Posts made in May 2020

Lil Boat 3 Release

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22-year old Atlanta native, Grammy-nominated singer, rapper, producer, creative designer, branding genius and fashion icon Lil Yachty smashed onto the scene four years ago with his debut mixtape Lil Boat. Its sound was prophetic, creating a new wave of hip hop while laying out the blueprint for many of today’s most popular rap stars to follow. The 2018 follow up, Lil Boat 2, peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200. Today, Lil Yachty has released the third and final installment of the famed Lil Boat series; Lil Boat 3.

His latest mixtape ushers in a new era for the rapper, showcasing his growth as both an artist and a man. Alongside the album release, Yachty shared a new music video for “Demon Time” feat. Draft Day. With features from A$AP Rocky, Tyler The Creator, Future, Young Thug, Lil Durk, Lil Keed, Drake, DaBaby, Tierra Whack and more, the highly anticipated 19-track studio album pays respects to the fun-loving Lil Boat while making clear that Yachty’s sound is ever-evolving.

With the trilogy now coming to a close, Lil Yachty unleashes a sound that effortlessly and constantly bounces between rap to pop creating something entirely his own.

Stream Lil Boat 3 here.

CONNECT WITH LIL YACHTY: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify

MEREDITH GRACE DABNEY

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16-Year-Old Filmmaker & Actress Meredith Grace Dabney Releases Award-Winning Short HERE TODAY

Out now via Astrabeta Creations

Click [HERE] to watch

Filmmaker and actress Meredith Grace Dabney release her award-winning short film HERE TODAY which chronicles the life of a high school girl struggling to find her identity with a new group of friends. The film comes directly from the filmmaker’s production company Astrabeta Creations in association with Arvold Productions and Point Nine Films.

This universally autobiographical tale, written by the young filmmaker is a reminder of vulnerability, life’s connections, and most importantly that words and actions, however small, affect everyone and everything.

Meredith shares: “It is my hope that HERE TODAY will speak as a voice of encouragement and love to others as it does to me, and will educate on the topics of suicide, anxiety, depression, mental health, and self-worth. My creative mission in bringing this film to life has been to reinforce the crucial thought that “Your PRESENCE matters.” The process of making this film has served as both a personal growth journey and a reminder that every single action, word, and encounter has an everlasting impact and truly does matter. My hope is that this film will be a stepping stone to increased conversations about sensitive topics as well as a vehicle for bringing to light universal internal struggles.”

HERE TODAY, directed by Erica Arvold and written by Meredith, serves as a reminder that wherever you may be on your journey in life, YOU are valid and important.

Meredith uses her voice as a platform for herself and others who may be in a dark place. In conjunction with the film, Meredith has initiated a social media campaign “You Okay? Ask Someone Today!” The campaign is a way to challenge others to reach out to 3 individuals every day via text, mail, email, phone, or other forms of communication to simply ask, “You Okay?” (one person may be ourselves!). The campaign, which was initiated as part of Mental Health Awareness Month, will be going on through Summer and is also reflected in some very cool merchandise with the same “You Okay” message. Dabney says, “I want to change the world through kindness, compassion, and connectedness, and this way people can have a reminder to reach out to others by wearing it for all to see!”

National Suicide Prevention Helpline: 1-800-273-8255

Cast: Meredith Grace Dabney, CeCe Kelly, Isaiah Asher Hanley, Kjay Saifullah

Prod Co: Astrabeta Creations, Arvold Productions, Point Nine

Films Producers: Erica Arvold, Isaac Dietz, Erik Lingvall, Taylor Fedele, Viviana Chavez

More About Meredith Grace Dabney

Meredith Grace Dabney is a 16-year-old actor, writer, and filmmaker on a mission to “tell stories that need to be told.” An actor equally in love with stage and screen, she is best known for energetic performances and depth of character portrayals. A young actor with a large body of work, Meredith has participated in an array of theatre productions, films, pilots, and new media projects. Committed to always exploring ways to make her acting more truthful, she trains regularly at Catapult Acting Studios (GA), Young Actors Workshop (CA), and Anthony Meindl’s Actor Workshop (AMAW). Meredith originally wrote the film HERE TODAY when she was 14. When seasoned industry professional Erica Arvold expressed interest in a collaboration to showcase her own directing debut, Meredith began the film adaptation at age 15.

