Posts tagged with "connecticut"

SAVANNAH CAVANAUGH – MISS COLORADO

Following a night of showcasing talent, interview skills, and social impact achievements, one outstanding woman was left speechless on stage during the Miss Colorado competition at the PACE Center in Parker. Savannah Cavanaugh, 25, representing her area as Miss Beaver Creek, was crowned Miss Colorado 2022 and awarded $10,000 in scholarship assistance for winning. As the state titleholder, Cavanaugh will have the chance to compete for the national title at the annual Miss America Competition in December at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.
Cavanaugh, who sang a rendition of “Yesterday” by The Beatles for the talent competition, is a graduate of both Vanderbilt University, where she received her Masters in Business Administration, and The University of Texas at Austin, where she received her BBA in Finance. Cavanaugh hopes to one day become the chief marketing officer of a consumer products company and a university professor.
Cavanaugh’s social impact initiative “Healthy Lungs, Healthy Life!” focuses on sharing the importance of lung health and the detrimental side effects of tobacco use. As the Colorado state titleholder, Cavanaugh will now travel across the state, spreading her message of “Healthy Lungs, Healthy Life!” with her partnership with the American Lung Association.
“Being crowned Miss Colorado 2022 is an incredible dream come true,” said Cavanaugh. “I am so grateful for the opportunity to compete alongside so many brilliant, talented women. I hope to live up to the legacy, serve as a positive role model for women of all ages and make the Miss America Organization proud. It’s truly an honor to represent the great state of Colorado. I look forward to making a significant impact through my social impact initiative throughout the state of Colorado during my reign.”
Cavanaugh began competing within the Miss America Organization at age 22. Cavanaugh is excited about the chance to win the national title of Miss America and is presented with Miss America’s registered trademarked crown and year-long service. The primary function of Miss America is to serve as an advocate and role model for young women while sharing her passion and life story, as well as the legacy of the Miss America Organization.
“We are so excited for the year ahead with Savannah,” said Mette Castor and Mark Hinson, the Miss Colorado Organization Executive Directors. “She was selected out of a very competitive field of outstanding young women. We are confident that she will represent Miss Colorado and Miss America Organizations with the utmost grace as they continue to serve their communities and state.”

Lindsey Stirling’s Official Music Video – Masquerade

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Ahead of this weekend’s official launch of her cross-country headlining Artemis U.S. Tour, platinum-selling electronic artist, violinist, and multi-talented entertainer Lindsey Stirling, known all over the world for her unique, futuristic violin-driven electronic music and exquisite live show, has gifted fans with a new music video for the song “Masquerade,” off her latest chart-topping studio album Artemis. Inspired by early 20th century silent films, the new visual for the instrumental track was filmed at The Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles and co-directed by Stirling and Stephen Mallett (Pentatonix, Logic, CHVRCHES). Press here to watch.

“While I was writing the song ‘Masquerade,’ I knew immediately that it would be about a wealthy over-the-top aristocratic woman,” shares Stirling. “The song has such a comedic feel to it, which made the music video really, really fun to plan and make.”

The Artemis U.S. Tour marks the first time Stirling will be performing the tracks off Artemis as well as her current single “Lose You Now” in front of an American audience. The 35-date outing, featuring special guest electro-pop artist Kiesza, kicks off this Saturday, July 3rd in Kansas City, MO and will stop in most major markets across the country including New York City (August 2nd at the Beacon Theatre), Los Angeles (August 30th at the Microsoft Theater), Denver (July 7th at Red Rocks Amphitheatre), Dallas, Houston, Nashville, Philadelphia, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Boston, Phoenix, Portland, Seattle, and many others, before wrapping September 10th in Milwaukee at Summerfest. See below for full list of tour dates. Visit Lindsey Stirling’s website for all ticketing details including special VIP packages that are also available. Press here to watch the official promo video “First Tour In Forever.”

Stirling has also launched a national contest with Fandiem for the ultimate VIP experience at her San Diego show on August 31st. The winner will receive roundtrip airfare for two plus two-night hotel stay, premium reserved seats in the first 8 rows, meet & greet photo opportunity with Lindsey, lunch at Lindsey’s favorite restaurant, merch, and more, along with a 45-minute helicopter tour of San Diego courtesy of Imagine Jets. Proceeds from entry donations will support Stirling’s nonprofit charity outreach program The Upside Fund, helping families and individuals affected by Covid-19. Press here to enter.

