Category Archives: Zeitgeist Movement

British author and screenwriter J.K. Rowling poses upon arrival to attend the UK premiere of the film 'Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald' in London on November 13, 2018.

TOLGA AKMEN | AFP | Getty Images

WarnerMedia owns the rights to one of the most powerful franchises in the world, but a series of controversial statements from the woman who created it threatens to tarnish the brand irrevocably.

The Harry Potter books have been a commercial success since they were first published in 1997 and become a key part of the cultural zeitgeist over the last two decades. However, author J.K. Rowling has faced public backlash in recent years for comments about transgender men and women that have been seen as transphobic and oppressive.

These remarks have turned the very people who were once inspired by the Harry Potter novels and films against Rowling, leading to threats of boycotts against future content.

These fans, including members of the LGBTQ community, helped the franchise garner more than $9 billion at the global box office over the course of eight films and led to the sales of more than 500 million copies of Rowling's Harry Potter books worldwide.

There has been speculation for months that WarnerMedia would utilize the franchise to bolster sign-ups for its fledgling streaming service HBO Max. After all, Disney's streaming platform Disney+ has seen great success from transitioning its blockbuster Star Wars and Marvel franchises into digital series.

Rumors have circulated that AT&T-owned HBO Max could launch a TV show based on the books or turn Rowling's co-written stage play "The Cursed Child" into a feature-length film.

However, WarnerMedia in January quickly quashed reports that a show based on the beloved book series was coming to HBO Max.

Still, WarnerMedia CEO Jason Kilar more recently reiterated the company's support for Potter. "There's this little thing called Harry Potter, which is one of the most beloved franchises," Kilar said earlier this month during the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecommunications Conference in a session that was webcast. "And we're incredibly thankful to be able to partner with J.K. Rowling and so I would argue there's a lot of fun and potential there as well."

Kilar didn't elaborate beyond that, but it stands to reason that WarnerMedia would seek to dive deeper into the Wizarding World. The company has already begun to explore this universe in the decades before Harry Potter's birth in its Fantastic Beasts film series.

Still, there are two things that may stand in the way of these plans Rowling and a 2016 licensing deal that gave NBCUniversal the exclusive TV rights to the Harry Potter films.

Rowling's comments about transgender men and women surfaced in late 2019. The author expressed support for Maya Forstater, who had lost an employment tribunal over comments she had made on social media about transgender people.

Forstater had disagreed with the U.K. government's plans to allow people to self-identify their gender, as she does not believe that it is possible for a person to change sex. Her opinion is that men who undergo reassignment surgery are still men, even if the law recognizes them as women.

"Dress however you please," Rowling wrote in a tweet on Dec. 19, 2019. "Call yourself whatever you like. Sleep with any consenting adult who'll have you. Live your best life in peace and security. But force women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real?"

For people like Forstater and Rowling, there is a belief that gender identity is separate from biological sex and should not be given priority when it comes to lawmaking and policy. These with similar beliefs often call themselves gender critical feminists, fear that sex is being argued into nonexistence and that it will erode women's rights.

These feminists are often referred to as "trans-exclusionary radical feminists" or TERFs. This is usually used in a negative context.

"Social media, despite inherent flaws, can serve as a mechanism to empower voices that have been traditionally disenfranchised, like trans individuals, and also to demand accountability for those in positions of power whose words may cause harm to groups with historically less power," said Caty Borum Chattoo, executive director of the Center for Media & Social Impact at American University.

Anti-government protesters hold signs calling out J.K. Rowling's transphobic twitter comments as they take part in a Harry Potter themed rally in front of Democracy Monument on August 3, 2020 in Bangkok, Thailand. The pro-democracy protest called for demonstrators to "Cast the Patronus Charm to Protect Democracy". This event was part of a string of protests.

Lauren DeCicca | Getty Images News | Getty Images

Rowling addressed her opinions about sex and gender identity again in June 2020.

"If sex isn't real, there's no same-sex attraction," she wrote in one of several tweets on June 6. "If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives. It isn't hate to speak the truth."

A few days later, after facing criticism, Rowling penned a 3,600-word essay on her personal website defending her comments.

"But endlessly unpleasant as its constant targeting of me has been, I refuse to bow down to a movement that I believe is doing demonstrable harm in seeking to erode woman as a political and biological class and offering cover to predators like few before it," Rowling wrote.

It was at this point that LGBTQ groups like GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign, and even the actors who brought her work to life, began to speak out against her.

The most notable voices were from the trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, who portrayed Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, respectively, in the original films.

Grint reiterated his support for trans people in an interview with Esquire published last Friday.

"I felt like I had [speak out] because I think it was important to," he said. "Just out of kindness, and just respecting people. I think it's a valuable group that I think needs standing up for."

Representatives from Rowling's public relations team declined to comment, directing CNBC to speak with Warner Bros.

Rowling's reputation isn't the only thing taking a hit, particularly, after she posted a number of comments that have been dubbed "anti-trans."

While overall fiction book sales rose 31.4% in June 2020, compared with May, Rowling's titles only saw a 10.9% increase, according to NPD BookScan. A year prior, Rowling's book sales were higher than the industry's 33.2% rise.

Other Harry Potter licensed titles that Rowling did not author also saw a slight drop, with sales increasing only 7.7% last June.

Sales growth of Rowling's books also slowed in July and August, but rebounded in September. An analyst for NPD said the sales slowdown could have been due to Rowling's comments or because of a seasonal shift in book sales.

Ultimately, Rowling's sales were up 16% in 2020, beating the performance of the juvenile fiction segment, which rose 11%, and adult fiction, which was up 6%.

"So if the news had an impact, it was short," the analyst said.

People pose for photgraphers with copies of J.K. Rowlings new book 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' during an event to mark the book launch at a mall in Chennai, India on July 31, 2016.

Arun Sankar | AFP | Getty Images

Still, the controversy could come back to haunt AT&T. When it was reported that HBO Max might be making a new Harry Potter series, ardent fans, who traditionally would have clamored for more Wizarding World content were torn. As much as they would like to see additional content, they didn't want to reward Rowling's recent behavior with their wallets.

"I actually talked to students about this particular issue a few months ago, right before I retired," said Garland Waller, former director of the TV graduate program at Boston University. "They are very conflicted. They said things like, 'Harry Potter was such a part of my life, but now I feel guilty if I watch any of the old HP movies.'"

Fans worldwide have been outspoken about the betrayal they have felt from Rowling's comments. Harry Potter is a story that inspired so many to embrace themselves, whether that be through accepting their own sexual orientation or gender identity or sharing their true selves with the people they love. Many have also pointed to the Harry Potter series as a catalyst for them to deal with bullies and grief.

Social media is filled with comments from fans who now feel conflicted about supporting new content that would ultimately benefit Rowling financially.

