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Tag: Independence

  • E-40 and Too $hort’s NFL Honors show underscores Bay Area’s music presence during Super Bowl week

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    E-40 turned NFL Honors into a hyphy detour, firing off Bay Area slang that helped shape a generation as actor Tiffany Haddish and Carolina Panthers rookie Tetairoa McMillan danced from their seats and Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce nodded along to the beat.Moments earlier, Too $hort transformed the same stage into a Bay Area time capsule, running through anthems like “Gettin’ It” and “Blow the Whistle” that have echoed from car stereos, clubs and arenas for decades.They never shared the stage, but the impact was unmistakably shared.As two of the most enduring hip-hop architects, E-40 and Too $hort brought Northern California’s sound, swagger and independence to the NFL’s biggest night outside the Super Bowl itself. Their presence underscored a broader cultural moment, as Bay Area rap voices — from Kehlani to LaRussell — were woven into a jam-packed week leading up to the game.“On this Super Bowl week, this is the ultimate because it’s on Bay Area soil,” E-40 said during rehearsals before the ceremony Thursday, where he performed classics like “Choices (Yup)” and “Tell Me When to Go.” “It’s a big platform. … Being part of these NFL festivities, I love it.”For Too $hort, the moment reflected a clear evolution in how the NFL is engaging with the Bay Area’s musical legacy.“Ten years ago, the Super Bowl was right here. I didn’t do anything. … I didn’t talk to the NFL,” Too $hort said. “So it’s a real big deal. … It’s not the halftime show, but it’s a big deal for me.”How the Bay Area regional sound sets tone on a global stageBeyond E-40 and Too $hort’s NFL Honors performance, Bay Area music has been threaded throughout Super Bowl week with visitors coming in from across the country. Performers include recent Grammy-winning singer Kehlani, rapper Larry June and soul singer Goapele. There will also be multiple performances by LaRussell and punk-rock mainstays Green Day, who will open the 60th Super Bowl with an anniversary ceremony celebrating generations of MVPs and hit the stage along with Counting Crows at the FanDuel and Spotify party at Pier 29.“It feels good to just be important to the region and show that to everyone coming in, like, ‘Hey, this is our home,’” said LaRussell, who said he’s booked for 10 performances over a four-day span, including a Jordan Brand event and a tailgate concert outside Levi’s Stadium before the game. He said the scale of Super Bowl has given artists like himself an opportunity to showcase identity of their music. “Our spirit,” the rapper said. “That BPM, that tempo, that feeling when you hear Bay music that make you smile and want to dance. That don’t exist nowhere else.”LaRussell said that his Super Bowl week sets were less about promotion than representation.“This is where I come from,” he said. “This is my lineage, and this is why it matters.”Built different: Bay Area’s independent blueprintFor decades, the Bay Area has operated as its own musical ecosystem. Hip-hop here grew with an ingrained independence — from artists pressing records, selling tapes out of car trunks and building audiences city by city before industry infrastructure ever arrived.The sound evolved in chapters: from Oakland’s early rap economy and bassline-heavy mob music, to the hyphy movement’s high-energy release, to a present-day lane where Bay artists can be soulful, street, pop, punk — or all of it at once — without asking permission.That independence extends beyond artists themselves and into the infrastructure supporting them. San Francisco–based Empire, founded by Ghazi Shami, has grown into one of the largest independent record labels in the country. During Super Bowl week, the label gathered artifacts spanning its 15-year history for a free public museum, underscoring how Bay Area artists have built lasting careers outside the traditional major-label system.Empire also curated a Super Bowl week experience with Levi’s, blending music, fashion and local history into a showcase rooted in the region.“One thing about the Bay Area, you mix all of us together, man, we some bad cats,” said E-40, who has seen multiple generations of Bay Area artists coexist, evolve and leave their mark without crowding each other out.“Everybody just playing a position. … Larry June got his own lane. He’s doing his thing,” he said. “Kehlani bringing in Grammy Awards. Everybody just playing a position, and I feel like teamwork makes the dream work.”For E-40, that shared momentum matters more than passing torches or chasing trends.“As long as I got my life, health and strength, I’m gonna be able to make music forever,” he said. “I love doing music. It’s what I do.”How the Bay Area is leaving a lasting impressionWatching E-40 and Too $hort command NFL Honors resonated deeply with LaRussell, who said seeing artists in their 50s still innovating gave him an understanding of timing, longevity and success. He viewed their performance as proof that Bay Area artists expand instead of aging out.“To be in your 50s and still moving and shaking, it gives me confidence,” LaRussell said. “As long as you stay locked in, it’s gonna still happen.”Too $hort hopes the Bay Area’s presence during Super Bowl week leaves visitors with a deeper appreciation for where they are.“If you came here with a closed mind wanting it to be something that you don’t like, you’re really missing out,” he said. “This is a world-renowned area. People come here from all over the world to see this place. Don’t take it for granted.”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

    E-40 turned NFL Honors into a hyphy detour, firing off Bay Area slang that helped shape a generation as actor Tiffany Haddish and Carolina Panthers rookie Tetairoa McMillan danced from their seats and Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce nodded along to the beat.

    Moments earlier, Too $hort transformed the same stage into a Bay Area time capsule, running through anthems like “Gettin’ It” and “Blow the Whistle” that have echoed from car stereos, clubs and arenas for decades.

    They never shared the stage, but the impact was unmistakably shared.

    As two of the most enduring hip-hop architects, E-40 and Too $hort brought Northern California’s sound, swagger and independence to the NFL’s biggest night outside the Super Bowl itself. Their presence underscored a broader cultural moment, as Bay Area rap voices — from Kehlani to LaRussell — were woven into a jam-packed week leading up to the game.

    “On this Super Bowl week, this is the ultimate because it’s on Bay Area soil,” E-40 said during rehearsals before the ceremony Thursday, where he performed classics like “Choices (Yup)” and “Tell Me When to Go.” “It’s a big platform. … Being part of these NFL festivities, I love it.”

    For Too $hort, the moment reflected a clear evolution in how the NFL is engaging with the Bay Area’s musical legacy.

    “Ten years ago, the Super Bowl was right here. I didn’t do anything. … I didn’t talk to the NFL,” Too $hort said. “So it’s a real big deal. … It’s not the halftime show, but it’s a big deal for me.”

    How the Bay Area regional sound sets tone on a global stage

    Beyond E-40 and Too $hort’s NFL Honors performance, Bay Area music has been threaded throughout Super Bowl week with visitors coming in from across the country. Performers include recent Grammy-winning singer Kehlani, rapper Larry June and soul singer Goapele. There will also be multiple performances by LaRussell and punk-rock mainstays Green Day, who will open the 60th Super Bowl with an anniversary ceremony celebrating generations of MVPs and hit the stage along with Counting Crows at the FanDuel and Spotify party at Pier 29.

    “It feels good to just be important to the region and show that to everyone coming in, like, ‘Hey, this is our home,’” said LaRussell, who said he’s booked for 10 performances over a four-day span, including a Jordan Brand event and a tailgate concert outside Levi’s Stadium before the game. He said the scale of Super Bowl has given artists like himself an opportunity to showcase identity of their music.

    “Our spirit,” the rapper said. “That BPM, that tempo, that feeling when you hear Bay music that make you smile and want to dance. That don’t exist nowhere else.”

