Category Archives: Personal Empowerment

Cosmic Sister Emerging Voices Award recipient Alice Fortes on location in the Brazilian Amazon. Photo by Camilla Coutinho.

AMHERST, Mass. (PRWEB) October 24, 2019

This November, the environmental feminist group Cosmic Sister is sponsoring female thought leaders and emerging voices to represent the medicine at Spirit Plant Medicine Conference, November 1 3 on the University of British Columbia's Vancouver campus, located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Squamish, Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.

Cosmic Sisters Psychedelic Feminism champions womens empowerment and frontline voices, emphasizing our responsibilityas Earths apex predatorto evolve ethically and our natural right to journey with sacred plant (and fungi) such as ayahuasca, cannabis, peyote, iboga and psilocybin mushrooms as a way to jump-start rapid cultural evolution, starting with women.

Our species is responsible for this age of extinction. A true balance of power across the gender spectrumgloballyis the only way humans (and non-humans) will survive, said Cosmic Sister founder Zoe Helene, who coined the term Psychedelic Feminism, which she describes as a realistic, practical, yet hopeful approach to a much-needed shift of global consciousness.

Cosmic Sister offers an interconnected quartet of merit-based Psychedelic Feminism educational advocacy grantsWomen of the Psychedelic Renaissance, Cosmic Sisters of Cannabis and the original, immersive Plant Spirit Grantto support womens voices in psychedelics (and cannabis) culture. The new Emerging Voices Award, launched last month in partnership with the Sleeping Octopus Assembly on Psychedelics (SOAP) in Pittsburgh, PA, helps individuals who demonstrate potential in the field of psychedelics strengthen their visibility in the community. Cosmic Sister will also partner with other reputable events and the Spirit Plant Medicine Conference for this award.

Recipients from Canada and the United States share a passion for human and non-human rights and environmental protection and credit psychedelics for changing the course of their lives for the better. Inspired and action-oriented, they remain hopeful amidst the chaos of challenging times. National borders and territorial boundaries have nothing to do with the natural world, says Helene.

WOMEN OF THE PSYCHEDELIC RENAISSANCE GRANTS

The following women received Cosmic Sister Women of The Psychedelic Renaissance grants to speak at Spirit Plant Medicine Conference.

Cannabis and hemp activist and cultivator Rachael Carlevale (@Ganjasana) will present Integration: Building Bridges to Cannabis Spirit with Nature as Our Ally; Indigenous activist and cannabis ambassador Antoinette Cruz (@dabzilla_antoinette) will present Decolonization of A Nation: Spirit, Plant Medicine From An Indigenous Perspective; hashish consultant, writer, educator and media personality The Dank Duchess (@TheDankDuchess) will present Getting Lit: Spiritual Ascension through Collective Ecstasy; and master herbalist, psychedelic elder, author and educator Brigitte Mars (@brigitte.mars) will present Just Say How? Preparation for an Epic Psychedelic Experience.

Zoe Helene (@CosmicSister), an artist, environmentalist and cultural activist, will present Psychedelic FeminismIts Not All About Us (Humans). She will not be live-streamed or recorded. I want to share with those who are present, she says, as we would in a sacred space such as a temeno, tipi or maloca. The magic is in the living moment.

COSMIC SISTER EMERGING VOICES AWARD

The new Cosmic Sister Emerging Voices Award (CS EVA) acknowledges women who work tirelessly in supportive, behind-the-scenes roles, as well as talented newcomers who shine in spotlight positions. These are women to watch, Helene says.

In partnership with Spirit Plant Medicine Conference, the following women received a Cosmic Sister Emerging Voices Award, which includes a complimentary ticket to attend SPMC, on-campus accommodations (for recipients traveling from the United States) and an invitation to participate in an intimate, multi-cultural, women-only pre-conference gathering on October 31. In many ancient spiritual traditions, this is a sacred night when the veil between the worlds is lifted and ancestors feel more present, a night to celebrate the death of the old, clearing space for rebirth, Helene explains. The timing feels perfectly apropos.

Recipients include interdisciplinary artist and storyteller Tonye Aganaba (@tonyeaganaba); community organizer, cannabis yogi and facilitator Celina Archambault (@plant_tigress); social worker and community organizer Anne-Marie Armour; hemp advocate and cannabis entrepreneur and women's basketball coach Laura Beohner (@TheHealingRose); community diviner and Renaissance woman Mia Cara Cosco (@miacosco); Brazilian photographer, environmentalist and ayahuasca researcher Alice Fortes (@alicecfortes); psychiatric nurse and martial artist Taylor Hayes (@psy.nurse); plant food alchemist and chef and yoga instructor Sarinda Hoilett (@Sarinah); strategist, communicator, connector and social alchemist Andrea Langlois (@andreamlanglois); ethical personal care and natural products independent consultant Caitlin Moakley (@soilandspirit); scientist and pollinator advocate Dawn Musil (@dawn_musil); urban gardener and community artist Sabrina Pilet-Jones (@sabrinas_garden); PhD student, shamanism researcher, and plant-lover Laurel Sugden (@laurel.sugden); performing artist and adventurer Vanessa Yuen (@van_lefan).

For full biographies and photos, please visit Psychedelic Feminism Grant Recipients.

WOMEN OF COLOR IN PSYCHEDELICS

Women of colors voices are greatly underrepresented in the psychedelic plant community, despite their demonstrated talent for, connection to, and keen interest in these profound medicines. Cosmic Sister is proud to sponsor the panel discussion Rising Voices: Women of Color in the Sacred Plant Community, on the main stage. Women of the Psychedelic Renaissance grant recipient and main stage speaker The Dank Duchess will moderate the panel, which includes Cosmic Sister Emerging Voices recipients Tonye Aganaba, Sarinda Hoilett, Sabrina Pilet-Jones and Vanessa Yuen.

