Category Archives: Personal Empowerment

Amanda Nguyen was angry. Her opening remarks to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee were blunt: On the day that I was raped, I never could have imagined that a greater injustice awaited me than the one I had already been forced to endure. Assaulted as a college student, Nguyen was shocked to learn how difficult her journey to justice would be, thanks to an inadequate criminal justice system a scenario faced also by millions of Americans. Crucial medical evidence was routinely destroyed. Case backlogs prevented the crimes from being investigated. Without basic rights afforded to sexual assault survivors, including access to their own rape kits containing physical evidence of the crime, the possibility of justice was minimal.

In 2014, after launching a nonprofit advocacy organization called Rise, Nguyen set out to change federal and state law in order to expand legal rights for sexual assault survivors herself and others: I started it because I needed civil rights and nobody else was going to write them, so I decided to write them myself. Powered by data, motivation, personal stories, and supportive legislative allies, Rise was methodical. Success though daunting considering the bureaucratic intricacies of legislative advocacy seemed hopeful. But in 2016, Nguyen and her Rise team aftercollaborating with members of Congress to craft federal legislation, the Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights Act were stalled. Although momentum had been building for the bill, and despite bi-partisan congressional sponsors, it was an election year a historically difficult time to get things done within the complicated, gridlocked engine of Congress.

Enter comedy. After meeting with Brad Jenkins, former White House official turned director of the D.C. office of Funny or Die, Nguyen decided comedy was worth a try alongside the Rise teams other organizing tactics. The result of their first creative collaboration, a short-form YouTube comedy sketch video produced by Funny or Die, titled Even Supervillains Think Our Sexual Assault Laws Are Insane, illustrates the stakes: Sitting around a gloomily-lit room, five cartoonishly ridiculous and terrible supervillains, while fiendishly plotting to defeat heroic Captain Brave with a litany of evil tactics, reflect on the idea that requiring sexual assault victims to pay for their own rape kits is shockingly too far its just too evil and outrageous for them to even consider as an option in their menu of nefarious machinations.

The timing, comedy content, and accompanying call to action were all strategic. According to Jenkins: When we did the Senate bill drop, we did it with the Funny or Die video, and it got a ton of attention. First time in the history of Congress Politics and power really do come down to, how do I get this persons attention? The attention-grabbing video-based campaign humorously skewered and explained the absurdity of the structural challenges facing sexual assault survivors navigating the criminal justice system. With a call to action directed from the Funny or Die video, the accompanying online petition on Change.org garnered thousands of signatures, which the Rise team then delivered to Congress to demonstrate public demand.

On October 7, 2016, President Barack Obama signed the Survivors Bill of Rights Act of 2016. The new law, unanimously supported by Republicans and Democrats, codifies a basic set of comprehensive civil rights for at least 25 million rape survivors across the country. Funny or Die and Nguyen continued their creative comedy collaboration as Rise moved next into a state-by-state legislative advocacy effort. To date, at least nine state versions of survivor bill of right laws have passed, modelled after the federal legislation. In Brad Jenkins estimation, the comedy elements of the Rise advocacy campaign were vital to the victories, in large part due to the creative collaboration with Nguyen as a social justice leader who wholeheartedly embraced the genre:

When I tell people we have done this [comedy] for sexual assault the least funny issue, and the most harrowing and personal issue that you can think of they are amazed. Amanda is the perfect partner because she thinks comedy is all about empowerment. Sexual assault isnt funny, but what is funny and what we make fun of is the status quo Thats where the humour comes in.

In 2018, Amanda Nguyen the 26-year-old accidental activist and emergent social justice leader was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her successful civil rights advocacy, which has effectively transformed decades of ineffective policy to empower millions of sexual assault survivors to pursue justice. Armed with a sophisticated understanding of the interplay between participatory civic practice, public engagement, and policy and the dynamic role of culture and creativity she has migrated her efforts onto the world stage, working with the United Nations to pass a global survivors bill of rights. In her unflinching use of short-form, shareable YouTube comedy videos as an anchor for civic practice alongside traditional advocacy tactics, Nguyen epitomizes a contemporary generation of social justice advocates that seeks to change the world through any media necessary. For Nguyen, comedy is and continues to be a vital cultural tool in her global activism:

We were able to do this with humour in particular: Basically, its like taking the medicine with a little sweetener, or taking your vodka with a chaser. This issue is depressing. Its difficult. It is my personal belief that social movements cannot be sustained on anger. Anger will burn out. Rather, they need to be sustained on hope. Humour was a way toentertain people while also hiding a really important message in it, and on top of that, being able to get people to learn about the issue. There is lot of activism fatigue that is happening in todays world. Every issue needs to be worked on. How do you get people to actually care, and get people outside of the low-hanging fruit [those] who already care? Yes, youre trying to activate them too, but youre also trying to get people who may not be predisposed to care about this to care about it.

The synergistic, creative engagement between Amanda Nguyens sexual assault policy advocacy initiative and the cultural prowess and cache of Funny or Die illustrates the power and promise of cross-sector collaboration between two disparate professional worlds: social justice advocacy and comedy. In this example, comedy aimed a glaring spotlight onto the outrage of the existing institutional status quo. In so doing, the humorous, critical treatment of a tough issue garnered attention, and its digital dissemination and call to action provided a crucial public engagement mechanism a way for newly enlightened publics to engage in civic practice, pressuring lawmakers to make a change.

A Comedian and an Activist Walk into a Bar: The Serious Role of Comedy in Social Justice by Caty Borum Chattoo & Lauren Feldman is published by University of California Press

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Features | Tome On The Range | Why Did The Activist Cross The Road: What Happens When Comedy Gets Serious - The Quietus

Fact: You've probs been living a distorted version of reality for months now, and that can be a bit draining on your mental health. It can also be hard to know what parts of your daily routine are still working for you these days andCaptain Obvious alertthats incredibly stressful in itself.

Well, theres a new moon in the Cancer happening on June 20, 2020, and it's here to torpedo those stress levels as much as possible. Itll help refresh your mindset on just about everything, and make you feel more sure about where youre headed in life, according to Donna Page, a certified astrologer in Atlanta.

But, ya know, theres more to it than that. Heres what your zodiac sign can expect from the new moon in Cancer.

