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Beyoncé’s Birthday is Sept. 4: 5 Royal Reasons Why We Love Queen B

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Beyoncé. We love her for her songs and the way she moves — lighting up the stage with her infectious energy. She’s bold, beautiful, confident, and has it all! That’s why she’s revolutionary — earning the nickname “Queen B” along the way.

Her birthday on September 4 creates quite a stir in the “Beyhive” every year. We know millions of people will be celebrating “BeyDay” all over the world in their own unique way!

National Today, the internet’s #1 authority on holidays, shares 5 royal reasons why we love Queen B:

1. Always a winner
Beyoncé won more than 30 singing and dancing competitions as a child.
2. Never too young to sing
Beyoncé won a school talent show at age 7 singing John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
3. This girl can write
Beyoncé wrote “Crazy in Love” in just two hours.
4. She’s number one
Beyoncé’s the first (and only) musical act in “Billboard” history to have their first six solo studio albums debut at number one.
5. Beyoncé added a word to the Oxford Dictionary
The Oxford Dictionary added “bootylicious” after Queen B used it!

5 Ways UVC Light Tech Can Safeguard Health & Wellness

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Germicidal Ultraviolet-C (UVC) light surface and air sanitation + purification innovations can effectively eradicate harmful viruses, bacteria, pathogens and microorganisms both indoors and while on-the-go

By Merilee Kern, MBA

As COVID-19 rages on, warning sirens have sounded of late amid a flurry of headlines surrounding Ultraviolet-C (UVC) light device safety issues. Rightfully so, as the current pandemic has ushered in a veritable “wild west” of UVC gadget deployments with subpar consumer safeguards, instructions or guidance. So important are the concerns amid this rapidly proliferating product sphere, the FDA recently issued a consumer advisory regarding UVC light technology that’s applicable for residential, travel and business use.

Once largely a germicidal method leveraged in hospital, industrial and other commercial settings for its extreme efficacy, today’s breed of UVC technologies are small, portable and inexpensive enough to be making their way into homes and hands across the globe—even traversing with individuals while they’re out and about. This, as generalist retailers like Amazon and Walmart have joined the fray in their attempts to divert market share from the more specialized, expert-driven, safety-focused UVC purveyors.

While germ-killing UVC technologies do proffer tremendous advantages and results for users—serving as a potent tool for easily and effectively eradicating harmful viruses, bacteria, pathogens and microorganisms—there are a number of considerations one should heed before procuring and using such a powerful device. This includes, but is certainly not limited to, why; when; where; and how it will be used—variables that impact safety and risk concerns related to UVC wavelength, dose and duration of radiation exposure.

Shopping in this category can be equally overwhelming. One need only Google “UVC lamps,” which delivers nearly 100,000 results, to realize how bloated this category has become. Amid the chaos, I did happen upon a highly targeted, category-dedicated source wholly dedicated to UVC technologies: CureUV.com. This company draws on over 20-years of expertise in the design, development and provision of technologically advanced UV products and solutions. Today, they are a premier provider of germicidal UVC light solutions for commercial, industrial, residential, portable and even water applications.

While its form factor catalog is copious, below are a few of CureUV’s more popular UVC devices starting under $80 that proffer chemical-free disinfection, which can help ensure your spaces remain free of illness-causing microbial contaminants like viruses, bacteria, mold and other fungi:

Rechargeable Handheld UV Sanitizer Wand With Digital Timer
Here’s a highly portable way to eliminate germs and have a cleaner environment no matter where you may be. This powerful UVC illumination system, which retails around $89, eradicates up to 99.9 percent of viruses, bacteria, germs, mold, dust mite eggs and flea eggs on surfaces.  This non-chemical option adds an extra layer of safety to you with no hazardous residue. It contains a 6-inch UVC lightbulb allowing for a wider coverage of area as well as accelerating sanitation in the process. A built in timer inside the device allows you to keep track of desired dosage creating precise sanitation sessions–anywhere from 5 to 60 minutes to indefinite. Its silent operation allows for a noise free solution for sanitation, and sleek and cordless and lightweight design is perfect for travel however near or far–daily around town or those hotel visits. Sanitize how you want in your desired target area or on your personal items keeping them germ free. An internal rechargeable battery saves money on replaceable battery purchases as compared to various other handheld wands on the market.