Aside from Rowling, WarnerMedia also faces a challenge from a deal it struck with NBCUniversal in 2016.

The agreement, worth in the north of $250 million, allows the Comcast-owned NBC to show all of the Harry Potter films on cable until 2025. WarnerMedia had previously had a similar deal with Disney's ABC network.

Because the deal was struck before HBO Max or Comcast's Peacock launched, the two companies negotiated a pact that would allow them to share the digital rights to the films, a representative from WarnerMedia told CNBC.

This allowed HBO Max to launch last May with all of the Harry Potter films in its digital library. Peacock then took over in October.

But there appears to be some confusion about the digital rights going forward. WarnerMedia told CNBC that over the course of the next four years, the two streamers will continue to swap custody of the franchise.

However, a representative from NBCUniversal says NBC solely owns the digital and TV rights to the films through 2025 and that there is no deal in place for shared custody of the digital rights. Instead, WarnerMedia would need to negotiate a new deal to get access to the digital rights of the films.

CNBC has reached out to both companies for clarity on the matter.

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone."

Warner Bros.

"No doubt that AT&T's WarnerMedia now regrets its decision to license Harry Potter for streaming by NBCUniversal until 2025 a decision that reflected a short-term, immediate-gain minded 'head in the sand' mentality of streaming-first realities," said Peter Csathy, founder and chairman of digital media consulting firm CreaTV Media.

"WarnerMedia earned the immediate bucks, but gave up the long-term marketing punch for HBO Max that only Harry Potter could have given," he said. "They will not make that same mistake twice. Once NBCU's license is over in 2025, WarnerMedia will never let go of the Harry Potter franchise ever again. Harry Potter will play the leading role in WarnerMedia's overall long-term corporate strategy."

Waller noted that people feel hurt by Rowling's comments and want the author and WarnerMedia to make "an honest effort to do the right thing."

That could be through donations to trans organizations, bringing on a trans showrunner or producer to oversee future content, ensuring that production jobs go to trans individuals as part of diversity initiatives, and having continued and frank discussions about diversity.

"My experience with students these days is that they spot a fake a mile away," Waller said. "They are tired of corporate types blathering on about how open they are and how much they care. If it's a superficial, lame effort, the powers that be will be pilloried. Authenticity is the key."

It is unlikely that Rowling's recent commentary will tarnish the Harry Potter brand for too long, Csathy suggested, calling it a "rare, timeless, enduring" franchise that will ultimately eclipse its creator.

"Yes, some fans understandably will be turned off forever due to J.K. Rowling's rants and tune out forever because of it but the vast majority of Harry Potter fans not only will stick with the franchise," he said. "They will crave more. And Warner Bros. will happily give it to them, inspired by Disney and its burgeoning multichannel vision for Star Wars."

Editor's note: This article has been updated to include a fuller direct quote from Ms. Rowling's June 2020 essay. It also now used the words "slow" or "slowdown" to describe Ms. Rowling's 2020 book sales growth.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. In addition to holding the exclusive TV rights to the Harry Potter films, NBC also operates Harry Potter-theme lands at its amusement parks.

Link:

Harry Potter could make HBO Max a streaming giant, but JK Rowling and a deal with NBC stand in the way - CNBC

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sakara Life, the direct-to-consumer New York City-based wellness and lifestyle program that is transforming lives by harnessing the power of food as medicine, announced today the completion of a $15 million Series B financing with significant investment from new investors One Better Ventures, Silas Capital (Boll & Branch, Herbivore, ILIA) and existing investor, Annox Capital (ClassPass, Dropbox, Clear). Sakara also announces the appointment of strategic investor John Replogle, former CEO of Seventh Generation + Burts Bees, as Chairman of Sakara Lifes Board of Directors to shepherd an expansion into new consumer packaged goods verticals.

The Series B investment is led by John Replogle, Silas Capital, and Annox Capitals founder, Bob Mylod (Former CFO and Vice Chairman of Priceline), who has been an investor and Board member of Sakara since the closing of their Series A round in late 2015. In this new role, John Replogle will help grow and scale Sakaras CPG vertical into a fully comprehensive global lifestyle brand spanning multiple categories outside of food. Replogle specializes in nurturing and developing consumer brands that have a positive impact on the world through mission-driven ventures with breakthrough sustainable business models. In the age of COVID-19, Replogle reports consumers will double down on items that have an indelible impact on their health.

"I joined as an investor and Chair of the Board of Sakara because I believe the company is uniquely positioned to create a consumer-compelling platform at the forefront of the wellness movement, says John Replogle. I'm excited to build on the magic the team has created and help cultivate a robust health and beauty platform. Sakara is beautifully positioned to tailor to every facet of each clients lifestyle, to advance human health, and to continue on their mission to transform lives on a global scale."

A testament to the companys crescendoed growth, Sakara was able to turn a $5M raise in 2015 into immediate profitability within one year and 15x revenue growth to date. Sakara is expected to approach $150 million in profitable revenue this year and stands as an example of the value consumers place on mission-driven brands. The transformational results clients experience year after year and ability to scale quickly whilst remaining profitable is a feat unique among startups in hypergrowth. Raising $20 million in capital-to-date, Sakaras most recent round of funding will fuel the holistic lifestyle brand to accelerate innovation within its CPG arm and sustainability practices.

John Replogle, who will now act as Chairman of the Board, will help take what we know about health and clean living and translate that into products that not only transform the way we eat, but the way we live, says Whitney Tingle, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Sakara Life.If weve learned anything about consumer behavior while building this company, its that people finally understand that the choices you make every single day have the greatest impact on your health, and were proud to be a part of those daily decisions, says Whitney Tingle, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Sakara Life.

"Sakara Life is a category-defining brand offering a proprietary nutrition philosophy backed by cutting-edge science that has delivered proven efficacy. We feel the brand has broad permission to credibly extend into several larger adjacent categories, including clean beauty, stated Brian Thorne, Partner of Silas.

Sakara, which sold nearly 2 million meals in 2020, plans to use the influx of capital to expand into new categories, introduce new technology, invest further in its sustainable packaging and support the growth of the teams footprint.

Key areas of investment include:

Founded in 2012 by Whitney Tingle and Danielle DuBoise, Sakara Life provides a wide array of premium wellness solutions, including its signature plant-based nutrition program delivered ready-to-eat to clients' doorsteps and a digital marketplace with more than 30 branded functional snacks, supplements and ingestible wellness products. The co-founders pioneered the concept of food as medicine and infused this groundbreaking philosophy into the zeitgeist as it is understood today. Sakaras numerous industry-first moments have cemented the brands identity as wellness premiere plant-based and first-to-market nutrition authority. Almost ten years later, Sakara employs 172 individuals and is available nationwide. Other industry firsts include being among the first brands to offer ingestible CBD in the form of its best-selling Hemp Chocolates as well as tapping into the ingestible beauty category with its introduction of collagen-boosting, award-winning Beauty Chocolates, Probiotic Chocolates and Nootropic Chocolates.