First, a little astronomy lesson: The moon has different phases, and a new moon happens when Earth lines up with the sun. That makes the moon look all but invisible to humans. There are 12 new moons a year, and each one is usually tied to a different astrological sign.

This particular new moon is a sensitive one (because Cancers), Page says. Youll mull over your place in the world and how connected you are to everything thats going on out there. Are you working to help create positive change, or can you contribute more?

At the same time, youll have some solid thoughts on what itll take for you to feel safe and secure, both at your place and in your own skin. Feel like youre not ~exactly~ there yet? Its go-time to figure it all out, whether you want to move to a new spot or work on a lil self-empowerment.

One way to empower yourself? Flex those creative muscles by taking up the quarantine-friendly hobby perfect for your zodiac sign:

Its not all about deep thinking, though. This new moon will also make you appreciate the little things in life, like being surrounded by people that give you the warm-fuzzieseven if that's via Zoomor sitting down and having a nice meal at home while catching up with your S.O. All these little moments will help chip away at that constant stress you've been sitting with since what feels like forever (a.k.a. March).

The new moon will impact all signs, but Page says Cancer, Capricorn, and Gemini will feel it the most.

You wont just take a beat to think about what you can do to make the world a better placeyoull actually start to do something about it. Maybe youll start volunteering in your spare time or read more books that can educate you about important social justice issues.

The new moon will also help shine a spotlight on areas in your life where youre not a secure as youd like to be, and youll actually take steps to change all that. That could mean doing stuff like taking online career courses to help solidify your role as a crucial team member, or finding a new place in a neighborhood that better suits your current lifestyle.

Appreciating what you already get out of your friendships will give you a little boost to fuel those connections even more. Youll try harder to step things up in your relationships, whether its sending regular check-in texts to your buddies or making a consistent habit of stocking up on your partners favorite ice cream, just to show you care.

The next new moon is on July 20, also in the sign of Cancer. Its definitely rare to have two new moons in the same sign in a year, but it can happen, Page says. During this time, youll try your best to learn to forgive and forgeteasier said than done, of course.

Until then, take some time to invest a little in your personal growth. Youre worth it.

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June's New Moon in Cancer Is Here To Help You Become A Better Version Of Yourself - Women's Health

Lafayette High School graduates Peyton Sias and Jeff Pham will attend Yale University in the fall. Wednesday, June 17, 2020.(Photo: SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network)

Two friends and classmates at Lafayette High will take their friendship to Connecticut this fall as they start their freshman year at Yale University.

Peyton Sias and Jeff Pham, both 18, will head to the Ivy League school in August, as plans stand right now. They expect to know more in July about what the semester will look like as the COVID-19pandemic continues, Sias said.

Sias and Pham met as ninth-graders through Lafayette High's Gifted program,and neitherconsidered Yale very seriously at first.

Sias was thinking about a historically black college or university like Spelman College or Howard University. It wasthe QuestBridgeCollege Match Scholarship that put Yale on her radar.

She almost didn't apply for the program, which providesafull, four-year scholarship, because her top choices weren't among the program's "college partners." But, she said, she thought, "Might as well."

And she matched with Yale, earning a spot and scholarship to the prestigious university on top of several other accolades, such as thethehighly selectiveGates Scholarship.

Student success: Acadiana students are Louisiana's recipients of highly selective Gates Scholarship

Pham began considering Yale more seriously about two years ago, even more so after he visited the campus last summer.

"It felt right when I was on campus, even though that sounds clich," he said. "I really like the sense of community they try to foster."

Lafayette High School graduates Peyton Sias and Jeff Pham will attend Yale University in the fall. Wednesday, June 17, 2020.(Photo: SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network)

He also has family living in the area, which would help with any homesickness that might arise. Going there with a friend like Sias helps with that, too.

"It's very comforting to have another friend coming, especially because Peyton and I are very good friends," Pham said.

Thetwo will join fellow LHS Gifted program alum David Stanley at Yale.

Phamplansto study electroengineering and computer science, but also is considering economics.

Lafayette High School graduate Jeff Pham will attend Yale University in the fall. Wednesday, June 17, 2020.(Photo: SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network)

He feels prepared for Yale, creditinghis teachers and the extracurricular activities he was involved in at Lafayette High for helpinghim build characters and growas a person.

"They helped me get where I am now," he said.

Sias is looking at a major in political science, with plans to attend law school after undergrad, but another program has caught her eye as well.

"Yale also has a cool major called 'ethics, politics and economics,'" she said. "I think it would open up a lot of doors."

Students must apply to get in to that program for their second year, so she will wait and see.

Like most seniors, she's gotten used to applications this year, submitting essays and packets to colleges and scholarship organizations.

The Gates scholarship process was one of the longer ones, requiring four essays. Thankfully, most of the topics were similar to ones she'd written for other organizations, so she didn't have to start from scratch.

Education amid pandemic: Some Louisiana schools could alternate days students spend on campus in the fall

Her favorite was the one that asked about overcoming challenges, "because it was more personal."

She wrote about how she has overcome internalizing anti-blackness. Since first grade she'd been one of the few Blackstudents in her Gifted class, sometimes the only one.

"It impacted how I viewed myself," Sias said. "It did a number on my self-esteem."

Over time she realized her mom was a role model in this, and she looked to herfor strength and inspiration.

"I get a lot of inspiration from her (my mom)," Sias said. "She carries herself with grace and strength. I looked at her and thought, 'Why don't I?'"

Lafayette High School graduate Peyton Sias will attend Yale University in the fall. Wednesday, June 17, 2020.(Photo: SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network)

Sias also took time to research Black empowerment and learnmore about what it means to be Black in America.

"I found myself acting more myself and being a more authentic version of myself," Sias said.

Earning the Gates award and financial aid from Yale and QuestBridge will allowher to go to college without student loans, something she is especially happy about with plans for law school in her future.

"Law school is expensive," she said.

Her mother, Tanya Sias, is proud of her daughter and relieved to know she won't have to incur any student loan debt now.

"Her getting in to Yale and receiving what she did, it blew my mind," Tanya Sias said. "It was a tremendous relief. I told her, 'The costs compared to when I went to college are just astronomical now.'"

Sias wantsto be a civil rights attorney one day, perhaps with the ACLU.

"I see all the problems going on in our country, including in our law system, and I want to try to fight that from within the system to fight for all marginalized people," she said.