Inspired by events in her own life, the film has particular personal meaning. Meredith hopes to use her filmmaking to continue to address topics that need to be brought to light and discussed openly, and in the case of HERE TODAY her goal is to make a difference by reminding us all that our words and actions do indeed matter. Meredith is committed to making a difference in the lives of others and she has taken part in advocacy campaigns including Teens For Jeans, New State of Mind, and Tie A Ribbon as well as initiating a social media campaign focused on mental health, the “You Okay? Ask Someone Today!” Challenge. For the future, Meredith is working to start her own non-profit to support both her creative and societal missions. She also has a number of original projects currently in development including a few shorts, a feature, an anthology, and a series. In addition to acting and creating content, Meredith has her own production company, Astrabeta Creations, which made its debut with HERE TODAY.

Digital Mirage Festival

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Following the enormous success of the first Digital Mirage Festival, Los Angeles based independent electronic music brands Proximity and Brownies & Lemonade have announced their return to the virtual festival community with Digital Mirage 2, slated to take place June 5-7, 2020.

Over the span of three days in April, Digital Mirage made its mark as one of the first major live-streamed music festivals, drawing in over one million attendees across the weekend. The event raised over $300,000 to benefit Sweet Musicians Relief Fund, a charity committed to supporting musicians and music industry professionals whose primary income source has been severely affected due to the effects of COVID-19. Audience members were graced with fifty performances from artists like Alison Wonderland, SOFI TUKKER, Valentino Khan, TOKiMONSTA, Louis the Child, Chet Porter, Mija, Ghastly, Keys N Krates and more.

As part of the June event, streamers that tune in can once again expect a heavy hitting lineup with artists and producers representing all walks of the electronic music industry. Performances will include a live loop set from turntablist extraordinaire A-Trak, bass legend Baauer, hard-edged label boss Boys Noize, electro-pop selector Elohim, saxophone wielding GRiZ and a Redux set from renowned house veteran Kaskade. Further streams will be provided by leading Aussie export and
Beats1 broadcaster Anna Lunoe, GUD VIBRATIONS leader NGHTMRE, a unique Concertgebouw Set from Oliver Heldens, pristine future bass from San Holo, melodic mastery by SG Lewis, genre blending by Two Feet, a singular set from electronic powerhouse ZHU, and dramatic alt-pop from breakout star EVAN GIIA amongst many others.

Digital Mirage was one of the pioneering digital music festivals that shaped the direction of the live music industry at the start of the COVID-19 shelter-in-place order. All proceeds will be donated to Plus1’s Fund for COVID-19 relief and artists performing the festival. The festival, completely free of charge, generates funds through participant donations.

With a prior reputation for fostering dedicated internet-based communities, Proximity, Brownies & Lemonade and Keel represent the next wave in music entrepreneurs aimed to foster the future of the global music industry.

RSVP for the festival here and find more information here.

BRONSON Drops Video

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Following the announcement of their new project Bronson, Grammy-nominated duo Harrison Mills & Clayton Knight (of Odesza) and ARIA-platinum selling Australian producer Tom Stell (aka Golden Features) unveil the gripping music video for their first single “HEART ATTACK (ft. lau.ra).”’

Following the journey of a woman who battles against dark forces, emboldened by the desire to reach a brighter end, she ultimately discovers that the light she was seeking was harbored within – an uplifting message of self-reliance central to the debut Bronson album. Directed by award-winning Hungarian filmmaker Balázs Simon and produced by London-based company Blinkink, the cinematic animation paints a moving picture of reaching respite in difficult times.

“HEART ATTACK” was created through a unique process combining 3D animation, live action motion capture, simulated elements and hand drawn textures. The production company Blinkink boasts a portfolio that includes work for Gorillaz, Jon Hopkins, Tame Impala, Elton John, and QTip. Director Balázs Simon also has a slate of impressive work with Leifur James and Nils Frahm to name a few. His visual style blurs the line between technology and the nature of real life, telling stories through an abstract lens.