    LaRussell said that his Super Bowl week sets were less about promotion than representation.

    “This is where I come from,” he said. “This is my lineage, and this is why it matters.”

    Built different: Bay Area’s independent blueprint

    For decades, the Bay Area has operated as its own musical ecosystem. Hip-hop here grew with an ingrained independence — from artists pressing records, selling tapes out of car trunks and building audiences city by city before industry infrastructure ever arrived.

    The sound evolved in chapters: from Oakland’s early rap economy and bassline-heavy mob music, to the hyphy movement’s high-energy release, to a present-day lane where Bay artists can be soulful, street, pop, punk — or all of it at once — without asking permission.

    That independence extends beyond artists themselves and into the infrastructure supporting them. San Francisco–based Empire, founded by Ghazi Shami, has grown into one of the largest independent record labels in the country. During Super Bowl week, the label gathered artifacts spanning its 15-year history for a free public museum, underscoring how Bay Area artists have built lasting careers outside the traditional major-label system.

    Empire also curated a Super Bowl week experience with Levi’s, blending music, fashion and local history into a showcase rooted in the region.

    “One thing about the Bay Area, you mix all of us together, man, we some bad cats,” said E-40, who has seen multiple generations of Bay Area artists coexist, evolve and leave their mark without crowding each other out.

    “Everybody just playing a position. … Larry June got his own lane. He’s doing his thing,” he said. “Kehlani bringing in Grammy Awards. Everybody just playing a position, and I feel like teamwork makes the dream work.”

    For E-40, that shared momentum matters more than passing torches or chasing trends.

    “As long as I got my life, health and strength, I’m gonna be able to make music forever,” he said. “I love doing music. It’s what I do.”

    How the Bay Area is leaving a lasting impression

    Watching E-40 and Too $hort command NFL Honors resonated deeply with LaRussell, who said seeing artists in their 50s still innovating gave him an understanding of timing, longevity and success. He viewed their performance as proof that Bay Area artists expand instead of aging out.

    “To be in your 50s and still moving and shaking, it gives me confidence,” LaRussell said. “As long as you stay locked in, it’s gonna still happen.”

    Too $hort hopes the Bay Area’s presence during Super Bowl week leaves visitors with a deeper appreciation for where they are.

    “If you came here with a closed mind wanting it to be something that you don’t like, you’re really missing out,” he said. “This is a world-renowned area. People come here from all over the world to see this place. Don’t take it for granted.”

    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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  • Threat to Fed’s independence boosts economic uncertainty, says Bank of Canada head

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    By David Ljunggren and Promit Mukherjee

    OTTAWA, Jan 28 (Reuters) – The threat to the independence of the U.S. Federal Reserve is boosting economic uncertainty ​around the world, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem said on ‌Wednesday in his strongest comments to date on the outlook for the Fed.

    U.S. President Donald Trump has ‌repeatedly criticized Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, demanding he cut interest rates. He is seeking to remove Fed governor Lisa Cook while the Department of Justice has threatened Powell with a criminal indictment.

    Macklem made his remarks to reporters after keeping rates on ⁠hold amid what he called ‌unusually high levels of uncertainty.

    “I think the threat to the independence of the central bank in the United States is one ‍thing that has sort of been contributing to this sense of uncertainty,” he said.

    “The Federal Reserve is the biggest, most important central bank in the world, and we all need ​it to work well. A loss of independence of the Fed would affect ‌us all,” he added, saying Canada would be particularly affected given its close economic links to the United States.

    Macklem was one of the central bank heads who earlier this month issued a joint statement backing Powell. Last September, Macklem said Trump’s attempts to pressure the Fed were starting to hit markets.

    Keeping central banks ⁠independent lets them take “difficult decisions” that benefit citizens, ​Macklem said.

    “He is doing a good job at ​leading the Fed based on evidence, based on facts … I hope it stays that way. That’s going to be important for everyone,” ‍he said.

    Bank of Canada ⁠senior deputy governor Carolyn Rogers said a strong Fed benefited virtually every economy in the world because it kept markets and inflation stable.

    “Those things ⁠contribute to predictability and less sort of volatility in rates … there are a lot of reasons ‌for having a strong, independent Fed,” she told the press conference.

    (Reporting ‌by David Ljunggren. Editing by Jane Merriman)

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  • Hundreds celebrate Ukraine’s Independence Day amid war with Russia

    Hundreds celebrate Ukraine’s Independence Day amid war with Russia

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    Hundreds of people gathered in front of the California state capitol to mark Ukraine’s Independence Day on Saturday. It was a somber celebration as the war between Ukraine and Russia continues.“It’s a hard time for us,” Lesya Dashkevych said. Dashkevych came with her husband and her three children to the celebration. While she’s from Ukraine, her children have never been. Still, she said it’s important for them to learn the culture of the country.”I wish someday when there is no war in Ukraine, they’re going to visit the country,” she said. Dmytro Morozov, a Ukrainian veteran, also moved with his family to Sacramento from Ukraine. Not long before, he said he was in Russian captivity — being held as a prisoner of war. “In captivity, they made me a surgery, two surgeries. I almost die. I have lost 40 kilograms,” he said. “It was difficult days there.”But a gathering like Saturdays, is an important reminder of what their country is fighting for.“So basically, it’s not more about celebration today. It’s more about statement. Making the statement that Ukraine is unbroken. No matter how hard Russia will try to destroy us, Ukraine will stand. Ukraine will win,” Olga Noshyn with the Sunflower Society said. The event raised money for the Ukrainian military. There were also opportunities to send letters and drawings to Ukrainian soldiers.

    SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

    Hundreds of people gathered in front of the California state capitol to mark Ukraine’s Independence Day on Saturday.

    It was a somber celebration as the war between Ukraine and Russia continues.

    “It’s a hard time for us,” Lesya Dashkevych said.

    Dashkevych came with her husband and her three children to the celebration. While she’s from Ukraine, her children have never been. Still, she said it’s important for them to learn the culture of the country.

    “I wish someday when there is no war in Ukraine, they’re going to visit the country,” she said.

    Dmytro Morozov, a Ukrainian veteran, also moved with his family to Sacramento from Ukraine. Not long before, he said he was in Russian captivity — being held as a prisoner of war.

    “In captivity, they made me a surgery, two surgeries. I almost die. I have lost 40 kilograms,” he said. “It was difficult days there.”

    But a gathering like Saturdays, is an important reminder of what their country is fighting for.

    “So basically, it’s not more about celebration today. It’s more about statement. Making the statement that Ukraine is unbroken. No matter how hard Russia will try to destroy us, Ukraine will stand. Ukraine will win,” Olga Noshyn with the Sunflower Society said.

    The event raised money for the Ukrainian military. There were also opportunities to send letters and drawings to Ukrainian soldiers.