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Lafayette High School graduates who met as freshmen heading to Yale University this fall - Daily Advertiser

Services and studies

Asbury United Methodist Church The church has suspended in-person worship and will have an online service each Sunday morning. You may view the weekly video at http://www.asburycolumbus.org/latest-worship

A new Asbury Kids video is available each Wednesday. Follow the link: http://www.asburycolumbus.org/latest-asbury-kids

Look for our Asbury Kids Facebook page for fun and fellowship for kids of all ages! Follow the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/699946243533189/

The church is located at 1751 27th St., Columbus.

Cornerstone Outreach Ministries A nondenominational ministry at 1229 California St., Columbus. Sunday worship services are at 10 a.m.

Bible study is on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

For more information, call 812-375-4502.

Dayspring Church Apostolic Worship begins at 11:15 a.m. at the church, 2127 Doctors Park Drive, Columbus. Every visitor will receive a free gift.

The Sunday Education Session starts at 10 a.m.

Bible Study is Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. and is a group session sponsored by Heart Changers International, LLC on Depression, Perfection and Anger with hand out questions. These help build our Personal Empowerment and walk.

Our Prayer of Power starts at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday and is preceded with requests and instructions on prayer.

Ignite is the Youth Growth Session that happens every third Friday.

For more information, call 812-372-9336, or email dayspringchurch@att.net.

East Columbus United Methodist East Columbus United Methodist Church in-person services and Bible studies are canceled due to the pandemic.

East Columbus United Methodist will only be offering on-line services until further notice.

Fairlawn Presbyterian Weekly worship service on Sundays at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom (links and numbers below or folks can check fairlawnpc.net or visit our Facebook page for login and phone information).

Please use Zoom to call in by phone and/or login online.

Join the Online Zoom Meeting at https://zoom.us/j/431070245 with the Meeting ID of 431 070 245.

Dial in using landline or cell phone: +1 253 215 8782 US; +1 301 715 8592 US; Meeting ID: 431 070 245.

For more information, visit Fairlawns Facebook page or website (fairlawnpc.net), email office@fairlawnpc.net or call 812-372-3882.

All are welcome! Please call or email the church office for most up to date information at 812-372-3882 or office@ fairlawnpc.net

The church is located at 2611 Fairlawn Drive, Columbus.

Faith Lutheran The church has suspended all in-person activities until further notice. Wednesday and Sunday worship services are streaming live on Facebook: Faith Lutheran Church Columbus, as well as times for prayer each day at 9 a.m., 6:30 p.m., and 9 p.m.

More information is at Faithontheweb.org or call 812-342-3587.

The church is located at 6000 W. State Road 46, Columbus.

First Christian Church The church will only be having an online service at 10:30 a.m. on Facebook (www.facebook.com/FCCOC) and at http://www.fccoc.org/sunday/watch-now.

Details at http://www.fccoc.org

First Baptist Columbus will not be holding public worship gatherings at present. The church does offer a live stream worship connection at 9:30 a.m. on Sundays.

First Presbyterian First Presbyterian Church has canceled all in-person gatherings, including worship and committee meetings, and the office is closed until further notice. If you need to be in touch, please call 812-372-3783 and leave a message, and the church will be back in touch with you as soon as possible.

Streaming of worship services is available here https://www.facebook.com/groups/56933406910/ each Sunday, until the church is meeting back in person. Join the church as we worship together through technology!

Please know that we are praying for our church, our community and the world in this time of crisis, and we encourage you to join us in prayer. God bless you.

Information: fpccolumbus.org

First United Methodist Until further notice, First United Methodist Church will continue to live stream worship services instead of congregating in person. On Sunday, May 24, Rev. Howard Boles will deliver the message Where Do We Look For Jesus? The scripture will be Acts 1:1-11.

The service will be live streamed at 10 a.m. on the church Facebook page. Services and sermons will be available on our website as well http://www.fumccolumbus.org

Information: 812-372-2851 or fumccolumbus.org

Flintwood Wesleyan The church is located at 5300 E. 25th St.

In response to the current Covid-19 (coronavirus) situation, Flintwood Wesleyan Church is canceling all midweek services and activities.

Sunday worship services resumed with the implementation of the recommended in-person worship guidelines.

Please remember to check our various communication spaces Facebook, Website, Mobile App for updates. Your Flintwood staff will be doing everything possible to keep our congregation encouraged. We need to do all we can to keep our staff encouraged. Above all pray!

For further information about services or our ministries, please call 812.379.4287 or email flintwoodoffice@gmail.com. Church office hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Our website is http://www.flintwood.org.

Garden City Church of Christ Garden City Church of Christ will continue to honor the Indiana stay-at-home order and has suspended all in-person gatherings including Sunday services, Bible studies, youth & childrens activities, and meetings. Please visit our website or Facebook page for updates.

Weekly sermons can be viewed at http://www.garden citychurch.com/media/ listen-to-sermons by 10 a.m. each Sunday. Weekly packets go out to families with grade school age children that include a family devotion, video, and activities. The Youth Group and the College and Career group are meeting via video chat.

In absence of our weekly gatherings, you are encouraged to continue giving your tithes and offerings through the website and the GivePlus app.

Garden City Church of Christ is located at 3245 Jonesville Road, Columbus.

For more information or to get connected, email us at gccc@gardencitychurch.com or call 812-372-1766.

Grace Lutheran Worship is at 9 a.m. and can be livestreamed at http://www.gracecolumbus.org/livestream.

All services will be live streamed but if you miss it, they are all available as recordings at the same location.

The church is located at 3201 Central Ave., Columbus.

North Christian Church Gather with the church for virtual worship! Services are regularly uploaded to our YouTube channel on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. YouTube: North Christian Church Columbus, IN

Find supplemental worship materials and resources at http://www.northchristianchurch.com. Follow them on Facebook for updates.

The staff continues to work remotely. No building access is available at this time. The church will continue to monitor this ever-changing situation, and update their response as appropriate.

Information: 812-372-1531

The church is located at 850 Tipton Lane, Columbus.

Old Union United Church of Christ Scriptures for the 10 a.m. Sunday service with social distancing will include Acts 10:34-43, Colossians 3:1-4, and John 20:1-18. The message will be What Happened in the Garden?

Though the church couldnt this past April, they are celebrating Holy Weeks Easter Sunday.

The church is located at 12703 N. County Road 50W, Edinburgh.