GermAwayUV 18-Watt Handheld UVC Surface Sanitizer
This device offers reliable and highly portable sanitizing performance at an entry-level price. Indeed, at under $120, this is an affordable, dual-bulb, handheld UV sanitizer that still maintains power levels similar to more industrial UV surface sanitizers. This lightweight and ergonomically designed 18-watt UVC sanitizer will give you much peace of mind. It has a 6-foot cord adequate for most applications, but the sanitizer will run easily with virtually any simple power extension. Its two 9-watt UVC sanitizer bulbs are guaranteed to produce UV light in the 253.7 nanometer (nm) wavelength, which has been consistently proven to eliminate all illness-causing microorganisms. It’s the perfect tool to disinfect high use and traffic areas, as well as locations where bacteria and viruses congregate like bathrooms, door handles, seating areas and cooking/dining spaces. It’ll prevent the spread of harmful bacteria and microorganisms, or simply add an extra layer of cleanliness and protection to your cleaning procedures. It comes bundled with protective amber UV safety  glasses.

SteriPEN Aqua Portable UV Water Purifier
Cities around the world have been using UV light to make water safe to drink for over 100 years. UV light destroys the ability for germs to reproduce and make you sick. This unit destroys 99.9999 percent of bacteria, 99.99 percent of viruses and 99.9 percent of protozoa. SteriPEN, available for around $79, is a safe solution to combat chlorine-resistant microorganisms such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium and a host of other waterborne virus and bacteria present in your water. It’s perfect for hiking, camping or any kind of travel. Whether relaxing in a tropical paradise or hiking through the backcountry, SteriPEN has you covered. Traveler destroys over 99.9 percent of harmful bacteria and microorganisms-causing microbes in a liter of water in just 90 seconds. It’s also handy for home emergencies, and will proffer 3,000 treatments for years of safe drinking water. SteriPEN tested and certified by WQA against US EPA Microbiological Water Purifier Standard. Standard filters may be effective at removing grit, metals and other larger pieces of sediment, they may also improve the taste of your water, but they can’t kill micro-organisms. That’s where UV plays a vital role in water sanitation. UVC light at a particular wavelength, 253.7nm, begins to break down DNA at a molecular level and stops the bacteria, fungus, virus from reproducing leaving water sanitized. This process has been used in municipal water treatment plants throughout Europe for over 30 years and is now becoming commonplace at water treatment plants as well. Now it can be with you wherever you may be.

Deluxe GermAwayUV 95-Watt UVC Surface Sanitizer with Cage
With a 95-watt bulb, this chemical-free, tabletop UV room and surface sanitizer is the strongest of its kind. It will result in effective room sanitation by killing up to 99.9 percent of bacteria, viruses, mold spores, yeasts, C. diff, odors and other harmful microorganisms. With a simple touch of a button you’ll be able to leave the room while the entire space is cleaned and disinfected in a matter of minutes. The device has five time settings: 10, 20, 30 and 60 minutes; and hold for indefinite run time. After the selected dosage time has elapsed, the device will automatically shut off. You can use it regularly to ensure a consistently clean room.

Heavy Duty Dual Bulb 72-Watt HVAC UV Air Purifier
Suitable for use anywhere, including schools, offices, work-floors and medical rooms to sanitize air and environmental surfaces, this device is effective in small and large rooms/buildings alike, up to 2,400 square feet. With a powerful 72-watt bulb and a standard electrical unit, you can insert this premium UVC bulb into any HVAC system as an easy add on to sanitize the air in the system. Typical air purifier units and HVAC systems are definitely useful, designed to filter and ventilate air well. But even the finest filters can’t stop atomic sized bacteria and viruses. This device is therefore a great extra add on because it really does target and stop bacteria and viruses from circulating. It sanitizes and disinfects air passing through the HVAC system. Its 72-watt bulb emits UVC light of 254nm and is the most powerful bulb. Most devices are typically only effective in small rooms, but with this level of wattage you can use this device in large rooms and building types. At its wavelength, the emitted light is able to penetrate and kill the DNA of atomic sized organisms that create problems for humans. UVC emission also acts to eliminate mold spores, yeast and fungi. So, inserting this unit device into your existing HVAC system ensures that not only will the air that moves through your building be ventilated, it will also be irradiated and disinfected as it passes over the bulb. Instead of just filtered air in your system, you’ll end up with sanitized, healthy air. Add on (retrofit) features like this one are great because you can just insert them into an already installed and operating HVAC system with minimal additional running costs. This device is easy to install and is capable of DIY application. Other available HVAC retrofit air sanitation and purification solutions include a coil scrubber or 36-watt HVAC UVC air purifier.