"We are building a global wellness movement -- one that uses the power of plants as medicine -- that puts you in the drivers seat of your own well-being. Were humbled by the enthusiasm from this set of incredibly talented and experienced group of investors as we set out to redefine the future of wellness, says Sakara Life Co-Founder and Co-CEO Danielle DuBoise.

About Sakara Life

Sakara Life is a New York City-based wellness and lifestyle brand providing all the tools for people to love the bodies they live in to live a mindful, healthy life, including an organic, nutritionally-designed meal program delivered ready-to-eat to clients' doorsteps. Sakara Life was founded in 2012 by Whitney Tingle and Danielle DuBoise who bootstrapped the company with $700 they raised at a dinner party. Now available across the U.S. with offices in NY and LA, Sakara Life has changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people with its holistic approach to food and innovative meal delivery program nutritionally designed and chef-crafted to nourish the body, mind, and spirit.

Sakara Life has quickly become a favorite among celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Lily Aldridge and Drew Barrymore whose demand helped grow its nationwide footprint since 2015. The brand now offers a wide array of wellness solutions ranging from its signature nutritionally-designed meal delivery program, a digital marketplace with more than 30 branded SKUs of functional snacks and supplements, as well as S-Life Magazine, a content-rich editorial space where followers can learn about the science and spirituality behind the Sakara lifestyle. Their debut cookbook, Eat Clean Play Dirty is a National Bestseller and their recently-launched namesake podcast features the voices of todays most influential industry tastemakers, including Jessica Alba, Arianna Huffington and Dr. Mark Hyman.

About John Replogle & One Better Ventures

John Replogle is a leader in the conscious consumer and mission-driven brand movement, with extensive experience leading fast growth, high performing businesses including Seventh Generation and Burts Bees. Seventh Generation helped to launch the B Corp movement and has been awarded the Best for the World distinction from B Labs. John believes that business is one of the most powerful forces on earth and such power must be harnessed for the greater good. He also served as President of Unilevers Skin Care business and President of the Guinness Bass Import Company. John started his career at the Boston Consulting Group and holds degrees from Harvard Business School and Dartmouth College. Recently, John is a Founding Partner of One Better Ventures, a Real Leader 100 social impact firm that advises and invests in mission driven consumer goods companies. He serves on the Boards of Seventh Generation, Dartmouth, Leesa Sleep, Cree, Melissa & Doug, Beautycounter and BEST NC. He is an active environmentalist and champion of social entrepreneurs.

About Silas Capital

Since 2012, Silas Capital has been an active emerging growth equity and venture capital investor that partners with consumer brands, in order to help these companies achieve significant revenue growth and profitability, improve operational efficiency, and increase brand recognition and value. The complementary backgrounds of the firm's partners comprise executive leadership roles across growth equity and venture capital firms, as well as operating companies, which allows the group to deliver on a unique value-add proposition to the management teams, founders and companies with whom we partner. The firm not only invests capital to help these companies grow, but also brings significant resources and capabilities to actively assist in the growth of revenue through its expertise in e-commerce and digital expansion, alongside its knowledge of traditional wholesale and retail channels. Previous and current investments for Silas include Bare Snacks, Bellroy, Boll & Branch, Casper, Chief, Dos Toros, HATCH, Herbivore, ILIA Beauty, Naadam, Lord Jones, Something Navy and Summersalt to name a few. Learn more at http://www.silascapital.com.

About Annox Capital

Founded in 2013, Annox Capital is a venture capital firm based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. The firm looks to invest in and advise companies that take a bold approach to doing things, using disruptive technology or online strategy to improve business processes or human experiences. In addition to Sakara, Annox Capital has invested in innovative companies such as Redfin, Vroom, Clear, StockX, ClassPass, and Dropbox.

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Sakara Life Announces Series B Fundraise and Appoints John Replogle As Chairman of the Board to Architect New CPG Category - Business Wire

Like the majority of my friends and family, I have been embracing crafty things through the seemingly endless UK lockdowns. I havent yet got into puzzles or sourdough but I have pickled things, made chutney, something approximating jam, and am currently deep down a cross-stitching rabbit hole. Im staying with my sister at the moment and Sunday afternoons are beginning to look like a badly costumed scene from an Austen film with me cross stitching, my sister working on crewel work, my brother-in-law practising guitar and my three-year-old niece making surprisingly good progress with some fabric, spare threads and a (very blunt) needle of her own. According to sales of knitting needles, embroidery kits, bread flour, puzzles and physical books we are far from alone in this.

What has this got to do with architecture? One of the most noted craft revivals in British design history the arts and crafts movement came from a reaction away from the industrial and impersonal. It reacted against unemployment caused by machines and embraced the soul and imperfection of the handcrafted. After a year of enforced appreciation of the local, a growing resurgence in realising just how beneficial it is to be in some way connected with your local community and a skyrocketing appreciation for all hobbies crafty, might we see another craft revival?

People are drawn to the traces of the human and the imperfections in the handmade. It gives an object a soul, and a sense of narrative (some of my jam is very soulful). Additionally, there is a sense (rightly or wrongly) that a handcrafted object may be better than its factory counterpart, or of higher quality. When this principle is applied to buildings it may come in the form of handmade bricks, carefully crafted window reveals or a well-designed door handle. These small touches, unnoticed by many, accumulate to become appreciated by even the most architecturally unaware.

I hope differences in nomenclature do not prevent the profession from embracing principles that go to the core of its values

This appreciation of craftsmanship and considered design is also finding its way into recent non-architect-led reports concerning housing. The Building Better Building Beautiful Commissions final report spoke against large developments of low-quality housing and cited one developer saying customers have a particular attachment to arts and crafts architecture. The Church of Englands Coming Home report mentions design or designed roughly twice on every page and calls for design codes for its developments and for a major shift in design standards to protect our environment.

Beauty is a contentious word, but also one that is having its zeitgeist moment in considerations around housebuilding. When I read through the paragraphs in these reports that refer to and attempt to define what the committees mean by beauty I was struck by words and phrases such as sense of delight, light, harmony, place, local, sustainable, nature, stewardship, community These are terms I would also associate with crafted and well-designed buildings and places. I hope differences in nomenclature do not prevent the architectural profession from embracing principles that go to the core of the its values.

Both reports refer to design quality and beauty with reference to long-term investment in sustainable architecture. They conjure the notion of crafting a building to last, to be adaptable to future uses and to tread lightly environmentally. With the growing momentum behind calls for better-designed buildings, the regulatory backlash against poor-quality (especially facade) workmanship, and an ever-deepening societal commitment to facing the climate crisis, are the days of the thrown up quickly, low-quality housing development over? I hope so.

