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Tag: identity

  • Auburn’s defense to be tested vs. sharpshooting Texas A&M offense

    (Photo credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images)

    Riding a four-game win streak and one of the nation’s top offenses, Texas A&M travels to face Auburn in a Southeastern Conference clash Tuesday night.

    The Aggies (11-3, 1-0 SEC) are coming off a three-point win over LSU on Saturday. They are averaging 94.7 points a game, fifth in the nation, and have scored over 100 points in a game six times.

    ‘Auburn is good,’ said first-year Aggies coach Bucky McMillan after the win. ‘They’re long. They’re really good at home. They’ve got good one-on-one players and they’ll be hungry after losing a close one to Georgia.’

    Auburn (9-5, 0-1) and Georgia played one of the most entertaining games of the season Saturday. The Tigers forced overtime when Kevin Overton scored on a baseline jumper after a missed Tigers free throw with 0.7 seconds left, but Georgia prevailed 104-100.

    New Auburn coach Steven Pearl was critical of his team’s defense in his postgame remarks.

    ‘Our one-on-one defense is terrible. We just continually work on it and let guys drive right around us. At some point, we’ve got to have an identity,’ Pearl said after the loss during which Georgia shot 52.3% from the floor. ‘I’m always going to figure out what I can do better. … But my team’s got to do a better job of finding out their identity defensively and taking some accountability in their one-on-one defense — because I can’t go out there and guard for them.’

    After reaching the Final Four last season, the Tigers have played one of the toughest schedules in the nation, losing to Top 10 teams Arizona, Michigan, Purdue and Houston all away from home.

    Four different Tigers are averaging double digits in points, led by UCF transfer Keyshawn Hall with 20.1 points and followed by guard Tahaad Pettiford with 15.1.

    But Pettiford didn’t start against Georgia because of disciplinary reasons.

    ‘It was a coach’s decision,’ Pearl said. ‘It was a failure to meet our team’s standards and expectations. Tahaad’s got to do a better job of leading by example. That’s something we continuously talk about.’

    McMillan has carried over his high-energy, fast-paced brand of ‘Bucky Ball’ in his first year at Texas A&M. The Aggies’ offense is led by Ruben Dominguez (13.6 points) and Rashaun Agee (13.0). The Aggies shoot over 30 threes a game and are second in the nation in assists (21.4 per game).

    With Mackenzie Mgbako done for the season with a foot injury, Agee is the team’s tallest starter at 6-foot-7.

    ‘We’ve got to be us,’ McMillan said. ‘There can’t be any confusion on what we are. We’re a three-point shooting team and a full-court pressing team. We’ve got to be who we are.’

    –Field Level Media

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  • Why We Do Such Weird Things in the Dark

    It was close to 9 p.m., Christmas Eve, and I was in a car with my family in the Swiss countryside. Down a succession of ever quieter and narrower roads, lit by yellow streetlamps in the villages, utterly black in the fields, we made our way to our destination, the hamlet of Ziefen. 

    The streets were absolutely silent. Not a soul was stirring, and we wondered if we were in the right place. Then, turning up the lane to the church, we caught them in our headlights: men with tall black hats.

    I was in Ziefen in the final, dark hours before Christmas because it’s then that the lights of the village go out, and silent men in hats as tall as houses walk through the streets. Around his neck, each walker bears a heavy, gonging cowbell. At the head of the procession is a man with a white beard, holding a long rod with a sooty rag at the tip. The men’s hats, I had read online, had to be seen to be believed: Based on the scant information I could dig up, they were strange constructions, eerie stove pipes towering some 20 or 30 feet.

    Switzerland isn’t the only place where haunting rituals are performed in the winter darkness. As the days grow shorter and the night draws in—and, it must be said, farmers find themselves with time on their hands—people get up to strange things. In the South Tyrol in December, demonic Krampuses—neighbors in elaborate, blood-curdling disguise—run through the streets. Between Christmas and January 6 in Germany, hairy monsters parade through darkened lanes. In late February—when days are longer, but darkness still reigns—chaotic Carnival festivities, in which the usual order of things is overturned, take the stage. Around the same time, the enormous costumed monsters of the Tschäggättä in Valais in Switzerland roam villages, scaring children and probably a few adults.

    What is it about the darkest time of the year that elicits these rituals? And what does it mean when someone puts on a mask of goat fur or a hat twenty feet tall? 

    “We have a long, rich history with darkness,” says Nick Dunn, a professor of urban design at Lancaster University in the U.K. and author of the book Dark Matters. And while the absence of light has many negative connotations—it is, after all, a state in which human ancestors might have been at greater risk of meeting nocturnal predators and in which, these days, you have a greater risk of stubbing your toe—that negativity is an interpretation we put on it, too. “It’s really worth remembering we are born with two innate fears: Falling and loud noises. We’re not born with a fear of darkness,” he says. Indeed, it’s the contrast with darkness that makes light interesting, says Tim Edensor, a professor of social and cultural geography at Manchester Metropolitan University who has worked with Dunn.

    What’s more, equating darkness with evil and goodness with light may be a relatively recent invention. Edensor links it to the rise of Christianity, a point echoed by University of Sussex anthropologist of magic Susan Greenwood. But even if you dissociate darkness from evil, darkness still holds power, she says.

    “There’s a myth throughout most of northern Europe of the Wild Hunt, this ghostly cavalcade that roams through wild places,” Greenwood says. “They are led by a deity, usually Odin or Woden, on horseback and accompanied by a load of really fierce wild hounds or black dogs.

    “When I was doing field work, I was working with a group of pagan witches in a coven, and they set a challenge whereby you had to walk alone through the wood at night, call in the Wild Hunt, and call a hound to earn the right of the woods,” says Greenwood, who gamely walked through the dark woods on her own. “It was absolutely terrifying,” she remembers. “These myths and legends, whatever we call them, they’re powerful.”

    As we walked into the village of Zeifen, we passed an array of hats. They were leaned against the wall of a barn, each mounted on a carrying frame like the ones used in a band to carry drums so that the weight would fall on the wearer’s shoulders while the brim rested on the head. We took a wrong turn and found ourselves in utter darkness hot-footing it down a path between fields when, from ahead of us, came more men in black carrying hats. We stepped to the side and let them go by.

    We made our way to the gas station (closed, like everything in the village on Christmas Eve). At this point we began to notice other people gathering. Until now the streets had been dead. But now there were nine or ten others, their faces dimly lit by the streetlamps. As we waited, more and more shadowy forms poured out of the alleyways of the town. There were no vendors, no festive mulled wine sellers, no noise to speak of—just the occasional low sound of voices.

    At 9 p.m., the church on the hill above rang the hour. And on the final stroke, the lights went out. The street was bathed in black. In the distance, a sudden clamor arose, an incredible din of innumerable bells. The walk had begun.

    Villager Franz Stohler, an 87-year-old Zeifen expert on this tradition, says that for more than 200 years, the walk has followed the same route around the ancient core of the village. The Nünichlingler, as the walkers are called, walk because in the past, the villagers believed that on these darkest, shortest days of the year, a window opened in the earth to another world, and spirits were loosed. The sound forces them back, away from the village for another year.

    The roar of bells in the darkness drew me like a magnet. They were moving now through the old streets of the town, and I walked with increasing urgency towards the sound. Then, in the distance, a camera flash lit up a hellish sight—wreathed in the smoke from village fires, a great black pipe organ, as tall as the houses on either side, heaved and rolled across the square. When the camera flash was over, we could again see nothing, only hear the fantastical sound of bells. But they were coming.

    When they passed by me, lit again by a camera flash, I saw the tallest hats walked at the front of the procession, and behind, in rows of three, came lower and lower hats, until at the end there were men in the simple felt hats of cowherds and long dark coats, clanging their bells. I ran alongside, my hands over my ears, watching the rippling movement of the tallest hats, some three or four times the height of their wearers. On, on they went, turning at the darkened gas station, off onto the byways, looping through the town. Our group had lost each other in the night and the cacophony—atomized by the strangeness—but miraculously found each other again.

    The hats are an addition to the older tradition, Stohler says, but the rule is that the tallest hats get to walk first. When he was a young man, after World War II, the tallest hats were only three feet or so high. Since then, they have grown and grown, although now they are as tall as they are likely to get, he thinks; the ancient route goes under powerlines, which place a natural limit on hat height.

    At one point, a car came whipping down the street, clearly on the way to nearby Basel and using this road as it was mostly meant to be used: as a modern highway. What must they have thought when hundreds of faces loomed out of the shadows on the shoulders of the road, a woman waved them furiously down and made them turn off their lights, and then, from the inky blackness, an enormous centipede of men in black hats with bells crawled from an alley and across their view. They must have felt a surge of uneasiness—here on Christmas Eve, maybe on their way to Mass, a fragment of an ancient, weird past had stopped their progress.

    On some level, these rituals of darkness are about keeping people in line, says Greenwood. The Krampus scares children, to remind them of the wages of naughtiness. The man at the front of the Nünichlinglers has a rag on a stick to attack anyone who might steal a glimpse out their window. (These days, Stohler notes, onlookers are welcome, but the stick endures.) Other rituals have similar morals. But they are also about the changing of the year, the beginning of the end of the short days. “It’s about reaching the deepest, darkest point in winter, and the rebirth of the light. That goes right through to the Christian nativity,” Greenwood says. “It’s the return of the light.”

    Stohler says that today, first and foremost, the Nünichlingler walk is an expression of joy. The young men who walk it—it is always the young men of the village—feel at the end that they have been through something, and come out the other side. The darkness won’t last forever.

    When we followed the walkers into the fields outside of town again at the procession’s end, on a cue from the leader they silenced their bells. The black hats tumbled like felled trees onto the grassy hillside. The men melted back into the village, bound for dinner, indistinguishable again from the crowd. 

    –

    Sascha Roger Kouba translated for Mr. Stohler.

    Veronique Greenwood

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  • Procession underway for Indian River Deputy shot and killed Friday morning

    Deputy Terri Sweeting-Mashkow was killed, and two others were critically injured after a shooting broke out during an eviction notice on Friday, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect, Michael Halberstam, was being evicted from the home by his mother. Three deputies arrived at the home with a locksmith to remove him. However, once they arrived at the entry of the home, Halberstam began shooting toward the officials. “We’ve had seven calls to this residence all this month,” Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said. “Almost all of them from the mother calling about him and her decision to ultimately evict him.” Sweeting-Mashkow, a 47-year-old deputy, had dedicated 25 years of service before losing her life. Halberstam and the locksmith are currently in critical condition and undergoing surgery. Sheriff Flowers stated that this marks the second line-of-duty death within the sheriff’s office in its 100-year history. A procession for Sweeting-Mashkow is expected to be underway at 5 p.m. on Friday. About the suspect Sheriff Flowers said Halberstam has a 2006 narcotic charge and a 2015 misdemeanor assault charge out of Virginia. Halberstam was allegedly fired from his job at UPS and previously made negative comments about the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office on his Facebook page. >>Watch the full news conference below

    Indian River County, FL, USA —

    Deputy Terri Sweeting-Mashkow was killed, and two others were critically injured after a shooting broke out during an eviction notice on Friday, according to the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office.

    The suspect, Michael Halberstam, was being evicted from the home by his mother.

    Three deputies arrived at the home with a locksmith to remove him.

    However, once they arrived at the entry of the home, Halberstam began shooting toward the officials.

    “We’ve had seven calls to this residence all this month,” Indian River County Sheriff Eric Flowers said. “Almost all of them from the mother calling about him and her decision to ultimately evict him.”

    Sweeting-Mashkow, a 47-year-old deputy, had dedicated 25 years of service before losing her life.

    Halberstam and the locksmith are currently in critical condition and undergoing surgery.

    Sheriff Flowers stated that this marks the second line-of-duty death within the sheriff’s office in its 100-year history.

    A procession for Sweeting-Mashkow is expected to be underway at 5 p.m. on Friday.

    About the suspect

    Sheriff Flowers said Halberstam has a 2006 narcotic charge and a 2015 misdemeanor assault charge out of Virginia.