On the making of the video, Simon says “As we couldn’t assemble a big team together due to lockdown, we needed a less conventional way of doing this, where all departments had to work separately – without really seeing the whole picture! We had to rely on our imaginations. We went out to the empty streets of Budapest and shot camera moves without any subject, then we rehearsed movements in a park, did some motion capture, and from there we took the stay-at-home ordinances to heart – locking ourselves in for a couple of weeks and assembling all the collected data into this video. It was an intensive experience with an amazing team of talented friends, and it made our days much more bearable!”

Nearly three years in the making, Bronson formed through the personal connection that Mills and Knight shared with Stell. Born out of a mutual admiration and a calling to pursue new creative frontiers outside of their respective projects, they created a digital record box of shared sounds sent across time zones and continents through Dropbox files and FaceTime calls. The product of those collective efforts culminated in 2018 when the trio spent a week in the remote reaches of Berry, Australia, recording what would later become the first Bronson album.

On “HEART ATTACK,” Bronson reflects “It was the first vocal track we worked on for the record. It was one of those ideas that came together really quickly and felt very natural while writing with lau.ra. Ultimately, it was a confluence between the two distinctive sounds of Odesza and Golden Features. It served as a turning point in the writing process of the album and an inspiration for the other vocal tracks to come.”

Bronson’s self-titled debut album arrives July 17 via Foreign Family Collective and Ninja Tune. It is available now to pre-order and pre-save digitally. Pre-order the physical LP at the official BRONSON store.

Watch the video for “HEART ATTACK” here.

CONNECT WITH BRONSON: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

Gibson Presents Live Concert

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Gibson, the iconic, American-made, leading instrument brand, is proud to partner with the legendary Apollo Theater for the “Let’s Stay (In) Together: A Benefit To Support The Apollo” benefit concert.

The celebration marks the launch of a partnership between Gibson and the Apollo Theater which will include collaborations on future show programming, music education initiatives, music preservation, and support established and emerging talent.

The live, free virtual benefit concert will kick off Black Music Month in June and will offer critical support to safeguard the ground-breaking institution’s future following the unprecedented cancellation of more than 100 programs due to COVID-19.

Tune in to watch the “Let’s Stay (In) Together: A Benefit To Support The Apollo” live stream this coming Tuesday, June 2 at 7:30 pm ET/4:30 pm PT at www.apollotheater.org.

“Let’s Stay (In) Together: A Benefit to Support the Apollo Theater” is sponsored by Gibson, through the Gibson Gives foundation. The free benefit concert will showcase an array of special guests delivering poems and performances dedicated to the memory of those who have lost their lives due to COVID-19.

The landmark livestream event features performances by “CAPTAIN” KIRK DOUGLAS OF THE ROOTS, KOOL & THE GANG, GARY CLARK JR., ROBERT RANDOLPH, RAY CHEW, MICHAEL MCDONALD, LIL BUCK & JON BOOGZ, KEB MO, CELISSE HENDERSON, INFINITY’S SONG, MARC BAMUTHI JOSEPH and DJ REBORN as well as special appearances from DIONNE WARWICK, DOUG E. FRESH, ROY WOOD JR. and more to be announced.

During the show, artists will perform the music of Apollo legends such as B.B. King, Patti LaBelle, and Stevie Wonder, and highlight the Apollo’s 86-year contribution to arts and culture. The “Let’s Stay (In) Together: A Benefit to Support the Apollo Theater” concert will also be available for free streaming by media partner, TIDAL. “Let’s Stay (In) Together: A Benefit to Support the Apollo Theater” is part of Apollo Sound, which celebrates Black Music Month in June and illuminates the power of music to transform, build community, and heal. DJ D-Nice–the resident DJ for the Apollo’s annual benefit for eight years–will kick-off the month-long Apollo Sound celebration on Monday, June 1 by dedicating his wildly popular Instagram Live Club Quarantine dance party to the Apollo Theater. The “Let’s Stay (In) Together: A Benefit to Support the Apollo Theater” event is part of the non-profit Theater’s campaign to raise $4 million in immediate funding support.

