Posts made in July 2020

Limited Edition Walking Tours

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In honor of the upcoming Mandela Day (July 18th), Walks has secured exclusive access to the Drakenstein Prison for a limited edition virtual tour, apart of their popular Spotlight Series, and it’s led by someone who was personally connected to Nelson Mandela and fought for his release, Moira Edmunds.

Another special edition tour will be led by long-time street art guide, Ruddy Harootian, taking guests who tune in through NYC, featuring BLM / Black Trans Lives Matter artwork, black and latino artists and recognizable graffiti artists names as well.

Walks is using their platform to be an educational tool, and celebrate the important influence black and marginalized individuals have on our society. I wanted to put these tours on your radar to see if they’re a fit for an upcoming story or you’re interested in pursuing.

The first online Street Art Tour in NYC starts virtually this Saturday and the Nelson Mandela tour will kick off July 25th (due to some timing and a cold front recently; although in South Africa they tend to celebrate him month-long). More details on each tour are compiled below.

The Black Lives Matter movement’s efforts to honor black voices is reverberating across the globe, and Walks is proud to utilize its virtual tours platform, Tours from Home, to contribute to the conversation. These tours are an educational outlet for impassioned supporters around the world, celebrating the important influence black and marginalized individuals have on our society.

LIMITED EDITION TOURS

Nelson Mandela: From Prison to President live from Drakenstein Prison in Cape Town, South Africa

Surrounding Mandela Day this July, join Nelson Mandela: From Prison to President Live from Drakenstein Prison in Cape Town, South Africa starts Saturday, July 25th, Sunday, August 2nd and Sunday, August 9th at 11 am ET / 8 am PT: You will “walk” with individuals who were both in close proximity and served as Mandela’s allies. Your guides will include Manfred Jacobs, a warden at Victor Verster prison, where Mandela spent the last 14 months of his 27-year-long incarceration and Moira Edmunds, who fought tirelessly for Mandela’s release, and is involved with the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Each year on July 18th, the international community recognizes, commemorates, and celebrates the life of Nelson Mandela, affectionately known as Madiba. He forged the course of black Africans, leading by extreme example. Within the country of South Africa the entirety of July is dedicated to his life and his actions to end apartheid. In 2020, we celebrate 30 years since Nelson Mandela’s freedom and we invite you to join in the celebration.

Street Art from New York City: The Power of Urban Graffiti

Features predominantly African American and Latino artists starts this Saturday, July 18th, Saturday, July 25th and August 1st at 5 pm ET / 2 pm PT, lead by incredible storyteller Ruddy Harootian: July 18th: This entire tour will focus on the Black Lives Matter/Black Trans Lives Matter related works that have recently appeared on the outside of FIT. Artists include: Miyah Bri, Lisette Nerveli, Sarah Haskell, Mia Rivera, Grace Springer, and more.

July 25th: Artists featured live will feature well-known artists Tristan Eaton and D*Face (Dean Stockton). Some photography and focused on BLM will include Raddington Falls, Fumero, Irena Kenny, Konstance Patton, and more.

Aug 1st: Artists featured live will be infamous Shepard Fairey, Beau Stanton, and B.D. White. Artists featured via photography and focused on BLM include Shaina Eve Cintron, Calicho Arevalo, Lady Jday and more.

Key Features of Walks’ Tours From Home:

Open Q&A time at the end of each tour
Guides are screen sharing, using visual aids for their presentations, and on some tours, taking guests on live walks around important attractions
Focus on storytelling and little-known facts
Each virtual tour costs between $10 and $15, and all guests receive a $25 travel voucher for a future live Walks tour (valid for two years), enable guests to explore in person when travel resumes
When guests love their guide, digitally provide tips directly on the platform

“The pandemic presented an opportunity to bring our tours into your home, and even go outside our typical offerings to highlight amazing storytellers and touch on provocative subjects. The BLM movement is a poignant time to elevate stories of inspiring activists and revolutionaries such as Nelson Mandela, and modern-day thought leaders and artists like those featured in our street art tour around Manhattan,” said Stephen Oddo, CEO of Walks.