Petersville United Methodist Church The church continues to post Pastor Stormy Scherer-Berrys sermons on Facebook each week; the title for Sunday, May 24 will be Trouble in My Heart.

On separate posts, scriptures will be shared by Joe and Kathy Bush from Psalms 31:5, 15-16, and John 14:1-2, and Teresa Covert will give the childrens message.

In-person services at the church will not be held for a few more weeks.

Information: 812-546-4438; 574-780-2379.

Sandy Hook United Methodist Sandy Hook United Methodist Church has cancelled all public worship services and meetings. Weekly messages are available on our Facebook Page or the Pastor Stephen W. Austin Youtube channel.

The church is located at 1610 Taylor Road, Columbus.

St. Pauls Episcopal Church All in-person activities at the church are suspended until further notice. Sunday Eucharist is being hosted on ZOOM at 10:15 a.m. each Sunday morning.

The First Thursday Ladies Lunch will also be on ZOOM, May 7 at 11:30 a.m. (see website for ZOOM meeting ID).

St. Paul Lutheran In person communion worship services will resume Sunday at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 6045 E. State St., at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. following all CDC guidelines for social distancing.

Pastor Doug Baumans message is entitled Celebration of Ascension: Mission Accomplished? based on Luke 24:44-53.

The Spanish Worship service will be at 11 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. High school and college graduates will be recognized.

Christian Education classes will not meet. The Sunday worship services and the children and youth Sunday School lessons will be posted online Saturday morning, May 23 at http://www.stpaulcolumbus.org and at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnNwPk8yYCeX_bAnyMsXEsA

Radio Worship Service every Sunday at 8 a.m. on 1010 AM and 98.1 FM.

Open enrollment for the 2020-2021 pre-school class registrations continues for students who are 3 & 4 years old by Aug. 1. Information: 812-528-0168.

Information: 812-376-6504.

Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbus At this time, the church has postponed in-person gatherings until further notice. Please join the church virtually! Follow the church on Facebook or visit uucci.org for more information.

The church is at 7850 W. Goeller Blvd., Columbus.

Information: 812-342-6230.

Westside Community Until further notice, all in-person and onsite activities, including Sunday worship, are suspended. Please visit http://www.WCCShareJesus.com for recorded sermons, as well as Facebook for daily Points to Ponder by Pastor Dennis Aud.

When able, WCC has plans to host a community-wide garage sale. Be on the lookout for more details in the upcoming weeks. If interested in participating, while you are stuck at home this might be a good time to clean out your basements, closets, garages, etc.

For more information on studies or small groups that meet throughout the week, contact the church office at 812-342-8464.

Events

Eckankar of Southern Indiana All Eckankar events in Indiana are suspended through May 31, 2020. This is to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes the monthly Eckankar Spiritual Discussion held the third Sunday of the month at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation building in Columbus, Indiana.

Check http://www.eck-indiana.org for the latest update on events in Indiana, and you are invited to browse the main Eckankar website for videos and reading material at http://www.Eckankar.org.

North Christian Church The church is temporarily suspending all church activities, effective immediately and for the foreseeable future due to caution concerning the coronavirus outbreak. The offices of the pastor and staff members will be closed as well. The church will reopen as soon as recommended by health officials.

South Central Indiana Christian Mens Fellowship The SCICMF meeting for May 26 will be held via Zoom at 7:15 p.m.

The program will be led by Ryan Croft, Hilltop Christian Camp Director. The theme is Vision 2020 and Beyond and the theme song is Be Thou My Vision.

To join the Zoom Meeting, click https://us04web.zoom.us/j/7565567429?pwd=VVZJMDhxREhwVTBtRnNyTkY1Y0thUT09

Meeting ID: 7565567429; Password: 61984

A second way to join the meeting is by calling in with your phone. You can dial 312-626-6799, then put in Meeting ID 7565567429 followed by # , there is not a participate ID, so simply press # , then, you will be asked to enter the password 061984 followed by #. This should get you into the meeting.

On your computer you may need to first download the zoom program from: zoom.us

Make sure your sound and video are working before joining the meeting.

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Religion news May 23 - The Republic

DALLAS Mary Kay Inc. continues its support of female entrepreneurship, empowerment and thought leadership as a premier sponsor for the 2020 International Womens Forum (IWF) Virtual Cornerstone Conference. Originally scheduled to take place May 13-15, in London, the conference has shifted to a digital format due to the COVID-19 pandemic; much of the same great content and speakers will be broadcast globally in a series of virtual sessions shared weekly at https://www.iwforum.org/.

On May 21, Mary Kay will participate in a virtual session entitled A Conversation with TIMES UP UK discussing important issues such as #MeToo and how the ensuing TIMES UP movement has led to re-thinking womens safety on film and television sets, as well as other industries around the world. Carolyn Passey, General Manager of Mary Kay UK and Ireland, will open the session focusing on changes TIMES UP UK is seeking to implement, navigating the line between personal and professional, and aiding those who frequently find themselves vulnerable and exploited while filming.

At Mary Kay, we advocate for womens empowerment and gender equality and we partner with organizations whose mission is to do the same, said Passey. Today, as the COVID-19 crisis is exacerbating womens vulnerabilities and gender inequality1, we know trust and safety are more critical than ever for women to thrive. The workplace should be a safe and dignified place for all of us. How can we ensureand demandthis happens? I look forward to the discussion on the topic with thought leaders from around the world.

Speakers at the session include:

Now, more than ever, it is crucial to continue the conversation around safe and equal working conditions for women within the entertainment industry and beyond, said Stephanie OKeefe, CEO of IWF. As the world develops a new way to work in the context of COVID-19, I am hopeful that there will be strategies in place to ensure women can re-enter the physical workplace with confidence they will be safe and treated equally. Mary Kay is a long-time supporter of gender equality, and we are thrilled to continue this fight with them to ensure a more gender-equal world.

A link to watch the event will be available on the IWF website and its YouTube page May 26: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdLPNS7ai1_XHaqgEnhEjtg

1 United Nations Secretary-Generals Policy Brief on The Impact of COVID-19 on Women, April 9, 2020 https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/policy_brief_on_covid_impact_on_women_9_apr_2020_updated.pdf and Blog article by United Nations Foundation, Blog article from Michelle Milford Morse and Grace Anderson, April 14, 2020 https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/shadow-pandemic-how-covid19-crisis-exacerbating-gender-inequality/

About Mary Kay

One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her beauty company more than 56 years ago with three goals: develop rewarding opportunities for women, offer irresistible products, and make the world a better place. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skin care, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements and fragrances. Mary Kay is committed to empowering women and their families by partnering with organizations from around the world, focusing on supporting cancer research, protecting survivors from domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Mary Kay Ashs original vision continues to shineone lipstick at a time. Learn more at MaryKay.com.