“Lose You Now,” Stirling’s emotive pop hit about loss and grief with artist, producer, and songwriter Mako, stems from the instrumental-only track “Guardian” off her Artemis album. Since its release earlier this year, “Lose You Now” (BMG) has amassed over 9 million global streams, including over 3 million views on the song’s beautifully moving music video, as well as featured placements on American Idol and “Train Tracks” on SiriusXM The Pulse. Press here to watch the official music video for “Lose You Now.” The duo also issued an acoustic version of the song this spring, stripping it down to just piano and a full string accompaniment – Press here to listen to “Lose You Now (Acoustic).”

Artemis, Stirling’s fifth studio album released September 2019 via BMG, debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Albums Chart and remained on the chart for 15 combined weeks. The 13-track album, which has racked up over 200 million total global streams, features the singles “Underground,” “Artemis,” “Sleepwalking,” “Between Twilight” and “The Upside” featuring Elle King along with “Love Goes On and On” featuring Amy Lee. Artemis has also been turned into a successful comic book series, with the sixth edition coming this summer. Press here to listen to Artemis and press here for info on the comic books.

Lindsey Stirling Tour Dates

Artemis U.S. Tour with special guest Kiesza

Saturday, July 3 – Kansas City, MO @ Starlight Theatre

Monday, July 5 – Dubuque, IA @ Five Flags Center

Tuesday, July 6 – Omaha, NE @ Baxter Arena

Wednesday, July 7 – Morrison, CO @ Red Rocks Amphitheatre

Thursday, July 8 – Vail, CO @ Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater

Friday, July 9 – Grand Junction, CO @ Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park

Saturday, July 10 – Salt Lake City, UT @ USANA Amphitheatre

Friday, July 23 – Dallas, TX @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

Saturday, July 24 – Houston, TX @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion

Monday, July 26 – New Orleans, LA @ Saenger Theatre

Tuesday, July 27 – Rogers, AR @ Walmart Amphitheater

Thursday, July 29 – Raleigh, NC @ Red Hat Amphitheater

Saturday, July 31 – Nashville, TN @ Ascend Amphitheater

Monday, August 2 – New York, NY @ Beacon Theatre

Tuesday, August 3 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Met

Wednesday, August 5 – Vienna, VA @ Wolf Trap

Friday, August 6 – Cincinnati, OH @ PNC Pavilion

Saturday, August 7 – St. Louis, MO @ Saint Louis Music Park

Monday, August 9 – Minneapolis, MN @ The Armory

Tuesday, August 10 – Chicago, IL @ Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island

Wednesday, August 11 – Indianapolis, IN @ The Amphitheater at White River State Park

Thursday, August 12 – Detroit, MI @ Michigan Lottery Amphitheatre at Freedom Hill

Saturday, August 14 – Cleveland, OH @ Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica

Monday, August 16 – Saratoga Springs, NY @ Saratoga Performing Arts Center

Tuesday, August 17 – Boston, MA @ Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion

Wednesday, August 18 – Wallingford, CT @ Toyota Presents Oakdale Theatre

Monday, August 30 – Los Angeles, CA @ Microsoft Theater

Tuesday, August 31 – San Diego, CA @ San Diego Civic Theatre

Wednesday, September 1 – Phoenix, AZ @ Arizona Federal Theatre

Friday, September 3 – Concord, CA @ Concord Pavilion

Saturday, September 4 – Reno, NV @ Grand Sierra Theatre

Monday, September 6 – Portland, OR @ Theater of the Clouds at Moda Center

Tuesday, September 7 – Seattle, WA @ WAMU Theater

Thursday, September 9 – Bonner, MT @ KettleHouse Amphitheater

Friday, September 10 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest

About Lindsey Stirling:

Since the release of her 2012 self-titled debut, the Arizona-raised, Los Angeles-based artist has racked up tens of millions of followers worldwide and more than 3 billion total views on YouTube. Stirling’s sophomore album Shatter Me was certified Gold by the RIAA, after debuting at #2 on the Billboard Top 200 and #1 on the Dance/Electronic Albums Chart and holding the #1 spot on the Classical Albums Chart for 21 consecutive weeks. Her third studio album Brave Enough, featuring guest appearances from Dan + Shay, Christina Perri, Rivers Cuomo, Andrew McMahon and others, earned Stirling her second Billboard Music Award for “Top Dance/Electronic Album.” Stirling closed out 2020 with her all-new, live-streaming holiday special “Lindsey Stirling: Home for the Holidays,” which she independently created, produced, and financed. The hour-long ticketed special, which drew over 100,000 views from tens of thousands of fans and families worldwide, featured performances to seasonal favorites off Stirling’s chart-topping holiday album Warmer In the Winter in addition to the breathtaking performance of her hit “Crystallize,” where Stirling hung by her hair for a captivating Cirque du Soleil inspired aerial display – press here to watch. Additionally, Stirling co-wrote The New York Times best-selling book The Only Pirate at the Party with her sister Brook S. Passey, was the runner-up on Season 25 of “Dancing With the Stars” and has appeared on “America’s Got Talent.”

