my music I am continuing to spread some of the messages that he wanted to leave behind through his own music.

9. Play to Win

Play to Win conceptually is about seeing the system as a game, and if the system is a game we have to acknowledge that we have oppositional opponents on the board. The only way to beat the game is to understand the rules and play to win through gaining knowledge and making wise decisions in many various different senses and meanings.

10. Universal Alignment

Universal Alignment is the closer for the album and conceptually is about the times when we put the right energy and intentions out into the world, sometimes the universe will reward us by aligning our lives with things of good fortune and the things we claim to hope to receive.

Continued here:

Theon Cross Breaks Down Themes of Self-Empowerment on New Solo LP Intra-I - FLOOD Magazine

Sandra Golden, president of MAEVE Northern Calvert (left), presents a donation of personal care items to Project ECHO Board Member Julie Fuller (right). MAEVE Northern Calvert collected the items during a September supply drive.

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. - MAEVE Northern Calvert, a non-profit service organization supporting those who mother, recently donated hundreds of dollars in personal care items to Project ECHO to help local families who are experiencing homelessness. The donated items were presented to Project ECHO board member Julie Fuller by MAEVE President Sandra Golden on Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021 at Project ECHOs headquarters in Prince Frederick.

Project ECHO provides emergency shelter and supportive housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Calvert County. Its shelter, ECHO House, has 38 beds divided among family suites and dorm-style bedrooms. It relies on community support to provide food, clothing, toiletries for residents.

"Project ECHO, Inc. is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide hope for the homeless. Our purpose is to provide emergency shelter and transitional housing to displaced men, women, and children allowing them respite and the opportunity to stabilize their condition to enable a fresh start, said Fuller. Thanks to community support, Project ECHO is able to provide food, clothing, and toiletries for every resident and in many cases, for our former residents as well.

MAEVE Northern Calvert collected the personal care items, which included feminine products, baby wipes, diapers, deodorant, razors and other products, during a month-long supply drive in September. It was the inaugural service project for the chapter, which was formed in August 2021. The chapter is the local branch of MAEVE (Motherhood Alliance Equity Village Empowerment) organization, a national nonprofit that seeks to empower all who mother in support of one another and their communities.

This is the perfect first service project for our organization, said Sandra Golden, president of MAEVE Northern Calvert. Im proud of our members who donated items and their time to the supply drive. MAEVE Northern Calvert supports all who mother, and by giving back, we can help build up our community.

For more information about MAEVE Northern Calvert visit maevenortherncalvert.org.For more information about Project ECHO and to learn how to donate, visit http://www.projectecho.net. Project ECHO is also seeking volunteers to help with its Thrift Store on Main Street in Prince Frederick. For information about volunteering, contact Teressa at echodevelopment@comcast.net.

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MAEVE Northern Calvert Makes Donation Of Personal Care Items To Project ECHO - Bay Net

Silence of the Lambs, Saw VI, Aliens, Purge: Anarchy and Wes Craven's New Nightmare

Since this is Halloween weekend, and Ive already written a few bits and pieces about Halloween Kills, I thought Id use the occasion to dive into the best (using my patented formula of math, science and dark magic) horror movie sequels ever made. For the record, this list is my list, which wont match your list because what fun would that be? Oh, and for this discussion, I am including prequels where applicable and am confining it to American theatrical movies. So, if your favorite Wrong Turn direct-to-DVD sequel or your favorite Japanese Grudge installment didnt make the cut, there you go. These will be in order of release date, because Im a coward that way. And now, without further ado...