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  • Moscow and Kyiv exchange attacks, swap prisoners as Ukraine marks 33rd independence anniversary

    Moscow and Kyiv exchange attacks, swap prisoners as Ukraine marks 33rd independence anniversary

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    Russia and Ukraine exchanged over 100 prisoners of war on Saturday as Kyiv marked its third Independence Day since Moscow’s full-scale invasion.Related video above: Ukrainian authorities order evacuation of eastern city of Pokrovsk amid Russian advance Ukraine said the 115 servicemen who were freed were conscripts, many of whom were taken prisoner in the first months of Russia’s invasion. Among them are nearly 50 soldiers captured by Russian forces from the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol.The Russian Defense Ministry said the 115 Russian soldiers had been captured in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched their surprise offensive into Russia two weeks ago. The ministry said the soldiers were currently in Belarus, but would be taken to Russia for medical treatment and rehabilitation.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X that the United Arab Emirates had again brokered the exchange, the 55th since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.Photos attached to Zelenskyy’s post show gaunt servicemen with shaven heads and wrapped in Ukrainian flags.”We remember each and every one. We are searching and doing our best to get everyone back,” Zelenskyy said in the post.Officials from the two sides meet only when they swap their dead and POWs, after lengthy preparation and diplomacy. Neither Ukraine nor Russia discloses how many POWs there are in total.According to the U.N., most Ukrainian POWs suffer routine medical neglect, severe and systematic mistreatment, and even torture while in detention. There have also been isolated reports of abuse of Russian soldiers, mostly during capture or transit to internment sites.Last January, Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in the biggest single release.Drone and artillery attacks continueFive people were killed and five others wounded in Russian shelling of the center of the city of Kostiantynivka in Ukraine’s partially occupied eastern Donetsk region, local officials said.In the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, Russian shelling killed two people and wounded four, including a baby, officials said.Ukraine’s air force said it had intercepted and destroyed seven drones over the country’s south. Russian long-range bombers also attacked the area of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island with four cruise missiles, while the wider Kherson region was also struck by aerial bombs.In Russia, the Defense Ministry said Saturday that air defenses had shot down seven drones overnight.Five drones were downed over the southwestern Voronezh region bordering Ukraine, wounding two people, regional Gov. Aleksandr Gusev said. Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate claimed to have blown up a warehouse storing 5,000 tonnes of ammunition in the region’s Ostrogozhsky district. News outlet Astra published videos appearing to show explosions at the ammunition depot after being hit by a drone. The videos could not be independently verified.Two people were wounded in a drone attack in the Belgorod region, also bordering Ukraine, regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Local authorities did not report any casualties in the Bryansk region, where the fifth drone was intercepted.In the Kursk region, regional Gov. Alexei Smirnov said Saturday that three missiles were shot down overnight and another four on Saturday morning.Russian air defenses shot down two more drones on Saturday morning, Russia’s Defense Ministry said — one over the Kursk region and one over the Bryansk region.Independence Day commemorationsUkraine marked its 33rd Independence Day Saturday as its war against Russia’s aggression reaches a 30-month milestone. No festivities are planned, and instead, Ukrainians will mark the day with commemorations for civilians and soldiers killed in the war.Poland’s President Andrzej Duda arrived by train early Saturday to Kyiv in a symbolic show of support from one of Ukraine’s key allies.Videos posted by his office show him being greeted by Ukrainian officials and later paying his respects in a ceremony at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine.Duda’s visit to Kyiv, his fifth since February 2022, sends a message that Warsaw’s support for Ukraine remains strong as the war drags on for the third year.Poland, located to Ukraine’s west, has donated arms and become a hub for Western weapons destined for Ukraine. It has also welcomed tens of thousands of Ukrainians who fled the war. It hosts the most Ukrainian refugees outside of the country after Germany.A trade dispute over Ukrainian grain that dragged down ties last year, and historical grievances between the two countries, sometime provoke bad feelings, particularly among Poles who remember a World War II-era massacre by Ukrainian nationalists.___Morton reported from London.

    KYIV, Ukraine (AP) —

    Russia and Ukraine exchanged over 100 prisoners of war on Saturday as Kyiv marked its third Independence Day since Moscow’s full-scale invasion.

    Related video above: Ukrainian authorities order evacuation of eastern city of Pokrovsk amid Russian advance

    Ukraine said the 115 servicemen who were freed were conscripts, many of whom were taken prisoner in the first months of Russia’s invasion. Among them are nearly 50 soldiers captured by Russian forces from the Azovstal steelworks in Mariupol.

    The Russian Defense Ministry said the 115 Russian soldiers had been captured in the Kursk region, where Ukrainian forces launched their surprise offensive into Russia two weeks ago. The ministry said the soldiers were currently in Belarus, but would be taken to Russia for medical treatment and rehabilitation.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X that the United Arab Emirates had again brokered the exchange, the 55th since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbor in February 2022.

    Photos attached to Zelenskyy’s post show gaunt servicemen with shaven heads and wrapped in Ukrainian flags.

    “We remember each and every one. We are searching and doing our best to get everyone back,” Zelenskyy said in the post.

    Officials from the two sides meet only when they swap their dead and POWs, after lengthy preparation and diplomacy. Neither Ukraine nor Russia discloses how many POWs there are in total.

    According to the U.N., most Ukrainian POWs suffer routine medical neglect, severe and systematic mistreatment, and even torture while in detention. There have also been isolated reports of abuse of Russian soldiers, mostly during capture or transit to internment sites.

    Last January, Russia and Ukraine exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war in the biggest single release.

    Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP

    In this photo taken from a video released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, a Russian soldier fires from D-30 howitzer towards Ukrainian positions in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

    Drone and artillery attacks continue

    Five people were killed and five others wounded in Russian shelling of the center of the city of Kostiantynivka in Ukraine’s partially occupied eastern Donetsk region, local officials said.

    In the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, Russian shelling killed two people and wounded four, including a baby, officials said.

    Ukraine’s air force said it had intercepted and destroyed seven drones over the country’s south. Russian long-range bombers also attacked the area of Zmiinyi (Snake) Island with four cruise missiles, while the wider Kherson region was also struck by aerial bombs.

    In Russia, the Defense Ministry said Saturday that air defenses had shot down seven drones overnight.

    Five drones were downed over the southwestern Voronezh region bordering Ukraine, wounding two people, regional Gov. Aleksandr Gusev said. Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Directorate claimed to have blown up a warehouse storing 5,000 tonnes of ammunition in the region’s Ostrogozhsky district. News outlet Astra published videos appearing to show explosions at the ammunition depot after being hit by a drone. The videos could not be independently verified.

    Two people were wounded in a drone attack in the Belgorod region, also bordering Ukraine, regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Local authorities did not report any casualties in the Bryansk region, where the fifth drone was intercepted.

    In the Kursk region, regional Gov. Alexei Smirnov said Saturday that three missiles were shot down overnight and another four on Saturday morning.

    Russian air defenses shot down two more drones on Saturday morning, Russia’s Defense Ministry said — one over the Kursk region and one over the Bryansk region.

    A veteran pays his respect at a makeshift memorial for fallen Ukrainian soldiers during the Ukrainian Independence Day on Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

    Efrem Lukatsky

    A veteran pays his respect at a makeshift memorial for fallen Ukrainian soldiers during the Ukrainian Independence Day on Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)

    Independence Day commemorations

    Ukraine marked its 33rd Independence Day Saturday as its war against Russia’s aggression reaches a 30-month milestone. No festivities are planned, and instead, Ukrainians will mark the day with commemorations for civilians and soldiers killed in the war.

    Poland’s President Andrzej Duda arrived by train early Saturday to Kyiv in a symbolic show of support from one of Ukraine’s key allies.

    Videos posted by his office show him being greeted by Ukrainian officials and later paying his respects in a ceremony at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine.