If the enforced slower pace of life and consideration for the handmade that the pandemic has given us are coupled with a future expectation of slower, better-crafted, more sustainable architecture (and lifestyles) then all those endless sourdough starters I had to look at on Instagram will have been worth it.

Read more:

Could our year of crafting revive the craft of building? - Building Design

I regret to inform you that dad bod is back.

I dont mean the physique itself which never went anywhere because the fleshy form to which the term refers is, by definition, a pretty easy one to maintain but rather the late-2010s buzzword and the surrounding discourse it provoked. For those who have the luxury of having forgotten what people were talking about on the internet six years ago, dad bod entered the cultural lexicon around 2015, then quickly took over the zeitgeist from there. The origins of the dad bod discourse are often attributed to a 2015 Odyssey article by then-college sophomore Mackenzie Pearson, who described the dad bod as, a nice balance between a beer gut and working out, arguing that many women actually prefer this low-maintenance physique over a more sculpted male form because the former doesnt intimidate us.

The term caught on, and discourse ensued, as it is wont to do. There were myriad dad bod explainers, obligatory dad bod countertakes, dad bod infographics and even a dad bod parody of Taylor Swifts Bad Blood. Even celebrities, including Leonardo DiCaprio, noted childless dad-bod-haver, made headlines for rocking the buzzy physique. Like all memes, however, dad bod eventually ran its course, and was even declared dead by GQ in 2019.

But internet discourse, like the very building blocks of material existence itself, can neither be created nor destroyed. It just changes shape, cycling through various forms until one day, at some inevitable point in the future, somebody finds an old meme in the back of the internets closet and attempts to resurrect it. That seems to be what happened yesterday, when the New York Post ran an article claiming the dad bod is making a post-pandemic comeback. Thus, in this, the year 2021, we find dad bod discourse emerging from the ashes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch shrimp tails to reprise its role in an ill-advised 2021 revival.

Its not that theres anything wrong with the dad bod itself, nor is there necessarily anything inherently problematic about Pearsons original argument, despite some very fair counterarguments claiming praise for the dad bod highlights the sexist disparity between the unequal beauty standards to which men and women are held. In fact, at face value, the central dad bod thesis even appears somewhat body positive, and seems to provide space for men to enter largely female-dominated conversations about body image. In praising more average physiques as not only acceptable, but sexually desirable, the dad bod buzz represented a subversion of traditional standards of attractiveness and masculinity.

Moreover, in addition to giving space and recognition to male bodies that fall short of societal ideals of peak performance, embracing dad bods also provided women with some power, or at least the illusion of it. As a woman, its easy to measure your own sexual market value as a reflection of your partners. If you are dating a conventionally attractive man, that suggests you, yourself, have more sexual currency at your disposal; If hes hot, that means Im hot. It can feel subversive and empowering, then, to actively reject the sexual currency a man is presumed to possess based on his good looks to look a man right in the perfectly chiseled abs and say, Eh, no thanks.

As Ive previously written about the similarly self-aggrandizing satisfaction of being a woman who prefers a more modest-sized penis, however, the problem with these sentiments is that theyre often merely a reversal of the exact same kind of body shaming they seek to subvert. Are men with eight-packs and bulging biceps losing sleep over dad bod competition? Probably not. But as we move away from the admittedly flawed body positivity of the 2010s toward a movement more focused on body neutrality, its become increasingly clear that theres simply no reason to talk about let alone assign value judgements to any body, body type or body part.

We can appreciate a dad bod, yes, but we neednt crown it the ideal male form. More importantly, we dont need to go digging up old discourse; we have plenty of our own. Lets leave the dad bod back in 2015. It was a simpler time. Hell be happy there.

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The Year Is 2021 and We're Still Talking About Dad Bod - InsideHook

The organisers were astounded by the turnout

Trigger warning: Mentions of sexual violence.

On Wednesday evening last week, hundreds of UEA students gathered in the campus square for a moving demonstration of solidarity with Sarah Everard and the many victims of sexual violence. The demonstration was organised by two women who wish to remain anonymous.

They told the Norwich Tab: The event came out of continued conversation and slowly bubbled up over a lifetime as women. We felt that there needed to be a space for women to express this anger, frustration, and grief at not only the recent tragedies but the state of the world and womens place in it. Female rage is often confined to the internal and we wanted to shout our thoughts. Our pain felt silenced, and we could not let that happen.

Photo: Roo Pitt

The event began with a two minute silence, during which attendees were asked to honour the memory of Sarah Everard, a young woman who was kidnapped and murdered as she walked home from Clapham Common to Brixton. Afterwards, pieces of pink paper and pens were handed out, alongside hand sanitiser, as students were encouraged to write down their stories, their thoughts and their fears.

Some of these were read aloud, while the organisers invited students to speak through a megaphone about their feelings and their experiences. Several women shared their experiences of sexual harassment and assault on and off campus, as well as advice on where to seek help and counsel as a victim. Some men also voiced their support. The zeitgeist was one of anger but also of hope.

The organisers said: We were astounded by the turnout. Initially thinking it would be just us shouting in the square to some friends. However, a safe space that included hundreds of people was created that day; we were surprised and honoured at the vulnerability of everybody present. We know it had an impact on those who attended based on the positive responses we have received. We hope it will continue to have impact on the university, encouraging dialogue between students and those in charge and a possible ripple effect for the wider Norwich community.

We feel overwhelmed with joy that so many people want to support each other. The fact that we could facilitate a moment of absolute solidarity filled us with assurance that we had done something positive. It was a relief to be reminded that these stories and emotions can be expressed without judgement.

Photo: Roo Pitt

Social distancing was prioritised throughout the event. Chalk circles had been drawn in the Square to denote where households could sit while maintaining a three-metre distance. Facemasks were compulsory. The organisers explained Covid safety was so important; we needed to provide the space physically but also securely. Security guards were present throughout the event.

A recurrent theme throughout the evening was criticism of how UEA handles sexual harassment and assault accusations by students. One speaker detailed the flaws in the report system, while another told us it took her parents threatening to go to the press for the university to take action against the offender. In a recent post on Concrete Confessions Between UEA Seshions, an anonymous poster pitched a second demonstration against the way UEA handles allegations. The post received 367 likes.

#ConcreteUEAconfessions24785 Thinking of doing another sit in event against the way UEA handles allegations against sexual assault. Like this if youd be interested in going?

Posted by Concrete Confessions Between UEA Seshions onThursday, March 25, 2021

The organisers said: We think the university and the wider world needs to fix up. There is obvious need for change otherwise so many people would not be this dissatisfied. Substantive action is needed; support cannot be this nebulous plaster doled out every time people express themselves. There needs to be long term, lasting change. We need zero tolerance, training, support for survivors and lessons for perpetrators so that they do not reoffend.