In addition to raising funds for the Apollo’s innovative artistic and educational programs–which serve more than 200,000 people annually–a portion of the resources raised will go towards a micro-grant initiative for local small businesses. Support for the Apollo Theater remains crucial as we all continue to navigate the negative economic effects of COVID-19 on the performing arts and entertainment fields. The Apollo Theater is committed to providing virtual programming and preparing for the next season of world-class live performances, community, and education programs. Any contribution over $75 qualifies for an Apollo Membership and supports staff salaries, teaching artists, performers, and artistic and educational programs.

To make a tax-deductible donation to the Apollo Theater, visit HERE

“For more than eight decades, the Apollo Theater’s strength and resiliency have been as constant as the talent on our stages, but like non-profit organizations around the world, we are facing an unparalleled challenge.

“Immediate additional funding is critical for us at this time, and I am incredibly grateful to the generous donors and friends who have supported the Theater since we closed our doors in March,” said Jonelle Procope, Apollo Theater President & CEO.

“I hope this online celebration inspires people across the globe to come together and enjoy the sounds of the Apollo, as well as support the Theater’s mission to champion Black culture and the arts of the African diaspora. Through such generosity, we will be able to give back directly to the vibrant Harlem community that has supported us for many years.”

“Music is one of the world’s enduring gifts, and its power to connect, transform, and heal has always been center stage at the Apollo,” said Kamilah Forbes, Apollo Theater Executive Producer.

“Although our stages remain dark, the Apollo sound has never been more vibrant, and I’m grateful to DJ D-Nice for sharing it, and to Gibson for its support in helping us amplify our musical soundtrack while also raising funds for the Theater and our neighbors in Harlem.”

“We are thrilled to shine a light on the history of the Apollo, an American institution that needs our attention and support to stay intact during these times,” says Nat Zilkha, Partner at KKR and Chairman of Gibson Brands.

“Gibson gives artists the tools they need to re-imagine American music and the Apollo gives artists the iconic space to entertain generations to come. We look forward to a long partnership with the Apollo Theater supporting their programs and the artists who inspire our entire culture.”

About the Apollo Theater

The legendary Apollo Theater—the soul of American culture—plays a vital role in cultivating emerging artists and launching legends. Since its founding, the Apollo has served as a center of innovation and a creative catalyst for Harlem, the city of New York, and the world. With music at its core, the Apollo’s programming extends to dance, theater, spoken word, and more. This includes the world premiere of the theatrical adaptation of Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me and the New York premiere of the opera We Shall Not Be Moved; special programs such as the blockbuster concert Bruno Mars Live at the Apollo; 100: The Apollo Celebrates Ella; and the annual Africa Now! Festival.

The non-profit Apollo Theater is a performing arts presenter, commissioner, and collaborator that also produces festivals, large-scale dance and musical works organized around a set of core initiatives that celebrate and extend the Apollo’s legacy through a contemporary lens, including the Women of the World (WOW) Festival as well as other multidisciplinary collaborations with partner organizations. Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has served as a testing ground for new artists working across a variety of art forms and has ushered in the emergence of many new musical genres—including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop. Among the countless legendary performers who launched their careers at the Apollo are Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, H.E.R., D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Machine Gun Kelly, and Miri Ben Ari; and the Apollo’s forward-looking artistic vision continues to build on this legacy.

About Gibson Gives

The Gibson Gives | Gibson Foundation is a 501(c)(3) committed to introduce, inspire, and amplify the power of music through guitars across all generations, genres, and genders. For over 126 years Gibson has been shaping, contributing, and supporting sound through their guitars. Gibson realized early on that getting instruments into the hands of those with a desire to make music is a truly life-changing event. Gibson Gives (Gibson Foundation) has since provided thousands of guitars and related value-in-kind in excess of $30 million. In 2019, Gibson Gives committed to donating 1,000 guitars over the next 1000 days and is ahead, having donated 160 guitars in just four months.