MILESTONE YEAR

All speaking grants were covered by donations. Cosmic Sister depends on community support, mostly from individuals. Last month, Womens Sacred Medicine Alliance, a new group of Canadian psychedelic feminists, hosted the Psychedelic Symposium & Cosmic Sister Fundraiser in Vancouver, BC, featuring local medicine women and a silent auction that included several cruelty-free feather smudge fans by local artist Mari Hashimoto of Trillium Healing Path.

Several sizable donations were made by men. Cosmic Sisters psychedelic feminism educational advocacy projects are supported in part by influential males in the field, including mycologist and medical researcher Paul Stamets; executive director of Divination Foundation Paulo Obrien, ethnobotanist and medicine hunter Chris Kilham; Spirit Plant Medicine Conference co-organizer Stephen Gray; founder and executive director of Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) Rick Doblin, Cosmic Sisters educational advocacy fiscal sponsor; and executive director of MAPS Canada Mark Haden.

We love and appreciate our male allies, Helene says, These men understand that were in relationship with each other on the same vulnerable planet and that action is character.

We are riding the wave of a revolution in consciousness, a quantum leap in intelligence, says mycologist and medical researcher Paul Stamets, If we can harness and use these substances responsibly, we won't fail to create the paradigm shift so critical for our collective survival. Women's voices are fundamental to the conversation.

Kilham, Helenes husband and partner and founder of Medicine Hunter, a primary Cosmic Sister sponsor, agrees. These women are not the voices of tomorrow, he says, They are the voices of today.

As the temple of wisdom is being re-opened, says Gray, this emergence is essential for the rebalancing of the feminine and masculine principles and the healing of the Earth and all her inhabitants.

We all need to be on the psychedelic healing bus for this movement to be in balance, says Haden. No one gets left behind in our collective quest to heal and to offer healing to individuals, couples, communities and our planet as a whole. Equal representation and cooperation at all levels of the psychedelic renaissance is a must.

These educational grants would not be possible without community support. Cosmic Sister deeply appreciates tax-deductible donations by way of its fiscal sponsorship with the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). All contributions made through this form will be allocated to Cosmic Sisters educational advocacy initiatives, minus modest administrative processing fees.

ABOUT COSMIC SISTER

Cosmic Sister (@CosmicSister) is an environmental feminist collective that connects kindred-spirit trailblazing women who understand that true balance of power across the gender spectrumgloballyas the only way humans (and non-humans) will survive. Cosmic Sisters psychedelic feminism educational advocacy initiatives promote safe, legal, intentional journeying with sacred plants and fungi as a way for women to explore the wilderness within, where they can discover fresh, liberating perspectives on core womens rights issues. Contact: media@cosmicsister.com. Connect: @CosmicSister

Cosmic Sisters immersive Plant Spirit Grant program is funded internally. Cosmic Sisters Emerging Voices Educational Award program is funded in part by participating partners such as the Spirit Plant Medicine Conference. Donations for Cosmic Sisters educational advocacy initiatives are fully tax-deductible through Cosmic Sisters fiscal sponsor, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS). All donations go directly to educational advocacy and are greatly appreciated. To donate, please visit Support Cosmic Sister. #CosmicSister #PsychedelicFeminism #ZoeHelene #Psychedelics #Psychedelic #Earth #ClimateChange #Amazon #Rainforest #Brazil #Peru

For biographies and photos of grant recipients and more information on these projects, visit Psychedelic Feminism.

ABOUT THE LEAD IMAGE

In the Nova Esperana (New Hope) village in the Gregrio River Indigenous Territory of the Brazilian Amazon, an indigenous Yawanaw woman applies protective jenipapo butterfly markings, using juice from the jenipapo fruit, on Alice Fortes in preparation for medicine work with uni, the Yawanaw name for ayahuasca, in the deep rainforest.

Alice Fortes, a recipient of Cosmic Sisters Emerging Voices Award, is an environmentalist, photographer, ayahuasca researcher and graduate student studying under the mentorship of anthropologist Wade Davis at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. She was nominated by her classmate Laurel Sugden, also a Cosmic Sister Emerging Voices Award recipient.

Photo by Camilla Coutinho (@camillacoutinhosilva).

ABOUT MULTIDISCIPLINARY ASSOCIATION FOR PSYCHEDELIC STUDIES (MAPS)

Founded in 1986, the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization that develops medical, legal, and cultural contexts for people to benefit from the careful uses of psychedelics and marijuana. For more information, please contact Brad Burge, director of communications and marketing, brad@maps.org Connect: @MAPSnews

ABOUT SPIRIT PLANT MEDICINE CONFERENCE

The intention of Spirit Plant Medicine Conference is to offer accurate, respectful, and most of all beneficial information and inspiration on the use of and larger context around sacred healing plants. Now in its 9th year, the mission of the SPMC is to help guide this work forward by bringing a world-class international group of leading visionary voices to Vancouver. SpiritPlantMedicine.com

ABOUT MEDICINE HUNTER

Founded by medicine hunter, author, and educator Chris Kilham, the three-fold purpose of Medicine Hunter is to promote natural, plant-based medicines, to protect the natural environment, and to support indigenous cultures. MedicineHunter.com Connect: @MedicineHunter

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Psychedelic Feminism Champions Cultural Evolution in the Age of Extinction - PR Web

The summit takes place on Saturday in Orlando. Photo: Flickr Creative Commons

More than 200 LGBTQ youth and their parents are expected to attend the Orlando Youth Empowerment Summit this weekend in Orlando.

Local leaders and LGBTQ groups will offer workshops to LGBTQ youth on topics from becoming more politically active and getting their first job to the basics of putting on makeup.

Zebra Coalitions Robin Daily says along with these resources, the conference will highlight people in the community who can provide mentorship.

To be able to be in that space and see people that are already working in these fields being their authentic selves and living their lives is very empowering for the youth.

Daily says its the first time since the conference started in 2014 that there will also be a full-day training for parents.