    Halberstam was allegedly fired from his job at UPS and previously made negative comments about the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office on his Facebook page.

    >>Watch the full news conference below


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  • Justice Department sues to block laws restricting masked, unidentified law enforcement officers in California

    SACRAMENTO — The U.S. Department of Justice sued California on Monday to block newly passed laws that prohibit law enforcement officials, including federal immigration agents, from wearing masks and that require them to identify themselves.

    The laws, passed by the California Legislature and signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, came in the wake of the Trump administration’s immigration raids in California, when masked, unidentified federal officers jumped out of vehicles this summer as part of the president’s mass deportation program.

    Atty. Gen. Pamela Bondi said the laws were unconsitutional and endanger federal officers.

    “California’s anti-law enforcement policies discriminate against the federal government and are designed to create risk for our agents,” Bondi said in a statement. “These laws cannot stand.”

    The governor recently signed Senate Bill 627, which bans federal officers from wearing masks during enforcement duties, and Senate Bill 805, which requires federal officers without a uniform to visibly display their name or badge number during operations. Both measures were introduced as a response to the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration raids that are often conducted by masked agents in plainclothes and unmarked cars.

    The lawsuit, which names the state of California, Gov. Gavin Newsom and state Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta as defendants, asserts the laws are unconstitutional as only the federal government has the authority to control its agents and any requirements about their uniforms. It further argued that federal agents need to conceal their identities at times due to the nature of their work.

    “Given the personal threats and violence that agents face, federal law enforcement agencies allow their officers to choose whether to wear masks to protect their identities and provide an extra layer of security,” the lawsuit states. “Denying federal agencies and officers that choice would chill federal law enforcement and deter applicants for law enforcement positions.”

    Federal agents will not comply with either law, the lawsuit states.

    “The Federal Government would be harmed if forced to comply with either Act, and also faces harm from the real threat of criminal liability for noncompliance,” the lawsuit states. “Accordingly, the challenged laws are invalid under the Supremacy Clause and their application to the Federal Government should be preliminarily and permanently enjoined.”

    Newsom previously said it was unacceptable for “secret police” to grab people off the streets, and that the new laws were needed to help the public differentiate between imposters and legitimate federal law officers.

    The governor, however, acknowledged the legislation could use more clarifications about safety gear and other exemptions. He directed lawmakers to work on a follow-up bill next year.

    In a Monday statement, Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), who introduced SB 627, said the FBI recently warned that “secret police tactics” are undermining public safety.

    “Despite what these would-be authoritarians claim, no one is above the law,” said Wiener. “We’ll see you in court.”

    Katie King

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  • Man taken into custody after driving his car into security gate outside White House, authorities say

    Man taken into custody after driving his car into security gate outside White House, authorities say

    Updated: 12:48 AM EDT Oct 22, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    A man was taken into custody late Tuesday after driving his car into a security barrier outside the White House, authorities said.The U. S. Secret Service said the man crashed into the security gate at a White House entrance at 10:37 p.m. on Tuesday. The man was immediately arrested by officers from the Secret Service’s uniformed division, the agency said.Investigators searched his car and deemed it to be safe, Secret Service officials said in a statement.Authorities did not immediately provide any additional information about the crash, the driver’s identity, or any potential motivation.

    WASHINGTON —

    A man was taken into custody late Tuesday after driving his car into a security barrier outside the White House, authorities said.

    The U. S. Secret Service said the man crashed into the security gate at a White House entrance at 10:37 p.m. on Tuesday. The man was immediately arrested by officers from the Secret Service’s uniformed division, the agency said.

    Investigators searched his car and deemed it to be safe, Secret Service officials said in a statement.

    Authorities did not immediately provide any additional information about the crash, the driver’s identity, or any potential motivation.

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  • Human remains found in wooded area of Marion County

    Human remains found in wooded area of Marion County

    SURE TO BRING IT TO YOU ON AIR AND ONLINE. NEW TONIGHT. HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN MARION COUNTY. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THAT SOMEONE WAS WALKING THROUGH THE WOODS OFF OF 441 IN SUMMERFIELD. AND THEY MADE THE DISCOVERY ON SUNDAY. WESH 2’S HAYLEY CROMBLEHOLME JOINING US LIVE FROM THAT AREA TONIGHT. HAYLEY. THERE’S STILL SOME CRIME SCENE TAPE UP WHERE YOU ARE. THEY HAVE BEEN OUT HERE FOR MORE THAN A DAY AT THIS POINT. THIS IS AS CLOSE AS WE CAN SAFELY GET HERE. BUT THAT RED TAIL LIGHT YOU CAN SEE IN THE DISTANCE, THAT IS A DEPUTY’S CRUISER. AND JUST IN FRONT OF IT YOU CAN SEE CRIME SCENE TAPE STILL UP AROUND THOSE WOODS. NOW, AT THIS POINT, THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THEY DON’T KNOW HOW THIS PERSON DIED, BUT THEY ARE SAYING THESE REMAINS ARE NOT RELATED TO THE REMAINS FOUND JUST DAYS BEFORE IN MARION OAKS. I DON’T KNOW, IN THIS AREA, LIKE, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. IT’S NOT BEING SECURE LATELY. LEO DOMINGUEZ WORKS IN THE PLAZA IN SUMMERFIELD, ACROSS FROM THE WOODS WHERE SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES HAVE BEEN STATIONED FOR MORE THAN A DAY. HE SAID PLENTY OF CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN COMING IN ASKING WHAT’S GOING ON? ASKING THE SAME QUESTION BECAUSE THE CAR’S BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE ALREADY. THE MARION COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE TELLS US A PERSON WALKING THROUGH THESE WOODS OFF OF 441 CALLED IN AND REPORTED FINDING WHAT THEY THOUGHT WERE HUMAN REMAINS SUNDAY NIGHT, JUST BEFORE SEVEN, THEY SAID. DETECTIVES, FORENSIC TECHS IN THE MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE ALL CAME OUT AND CONFIRMED THE REMAINS WERE HUMAN. THEY DON’T KNOW HOW LONG THE REMAINS HAVE BEEN OUT THERE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE STATE THEY WERE IN, THEY DON’T BELIEVE IT’S RECENT. HUMAN REMAINS. ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. SO WE’VE GOT TO BE SECURE BY MONDAY. THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE STILL HASN’T DETERMINED HOW THE PERSON DIED. IF IT COULD BE NATURAL CAUSES OR SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS. BUT FOR ONE MAN WHO LIVES NEARBY, THE NEWS REMAINS WERE FOUND WAS STILL ENOUGH TO PUT HIM OFF HIS REGULAR WALKS IN THE AREA. BECAUSE I’M SCARED THERE MAY BE NOTHING NEFARIOUS ABOUT THE REMAINS FOUND IN THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAID THERE ISN’T ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO DETERMINE IF THEY COULD BE RELATED TO ANY OF THEIR ACTIVE CASES, BUT HE’S CONCERNED ALL THE SAME. I’M A FATHER TO A CHILD AND A HUSBAND TO A WIFE. I CANNOT RISK MYSELF, YOU KNOW, GETTING KILLED. I DON’T WANT TO END UP IN THE WOODS OR WHATEVER. LIKE I SAID, I GO WALKING ALL THE TIME AND I FEEL ENDANGERED RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW WHO WOULDN’T? KNOW? THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE SAYS THEY WILL BE BACK OUT HERE TOMORROW. THEY’LL BE LOOKING FOR AND COLLECTING MORE EVIDENCE. AND THEY WILL ALSO BE RECOVERING THOSE REMAINS AS SOON AS WE KNOW WHO THIS PERSON WAS AND HOW THEY DIED. WE’RE GOING TO BRING THAT TO YOU ON AIR AND ONLINE@WESH.COM COVERING MARION COUNT

    Human remains were found in a wooded area in Summerfield, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.This is the second time in the last week where the MCSO was called in to investigate or respond to an incident involving human remains being discovered. The MCSO responded to the 17000 block of South Highway 441, where forensic technicians and the medical examiner’s office confirmed the contents were human. The investigation aims to determine the person’s identity and what the cause and manner of death are. The remains were reported Sunday night just before 7 p.m. The sheriff’s office said they are not related to remains found in Marion Oaks Friday. Monday night the sheriff’s office was still investigating how the person died. They don’t yet know if it’s natural causes or a suspicious death. They don’t know how long the remains have been out there, but because of the state they were in, they don’t believe it’s recent.At this time, the MCSO is uncertain if the remains found are related to any current cases. >> This is a developing story and will be updated as new information is released

    MARION COUNTY, Fla. —

    Human remains were found in a wooded area in Summerfield, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

    This is the second time in the last week where the MCSO was called in to investigate or respond to an incident involving human remains being discovered.

    The MCSO responded to the 17000 block of South Highway 441, where forensic technicians and the medical examiner’s office confirmed the contents were human.

    The investigation aims to determine the person’s identity and what the cause and manner of death are.

    The remains were reported Sunday night just before 7 p.m. The sheriff’s office said they are not related to remains found in Marion Oaks Friday.

    Monday night the sheriff’s office was still investigating how the person died. They don’t yet know if it’s natural causes or a suspicious death. They don’t know how long the remains have been out there, but because of the state they were in, they don’t believe it’s recent.

    At this time, the MCSO is uncertain if the remains found are related to any current cases.

    >> This is a developing story and will be updated as new information is released

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  • Hot Take: I Actually Don’t Want to Embrace My Gray Hair

    It wasn’t too long ago that women were shamed for aging — told they looked “old” if they dared to embrace their gray hair. In fact, I never saw the women in my own family lean into it until well into their 70s or 80s. My Abuela Celeste didn’t start rocking her grays until her 70s, after my grandfather passed away. Before that, she always sported these beautiful ginger tones that looked stunning against her olive skin. My mom didn’t actually start graying until her 50s, and even now, at 66, she’s still not quite ready to make the plunge of going fully gray.

    In recent years, though, we’ve seen a growing movement of women — celebrities included — proudly refusing to cover up their grays. And while I deeply admire it and find it beautiful in so many ways, I’m not ready to join that bandwagon anytime soon. I’m 39, and only in the past few years started noticing a gray hair or two sprouting up. But this year — and I blame the stress 2025 has brought — I’ve started spotting a few more around my crown. And honestly? I’m just not ready to embrace them quite yet.

    As someone who only gets my highlights retouched once or twice a year, the thought of eventually having to touch up my roots regularly — even though I know I still have a few years before that becomes necessary — immediately stresses me out. To be honest, I just don’t see myself embracing grays before my 60s or 70s. Like my abuela, my mom, and all my tías, my relationship with beauty and vanity has always been directly tied to feeling empowered. The women in my family — especially my mom’s and my abuela’s generations — endured a lot. Not only in their personal lives, but also in carving out a place for themselves in a country that constantly told them they weren’t enough.

    My mother arrived from the Dominican Republic in Corona, Queens, when she was 13 years old. Assimilating to a new country while learning a new language and culture wasn’t easy. But one thing my abuela made sure of, as a new immigrant raising four young kids, including my mom, was that she was always going to feel good about herself and hold her head high every time she stepped outside the house. My grandmother showed up everywhere polished. It didn’t matter if she was heading to work or just walking to the corner bodega — she carried herself with style and elegance. She still does today at 97.

    In many ways, that was a survival skill passed down from the women before her, and one that all three of her daughters would go on to embrace. While everyone in my family has their own relationship with vanity — some more intense than others — one thing I’ve always taken from it is that when I look good, I feel good. My aura shifts when I like what I see in the mirror, and honestly, most days I do. Not because I don’t have flaws, but because I’ve learned to appreciate all of me — a confidence rooted in how dedicated I am to taking care of myself.

    The truth is, 2025 has been a challenging and scary year for many of us. One of the few things that has consistently brought me joy — and helped me hold onto my confidence in these unpredictable times — is making sure that whenever I leave the house, I love what I see in the mirror. I may not walk out with a full face of makeup like my abuela often did, but I always make sure my skin is moisturized, my nails are done, I feel good about what I’m wearing, and my hair looks polished by my standards. These days, that also means being proactive about how I’ll handle my grays as they start coming in.