About International Womens Forum (IWF) and the Leadership Foundation

IWF is an invitation-only membership organization of more than 7,000 diverse and accomplished women from 33 nations on six continents. IWF advances womens leadership and champions equality worldwide by connecting accomplished women both globally and locally. Members include Fortune 500 executives, government leaders from the local to sovereign level, international nonprofit leaders, and luminaries from the academy, arts and sciences. For more information, please visit http://www.iwforum.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200519005709/en/

Contacts

Mary Kay Inc. Corporate Communications marykay.com/newsroom 972.687.5332 or media@mkcorp.com

#distro

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Mary Kay Inc. Continues Its Support of Women's Empowerment at the International Women's Forum TIME'S UP Virtual Conference - Financial Post

DALLAS--(Antara/BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mary Kay Inc. continues its support of female entrepreneurship, empowerment and thought leadership as a premier sponsor for the 2020 International Women's Forum (IWF) Virtual Cornerstone Conference. Originally scheduled to take place May 13-15, in London, the conference has shifted to a digital format due to the COVID-19 pandemic; much of the same great content and speakers will be broadcast globally in a series of virtual sessions shared weekly at https://www.iwforum.org/.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200519005709/en/

On May 21, Mary Kay will participate in a virtual session entitled A Conversation with TIMES UP UK discussing important issues such as #MeToo and how the ensuing TIMES UP movement has led to re-thinking womens safety on film and television sets, as well as other industries around the world. Carolyn Passey, General Manager of Mary Kay UK and Ireland, will open the session focusing on changes TIMES UP UK is seeking to implement, navigating the line between personal and professional, and aiding those who frequently find themselves vulnerable and exploited while filming.

At Mary Kay, we advocate for womens empowerment and gender equality and we partner with organizations whose mission is to do the same, said Passey. Today, as the COVID-19 crisis is exacerbating women's vulnerabilities and gender inequality1, we know trust and safety are more critical than ever for women to thrive. The workplace should be a safe and dignified place for all of us. How can we ensureand demandthis happens? I look forward to the discussion on the topic with thought leaders from around the world.

Speakers at the session include:

Dame Heather Rabbatts, TIMES UP UK Chair Managing Director of Cove Pictures; Chair of Soho Theatre and non-executive board member for Arts Alliance. Ita OBrien, the UKs leading Intimacy Coordinator and founder of Intimacy on Set, her company through which she has been developing best practices regarding intimacy and nudity in film, television and theatre and through which she trains Intimacy Coordinators all over the world.

Now, more than ever, it is crucial to continue the conversation around safe and equal working conditions for women within the entertainment industry and beyond, said Stephanie OKeefe, CEO of IWF. As the world develops a new way to work in the context of COVID-19, I am hopeful that there will be strategies in place to ensure women can re-enter the physical workplace with confidence they will be safe and treated equally. Mary Kay is a long-time supporter of gender equality, and we are thrilled to continue this fight with them to ensure a more gender-equal world.

A link to watch the event will be available on the IWF website and its YouTube page May 26: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdLPNS7ai1_XHaqgEnhEjtg

1 United Nations Secretary-Generals Policy Brief on The Impact of COVID-19 on Women, April 9, 2020https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/policy_brief_on_covid_impact_on_women_9_apr_2020_updated.pdfand - Blog article by United Nations Foundation, Blog article from Michelle Milford Morse and Grace Anderson, April 14, 2020https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/shadow-pandemic-how-covid19-crisis-exacerbating-gender-inequality/

About Mary KayOne of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her beauty company more than 56 years ago with three goals: develop rewarding opportunities for women, offer irresistible products, and make the world a better place. That dream has blossomed into a multibillion-dollar company with millions of independent sales force members in nearly 40 countries. Mary Kay is dedicated to investing in the science behind beauty and manufacturing cutting-edge skin care, color cosmetics, nutritional supplements and fragrances. Mary Kay is committed to empowering women and their families by partnering with organizations from around the world, focusing on supporting cancer research, protecting survivors from domestic abuse, beautifying our communities, and encouraging children to follow their dreams. Mary Kay Ashs original vision continues to shineone lipstick at a time. Learn more at MaryKay.com.

About International Womens Forum (IWF) and the Leadership FoundationIWF is an invitation-only membership organization of more than 7,000 diverse and accomplished women from 33 nations on six continents. IWF advances womens leadership and champions equality worldwide by connecting accomplished women both globally and locally. Members include Fortune 500 executives, government leaders from the local to sovereign level, international nonprofit leaders, and luminaries from the academy, arts and sciences. For more information, please visit http://www.iwforum.org.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200519005709/en/

ContactsMary Kay Inc. Corporate Communicationsmarykay.com/newsroom972.687.5332 or media@mkcorp.com

Source: Mary Kay Inc.

Excerpt from:

Mary Kay Inc. continues its support of womens empowerment at the International Womens Forum TIMES UP Virtual Conference - ANTARA

Photograph: Rick Scuteri/APDonald Trump Jr

Age: 42

Twitter bio: EVP of Development & Acquisitions The @Trump Organization, Father, Outdoorsman, In a past life Boardroom Advisor on The Apprentice.

Twitter followers: 5m

Role: Lead attack dog for his father, firing up crowds, goading liberals and savaging the media. A graduate of his fathers alma mater, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, he went into the family business. Chris Cillizza, CNN editor-at-large, wrote: The easiest way to understand Donald Trump Jr is this: he is his father on steroids. With a lot more internet savvy.

Age: 51

Twitter bio: Mother, Sister, Patriot, Proud American. National Chair of Trump Victory Finance Committee 2020 and Senior Advisor to @TeamTrump.

Twitter followers: 1.7m

Role: A lawyer, she started appearing on Fox News as a legal analyst in 2004 and a full-time host from 2006. She was previously married to Gavin Newsom, then the Democratic mayor of San Francisco (they were billed as the new Kennedys by Harpers Bazaar magazine), but is now dating Don Jr and frequently appears as his sidekick at Trump campaign events.