Gibson Gives played a lead role in supporting the ‘Do it for the Love’ Foundation, outfitted Maplewood High School in Nashville with multiple guitars for a music room—through Gibson Gives partner Give A Note –and played it forward donating 48 guitars and 19,000 string sets to Guitars For Vets to bring the power of music to returning U.S. military veterans with PTSD. Gibson Gives is off to a solid start in 2020 with 100% of all donations to and from Gibson Gives going towards giving the gift of music. The mission of Gibson Gives is to make music matter to more people in more ways…one guitar at a time!

About Gibson

Gibson Brands, the world’s most iconic guitar brand, has shaped the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across genres for more than 100 years. Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, TN, Gibson Brands has a legacy of world-class craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships, and progressive product evolution that is unrivaled among musical instrument companies. The Gibson Brands portfolio includes Gibson, the number one guitar brand, as well as many of the most beloved and recognizable music brands, including Epiphone, Kramer, Steinberger, and the Gibson Pro Audio division KRK Systems. Gibson Brands is dedicated to quality, innovation, and sound excellence so that music lovers for generations to come will continue to experience music shaped by Gibson Brands.

Cash Money Records Donates Rent

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Bryan “Birdman” Williams and Ronald “Slim” Williams of Cash Money Records have donated over $225,000 to Forward Together New Orleans (FTNO), the non-profit 501(c)(3) organization filling urgent gaps in community needs and available resources to protect our city during the COVID-19 pandemic. Though initially planned for May, funds will be used specifically to pay the June rent for hundreds of subsidized tenants and families who are most at need, and live in the former Magnolia, Calliope, and Melpomene projects, now known respectively as the Scattered Sites Harmony Oaks, Marrero Commons, and Guste. Tenants will be notified directly if they are included in the grant, which will go to the landlords.

The Williams brothers grew up in New Orleans and went on to establish the top independent record label in the country launching the careers of dozens of artists including Lil Wayne, Juvenile, and Nicki Minaj. Giving back to their community and those less fortunate is a priority for the brothers who created their own 501(c)(3) organization The Johnny and Gladys Williams Foundation—named after their parents as a channel for their philanthropic endeavors. For over 20 years, via The Johnny and Gladys Williams Foundation, the Cash Money duo has given away free Thanksgiving dinners and partnered with Ochsner Health Systems to provide free health screenings available to all New Orleans residents who come to the turkey give-away.

Bryan states, “The legacy of Cash Money belongs to the city of New Orleans. There’s nothing more important to us than giving back to the brothers and sisters who live on those same streets we grew up on – from musicians to service workers to everyday working families. That’s what this label was always about.”

“New Orleans made us and is part of who we are,” says Ronald. “We are devastated that this pandemic is hitting our community there so hard and we are committed to doing what we can to help now and in the long term.”

Given the scale of COVID-19 and its far-reaching impacts on the City of New Orleans, Forward Together New Orleans plans to immediately issue checks to the scattered sites to pay for June rent for those tenants who are in the public housing programs, excluding any monies already subsidized by the government and other organizations. FTNO is The Mayor’s Fund which began as New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s transition committee and now plans to thrive long past her tenure in office, a vehicle that offers nonprofit, partnership support to future New Orleans mayors.

Said Mayor LaToya Cantrell: “In years to come, when we look back on how our city came together to get through the coronavirus crisis, we will have no better example of leadership than the Williams brothers, these sons of New Orleans who make our city proud today. No one should have to fear losing their home while trying to protect their health. That is why we have been leading the charge in New Orleans to make housing moreaffordable, and quickly banned evictions in our city during the COVID-19 crisis. This helps us continue that path, demonstrating how we can come together as businesses, government, and non-profits to address our residents’ most pressing needs now.”

Mayor Cantrell’s administration has uncovered hundreds of millions in infrastructure dollars to fix New Orleans’ ancient drainage system, and now turns its attention to human infrastructure. After Hurricane Katrina while a neighborhood leader, Mayor Cantrell helped stand up five community health clinics to bring affordable access to residents. As Councilperson, she led the fight to ban smoking in bars and restaurants. As Mayor, she formed Fit NOLA, a partnership between the City of New Orleans and local organizations working together to fight obesity by promoting physical activity and improved nutrition. She created the Fast Track City Steering Committee to develop an HIV strategy to end the epidemic by 2030. With a majority Black population, New Orleans is especially hit hard by the underlying health issues which have caused the Black community to experience a higher death rate from COVID-19.