Aliens (1986)

box office: $183 million on an $18.5 million budget

A film so well-received (rave reviews and an Oscar nomination for Sigourney Weaver) that it, along with Rambo: First Blood part II (also written but not directed by James Cameron). tricked Hollywood into thinking that every vaguely successful fantasy blockbuster could be a never-ending franchise. This terrific example of successfully upping the ante (Cameron allegedly pitched the film by writing Alien on a chalkboard, followed by an s which he then turned into a $) sends Ellen Ripley into battle against countless acid-spewing monsters, turning a monster-in-the-dark horror flick into a terrifying and relentlessly exciting Vietnam parable action spectacular. The film still holds up like a champ, exercising now unthinkable restraint in terms of getting to the action as it takes its time developing its crew of doomed mercenaries. The payoff is more than worth it, both in terms of top-flight Hollywood action and in terms of turning Ripley into perhaps the definitive Hollywood action heroine.

Friday the 13th part VI: Jason Lives (1986)

box office: $19.4 million worldwide on a $3 million budget

This was the first Friday the 13th movie I ever saw, and I distinctly remember thinking to myself as a wee lad I wasnt aware these were supposed to be funny. Alas, most of the Jason flicks arent this witty (it opens with a riff on the James Bond intro and features young campers hiding under the bed asking each other Well, what *were* you going to be when you grew up?) and frankly most of them arent this good. To the extent we can call any Friday the 13th movie good, this was another case of a sixth installment artistically reviving a franchise after a lukewarm fifth chapter, think Saw and Star Trek. It has its share of grisly kills, macabre comedy and just enough character work (including a now-grown Tommy who accidentally brings Jason back to life via a poorly-timed lightning strike) to qualify as the best of the bunch.

A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: The Dream Warriors (1987)

box office: $44.8 million worldwide on a $4.6 million budget

I offer no disrespect offered to those who prefer Wes Cravens original or Wes Cravens New Nightmare. Chuck Russell and Frank Darabonts The Dream Warriors, itself a course-correction after the mediocre (fascinating gay subtext notwithstanding) Freddys Revenge, is at the very least the prototypical Fred Krueger horror fantasy. Robert Englund strikes the right balance between camp comedy and genuine menace. The kids (survivors in a mental ward under the presumption that they attempted suicide) are surprisingly sympathetic, which makes the violence sting. The adults (personified by a returning Heather Langenkamp, newbie Craig Wasson) are far more intelligent and empathetic than those usually found in a teen slasher flick. Nightmare 3 really leans into the notion of dream sequences set inside Freddys nightmare world, and the special effect wizardry is part of what set this 80s slasher series apart from the stalk-and-kill pack. The Dream Warriors represent an ahead-of-the-curve look at teen horror as a tool for personal empowerment.

Hellraiser II: Hellbound (1988)

box office: $12.1 million worldwide on a $6 million budget

Hellbound is what I pictured in my head as what Hellraiser would be before I saw Hellraiser. Thats no slight on Clive Barkers 1987 classic, but the film is a surprisingly small-scale family-specific murder melodrama with the supernatural horrors existing as a motivation and/or on the fringes. This $6 million sequel fully commits to the bit, with Kirsty Cotton (Ashley Laurence) surviving the first film only to get a front-row tour through the horrific (and initially X-rated) world of Pinhead and the Cenobites, with unthinkable sights and sounds playing out like a fever dream horror fantasy variation on Jim Hensons Labyrinth (and yes, Pinhead has his own personal thirst community just like Jared the Goblin King). I didnt see this one until later in life, but the sheer technical wizardry on display for what even 30 years ago was a smaller budget (and sans todays technology) is almost mind-boggling.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

box office: $272.9 million worldwide on a $19 million budget

My list, my rules, and The Silence of the Lambs is both an unofficial sequel to Michael Manns Manhunter (obviously based upon Thomas Harris 1981 novel Red Dragon) and one of the best maj0r-studio Hollywood movies ever made. Director Jonathan Demme and writer Ted Tally adapted Harris novel with an emphasis on authenticity and empathy even as they crafted a thriller that serves remains one of the great modern cinematic fairy tales. Anchored by an Oscar-winning star turn from Jodie Foster, who turned Clarice Starling into one of cinemas great onscreen heroines, and enlivened by Anthony Hopkins Oscar-winning and star-making performance as Hannibal Leckter, The Silence of the Lambs kick started a wave of serial killer flicks, few of which held a candle to this subtly macabre, angrily feminist and righteously humanist melodrama. Oh, and it rescued horror from a decade of Halloween-inspired slashers and gave adults at least a few years of prestige, star-driven horror epics.