Age: 36

Twitter bio: Executive Vice President of The @Trump Organization. Husband to @LaraLeaTrump. Large advocate of @StJude Childrens Hospital @TrumpWinery #MakeAmericaGreatAgain.

Twitter followers: 3.5m

Role: An energetic campaigner for the cause, though much mocked as the dumber younger brother. He is a graduate of Georgetown University who, with Don Jr, stepped in to run the Trump Organization after their father became president. Like Don Jr, he has been criticised for posing with wild animals they killed during big game hunts in Africa.

Age: 37

Twitter bio: NC girl in NYC #MAGA.

Twitter followers: 880,000

Role: Born in Wilmington, North Carolina, the former TV producer is arguably the most prominent face of Trump campaign broadcasts. She is generally less combative than her husband, Eric, and more focused on building support among women. But last year she declared that German chancellor Angela Merkels decision to accept refugees from Syria in 2015 was the downfall of Germany, adding: It was one of the worst things to ever happen to Germany.

Age: 38

Twitter bio: Wife, mother, sister, daughter. Advisor to POTUS on job creation + economic empowerment, workforce development & entrepreneurship. Personal Pg. Views are my own.

Twitter followers: 8.8m

Role: Senior adviser to the president, who once said: If Ivanka werent my daughter, perhaps Id be dating her. In 2018, she announced the closure of her namesake fashion brand amid concerns over a conflict of interest. Introducing her father at the 2016 Republican national convention, she said: Like many of my fellow millennials, I do not consider myself categorically Republican or Democrat. More than party affiliation, I vote on based on what I believe is right, for my family and for my country.

Age: 39

Twitter bio: None (he has never tweeted).

Twitter followers: 107,000

Role: Senior adviser to the president with a seemingly endless portfolio. He is the son of property developer Charles Kushner, who was imprisoned on charges of tax evasion, witness tampering and illegal campaign donations. Kushner took over the family business and also went into publishing. He married Ivanka in 2009 and oversaw the Trump campaigns digital strategy in 2016. He recently described the White Houses response to the coronavirus pandemic as a success story.

More:

All in the Trump family: meet the presidents surrogates and strategists - The Guardian

In 2016, world leaders, United Nations (UN) agencies, and humanitarian agencies came together to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of humanitarian action resulting in 51 commitments known as the Grand Bargain. The global COVID-19 pandemic has already highlighted the gendered impacts of the virus: an exacerbated burden of unpaid care work on women, negative impacts on womens economic empowerment, likely leading to reduced livelihoods and income opportunities, increased gender-based violence (GBV) and protection risks, and interrupted access to sexual and reproductive healthcare. Cash and voucher assistance (CVA) continues to be scaled in humanitarian responses and is an increasingly useful tool at this time of quarantine and social distancing. It is more imperative than ever before to ensure that the commitments made toward mainstreaming gender in cash and voucher responses are front and centre.

We, representatives of donors, UN agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) comprising the Grand Bargain Cash Workstreams Subgroup on Gender and Cash, call on all Grand Bargain signatories to use all means at their disposal to take the following actions:

Ensure that response analysis for CVA is gendered and disaggregated by age and disability as much as possible: This crisis impacts women, men, girls, and boys differently. CVA response analysis must reflect overlapping and unique needs, priorities, and capacities. In market assessments, actors are urged to assess physical access to markets (e.g. basic goods) and services (e.g. health, labour) using a gendered analysis. Assessment teams should be as gender-balanced at the design, collection, and analysis stages. Community consultations, whether using in-person or remote data collection methods, should include women of various ages and adolescent girls, noting that women may not be the most visible market actor informants. Vulnerabilities may shift over time and pre-crisis assessment data may not adequately capture current post-COVID-19 vulnerabilities; decisions about assistance modality should be made using updated data collection and analysis. Lastly, feasibility of CVA and potential delivery mechanisms should be examined from the perspectives of women and men, taking into account intersecting identity characteristics such as age and ability.

Strengthen partnerships with local actors and womens organisations for gender sensitive CVA:Prioritize partnerships with local and national organisations, including local womens organizations.Reinforce national and local capacities as needed to support well-analysed, appropriate, and timely implementation of a humanitarian CVA response linked with national systems and/or Cash Working Groups.

Systematically undertake GBV risk mitigation analysis for all projects with CVA: GBV is prevalent across humanitarian crises. Many signposts indicate that GBV risks and incidence are on the rise during COVID19 with surges upwards of 25% in some cases. GBV case management and services is limited due to quarantines, mobility restrictions, and social distancing. Therefore, it is imperative to identify GBV risks associated with CVA based on current scenarios and mitigate these risks through protective program design. Updated GBV referral pathway information should be a part of information sharing for agencies implementing CVA.Version 14 May 2020 Design CVA that is gender sensitive based on the challenges and opportunities of the crisis: CVA outcomes should have the different needs and priorities of women, men, girls, and boys in mind. In particular, the gendered needs that CVA can support including food security, health, WASH, protection, nutrition, and shelter (including items like fuel) should influence not only the objectives, but also the design of transfers. Womens needs and priorities, especially those of female-headed households, must be meaningfully considered in the design of CVA (e.g. outcome, transfer value, frequency and duration, and accompanying services). Delivery mechanisms, sensitisation, and complementary services should be designed in a manner accessible to diverse women and men (e.g. the elderly, people with disabilities).

Agencies should ensure that social protection and recovery and development programming with CVA components are gender sensitive, striving for gender-transformative approaches post-crisis.Contribute to gender sensitive CVA in social protection systems: Globally, governments are introducing, adapting, and expanding social protection programmes that use cash transfers in response to COVID-19.Many countries where humanitarian responses to COVID-19 are being planned and implemented have existing or emerging government cash transfer schemes whilst others are rapidly establishing such mechanisms. Wherever possible, coordination to and linkages with these schemes will assist national governments to better respond to the crisis. Lessons learned on how these processes can be more gendersensitive and even gender-transformative are critical to improving the way humanitarian response is delivered.