    Duda’s visit to Kyiv, his fifth since February 2022, sends a message that Warsaw’s support for Ukraine remains strong as the war drags on for the third year.

    Poland, located to Ukraine’s west, has donated arms and become a hub for Western weapons destined for Ukraine. It has also welcomed tens of thousands of Ukrainians who fled the war. It hosts the most Ukrainian refugees outside of the country after Germany.

    A trade dispute over Ukrainian grain that dragged down ties last year, and historical grievances between the two countries, sometime provoke bad feelings, particularly among Poles who remember a World War II-era massacre by Ukrainian nationalists.

    ___

    Morton reported from London.


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  • ‘The Young Wife’ Director Tayarisha Poe And Star Kiersey Clemons Talk About Their Magically Melanated Unconventional Marriage Movie

    ‘The Young Wife’ Director Tayarisha Poe And Star Kiersey Clemons Talk About Their Magically Melanated Unconventional Marriage Movie

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    We recently had the chance to speak with director/writer of one of the most visually stunning projects we’ve seen recently, The Young Wife, along with the film’s star Kiersey Clemons. Poe is known for her work on Selah and the Spades and “The Twilight Zone.”

    Source: Courtesy / Republic Pictures

    The film is about a young couple who take a unique approach to their wedding day. The film finds Clemons’ character Celestina preparing for her unconventional wedding with her soulmate River. With a storm threatening to unleash around them, Celestina awaits River’s arrival while doing her best to survive the chaos and expectations of their family and friends as all the elements come together to intensify her spiraling panic.

    The film also stars Leon Bridges, Kelly Marie Tran, Michaela Watkins with Sheryl Lee Ralph and Judith Light.

    “I love love,” Tayarisha Poe told BOSSIP. “I just love watching people be in love together. I don’t like that now, it’s like there’s a pressure to make every wedding like a three day long experience, as opposed to just like — I love this new thing of like ‘Let’s have a brunch wedding and then go home. Like let me go about my day!’ I love a backyard wedding. I just love ceremony.”

    “I like when you’re celebrating the two people but not making up for the fact that the bride wasn’t the homecoming queen,” Kiersey Clemons interjected.

    “I think a lot of people who got had to have gone through the process of getting married have expressed that to me and when I went through one, I found that weddings are very much for other people, more so than just for the people getting married, which is honestly like totally chill when you go into it with that mindset,” Poe continued. “I also think that when you when you approach it with that mindset there’s something really potentially powerful that can come out of it and this idea of weddings being about a community marrying another community as opposed to two individuals being like narcissists and in love with themselves.”

    'The Young Wife' production stills

    Source: Courtesy / Republic Pictures

    One of the film’s most impactful scenes occurs between Clemons’ Celestina and Judith Light’s character Cookie, who is River’s grandmother. Cookie tells Celly that marriage is when a woman has to kind of break herself into bite sized pieces. We asked Tayarisha Poe about how the message reflects the reality of marriage for many women.

    “As a woman I find that it feels like there’s not even freedom within freedom to really choose what you want to do,” Poe told Bossip. “In choosing to get married to a man it feels like, ‘Oh my God am I really gonna like get married to a man? And then like that’s what I’m gonna do? I’m gonna like be at home with my child?’ I do those things because I love those people and those are the people in my life and it makes me happy and it brings me joy and it feels contrary to the ideas of freedom that I thought would feel free. I think that maybe I’m just pushing back against people telling us what to do and maybe freedom for us as women means being able to choose what we want without the pressure of society saying that you choosing that means you have to now do XY and Z.”

    'The Young Wife' writer/director Tayarisha Poe

    Source: Courtesy / Republic Pictures

    “I was just blown away when I read the script and I remember my agent talking about it, and she’s like, ‘There’s this movie! There’s this movie! I’m so excited about this movie! You gotta do this!’” Clemons recalled. “I was reading the script understanding why. This story that can feel really melancholy and has this like misty kind of coldness. I get why it would make someone like her feel excited and happy. I obviously saw the lookbook, the deck or whatever before I read the script and I was already a fan of Tayarisha and I was just so excited to seeing all of the the colors and it just reminded me of like the ocean and jellyfish and then to take that feeling and those visuals into reading the words, it was exciting and I cried and I laughed and I really felt like I was Celestina and like I was on the precipice of being this tornado that was going to destroy everything in my path.”

    Kiersey Clemons in 'The Young Wife' production stills

    Source: Courtesy / Republic Pictures

    THE YOUNG WIFE is currently available on digital

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    Janeé Bolden

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  • Paradigm Shifts: A Complete Change in Worldview

    Paradigm Shifts: A Complete Change in Worldview

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    Discover the power of paradigm shifts in driving individual and societal transformation, from overcoming cognitive dissonance to fueling scientific revolutions.

    When’s the last time you changed your mind about something?

    Many people are stuck in their beliefs and worldview, especially once we reach a certain age. Our map of reality is shaped most by early life experiences, including lessons we’ve learned from parents, teachers, and friends.

    A worldview can be hard to break out of on a purely psychological level.

    Once we are set in a view, we seek new information that continues to confirm these beliefs by only looking at sources that already agree with us. When new information contradicts these beliefs, we can easily ignore it or distort it to keep our map of reality intact.

    Accepting that we are wrong about something can be hurtful to our ego and pride, and in many ways our brains are designed to protect ourselves from this discomfort by simply ignoring contradictory information unless it has a real world effect on our lives. As Philip K. Dick once said, “Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away.”

    The average person isn’t primarily driven by a search for truth, they just need a map of reality that is good enough to navigate their lives effectively and not get themselves into too much trouble, which includes social pressures to conform to certain beliefs or stay silent about others.

    People can go through radical changes in beliefs though. Young adults and teenagers may go through “phases” as they come-of-age, where they question what they’ve been taught, rebel against orthodoxy, and search for their own meaning or purpose in life. These transformative years can lead to paradigm shifts that last a lifetime, such as adherence to new political, religious, or philosophical ideologies. Many may still return to their old beliefs later in life, but with a fresh new perspective.

    Learning about a new worldview, ideology, or philosophy doesn’t mean you need to adopt it – and it doesn’t necessarily lead to a paradigm shift. Often times learning about radically different belief systems can give us a firmer understanding of our current beliefs. There’s wisdom in learning about worldviews you find wrong, mistaken, or incorrect; at the very least, it will give you a better understanding of where other people are coming from.

    Paradigm shifts aren’t just new or updated knowledge, they represent a complete change in your perspective that makes you see and interpret old knowledge in a different way.

    This shift in perspective can be jolting and uncomfortable at first. We depend on worldviews to make sense of reality, so deep changes in perspective can often make reality feel more confusing or unstable at first.

    We often need to re-evaluate old knowledge and experiences through a new lens, and re-integrate them into a new and better map of reality. This is a mental shift that can sometimes take months or years before it is fully developed.

    My Paradigm Shifts

    My mind has changed a lot over the past decade, which hopefully is a sign that I’m learning and growing. When I first started this website over 15 years ago, my worldview was very different than what it is today.