For anyone who has a child in their life that simply doesnt fit into societys notions about gender. Whether theyre transgender, non-binary or just gender expansive or if its just someone in the community either a parent or caregiver that wants to learn more, understand more about gender.

Along with these sessions there will be a live lip sync battle, musical and drag performances, and confidential HIV and STI testing by Hope & Help.

If youd like to listen to the story, please click on the clip.

See original here:

Orlando Summit Seeks to Empower LGBTQ Youth to Live Authentically in Personal, Professional Lives - WMFE

This semester, the Office of Gender Violence Prevention and Education and the Sexuality, Women and Gender Center (SWAG) are partnering to provide a series of empowerment self defense workshops. All four workshops will focus on assertive communication, boundary setting, bystander intervention and physical self-defense.

We ask that people commit to going to all four sessions so that theyre really building community within the group and building trust in each other, said Lisa Peterson, associate director of gender violence prevention and education. The material kind of builds on itself.

The four workshops will be led by a pair of facilitators from Prevention. Action. Change. (PAC), a Portland-based group that focuses on countering abuse, assault and harassment. Peterson complimented this organization, noting the language it uses to achieve its goals.

Prevention. Action. Change. focuses on exploring and sharing the ways that we can all take up more space in the world by expressing what we want, need and feel and then intervening early to prevent and respond to harassment abuse and assault, Peterson said.

The programs organizers hope to draw around 20 participants, a group size which will allow them to work with as many people as possible while still ensuring that all participants can practice the skills they learn and create a sense of community. The program is open to all self-identifying woman, gender non-conforming and non-binary individuals.

Its really taking the lens of thinking about the ways in which we construct gender as a society and how folks of those genders have been socialized to exist in the world and empowering folks to articulate what their [needs and desires are], and to feel confident and feel valid in doing that, Peterson said.

Rachel Reinke, associate director of SWAG, echoed this sentiment, adding that the program emphasizes personal power and agency.

It provides more options for what that power can look like, she said. I think that was something really appealing about this particular program because there are so many approaches that are being taken throughout all the sessions.

Both Peterson and Reinke emphasized that the workshops provide a comprehensive approach to dealing with gender violence on campus.

While similar workshops have been offered twice in the past, the length of this years workshop makes the program different from that of previous years. Following feedback that previous workshops were too short in their first year and too long in their second year, the Office of Gender Violence Prevention and Education have decided to try four two-hour long sessions over the course of the semester.

We hope that [the new format] will be the right balance of ensuring that folks have enough time together to really delve into the material, but that its also manageable with class schedules, said Peterson.

With participants filling out anonymous surveys each year, Reinke reiterated that student feedback is essential to the programs success.

The four workshops will begin next Tuesday night.

Read the rest here:

Empowerment self defense workshops to begin on Tuesday - The Bowdoin Orient

SEVEN is a powerful documentary piece of theatre that brings the writing talents of seven award-winning playwrights to bear on the personal interviews of seven world-changing women from around the globe. It is an example of collaboration and self-empowerment by and for women that provides hope for those fighting to end gender-based violence, inequity, and oppression. Produced by L.A. Theatre Works, this play works beautifully for the style of shows that they specialize in. LATW does radio theatre, in which the cast speaks into microphones while facing the audience directly. This style emphasizes the power of the voice in theatre and storytelling, and it works wonderfully for SEVEN, which performed one night only at George Mason Universitys Center for the Arts.

Conceived by Carol Mack, one of the seven playwrights, the play was created in collaboration with Vital Voices Global Partnership. Mack, along with Ruth Margraff, Paula Cizmar, Catherine Filloux, Gail Kriegel, Anna Deavere Smith, and Susan Yankowitz, have written of the moments that led to change for the following women: Hafsat Abiola-Costello, Farida Azizi, Anabella DeLeon, Mukhtar Mai, Inez McCormack, Marina Pisklakova-Parker, and Mu Sochua. (For more on SEVEN, read David Siegels DCMTA feature.)

Acting is superb across the board. Hafsat Abiola-Costello (Sarah Hollis) is a Nigerian studying at Harvard, when she hears of the murder of her mother, and later, her father. She becomes a charismatic advocate for human rights and democracy. Farida Azizi (Laila Ayad) brought medical supplies and instructions to rural women of Afghanistan despite the threats of the Taliban. Anabella DeLeon (Maritxell Carrero) earned a law degree and became a congresswoman in Guatemala despite coming from abject poverty. Mukhtar Mai (Lovelee Carroll) brought her rapists to justice in Pakistan, then went on to build schools increasing literacy. Inez McCormack (Ellis Greer) became a trade union and human rights activist, playing a critical role in the 1998 Good Friday Peace Accords in Northern Ireland. Marina Pisklakova-Parker (Shannon Holt) began a helpline for battered women on her own, which has grown to the resource center for all of Russia, coordinating over 120 organizations for the prevention of violence. Mu Sochua (Tess Lina) was sent out of Cambodia by her parents for her own safety before they were both killed. Working to stop sex-trafficking in Cambodia and Thailand, she won a seat in Parliament, and has been co-nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. She now travels the world calling for action, as an exile who had to flee Cambodia for her own safety when the government was dissolved 2 years ago.

The play interweaves these stories artfully, thanks to Director Alexis Jacknow. There is a great deal being shared, but it is portrayed clearly, and movingly, and it is certainly inspirational. The audience was on its feet at the end of the performance.

The design aspect that stands out the most was the evocative imagery of the projections, designed by Sean Cawelti. Some projections were literal references to the dialogue, and some images evoked moods without specific interpretation. Costume Design by Carin Jacobs creates clear identification for the homelands of the plays characters. While the Sound Design by Mark Holden is generally excellent, the moments which used phone calls were often distorted enough to make understanding difficult. To be fair, the mood of the phone calls was often more important than the words themselves.