A UEA spokesperson told the Norwich Tab: The University takes any allegation of abuse or harassment extremely seriously and investigates each individual case accordingly, fully supporting those involved. We remain absolutely committed to supporting anyone who reports an incident and have introduced a dedicated system to ensure people receive any guidance and help they may need. We would welcome an opportunity to meet with the organisers of the event and others concerned to fully understand their concerns.

Finally, intersectionality was a deeply important aspect of the event. Some speakers addressed their privilege, while one speaker urged students to remember Black women are at the bottom of the privilege pyramid. Another speaker spoke about the death of Blessing Olusegun.

The organisers also stressed the relevance of intersectionality, explaining the weight we carry is not just for ourselves, but for all the women who have gone before and who are yet to appear. Your whole history is often associated with oppression and struggle. This is exacerbated when you are from a minority: disabled, LGBTQA+, an ethnic or religious minority, working class etc. It is very important to us that the movement is intersectional because everyones voice should be heard, especially those whose voices are more often marginalised. Theirs should be amplified.

Photo: Roo Pitt

With thanks to the anonymous organisers for their statement.

Read more from the original source:

UEA students gather for a demonstration of solidarity with victims of sexual violence - The Tab

by Glenn Nelson, contributing columnist

The first major local protest ignited by the murder of George Floyd swelled in downtown Seattle and started exhibiting elements of violence. It seemed almost predictable when the flummoxed police force began funneling the mostly white crowd of vandals south. Already in coronavirus lockdown, Lei Ann Shiramizu watched it all unfold on television.

Reports Shiramizu heard about police tactics indicated the group was being herded straight into the Chinatown-International District (C-ID). The mounting images being beamed to the public, of busted windows and other forms of vandalism, were like zaps to her psyche.

My baby is out there, was the urgent thought that crossed her mind.

One of the culturally important intersections in Seattles C-ID is South Jackson Street at Sixth Avenue South, the unofficial starting point of the citys revitalized Japantown. Nihon Machi, as its known in Japanese, had been disintegrating in earnest since the World War II mass incarceration of people of Japanese descent. Precisely on that corner sat Shiramizus baby, Momo, next door to another Japanese American business Kobo, which occupies the historically significant Higo Variety Store space.

Shiramizu and her husband, Tom Kleifgen, had opened Momo more than 12 years earlier. They named it with the Japanese word for peach, signifying longevity and a happy, lucky life. They intended to be literal about it. Now her small business, and its mission of spreading joy, seemed on the verge of being sacrificed to protect Seattles downtown-based (read: white) power elite.

Were expendable, Shiramizu recalled thinking. Our neighborhood often gets short-shrifted. It seemed so unfair to me.

Because the idea of Asian American expendability crashed the American zeitgeist after the murders in Atlanta-area massage parlors, it seems like a recent concept. But define recent. Were as intimate in this region with the dirty little secret of Asian hate as anywhere. Seattle infamously and violently expelled more than 200 people of Chinese descent, chasing them down to our now ballyhooed waterfront in 1886. Bainbridge was the first place in the country from which people of Japanese descent were forcibly removed in 1942, after President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066.

And if those citations seem too ancient, it was barely over a year ago that Gayle Coston Barge, a Bellevue College vice president, defaced a mural about the World War II incarceration by artist Erin Shigaki, who is Japanese American.

Asian Americans have been the largest non-white population in this city, by a wide margin, since forever. Yet this place has rarely felt like a haven.

I grew up in Seattle hearing my mother being called a dirty Jap, then trying to furiously scrub out my own dirty Jap-ness in the bathtub. I coached a mostly Asian American basketball team called the Dragons, which felt inspired until opposing crowds suggested our girls learn to play with rice balls instead of basketballs and mock-Asian, ching-chong, ah-so gibberish became a constant soundtrack for our games. The fan mail from my writing includes a substantial share of racially inspired death threats, including an offer to send me back to Japan in a pine box.

But were mostly not invisible or unforgotten, just unconsidered. Until, that is, America needs takeout or a scapegoat. It certainly cannot be a surprise that Donald J. Trumps China flu/Kung flu/Wuhan flu racist naming conventions were not original. During my lifetime, weve also had the Asian flu and Hong Kong flu as official influenza designations. Weve also had the swine flu, even though H1N1 originated in Mexico and had its breakout moment in California. Where we once fretted about the so-called Africanized killer bees, we now fear the Asian giant hornets. If goods are inferior, they must have been made in Japan, then China, and now, I suppose, Vietnam or Thailand. Asians routinely are mocked for absence of originality in product design, even though two of the worlds most notorious knockoff artists are U.S. companies based in Seattle Amazon and REI.

Asian Americans have long occupied a racial netherworld in which other groups of color presume us as essentially white, even though white people dont accept us as even marginally close to being like them as other non-white groups assume. That makes us convenient wedges in the usual Black/white binary of racial discourse in America. Recent examples include the fight over affirmative action in places like Harvard or Washington State during the I-1000 debate as well as the media focus on Black suspects in some attacks against Asian elderly.

There is plenty of anti-Blackness in Asian American communities, but we, of course, are not deploying ourselves as wedges. When I went to photograph the C-ID last summer, a sea of Asian-owned businesses stood in solidarity, through their murals, with the Black Lives Matter movement. I think that surprised a lot of non-Asians who just dont view us the way we view ourselves as supportive, bona fide members of the same racially discriminated and oppressed club as our Black, Latino, and Native sisters and brothers.

Still, it chafes to even refer to Asian Americans (which Ive been doing to make a point), as if we are a monolith. Asian immigrants come to the United States from more than 18 different countries, according to U.S. Census data. That means at least as many different customs and languages, longstanding divisions and rivalries, and a large spectrum of cuisine and skin tones. Many of us accede to the grouping because non-Asians cannot tell us apart, nor seem willing to expend any energy doing so, and its both a cultural imperative and a self-defense mechanism (given our history in this country) to not make waves.

The apparent duality of Lei Ann Shiramizus 2020 experience her outward grace and cheer in the face of unrelenting, anxiety-provoking challenges is evidence of how effectively she employed coping mechanisms Asian Americans and other BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) communities developed over centuries in an othering, white-supremacist society.

Embracing the sense of being forsaken has prompted Asian American communities to become self-sufficient, even self-contained. This has led to being described by everyone else as tightly woven, secretive, or the unfortunate label, exotic, which plays into the kind of fetishization that likely contributed to the recent murder of six Asian women in Georgia. Truth is, the we-can-do-it-ourselves culture of Asian Americans has evolved from naked necessity and has become self-perpetuating by its success. Witness the stick-wielding elderly Asian woman, who put her San Francisco assailant on a stretcher last week.

Such Asian American self-care left Shiramizu feeling alarmed and amazed that day the Seattle police essentially bulldozed protesters into the C-ID. She was alarmed by the rampant vandalism that occurred on the south side of Jackson but amazed that the north side, with its parade of Asian businesses, including Momo, was left unscathed. Neighborhood scuttlebutt credits two local champions who stood watch and ensured that the unruly crowd left the businesses alone.