    A few ways my mindset has changed:

    • Less Individualistic – During my college years, I explored a lot of libertarian philosophy that emphasized the individual over the collective. This is a common starting point in many “self help” circles too, which have an ethos of “take responsibility” and “pull yourself up by your boot straps.” While I still believe strongly in individual responsibility and initiative, I’ve grown to recognize the “no man is an island” mantra and focus more on the importance of social support, community-mindedness, and asking for help. This understanding has led to changes in my political and economic views too.
    • Less Materialistic and Money-Focused – It’s a bit embarrassing looking back on it, but I used to want to be rich and famous. I think a lot of it is just part of America’s narcissistic culture, where everyone strives to become some type of celebrity. As I get older, I’ve discovered new core values that have helped me focus on the more important things in life. I’ve also learned that a lot of my drive for money was really a drive for independence, and those aren’t the same thing. A person can make a lot of money and be trapped in their career to sustain their luxurious lifestyle, but a person of more modest fortune, who can be happy with less, often has more independence because they can then focus on other things in life. That was a counter-intuitive idea for me that took awhile to process.
    • Focus on Social and Cultural Forces – When I was younger, and likely a product of my libertarian days, I used to focus more on the importance of economics rather than culture. Generally, I saw things like music, art, and film as just a peripheral aspect of society, but now I’m beginning to understand their central importance. Every culture reflects and propagates a certain set of values, and a culture that promotes harmful and destructive values will lead to a harmful and destructive society. When I look at today’s world, I see a lot of cultural forces going in the wrong direction. I’m not pro-censorship in anyway, but I find many aspects of our culture need to be analyzed, criticized, and abandoned if they are hurting the happiness and health of a people.

    This is how my mindset has shifted over the years – and my mind will likely keep changing as long as I stay open to new information, new knowledge, and new experiences. At this point, most of my learning has happened outside of school and that’s a path I will continue on for the rest of my life.

    The Structure of Scientific Revolutions

    One of the most popular discussions on the topic of paradigm shifts is Thomas Kuhn’s 1962 book
    The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.

    Kuhn describes that scientific progress isn’t just an accumulation of facts, which he calls “normal science,” but also periods of “revolutionary science,” where anomalies are discovered that force scientists to look at a field in a completely new way.

    Common examples of paradigm shifts in science include:

    • The Copernican Revolution in the 16th century, where there was a change from geocentrism (“earth is the center of the universe”) to heliocentrism (“sun is the center of the solar system”)
    • Newtonian Physics in the 17th century, where classical mechanics discovered by Isaac Newton replaced previous models of Aristotelian physics.
    • Darwin’s theory of evolution and natural selection in the 19th century, which changed how humans viewed themselves in relation to animals and nature.

    Often there is initial resistance to accept new paradigms, which can go through heated periods of controversy and criticism among contemporary scientists and laymen.

    However, once these new paradigms were adopted, they allowed for research and discoveries into new phenomenon which ultimately expanded the boundaries of science and learning.

    New paradigms completely change how a scientific field is looked at. Thomas Kuhn used the example of the duck-rabbit optical illusion to demonstrate how new paradigms can change how we see old information:

    duck-rabbit optical illusion

    A duck or rabbit? It depends on your perspective.

    New paradigms can take awhile to be fully adopted. Old facts need to be looked at through a new lens. New books, research, studies, lectures, and textbooks need to be re-written from this new perspective, leading to a type of cognitive restructuring of society. The philosopher Immanuel Kant referred to the advancements of Greek mathematics and Newtonian physics as “revolutions in thinking,” and they take time to process.

    Generally, new scientific paradigms are better than old ones because they have more explanatory power over understanding natural phenomenon and predicting future outcomes.

    The best measure of scientific truth is its predictive power: if a new paradigm fails to better explain or predict a natural occurrence over a previous paradigm, then there’s no real point in replacing the old model (from a scientific perspective).

    Paradigm Shifts: An Antidote to Cognitive Dissonance

    Paradigm shifts are spurred on when new facts don’t fit into old worldviews. This leads to feelings of cognitive dissonance which is when someone is forced to hold two contradictory beliefs at the same time.

    Often the only way to reconcile this disconnect between facts vs. experience is to find a completely new paradigm that accounts for all old and new knowledge. This may require recognizing wrong or mistaken beliefs from your past, or cultivating a worldview with more complexity and nuance.

    Cognitive dissonance is a painful experience that most people choose to ignore or avoid. Many people double-down on wrong beliefs when they are passionately invested in them, which leads to excessive confirmation bias and conspiracy theories when beliefs continue to be held unchecked.

    At the same time, cognitive dissonance can be a catalyst for change – it’s a signal that we need to adjust our understanding of reality. This can become a real avenue for transformative thinking as long as you are honest with yourself, seek out diverse sources of information, and open-minded enough to see things in a new light.

    Conclusion

    Paradigm shifts are a part of learning and growing on both an individual and societal level. They are necessary for both radical self-improvement and radical scientific progress.

    While it’s important not to “change your mind just for the sake of changing your mind,” honest searches for knowledge and truth inevitably come up against walls that require a paradigm shift to get over and move onto the next stage.


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    Steven Handel

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  • Tips for Preserving Your Independence in Love and Relationships

    Tips for Preserving Your Independence in Love and Relationships

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     6 Tips for Preserving Your Independence in Love and Relationships

    You can read the blog below or watch it on YouTube by clicking here.

    Over the years, as a single woman over 50, you’ve had to learn how to be strong and independent.

    There was no other choice if you – or you and your kids were going to be ok.

    Now you want a man in your life.

    But a little piece is tugging at you wondering if you bring someone into your life, will you have to give up the independence you’ve worked so hard to achieve.

    This concern is real and that’s why today I want to share 6 tips about how you can find love with a good man and still firmly hold onto your independence.


    Tip #1 – Understanding Your Fear

    The fear of losing your independence in a relationship often comes from past experiences.

    Think about your parents marriage before Women’s Lib or the TV show’s you watched as a kid where a woman self-sacrificed to accommodate her spouses needs.

    Maybe this happened in your marriage as well and when you think of being in a relationship with a new man, it brings up the fear of losing your independence again.

    It’s perfectly okay to feel a little hesitant—everyone does!

    But I want you to remember, you’re in charge of your life, and any relationship you choose can respect your space and the way you live.

    And it starts with . . .

    Tip #2 – Setting Boundaries

    Boundaries help you feel safe and comfortable.

    As you’re getting to know someone, you’ll want to talk about what you’re okay with and what you need in terms of alone time and doing your own thing.

    I remember going out with a man who wanted someone around all the time.

    I’m pretty independent so I knew this would be too much for me.

    We became friends and hung out from time to time when neither of us was dating which was great.

    By sharing your boundaries and what works for you, it helps the two of you create a healthy relationship that includes plenty of room for love but also for you to be yourself.

    Tip #3 – Maintaining Your Lifestyle

    A common concern is that a new relationship will upend your existing lifestyle.

    Remember, you’re the architect of your life.

    It’s important for you to continue engaging in activities you love, whether it’s working, pursuing hobbies, or hanging out with friends.

    Integrating a partner into your life does not mean abandoning your routine; it’s about finding someone who complements your lifestyle, not overtakes it.

    Tip #4 – Communicating Your Needs

    Communication is vital in any relationship, especially when it comes to preserving your independence.

    You want to remember that men are not mind readers. (yes, it would be amazing if they were mind readers but when let’s face it, we aren’t either)

    And that’s why you’ll want to be with a man you feel comfortable expressing your needs, your non-negotiables, and your vision for a relationship so the two of you can create one that works for BOTH OF YOU.