Speaking to worldwide issues, SEVEN has been translated into more than 20 languages and has been seen in 32 countries. If given the opportunity to see the production, dont miss it.

Running Time: One hour and 10 minutes, with no intermission.

SEVEN performed for one night only, October 18, 2019, at George Mason Universitys Center for the Arts, 4373 Mason Pond Drive, Fairfax, VA. Vital Voices is an international non-profit organization that empowers and champions women leaders around the world. For tickets to other shows in George Mason Universitys Great Performances Season, call the box office at 888-945-2468, or visit their calendar of events.

Go here to read the rest:

Fixing World Crises: The Women of 'SEVEN' are Succeeding and Inspiring - DC Metro Theater Arts

Why have a Muskoka weekend when you can spend a few fall days in Barbies Dreamhouse? (Minus Ken, unfortunately.)

Said very real property is currently listed on Airbnb, via Mattel, and Barbie is listed as a verified host, so you know youre in good hands.

The fabulous life-size Dreamhouse will be available for booking for four guests for a one-time, two-night stay on October 23, 2019 at 11 a.m. PDT, for only US$60 a night, plus taxes and fees, to commemorate Barbie brands 60th anniversary, reads the press release. The house will offer enthusiasts the chance to experience her signature brand of hospitality, empowerment and inclusivity.

The once in a lifetime opportunity is located in the heart of Malibu, naturally, and boasts three floors with ocean views, a personal theatre, an infinity pool, a full walk-in closet, a DJ booth, etc.

Along with your stay, comes a meet-and-greet with celebrity hairstylist Jen Atkin, a makeover, fencing lessons with Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad, a cooking lesson from professional chef Gina Clarke-Helm, and a tour of the Columbia Memorial Space Center with pilot and aerospace engineer Jill Meyers.

In turn, Airbnb will make donations to charities involved with The Barbie Dream Gap Project, which is dedicated to empowering girls.

Like Barbie herself says, When you belong anywhere, you can be anything.

Read this article:

You can rent Barbie's Malibu Dreamhouse on Airbnb for just US$60 a night - National Post

Goddy Egene

Sagamites Club, a private socio-economic organisationwill on Sunday, October 27, 2019, empower start-ups with entrepreneurial skills in Ogun State.

The initiative, is part of efforts to create employment and contribute to the growth of the nations economy generally.

The club, founded by a group of Remo citizens from Sagamu in Ogun State, is made up of business executives across various sectors of the economy.

Speaking at a press briefing on the clubs Leadership Empowerment Conference in Lagos,President of Sagamites Club, Mr. Seni Adetu, said a business support fund had been set up to supportthe 10 most qualified would-be-entrepreneurs, who would be selected based on merit and business propositions.

Adetu, who disclosed that Sagamites Clubhas an existing scholarship fundover the years, said: It is a privilege to support the less-privileged. We are inspired by the fact that we are positioned to be of help in changing the narrative of our community youth, from the lamentation of unemployment and perceived laziness, fraudsters and drugs-consuming youth, to that of powerfully and gainfully employed young adults.

He saidthat apart from the start-up opportunities for deserving youth within that community by financially and through commercial guidance, supporting quality business propositions,the conference it would also serve a forum forSagamu youths to experience practical leadership through story telling of personal experiences of highly credible and accomplished business leaders in various fields from across the country.

To this extent, top business leaders in the private and public sectors have been lined up to share their career experiences that day. They include: Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Toyin Ogundipe; Managing Director/CEO ofAirtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya; Secretary to the Ogun State Government, Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, and CEO of Deloitte Nigeria/ West Africa, Mr. Fatai Folarin.

We can take more ownership of our destiny and help our youth to achieve the best they can, he stressed.

Also speaking, the Vice President of Sagamites Club,Funbi Dawodu, said the club was committed to wealth creation and employment generation. According to him, since the club was founded in 1972, it had been a major force for good in the Remo community and indeed Ogun State.

He the vision of the club had been to bethe most celebrated socio-economic club in the state.

The intent is to be at the forefront of enriching the community and empowering its citizens. We have offered scholarships to indigent students over the years who have become successful professionals both in Nigeria and outside the country. Now we are raising the bar with the launching of theclubsannual Leadership Conference and Business Support initiative, Dawodu said.

More:

Sagamites Club Floats Fund to Empower Small Businesses, Youths - THISDAY Newspapers

Outlook Speakout has emerged as alively platform, for thefinest minds and brightest ideas,dictated by the optimism and anxieties of our times, says Indranil Roy, Chief Executive Officer, The Outlook Group.

Speaking at the event, Indranil Roy explained The Outlook Group's vision of encouraging women who contribute to make the life of others a little better, a little safer.

Here is the full text of his speech:

Ladies and Gentlemen:

Good Evening, and welcome to the thirdedition of Outlook Speakout.

For the last 24 years, the Outlook Group has enjoyed a great reputation in the world of Indian journalism.

In the last three years, we have tried to makeOutlook SpeakOutan outspoken extension of the magazine, on stage.

I must say, we have found our corner and we are proud of it.

Outlook Speakout has emerged as alively platform, for thefinest minds and brightest ideas,dictated by the optimism and anxieties of our times.

In the last few years, sexual assault and womens empowerment movements have upended public conversation about womens issues in India and the world.

Women are waging a battle to reclaim their future: public space to workplace, the freedom to wear anything,do anything, beanything.

And people have started to listen, to the obstacles women encounter in their daily lives, both personal and professional.

As one of the most credible media groups in India,Outlook has shined a light on womens anger and efforts to get their voices off the ground #HappyToBleed or #MeToo.

We recognise and respect womens demand for a safe world. Safe from taboo, stigma, shame, ill-health, prejudice, fear and violence.

Our theme today is: Womens Vision 2022: What Women WantReclaiming The Narrative.