Amid today’s wide-ranging breed of UVC light sanitizers, outdoor air cleanliness is possible using the strongest protection that nature has to offer: UVC light. The key is finding the right sanitation and purification technology to suit your specific needs. Luckily, options abound.

~~~

Forbes Business Council Member Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist and futurist who reports on noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all categories, both B2C and B2B. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Merilee is Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List” as well as Host of the nationally-syndicated “Savvy Living” TV show. As a prolific consumer and business trends, lifestyle and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, she keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReports  / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListReports / Facebook www.Facebook.com/LuxeListReports / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.

***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided or arranged at no cost to accommodate if this is review editorial, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***

Sources:

https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/uv-lights-and-lamps-ultraviolet-c-radiation-disinfection-and-coronavirus

https://www.ul.com/offerings/ultraviolet-uvc-light-testing-and-certification

https://collateral-library-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/asset_file/attachment/26057/CT_26219573_UVC-Germicidal-Devices-flyer_digital_FINAL_073020.pdf

Brazilian Trans YouTuber Thiessa Woinbackk Wins Grand Jury Prize for Best Performance at Outfest for VALENTINA

Brazilian Trans YouTuber Thiessa Woinbackk Wins
Grand Jury Prize for Best Performance at Outfest
for Her Title Role in Cássio Pereira dos Santos’ VALENTINA
An Inspiring and Hopeful Story of Gender Expression
and Solidarity, the Film Had Its World Premiere at the
LGBTQ Film Festival in Lost Angeles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aChiytvOU94&feature=youtu.be
The influential and popular Brazilian trans YouTuber Thiessa Woinbackk has been announced as the winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Best Performance in an International Narrative Feature at the 38th edition of Outfest, Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival, for her film debut in the title role of Valentina by Cássio Pereira dos Santos.

Valentina is my first film ever, and this award is so important for the transgender community. I’m so happy and thankful!” said São Paulo-based Woinbakk in a video acceptance speech. She runs the influential and fast-growing Youtube channel Thiessita, with over 770,000 followers, and around 35 million views, and is also a trans rights activist and publishes videos on topics such as civil rights, beauty and the importance of self-acceptance for LGBTQ teens.

A hopeful and inspiring reflection of the real life hardships faced by a young woman seeking to embrace who she is, Pereira dos Santos’ debut feature had its world premiere at the Outfest, and also played this weekend at OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The film will have an encore virtual screening at Outfest next Saturday, September 5, and it will also screen at Cine Latino in Minneapolis Saint Paul in October. The European and Latin American premieres of the awarded Brazilian production will be announced shortly.

The film tells the story of Valentina, a seventeen-year-old girl who moves to the countryside of Brazil with her mother, Márcia (played by renowned actress Guta Stresser), for a fresh start. To avoid being bullied at her new school, Valentina attempts to enroll with her new name, hoping to keep her personal gender history private. However, the girl and her mother quickly face dilemmas when the local high school needs the signature of the father (played by Rômulo Braga) for enrollment.

Produced by Erika Pereira dos Santos and executive produced by Hebe Tabachnik, Natália Brandino and Walder Junior, Valentina’s cast and crew was largely composed by members of the LGBTQ community. The film was independently produced by Campo Cerrado, with the support of Brazil’s Secretariat of Audiovisual and Ancine’s 2016 Grant for Low Budget Features, in conjunction with the Fundo Setorial do Audiovisual.

Joining a powerful generation of Brazilian filmmakers notable for pushing the envelope on representations of sexuality and identity in cinema, Valentina changes the narrative of trans films, through a live affirming and inspiring approach, and shines with the performance of Woinbackk, a renowned local figure ready for her international breakthrough.

Nikki Walter-Nemickas Fitness Model, Sponsored Athlete and Personal Trainer 

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By Jules Lavallee

Los Angeles, California (The Hollywood Times) 08/31/2020 –  Nikki Walter-Nemickas has a strong passion for health and wellness. Nikki is formerly of Bodybuilding.com athlete and fitness model, who with her daughter Addison, aims to help change people’s lives through #ruralfit. For those with less access to gyms. #ruralfit provides guidance for fitness routine and diet. .

How are you influencing others during the pandemic? 