Residents and business owners have long believed the C-ID to be chronically under-policed. That frustration percolates at a high degree over the still-unsolved 2015 murder of Donnie Chin, the much-beloved champion of safety and justice in the neighborhood. That lack of priority, and the resultant invisibility of the neighborhood to police, probably most reveals the forces lack of intention and consideration when they introduced potentially violent protesters into the C-ID excusing neither.

Scrambling to save her business, Shiramizu started opening her shop while the C-ID was still a lockdown-mandated ghost town. Doing so made her more vulnerable, a target for some yellow-fevered white dude who could have been having a bad day. Of the some 3,800 anti-Asian acts of hate reported nationwide to the group Stop AAPI Hate since March 2020, 68% were committed against women of Asian descent. Washington state had the third most reported incidents, after California and New York.

Shiramizu found her own guardian angels local restaurant workers who walked her to her car at night. She and Kleifgen also exercised self-defense, three times emptying Momo of its goods to make it a less-appealing target for looters. Hastily gathering and piling Momos inventory into her sister-in-laws SUV took about four hours; restocking and rebuilding the shops displays required a long, 812-hour day. With the exception of some indignities that werent directed at her the occasional human waste left in Momos doorway she survived the ordeal without incident.

I never felt in danger, Shiramizu said. I was either nave or I just walked boldly. She added that the intergenerational respect that is strong in Asian cultures helps the C-ID make up for the absence of traditional policing.

The undercurrent of race-based peril only increased the usual degree of difficulty for maintaining a business during a pandemic. Shiramizu tried just about everything. She and her workers photographed all their merchandise and created an online store; one of the offshoots was Momo To Go, in which customers supported the business in exchange for a cache of delicately gift-wrapped goodies. A couple once commissioned Shiramizu for $300 worth of personalized to-go wares; it made her feel like Santa Claus. An outdoor event in Chiyos Garden was washed out by a torrential downpour that prompted all goods to be relocated back to Momo in record time. But other special events attracted lines that stretched from the little shop with COVID-limited space, up Jackson Street.

At the end of August, Shiramizu and Kleifgen announced the inevitable Momos permanent closure. The disclosure prompted many loving lamentations. By the end of October, it was over. A couple of former vendors have since opened Sairen at the location.

The pandemic and threat of vandalism did not cause Momos demise, Shiramizu says, but they accelerated it.

I feel strangely lucky to have been able to experience it, she said. It was like going to your own funeral, except you were still alive and you got to hear what people thought about you. I know it seems kind of perverse that I I dont know if the word is enjoyed but it was really one of the most touching experiences of my life.

While she plots her next move, Shiramizu has been operating Japantown Seattles social media channels. Her strategy with them is the same as it was at Momo to lift others and spread cheer. That means as concerned as she is about the roiling anti-Asian climate, Shiramizu has refrained from any overt political messaging.

You consequently wont find the wildly proliferating #StopAsianHate hashtag on any of Shiramizus posts. She isnt keen on her cultural and racial appellation being sandwiched by two negative words stop and hate. Shed much prefer something like #StartAsianLove.

Thirteen years after she came up with the peachily positive concept of Momo, Lei Ann Lala Shiramizu may be on to something once again.

A contributing columnist, Glenn Nelson is a Japanese American journalist and lifetime South Seattle resident who founded trailposse.com and has won numerous national and regional awards for his writings about race. Follow him @trailposse on Twitter or @thetrailposse on Instagram.

Featured Image: Mural in the Chinatown-International District. (Photo: Glenn Nelson)

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OPINION: Seattle Needs to Start Asian Love in the Face of Hate - southseattleemerald.com

Triple Frontiers celebrates the works of three female dancemakers and it is also the first time Sutra Foundation is staging works by female gurus. Picture by Hari Anggara

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PETALING JAYA, March 29 The Sutra Foundations female-centric performance Triple Frontiers is finally happening after two postponements due to the movement control order (MCO).

Now that audiences are allowed in performing arts venues with a 50 per cent capacity, the show is set to premiere in Selangor on April 9 with a Gala Fundraising Night at the PJ Civic Centre Auditorium.

There will also be a show on April 10 and April 11.

The production which is under the artistic direction of the prominent Malaysian classical Indian dance guru Datuk Ramli Ibrahim had its Malaysian premiere in Seremban last Friday followed by Melaka the next day.

Triple Frontiers was initially scheduled to premiere in March last year as part of Sutras 2020 production but was halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The odissi performance was then moved to October 16 but was unable to be staged after a spike in Covid-19 cases throughout the country that prompted a second MCO.

I am relieved that finally Triple Frontiers can be staged, Ramli told Malay Mail.

A pent-up creative energy is about to be released and I can feel the audience, starved of live theatre for more than a year, are with us, body and spirit.

I can quote octogenarian Mrs Menon from Seremban: I have never missed a Sutra performance; I told my children who tried to dissuade me from going that Id be sick if I miss a Sutra performance.

Triple Frontiers is an important performance in the zeitgeist of the classical Indian dance of odissi as it features the works of three women dancemakers.

It is also the first time Sutra is staging works by female gurus.

Sujata Mishra, Parwati Dutta and Meera Das began their dance journey as proteges under odissi pioneers Pankaj Charan, Kelucharan Mahapatra and Debaprasad Das and dipped their toes into choreography after their respective gurus died.

Their tinkering with tradition was often disparaged but the trio of women went on to not only establish successful dance schools but are now outstanding dancemakers of odissi.

Set to enchant classical Indian dance followers, Triple Frontiers is presented in a triple-bill format where each segment highlights one dancemaker.

There are seven pieces in total which Ramli describes as very difficult in terms of technical difficulty.

The performance will feature young dancers from the foundations outreach programme that has gone into outer cities such as Kajang, Rawang, Sungai Choh and Kuala Selangor to nurture young talents.

Triple Frontiers showtimes:

- Friday, April 9 (Gala Fundraising Night); 8pm

Invitation by donation of RM150, RM80 or RM50

- Saturday, April 11 and Sunday, April 12; 8.30pm

Invitation by donation of RM60 or RM40

Venue: PJ Civic Centre Auditorium, Jalan Yong Shook Lin, PJ New Town, 46200 Selangor.

Call 03-4021 1092, email [emailprotected] or visit sutrafoundation.org.my to book.

Limited seats are available and the show is Covid-19 standard operating procedure (SOP) compliant.

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Sutra Foundations odissi performance Triple Frontiers is finally happening after being postponed twice due to Covid-19 - Malay Mail

The full lineup of films selected for this years Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival has been revealed.

Runningonline from April 29 to May 9, the 2021 slate includes 219 films from 66 countries presentedacross 12 programs, with 50% of directors being women.