Walks offers over 150 unique tours and cultural experiences in 15 iconic cities across Europe and the United States. From its head offices in Dublin, Ireland and Austin, Texas, USA, Walks operates some of the most exclusive tours around the globe, partnering with prestigious attractions to offer special access to the world’s leading landmarks, museums and galleries. A complete end-to-end tour operator, Walks curates unique experiences for small groups, while delivering hands-on customer support. Walks is proud to operate a portfolio of websites including takewalks.com and walksofitaly.com.

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YG – 4Hunnid

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YG supports LA Black-owned businesses with new 4Hunnid merch drop. 4Hunnid is working with LISC Los Angeles to distribute grants and offer technical assistance and other resources to Black-owned businesses in South LA impacted by COVID 19 and recent events. Proceeds from the recent Black-owned business drop will be donated to this partnership.

4Hunnid is a streetwear brand created by rapper YG with a ‘Black Owned Business Collection’ line depicting imagery against racial inequality, products can be purchased HERE. Committed to helping his roots, Compton native YG stated “I’m an artist who comes from the streets and represents the streets so it’s important for me to support my community and give back to South LA”.

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Dempsey Hope – Time Flies

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Seattle-based emerging artist Dempsey Hope just released his new track “Time Flies” to mass excitement. The track, which took on a life of its own when Dempsey engaged his core fan base on TikTok to insert their own story into the lyrics, garnered over half a million US audio streams in its first week. Dempsey, who has been called “an unbelievable talent” by Lyrical Lemonade, just inked a deal with RCA Records and will be rolling out a slew of new music over the coming months. Leaning heavily on a sound that he calls “nostalgic”, Dempsey crafts poignant melodies with Pop and R&B influences that will make you a fan after just one listen. Dempsey has a deep catalog of unreleased music that is even more exciting than what you’ve heard thus far, so make sure to stay tuned!

Listen to “Time Flies” HERE.

About Dempsey Hope

Dempsey Hope has been a singer and performer since an early age. In 2009, Dempsey began recording his YouTube videos, gaining fans by doing covers and creating content with his childhood friend Kateel. He then got started with a local community-based recording program in South Seattle, releasing his first original song “Game Time”, and started busking at local festivals and on the streets of Seattle. In high school, Dempsey focused on sports and was a member of the Nathan Hale Basketball Team that went undefeated and won the High School National Championship in 2017. He also led his Ultimate Frisbee Team to a Washington State Championship and the national stage. In 2016, Dempsey began to dive back into the world of music, taking a more serious approach to the craft of songwriting and since then has fully dedicated himself to pursuing music. In 2018, Dempsey linked up with Seattle based producer Jake Crocker and they got to work, developing and crafting much of what you hear in Dempsey’s sound today. Together they created tracks like “Commitment Issues,” “3 Years,” “When I Wake Up”, and his most recent release “Time Flies.”

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Devon Gilfillian The Good Life

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Devon Gilfillian released the lyric video for his new top 15 AAA radio hit, “The Good Life.” The collage-style clip incorporates images that Gilfillian captured in Nashville during the BLM protests earlier this summer and opens with a powerful message that contextualizes it within the message of the song: “The fight for love, and the battle
against social injustice starts with understanding the struggles of people who don’t look like you. We will only find peace when we replace fear with love for all humans.”