I am a very transparent person. I keep my posting and information relevant and real. I post a few home workouts, recipes and motivational stories trying to keep spirits high and give hope to those who struggle.

You and your daughter have started a health movement called #ruralfit. What led to this? What are your goals?

I grew up in a small town in South Dakota, with a population of 20 people, 5 households. The nearest grocery store was 10 miles away and the closest populated city was 45 miles away. I understand the lifestyle meaning…work and family are a priority but health is not. My exercise growing up was running 3 miles a day on gravel roads. #Ruralfit is our passion project to help families in rural areas become healthier. Rural Americans struggle to make health a priority until they have a health scare. Many have less healthy food options and access to gyms making it hard to change the culture in daily habits. It’s a long process but we work with one family at a time, and hope to help them become healthier! I have partnered with www.GOFIT.net who provides my affiliate discount code NIKKI10 and have been able to provide some of the GOFIT donated exercise bands and home gym items to participants who book a seminar. We also use half the proceeds from the program to donate to a family in need of medical or healthcare expenses as a benefit to give back to that community. My daughter and I were supported by so many in our community and surrounding communities when my late husband got sick. This is our way of paying it forward, and helping others hopefully prevent health challenges before it is too late! If a community or family is interested in hosting a session online, they can email me [email protected]

(Photo: Bobby Black)

Diet and Fitness are paramount, what are some of the challenges clients are facing? Share a few recent success stories. 

There are so many personalities, and for most change isn’t easy. Many struggle with not having a routine. Some have had a very difficult time staying motivated because their gym or health club was part of their daily routine. They had their favorite fitness classes, and instructors, or just feel they could not get motivated to workout at home. I take time to be compassionate and listen to their needs and what types of workouts they are willing to try at home. We discuss types of workouts that can be done with little to no equipment. I am a sponsored athlete and model by GOFIT.net I have used their products for years as a traveling business professional on the road, so working quick home and travel workouts. To Save 10% it would be helpful to order at this link with code NIKKI10 www.gofit.net

One of my newest clients is a single mom of four children. She has a variety of health problems and is currently a heavy smoker. We are working on mini goals for 60 days, and she has committed and performed from smoking a full pack daily to half! We started with the hardest two trigger times for her which were before bed and first thing in the morning and worked toward finding an alternative for each. She decided stretching before bed when she feels the urge and any morning beverage she wants, she isn’t a coffee drinker so we opted for flavored teas.

Another client of mine traveled and was part of my #roadwarrior program. When COVID19 put an end to travel for her speaking business, I worked with her on re adjusting mindset from hotel life to home life workouts. It was very hard, because like most of us when we are home, there are a million distractions! But we worked on 20 minutes per day, any time, and if she could not commit and was skipping we would have to do early mornings to make sure she completed the workouts. She on her own committed to mornings and has lost 15 lbs just walking!

Tell us about the  F…it Podcast. 

We have so much fun with this. We have found that it’s a wonderful way to reach others, especially since Addison is now grown up. Listeners can hear her input of all of the experiences we have as well as provide input on the questions we get from others, Life is full of the F’s covered in this podcast. We speak the real truths with a mother/daughter perspective, about all of the “F”’s Faith, Food, Fitness, Family, and non F’s, encompassing loss, cancer, co-parenting, single parenting, parent/child relationships,entrepreneurship, and travel. It can be found on Apple Itunes or Spotify

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/f-it-podcast-station/id1456462599 

Widowed mom boss, International Fitness Model and Sponsored Athlete Nikki and her daughter Addison share the real truth about a lot of life, no sugar coating! Nikki lost her father at age of 17, her husband at age 32, and created a life from her bucket list becoming a 7x national champion and sponsored athlete aka “Fitmom” as well as an international published fit model and author. Addison, creator of Kids Kitchen with Addie- shares a kid’s perspective with all of these topics from a kid’s perspective. After all, what is it really like to be the child of a bodybuilder and social influencer?

These two speak the real truths with a mother/daughter perspective, about all of the “F”’s Faith, Food, Fitness, Family, and non F’s encompassing loss, cancer, co-parenting, single parenting, parent/child relationships, entrepreneurship, and travel.

You are a TEAM Bodybuilding.com athlete and fitness model, what changes have you had to make during these turbulent times? What keeps you motivated? 