Combine CVA with other modalities of assistance to enhance the economic resilience of women and men: Unconditional cash transfers allow the greatest flexibility for women to resume economic activities when it is safe for them to do so. However, cash transfers can only do so much. Globally, combinations of in-kind, service delivery through awareness-raising like discussion groups or training and community level activities like community asset-building, savings and lending groups, have been shown to be the most promising for lasting impact. When working to build womens economic resilience, men must be involved in the process as agents of change.

Look for opportunities for womens financial inclusion through CVA: Globally, women are increasingly able to access mobile phones, mobile money, and financial services. However, even in places where there are small digital gaps, many women as well as men still cannot access, have control over, or manage with ease these technologies regularly. The opportunities that e-transfers provide to bridge gaps should be seized and CVA design should support enhanced access. Coordination and collaboration with government service providers on digital messaging is critical to support womens full access to government schemes that address economic impacts of the outbreak. Agencies should look to partner with and build the capacity of informal social networks, such as womens groups, community groups, civil society organisations, and womens rights organisations to contribute to market assessments that feed into livelihoods and income generation opportunities.

Collect sex-, age-, and disability-disaggregated data (SADDD) about CVA in the COVID-19 response:Following best practice, practitioners should systematically collect SADDD across the program cycle, including, but not limited to, Post Distribution Monitoring, other monitoring tools, feedback mechanisms, and evaluation. Agencies should publish gender-focused learnings from this response to highlight and scale promising practices and to better inform CVA response in epidemics and market recovery moving ahead. Confidentiality and protection of personal data should not be neglected during the COVID crisis, particularly as women may face additional risks if they are known to be receiving CVA.

More:

The importance of acting on grand bargain commitments for a meaningful focus on gender in cash and voucher assistance responses to the Covid-19...

Beyond the Boys Club is a monthly column from journalist and radio host Anne Erickson, focusing on women in the heavy music genres, as they offer their perspectives on the music industry and discuss their personal experiences. This months piece features an interview with Maria Brink of In This Moment.

In This Moment reinvent themselves from album to album, so its no surprise that the bands latest record, Mother, has a fresh style and feel. Their previous LP, 2017s Ritual, was a concept album of sorts, centering around the Salem Witch Trials. Mother is a deeply personal and serious album lyrically, with solid rock riffing, experimental electronics, and singer Maria Brinks soulful vocals.

Mother was released in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the band choosing not to postpone the album. In This Moment were also set to promote the new studio effort with a headlining spring outing, but like all other tours, its been put on hold.

While isolating at home, Maria Brink spoke with Heavy Consequence for the latest Beyond the Boys Club column. She discussed the new album, how the pandemic is affecting musicians, what advice she offers young women looking to get into the music world, and more. Read the full interview below.

On how Mother stands apart from previous In This Moment albums

Its a great escape with everything going on right now, and were always trying to experiment. Were definitely an experimental band, and this album has a more mature sound to it. Its a more empowering, serious tone. Sometimes in the past, Ive been campy and have fun with certain plays on things, but this one had a more serious, empowering energy to it.

On why Mother carries a serious tone

I think everything I was going through in life and where I am in my life brought the serious tone. Ive been experiencing some real things and loss and some sad things and some new life, Thats where I was with everything. I was in a serious place. Its always based on your personal experiences.

On why In This Moment favor dramatic, theatrical shows

Theres something really cool about bringing performing arts and a different visual that you dont always see in the active rock and metal world. You see it sometimes, like with Alice Cooper, you see theatrics, but I wanted to bring some performing arts where the visuals youre seeing can evoke emotions, as well as the music. So, even if you were to pause the music but watch the show, what youre visually looking at is still inspiring and evoking those things, and then when you combine them both, you get double that impact.

On covering Queens We Will Rock You with Lzzy Hale and Taylor Momsen

I know Lzzy, and shes so amazing. Ive gotten to tour with her a lot. I was acquaintances with Taylor and got to know her and am now her friend. Theyre both such powerful symbols for empowering women in this scene. Theyre both such queens but really diverse and different from each other, and they both are the strong faces of the community right now. I thought it would be cool for us three to join forces and show people that we were working together, as an empowerment thing. Sometimes you have to join superpowers! (Laughs) It was an honor to work with them. Theyre both so talented and amazing, and thats the only way we could even cover that Queen song. I love Freddie Mercury and Queen. I grew up on them, because my mom loved them so much. I think it was the perfect song with those women coming together. I wouldnt cover that song myself.

On how the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting the music industry

Its crazy. Were all living in a movie right now. History is being made, and were all just watching it every day and seeing it on television. I live on the outskirts of New York, so were definitely in the thick of it, and its tragic and heartbreaking beyond words, seeing the sacrifices that people like the doctors and nurses and workers are making, Im moved to tears almost every day. People are suffering. The whole world is impacted by it, but definitely the bigger crowd industries sports, musicians, concerts, all performing arts theyre gong to be impacted really hard because of the mass gatherings. But, I think were going to get through it. I think they just have to come up with, even before the vaccination, something that can treat it. As soon as they can come up with something for treatment for this, we can all start going back to normal. Meanwhile, we have to be patient and pray for people and try to not go crazy in our houses!

Everything at this point is so uncertain for anybody. When were told that were allowed to tour and its safe and were not putting anyone at risk, Im praying that all the dates line up, and we can tour and see everybody can be safe together. So, Im praying that happens. In the meantime, people are coming up with innovative ways to stay connected with fans. Im trying to brainstorm some things, because Im a really private person, and I dont do a lot of press. I dont really do live Instagram stuff or things like that, but I might have to push myself out of it to not be so hidden and to make sure Im connecting with everyone. Because, everyone needs to connect through this time.

On how fans can support their favorite artists during the coronavirus crisis

Our crew is our family, and we just released a shirt where all proceeds go to them, and we re trying to do other things. People are going to have to start being innovative, and I dont know what its going to look like, but were probably going to start seeing strange things weve never seen before and have a lot of new realities for how people approach music and connect with fans out there. Im trying to brainstorm ideas, too. Its insane. Its history in the making.

On what female musicians she was drawn to early on in life

A lot of that had to do with the fact my mom was a rocker and flower child and had me at 16, so she took me to all the lawn concerts. Wed not actually be at the concerts, but wed be outside and listen in our cars. So, I grew up on Stevie Nicks and Tina Turner and Joan Jett and Janis Joplin. My mom loved all that, and we went to the concerts, so I really think that was my first inspiring thing that really moved me. Me, as a young girl, being subjected to all that through my mom was my biggest inspiration.