In its scope, it is a continuation, or the logical extension, of last years theme:Women Empowerment. As in the past. we have a refreshing galaxy of minds today to debate openly and thoroughly the great issue of the day.

While, Indian women are being felicitated, celebrated and awarded like never before by political parties and media of all stripes, The Outlook Group doesnt want to honour just a handful of powerful women.

We believe in talking about their problems and encourage women who contributein ways big and smallto making the life of others a little better, a little safer.

I thank you all for joining us in our endeavour to make a difference.

Link:

Outlook Has Shined Light On Womens Efforts To Get Their Voices Heard: Indranil Roy, CEO Outlook - Outlook India

With yellow labels of N-GGER, RAY, WAKANDA, F-GGOT, FIEND, and NOTHING emblazoned on their bullet proof vests, jumping boys litter the stage. The show feels less like a concert, and more like a confessional. Kevin Abstracts face is sharpened by the raw lyrics, Matt Champion punches the air, and Ameers legs lift into an L-shape, none of them pausing from singing. This is Brockhampton.

Their rag-tag, underdog boy band exploded into popularity in the indie hip hop scene in 2016. Years ago in Corpus Christi, fourteen year old Kevin Abstract typed out the words: Anybody wanna make a band? He was alone when he sent the message into the Kanye fan forum. Abstract had started a band with a few boys from his school, and he was looking to add to their numbers. As people answered his call, the group collectivized into Brockhampton.

Their most recent album, Ginger, punctuates the arc of their musical journey with the newfound crispness of professionalism. Where All American Trash had the warmth and sentimentality of a childhood best friend serenading you, Gingers intricate layeringstripped of unnecessary elementsshowcases Brockhamptons vocal talents.

In the face of wavering race relations in America, the eclectic group of gay, black, Texan boys in Brockhampton is a rare find. For a group with such strong social and political implications, its interesting that one of the most important issues to the band is to be properly categorized as a boy band. Brockhamptons insistence on occupying space in the boy band label ruptures all conventions and offers one possible strategy of synthesizing lived experiences into empowerment.

The Boy Band Assembly Line

Boy band means more than just a musical group made up of young men. Its a brand. They were created by pop music moguls to be the perfect artist, and the machinic inner workings have been perfected through the decades. The actual defining characteristics of a boy band are derived from the process of assembling them.

No well-known boy band of the past century has been organically formed. The corporate hand moved through each one with a fine-toothed comb, pruning each band to be perfectly marketable. The Beatles began as John Lennon and Paul McCartneys hometown band before their producer replaced the other members. NSYNC originated when Lou Pearlman asked Chris Kirkpatrick to recruit him another chart-topping group. One Direction started as five rejected solo auditions on the X-Factor before Simon Cowell had them compete as a group act.

The careful curation of members is crucial to create a market-approved image. The members become highly stylized and scripted, going through countless hours of media training to develop distinctive personalities. Each of the boys has a character meant to appeal to a young, predominantly female pre-teen and teenage audience, from the boy next door to bad boy. Their images are completed with synchronized dances in matching outfits. Nothing in their public appearance is left up to chance, everything had to be carefully media tested.

Boy band managers are there to smooth over any cracks in the facade. Management doesnt just control the parts of their images relevant to their musicthey control everything. The sterile, carefully controlled corporate arena does everything from planting fake stories to keeping members names in the headlines to generating the right press by leaking rumors about their personal lives.

However, One Direction was marketed as the boy band that broke all the boy band rules. They didnt have matching outfits, or choreographed dances, and they presented themselves candidly to their audience. They recorded video diaries during the X-Factor, five teenage boys in hoodies and sweatpants smushed into a tiny staircase, talking about nonsense to the camera. Their interviews were over-the-top fun where they messed with each other and effortlessly emmanated brotherly energy. Leaked emails between Modest! Management and Sony revealed that this unscripted appearance was precisely their marketing scheme.

This polished image created by managers ensured that boy bands would have strong associations with being parent-approved, vanilla, and white. Members never take stances on political or social issues, sticking to the frivolity of good looks and red carpet appearances. Most boy bands have been made up entirely of hand-selected white boys who can maintain this image of the clean-cut relatable teenager, and the bands dissolve after the boys begin to age out. One Directions bending of the other rules contributed to their success, but they still fit comfortably into the boy band box.

Brockhampton has none of these qualities. They are the exact opposite of vanilla, white, and corporate-curated. Yet, they still refer to themselves as the best boy band since One Direction, eagerly labelling themselves as the southside One Direction. References to Harry Styles and Zayn Malik are made throughout their songs, and their page advertises that One Direction died so Brockhampton could live. All of their members insist that Brockhampton should be referred to as a boy band rather than a rap collective like their predecessors Odd Future and Wu Tang Clan. Merlyn Wood bluntly tells reporters that were a boy band because we say were boy band.

Too Rap for Boy Bands, Too Boy Band for Rap

Brockhamptons insistence on boy band status combined with the groups history creates an interesting juxtaposition. They produced their first album in a house where they had many disagreements, could barely afford rent, and members had to work nine-to-five jobs. Ironically, they called this first house the Factory. Whether or not thats a nod to the factory-like conditions that churn out boy bands is unknown. All American Trash was made up of pure exhaustion and willpower. The band did everything on their own, from graphic design to production. Their organic, self-made start diametrically opposes the formulaic construction of other boy bands.

Brockhamptons presence in the media is also completely different from previous boy bands. Taboo subjects were off limits to other boy bands so that they could maintain pristine images, but Brockhampton openly raps about struggles with sexuality, depression, and drug addictions, emphasizing their own experiences. Like One Direction, their appeal is in their frankness. But a variety of reasons contribute to the contrast between Brockhamptons bluntness and One Directions orchestrated authenticity. For one, Brockhamptons management is a husband/wife duo who care more about the boys than their profits. One Directions management was entirely bureaucrats from the large Modest! Management company. Brockhampton has never been part of the publicity stunts of traditional boy bands because they are just writing songs to try to spill their emotions to the world, for everyone to love, ache, and hurt as they did. Their marketing is secondary to their music.