Wes Craven's New Nightmare(1994)

box office: $20 million on an $8 million budget

Im cheating by including two Nightmare sequels, but they are both pretty awesome. New Nightmare is a deconstruction of the slasher genre, an emotionally wrenching portrait of grief, and a terrifying piece of horror. The movie basically unleashes horror icon Freddy Kruger into the real world, where he terrorizes the real actors (Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Robert Englund) and filmmakers (Wes Craven, Robert Shaye) who brought him to life. This film operates as Freddy Kruger'sThe Shootistand/orIn A Lonely Place. Like those films (as well as Jim Carrey'sThe Cable Guyand Adam Sandler'sPunch Drunk Love), It takes an iconic and beloved figure and places him in a more real-world environment, where we are forced to acknowledge our guilt for cheering on his prior killing sprees. Kruger's murders here have devastating consequences as Wes Craven's New Nightmaredoes something astonishing: it makes us fear and hate Fred Kruger for perhaps the first time.

Scream 2 (1997)

box office: $172 million worldwide on a $24 million budget

Produced and released less than a year after its trendsetting original, Wes Craven and Kevin Williamson returned with this riff on lousy horror sequels that was itself a terrific horror sequel. The scale is bigger, the scope is larger (with time for two distinctly different musical numbers) and the film leans into the drama and terror of its campus-set murder spree to deliver perhaps the most epic slasher flick ever made. Neve Campbells Sidney Prescott is forced to reckon with another series of killings rock her college town, and her superb performance helps make this an ahead-of-its-time look at the final girl as empowered survivor, which is a huge reason why the Scream series still endures. Oh, and the sheer courage in Scream 2 killing off the franchises most popular character halfway through was shocking in 1997 and unthinkable now in this ridiculous era of fan entitlement. Scream 2 is the best of the franchise and possibly Cravens best movie.

Halloween: H20(1998)

box office: $75 million worldwide on a $17 million budget

This first (and best) reboot/sequel positioning Jamie Lee Curtis Laurie Strode as a grown woman fighting back against the man who tried to kill her on Halloween night isn't going to give anyone nightmares. There's nothing particularly horrifying about it. But director Steve Miner does something exceedingly rare and surprisingly effective: he doesn't give the audience what it wants. After a blood-drenched prologue, we know Michael Myers is on his way to find Laurie. We know that those around her are in grave danger. But then... nothing happens. This is not a standard slasher film where someone gets gruesomely bumped off every eight minutes. This one makes the audience wait, which in turn makes the audience sweat and squirm. Miner knows full well that anticipation of violence is what's scary, so by keeping most of the carnage in the last reel, and offering up a definitive shoulda-been-series finale, he crafts an uncommonly suspenseful little chiller that does Halloween proud.

Texas Chainsaw: The Beginning (2006)

box office: $51.8 million on a $16 million budget

The first Platinum Dunes Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake got the job done in terms of artistically justifying itself alongside the superior 1973 Tobe Hopper classic. But this prequel, while falling into a few origin story traps (minor objects being given narrative significance and an entire franchises worth of events happening in a day), cashes in on the ability to do its own thing. It reassert the entire Hewitt family (especially R. Lee Ermey) as primary instruments of terror, not just Leatherface. The films plot, about Vietnam enlistees, including a younger brother planning to ditch the draft, arguably makes subtext text. It has the kind of unsubtle out of the frying pan and into the fire sensibilities that played well as a 9/11-era commentary. Jordana Brewster and Matt Boomer elevate the material, as the Sheldon Turner-penned and Jonathan Liebesman-directed flick stands as (by default?) the best Texas Chainsaw movie since the very first Texas Chain Saw movie.