    Like I mentioned before, I don’t yet have enough grays to justify regular root-touchup appointments with my colorist. But they’ve become noticeable enough that I sometimes find myself plucking a few before heading out the door. That’s what sent me down a rabbit hole — researching what actually causes gray hair and exploring natural ways I might slow the process down.

    I started searching on TikTok and quickly came across countless videos of influencers bragging about reversing their grays with Mary Ruth’s Gray Guard Liposomal. While there isn’t any concrete evidence that liposomal supplements can actually reverse gray hairs, some studies suggest it may help slow or support the process by enhancing the absorption of ingredients like copper and B vitamins.

    It’s only been about three weeks since I added the supplement to my routine, and so far I haven’t noticed any changes. Still, I’m giving it a shot — most of the influencers I saw on TikTok said they didn’t notice results until at least a month in. I’m also pretty convinced that my new grays are stress-induced, so I’ve been focusing on managing my stress, getting enough sleep, and exercising daily to hopefully prevent even more from showing up.

    I believe one’s relationship with vanity is deeply personal. For me, it has never felt exhausting or consuming. I’m not a big makeup girl, and most of my approach to beauty is pretty natural — with the exception of my gel acrylic nails and my highlights. I’m not addressing my grays because I feel pressured to fit into society’s mold of what a woman in her late 30s should look like. Presenting myself in a way that feels true to who I am — at least right now — for me is its own form of resistance. I choose to care for myself, to love myself, and to make sure I feel like my baddie self every single day in a world that profits from me hating who I am as a brown-skinned Latina woman in her late 30s. This is my armor. This is my superpower. Because no matter what obstacles come my way, I’m choosing to love myself through it.

    Johanna Ferreira is the content director for PS Juntos. With more than 10 years of experience, Johanna focuses on how intersectional identities are a central part of Latine culture. Previously, she spent close to three years as the deputy editor at HipLatina, and she has freelanced for numerous outlets including Refinery29, Oprah magazine, Allure, InStyle, and Well+Good. She has also moderated and spoken on numerous panels on Latine identity.

    Johanna Ferreira

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  • Sacramento police arrest Yuba City man for alleged $30,000 scam

    HE IS, CALL THE STANISLAUS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE. SACRAMENTO POLICE ARRESTED A MAN SUSPECTED OF SCAMMING A WOMAN OUT OF NEARLY $30,000. TODAY, SACRAMENTO POLICE ANNOUNCING THEY ARRESTED 36 YEAR OLD BALWINDER SINGH OF YUBA CITY. HE WAS BOOKED ON FELONY CHARGES. POLICE RELEASING THIS PHOTO OF MONEY. OFFICERS SAY THE SUSPECT HAD. RENEE THOMAS TOLD US IT STARTED WITH AN EMAIL THAT SHE THOUGHT WAS FROM PAYPAL. WE SPOKE WITH HER LAST MONTH, THE SCAMMER TOLD THOMAS HER IDENTITY AND INFORMATION HAD BEEN USED TO OPEN 22. PAYPAL ACCOUNTS AND PROMISED TO HELP AND TOLD HER TO WITHDRAW HER LIFE SAVINGS AND CASH. AND THEN THEY CAME TO HER HOUSE TO TO PICK IT UP. ONLINE SCAMS CAN BE INHERENTLY CHALLENGING. IT’S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS OVER THE INTERNET, SO NOT NOTHING THAT YOU KNOW THAT IS EASILY TRACKED FACE TO FACE. IN THIS CASE, WE WERE ABLE TO LOCATE THE SUSPECT’S VEHICLE. TECHNOLOGY CAN BE A CHALLENGING POINT FOR THE ELDERLY COMMUNITY, UNDERSTANDABLY. AND SO A LOT OF TIMES THEY DO FALL VICTIM TO THESE INTERNET TYPE OF PHISHING SCAMS. WELL, POLICE SAY THEY ARE HOLDING CASH AS EVIDEN

    Sacramento police arrest Yuba City man for alleged $30,000 scam

    Updated: 10:57 PM PDT Sep 23, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    Sacramento police arrested 36-year-old Balwinder Singh of Yuba City on felony charges, suspecting him of scamming a woman out of her life savings.Last month, KCRA 3 spoke to Rhane Thomas, the victim, who said it started with an email she believed was from PayPal. The accused scammer told Thomas her identity and information had been used to open 22 PayPal accounts, promised to help, and instructed her to withdraw her life savings in cash, which he then collected from her home.Thomas shared her surveillance video with KCRA 3, which captured the moment she walked up to the car and handed over a box she said contained $28,000.Allison Smith, spokesperson with Sacramento Police, said identifying the vehicle was a key part of the investigation. “Online scams can be inherently challenging. It’s something that happens over the Internet,” said Smith. “In this case, we were able to locate this suspect’s vehicle.”Police say the cash is being held as evidence. “We do need all of that information for evidence for future prosecution,” said Smith. “In terms of like the timelines of things of when people are getting their finances back, that’s hard to say.”See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    Sacramento police arrested 36-year-old Balwinder Singh of Yuba City on felony charges, suspecting him of scamming a woman out of her life savings.

    Last month, KCRA 3 spoke to Rhane Thomas, the victim, who said it started with an email she believed was from PayPal.

    The accused scammer told Thomas her identity and information had been used to open 22 PayPal accounts, promised to help, and instructed her to withdraw her life savings in cash, which he then collected from her home.

    Thomas shared her surveillance video with KCRA 3, which captured the moment she walked up to the car and handed over a box she said contained $28,000.

    Allison Smith, spokesperson with Sacramento Police, said identifying the vehicle was a key part of the investigation.

    “Online scams can be inherently challenging. It’s something that happens over the Internet,” said Smith. “In this case, we were able to locate this suspect’s vehicle.”

    Police say the cash is being held as evidence.

    “We do need all of that information for evidence for future prosecution,” said Smith. “In terms of like the timelines of things of when people are getting their finances back, that’s hard to say.”

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Faux Locs Have Become the Secret Weapon in My Curly Hair Routine

    Growing up, my relationship with my hair was anything but simple. I was raised in a Dominican household where curly hair wasn’t seen as beautiful; it was seen as something to fix, smooth out, and straighten. As a result, my family ensured that I visited the Dominican salon for regular relaxers and blowouts. It wasn’t until 2016 that I truly began to embrace my natural texture. However, one of the biggest misconceptions about going natural is that caring for curly hair becomes easier once you stop straightening or using relaxers. Trust me, it doesn’t.

    I have 3C-type hair, which means my curls are tightly coiled and can be a little testy at times. There are days when my curls are absolutely perfect, and I feel like the most confident woman in the room. But let me be real, those times don’t last very long. On a good week, I get maybe three days where my curls are in their prime. The rest of the time, it’s all about moisture, styling, and making sure my hair stays protected. In other words, caring for curls can be a full-time job. It’s not something you can do half-heartedly. It’s not for the weak, which is why faux locs have become a major game-changer for me.

    Faux locs entered my life as a way to save time and protect my natural curls. I needed a break from the constant maintenance of my curls, but I still wanted a look that was stylish and easy to manage. Faux locs gave me that. I can choose the length, style, and color to fit my vibe for the day. Plus, they’re a lot easier to maintain than chemically straightened hair. I don’t have to worry about humidity or rainy days interfering with my hair. I can wake up and know that my hair will stay intact for at least three weeks. I can say goodbye to frizz and embrace worry-free styling every day.

    And as someone with a busy schedule, faux locs have become a lifesaver for me. Whether I’m heading to an audition, a comedy show, or a big event, I can rely on my locs to look great, no matter what. They give me confidence in a way that my curls sometimes don’t, simply because I know they’ll stay on point. Plus, faux locs are super versatile. I can try different looks without committing to something permanent.

    Now, the cost of faux locs can be a little steep — I’m not going to lie. In California, they can run you around $600, while in New York, you might get a good set for around $300. But here’s the thing: I’ve learned how to do them myself, which saves me a ton of money. It takes me about six hours to do them properly — four hours if I’m feeling lazy and don’t care about how the back looks. But when I’m done, I feel like I’ve accomplished something major. It’s one less thing I have to worry about for a few weeks.

    Sometimes, I think about making faux locs a permanent part of my style. They’re just so easy and low-maintenance. But then I think about my curls, and I can’t imagine giving them up. I’ve spent so many years trying to embrace them, and now I’m finally at a place where I love them. I’ve come to realize that my curls are actually an integral part of my identity, and they are not something I need to change. So, for now, I enjoy the best of both worlds: curly hair for those days I want to feel unstoppable, and faux locs when I need a break.

    Ultimately, what I’ve learned is that hair is an expression of who you are. Whether curly, straight, loc’ed, or anything in between, it’s a choice, and for me, that choice is about feeling empowered and confident in whatever style I choose. And let’s be real, as a Dominican woman in the entertainment industry, having the freedom to express myself through my hair is a power I’ll never take for granted.

    Sasha Merci is a first-generation Dominican American actor, comedian, and viral digital creator. She showcases over a decade of diverse experience in entertainment with roles in films like “Righteous Thieves” and “De Lo Mio,” along with collaborations with renowned brands such as Target and Bumble. She shares her Bronx roots and passion for Latine culture by being vocal about mental health and navigating comedy.

    Sasha Merci

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  • Shakira’s New Curly-Hair Line Is Redefining What It Means to Have “Pelo Bueno”

    Isima
    Isima
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    Show me a curly-haired girl, and I know immediately: that’s someone who’s had a complicated relationship with her hair. Curly hair is never just hair — it’s a history of unlearning and relearning. Behind every curl is a memory, a myth, a story, and the journey of growing to love what once needed to be tamed.

    Even Shakira — whose goddess-like curls are as iconic as her voice — has been there. After years of experimenting with treatments, products, and even collaborating with a pharmacist to develop her own customized formulas, the Colombian singer dreamed of a line that could serve other curly-haired girls — especially Latinas — who’ve long struggled to find products that truly meet their needs. Enter Isima, a new line of science-backed, innovative products made for curls, available only at Ulta.

    Unlike most curly-haired Latinas — especially those from her generation — Shakira’s struggles with her hair didn’t stem from the cultural pressure to style it straight. While she occasionally wore a sleek style or fresh blowout, she mostly embraced her natural texture, especially when she began performing live.

    “I guess I didn’t have a choice, because when I’m on stage, I need to feel empowered — I need to feel true to myself,” she tells PS. “I’m free. I cannot wear super high heels. I cannot wear a wig.”

    Shakira’s complicated hair journey was brought on by the damage that came with coloring, heat styling, and treatments like Brazilian keratin.

    She shares that her healthiest hair days were before she started coloring it — when she still wore her natural color.

    “It used to be, believe it or not, really dark — almost black,” she says. “[It was] very shiny and wavy. I had soft waves. I guess with years and hormonal changes, the texture changed quite a lot. It has become a little more curly, I would say, and even frizzier.”

    True Shakira fans who have been following her career and listening to her music since the “Pies Descalzos” and “Dónde Están Los Ladrones” days remember her long dark hair as much as we remember her red hair phase.

    “I had decided to bleach it and make it bright red [and] obviously, to go from almost black hair to red — I had to really bleach it. So, my hair suffered a lot, and that was kind of the beginning of the end,” she says with a laugh. “But it was still a very important part of my identity. That was around the time I did MTV Unplugged, and I did it with a kind of punkish, reddish hair that sort of represented an era and a period in life. The way I wear my hair has a lot to do with the way I feel. It has always been a huge part of my identity.”

    While many curly-haired women — including Latinas and Black women — proudly embrace the phrase “I am not my hair” (a nod to India Arie’s iconic 2006 single), plenty of us also recognize the deep connection between our hair, our identity, and how we show up in the world. Shakira herself has admitted in interviews that cutting her hair into a short lob was one of her biggest regrets — she just didn’t feel like herself. As a curly-haired girl with even tighter curls than Shakira’s, I relate. Every time I’ve chopped my long curls into a lob, it’s felt like I’m losing a superpower. It’s women like us — Latinas like us — who inspired Shakira to dream up a line that truly understands and serves our hair’s unique needs.