“I wanted to write a song about how beautiful it is that someone has a different belief system, different skin color,
or comes from a different country,” says Devon Gilfillian. “This country is made up of people who came from many different countries. That’s what makes this country so beautiful. Only when we embrace each other’s differences with love, while ACTUALLY acknowledging each other’s past, will we find understanding and change.” “The Good Life,” a rallying cry for inclusion, is from Gilfillian’s debut album, Black Hole Rainbow, which was released by Capitol Records earlier this year. Streams of “The Good Life” skyrocketed after Gilfillian performed the song on “CBS This Morning Saturday.” He also performed the song during his recent KCRW In Residence and World Cafe sessions. Gilfillian performed the national anthem at NASCAR 2020 on the day they banned the Confederate flag. Gilfillian recently launched The Good Life Fund,
which will support organizations that are doing good in the world, including Give A Note Foundation and Rebuilding Together Nashville. To learn more or make a donation, visit https://joingenerous.com/good-life-fund-r5oh5.

American Songwriter hailed “The Good Life” as “[a] soul-soothing ode to finding peace and beauty in life.” The Tennessean hailed Black Hole Rainbow as “one of the best albums released this year, period.” The album also won a spot on Iowa Public Radio’s list of “The Best New Albums (So Far) Of 2020.” The New York Times said, “Devon Gilfillian, a soul songwriter based in Nashville, made his formidable debut album, ‘Black Hole Rainbow,’ with Shawn Everett…warping vintage sounds toward something deep and strange.” Gilfillian released his debut EP in 2016. The single
“Troublemaker” was heard during 2018 NFL Draft programming and advertising. He has played numerous festivals, including Newport Folk and Montreal Jazz. In addition to opening for Grace Potter, he has supported such artists as Mavis Staples, Local Natives, Lauren Daigle, KALEO, Michael McDonald, Chaka Kahn, Keith Urban, Gladys Knight, Brothers Osborne and Michael Franti & Spearhead.

Protoje – Same So

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“Same So,” the new single and video by Protoje, is the GRAMMY-nominated artist’s first solo release in over a year, out today, July 16th via In.Digg.Nation Collective/Six Course/RCA Records. Listen/Watch “Same So” HERE.

Protoje’s leading track, produced by Sean “Ziah” Roberts and himself, is an early look at his forthcoming major label debut album, which will be available for pre-order on August 6, 2020. Since earning a nomination from the Recording Academy for Best Reggae album in 2019, fans have eagerly awaited Protoje’s highly-anticipated follow-up to A Matter of Time.

Protoje’s new flirtatious anthem, “Same So,” is about the thrill of a new crush, the longing to express feelings and the hopes for reciprocation. Directed by JRDN MARS, the beautiful video is a backdrop for the sweet and innocent lyrics with a stylized montage of colorful images of nature and the promise of a new and shared love.

“I wrote this song just being in a situation and feeling ‘a type of way’ about someone – but because of the type of relationship, there are things I can’t do or say. However, at the same time, I’m hoping that she feels the same way for me regardless. This video was one of the easiest shoots I’ve ever been a part of. I honestly just did and followed everything Jrdn Mars asked of me because I trusted his vision. The lead actress Celene was a dream as well and it’s a different side and very original video especially in the Jamaican space,” Protoje says.

As one of the leaders of the “reggae revival” movement, according to VOGUE, Protoje continues to build his presence as a musical icon. Performing on stages worldwide to promote his previous releases, plus rocking his national TV debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon were milestones for the seasoned veteran artist. This year, Protoje elevated his influence by signing a major label deal with RCA Records in partnership with Six Course Records. In conjunction with the RCA alliance, Protoje brokered individual album deals for himself as well as his rising female artists Lila Iké and Sevana. Lila Iké rolled out her debut EP to critical acclaim, while fandom for Sevana is contagious with her new EP on the horizon. Protoje will round out the trifecta of releases with his next album, chock full of feel-good vibes slated for later this summer.