Follow Lindsey Stirling:

Website // Facebook // Instagram // Twitter // YouTube// Spotify // TikTok // Twitch

SAINT MOTEL ANNOUNCES U.S. AND EUROPEAN TOURS

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Elektra recording group Saint Motel have announced U.S. and European tours in support of their forthcoming album The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The band’s U.S. tour will kick off this September with three special hometown shows at Los Angeles, CA’s The Roxy Theatre, and wrap on Halloween at Madison, WI’s Majestic Theater. In March of 2022, the band will return to the road for a European tour. The upcoming dates mark Saint Motel’s first live shows since their sold-out U.S. tour wrapped in March of 2020. Pre-sale tickets for all dates will be available beginning tomorrow, and general on sale begins this Friday, June 11 at 10:00am local time here.

Saint Motel’s highly anticipated new album The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack will be released on June 25, 2021. The album is available for pre-order now here. The band recently unveiled an official music video for the album’s current single “It’s All Happening”, co-directed by Saint Motel front man A/J Jackson and Mario Contini. Watch it on the band’s official YouTube channel here.

On The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack the Los Angeles-based band dreams up their own cinematic experience in album form, as its songs cycle through stories of love, danger, and impossible triumph. The album also embodies an opulent sound true to its ambitious scope. Co-produced by front man A/J Jackson and Grammy Award-winner Mark Needham (The Killers, Dolly Parton, Chris Isaak), The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack continues the Saint Motel custom of joyfully blurring genres, bringing in elements of everything from symphonic pop to big band.

Audiences began experiencing the album with the release of a pair of EPs: The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Pt.1 and The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Pt. 2. Among many highlights, “Van Horn” has amassed nearly 20 million streams, while the band performed it on ABC’s JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE! Receiving critical acclaim, Dujour described “Preach” as “a bop,” while American Songwriter poured over the album’s concept in an in-depth interview with A/J. Further looks came from Ladygunn, Hollywood Life, and more. Now, fans get the full picture of Saint Motel’s vision with the complete The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack studio album.

In the lead up to the album, Saint Motel made history as “the first band to open their own virtual metaverse” powered by Mozilla Hubs. The virtual world is designed as a motel with each room dedicated to a song on The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The quartet’s launch of “New World” welcomed fans to the virtual space where Jackson performed a live acoustic set. In this 3D VR chatroom enabled for all headsets and browsers, audiences can enter an exclusive, immersive environment to engage directly with the band through virtual meet-and-greets and intimate, live performances, consume exclusive video content, and much more. Additionally, it doubles as a space for fans to congregate and get to know each other. Saint Motel’s “New World” upholds what has become a tradition of engaging with groundbreaking technology for the guys. Visit Saint Motel’s website to explore the “New World.” In 2016, they dropped their Elektra full length debut saintmotelevision as the first-ever Virtual Reality album and first-ever Augmented Reality album and accompanied the record with the free saintmotel AR/VR app.