    “Women like us are underserved, in a way,” she tells me after complimenting my waist-long curls — a mix of 3B and 3C spirals.

    I didn’t always hear compliments on my hair; in fact, I grew up hearing I had “pelo malo.” For those unfamiliar, pelo bueno (“good hair”) and pelo malo (“bad hair”) are terms rooted in colonial Latin America, dating back to the Casta system — a racial hierarchy imposed by the Spanish that favored proximity to whiteness. Coily and curly textures were often associated with the hair of enslaved Black people and deemed undesirable, a harmful legacy that has continued to shape Latin American beauty standards. But in the past decade, younger Latinas have begun to reclaim and redefine those terms, including Shakira, who believes good hair simply means healthy hair, period.

    “Pelo bueno is hair that’s bouncy — [it’s hair] that is natural. [Hair] that makes you feel confident and that is healthy,” she says. “So, it doesn’t matter what texture your hair is. It just needs to feel like you give it some love.”

    “Pelo bueno is hair that’s bouncy — [it’s hair] that is natural. [Hair] that makes you feel confident and that is healthy.”

    With curly hair being especially vulnerable to dryness and breakage, Isima is focused specifically on deep hydration and repair.

    “This is inspired by Latina women because in my community, there’s so much diversity. In Latin America, you find all kinds of textures,” she says. One of Shakira’s favorite products in the line is the Súperbomba Triple Repair Peptide Mask ($38), a rich, deep-conditioning treatment that checks all the boxes. Formulated with patented nonapeptides, hydrolyzed soy and rice proteins, and a unique glyconabond complex, this product is designed to nourish the scalp, repair hair bonds, and deliver intense hydration after every wash. Shakira uses it once a week, leaving it on for five to 10 minutes, depending on her schedule.

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    And while countless celebrities have launched beauty brands, few deliver the way Isima does. Shakira truly thought through every step of wash day — a ritual she calls sacred.

    “The day I wash my hair, I know I’ll get at least five minutes of peace where my kids won’t interrupt my shower,” she says. “My assistant isn’t allowed in. So, I need those minutes to really count.”

    From start to finish, she considered it all. Instead of offering just one shampoo, Isima includes two. There’s Reset ($32), a clarifying shampoo that deeply cleanses the scalp without stripping the hair. Then there’s Riquísima ($32), a hydrating shampoo infused with Mexican aloe extract that gently cleanses while replenishing moisture — ideal for following Reset.

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    Shakira is also the first curly-hair brand founder to launch a blue shampoo specifically for color-treated curls — a game changer, considering how harsh most blue and purple shampoos can be on textured hair.

    There’s also Suavísima ($32), a rinse-out conditioner so hydrating that I’ve been able to skip the hair masks on busy wash days and still have silky, soft curls.

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    For styling, Shakira likes to apply Curls Don’t Lie ($32) — an appropriately named curl cream — on soaking wet hair, scrunching it in before sealing everything with Delicia Reparative Hair Oil ($36) for an extra boost of hydration.

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    “I know for some people it feels heavy but no, I need that,” she says. “I think women like us need more. It’s like the phrase — less is more. But it doesn’t apply to hair like ours. We need more. We need more hydration, more moisture, more performance, more strength — all of it. “

    The line also includes All In ($32), a restorative leave-in conditioner that can be used in place of the curl cream or layered with it for extra hydration. It’s lightweight enough for looser waves but rich enough to deliver serious moisture. Then there’s Iconic ($42), a scalp serum designed to hydrate, soothe, and balance the scalp while promoting stronger, healthier, and thicker strands.

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    As for the name Isima, let’s just say it wasn’t chosen at random. In Spanish, “ísima” is a superlative suffix that inspired the names of her shampoos and conditioners — as in riquísima (very rich) or suavísima (very smooth). Shakira brought that same level of thoughtfulness to the packaging: the shampoos and conditioners come with both pump dispensers and fully removable caps, allowing you to get every last drop.

    As someone who grew up in Dominican hair salons, where I would get my curls blown out straight every weekend to hide any trace of texture, I rarely saw celebrities openly inspire others to embrace their natural hair. There was a specific way I dreamed of wearing my curls — long, flowy, and full of definition. But very few celebs at the time reflected that vision. The only ones who came close were Keri Russell in “Felicity,” Jennifer Freeman, and, of course, Shakira.

    So the fact that one of my actual hair icons not only launched a curly-hair line designed specifically for women like me but also sat with me and personally walked me through what products would work best for my spirals felt surreal. It was an honor.

    “I have 30 years of a career making music, and I feel like I have a certain credibility. I want to make sure that these products deliver what they promise,” she says. And honestly, the quality speaks for itself — it’s clear she’s been preparing her whole hair life for this moment.

    Johanna Ferreira is the content director for PS Juntos. With more than 10 years of experience, Johanna focuses on how intersectional identities are a central part of Latine culture. Previously, she spent close to three years as the deputy editor at HipLatina, and she has freelanced for numerous outlets including Refinery29, Oprah magazine, Allure, InStyle, and Well+Good. She has also moderated and spoken on numerous panels on Latine identity.

    Johanna Ferreira

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  • A Bruja’s Guide to Making the Most of Eclipse Season

    Eclipse season is a time of year when major shifts take place internally and externally. Indigenous peoples from the Americas, the Caribbean, and Latin America paid respect to the land, the sun, and the moon during this rebirth and transformation. Traditions practiced for thousands of years are honored, creating a powerful connection between the physical and spiritual world.

    The interconnectedness of all things is a strong belief within many Indigenous groups as a way of life. Eclipse season is a time when that connection can be strengthened and confirmed to Spirit. The energy is powerful whether it’s a solar or lunar eclipse, partial or full. Modern times have disconnected many of us from the interconnectedness of all things that are foundational beliefs of Indigenous peoples. We can regain it by honoring the spiritual traditions passed down through generations by our ancestors.

    A total lunar eclipse on March 14 will follow the Full Moon in Virgo’s peak and will be visible throughout the United States and South America, as well as parts of Europe and Africa. On March 29, we welcome a partial solar eclipse, which coincides with the New Moon in Aries. This creates an excellent time for manifesting and gathering in community with others to raise the vibration here on Earth.

    What is a Lunar Eclipse?

    A lunar eclipse is a dance between the sun, moon, and Earth. The Earth takes the lead, moving between the sun and the moon and casting a shadow on the moon. Lunar eclipses, whether partial or full, only occur during a full moon, which creates heightened energy on its own. Spiritually, lunar eclipses are respected as a transformative time. It brings the shadowy sides of ourselves to the surface to be healed.

    What is a Solar Eclipse?

    A solar eclipse is another kind of astrological dance when the moon leads, passing between the sun and Earth. Partial solar eclipses happen when the moon blocks only a portion of the sun. Whether the moon is blocking the sun fully or partially, it casts a shadow on parts of the Earth. The energy can be felt across our planet. Like a lunar eclipse, solar eclipses hold spiritual significance as powerfully transformative times. As the moon momentarily blocks the sun, we can honor the shadow work that is so essential to spiritual growth and healing.

    What Indigenous Spiritual Rituals Are Done During a Lunar Eclipse?

    Indigenous people often practiced deep introspection during lunar eclipses. Many traditions include fasting, abstaining from sexual activity, staying indoors, prayer, and meditation. Their stillness was a way to show respect to Mother Earth and the Great Spirit for the significant cosmic changes and renewals taking place during the lunar eclipse.

    Palo Santo and Copal are great during this time. You can even mop your floors with a mixture of warm water, Florida Water, and Rue Water. Rue, or ruda, has been used for centuries to remove evil energy from spaces and people. It cannot be consumed but is quite powerful as a cleanser or in spiritual baños or limpias.

    After your space has been cleansed of negativity, stagnant energy, and blockages to joy and inner peace, it’s time to fill your home with gratitude and love. Consider gathering everyone who lives in the home together to meditate and pray. Hold hands in a circle and tune into the energy that is created. Deep breathing together and even long embraces can improve the flow of energy in your home, community, and the world at large. It begins within us and will naturally flow outward.

    What Indigenous Spiritual Rituals Are Done During a Solar Eclipse?

    Solar eclipses are honored and respected in similar ways to lunar eclipses. Some Indigenous groups believe staying indoors shows respect for the sun’s symbolic death and rebirth during the eclipse. Other traditions include being outdoors during the eclipse and dancing under the sun in celebration of its life-giving energy or partaking in naming ceremonies to honor new life. When the moon casts its shadow over the light, engulfing the planet in momentary darkness, silence, prayer, and meditation occur until the sun’s rays return.

    In Western civilization, we often wear protective glasses to marvel at solar eclipses. But Indigenous traditions believe the opposite. As a sign of respect for this display of life’s cycles between the light and the dark, Indigenous groups did not look up at it but instead turned inward to connect with it on a spiritual level and allow the energy of the eclipse to flow through them.

    The upcoming March 29 partial solar eclipse would be a great time to celebrate as the sun shines and then revert into stillness as the moon casts its shadow. Think of yourself as a plant that has survived winter. You may have to prune the parts of yourself that have died or are dying. This could be old ways of thinking, patterns, or even people and places you may have outgrown. Dig deep to find the parts of you that are no longer needed and remove them so the other parts can grow strong and healthy. You could write a list celebrating your journey, who you are becoming, and what you need to let go of or remove to fully be reborn during the solar eclipse, which follows the March 20 spring equinox.

    Herbs to Work with During Eclipse Season

    Herbs act as allies during eclipse season. Whether you’re using them as an ingredient in a spiritual baño or limpia, or sipping it in a tea, plants are intelligent beings. They can maximize the robust energy exchange that occurs between us and astrological transits. Here are some herbs to consider incorporating in your spiritual rituals:

    Mugwort: to deepen meditation and enhance dreams.

    Ginkgo Biloba: to strengthen spiritual communication with the divine.

    Skullcap: to ease a running mind and deepen meditation.

    Chamomile: to calm the nervous system and heal mother wounds.

    Sage: for cleansing your space and yourself from blockages, stagnant, and negative energy.

    Crystals to Work With During Eclipse Season

    Solar eclipses are a great time to charge your crystals. After praying and setting intentions for your crystals, you can place them on a window sill or someplace outside. Holding them in your hands during eclipse meditations and prayers is also super powerful. Here are some go-to’s for the eclipse season:

    Black Tourmaline: for protection and to shield negativity within or from another.

    Flower Agate: for a deeper connection to Spirit and to embrace new beginnings.

    Sunstone: to amplify the sun’s energy within your soul and build confidence.

    Red Jasper: to ground and connect deeply with Mother Earth.

    Selenite: for protection, clarity, and honoring your higher self.

    Essential Oils For Eclipse Season

    Our sense of smell can deepen meditation and assist in soul-journeying through aroma therapy. You can amplify your eclipse ritual by rubbing a little oil on your wrists, behind your ears, third eye, or heart chakra. You can also use incense or a diffuser if you prefer not to have it on your physical body. Here are five essential oils that act as a powerful support for eclipse season spiritual rituals:

    Frankincense: to deepen spiritual connection and support along your life’s journey.

    Vetiver: for grounding and connecting to Mother Earth.

    Peppermint: to calm the nervous system.

    Patchouli: to enhance psychic abilities and honor your intuition.

    Ylang Ylang: to combat anxiety, stress, and sadness and enhance feelings of joy.

    Tarot Cards to Work With During Eclipse Season

    If you are into tarot cards, you can display a card that coincides nicely with the energy of eclipse season. The card you choose to display acts as a symbol of your intentions for your eclipse spiritual ritual. Here are some examples:

    The Hermit: to symbolize the need for an intentional pause and go deeply inward for spiritual guidance.

    Death card: a representation of a symbolic death taking place within yourself, giving way to a new way of being and living.