In tandem to this industry accomplishment, Protoje is making an impact in his own community, from Jamaica’s youngest GRAMMY winning star Koffee shouting him out as one of her influences in her breakthrough anthem “Toast” to collaborating with the island’s biggest names and brightest prospects. Last summer, he teamed up with Jesse Royal on “Lion Order.” Protoje traded verses with Agent Sasco (Assassin) and Lila Iké on his “Not Another Word,” a lyrical call-to-action to fix broken systems of poverty, climate change, and social injustice in the world. In Nov 2019, he also produced an all female compilation Rock & Groove featuring four emerging Jamaican artists (Lila Iké, Sevana, Naomi Cowan and Jaz Elise), which resulted in their stellar BBC 1xtra live performance featuring all the ladies on International Women’s Day, shot at Protoje’s studio headquarters The Habitat. The latest joint effort from Protoje is a reunion with long-time collaborator Chronixx for RCA labelmate Alicia Keys “Underdog” Remix .

Stay tuned for more announcements on Protoje’s forthcoming album.

Listen/Watch “Same So” HERE.

Follow Protoje: Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

Tainy x J. Balvin – Agua Video

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Today, NEON16 and Interscope Records release Tainy and J. Balvin’s “Agua” music video following last week’s inaugural digital track launch. The video offers a glimpse into the upcoming Paramount Animation/ Nickelodeon film THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE ON THE RUN with J. Balvin joining the animated characters for an underwater excursion while dancing along to the tropical sonic produced by Latin Grammy-winning producer and global superstar, Tainy. Watch the music video HERE.

The soundtrack, set to be released on NEON16/Interscope Records, will include songs by Tyga, Swae Lee, Lil Mosey, Weezer, Snoop Dogg, The Flaming Lips, Kenny G, Cyndi Lauper and more. THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE ON THE RUN, will debut digitally in the U.S via premium video on demand in early 2021 and then move exclusively to CBS All Access, Viacom. CBS’s subscription video on demand and live-streaming service, following the premium video on-demand window.

Spearheaded and executive produced by award winning producers Tainy and Lex Borrero, NEON16 has curated the official film soundtrack for the next installment in the SpongeBob franchise by bringing together some of the industry’s most prolific and innovative artists to collaborate. NEON16 is a groundbreaking multimedia company and talent incubator that was founded in 2019, by Tainy and Lex, which has experienced immense success within the Latin music and multimedia market.

Paramount Animation is the animation division of Paramount Pictures. The label was reinvigorated in 2017 with a renewed mission to develop and produce top-quality animated and hybrid-animation titles. Building on Paramount’s 100-year history of iconic filmmaking, Paramount Animation brings visionary artists and storytellers together to form a world-class animation studio.

The division produced THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE ON THE RUN, which will be available on Premium Video on Demand and CBS All Access streaming services in early 2021; Rumble, scheduled for theatrical release in January 2021; and The Tiger’s Apprentice to be released in 2022. Paramount Animation is a division of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment, and a unit of ViacomCBS (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands.

Follow THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Follow NEON16: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Follow Tainy: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Follow J. Balvin: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Maestro #1

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Almost 30 years ago in the landmark story FUTURE IMPERFECT, legendary INCREDIBLE HULK scribe Peter David and superstar artist George Pérez introduced Marvel fans to a far-future version of the Hulk known as Maestro – the master of what remains of the world. Ever since, the mystery about how this villainous version of Bruce Banner came to be remained untold but next month, Peter David returns to reveal Maestro’s shocking origin in MAESTRO #1! With astounding art by Dale Keown and Germán Peralta, this series will answer questions that have haunted fans for decades about the fall of earth and the rise of Maestro! Get your first look at this highly anticipated launch in the MAESTRO trailer and discover the secrets of one of the Hulk’s greatest foes when MAESTRO #1 hits the stands this August!

MAESTRO #1 by Peter David, Dale Keown, and Germán Peralta is on sale this August in comic shops, on the Marvel Comics App, and on Marvel.com!

About Marvel Entertainment

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company, is one of the world’s most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media for over eighty years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing, publishing, games, and digital media.

Coronavirus Conundrums: Where do we go from here?