I am no longer on TEAM Bodybuilding.com. I am a sponsored Model and Athlete with Gofit.net and BEAST Sports Nutrition. This past year physically I have been through the worst challenges. I broke my wrist in co-ed sports, was in a bad car accident and three months ago underwent a Total Laproscopic Hysterectomy. My body has been through a rough time, but it brought me back to a mindset of appreciating the process of healing.

I keep motivated because I want to share my amazing transformation progress. This time I have trained more functionally, and I have more bodyweight to remove, more than I ever have. IT is the most challenging prep I have ever had. I will be working hard to get ready for an upcoming photo shoot for the beginning of 2020. I will compete again as soon as COVID19 restrictions are no longer in place, I’m hoping to compete at nationals fall 2021. I have set a few new goals such as conquering my fear of water by swimming at home and would like to train for a triathlon.

 

Have you been offering virtual personal training during this time? What can people expect when working with you?

Yes, upon request I work with clients on lifestyle changes, accountability, goal management. My services vary from individual to families. If interested people can email inquires to [email protected]

What do you enjoy most about bringing health and well-being to others?

I know what it’s like to be frustrated and helpless. I love giving others hope, and confidence in themselves. I love helping them create a lifestyle that works for them, and sticks with them for life. I especially love working with traveling business professionals, being a recent retiree of a sales job life. Entertaining clients, flying, driving, and eating out has its challenges when it comes to health, and my program has had a lot of friends and former co-workers who have been able to change their lifestyle, lose weight or just feel better about being on the road from their families. I also love working with families. Often the parents take time to work on themselves but the kids are left to do their own thing. My daughter and I work with families to make life a lot healthier without leaving anyone out. Each family struggles with time, resources and stress, and we can help them come up with a plan for all. 

http://nikkiwalter.com/

https://www.instagram.com/_nikkiwalter/

https://www.facebook.com/NikkiWalterFitnessModel

https://twitter.com/NicoleMWalter1

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyA1mQ6DXLA1A0uLYnz00fQ

https://www.instagram.com/kidskitchenwithaddie/

“Bad News From Tom MacDonald”

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By Kevin Dranoff

(The Hollywood Times) 8/29/20 – Tom MacDonald just reached the #1 spot on iTunes in the Hip-Hop category with help from his new hit video “People So Stupid”.  MacDonald first got on my radar after he started to work with Nova Rockafeller, an artist I’d been following for years.  She had a nice run on youtube with a solo career.  My favorite video from her was “Problems” which I had on repeat in 2013.  Fast forward 7 years and she’s shifted into an expert at producing music videos for MacDonald.  All this and maintaining their seemingly drama free and happy relationship.  If there was any drama from them it’s not even worth mentioning.  I don’t see a depressed crew but I see a very artistic team developing to become the future of controversial sounding music.

After discovering MacDonald I was more interested in his personal life with Rockafeller instead of trying to understand him as an artist.  I find his messages and clever rhyming ability to be more attention grabbing than his flow and rhythm.  But that all changed for me when “Bad News” dropped in which Rockafeller and MacDonald both rap and it features the artist Madchild.

It had been said on the internet in chat rooms that Madchild was crashing at their place since he didn’t have one at the moment.  That made for a chilling verse from Madchild in which he even states “…I don’t even have a home right now…”.  Paired with the chilling smoothly melodic verses from Nova and Tom this was absolutely my jam and still is.  Something I can play on repeat and it’s even slow enough for me to sing along.

At the risk of sounding corny I decided in the spirit of “People So Stupid” that it doesn’t matter what anybody thinks.  I’m just happy to share their music since they’re independent and unsigned artists.  It’s a tough world and it’s no easier being involved in anything entertainment where your goal is to act “KOOL”.

Tom MacDonald – “People So Stupid”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6FmwBPDT-w

“Bad News” – Tom MacDonald & Madchild ft. Nova Rockafeller

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKYhGdC9jrw

Nova Rockafeller – “Problem”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9-afFQ24rU

MLB and Dodgers Recognition of Jackie Robinson Day

During a time of social unrest in the United States, Dodgers star Mookie Betts narrates “4 Us 2 Remember” a short film to celebrate Robinson’s life and legacy.

By: Angela Redding