    The Moon: to reveal hidden emotions and illusions and dive deep into the subconscious mind.

    The Hanged Man: to truly let go and surrender.

    Prayer For Eclipse Season

    Great Spirit, I pray for profound transformation and clarity during this eclipse season. I honor Mother Earth by quieting my mind and tuning into her frequency as the moon and sun dance in the sky. I am aware of the significance of this season and honor ancestral medicine as a way to find balance in my life and continue the traditions passed down through my lineage. I am one with the Earth, the sun, the moon, and the stars. By honoring the elements, I honor myself, you, Great One, and the constant shifts and changes that this life brings. As above, so below. Thank you, thank you, thank you. So, be it.

    Zayda Rivera is a PS contributor. She has been a professional writer for more than 20 years. Z is a certified Reiki Master-Teacher, yoga and Zumba instructor, mindfulness and meditation guide, tarot reader, and spiritual mentor.

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  • Bad Bunny’s “Debí Tirar Más Fotos” Tells Puerto Rico’s History

    The opening track of Bad Bunny’s sixth studio album, “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” which was released on Jan. 5, doesn’t begin in the way many of us have come to expect typical reggaetón songs to start. There are no heavy synths underlining the intro, no plucky “wite” melody (how Puerto Ricans refer to the iconic melody sampled from Jamaica’s “Bam Bam” riddim), and no pounding dembow bassline. Instead, “Nuevayol” opens with a sample from the salsa classic “Un Verano En Nueva York” by El Gran Combo, the first sign we are in for something different. And by the time the album’s 17 tracks are through, we’ve been taken on a tour through Puerto Rico’s rich musical history. This is Bad Bunny’s most Puerto Rican and emotionally vulnerable album yet, where he uses the island’s musical soundscape as a canvas to comment on its many sociopolitical issues while cultivating the musical terroir of Puerto Rico’s future.

    “Debí Tirar Más Fotos,” which translates to “I should’ve taken more photos,” comes at a crucial time for Puerto Ricans, both on the island and throughout the diaspora. With the same administration that has helped lead the island into corruption and decay about to take office yet again, there is no guarantee that our traditions or way of life won’t be directly impacted. Such is the march of time, and the impact of over 500 years of colonization cannot be understated.

    Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez, seems to understand this better than most. The album is framed loosely by the idea of the singer entering the new year alone, reflecting on a lost love, which can easily correlate to the loss of agency, sleep, and a promising future many Puerto Ricans are grappling with. Our beaches are slowly being poisoned. Our lands are being sold to crypto billionaires. And our lights still won’t stay the fuck on.

    Given these circumstances, it’s not hard to see how the nostalgia of the past can serve as an escape. But Martínez, while his character might be drinking pitorro and reminiscing about an ex, isn’t getting lost in nostalgia. He’s using it to bridge the gap between the island’s past and its future. While the opening track starts with a salsa sample, which shouts out Puerto Rican legends like salsero Willie Colón and the owner of the last standing Puerto Rican social club in NYC, Maria Antonia Cay (known as Toñita), the second song on the album, “Baile Inolvidable,” sees Martínez harmonizing in his typical urbano cadence over the horns, keys, and typical salsa orchestration provided by Libre de Musica San Juan. This is followed by tracks borrowed from less commercial genres, such as bomba y plena, música jíbara, and bachata. However, while the sonic landscape of “DTMF” owes much to the island’s past, the voices it features are primed to shape the island’s musical tradition for years to come.

    Puerto Rico’s next big thing, RaiNao, is featured on the track “Perfumito Nuevo,” a sexy, upbeat reggaetón number with pulsing, alternating dembow rhythms that are perfect for a day-trip across Puerto Rico’s sunbaked carreteras. The very next track, “Weltito,” calls in assistance from up-and-coming Latin jazz, tropical fusion quartet Chuwi.

    Martínez might be a once-in-a-generation superstar, but he’s always understood that he is part of a bigger musical tradition, one that includes greats like Hector Lavoe, Andres Jimenez, Olga Tanon, Big Pun, Tego Calderon, and many more. And with that comes a certain responsibility. Martínez knows that any artist he features will be springboarded into the spotlight, and he uses his platform accordingly to ensure that the tradition continues long after he’s gone.

    There’s been a “recent back to the roots” movement sweeping across the underground scene in PR, with new artists experimenting with more traditional sounds, which the artists featured on the album, including Chuwi, Rainao, Omar Courtz, and Dei V are all a part of. Even Rauw Alejandro stepped up to embrace a more classic style and pay homage to the diaspora on his last album with a cover of ‘Tú Con El” by Frankie Ruiz. So it’s no surprise that after “nadie sabe lo que vas a pasar mañana,” the trap masterclass that was his last album, Martínez’s latest project would have him going in a more eclectic direction and using his platform to help push the island’s sound in that direction.

    But in many ways, Bad Bunny is also kind of an anti-superstar. Whereas being a pop star often means trading in a more cultivated sound for something that appeals to the masses, Martínez has done the opposite. The more his fame has grown, the more his musical trajectory has diverged from typical pop stardom, leading him down the path of auteur and activist similar to hip hop artist and rapper Kendrick Lamar. Similarly, as his fame has grown, his albums have become less accessible and more insular. “DTMF” is not an album that caters to outside audiences. It’s not meant to appeal to tourists, something the artist touches on in the track “Turista,” a cautionary tale about falling in love with the superficial but being unwilling to accept or live with a person’s or, in this case, a place’s imperfections.

    But maybe the most impactful track on the disc is “Lo Que Le Paso a Hawaii.” On it, Bad Bunny examines the similarities between Hawaii and Puerto Rico, how both were made U.S. territories in 1898 and how the transition from colony to statehood has served the American interests while raising the cost of living and marginalizing native Hawaiians. It is an eerily similar parallel to what Martínez sees occurring today in Puerto Rico: the influx of American ex-pats, the gentrification of cultural centers, and the government’s push for statehood. It’s no wonder the artist was brought to tears on a recent visit to San Juan. The album is filled with bittersweet sentiments like these.

    If “Un Verano Sin Ti” was a love letter to Caribbean culture (Spanish and non-Spanish speaking alike), and “nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana” was an homage to the street life of Puerto Rico, then “DTMF” is a celebration of who we are as people, a testament to our grit, and our contribution to music as whole. Sure, the traditional genres are well represented here, but there are also touches of house and spoken word, which remind us of the roles we’ve played in elevating those arts.

    Martínez is wielding nostalgia as a weapon here, taking aim at those who would see us pushed off our lands and erased from history, and he’s doing it in the most Puerto Rican of ways: by making noise. And in the process, he’s fully come into his own as an artist and visionary. And that vision puts his island and his people front and center in everything he does. As he says on one of my favorite tracks from the album “EoO”: “You’re listening to Puerto Rican music. We grew up listening to and singing this. In the projects, in the hoods. Since the 90s, the 2000s until forever.”

    Miguel Machado is a journalist with expertise in the intersection of Latine identity and culture. He does everything from exclusive interviews with Latin music artists to opinion pieces on issues that are relevant to the community, personal essays tied to his Latinidad, and thought pieces and features relating to Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican culture.

    Miguel Machado

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  • How Indigenous Artist Sophie Castillo’s Ancestors Inspire Her Music

    There’s a reason Sophie Castillo’s discography doesn’t focus on one genre, one language, or any one rhythm. The London-born Colombian-Cuban is a multifaceted artist whose music is a testament to the cross-cultural environment she grew up in. You might recognize Castillo from TikTok, where her song “Call Me By Your Name” became one of her most listened-to tracks. Her ability to seamlessly blend Spanish and English over a bachata beat has undoubtedly earned the admiration of listeners.

    Castillo began singing at the age of 3. While she was growing up, her Colombian mother and Cuban father, who were the first people in their respective families to immigrate to the UK, played only Latin music — specifically salsa. “My family was always playing a lot of salsa, so Grupo Niche, Fruko y Sus Tesos, Joe Arroyo, Celia Cruz,” Castillo says. And her love of and talent for musical theater was recognized early. When Castillo was around 5, she performed in a school show and left an adult audience teary-eyed. This resulted in her mom and uncles placing her in an after-school drama program that allowed her to practice music and pursue acting, singing, and dancing. “This has been a lifelong dream of mine,” the now 26-year-old says.

    When she reflects on her childhood, the importance of Castillo’s representation of the Latine community in UK media becomes clear. “I definitely had my issues as a kid growing up with not feeling represented,” she says. As a result, she idealized Eurocentric features in Barbie dolls, films, and toys. Castillo says she didn’t see herself in any of these areas growing up. “I never saw any type of Indigenous representation of Latina women,” she notes.

    “When I was a kid and didn’t have the language to have those conversations, I had insecurities, but then as soon as I could express my feelings about that, I had a lot of support, and it really changed the way that I viewed myself,” she continues. Castillo’s advice for women who, like her, don’t feel represented in the media is to “remember you have the features of your ancestors.” She reflects on a beautiful sentiment she came across online: “You look the way you do because two of your ancestors loved those features in each other so much that they decided to come together and create a child. That child passed those features on, and eventually, they became yours.”

    Honoring the legacy of those who came before her has been crucial in Castillo’s journey to self-love. When insecurities arise, she says she reminds herself, “Hold on a minute — I might have this nose or these eyes because one of my ancestors gave them to me.”

    Castillo has also learned to look inward when it comes to prioritizing her mental health and self-image. “What I’ve learned over time is actually just how much power we have within our own lives,” she says. “I’m in control of my thoughts, my feelings, my mind. I can always change something to make myself feel better. I can always cheer myself up.”

    Pride in her heritage serves Castillo’s confidence not only physically but also spiritually as she navigates her way through the music industry. “Being Latin American, our continent has gone through so much trauma as a land and our ancestors went through so much trauma, we need to honor them for what they gave us and how much they fought to survive in the midst of everything that they had to face,” she says.

    The influence of Castillo’s Latin American heritage inspires the sound of her music — but most importantly, the influence of her ancestors serves as an inspiration for perseverance as she rises to stardom. She also credits growing up with Latine parents for several of her most important values. “There are many, but one of them is having that inner strength and general positive outlook on life — being able to pick yourself back up when you’re down, dust off your knees, and continue,” she says. This mindset is something “everyone in our family, and in a lot of Latine and immigrant families, have had to do.”

    These days, by weaving the language and sounds of her childhood into her storytelling, Castillo is able to honor these sacrifices and alchemize them. She weaves components of music that originated in Latin America with other inspirations to develop a unique sound and deeply personal voice. The result preserves cultural genres and introduces them to new audiences.

    Through social media, Castillo has not only been building a platform for her music but also working to provide the representation she yearned for growing up. As she shares on her TikTok, she’s patiently waiting to become a mainstream representation for “brown skin/Indigenous features women.”

    As she puts it, “A lot of girls message me or comment that they love that I look like them and their primas, and how they love seeing me with my features representing us in the music industry. They’re rooting for me.” And so are we.

    Ashley Garcia Lezcano is an audience strategist, writer, and producer with a passion for highlighting Latine culture and stories. In addition to PS, her work has appeared in People en Español and Teen Vogue. As a first-generation Colombian American, Ashley is committed to authentically amplifying Latin voices and narratives.

    Ashley Garcia Lezcano

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  • Embracing My Inner Egoísta Fueled My Dreams in Comedy and Acting

    Sasha Merci as Josefina in “La Egoísta” by Erlina Ortiz at Philadelphia Theatre Company. (Image Source: Mark Garvin)

    Soy Demasiado, a special issue for Juntos, celebrates Latinas who are reclaiming what it means to be “too much.” Read the stories here.

    In a Dominican family, women are often raised to be the glue that holds everyone together. From a young age, we’re taught to be reliable, dependable, and emotionally steadfast. Our role is clear: support the family, sometimes at the expense of our own dreams. In a culture that places so much emphasis on familismo — the idea that family comes first, always — I was raised to believe that my worth lay in how well I could build and maintain a nest for others to rest on. Following dreams that didn’t fit into this vision for our family wasn’t just discouraged; it was almost unimaginable.