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The following interview is courtesy of Special Guests.

We are faced with lots of new questions as the COVID pandemic continues: Back to school? Wear a mask? Virus Mutations? Cases Skyrocketing? Our guest is Dr. Charles Page, a surgeon from Texas who is here to help us make sense of what appears to be so nonsensical.

Q&A:

1) Dr. Page, can you give us a big picture of where we are in the pandemic?

Answer: The wave is progressing from the epicenter (NYC) out into the rest of the US. In my opinion, this is not a Second Wave or a mutated virus but a progression of the same virus.

2) The number of coronavirus cases is skyrocketing, primarily because of increased testing availability. How does the death toll correlate to this increase in cases?

Answer: Fortunately, the death toll hasn’t followed that pattern. The death rate is stable. That’s good news. At the present our ICU’s and hospitals(at least in Texas) are not overwhelmed with cases. No need for panic.

3) What about a vaccine?

Answer: We are still getting closer to a vaccine. The NIH started enrollment for people to receive vaccines in clinical studies (as of 7/8/20).

The COVPN (Covid Prevention Trials Network). Bringing together these four groups to begin phase 3 clinical trials will streamline the process for a vaccine.

4) Can you give us your opinion on the safety of reopening schools in the fall?

Answer: We have to base our opinions on facts—not feelings (or politics). There are several international studies that show it is safe for kids to return to school. Studies in Iceland, China and New Zealand showed that: children are particularly resilient to the disease (they have minimal symptoms) and for some reason, they rarely transmit COVID to others. This has been corroborated by multiple studies.

5) So, what’s the issue?

Answer: Kid’s immune systems are more resilient than those of adults. Their systems are in the phase of processing and developing immunity to new pathogens. Isolation/quarantine may, in the long run, be more harmful. I feel comfortable having my 12 and 18-year-old kids go back to school —without a mask.

6) What do you think about masks?

Answer: There’s not a lot of science behind wearing a mask. We are still in uncharted waters. Most of the studies done are in hospitals and health care institutions. With that being said, in many states (like Texas) it’s the law. Our states haven’t flip-flopped. If you recall, at the onset of the pandemic, we were short on resources and didn’t have enough masks. Now we do. The literature confirms that masks catch many respiratory droplets, keeping them from spreading in the air. So if someone has disease, it diminishes the spread. But wearing a mask doesn’t keep you from getting the disease.

About Dr. Charles Page

Dr. Page is the best guy to see on the worst day of your life. He is a surgeon from Texas and co-host of the podcast, “Life’s about Living,” a show for retirees and Boomers.

His book, A Spoonful of Courage for the Sick and Suffering, is a compilation of faith-based inspirational stories helping the ill see the possibilities in their problems.

Visit his website HERE.

African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund

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The call to action by American citizens during this year has made us all rethink how we view American history. Protestors have demanded the nation target injustice and fix the systems that promote the unequal treatment of African Americans. The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund was founded at a similar time of crisis, after the 2017 rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, that led to the creation of a national preservation campaign meant to uplift and honor the Black American experience.

“The AACHAF was created out of the recognition that we in the field of preservation needed to do more,” said Brent Leggs, executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. “We realized that the American story we often tell repeatedly negates the transformative contributions of African Americans, whose capability, intellect, and creativity were and still are invaluable to the building of this nation. The Trust decided then and there to create the Action Fund as a way to help fill in those gaps. We realized that preservation of historic sites, where African Americans changed the American landscape, could be one way our nation comes to understand the need to create a more fair and just society. We saw a more inclusive approach to historic preservation as one step on the long road to heal the divisions between us.”

Through its African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, the Trust is investing more than $1.6 million in grants to 27 sites and organizations across 22 states and the District of Columbia. Thanks to our partnership and a generous grant provided by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, we are funding communities to protect, restore, and interpret African American historic sites and uncover hidden narratives of the African American contribution to the American story.