Saw VI (2009)

box office: $68.2 million on an $11 million budget

Saw VI is ironically, give or take Spiral, the only commercial disappointment in the Saw franchise. Its also the best film in the now-nine-movie grindhouse horror series, offering the best mix of lone victim wanders through a house of horrors tropes with several people stuck together trying to solve Jigsaws traps stories. This one offers both a deep-dive in the franchises hilariously convoluted continuity and a somewhat stand-alone story that requires only the barest knowledge of John Kramer (Tobin Bell) and his grim philosophies. Oh, and the Hoffman plot, during which he has to solve a murder that he himself committed, is the best use of cops versus Jigsaw storytelling. Throw in traps with actual survivors, an all-time best trap (the merry-go-round of shotguns), an unapologetic political opinion and a full-circle climax that really should have been the series finale, and you the best Saw movie and a pretty great horror flick sans franchise relevance.

Final Destination 5 (2011)

box office: $157.9 million on a $40 million budget

Not to be a broken record, but this fifth Final Destination flick was a creative revival after a franchise-low of The Final Destination. That shot-in-3-D installment (months before Avatar made that par for the course) was the cinematic equivalent of watching paint dry, but this loose, clever, funny and comparatively character-focused installment may be the best Final Destination since the first one. I mean, plot wise, its a Final Destination movie, but the set-ups are superb (theres a gymnastic scene that would make Hitchcock stand up and cheer), there is ample Tony Todd screen time, the young adult characters are sympathetic, there are a few clever tweaks to the formula and the films ending is a well-earned crowdpleasing knockout. Throw in some better-than-average 3-D work (its directed by Steven Quale, who was James Camerons second-unit director for Titanic and Avatar), and you have the perfect series finale for the Final Destination series.

The Purge: Anarchy (2014)

box office: $112 million on a $11 million budget

While the first Purge used its high-concept hook for seasoning in a low-budget (but still compelling) home invasion story, Anarchy places us deep into a big city wrestling with the complications associated with Purge Night. Its also where the franchise, which was always about how rich white men game the system to eradicate the poor and people of color, started telling its story from the point-of-view of its prime victims. Carmen Ejogo, Frank Grillo and Michael K. Williams star in this of-the-moment actioner that feels even more jolting after decades of soft-pedaled fantasy as political metaphor blockbusters, to the point where James DeMonacos The Purge: Election Year felt like the only Charlie Chaplin in the room during the 2016 presidential election. All five movies have their warning-as-prediction value, but you see just one movie in DeMonacos frighteningly prescient franchise of What if crime was legal for one night a year horror stories, see The Purge: Anarchy.

And the best of the rest...

Yes, I was very much tempted to include The Forever Purge (which genuinely feels like how Americas gonna end), but wanted franchise-specific variety. Mike Flanagan's Ouija: Origin of Evil is a terrific prequel to a lousy initial Ouija flick, while I grow fonder of Rob Zombies Halloween II (the directors cut) every year. Halloween III: Season of the Witch isnt a conventional sequel to Halloween, while my favorite Childs Play sequel (Curse of Chucky) was a direct-to-DVD title in 2013.

Eli Roths Hostel II has aged well, while The Bride of Frankenstein (1985) and Dawn of the Dead (1978) didnt make the arbitrary timeline cut-off. I like The Final Conflict quite a bit too, even if its mostly for Jerry Goldsmiths over-the-top score and an early Sam Neill villain turn. I like Evil Dead II and Slumber Party Massacre II just fine, but they just didnt make the cut.

A Quiet Place part II is a three-star sequel to a four-star gem, while Gremlins II: The New Batch is absolutely a comedy first. Also in the good, but not on the list pool are 28 Weeks Later, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (which to be fair I havent watched in decades), The Exorcist III, Bride of Chucky, Doctor Sleep (ideally the 3-hour directors cut) and the first two surprisingly good Psycho sequels. Oh, and my favorite Conjuring film after the first is probably Annabelle Comes Home.

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Just In Time For Halloween: The 12 Best Horror Movie Sequels Of The Last 35 Years - Forbes