Saint Motel U.S. Tour Dates

September 30, 2021 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theatre

October 01, 2021 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theatre

October 02, 2021 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy Theatre

October 04, 2021 – San Luis Obispo, CA – Fremont Theater

October 05, 2021 – Santa Ana, CA – Observatory

October 07, 2021 – Salt Lake City, UT – Depot

October 08, 2021 – Boulder, CO – Boulder Theater

October 09, 2021 – Fort Collins, CO – The Aggie

October 11, 2021 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown

October 12, 2021 – Columbia, MO – The Blue Note

October 13, 2021 – Urbana, IL – The Canopy Club

October 15, 2021 – Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl

October 16, 2021 – Athens, GA – Georgia Theater

October 17, 2021 – Knoxville, TN – The Mill & Mine

October 18, 2021 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel

October 20, 2021 – Louisville, KY – Mercury Ballroom

October 21, 2021 – Charlottesville, VA – Jefferson Theater

October 22, 2021 – Harrisburg, PA – Harrisburg University

October 23, 2021 – Baltimore, MD – Baltimore Sound Stage

October 26, 2021 – New Haven, CT – College Street Music Hall

October 27, 2021 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground

October 29, 2021 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom

October 30, 2021 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection

October 31, 2021 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theater

Saint Motel European Tour Dates

March 31, 2022 – Berlin, Germany – Franz Club

April 02, 2022 – Hamburg, Germany – Stage Club

April 03, 2022 – Cologne, Germany – Luxor

April 05, 2022 – Munich, Germany – Hansa 39

April 06, 2022 – Milan, Italy – Circolo Magnolia

April 08, 2022 – Amsterdam, Netherlands – Paradiso Noord

April 09, 2022 – Brussels, Belgium – Botanique The Rotonde

April 10, 2022 – Paris, France – La Maroquinerie

April 12, 2022 – London, UK – Islington Assembly Hall

April 13, 2022 – Manchester, UK – Academy 2

Projecting pop hooks through an alternative lens with a flair for dramatic presentation, Saint Motel make music worthy of the big screen. Streamed and viewed over half-a-billion times, the platinum-selling Los Angeles quartet magnify this vision with immersive live experiences and one unpredictable move after another. The group initially came together at film school before introducing themselves on 2012’s Voyeur. Signing to Elektra Records, their 2014 My Type EP boasted both the gold-certified title track “My Type” and fan favorite “Cold Cold Man.” In 2016, saintmotelevision yielded the smash “Move.” Flipping the script once again, the musicians reimagined the record with a series of history-making first-of-their-kind innovations: an award-winning Virtual Reality version and an Augmented Reality version. In 2019, Saint Motel launched their most ambitious undertaking yet, unveiling their third full-length album in three parts. First up, they uncovered The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Pt. 1 powered by the shimmy and shake of Alternative Top 15 lead single “Van Horn.” Between packing houses coast to coast on headline jaunts and earning acclaim from People, Billboard, and more, the four-piece rolled out Pt. 2 throughout 2020. In addition to unforgettable sets everywhere from Coachella and Lollapalooza to Bonnaroo, the boys lit up shows such as NBC’s TODAY, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and CBS’ The Late Late Show with James Corden, among others.

Saint Motel is: A/J Jackson (vocals), Aaron Sharp (guitar), Dak Lerdamornpong (bass), and Greg Erwin (drums).

Connect With Saint Motel

Saint Motel Website

Saint Motel – New World

Goose Hosts Eclectic Mini-Fest FRED

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Connecticut rockers Goose will be hosting an eclectic mini-fest called FRED the Festival a three-day event on the revered LOCKN Farm in Arrington, VA. Anchored by four sets of Goose, the lineup also features Dawes (original set + Black Sabbath Paranoid set), Dr. Dog, Hiss Golden Messenger, Cory Wong, Grateful Shred, Sammy Rae & The Friends, aGOOSEtic Trio, and more.

“Last year, we were booked at LOCKN and we were so excited to perform on that legendary stage for the first time. We were all pretty disappointed after the festival was canceled so it’s an honor to be invited back to the farm for our own event,” said Goose’s Peter Anspach (Guitar, Keys, Vocals). “Along with an amazing lineup of incredible bands, we have a ton of surprises planned and we can’t wait for all of you to #getinvolved.”

FRED the Festival will also mark a long-awaited return to the stage for Vasudo for the first time since the summer of 2013. Regarded as Goose’s musical predecessor, the roots/rock/reggae band features Rick Mitarotonda (Guitar, Vocals), Matt Campbell (Keys, Vocals), Peter Anspach (Keys, Vocals) Trevor Weekz (Bass), and Jeff Arevalo (Drums). Also returning from an extended hiatus for a Friday late-night set is ElephantProof, a four-piece jazz/funk/EDM project formed at Berklee College of Music by Ben Atkind (Drums), Sean Cronin (Guitar), Shon Gordon (Bass) and Chris Enright (Keys).

Ticket sales commence on Friday, June 4 at 10 AM ET with both day passes and weekend camping passes available. For more information, visit FredTheFestival.com

Goose recently released the third song from their eagerly awaited new album, SHENANIGANS NITE CLUB out tomorrow, Friday, June 4. The 10-minute odyssey the band is calling “Madhuvan” is a live show staple of late that the band shortened for the studio version. Though half as long here, the song still captures the travelogue aesthetic that has made it a fan favorite. Classically Goose in that its groove is as deep as its sense of melody is indelible, “Madhuvan” references the story of Dhruva and his quest for enlightenment, originally written in the Bhagavata Purana. The song is an exploratory journey, examining life’s most beautiful offerings and most dangerous pitfalls.

“The underlying idea is questioning what you’re pursuing and that, ultimately, true fulfillment often comes from something other than outer acquisition,” says guitarist/vocalist Rick Mitarotonda.