“The Action Fund plays a crucial role in elevating Black voices and stories in our national dialogue about arts and culture, and in expanding our collective knowledge and understanding of African-American history,” remarked Mellon Foundation President Elizabeth Alexander. “We are thrilled that the 2020 Action Fund grants will continue to provide transformative support to Black cultural organizations and heritage sites throughout the country.

Leggs underscored the importance of this work, noting, “The recipients of this funding exemplify centuries of African American resilience, activism, and achievement, some known and some yet untold, which tell the complex story of American history in the United States. Over the past two years, the Action Fund has funded 65 historic African American places and invested more than $4.3 million to help preserve landscapes and buildings imbued with Black cultural heritage. With urgency and intention, the nation must value the link between architecture and racial justice and should fund these and other cultural assets to ensure their protection and preservation.”

Grants are given across four categories: capacity building, project planning, capital, and programming and interpretation. The list of all 27 grantees and a short blurb about each is attached. A link to a fuller web version of the list can be accessed HERE.

The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund is a multi-year initiative led by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to make an important and lasting contribution to our cultural landscape by elevating the stories and places of African American resilience, activism, and achievement.

For 70 years, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has led the movement to save America’s historic places. A privately funded nonprofit organization, we work to save America’s historic sites, tell the full American story, build stronger communities, and invest in preserving the future.

Follow The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Tini – “Ella Dice”

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“ELLA DICE” THE LATEST TRACK BY LATIN POP SENSATION TINI FEATURING KHEA THE TRACK BRINGS TOGETHER ARGENTINA’S HOTTEST EXPORTS AVAILABLE NOW ON HOLLYWOOD RECORDS

Reminding an ex – flame no one can love him as much as she can in her latest release, TINI reinforces her status as Argentina’s pop powerhouse. Available now “Ella Dice” can be streamed HERE. The track produced by Andres Torres and Mauricio Rengifo features urban sensation KHEA. The video for “Ella Dice” was directed by Diego Peskins and Nuno Gomes and shows the unbeatable chemistry between the pair. KHEA appears courtesy of Young Flex/Interscope Records. Said TINI “I am so happy with this new track. Recording this song with another artist from Argentina made it very special for me. Mixing two musical genres was an interesting challenge and I’m very happy with the result. I hope everyone enjoys it as much as KHEA and I did creating it.”

Since her 2016 debut album, TINI has become a global phenomenon, with a social following of 24 million, and 3 billion combined audio and video streams. TINI toured Europe and Latin America on her headline “Quiero Volver” tour in 2019/2020, including 9 sold-outLuna Park shows in Buenos Aires. TINI’s most recent releases include “Recuerdo” (99 million combined streams), platinum-certified “Oye” (301 million combined streams), double-platinum-certified “Fresa” (379 million streams), and Platinum-certified “22” (365 million combined streams.) TINI has had numerous collaborations with fellow a-list artists including Sebastian Yatra, Karol G, Morat, Greeicy, Cali y El Dandee, Mau & Ricky, Alesso, Jonas Blue, Alvaro Soler, Ovy on the Drums, Nacho and The Vamps. TINI will be a co-judge on the upcoming season of THE VOICE in Spain along with Alejandro Sanz. She has an ongoing endorsement deal with Pantene.

“TINI’s versatility, her voice and her lyrics make any collaboration possible. For “Ella Dice” I felt like it was a good challenge to combine both worlds into one song.” KHEA has over 2.5 billion combined audio and video streams; his single “Loca” amassed over 900 million YouTube views. KHEA is one of the leaders of the latin trap movement, coming from Argentina to the world, his songs helped to shape the new landscape of Argentinean music movement since 2017. He has performed at numerous festivals including Lollapalooza Argentina & Chile, Tomorrowland Belgium and Wireless Germany. He has collaborated with Bad Bunny, One Republic, Blackbear, Piso 21 and countless others.

For more information on TINI:

Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | Twitter