    For me, the journey of embracing my own dreams meant challenging the very foundation of those values. Choosing to leave New York and move to Los Angeles in 2018 to chase a career in acting and comedy felt like an act of rebellion. It was the most selfish thing I could have done — or at least that’s how my family made me feel about it. They would ask why I’d choose this uncertain path, and whenever I missed family gatherings or drama erupted back home, I’d get calls suggesting that things would’ve been different if I had been there.

    The decision to move and the aftermath were agonizing, loaded with guilt and self-doubt. Each missed holiday or family celebration was a reminder of the expectations I was defying. As the person in the family who would set boundaries, I became “the difficult one,” the selfish one. At times I questioned my choice, but I believed that putting my dreams first would allow me to break a cycle and live a life that set a new standard for what a Dominican woman could achieve.

    Because deep down, I knew that if I had stayed, the generational issues would’ve persisted. My absence didn’t cause them; it allowed me to see them more clearly and validated my choice to carve a new path.

    Of course, creating a new path for oneself isn’t easy. Self-doubt creeps in, and generational trauma can convince you to believe the very ideas you’re trying to break free from. But I realized that being perceived as an “egoísta” by people you love often isn’t about malice; it’s rooted in the fear of what failure might do to you. Parents, especially, want to keep us safe, and they were taught to survive rather than thrive. Life was meant to be taken seriously, with roles assigned to keep the family’s ecosystem stable. But times are changing, and Latinas can be whatever they choose to be.

    In my role as Josefina in a play I recently starred in called “La Egoísta,” I found a striking reflection of my own life. “La Egoísta” was written by Erlina Ortiz, produced by the Tony Award-winning production company Edgewood Entertainment, and directed by Tatyana-Marie Carlo. I shared the stage with Maria Gabriela González, who played my sister, as well as puppeteer Marisol Rosea Shapiro. I am deeply grateful to have shared the stage with such talented people. This project taught me the importance of putting art first; it inspired, moved, and encouraged audiences to look within themselves to see what they might lack or need to become. Through Josefina, I came to understand the importance of embracing the “egoísta” within.

    Josefina, like me, is caught in the tug-of-war between individual dreams and family loyalty. Familismo is a beautiful value rooted in love and support, but it can also be a burden, especially for women. For Latinas, these expectations often translate into an unspoken rule that our dreams come second. Men are encouraged to be go-getters, while women are expected to be nesters, always sacrificing for the family. I realized that while familismo is nurturing, it can unintentionally limit women from reaching our full potential.

    As my career in comedy and acting took off, I had to make sacrifices that many wouldn’t understand. I missed weddings, birthdays, and other family gatherings. Over time, I came to understand that my boundaries were necessary — not an act of abandonment, but an assertion of self-respect.

    It took years, but I’ve learned to say no, protect my time, and prioritize my well-being and mental health over guilt. I came to realize that by sacrificing myself, I wasn’t helping anyone in the long run. To be my best self and a successful comedian and actress, I had to give myself permission to pursue what felt right, even if it went against everything I’d been taught.

    While some relatives have come to understand, others still don’t. When I say no to big family events, their disappointment is palpable. I’ve been called “too much” for prioritizing my career, but I’m grounded by the knowledge that by being true to myself, I’m honoring my family in my own way. I want to show that a Latina can chase her dreams, create success, and still love her family deeply.

    Playing Josefina taught me so much about the power of choice. “La Egoísta” gave me a chance to express the conflict many Latinas face: wanting to stay close to our roots while also branching out to pursue our dreams. Familismo is beautiful, but for it to truly serve us, it must evolve to support every family member’s dreams. Women deserve the freedom to dream big, to move away if they choose, and to redefine what family means to them.

    To other career-driven Latinas, I say this: don’t be afraid to embrace your inner egoísta. Protecting your dreams and setting boundaries for your well-being isn’t selfish. Your ambitions are valid, and your goals are worth pursuing. When we make space for our growth, we’re not abandoning our families; we’re creating a legacy that shows future generations that they, too, can follow their passions unapologetically. I’m proud to be a Dominican woman carving a new path, and I hope that by embracing my dreams, I’m helping others to do the same.

    Sasha Merci is a first-generation Dominican American actor, comedian, and viral digital creator. She showcases over a decade of diverse experience in entertainment with roles in films like “Righteous Thieves” and “De Lo Mio,” along with collaborations with renowned brands such as Target and Bumble. She shares her Bronx roots and passion for Latine culture by being vocal about mental health and navigating comedy.

    Sasha Merci

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  • How the 2024 Presidential Election Could Shape Puerto Rico’s Future – POPSUGAR Australia

    How the 2024 Presidential Election Could Shape Puerto Rico’s Future – POPSUGAR Australia


    (Photo by David S. Holloway/Getty Images)

    With both the 2024 Presidential election and the Puerto Rican Gubernatorial election rapidly approaching, citizens of the Caribbean island once again found themselves in a delicate position and in the headlines. Donald Trump‘s latest rally was filled with the kind of hate we’ve come to expect. However, Latinos and Puerto Rico were specifically singled out this time, with comedian Tony Hinchcliffe comparing the island to a “floating pile of trash” after commenting that Latines “don’t pull out.” Not only did these comments alienate Puerto Ricans, but they also seem to have bolstered support for Vice President Kamala Harris among the community, as only hours later, she received late-game endorsements from Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and current global phenomenon Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio – AKA Bad Bunny. And while the self-proclaimed “biggest star in the world” is no stranger to political action, prior to his endorsement, his efforts had been more focused on the heated race for the governor’s seat on the island.

    At the beginning of the month in Puerto Rico, drivers passing over the freeways of San Juan were greeted by a surprising political message that pulled no punches: “Quien vota PNP, no ama a Puerto Rico,” which in English translates to, “Anyone who votes for the PNP doesn’t love Puerto Rico.” The billboard was accompanied by two others around the municipality with equally condemnatory messages for the PNP, the conservative Puerto Rican political party up for reelection for the governorship this November.

    At first, the messages seemed like just another round of political gamesmanship by underdog challengers looking to turn the tide of the election against the incumbent. It was later revealed that the ads were Bad Bunny’s handiwork. Fresh off the release of his politically charged single “Una Velita,” the Puerto Rican reggaetonero was setting his sights on Puerto Rico’s ruling party. And now, he’s entered into American politics hoping to sway the other half of the equation that determines Puerto Rico’s future.

    But to understand what’s at stake and why Bad Bunny’s attack on the PNP and endorsement of Harris are so important, you have to understand what has been going on in Puerto Rico over the past seven years. In 2017, the island was decimated by Hurricane Maria. Almost 3,000 Puerto Ricans lost their lives, 97 percent of the island’s power grid was destroyed, and the inept response by both the local and US governments saw emergency relief funds misallocated or outright blocked by the Trump administration.

    Frustration from these events led to the ousting of disgraced governor and PNP poster child Ricardo Roselló in 2019. But the victory for his opponents was short-lived. Somehow, the majority of Puerto Ricans weren’t tired enough of getting screwed over by their own government and elected Pedro Pierluisi, also of the PNP, as governor in 2020. All the while, the island’s electrical grid has continued to falter. Blackouts continue to be the norm, sometimes leaving hundreds of thousands without power for days, and islanders have seen their energy costs soar. If you’ve been on TikTok lately, you’ve seen that island schools are in disrepair.

    So, going into the 2024 elections, there is an undercurrent of frustration that has been boiling over for seven long years. And Bad Bunny is far from the only artist on the island using his platform to call for change. Artists like Residente and Rauw Alejandro have also been vocal about wanting to see the end of a two-party dichotomy of the PNP and PPD. Both artists support the newly formed party La Alianza, a leftist alliance between the two anti-colonial parties, the PIP and MVC. Others, like future superstar RaiNao, have taken to social media to animate the youth and give messages of hope while also shedding light on the fear-mongering and dirty politicking going on.

    But even as they do, a greater question looms on the horizon because no matter who wins this election, Puerto Rico’s future as a state, a colony, or an independent nation hinges on the island’s relationship with the United States and whoever leads it. And that is an election that Puerto Ricans on the island can only watch and wait for the outcome. This is why Anuel and Nicky Jam coming out in support of Donald Trump – even going as far as to show up at his rallies – has been such a big deal.

    Puerto Ricans on the island can’t vote. But the diaspora on the mainland can. The policies that the president of the United States sets can have more of an impact on the quality of life on the island than the ones set by the local government. For example, in 2023, when a group of Puerto Rican journalists demanded that the Financial Oversight and Management Board – a US entity that oversees and approves matters related to the colony’s budget – make information relating to financial reports, communications, and other important economic data available to the people, the US Supreme Court ruled that the board could have “sovereign immunity.” It, therefore, did not have to comply with the request. While the board has reduced the overall debt by a large amount, it has done so at a high cost to the people, with austerity measures that have impacted public services, as well as federally funded healthcare programs across the island.

    So yes, no matter what happens during the island’s elections, nothing will change overnight. The US still holds a lot of the cards. But the PNP and PDP’s grip on power has done nothing but dig the island deeper into debt, deeper into disrepair, and deeper into the pockets of foreigners who come giving nothing and taking everything. It has not provided any opportunity for a clean political slate. And if we can clean house, remove corrupt politicians, and put the country on a path forward, then we’ll be able to negotiate our ultimate political fate from a position of power.

    Puerto Rico is the oldest colony in the world. Since 1493, we have been passed from one colonial overlord to another, our resources are taken to enrich everyone but our own citizens, watching as our sister colonies all achieved the reality of independence that has forever eluded us. These latest elections won’t change the course of Puerto Rico’s fate overnight, But in the long run, they will decide whether things get better or worse. With a Harris presidency, we get a Democratic President who is more likely to listen to a Puerto Rican base that largely tracks Democrats. A Trump Presidency almost ensures that the way Puerto Rico has been treated by its colonizer continues. Meanwhile, on the island, a PNP win basically ensures that Puerto Rican life continues on the downward spiral it has for decades. But should La Alianza win, it might not solve all of our problems. It might resolve the issue of our status. But it gives us a chance for progress, the chance to walk into a future written by Puerto Rican hands.

    Miguel Machado is a journalist with expertise in the intersection of Latine identity and culture. He does everything from exclusive interviews with Latin music artists to opinion pieces on issues that are relevant to the community, personal essays tied to his Latinidad, and thought pieces and features relating to Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican culture.

    Miguel machado

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  • How the 2024 Presidential Election Could Shape Puerto Rico’s Future

    How the 2024 Presidential Election Could Shape Puerto Rico’s Future

    With both the 2024 Presidential election and the Puerto Rican Gubernatorial election rapidly approaching, citizens of the Caribbean island once again found themselves in a delicate position and in the headlines. Donald Trump’s latest rally was filled with the kind of hate we’ve come to expect. However, Latinos and Puerto Rico were specifically singled out this time, with comedian Tony Hinchcliffe comparing the island to a “floating pile of trash” after commenting that Latines “don’t pull out.” Not only did these comments alienate Puerto Ricans, but they also seem to have bolstered support for Vice President Kamala Harris among the community, as only hours later, she received late-game endorsements from Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and current global phenomenon Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio — AKA Bad Bunny. And while the self-proclaimed “biggest star in the world” is no stranger to political action, prior to his endorsement, his efforts had been more focused on the heated race for the governor’s seat on the island.

    At the beginning of the month in Puerto Rico, drivers passing over the freeways of San Juan were greeted by a surprising political message that pulled no punches: “Quien vota PNP, no ama a Puerto Rico,” which in English translates to, “Anyone who votes for the PNP doesn’t love Puerto Rico.” The billboard was accompanied by two others around the municipality with equally condemnatory messages for the PNP, the conservative Puerto Rican political party up for reelection for the governorship this November.

    At first, the messages seemed like just another round of political gamesmanship by underdog challengers looking to turn the tide of the election against the incumbent. It was later revealed that the ads were Bad Bunny’s handiwork. Fresh off the release of his politically charged single “Una Velita,” the Puerto Rican reggaetonero was setting his sights on Puerto Rico’s ruling party. And now, he’s entered into American politics hoping to sway the other half of the equation that determines Puerto Rico’s future.