Titlesunveiled today (March 23) join the previously announced Special Presentations lineup.

Films premiering worldwide in the Canadian Spectrum program areA.rtificial I.mmortality (director: Ann Shin); Dropstone (d: Caitlin Durlak); Spirit to Soar (d: Tanya Talaga, Michelle Derosier); Hell or Clean Water (d: Cody Westman); and Grey Roads (d: Jesse McCracken). Two films from the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) premiering globally in the section includeElle-Mij Tailfeathers Kmmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy andSean Horlor and Steve J. AdamsSomeone Like Me.

In the competitive International Spectrum program, notable films include the world premieres of Any Given Day (d: Margaret Byrne); Magaluf Ghost Town (d: Miguel Angel Bianca); The Silence of the Mole (d: Anais Terecena); Four Seasons in One Day (d: Annabel Verbeke); Songs that Flood to the River (d: German Arango); and Gaucho Americano (Nicolas Molina).

International premieres in the International Spectrum program include People We Come Across (d: Mia Halme); Threshold (d: Coraci Ruiz); Ostrov Lost Island (d: Svetlana Rodina, Laurent Stoop); and School of Hope (d: Mohamed El Aboudi).

Films having their world premieres as part of the World Showcase program areSunny (d: Keti Machavariani); Neighbouring the Moon (d: Reza Farahmand); Blue Box (d: Michal Weits); My Mohamed Is Different (d: Ines Marzouk); Only I Can Hear (d: Itaru Matsui); and The Colonels Stray Dogs (d: Khalid Shamis).

The Made in Colombia program includes the world premieres of On the Other Side (d: Ivan Guarnizo) and Rebel Love (d: Alejandro Bernai). It also includes the North American premieres of Between Fire and Water (d: Viviana Gomez Echeverry, Anton Wenzel) and Option Zero (d: Marcel Beltran).

Showcasing creative minds, artistic pursuits and inventive filmmaking, the Artscapes program includes the world premieres of Bank Job (d: Daniel Edelstyn, Hilary Powell);No Hay Camino There Is No Path (d: Heddy Honigmann); Cezanne (d: Sophie Bruneau); The Story Wont Die (d: David Henry Gerson); Set! (d: Scott Gawlik); and Im Wanita (d: Matthew Walker).

The Nightvision program, which features future cult classics, includes the world premieres of Acts of Love (d: Isidore Bethel, Francis Leplay) andBloom Up A Swinger Couple Story (d: Mauro Russo Rouge), as well as the international premieres of Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest (d: mads Hedegaard) and Dark Blossom (d: Frigge Fri).

Nightvision also includes the North American premiere of Lost Boys (d: Joonas Neuvonen; Sadri Cetinkiya).

The Persister program, which features female-directed films about women speaking up and being heard, includes the world premieres of Bangla Surf Girls (d: Elizabeth D. Costa); Only the Ocean Between Us (d: Khaldiya Amer Ali, Marah Mohammad Alkhateeb, Karoli Bautista Pizarro, Christy Cauper Silvano); Lady Buds (d: Chris J. Russo); and FANNY: The Right to Rock (d: Bobbi Jo Hart).

International premieres as part of the Persister program include Fruits of Labor (d: Emily Cohen Ibanez); The Spokeswoman (d: Luciana Kaplan); and La Madrina: The Savage Life of Lorine Padilla (pictured, d: Raquel Sepida).

New this year, the Systems Down program features films that capture the zeitgeist by calling for systemic change through stories of people challenging the status quo and seeking new paths forward.

Films premiering worldwide as part of that section include Its Not Over Yet (d: Louise Detlefsen); Faceless (d: Jennifer Ngo); Dead Mans Switch a Crypto Mystery (d: Sheona McDonald); and The Face of Anonymous (d: Gary Lang).

The program will also include the international premieres of Apart (d: Jennifer Redfearn); Generation Utya (d: Aslaug Holm, Sigve Endresen); and Sieged: The Press vs. Denialism (d: Caio Cavechini).

Now in its second year, the Deep Dive program features two long-form documentaries told over multiple episodes. The program includes the international premieres of Philly D.A (d: Ted Passon, Yoni Brook). and The Caviar Connection (d: Benoit Bringer).

Named in tribute to filmmaker Chris Marker, the Markers program also in its second year features experimental films that take bold liberties with the documentary form.

The program includes the North American premieres of Rift Finfinnee (d: Daniel Kotter); Zaho Zay (d: Maeva Ranaivokaonoa); and A River Runs, Turns, Erases, Replaces (d: Shengze Zhu), as well as the Canadian premieres of Users (d: Natalia Almada); Just a Movement (d: Vincent Meessen); and Her Socialist Smile (d: John Gianvito).

Finally, films selected as part of the Changing Face of Europe program include the world-premiering Welcome to Spain (d: Juan Antonio Moreno Amador) and A Marriage (d: Katerina Hager, Asad Faruqi). The program will also feature the international premiere of Raise the Bar (d: Gudjon Ragnarsson).

North American premieres featured in the program includeEatnameamet Our Silent Struggle (d: Suvi West); Molecules (d: Andrea Segre); The New Plastic Road (d: Myrto Papadopolous, Angelos Tsaousis); and Faith and Branko (d: Catherine Harte).

Hot Docs newly commissioned Citizen Minutes project will also premiere at this years festival.

The project features eight original short films with the aim to inspire interest and engagement in Canadian democracy and public affairs by exploring and celebrating stories of civic participation in communities across the country.

Documentaries are vitally important to helping us understand the world we live in, and to build bridges of understanding across cultural, social and political divides, particularly at this unprecedented moment in time, said Shane Smith, director of programming for Hot Docs, in a statement. This years Hot Docs program features the best in outspoken, outstanding documentary storytelling from 66 countries, all of which will connect us to each other in ways that inspire, inform and illuminate.

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Philly D.A., La Madrina among the 219 films in Hot Docs '21 lineup - Realscreen

Through her work in television, film and a plethora of viral memes, Keke Palmer has cemented herself as a mainstay in the zeitgeist of Generation Z. One can imagine the excitement that spread across campus when JMUs Center for Multicultural Student Services (CMSS) announced that Palmer would be speaking in a Zoom webinar in celebration of Womens History month. Its possible no one knew this excitement better than Chrissy Donald, a senior communications major.

I found out about the event [at] the same time as everyone else, Donald said. I thought it was fake at first, like a prank.

With years of being involved with CMMS and working as a D.E.E.P. Impact which stands for diversity education empowerment program educator, Donald was chosen to moderate the webinar, guiding the conversation through topics such as Palmers views on cultural representation and the Black Lives Matter movement.

When Palmer was asked about a moment in which she famously confronted a member of the national guard during the Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020, pleading with the guardsmen to march beside us; let the revolution be televised, Palmer responded to the viral moment.