    Tip #5 – Choosing the Right Partner

    The right man will make you feel more like yourself, not less.

    He will champion your independence rather than challenge it.

    When you find a man who enriches your life without encroaching on your autonomy, you’ll know the balance is just right.

    Finding a man who values his independence as much as you do can be a game-changer.

    Tip #6 – Embracing Interdependence

    Being independent is great, but working together with someone can make things even better.

    This kind of teamwork means you can still take care of yourself while also getting help and improving your life with the support of a partner.

    I hope these 6 Tips have given you peace of mind that being in a loving relationship does not mean you have to surrender your independence.

    Instead, it’s an opportunity to bring someone into your world who adds to it without diminishing who you are.

    And that can be a wonderful experience that respects your independence and allows you to write a new chapter in your life, one with companionship and personal freedom holding equal weight in your love story.

    Believing in You!

    Lisa

    Your Next Steps to Love after 50. . . .

    💞 Feeling like you are on a merry-go-round of mismatched dates? Lets press pause and talk about how we can write a new love story for you. Click here to start our conversation. Tell me your story – I am here to listen and guide you towards meeting someone truly special.

    If you are still gearing up for that step, I have plenty of insights and inspiration for you:

    1. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel for heartfelt dating wisdom and uplifting success stories from women who have been just where you are. They found love, and so can you. Click here to watch and learn.

    2. Discover a new chapter in your dating life with my book, “The Winning Dating Formula.” It is more than a book; it is your journey to love mapped out. And it is just a click away on Amazon. Click here and start attracting the love you deserve.

    3. Join our Finding Love after 50 Facebook group to find camaraderie and connection. It is a warm and welcoming space to share your journey and receive support every step of the way. Click here to become part of our community.

    4. On the lookout for a dating site that resonates with you? Browse through my personal selection of the best dating sites tailor-made for fabulous over 50s. Click here and say goodbye to guesswork.

    Let these resources be your steppingstones to a love life filled with promise and joy. When you are ready, I am here to take that journey with you. Together, lets find your Mr. Right! 🌹

    Love this article? Sign up by clicking here to receive my weekly blog.

    Copyright© 2024 Lisa Copeland. All rights reserved.


    On May 22, 2024       /   Confidence after 50, Dating Advice Over 50  

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    Lisa

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  • Panama celebrates court order to cancel mine even as business is hit

    Panama celebrates court order to cancel mine even as business is hit

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    For more than a month, protests against Central America’s largest open-pit copper mine have held Panama in a state of siege. Roadblocks have caused gas and propane shortages. Many supermarket shelves have run bare. Restaurants and hotels have sat empty.

    But on Tuesday, protesters in Panama got the news they were waiting for.

    The country’s Supreme Court of Justice ruled that Panama’s new mining contract with the Canadian company First Quantum was unconstitutional.

    Protesters danced in the streets in front of the Supreme Court. They waved the red, white and blue Panamanian flag and sang the national anthem.

    The ruling, a big blow for investors and the country’s long-term credit rating, is, for the moment, a source of relief for Panama, which has been shaken by the country’s largest protest movement to plague the country in decades.

    The news of the Supreme Court ruling came early on Tuesday – the day of the anniversary of Panama’s Independence from Spain.

    “Today, we are celebrating two independences,” 58-year-old restaurant worker Nestor Gonzalez told Al Jazeera. “Independence from Spain and independence from the mine. And no one is going to forget it.”

    People turned out to celebrate. The bistro where Gonzalez works, in the western province of Chiriqui, was packed with patrons by noon – something the restaurant had not seen since mid-October.

    “We are so happy,” said Gonzalez, “because, we had been locked up in the province of Chiriqui for 35 days, without gas, without propane and with little food. I had to go look for firewood in the mountains because I had no propane to cook with. So thank God that the justices took a stand and issued this ruling.”

    The mine, known as Cobre Panama, has been in production since 2019, and extracting 300,000 tonnes of copper a year. It represents roughly five percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and 75 percent of Panamanian exports. The mining sector contributes roughly seven percent of Panama’s GDP with Cobre Panama as the country’s most important mine.

    But protesters said Cobre Panama was a disaster for the country’s environment and a handout to a foreign corporation.

    “I’m protesting because they are stealing our country. They are just handing it over,” said Ramon Rodriguez, a protester in a yellow raincoat in a march in late October, after protests ignited against the mine. “The sovereignty of our country is in danger. That’s why I’m here.”

    This question of sovereignty is particularly important for Panamanians, who fought throughout the 20th century to rid the country of the United States-controlled Panama Canal Zone. This was an area almost half the size of the US state of Rhode Island that sliced through the middle of Panama.

    “This contract is bad. It never should have been made. Never. So you have to fight,” said Miriam Caballero, a middle-aged woman in a grey sweatshirt who watched the October protest pass.

    Protesters said Cobre Panama was a disaster for the country’s environment and a handout to the Canadian firm that had the mining contract [Michael Fox/Al Jazeera]

    Impact on foreign investment

    This was not the first contract with the mine. In 2021, the Supreme Court declared the previous contract unconstitutional for not adequately benefitting the public good. The government of President Laurentino Cortizo renegotiated the contract with improved benefits for the state. This was fast-tracked through Congress on October 20. Cortizo signed it into law hours later.

    The president and his cabinet had applauded the new contract, saying it would bring windfall profits for the state.

    “The contract ensures a minimum payment to the state of $375m dollars a year, for the next 20 years,” Commerce Minister Federico Alfaro told Panama news outlet Telemetro. “If you can compare this with what the state was receiving before, which was $35m a year, it’s a substantial improvement to the past.”

    Cortizo promised to use the funds to shore up the country’s Social Security Fund and increase pensions for more than 120,000 retirees.

    After the protests spiralled out of control, he announced a moratorium on all new mining projects and promised to hold a referendum over the fate of Cobre Panama. The idea didn’t gain traction. The protesters wouldn’t budge.

    Members of Panama’s business sector have blamed Cortizo for mishandling the crisis and refusing to use a heavy hand to end the roadblocks and stop the protests. Last week, they said it had cost the country $1.7bn.

    Cortizo, whose approval rating was already down to 24 percent in June, responded to this week’s court ruling, stating, “All Panamanians need to respect and abide by the decisions of the Supreme Court.”

    Analysts say the protests and the ruling will have an impact for foreign companies looking to do business in Panama.

    “I believe this court ruling is sending a very clear message to foreign investors,” Jorge Cuellar, ​​assistant professor of Latin American studies at Dartmouth College, told Al Jazeera. “If this is the kind of foreign investment that politicians and capitalists are innovating in 2023, then Panamanians want no part of it.”

    But this stance will likely come at a price.

    In early November, after more than a week of protests, rating agency Moody’s downgraded Panama’s debt to the lowest investment-grade rating. It cited financial issues and noted the political turmoil. JP Morgan analysts said, at the time, that if the mining contract were revoked, it would substantially increase Panama’s risk of losing its investment-grade rating.

    First Quantum also has much to lose. Its shares have lost 60 percent of their value over the last month and a half. More than 40 percent of the company’s production comes from the Panamanian mine.

    Over the weekend, the company notified Panama that it planned to take the country to arbitration under the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries.