They didnt rely on traditional advertisements or sponsorships for marketing. Instead, Brockhampton leaned into their internet appeal. Where One Direction distanced themselves from their fans online, Brockhampton actively encourages them. Funnily enough, Abstract wants to turn Brockhampton into a media company called Question Everything, reversing the power dynamics. Where boy bands were traditionally controlled by large corporations, Abstract is turning the boy band into the corporation.

The way that Brockhampton and One Direction have handled scandals further illustrates the divide. A leaked video of Zayn and Louis smoking weed caused uproar because it ruined managements carefully built brand. Although this information made many fans upset, instead of addressing the issue, their publicists kept silent to let the issue blow over. Conversely, when Ameer was accused of sexual harassment, members immediately spoke out and kicked him out of the band.

Additionally, Brockhampton has reappropriated many traditional boy band tropes. They wore coordinated orange jumpsuits and blue face paint at Camp Flog Gnaw and they all had bulletproof vests at Coachella. But both these choices represented more than just a uniform, they forwarded strong social stances. Rather than matching for the aesthetics, their outfits protested police brutality and gun violence. They symbolized collective organization against political issues.

Not only are they breaking from boy band tradition, they are also refusing classic rap tropes. Their lyrics contain no hints of misogyny, toxic masculinity, or homophobia and take on the opposite project of normalizing mental health discussions and emotional vulnerability. Brockhampton also openly admits to enjoying One Direction and NSYNC. Being a rap group that admits to listening to bubblegum pop groups, disrupts the notion of the rapper as a hyper masculine, untouchable, intimidating force of nature. Their lyrics refuse the hypermasculinity pushed onto so many other rappers. JUNKY reveals where I come from n-ggas get called f-ggot and killed and they can come and cut my hand off and my legs off and Ima still be a boss. It echoes the questions other people have about the band like why you alway rap about bein gay?/Cause not enough n-ggas rappin be gay. Then they pose their own questions of closet n-ggas, masc-type/Why dont you take that mask off?

Why it Matters

Caribbean philosopher Edouard Glissant proposed a theory of power that affirmed a poetics of difference over similarity. His works centered around how individuals create meaningful relationships with trauma and each other. Glissant forwarded that trauma could create new relationships full of potentiality. He provided evidence from his home, where the local Caribbean language clashed with French and formed a completely new creolized language. Therefore, Glissants creolisation is a disruption of the masters dialect and underlying it was a certain opacity. Opacity is the unknowable part of each persons experiences, that binds us together as a community rather than dividing us. He emphasized that art was especially important for creating a diverse, supportive community.

This theory explains both why Brockhampton is a unifying force and why their art matters for a larger project. Brockhamptons insistence on being called a boy band represents Glissants creolisation. They ruptured the white concept of boy bands, the same way the Caribbean language refused to dissolve in the face of French colonization. Brockhampton inserts itself into boy band history, radically shifting the brand by being everything its not. They stripped the definition of boy band down to its core and rebuilt. The same way that the Caribbean language combined with French to form something new, Brockhampton clashed with traditional boy bands and fundamentally reformed the genre.

Furthermore, Brockhamptons songs narrate the black experience in America, which is opaque to their non-black fans but familiar for their other fans. Their songs create community along this praxis, allowing others to gain insight into something they can never experience. Glissant isolates that this is why we stay with poetry because despite all of the torture and massacre to be conquered there is still something we now share: this murmur. He thought that art had the element of the marvelous where it could create fantasy from awretched, reality.

Brockhampton transformed a difficult lived experience into one of empowerment and advocacy. They dont dwell on the hopelessness of hardships, but affirm that they are here to stay, despite the opposing forces. In a society structured by power relations, Brockhampton represents a lived-in survival strategy. They use art to reconcile the disconnect between their experiences of being queer, black, and living in America at this moment in history.

Brockhampton matters. They give their fanbase, largely made up of kids of color and who are LGBTQ+ identifying, a voice in mainstream media. They unapologetically affirm that they belong in the hallowed boy band halls, and carve out space for their fans, too. So where do they stand? Not quite a rap collective, subverting boy band norms, and creating a synthesis of rap with R&Btheir strange combination of qualities seems to occupy a liminal space. They know nobody would call [them] a boy band unless [they] call [themselves] a boy band. Retaking politically charged terms and transforming them into a new brand, Brockhampton is the All-American boy band.

Read more:

All American Boy Band - The Yale Politic

Let's be candid: When we talk about "inclusivity," I've seen many people roll their eyes. They see another list, another policy or another process they have to add to what they consider to be an already full to-do list.

But this is not what inclusivity is about. Inclusivity is a representation of our behaviors, morals, ethics, personal standards and acceptance. It's our awareness of others, empathetic leadership and personal accountability. It is also a removal of cognitive bias and dissonance to an open mind. To put it simply, it's a willingness to accept.

I've coached many businesses on how to be more inclusive, ranging from large corporations struggling with programs to integrate women into a male workforce to small businesses striving to embrace inclusivity in all they do. Through this experience, I've seen that organizations tend to offer solutions that can actually perpetuate the problem they're trying to solve.

For example, if you appoint a director or make someone else responsible for engagement, I believe you're giving the board the authority to abdicate responsibility. Engagement is collective and owned by all, not one or a few. Similarly, inclusivity is behavioral and comes from a strong open culture, not an individual's responsibility by job title. When inclusivity and diversity are only owned by one person, they can become "exclusive" and fail.

Inclusivity isn't a job. It's a culture.

Inclusivity is how we should be, not only at work but also in all we do. In business, we know it can benefit the bottom line, engagement and more. If you are a leader and you consider the action of inclusivity to be unimportant, you're preventing your organization from progressing toward an open future.