I think all of my emotions built up to that moment, Palmer said. All you want is for people to just see you and just see the humanity. Let the humanity in me reach the humanity in you, and lets just cut this all out.

Palmer explained her own family history, describing how the constraints of being Black in America left a traumatic fingerprint on her family.

My great-grandmother was [not able] to be there for her own daughterS o, think about the generational trauma that also has come from these stories, Palmer said. [As a Black American, youre] not being able to be in the household with your child because you're not set up in America to make your own money [but rather to] be a servant to somebody [else].

When discussing her position as a young role model for the Black community whos breaking the generational curse of her familys past, Palmer described a significant appreciation for her parents guidance. Palmer said that while growing up her family would remind her that her large platform could shift and encourage the Black community, making Palmers role model status even more crucial to her.

Doubling down on her own influence as a celebrity, Palmer gave kudos to those who came before her, drawing inspiration from the likes of Brandy, Aaliyah, Kyla Pratt and Raven-Symone.

When it comes to my art and the kind of movies I want to create I do, personally, have in the back of my mind, How is it going to affect my generation? What am I offering, truly? What is my art really saying? Palmer said. I feel very grateful and blessed to be in the position to [serve] in that way.

Wrapping up the webinar, Palmer was asked about any advice she had for those attending the conference. Recalling the pandemic and the mass quarantine of last year, Palmer emphasized the importance of the audience taking time for themselves.

Unfortunately, we were forced to be put on pause because were losing so many lives, but I think that pause allows us all to see that [we] should have paused a long time ago, Palmer said.

Palmer also expressed the value of her own experiences with therapy, saying that people should ignore the cultural stigmas of therapy and treat it like a regular physical check up.

Kiki Burns, a junior health sciences major, said her favorite part of the presentation was how real Palmer was.

[Previously], we weren't able to be actresses [or] advocates that spoke for the underprivileged and those that were unrepresented, so I enjoy that [Palmer] came through [to] tell her life story, Burns said. I felt like that was very motivating for people like me to look up to when it comes to our futures and our goals.

Mirroring the sentiment, Megan Herrmann, a senior political science major who was also in attendance, detailed her own experience of viewing Palmer as a role model in watching Palmers work, like Akeelah and the Bee and True Jackson V.P.

I definitely always loved Keke Palmer growing up, Herrmann said. I feel like shes always been a constant part of my life, and I got to grow up with her. I definitely think having women you can look up to on campus [is] so important Having somebody who shows you you can do it [is] just so inspirational.

Altogether, Palmer continues to be an icon for the ages, providing inspiration and representation for burgeoning young women. Her impact as a young Black woman keeps many fans on the edge of their seats, earnestly waiting for her next move.

Readers can find Palmers latest EP, Virgo Tendencies, Pt. 1, on all music streaming services and look out for her new movie, Alice, which is currently shooting.

Contact Jake Dodohara at dodohajh@dukes.jmu.edu . For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on Twitter and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

Originally posted here:

Keke Palmer speaks to JMU in honor of Women's History Month - The Breeze

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toole asks a question during question period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Dec. 9, 2020.

Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press

Senior voices within the movement believe the best way for the federal Conservatives to fight global warming, and get elected, is to scrap the Liberal carbon tax and replace it with one of their own.

One question is whether Conservative Leader Erin OToole agrees; another is whether he can sell it to his base.

Its no coincidence that Clean Prosperity held its virtual forum on climate change right before the Conservative policy convention. The NGO is trying to convince the party that it must find a way to put a price on carbon.

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At the forum, former Conservative MP Lisa Raitt said she lost her Greater Toronto riding of Milton in the 2019 election for one simple reason: We opposed a carbon tax.

The Conservatives, she said, failed to understand that voters had changed. In 2008, attacking Liberal leader Stphane Dions plans for a carbon tax worked, because the idea was unpopular and so was he.

But something funny happened over the past 12 years, and it culminated with me losing my seat, Ms. Raitt said. Voters now wanted governments to get serious about global warming. The Conservatives, still obsessing on tax cuts and balanced budgets, missed the change in the zeitgeist. Conservative candidates, especially those in suburban middle-class ridings in Ontario and British Columbia, paid the price.

Christy Clark, the former premier of British Columbia, can best be described as a small-c Liberal. She believes that conservative-leaning voters will accept a carbon tax, so long as it is offset with tax cuts elsewhere.

You put the carbon tax in, and then every single equivalent penny comes out in lower income tax or other taxes, she proposed. Her predecessor as premier, Gordon Campbell, used a similar approach when he introduced Canadas first carbon tax in 2008.

We want to tax things we dont want, like pollution, but were going to have fewer taxes on things we do want, like more income, more economic opportunity, she explained. Progressive parties, Ms. Clark maintained, are more likely to use carbon taxes to increase the size of government (though Justin Trudeaus Liberals do offer rebates). That, she believes, is how Conservatives can differentiate themselves from Liberals on carbon taxes.

Rumours abound that Mr. OToole, who has said Canada should have net-zero emissions by 2050, is thinking along the same lines as Ms. Clark. Rumours also abound that Prairie and rural MPs are up in arms at the thought.

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But Ken Boessenkool, who was senior policy adviser to former prime minister Stephen Harper and chief of staff to Ms. Clark, warned that without a carbon tax, Conservatives will lose seats, not only in suburban Ontario and B.C., but in the Western ridings that are on the cusp ridings such as Calgary Centre or Edmonton Mill Woods or Regina-Wascana, where the Conservatives are vulnerable to the Liberals or NDP.

Those are the kinds of seats that we can keep in our column when we have a really good, credible climate-change policy, he said.

Not everyone at the forum agreed on everything. Michael Bernstein, executive director at Clean Prosperity, argued for exemptions or compensation for farmers and rural residents, who dont have access to public transit and other low-carbon alternatives that city-dwellers enjoy. Others werent so sure.

There was a general expectation that the Supreme Court will uphold the Liberal governments right to impose carbon taxes in provinces that dont have their own. Once that ruling comes down, it would make sense for Ontarios Doug Ford and other conservative premiers to introduce their own carbon taxes, which would eliminate the need for a federal alternative.

Mr. OToole has a difficult task. Many Prairie voters rightly worry that federal politicians ignore their concerns, such as preserving jobs in the oil-and-gas sector, focusing instead on voters in Central Canada. Western alienation produced the Reform Party in the 1980s, and the same thing could happen again.

But the Conservatives can never hope to win power unless they develop a credible approach to reducing emissions. And that means putting a price on carbon. There is simply no alternative.

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Proposing a Conservative carbon tax while holding on to the base wont be easy. But leading the federal Conservatives never is.

Know what is happening in the halls of power with the days top political headlines and commentary as selected by Globe editors (subscribers only). Sign up today.

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Conservatives, while still obsessed with cutting taxes and balancing budgets, must put a price on carbon - The Globe and Mail