    But in a statement released after the ruling, First Quantum said, “The Company wishes to express that it respects Panamanian laws and will review the content of the judgement to understand its foundations.”

    Indigenous Peoples March in Panama to protest the mine contract
    Protesters said the country’s sovereignty was at stake [Michael Fox/Al Jazeera]

    ‘Jobs at risk’

    The announcement is also a blow for the employees of the mine. The mine employs roughly 6,600 people – 86 percent of whom are Panamanian – and a total 40,000 direct and indirect jobs.

    The Union of Panamanian Mine Workers, Utramipa, announced its members would march in several cities on Wednesday against the Supreme Court decision and in defence of their jobs.

    “We are not going to allow them to put our jobs at risk, which are our means for supporting our families,” the union said in a statement.

    Last week, Utramipa member Michael Camacho denounced the protests on the news outlet Panama En Directo. Operations at the mine were suspended last week due to protests at its port and the highway in and out of the facility.

    “What about us, the workers? We are also Panamanians. We have the right to go to our homes and return to our place of work,” said Camacho. “But at this moment, we are being held hostage by the protesters, by the anti-social, the terrorists – which is what we should call them – and the people that stop us from passing.”

    For the majority of Panamanians, the Supreme Court ruling is a welcomed sign that the country is on the road to normalcy.

    Protesters in some provinces have promised to stay in the streets until the Supreme Court ruling is officially published – which usually takes a few days – or until the mine is closed for good. But many roadblocks have now been cleared, highways that stood empty for weeks are now open, and gas stations are rolling back in business.

    “We are in a new phase,” Harry Brown Arauz, the director of Panama’s International Center of Social and Political Studies, told Al Jazeera. “The protests, as we have seen until now, should be lifted. And the government has said that it will begin the process of closing the mine in an orderly manner. This can generate confidence in the population, which had been lost.”

    Arauz says the protest movement and the ruling are a powerful sign of the strength of Panama’s democracy, which the country regained just over 30 years ago.

    “This is a really important moment,” he says. “It marks a before and after for Panamanian democracy.”

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  • The Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey Partners With Envoy America to Launch a Transportation and Companionship Service for Older Adults

    The Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey Partners With Envoy America to Launch a Transportation and Companionship Service for Older Adults

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    Partnerships such as this one exemplifies the ways non-profit organizations and older adults care providers are working together to address isolation and the social determinants of health.

    Press Release
    –

    Jan 16, 2023


    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., January 16, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Envoy America, a technology-enabled platform for transportation and companionship services for older ad0ults, announced a new partnership with the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey (JFSNJ), a vibrant, non-profit organization. This collaboration will help keep older Jewish adults engaged in the community via Envoy America’s accompanied transportation service with social, recreational, and cultural programming infused with Jewish heritage and values.

    “Social isolation remains a major risk factor for older adults’ health, and transportation difficulties are often a top contributor to why they aren’t connected or engaged with the people, places, and things that provide meaning in their life,” said Ronit Boyd, Chief Impact & Innovation Officer, JFSNJ. “Older adults want autonomy, to come and go and enjoy life on their own terms. We are proud and excited to partner with Envoy America to provide this vital service to our community.”

    Founded in 2015 in Scottsdale, Arizona, Envoy America has invented a new category of care through leveraging human compassion and technology. Since its inception, the company focused on turning an untapped supply of compassionate talent, 45- to 60-year-old “younger” older adults and stay-at-home parents, into a new caregiver that the company calls Companion Drivers.

    “Our Companion Drivers across the country have been addressing the Social Determinants of Health, including isolation, disengagement and loneliness since 2015, for older adults who stand to benefit from companionship, assistance and transportation services,” said K. C. Kanaan, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Envoy America. “By providing access to social support outside and inside the home, those using the Envoy America service are less likely to need costly medical intervention and more able to live independent, healthy and more socially active lives.”

    According to Boyd, JFSNJ and Envoy America’s mission, values, and culture of putting older adults first aligned well. “Partnering to serve older Jewish adults in the tri-county area our Federation serves addressed many concerns seniors and their loved ones have about traditional transportation services, giving them more than just a curb-to-curb drop off but a true individualized service without boundaries.”

    Envoy America Companion Drivers are compassionate individuals who are trained to understand the varying needs and challenges older adults face. All Companion Drivers must pass Envoy America’s proprietary DCCP™ Skills Training (Driving Companionship Certification Program) which includes modules on communication etiquettes, defensive driving skills, working with walkers and transfer wheelchairs and serving clients with memory challenges.

    The Jewish Federation Senior Rides Program is open to Jewish individuals age 60 or older who reside in the Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester Counties, New Jersey. For more specifics qualification and joining the program, please call 856-751-9500 x1118 or email jfedrides@jfedsnj.org.

    About the Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey

    The Jewish Federation of Southern New Jersey (JFSNJ) began in 1922 when a group of 29 people with vision and compassion for others created an organization which would serve the Jews of Camden. From humble beginnings focusing on the delivery of food, clothing, and shelter, we have grown into a communal organization dedicated to promoting and enhancing Jewish life throughout Southern NJ. The Jewish Federation encompasses facilities that serve approximately 56,700 people in the Jewish community of Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester Counties.

    Locally, the Jewish Federation and our family of agencies are serving the needs of the Jewish population, including early childhood, young adults, special needs, and seniors. The Jewish Federation family of agencies enhances the lives of thousands of people through counseling; food pantries; low- and moderate-income housing; social, cultural, and recreational programs; Jewish education; and Israel advocacy.

    The Jewish Federation’s global mission is accomplished through a network of overseas partners assisting Jews in more than 90 countries worldwide.

    About Envoy America

    Envoy America is a women-led operation that was founded in 2015 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Envoy America and its team of Companion Drivers offer older adults and families companionship and transportation services to help them stay socially active, healthy and independent.

    Across the U.S., health plans, accountable care and healthcare organizations, senior living communities, faith-based organizations and families look to Envoy to provide care to their members and residents. The company tailors its service to the goals of each member and resident, providing companionship, assistance and transportation services to activities the members and residents choose. This includes medical appointments, grocery shopping, religious services, sporting events, theater, cultural events, family get-togethers, walking their pet and help with technology — whatever they desire. For more information, visit www.envoyamerica.com.

    # # #

    Source: Envoy America

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  • US House approves referendum on Puerto Rico’s future

    US House approves referendum on Puerto Rico’s future

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    Bill, unlikely to pass in the Senate, would offer Puerto Rico voters choice between statehood and forms of independence.

    The United States House of Representatives has passed a bill to allow Puerto Rico to vote on a binding referendum on whether to become a state or gain independence – a largely symbolic measure unlikely to pass in the Senate.

    The House passed the proposal, dubbed the Puerto Rico Status Act, in a 233-191 vote on Thursday. The proposal calls for a vote in November of next year to “​​resolve Puerto Rico’s political status”.

    The measure would give Puerto Rican voters a chance to choose between independence, sovereignty in free association with the US or statehood. The referendum would not include Puerto Rico’s current status as a US commonwealth.

    “Many of us are not in agreement about how that future should be, but we all accept that the decision should belong to the people of Puerto Rico,” said Puerto Rico Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez, the island’s non-voting representative in the US Congress.

    But with the Congress, whose term expires early next month, heading to a recess, the proposed legislation has virtually no chance of being taken up by the Senate, let alone clearing the 60-vote threshold required for passing in the 100-member upper chamber.