Los Angeles, CA, (The Hollywood Times) 8/28/2020 “The events of recent days, weeks and months serve as a stark and unfortunate reminder that Jackie Robinson’s fight for racial equality in our society endures,” Clark said. “As we recognize his legacy today, players of all races and backgrounds join together to continue the work of Jackie and all of the civil rights leaders who suffered and sacrificed before and after him so that all of our children can one day grow up in a society that offers genuine equality — free of fear, free of discrimination and free to pursue their dreams,” MLB Players Association executive director, Tony Clark

Friday, August 28th was Jackie Robinson Day across Major League Baseball. All players in the league wore the number 42 on their jersey in honor of the legendary figure. Coaches and executives also expressed their gratitude for the Brooklyn Dodgers legend and civil rights icon. Traditionally, the event is held on April 15th in Major League Baseball to honor and commemorate the day Robinson made his major league debut.

Earlier this year, the Dodgers celebrated the anniversary of Robinson’s MLB debut with a Zoom event featuring Mookie Betts discussing Robinson’s legacy and continued impact on today’s game.

This year’s celebration and honor of Robinson comes after a one to two-day protest and the cancellation of games by multiple sports teams due to the police shooting of Jacob Blake. Robinson battled discrimination throughout his life. He was not only a Brooklyn Dodger but he was also a civil rights activist who fought for the end of segregation here in the United States of America.

Jackie_Robinson
Jackie Robinson, Brooklyn Dodger 1950. (photo by United States Information Agency)
“There’s not an American in this country free until every one of us is free, ”Jackie Robinson, player for the Brooklyn Dodgers and civil rights activist.

 

Before the Rangers and Dodgers game Friday night, the players and coaches collaborated on a video honoring the legacy of Jackie Robinson that was shown prior to the game on the Globe Life Field video boards.

Jackie Robinson Day Jersey Auction

LADF will also hold a special Jackie Robinson Day Jersey Auction of the Dodgers’ game-used, authenticated jerseys beginning September 10th with proceeds benefitting the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), founded by Bryan Stevenson, a widely acclaimed public interest lawyer, social justice activist and best-selling author of Just Mercy.

LADF is matching funds of the Posy Project, a fund created in honor of Posy Lombard, civil rights activist, and mother of Dodger Coach George Lombard.

Dodgers star Mookie Betts narrates “4 Us 2 Remember”

video courtesy: @MLB

 

“4 Us 2 Remember” was directed by Emmy award-winning filmmaker Randy Wilkins who partnered with MLB to tell the story, relying on Jackie’s own words from his biography, “I Never Had It Made,” along with insights from Jackie’s daughter, Sharon. Robinson’s words still ring true today for everyone who stands against injustice.

Jackie Robinson Brooklyn Dodgers 1954
Jackie Robinson Wearing the Uniform of the Brooklyn Dodgers, 1954 (photo by Bob Sandberg/Look photographer).

Quite fitting on Jackie Robinson Day.

International Award-Winning Filmmaker Miguel Garzón Martínez discusses his career and the importance of short films

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By Jennifer Marinelli

Brooklyn, New York (The Hollywood Times) 8/27/20 – Miguel Garzón Martínez is a very peculiar filmmaker: he grew up in Colombia, then he moves to Los Angeles and now he is in New York. When I ask him about so many changes, he simply claims that the less driving he has to do on a daily basis, the happier he lives. He speaks to me with a very thick accent, which he assures me can be explained because he failed his English Class when he was in the eighth grade. These are some highlights of our conversation:

What are some of your most notorious works so far?

Very early on my career, I had the wonderful opportunity of directing a feature film called THE BROKEN LEGACY (Winner of Best Feature at the Pasadena International Film Festival). After that, I have done several short films, with the more notorious ones being LOU (Awarded at Chelsea Film Festival), PAROUSIA (Screened at Sedona, Louisville and Madrid), and THE LONG COMMUTE (Awarded at the Long Island International Film Expo).

That’s very impressive! How did you manage to direct a feature film so early on?

It was a mixture of being smart and being lucky. I went to film school in California, and that is a big reason why I was able to live and work in the United States: when the time to shoot our thesis came, we were allotted two weeks of filming to complete a short film. I figured that, with the right script, I could shoot a feature in that time. And sure enough, I wrote a film in one location with six characters, and I completed it in that amount of time.

Were you happy with the final result? Did you feel rushed?

I am very happy to this day, and very proud of what my team and me accomplished given the circumstances. That being said, if I could go back in time, I think that what I would do differently is to have more ambition: I let the two week window constrict me too much, I didn’t want to set myself for failure, so I made sure in every step of the way that everything was “doable” within that period of time. At the end, we did everything without rushing and I realized that I should have been more ambitious and I should have tried to do more, and then probably I would have panicked and feel like it was not possible, but then I would have also come up with a solution. 