    But to understand what’s at stake and why Bad Bunny’s attack on the PNP and endorsement of Harris are so important, you have to understand what has been going on in Puerto Rico over the past seven years. In 2017, the island was decimated by Hurricane Maria. Almost 3,000 Puerto Ricans lost their lives, 97 percent of the island’s power grid was destroyed, and the inept response by both the local and US governments saw emergency relief funds misallocated or outright blocked by the Trump administration.

    Frustration from these events led to the ousting of disgraced governor and PNP poster child Ricardo Roselló in 2019. But the victory for his opponents was short-lived. Somehow, the majority of Puerto Ricans weren’t tired enough of getting screwed over by their own government and elected Pedro Pierluisi, also of the PNP, as governor in 2020. All the while, the island’s electrical grid has continued to falter. Blackouts continue to be the norm, sometimes leaving hundreds of thousands without power for days, and islanders have seen their energy costs soar. If you’ve been on TikTok lately, you’ve seen that island schools are in disrepair.

    So, going into the 2024 elections, there is an undercurrent of frustration that has been boiling over for seven long years. And Bad Bunny is far from the only artist on the island using his platform to call for change. Artists like Residente and Rauw Alejandro have also been vocal about wanting to see the end of a two-party dichotomy of the PNP and PPD. Both artists support the newly formed party La Alianza, a leftist alliance between the two anti-colonial parties, the PIP and MVC. Others, like future superstar RaiNao, have taken to social media to animate the youth and give messages of hope while also shedding light on the fear-mongering and dirty politicking going on.

    But even as they do, a greater question looms on the horizon because no matter who wins this election, Puerto Rico’s future as a state, a colony, or an independent nation hinges on the island’s relationship with the United States and whoever leads it. And that is an election that Puerto Ricans on the island can only watch and wait for the outcome. This is why Anuel and Nicky Jam coming out in support of Donald Trump — even going as far as to show up at his rallies — has been such a big deal.

    Puerto Ricans on the island can’t vote. But the diaspora on the mainland can. The policies that the president of the United States sets can have more of an impact on the quality of life on the island than the ones set by the local government. For example, in 2023, when a group of Puerto Rican journalists demanded that the Financial Oversight and Management Board — a US entity that oversees and approves matters related to the colony’s budget — make information relating to financial reports, communications, and other important economic data available to the people, the US Supreme Court ruled that the board could have “sovereign immunity.” It, therefore, did not have to comply with the request. While the board has reduced the overall debt by a large amount, it has done so at a high cost to the people, with austerity measures that have impacted public services, as well as federally funded healthcare programs across the island.

    So yes, no matter what happens during the island’s elections, nothing will change overnight. The US still holds a lot of the cards. But the PNP and PDP’s grip on power has done nothing but dig the island deeper into debt, deeper into disrepair, and deeper into the pockets of foreigners who come giving nothing and taking everything. It has not provided any opportunity for a clean political slate. And if we can clean house, remove corrupt politicians, and put the country on a path forward, then we’ll be able to negotiate our ultimate political fate from a position of power.

    Puerto Rico is the oldest colony in the world. Since 1493, we have been passed from one colonial overlord to another, our resources are taken to enrich everyone but our own citizens, watching as our sister colonies all achieved the reality of independence that has forever eluded us. These latest elections won’t change the course of Puerto Rico’s fate overnight, But in the long run, they will decide whether things get better or worse. With a Harris presidency, we get a Democratic President who is more likely to listen to a Puerto Rican base that largely tracks Democrats. A Trump Presidency almost ensures that the way Puerto Rico has been treated by its colonizer continues. Meanwhile, on the island, a PNP win basically ensures that Puerto Rican life continues on the downward spiral it has for decades. But should La Alianza win, it might not solve all of our problems. It might resolve the issue of our status. But it gives us a chance for progress, the chance to walk into a future written by Puerto Rican hands.

    Miguel Machado is a journalist with expertise in the intersection of Latine identity and culture. He does everything from exclusive interviews with Latin music artists to opinion pieces on issues that are relevant to the community, personal essays tied to his Latinidad, and thought pieces and features relating to Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican culture.

    Miguel Machado

    Source link

  • Sam Altman’s Eye-Scanning Orb Has a New Look—and Will Come Right to Your Door

    Sam Altman’s Eye-Scanning Orb Has a New Look—and Will Come Right to Your Door

    While the biometric-scanning Orb and the World network have their roots in crypto tokens, “crypto” wasn’t an oft-mentioned word during the event. Instead, Altman and Blania emphasized World’s blockchain service, digital asset management, and virtual communication tools.

    Blania claimed during the press briefing that, in the future, World hopes to build the “largest finance network” on the planet.

    In a separate interview with WIRED, Blania said that during regular Sunday meetings at Atlman’s house, the pair were inspired by the rise of PayPal. Similar to the way that Peter Thiel, Max Levchin, and others once pioneered digital payments and fundamentally changed online commerce—becoming billionaires themselves in the process—the World team saw themselves building out a similar network for tokens on a distributed network.

    The World app, for now, is free for everyone to use. It’s free to scan your eyeballs, too. Tools for Humanity itself is venture-backed, and the foundation, in its land grab for the modern identity verification market and your personal biometric data, is focused on scale, scale, scale. Eventually, it may make money through processing fees, Blania said.

    Most of Tools for Humanity’s expansion plans for now are in locations outside of the US, due to murky regulations around crypto stateside, the organization’s spokesperson told me.

    If you use the Orb and compatible app in the US, it will scan and store your iris but won’t generate a crypto token for you.

    Two and a half years ago, the Worldcoin project came under scrutiny for allegedly deceptive and exploitative practices in recruiting individuals to scan their irises. At the time, Blania attributed this haphazard behavior to the organization still being in its “startup” phase. In an interview with WIRED, Blania said the company is doing “like, a thousand things” to ensure a more rigorous consent process. This includes staffing an “operational team” in every market where World will be. He said there will be “explanations” in the World app for how the product works.

    “And again, there is no data stored in any central place or anything,” Blania said.

    In 2023, the service was also being investigated by governments in Germany, Brazil, India, South Korea, and Kenya over concerns about how it was storing and using biometric data. Kenya suspended Worldcoin enrollment entirely. South Korea fined the company. Worldcoin suspended its own service in India, Brazil, and France.

    Blania said he believes World will relaunch in Kenya “sometime soon.”

    When asked in the press briefing about the emphasis on Latin America as a market for expansion, such as through the partnership with Rappi for orbs-on-delivery, Blania disputed the idea that World was prioritizing Latin America over other locations.

    “It’s just that we have limited resources, and there’s a natural sequencing happening,” Blania said. “We are similarly focused on Asia and other places. Argentina has been a fast-growing market for us, for example, and we’re excited about that.”

    “But the project is literally called World,” he added.

    After the keynote, Altman ran into the press room to wave and apologize for not being able to stay, then slipped away like a head of state.

    Lauren Goode

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  • SOFTwarfare Unveils Revolutionary Zero Trust Identity Solution for JADC2 at AUSA 2024

    SOFTwarfare Unveils Revolutionary Zero Trust Identity Solution for JADC2 at AUSA 2024

    Press Release
    •

    Oct 14, 2024

    Securing the Future of Defense with Air-Gapped, Multimodal Authentication, Tactical and OT Access Control


    WASHINGTON, October 14, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    SOFTwarfare, a global leader in Zero Trust Identity solutions, today announced at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Annual Meeting & Exposition a groundbreaking advancement in its Zero Trust Identity® platforms. This latest iteration is specifically designed to meet the stringent authentication and Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) requirements of Department of Defense (DoD) deployments within a Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) environment.

    This announcement builds upon SOFTwarfare’s Spring announcement bringing Zero Trust Identity to market for enterprise and private sector customers to meet the growing needs around CMMC and signifies a major leap forward in secure access for critical defense operations. SOFTwarfare’s Zero Trust Identity® platform now provides:

    • Unparalleled Security for JADC2: Ensures secure, authenticated access to sensitive data and resources within the complex and dynamic JADC2 architecture.
    • Enhanced ICAM Capabilities: Meets the rigorous identity and access management demands of modern military operations with advanced multi-factor authentication and authorization.
    • Seamless Integration: Deploys smoothly within existing DoD infrastructure and integrates with leading endpoint security solutions.

    “This is a pivotal moment for SOFTwarfare,” said Wyatt Cobb, CEO of SOFTwarfare. “Our Zero Trust Identity® platform not only fortifies JADC2 security but also provides the foundation for a new era of secure access across the DoD.”

    SOFTwarfare is already a trusted provider of Zero Trust Identity® solutions for operational technology (OT) environments within leading commercial enterprises and critical infrastructure sectors. This proven success, combined with the platform’s new JADC2 capabilities, positions SOFTwarfare as a key enabler of secure and resilient defense operations.

    “We are deeply committed to delivering innovative cybersecurity solutions that protect our nation’s most critical assets,” said Wyatt Cobb, CEO of SOFTwarfare. “This advancement for JADC2 is a testament to our dedication to supporting the DoD’s mission and ensuring the highest levels of security for our warfighters.”

    Key Features & Benefits:

    • Multimodal Biometric Authentication for Enterprise Applications: Proprietary technology that utilizes multiple biometric factors for strong identity verification across a wide range of enterprise applications, including access to sensitive data, critical systems, and secure facilities.
    • Operational Technology Access Control: Granular control over access to critical OT systems, preventing unauthorized access and mitigating the risk of cyberattacks on industrial control systems and other vital infrastructure.
    • User and Entity Behavioral Analytics (UEBA): Real-time risk assessment based on user behavior and network activity.
    • Automated and Human-in-the-Loop Decision Making: Provides both automated responses and human oversight for optimal security.
    • Cloud, Hybrid, and Air-Gapped Deployments: Flexible deployment options to meet the unique needs of various DoD environments.
    • Rapid Integration with Leading Endpoint Sensors: Ensures comprehensive security across all devices and access points.

    SOFTwarfare continues to be at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation, providing enterprise-grade platforms that meet the evolving needs of both commercial and defense sectors. With this latest release, SOFTwarfare solidifies its position as the global leader in Zero Trust Identity, empowering organizations to defend against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.

    About SOFTwarfare

    SOFTwarfare is a global cybersecurity software company that defends assets from cyberattacks by securing mission-critical integrations and users. They deliver a secure Integration Platform-as-a-Service (iPaaS) and next-generation biometric multi-factor authentication (MFA). Learn more at softwarfare.com.  

    Source: SOFTwarfare

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  • Latine Celebs Are Flipping the Script on Code-Switching, and We’re All Following Suit

    Latine Celebs Are Flipping the Script on Code-Switching, and We’re All Following Suit

    I had just sent a voice note to my friend when a curious feeling came over me. “Let me listen back to it,” I thought to myself. As I did, an even stranger feeling came over me, a lack of recognition of my own voice. You see, I’ve been code-switching so long that sometimes I’m unsure where the real me begins. Obviously, this was my friend, so I was being genuine in my language. However, as someone who has been a professional for many years, as well as an academic, the voice that I heard on playback was just one of many. And for a lot of modern-day Latines, this is another aspect of the identity politics we have to reconcile with. That’s why it’s refreshing to see that recently many Latine celebs have been more candid about the pressure they’ve felt to code-switch or “talk white” and are openly rejecting the practice to embrace their authentic selves.

    This is no doubt due to the current selling power Latines are enjoying on a global level. Buoyed by the popularity of reggaetón and Latin trap, Latin music as a whole is outpacing other markets with artists like Bad Bunny becoming global stars despite refusing to do music in English. For the past couple of years streaming services like Netflix have been investing heavily in dramas like “Casa de Papel,” “Narcos,” and, most recently, “Griselda,” starring Colombian actress Sofía Vergara. But you don’t have to go back too far to track down a time when this wasn’t the case.