    On Friday, 16 House Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the bill.

    “It is crucial to me that any proposal in Congress to decolonise Puerto Rico be informed and led by Puerto Ricans,” said Democratic Congressman Raul Grijalva, chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, which oversees affairs in US territories.

    Puerto Rico residents are US citizens but effectively have no representation in Congress and cannot vote in US general elections.

    A former Spanish colony, the Caribbean island was acquired by the US in 1898 after the Spanish-American war. With more than three million people, it is the most populous of the US territories subjected to different treatment than the country’s 50 states.

    For example, the Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that Puerto Ricans were not entitled to the same federal welfare benefits as citizens living in the states.

    House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Friday that it was “a long and torturous path” to get the proposal to the floor.

    “For far too long, the people of Puerto Rico have been excluded from the full promise of American democracy and self-determination that our nation has always championed,” Hoyer said.

    Progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who is of Puerto Rican descent, hailed the bill as a “watershed moment” that would allow the island to decide its own future.

    “While Puerto Rico is not the United States’s only colony, it is its oldest,” Ocasio-Cortez said before the vote.

    “Today for the first time in our nation’s history, the United States will acknowledge its role as a colonising force and Puerto Rico’s status as an extended colony.”

    Key Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, who voted against the bill, said while she supports statehood for the island “if that is what the people of Puerto Rico decide to pursue”, she opposed the bill because it would allow independence.

    “The United States should bring the over three million American citizens in Puerto Rico closer, rather than pushing them further away,” Stefanik said in a statement.

    “This last minute bill was brought to the floor by Nancy Pelosi without a committee hearing on the text. A proposal as complicated and impactful as statehood requires a thorough review and debate.”

    In 2020, Puerto Rican voters narrowly favoured statehood in a non-binding referendum that did not include independence.

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  • Kansas City man charged with federal crime in connection with shooting death of off-duty firefighter

    Kansas City man charged with federal crime in connection with shooting death of off-duty firefighter

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    KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A 23-year-old man whose firearm was used to shoot and kill an off-duty firefighter has been charged in federal court.

    A statement from the U.S. District Attorney’s Office indicated Ja’Von L. Taylor was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

    The news release stated surveillance video showed Taylor and a victim, later identified as Kansas City Fire Department firefighter Anthony Santi, fighting over a firearm Taylor was holding outside the Road Star gas station at the corner of US 40 Highway and Sterling Avenue.

    The gun had an extended magazine, federal prosecutors stated.

    A woman who was a passenger with Taylor got a hold of the firearm and fired a round, apparently shooting Santi in the back. He died from his injuries.

    A probable cause document stated Taylor is a convicted felon out of Missouri for first-degree robbery.

    Independence Police had released two suspects were taken into custody but had not yet identified them, as of 12 p.m. Friday.

    ALSO READ: Off-duty KCFD firefighter dies following shooting at Independence gas station

    Copyright 2022 KCTV. All rights reserved.

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  • Harmar Announces LiftSquad, a National Installation Network

    Harmar Announces LiftSquad, a National Installation Network

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    Press Release
    –


    updated: Oct 1, 2018


    SARASOTA, Fla., October 1, 2018 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Harmar Mobility is pleased to formally announce the new LiftSquad Installation Support Network. As a leading manufacturer in the mobility industry, Harmar has long maintained a network of trained and certified installation professionals. 

    By launching LiftSquad, Harmar creates an even stronger platform for showcasing these dedicated professionals. LiftSquad has the opportunity to serve nearly 1,000 veterans every month, along with private purchases from our dealer network across the country. 

    For consumers, LiftSquad is a mark of confidence. Every LiftSquad installer is personally trained and certified by Harmar through a rigorous training program. The LiftSquad brand represents confidence and peace of mind for a consumer as they can trust that their Harmar product will be installed properly for safe and worry-free operation. 

    Background. For more than 20 years, Harmar has been designing and building solutions for people with mobility challenges. The Harmar family of products provides confidence and independence for our neighbors who encounter obstacles every day. We are proud to manufacture, here in the United States, stair lifts, vertical platform lifts and a wide range of scooter and wheelchair carriers that fit nearly any vehicle. Founded in 1998, Harmar has a history of growth that comes from evolving our products so that they enrich the lives of our customers. 

    Source: Harmar

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  • Shaw’s Sponsors Future in Sight’s 15th Annual Walk for Sight

    Shaw’s Sponsors Future in Sight’s 15th Annual Walk for Sight

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    Press Release
    –


    updated: May 15, 2018


    CONCORD, N.H., May 15, 2018 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Future In Sight, formerly known as New Hampshire Association for the Blind, is pleased to announce that Shaw’s is this year’s Walk for Sight Event Sponsor.

    “We are thrilled to have the support of Shaw’s as our Event Sponsor for this year’s Walk. In addition to this generous sponsorship, 17 Shaw’s stores have registered teams to walk with us on Saturday, June 2 in downtown Concord. The individual Shaw’s teams, led by each store’s director, have their competitive game faces on and are competing against one another for the largest team with the most money raised. So it can be accurately said that Shaw’s ‘walks the Walk!’ said Lucinda Williams, Director of Development for Future In Sight. This 3K Walk is Future In Sight’s largest fundraiser of the year. Proceeds from the Walk help the Organization provide vision rehabilitation programs and services to people who are blind and visually impaired in New Hampshire. The Walk is also the state’s largest gathering for awareness, support, and advocacy for people who are blind and visually impaired.  Last year, almost 500 walkers participated.

    One of the primary reasons I approached Shaw’s about partnering with us for this Walk was because I personally noticed the above-and-beyond measures they take to not only hire people challenged with a disability but also to make grocery shopping accessible for the visually impaired through the shopping service program.

    Lucinda Williams, Director of Development, Future In Sight

    “We are pleased to support such a worthy cause and Future In Sight as it works to help 4,000 people this year alone. At Shaw’s, we know these people live and work in the communities where our stores are located.  We want our communities to know we truly care,” says Daniel Moore, District Manager of Shaw’s.

    In addition to Shaw’s notable record of hiring those who are disabled, Shaw’s also offers a shopping service where an employee will accompany a blind or visually impaired person as they tend to their essential food needs. “One of the primary reasons I approached Shaw’s about partnering with us for this Walk was because I personally noticed the above-and-beyond measures they take to not only hire people challenged with a disability but also to make grocery shopping accessible for the visually impaired through the shopping service program,” states Williams. “I wasn’t surprised when Daniel responded with a strong ‘yes, let’s do this partnership’ because the company’s actions speak louder than words.”

    “You may have a friend, neighbor or relative struggling with day to day tasks because of sight loss. Making people aware of this incredible Organization is just another way we can help advocate for and promote awareness of the needs and challenges of the visually-impaired community,” states Moore, “we hope to see hundreds of people at the Walk to share the message that there is a Future In Sight.”

    Walk for Sight registration begins at 9:00 a.m. on June 2, with the Walk starting promptly at 11:00 a.m. Participants are encouraged, however, to pre-register online now at www.futureinsight.org or by phone at (603) 565-2424. Registration is $20 per walker, $5 for those under 12.  Registration includes an event t-shirt, lunch, and fun activities at the McGreal Sight Center.

    Source: Future In Sight

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