Given those experiences, what would be your advice to a young filmmaker that is just getting started?

The most important aspect is to get to know yourself, to understand your own creative voice and to not be afraid to use it. What makes you unique is exactly what will make you thrive as an artist. However, no one but you can truly discover what that is. I feel that when I first started, I was a bit too concerned to “fit in”, to make a “blockbuster” movie. Now I understand that precisely what makes me unique as an artist is also what makes me unique as a human being. Creating art is an exploration and part of that exploration is to embrace things about yourself that, perhaps, you don’t even like.

This conversation makes me think about one of the quotes that inspired me the most, particularly when I was making the decision of moving from Colombia to the United States to pursue a career in filmmaking. It comes from the film “Inception”: “Don’t you want to take a leap of faith? Or become an old man, filled with regret, waiting to die alone?” That truly resonated with me, especially because when I was growing up the idea of participating in the film industry seemed like a far-fetched dream. For that reason, the only way I could convince myself to actually pursue it as a career was to put my own life into perspective: what kind of things I will wish I would have done differently in my life if I could put myself, let’s say, into the shoes of my 80-year-old self? I decided that I would rather try this and fail, than never try it at all. That was my leap of faith. So, my advice to young filmmakers is also to find your own quote, your own movie-moment that inspires you and to hold on to it, because the journey can be long and you will need a refresher once in a while.

You were yourself a young filmmaker when you directed THE BROKEN LEGACY. When you look back at it, what are the main things that you would do differently now?

I think I was more insecure back then. For example, a sign of insecurity is when you feel like you need to have all the answers and, maybe, have control over everything. That’s another key lesson about the art of collaboration that I have learned since then: it is okay to rely on your team and it is okay to say “I am not really sure, what do you think?” or “You should check with this person that is in charge of that aspect”. That is something that definitely I do different now: I let go of more aspects of production and I trust my team more to handle it. Actually, that reminds me that back then, when we were shooting THE BROKEN LEGACY, in one of they key scenes we needed a prop: it was a tiramisu…

The dessert?

Yes, the dessert.

That’s my favorite!

Well, then you’re not going to like this story. Because of me not relying enough on my team, somehow, I ended up in charge of buying the actual tiramisu that we needed to shot the scene, and I completely forgot about it. Keep in mind, too, that this was not a production where I had a props master, or a big crew for that matter. But we were there that night, I blocked the scene, we were setting the lights when Michael Stahler, our wonderful actor, comes to me and asks me if we can do the next rehearsal with the tiramisu. Of course, my face turned green and I had to send one of our PAs running to a store nearby to get whichever dessert he could find. I was very lucky that he came back with a tiramisu, and we shot the scene, but I remember dreading that sensation of forgetting something. Now I realize that I don’t need to remember everything, but I need to surround myself with a team of people that will remember those kind of things for me.

What a fascinating anecdote. Thanks for sharing! Now, my next question has to do with your body of work: you started with a feature film, but lately you have been making short films. Is this intentional?

I am glad you ask that question. I think that feature films and short films are different in nature, and that each one serves to communicate a different kind of story. Perhaps that was another thing that I didn’t fully understand early in my career. Each story has a scope, which is a reference at how large it is, and that should inform you as a director about the best approach: not every story should be a feature film, and not every story should be a short film.

It is also true that out there “in the real world” it is easier to make a short film, and it is cheaper, which also allows you to have more freedom to play with it, to experiment and to make it very personal. It is easy to think of short films as “stepping stones” before making a feature film, but in my experience they are different and each one has its own value; sure, feature films can make more money and get a larger distribution, but short films will find a more specific audience, they feel more personal and they also allow you to tell more diverse stories, without too many limitations except for the run time. It’s crazy to think that today, in 2020, the biggest movie franchise in the world has 23 movies, and out of that pretty much 19 have a white cis man as the lead character. Mainstream movies still have a long way to truly be inclusive and representative of today’s diversity. Short films are an incredibly powerful tool to showcase that diversity that is lacking in the “big blockbuster” movies.

I think you are absolutely right about that. In what ways you think your short films have showcased diversity?