Your role is to be inclusive and encourage it through your behavior, responses, actions and language. You can ensure inclusivity is achieved through consistent recognition, competence, skill, support, ideas, individuality and collaboration not isolated incidents.

Inclusivity should also be woven into the fabric of your company, including the culture, behavior, values and the very DNA that started the business. Assess how everyone behaves by looking at what influences their decisions, if they're receiving support, the challenges, failures and successes they've seen and more. Review these factors openly and honestly, and remember that equality also sits within inclusivity.

If your business is struggling to be inclusive and diverse, then your culture needs fixing. Inclusivity isn't a policy or procedure it's how you are. Inclusivity is a powerful message. Never assume inclusivity exists or has been achieved.

Below are five ways to help you make inclusivity part of your culture with responsibility for all:

1. Model inclusive behavior.

At my company, rule No. 1 is to model inclusive behavior as a leader. This takes skill, time and practice. It is a personal choice and commitment. It means you have to be self-aware, accept critique, be open, be candid and address noninclusive behavior first, both within yourself and among your team.

To model this, reflect on the values you present, and use the language you want from others. Your overall actions as a leader must directly correlate to the inclusive and noninclusive behaviors you desire.

2. Have a story.

Understand and have a clear story of your business, what it stands for, how it is and what it is. Repeat this story. Speak this story. Love and live this story. Behave according to this story. From my perspective, consistency in a clear story helps create a culture of inclusivity. Diversity, by default, is about a consistent approach to seeing a wider unbiased view. Your story has to reflect this.

3. Allow your people to act.

Empowering your team can easily become a statement or just something you consider "nice to have." But this empowerment needs to be part of your culture. Encourage your employees to make decisions. Doing so creates a culture that's open, honest and without fear. These are the building blocks of an inclusive company.

4. Remove obstacles.

Becoming more inclusive doesn't always mean you have to create separate plans and new communication methods. Sometimes, you simply need to remove any obstacles that are in the way.

Removing barriers can help the culture drive itself to a more inclusive environment. An obstacle might be someones limited belief, unbalanced bias, narrow perspective, commentary that undermines others, etc. To manage and remove these obstacles, act immediately. See it. Hear it. Be aware of it. And deal with it as soon as possible. Removing obstacles creates room for new, more inclusive beliefs, a huge cultural shift for many businesses.

5. Live it; love it; do it.

I used to have a mantra in my corporate roles, which I've since brought to my current company: "Live it; love it; do it." To me, this mantra reminds my team they are encouraged to feel a part of, contribute to, impact and influence the business. The mantra is about taking action. It also speaks to the heart, which I believe is integral to creating a sense of belonging. As a leader, your heart must be in your efforts to making your organization more inclusive. Following a mantra like mine can help.

In conclusion, avoid making inclusivity a role or checklist. When you create a culture based on inclusivity, it will never be exclusive.

See the rest here:

How To Build A Culture Based On Inclusivity - Forbes

On October 21, the Canadian people will vote in thefederal elections to decide on who will represent them in parliament for the next four years. The campaign trail has been full of promises of economic growth, affordable housing, innovative climate change combatants, and comprehensive healthcare reform, with each of the different party leaders claiming monopolies on each policy. While reforms in each of these sectors are important, these topics have dominated nearly all political discourse, leaving little room for any conversation on one of Canadas most marginalized groups: the indigenous populations.

Many of the key figures in the upcoming elections have spoken out about indigenous issues, but few have provided any concrete plans on how they plan to help the First Nations, Inuit, and Mtis communities as they continue to struggle with poor infrastructure, inadequate healthcare, systemic violence against women, and high suicide rates. In fact, during the first, and only, English-speaking leaders debate held on October 7, when asked to discuss indigenous issues, the majority of the conversation tendedtowards character-bashing and the insufficiency of current climate-related policies; there was hardly any mention of indigenous people nor the epidemical violence they are facing. With rhetoric continuously taking precedence over substance, it is unsurprising that there are no clear paths forward for empowering indigenous communities coming into the 43rd federal election.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has repeatedly stated that there is no relationship more important to him than that between the federal government and Canadas indigenous communities.However, many of his policy decisions over the last four years seem to directly contradict this statement. In fact, when Trudeau called the 2019 election, he made no mention of indigenous people, further normalizing the silence surrounding indigenous issues in federal politics. Andrew Scheer, the leader of the Conservative Party, has been lukewarm on indigenous issues, mainly proposing sweepingpromises of change, that bear little weight in actual policy-making. Scheer has regularly cited the number of First Nations reserves in his constituency as a testament to how much he knows and cares about indigenous peoples and yet, he has been repeatedly distant from the communities in his own riding. He failed to attend the annual Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations (FSIN) meeting last May despite the fact that it was only 300km from Saskatoon, not far from Scheers riding in Regina. It is problematic and dangerous that the leaders of Canadas two, biggest political parties seem to care so little about one of the countrys most persecuted groups.

While polls are signaling that the election will likely come to head between the Liberals and the Conservatives, there are several other parties also vying for seats in 2019. Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), has addressed indigenous issues more directly in his platform, notably pointing to systemic problems in educational opportunities, a lack of clean drinking water, and gaping holes in the Liberals current indigenous-related policies. Elizabeth May, the leader of the Green Party, has incorporated indigenous issues into her platform and has taken a robust stance on promoting human rights across indigenous communities. Although the NDP and the Green party have put forward more specific policies on indigenous issues, the likelihood of either party forming a government is so slim that, sadly, many of their promises will, likely, never be realized.

Unfortunately, the overwhelming silence and lack of substantive policy isnt unique to the 2019 elections: indigenous issues have never been a hot topic for Canadian politicians. If one were to look at the inexplicable hardships faced by indigenous populations around the country every single day, it would be impossible to find moral justification for why these communities are systematically overlooked and ignored at all levels of government. Over the last four years, Trudeau has made a number of claims to support indigenous empowerment, yet the evidence of sufficient action is lacking. The Prime Minister often cites the inception of the inaugural Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada (CIRNAC) department as evidence of his care and concern for indigenous populations, and while the office has made some headway, significantly more still needs to be done.