    In the early 2000s, the idea that music sung predominantly in Spanish could be successful in the English-speaking market seemed absurd. During that time, you’d also have been hard-pressed to find shows featuring Latine leads or focused on issues in and around our communities. This meant that to have a shot at success, many up-and-coming stars had to approximate whiteness.

    Marc Anthony, Ricky Martin, and Thalia all released English-language crossover albums, catering to the US pop market. Puerto Rican actor Freddie Prinze Jr. has spoken about how rare leading roles written exclusively for Latines were at the time. Now, given the current acceptance of Latinidad, he’s more open than ever about how proud he is of his heritage. And to hear him talk today is to hear a more authentic person stripped down, complete with all the twangs and inflections code-switching so often tries to cover up. You can hear it in this interview he gave to “The Talk” while on a press tour.

    But it’s not just Prinze. Recently, a video of Mario Lopez eating some food with a friend went viral for the candid nature of his speech. When I was younger, my parents and I would watch the actor on “Access Hollywood,” and the way he talked always felt performative to me. Seeing this side of Lopez in this footage, however, was refreshing. It’s nice to know that deep down, at his most relaxed, he’s just another homie. Now, that’s not to say that code-switching is always performative. Personally, I’ve always thought of being able to code-switch as a resource, one that allows me not to blend in but to be understood by people who normally wouldn’t understand me.

    Over the years, I’ve developed a plurality of accents. I’ve got my Nuyorican accent that comes out when I’m around my family and cousins. Then there’s my Puerto Rican accent that comes out when I’m on the island, stretching the syllables of English-language words so that they fit into Spanish. And then there’s my academic side that comes to the table prepared with his $20 words. Years ago, I used to think that having these sides to me made me fake and that I wasn’t really Latine or Caribbean enough. But now I’m realizing that everyone’s authenticity is different and being Latine doesn’t mean being one thing. I’m reminded of the great Desi Arnaz, who never downplayed his heavy Cuban accent. For Arnaz, authenticity became an asset, and it’s no wonder that he was the first Latine to cohost an English-language television show in the US. I see parallels to him in Salma Hayek and Vergara, two amazing actors in their own rights who have always embraced their accents and whose stocks have risen because of it.

    On the opposite end of the spectrum you have Latines like John Leguizamo, whose heavy New York City accent made it easy for casting agents to offer him stereotypical roles like junkies and criminals. But rather than taking on those roles or code-switching, he simply owned it and carved his own path through Hollywood, even getting the chance to deliver Shakespearean prose in his trademark accent as Tybalt in Baz Luhrmann’s “Romeo + Juliet.”

    Today the groundwork that these Latine icons have laid has set the tone for many of us to reclaim our authenticity and do away with code-switching. Sometimes that looks like speaking with our true accents or using the vocabulary that comes most naturally to us. But we also see it in the way many of us have stopped anglicizing our names or are more willing to express ourselves in Spanish or Spanglish. For example, I love the way Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pronounces her name every time she introduces herself, even though Spanish isn’t her first language. I love the way Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal break down their full names in this interview with Wired because it shows that our Latinidad is something we always carry with us.

    At the end of the day, being Latine means being part of a group for which no one size fits all. And I’m glad to see that we’re no longer feeling as much pressure to squeeze ourselves inside boxes that strip us of our sazón, whatever flavor that may be.

    Miguel Machado is a journalist with expertise in the intersection of Latine identity and culture. He does everything from exclusive interviews with Latin music artists to opinion pieces on issues that are relevant to the community, personal essays tied to his Latinidad, and thought pieces and features relating to Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican culture.

    Miguel Machado

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  • How I’m Navigating White Hollywood and the Pressure to Conform

    How I’m Navigating White Hollywood and the Pressure to Conform

    Danny Martinez
    Danny Martinez

    I make a living acting in the machine known as Hollywood — an industry that commodifies me but isn’t for me. An industry where if I am using my hands too much on camera, the director shouts in all seriousness, “Not so much of the ethnic hands!” “White hands, Chris, white hands,” I whisper to myself while smiling.

    By the way — that is a true story.

    The essence of what I do is put myself in spaces where I must be chosen, where I must be selected as worthy enough to portray this thing. Beyond the ability to act, a large portion has to do with whether I am physically and aesthetically appealing, and pleasing enough to a certain gaze. When you make a living off your desirability, is the power of your body ever just yours? My body has been turned into an object of desire by whiteness, and as long as the main decision-makers and check signers in Hollywood are white bodies, then I must be desirable to and for them.

    This is why I always say that it is nice to receive fat checks (I have rent to pay), but nothing changes until I and people who look like me are signing them. In my opinion, this is the other side of the same coin of being seen as worthless. Because if I am not desirable in some way, then I am worthless. And I fear that if I am too radically different from what they have already deemed acceptable, then I might lose whatever status I have already worked so hard to achieve. I just might not survive.

    I made a film about this for The New York Times in 2020. The film was about the paradox of “making it” in Hollywood: to succeed, you need to stand out from the crowd while assimilating to whiteness. You have to strive to be yourself while fitting in. And if you aspire to be like one of those leading men you grew up watching on TV, well, you better look the part. Step one: calm those curls.

    This was in 2020 — the whispering of change was all around us. With the George Floyd protests, people seemed to have gotten the message: there’s a problem and the old ways are not working. Companies and Hollywood started talking about diversity and hiring DEI professionals, and guess what — it didn’t do much of anything.

    While there’s been a lot of talk, progress has been modest at best. According to a 2020 Pew Research report, Latines accounted for half the US population growth between 2010 and 2019 and made up 18 percent of the population (this has since increased). When will we get to see our nation’s diversity reflected on our screens?

    I guess until that happens we are forced to fit their model. I’d love to tell you I am 100 percent past caring what they think, but that itch of wondering if I am physically code-switching enough is always in me. I have been a series regular on a network television show. This is a difficult feat for a Dominican, Colombian Brown boy from Queens, and still, in the moments when I am not actively working, I question my own body before the system. I wonder whether I should take all those drug dealer, criminal, day player roles that are still so prominent on our screens.

    We live in a world where bodies of culture are constantly asked to give up parts of ourselves in order to move forward. This isn’t new information but it’s worth reiterating. Black and Latine actors are constantly forced to change themselves.

    This is our fight — the fight of loving and being ourselves.

    This is our fight — the fight of loving and being ourselves. We fight to love and embrace our curls, our skin tones, and our ethnic features in a world that sells us the idea that simply being ourselves is not good enough. It’s a world that sells us the NoseSecret tool, often advertised as “plastic surgery without the surgery.” It is a plastic tubing that you manually insert and force into your nose to create a narrower, thinner, and more pointed shape. At only $25, it’s a steal!

    We consider those who commit self-harm a danger to themselves and to society. We criminalize that act. But what about self-hate? Who is there to protect us from all the pretending we do for someone else’s gaze?

    When I told my pops I wanted to play pretend for a living, that I wanted to be an actor, that I wanted to go to Hollywood, he said, “It’s gonna be tough, but look the part. Pretend. Fake it till you make it.”

    I have pretended. But at what cost? I kept my hair short and I got the nose job my first manager told me to get. And it worked. I worked a lot more. That’s the sad part about all of this. What gets me is when I still hear white actors saying things like, “You’re so lucky. You’re Latin, everyone wants you right now. I’m just white. I got nothing.” Or the man I bought a piano bench from on Craigslist who said to me, “It’s great they’re looking for more minorities, but now I can’t get a role, you know?”

    I took a scriptwriting class, and what I learned is a bit disheartening. The longevity of a show is built on the idea that its characters can never really change. For the most part, lead characters need to remain self-sabotaging and can never truly grow because then the show would change. Execs don’t like change. This is what we are shoving into people’s brains — that we are meant to be stuck in cycles. That we are meant to be trapped by our delusions, poor habits, old stories, old clichés, old abuses, old dogmas, old oppressions, and that that’s OK. But it’s not.

    We must begin to ask ourselves: What images and stories have been placed deep into our minds around race and humanity, rights and fairness? What narratives have we been fed since the day we were born? For so long, Hollywood has denied people of color any depth, authenticity, and meaning because the only way you make a thousand movies a year is if you have a certain level of automation, and cliché stereotypes are part of that automation. Think about what would happen to the industry if it actually produced films that were nuanced, complex, and honest.

    Imagine if every script session started with: “Does this story help bring humanity into that space? Does this story marginalize an already marginalized community? Is this story true? Does this person have to be white? Does this story represent society and race and class in an honest way? Does this story help us see and imagine a new, more cooperative and loving world?”

    This reimagining must begin behind the camera first because we can’t be authentic in our storytelling if we’re not being honest about who is telling these stories. Casting up front will not change who is signing the checks.

    I need Hollywood to make it commonplace and ordinary, not extraordinary. I’d like to see a Brown “When Harry Met Sally,” or an Afro-Dominican futurist fantasy with a bachata score, an Indian and Puerto Rican bromance buddy comedy, two second-generation South Asian kids saving the planet, a meet-cute romance drama about two young Cambodian American kids in college, and all where the Brown leads are just hanging out and talking and not making everything about race. Imagine if that was just commonplace, not exceptional, not a big deal, not the reason to make the movie — it just was.

    William Blake called imagination the “divine vision.” It involves all the senses, it involves everything: the body, the speech, and the mind. I believe in the media’s power to start showing me something divinely different, so we can begin to imagine a new future. Television used to be a sign of everything that wanted to erase me, and now I have been a series regular on a Fox sitcom called “Call Me Kat” — curls and all. To be on TV, a medium I watched with so much awe as a child, feels pretty amazing. Though I must continue to ask: Am I just a guest who can be uninvited as quickly as he was brought in? Or am I an equal?

    My goal has always been to use Hollywood as a vehicle for getting to a place where I could create the art I wanted to create, say the things I wanted to say, and hopefully help uplift others in telling their stories. It’s nice to receive checks, but the real power is in being able to sign those checks, and nothing changes until the people signing checks begin to look a lot different, and a little less like old, straight, white males.

    It’s not about checking boxes and making sure people of color are cast. It’s about honoring the stories that allow these people to be so magnanimous and so worthy of being more than a device for your small-minded white stories.

    It’s not about checking boxes and making sure people of color are cast. It’s about honoring the stories that allow these people to be so magnanimous and so worthy of being more than a device for your small-minded white stories. If we looked beyond checking boxes and actually began telling stories that represent what culture is, we might begin to see that.

    Today, my relationship with code-switching has evolved significantly since that 2020 video. I’ve made a conscious decision to embrace and rock the natural texture of my curls unapologetically. Which is to say I have chosen and keep choosing to be myself. I need reminders of this, but it’s my baseline, where I come home to. If I change, it’s because a role that is honestly representative of society asks me to — not because some tired plotline needs another reformed gangbanger.

    To my fellow Latines and people of color in Hollywood: stay vocal and assertive about boundaries and the representation you wish to see. Create your own art and tell your own stories. Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter. This is why the lion must write.

    And try not to just talk about supporting each other and breaking down barriers; actually put your money where your mouth is (you know who you are). Just because there are Brown/Black bodies in the room does not mean we cannot perpetuate harmful systems of power as well, or that we are not capable of exclusion. Are we committed to anti-racist work in all the spaces, no matter how uncomfortable it may make us? By uplifting one another and evolving who signs the checks, we can create a more inclusive and truthful representation of us. We can pave the way for future generations to see themselves on screen without having to compromise who they are. And we all deserve spaces of belonging.

    The book of who we are is not a fixed text. It is flowing, it is fluid, it is expansive, we are shaping it, right here, right now.

    Christopher Rivas is the author of “Brown Enough,” an exploration of what it means to be Brown in a Black/white world. He also hosts two podcasts: “Brown Enough” and “Rubirosa.” On screen, Christopher is known for his work on the Fox series “Call Me Kat,” opposite Mayim Bialik. His latest book, “You’re a Good Swimmer,” is about the enchanting journey of conception without gendered terms and inclusive of all family dynamics.

    Christopher Rivas

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