I think the best example of that is my film PAROUSIA. The question at the heart of the piece is: what would happen if Jesus comes back to Earth, but this time is a girl? I think that our tradition strongly identifies the idea of God with masculinity (they call God  “Father”, instead of “Mother”), which confuses me at different levels. First, God wouldn’t have a gender and couldn’t be conceived using binary categories like “masculine” or “feminine”. And second, even if we tried to apply those categories to God, we would find that there is a stronger alignment with feminine characteristics (for example, to create life). My main goal with the film is to raise awareness about these preconceived notions we have and make people question the way we think and talk about religion, at the same time that I am having a young girl of color be the protagonist, which is a very strong contrast with the way Jesus (and therefore God) is depicted, as a white man.

I am not particularly religious, but the message that God is in each and every one of us reads better when you portray God as a young girl too.

That sounds like a wonderful perspective to have on religion. What is the meaning of the title? Of “Parousia”?

It’s a Greek word that means “Arrival” but also it is commonly translated as “Second Coming”. I took a long time choosing the title of that film, and I am very glad that I could find that word, because it is so meaningful and so full of tradition. And that is exactly what I am hoping to achieve with the piece: to tell a very traditional and old story, but with a contemporary twist, which of course also means taking into account diversity and attempting to reflect that on the screen.

What is your future plan for this film?

We had a very successful run in the festival circuit; I was very lucky to have screened it in Pasadena, Sedona, Louisville and Madrid, every time to sold out audiences who were very eager to ask me questions and discuss after the credits rolled. That truly inspired to continue working on the same ideas. I mentioned before that short films have value, and they do, but I am excited to expand the themes, and hopefully the audience, of PAROUSIA in the near future. I think the ideas and the scope of the story could lead me to create a truly unique feature film. So that is my main focus right now. 

Miguel, thank you so much for your time and for your insights. I hope many young filmmakers will feel inspired by our words and by your work.

Thank you so much for having me. I am looking forward to meeting that next generation of filmmakers. And I will be very glad if I had a small influence in any of them.

Fox News Boss Buys Cheryl Tiegs’ Home!

Lachlan Murdoch, co-chair of News Corp and son of Rupert Murdoch, has purchased his supermodel-neighbor Cheryl Tiegs’ Balinese-style home for $14.1 million.  It was listed at $18.5 million.

Thursday, 8/27 Star-Studded Virtual Concert w/Coldplay’s Chris Martin, Demi Lovato, Actress Chrissy Metz + More for Angel City Virtual Games

By Jules Lavallee

Los Angeles, California (The Hollywood Times) 08/27/2020The 2020 Angel City Virtual Games Presented by The Hartford, the leading adaptive sports festival that is going virtual this year due to COVID-19, is hosting a special virtual concert to commemorate the 3rd & final week of the Games on Thursday, August 27 at 5pm PST. Tony Memmel, an adaptive guitarist singer-songwriter and teacher will host the event.  Blake Stadnik, from “This Is Us” — who like his character on the show has a visual impairment — will perform the Emmy-nominated song “Memorized” with a special appearance by Chrissy Metz. Pop singer-songwriter Emmanuel Kelly will perform with special appearances by Demi Lovato, Chris Martin, Terrence Howard & more. Athlete-rapper-poet-songwriter Muji Blades will also perform original music. Additional performers for the evening include frontline nurse and singer Nicole Grehn and singer-songwriter David Francisco. The annual Angel City Games is a multi-sport, Paralympic-style Adaptive Sports competition for kids, adults & veterans with physical disabilities and is sanctioned by Adaptive Sports USA.

https://youtu.be/ef183mUfDSI

For more information, please visit www.angelcitysports.org. @AngelCitySports   |  #AngelCityGames2020

About Angel City Sports

Angel City Sports provides year-round adaptive sports opportunities for children, adults and veterans with physical differences and impairments. The non-profit organization is focused on encouraging physical activity for people with disabilities and advancing the adaptive sports movement regionally and nationally in collaboration with programs such as US Paralympics, Move United, USA Volleyball, US Tennis Association and USA Track and Field. Debuting in 2015 and typically hosted at UCLA (but going virtual in 2020 due to COVID-19), the annual Angel City Games features clinics and competition in adaptive sports and activities including track & field, wheelchair basketball, wheelchair tennis, swimming, table tennis, sitting volleyball, and archery. Additional programs, clinics and events throughout the year cover an even wider range of adaptive sports and are open to people with physical differences. The organization also supports emerging school-based programs through adaptive sports equipment rental, coaching education and athlete training.

www.angelcitysports.org.