The Forward Together New Orleans Board is uniquely suited to help respond to the pandemic and its ensuing health disparities. Dr. Kathleen Kennedy is the Dean of the College of Pharmacy at Xavier University of Louisiana. In 2007, Dr. Kennedy organized the first national health disparities conference (which continues annually) for mid-level health care professionals. She served as the Director of the Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education during Hurricane Katrina until 2009. Dr. Kennedy is also the Chair of the Greater New Orleans Chapter of the American Heart Association, and Chair of the Association of Minority Health Professions Schools.

“We’re in a moment of serious crisis for our city, and FTNO is committed to acting as a hub for business, government, and community-based organizations to work together on response and recovery. As a continuation of my work on health disparities, I am proud to support the Cantrell Administration’s efforts and will move quickly and decisively to help New Orleans recover again, as I did after Hurricane Katrina” said Dr. Kennedy.

Fellow Board Member Dr. Eric Griggs has a unique perspective as a community health expert. He is on the front lines of the pandemic as Director of Community Medicine at Access Health Louisiana, where he has been hosting regular Facebook lives to educate residents on COVID-19 preparedness, along with Infectious Diseases Physician Dr. MarkAlain Dery and Chief Medical Editor for WDSU, Dr. Corey Hebert. As a board member of the South Broad Community Health Center, formed in Mayor Cantrell’s own neighborhood after Hurricane Katrina, he is steeped in experience of how neighborhoods can lead the charge for recovery.

Board Member Dr. Silas Lee’s extensive knowledge of and experience with the social and cultural dynamics of urban society, as well as his expertise in both qualitative and quantitative data analysis, offer an important perspective for Forward Together New Orleans.

The organization has recently distributed grants to the City of New Orleans for other COVID-19 related projects. The Mayor’s Office of Youth and Families is using $30,000 toward providing infant and feminine hygiene products to families in need. They are also providing paid summer internships and year round programming for youth with juvenile justice involvement. That grant will provide the participants with hotspots, tablets, and or laptops so they can access resources and pursue workforce readiness training opportunities.

About Cash Money Records

Since 1991, Brothers Bryan “Birdman” Williams aka “Baby” and Ronald “Slim” Williams have built Cash Money Records into a legendary force in the music industry. Through tireless devotion and an unparalleled work ethic, the duo founded the legendary label in the New Orleans housing projects and elevated it into a multi-million-dollar empire and cultural tastemaker.

The label also houses Lil Wayne’s imprint Young Money Entertainment (Drake and Nicki Minaj) as well as a publishing arm Cash Money Content. Cash Money Records is distributed by Republic Records, a division of Universal Music Group, the world’s largest music company.

About Forward Together New Orleans

Forward Together New Orleans is dedicated to helping all the people of New Orleans. Our goal is to make the city a fairer, more inclusive place – a city of opportunity for all. We work toward this goal by forging partnerships between community organizations and the business and philanthropic sectors. These partnerships are meant to improve the lives of New Orleanians in every corner of the city. Forward Together New Orleans is a 501(c)(3) organization that launched in 2018 as the transition committee for Mayor-elect LaToya Cantrell. In those early stages, FTNO brought together some 200 community stakeholder volunteers to collaborate on a set of recommendations for the incoming administration.

Since that time, FTNO has evolved into an effort to bridge the public and private sectors and address New Orleans’ most pressing challenges.

As of the spring of the 2020, that challenge is the coronavirus, an extraordinary public health and economic threat. Forward Together New Orleans partners with the City of New Orleans to assist with mobile testing, neighborhood navigators, rental assistance, food security, and a bridge fund. Board members include Eric Griggs, M.D., Dr. Silas Lee, and Dr. Kathleen Kennedy. Liana Elliott, Deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor Cantrell, serves as liaison to the board from the City. Founded to reflect the collaborative, grassroots leadership Mayor LaToya Cantrell has brought to City Hall, the goal is for FTNO to thrive long past her tenure in office, a vehicle that offers nonprofit, partnership support to future New Orleans mayors.