On how the rock and metal world has changed for women since she first started out

Its becoming not abnormal. Its more empowering. Women are also not afraid to be feminine. When I first started out, including myself, it was much more hard-edged in the metal community with women. It was hard and not soft. I would still wear these Alice in Wonderland dresses and had my little feminine ways, but a lot of of the women around me were more hard. But, now youre seeing women in the metal world being not afraid to be a women and being soft and powerful and strong and heavy. They can all co-exist.

On her personal experience as a woman in the hard rock and heavy metal world

For the most part, its been amazing. Its been a powerful and moving experience. I went from a girl to a woman in this scene, so I got to learn so much within myself. Of course, there have been some difficult things as a woman, especially early on, but I think things like that are powerful things that happened to me that I dont regret, because they taught me how to be strong and deal with situations and have control over a crowd. It gave me grit. I have no regrets. No matter who you are, the music scene is a hard scene to break. I think everything has its pros and cons, and when you put your mind to it, no matter who you are or where you come from, you succeed at it. Dont let things hold you back.

On what advice she would give young women looking to go into music

Do what you love, especially if youre passionate about it. If something moves you and you have a dream, do it. Dont let anybody get in your way or tell you what you cant be. Become the impossible. Always push, believe in what you can do and dont let anybody second guess you. Work on your craft. What is it about you that stands out? If I were to line you up with 100 bands, what makes you stand out? Were all rare and have that beautiful, rare thing, so find that and push that through to make you stick out.

Our thanks to Maria Brink for taking the time to speak with us. Pick up In This Moments new album, Mother, here, and support the bands road crew with this special Stay at Home t-shirt.

Editors Note: If youre a fan of our content, consider supporting Consequence of Sound and Heavy Consequence by visiting our newly launched web store and picking upone of our custom face masks. A portion of the proceeds will benefit MusiCares COVID-19 Artist Relief Fund.

Read the original:

Beyond the Boys Club: Maria Brink of In This Moment - Consequence of Sound

Blending old and new

Rahul V Mathew, a Bengaluru-based artist, has been making digital collages using the paintings of Raja Ravi Varma to send a message about the Covid-19 pandemic.

He juxtaposed the paintings with stock images for the series. He chose six paintings based on how the character would interact with the current environment. Each of them is posted on his Instagram page, and is accompanied by a note that expands on a different theme. Ahalya, for example, has been used by Mathew to drive a point against panic buying. The caption reads, You should prepare for the coronavirus but dont buy more than what you need. He also talks about the importance of taking care of ones mental health, social distancing and maintaining personal hygiene.

The Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology graduate was inspired by a project he had worked on previously Varma Printing Press in Mumbai, using the royal artists work. The idea came to Mathew when he visited Hasta Shilpa Heritage Village in Manipal.

It is not just the fact that Ravi Varmadepicted Indian deities that made Mathew choose his works, but also the fact that he made art accessible to the underprivileged sections. I wanted my art and the message I am trying to send across to be accessible to everyone, he says. However, using the artwork of someone who is already established, he says, comes with its own challenges.

Contemporary artist Rehaman Patel, who hails from Kalaburagi district, created a painting to urge people to stay home.

He was perturbedby the callousness with which many people were violating the lockdown.The only option left, he says, is to lock their feet; a sentiment he portrays in his artwork. Titled The Last Option, the painting shows a pair of slippers that have been locked. The sandals have been arranged in the shape of a V, symbolising victory.

Patel has always used his art as a medium to discuss current socio-cultural topics such as education, women empowerment and unity in diversity.

Srishti Guptaroy is a fashion designer, visual artist and illustrator based out of Bengaluru. The idea of my art has always been to spread joy, she says. Her style is maximal, colourful and intricate.The first Covid-19 related post she made on her Instagram was on March 7. It was just a fun poke on people wearing masks and how its thesocial requirement to be in public, she says.Making art on something that is so all encompassing seemed, to her, like the most natural thing to do. She was later commissioned by Myntra to make 30 illustrations surrounding lockdown, quarantine and Covid-19. I was a little overwhelmed initially. But as I started working on it, I realised that this global predicament we are in can actually create thousands of concepts and artworks, she explains.

Her art is not focused on creating awareness, her aim is to create relatable content that can be shared for a laugh. The light and often sarcastic illustrations depict Zoom interactions, the rise in Instagram Lives and even the comeback of Ludo. She says that art is what is really getting us through in a way. I know that it comes from a certain place ofprivilege, but once basic requirements are met, everyone has turned to some form of art for solace, she concludes.

Seen on every street corner, rangolis are probably the most visible form of everyday art we have. So its nosurprise that they have been used to spread awareness.

The idea came from a consortium of 12 child rights organisations. They have been working with young girls who are victims of child marriage and those who might be part of the Devadasi system.

Rangolis seemed to be the best way to involve girls in a community awareness initiative, says Vasudeva Sharma, a child rights activist, who is part of the initiative.

More than 300 girls from places like Bengaluru, Belagavi, Chikkaballapura, Bidar participated in this initiative. The colourful work depicted the virus with slogans asking people to practice safety, showing the importance of handwashing and using sanitisers and promoting the use of masks.

It was not without roadblocks, their work was not paid attention to in the beginning with some families even refusing to allow them to draw in front of their houses. It was the age-old belief that what you draw outside will come inside, says Vasudeva with a laugh. But there were many who not just appreciated but helped the girls in designing and procuring colours. Thisawareness drive is led by two collaborative projects, Initiative for Married Adolescent Girls Empowerment and Getting Out of Devadasi System.

Aakansha Menon is an illustrator and designer who loves illustrating the world around her. She describes her work as minimal and raw. I want to convey a story with as few words as possible, she says.

The artist had never worked from home before the lockdown and the changes that came with it were extremely unusual for her. Art was her way to process it. Everyone else also seemed to be going through the same situation, so for people to relate to my work and find a sense of comfort kept me going, she says.

She has both message-oriented art that deals with the importance of handwashing and social distancing in addition to work that stems from her experiences such as video calls with her mother.

Our only source of contact with each other is through social media, so I find that it becomes more important to connect through it. Sharing positive messages through easily consumable and shareable mediums like art is reassuring to people who are going through a tough time. It tells them that theyre not alone, she explains.

Original post:

Art to create awareness about the pandemic - Deccan Herald