Carolyn Bennett, the first and current Minister of CIRNAC, has echoed the Prime Ministers wishes and calls for action, and she has worked tirelessly within her position to enact change. The Minister, through CIRNAC, hasfought to increase the representation of First Nations, Inuit, and Mtis people in policy-making and ensure that their voices are not only heard but prioritized in both the development and implementation of new programs and initiatives. Bennett has emphasized that listening to those who live through these hardships every single day has created an environment wherein pragmatism can meet efficiency and the mainstay paternalism and the top-down, father-knows-best approach of the past can be eradicated once and for all. Also emphasized in Bennetts mandate is a focus on youth engagement and a call to not only include but champion the voices of young indigenous people in government decisions. In fact, Bennett has stated that the most exciting part of [her] job is to meet with young leaders because it is their future that is inevitably being fought for and shaped.

When discussing indigenous peoples and the varied crises unfolding before them, one must recognize, as Bennett does, the circumstances and decisions that led to this systemic disenfranchisement. Colonialism is often discussed in relation to development and countries who fought for independence against European powers. Many Canadians forget that colonialism dubbed settler colonialism stampeded through North America as well, except here, there was no official fight for independence; there were conflicts and disagreements, and a number of treaties aimed at according indigenous peoples some semblance of rights, but much of the oppression and violence is as real today as it was one hundred years ago.

Bennett is careful to recognize this unfortunate reality when she discusses indigenous issues and adopts a pragmatism that many politicians, eager for quick-fixes, lack: most of those who are privileged to wear the title of Canadian today are settlers and immigrants with a duty to create a future that upholds the very values that are continuously claimed as inherent to our national identity. On this note, Bennett emphasizes a need for a proactive approach rather than solely a reactionary one. Thefederal government is playing a desperate game of catch-up to rectify the serious, and at times irreversible, consequences of colonialism and failing to match these efforts with preventative measures for future generations. Bennett recognizes this disconnect, and while she understands that eliminating the lingering impacts of colonialism is imperative, policy must also focus on facilitating future autonomy and prosperity.

While Bennett seems to evoke a genuine concern for indigenous populations and is intent on facilitating a network that will pave the way for future prosperity, specifically with regards to the environment, other members of the Liberal party, including the Prime Minister, seem to have ignored many of the environmental promises they made back in 2015. As of September 2019, Mr. Trudeau has confirmed two pipelines and an LNG plant that, in addition to causing a slew of environmental damages, will also disrupt several First Nations communities. When asked how the government plans to protect the affected communities, Mr. Trudeau offered a stump-style response, citing his administrations ongoing talks with the affected communities and their supposed interest in the project as a testament to their supposedinvolvement in and endorsement of the projects.

Similarly, when asked about the role of indigenous communities in these industrial projects, Bennett has stated that she has had many serious conversations on resource sharing with relevant stakeholders who have expressed a personal, and financial, interest in the pipeline projects. While it is probable that there are select members from these indigenous communities who are invested in the pipeline projects, the general response offered by the federal government seems to rely on oversimplified accounts from a minority of individuals rather than a true consensus among all members. The more representative narrative seems to be highly critical of the environmental damages that will arise from the pipeline.

Another issue on which the Liberal government has fallen short, though this time with more immediate and unforgivable consequences, is the genocide of indigenous women. For centuries, Canadas indigenous women have been systemically kidnapped, abused, and murdered,yet despite the numerous pleas on behalf of the affected communities, the federal government has largely ignored the atrocities. Shortly after he was elected, Trudeau became the first prime minister to launch a formal inquiry into the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, which was completed in June 2019, nearly four years after it was initiated.

The inquiry concluded with 231 calls to justice, an exorbitantly, though unsurprisingly, high number considering the scope of the inquiry and how many stakeholders are involved. The Liberal government has promised to create a National Action Plan to address the calls and hold accountable those responsible for its implementation. The Planwould include substantial reforms to education, housing, healthcare, and safety across indigenous communities, specifically in areas, such as the Highway of Tears in British Columbia: a stretch of road wherein numerous indigenous women have been taken. In terms of a timeline, Bennett has stated that the [federal government] had hoped to have the [National Action Plan] in place by next June a year after the inquiry report was tabled to address these injustices, yet, given the decentralized nature of its roll out and the upcoming elections, it is unlikely that tangible change will be realized anytime soon.

While the Liberal government has made strides towards ending the persecution of and violence towards indigenous populations, the progress appears to have been largely symbolic. Many of the policy decisions that have been made over the last four years, specifically those related to the environment and indigenous women, have either born damaging consequences or have failed to adequately rectify the situation. Although reforms to an outdated system rooted in historical disenfranchisement will take time to implement, it is critical that immediate steps be taken at all levels of both government as well as within civilian circles to put in place substantive and sustainable policies.

One particularly impactful way of spearheading this change is by electing indigenous candidates to office. As the federal elections near, an increasing number of indigenous individuals are coming forward to run for office to ensure that their needs are advocated for in Ottawa. The Assembly of First Nations has stated that the upcoming election have arecord number of indigenous candidates with, as of the latest report, 62 candidates running. While all levels of government, especially the federal government, have an obligation to support and empower indigenous communities, it is high time that indigenous people be given the opportunity to represent themselves and their own needs in government. With luck, the upcoming elections and heightened action will allow for just that.

The feature image, missing justice 14 feb. 2014 by Howl Arts Collective is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

The article contains excerpts from the following podcast with Minister Carolyn Bennett:

Edited by Helena Martin and Charles Lepage.

Go here to see the original:

There Are No More Second Chances - The McGill International Review