Snapped: Betty Broderick

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Oxygen, the network for high-quality true crime programming, takes a deep dive into the story that captivated a nation, the case of La Jolla socialite Betty Broderick, in “Snapped: Betty Broderick,” premiering Wednesday, July 15, at 8PM ET/PT. Convicted of murdering her ex-husband, Dan Broderick and his new wife, Linda Broderick on November 5, 1989, “Snapped” investigates the tale of a woman scorned, a shattered family, and a violent double-murder. For a sneak peek, please visit: https://www.oxygen.com/snapped/season-25/videos/the-case-of-betty-broderick.

“Snapped: Betty Broderick,” depicts the shocking details of the heinous murders of Betty’s ex-husband, Dan, and his new wife, Linda, along with the investigation, and trial that led to Betty’s 32-years-to-life sentence. Through in-depth interviews with former detective, Terry Degelder, friends of Dan Broderick, Betty’s attorney Jack Farley, and the author of Forsaking All Others: The Real Betty Broderick Story, Loretta Schwartz-Nobel, the episode delves into the history of Betty and Dan’s relationship and its ultimate demise. Taking a different perspective, the special aims to unravel the age-old question: Had Betty Broderick been plotting a murderous attack all along against a husband who took her for granted for years, left her for a younger woman, and put her through a vicious custody trial—or did she just snap?

For more information, visit here.

Japanese Traditional Travel

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Japan is a country on many travelers post-lockdown vacation bucket list. There are a variety of fun, interactive ways to recreate some of the country’s ancient wellbeing and mindfulness practices from afar. There are methods and products that highlight how some of Japan’s oldest traditions, from onsens to the art of Kintsugi, will help to inspire travelers to start planning their next restorative journey to Japan.

Beppu Onsen has several hot springs that vary in color and clarity for different ailments in persons. One of Japan’s most iconic wellness attractions, the Onsen (or hot spring), is naturally enriched with vitamins and minerals from subterranean volcanic activity beneath the archipelago. There are a variety of products travelers can buy to enhance their own Japanese-style bath at home; the Japanese brand Kracie has created a variety of bath salts which allows four people to bring the magic of the onsen into their homes. These bath salts mimic the vitamin and mineral composition of some of Japan’s most popular Onsens like Noboribetsu Onsen, Beppu Onsen, and Kusatsu Onsen.

Each packet of salts has a specific purpose, so people can mix and match the salts to create their desired wellness remedy.
Another way to enjoy the Japanese-style bath at home is to introduce the scent of Hinoki or Japanese cypress. This type of wood is used for traditional Japanese bathtubs and bath products in ryokans and local homes, as the scent has a relaxing effect on the body. Adding a few drops of Hinoki essential oil or scented candle can elevate any bath experience. For a moment of mindfulness, the Soto Zen Buddhist Associationalso recommends the practice of zazen meditation, a meditative discipline-specific to the Zen Buddhist tradition. In Japan, only two monasteries practice this form of Buddhism: the Daihonzen Eiheiji in Fukui Prefecture and the Daihonzan Sojiji in Kanagawa Prefecture. The association has a starter video to help anyone get started. Other forms of mindfulness include the practice of Shakyo, or hand-copying Buddhist
sutras. Shakyo originated before printing and was the primary way of diffusing the teachings of Buddha. Now, the practice is done as a form of prayer, and copying sutras can help someone obtain various blessings. Various kits can be found online. that comes complete with a brush pen, transcription paper, and a sutra. Directly translating to “golden journey,” kintsugi is the meditative Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with a special lacquer dusted in gold, silver or platinum and is tied to the philosophy of wabi-sabi, embracing the flawed or imperfect. The technique was originally invented in the 15th century and can now be practiced at home, using safe and hypoallergenic kits such as this one that has everything needed to successfully repair broken ceramics. Today, most gold used to fix ceramics with the kintsugi technique in Japan can be traced back to Kanazawa

For more inspiration, visit about Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). As the official tourism board of Japan, JNTO is involved in a wide range of promotional activities to encourage international travelers to visit Japan. Through a variety of campaigns and initiatives, JNTO is inspiring more American travelers to visit Tokyo, Kyoto, and beyond.
For more information about travel to Japan, visit JNTO on its Website

Yucatan × The Cruise Industry

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As a part of its strategy amid the COVID-19 crisis for attracting more tourists to Yucatán State and ensuring the permanence of cruise line itineraries that call there, Michelle Fridman, the state’s tourism minister, says Yucatán’s government has connected with cruise companies, port authorities and tour operators in North America and the Caribbean through an informative newsletter detailing the destination’s support for the cruise industry.

To that end, the debut Yucatán Cruise Newsletter aims to maintain promotion and interest in the Port of Progreso, the state’s main port of call, as a leisure cruise destination. The newsletter reports activities, statistics, and projections related to the cruise industry in Yucatan.

From 2015 to 2019, Progreso increased its reception of cruise ships with the arrival of 30 additional vessels, representing growth of 47.8% in the volume of annual passengers received. Passenger numbers rose to 470,418 in 2019, compared to 318,234 in 2015, an increase of 152,184 registered passengers, which places Progreso sixth among ports with the highest reception of cruise passengers in Mexico.

The State of Yucatán has extended its support to the cruise industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a humanitarian response, the Port of Progreso welcomed the Gulden Leeuw school ship, allowing 50 crew members to disembark and return to their homes. As cruise ports closed globally, Progreso showed solidarity by allowing 48 British passengers to disembark Marella Cruises’ Marella Explorer 2 ship on March 31. The Mexican Navy oversaw the transfer using maximum health-security maneuvers, directing passengers to Mérida International Airport and sending them home on charter flights.

Progreso continues with its port improvement plan and other urban projects. 53.4 million Mexican pesos (about U.S. $2.4 million) have been invested in the first part of the urban improvements in Progreso’s tourist area to provide passengers with areas for fun and recreation while visiting the state. Despite the COVID-19 outbreak, the “Puerta Progreso” project continues and construction work is expected to resume, with completion later this year of exhibition areas, a restaurant, and a beach club. All these improvements, along with the new International Malecon, confirm the Port of Progreso as one of the best destinations for attracting more tourists to the State.

As part of its commitment to the cruise industry, the Yucatán Tourism Board maintains its membership in the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) and continues to participate in its events, such as the first FCCA PAMAC session in Jamaica and Puerto Rico in 2020 and the Seatrade Cruise Global 2021.

Significant efforts to strengthen the global industry have also been undertaken by the private sector, including the “Destination Together” platform, whereby tour operators compare data and talk and interact to be ready when cruises return to Caribbean destinations.

In addition, tour operators and local private companies continue to strengthen other tourist attractions throughout Yucatán State, offering different experiences such as archaeological, nature and colonial jewelry micro-destinations near Progreso, to ensure that overseas visitors know more of what the state has to offer.

DR Gallery × CB Hoyo

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GR Gallery is pleased to announce “Fake and Corny”, the first solo exhibition of CB Hoyo with the gallery, after two years of collaboration. The show will reveal, for the first time in a public exhibition, the latest series of artworks that the artist has been working on for months: the “Corny Quotes.” Appositely conceived for this occasion, these new works will irreverently crowd the gallery walls, offsetting the artist signature “fakes” paintings. The show will put together several original pieces executed with different media and in various sizes.

WHEN: Opening reception: Wednesday June 24, 6:00pm – 9:00pm

EXHIBITION DATES: June 25– July 18, 2020

WHERE: GR Gallery, 255 Bowery (between Houston & Stanton) New York, NY 10002 | info@gr-gallery.com | tel: +1 212 273 2900

WHO: CB Hoyo (Cuba, 1995)

ABOUT THE EXHIBTION:

“Fake and Corny” is a crucial show for the artist’s career since it will mark the end of, or at least a long break from, the series that characterized CB Hoyo’s artistic image: the “fakes’. For this special occasion all the Fakes exhibited will be inspired to artworks in NYC museums and private collections. At the same time will launch his new project leading toward a new period of his creativity. The exhibition aims to be a sort of liminal space in between two different artistic cycles, showcasing anthological examples of CB up to date vision, through his classical artworks, and overcoming it with the exclusive approach of his new inspiration, that will guide his future production.