SHENANIGANS NITE CLUB is Goose’s second studio LP and first full-length collection in more than five years. It was heralded in March with the release of its first song, “Spirit of the Dark Horse.” In April, the band released “So Ready.” Hitting that sweet spot where rock met disco in the late 70s, the slinky funk pocket groove of “So Ready,” made indelible by its catchy wide lapel melody lines and liquified guitars, is available now at all DSPs and streaming services. An animated official music video that harkens back to the feverish Saturday nights of the dancing days of yesteryear is available for streaming via Goose’s YouTube channel.

SHENANIGANS NITE CLUB follows the recent release of Goose’s remarkable cover of Vampire Weekend’s “2021 (January 5th, to be exact),” featured on Vampire Weekend’s new 40:42 EP and available now at all DSPs and streaming services. Personally commissioned by Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig a longtime Goose fan with the only directive to make it twenty minutes and twenty-one seconds long, the expansive track is accompanied by a full-length performance video, streaming now via YouTube. Relix magazine just published an interview between the band and Vampire Weekend’s Ezra Koenig. Read it HERE.

WATCH GOOSE x VAMPIRE WEEKEND’S “2021 (JANUARY 5TH, TO BE EXACT)”

Hailed by Billboard for their “penchant for innovation and creativity during the pandemic,” Goose debuted some of the new SHENANIGANS NITE CLUB songs during a series of socially distant live dates beginning May 3 and 4 at Frederick, MD’s Showtime At The Drive-In and then hitting North Charleston, SC’s Riverfront Park (May 6) and Pelham, TN’s The Caverns Above Ground Amphitheater (May 8 and 9). All five dates completely sold out after unprecedented demand; limited tickets remain for shows at Silver Lake Drive in Perry, NY (June 15 and 16) and Legend Valley in Thornville, OH (June 18 and 19). For updates and complete details, please visit goosetheband.com/tour.

An ode to oft-forgotten vestiges of Goose’s musical journey, both personal and collective, SHENANIGANS NITE CLUB marks the apex of a rich history between friends of differing ages and experiences from the same small town in Connecticut, drawn together through a deep love of music and storytelling. Songs like the tectonic “Labyrinth” and the ruminative deep-dive, “SOS,” fluidly traverse genres with head-spinning hooks, technical fireworks, and the kind of rare chemistry only possible among truly close collaborators.

“While we’ve been touring, the record has been happening in the background,” says Mitarotonda. “It’s been quite the process. At times, it was difficult. The record is a companion to those growing pains.”

Goose made their remarkable debut with 2016’s Moon Cabin and quickly took flight, playing countless shows while steadily amassing a fervent nationwide following. Years of relentless touring culminated in a string of milestone festival performances during the summer of 2019, highlighted by a now-legendary performance at Scranton, PA’s annual Peach Fest (streaming in its entirety HERE). Further touring followed, including a completely sold-out fall headline run and hastily scheduled dates at NYC’s Bowery Ballroom and Music Hall of Williamsburg in January 2020, both of which proved instant sell-outs.

2019 and 2020 also saw Goose return to the studio for a series of extraordinary single releases, collected on last year’s NIGHT LIGHTS EP (available HERE). The tracks mastered by the first-ever female GRAMMY Award winner for “Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical,” Emily Lazar (Sia, Clairo, Haim) exhibit a fully unified live outfit eager to showcase and develop their studio voice.

Due in part to their trademark inclination for improvisation, Goose was able to creatively navigate the myriad challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. A succession of intimate virtual performances culminated with the unprecedented “Bingo Tour,” a two-week live streaming event featuring four unique concerts with setlists determined by the outcome of a live Bingo game. Held at a bucolic private property in Fairfield County, CT, the interactive performances were captured for posterity in the full-length concert film, Bingo Tour, joined by an exclusive 55-minute behind-the-scenes documentary and available to rent or download HERE.

Fall 2020 saw a welcome return to live performance with a slew of sold-out drive-in shows across the Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic regions. Propelled by seemingly unstoppable momentum, Goose wrapped up the year with their seventh annual Goosemas holiday benefit concert, streamed live from a rooftop in New York City’s Rockefeller Center to over 50K fans exclusively via Twitch’s new RelixChannel. The epic 3-hour performance which raised over $45,000 for NIVA’s Save Our Stages and Conscious Alliance can be viewed now at the official Goose YouTube channel HERE; a full-length audio recording is available via Bandcamp HERE.

“Our dream is to inspire people to step off the beaten path,” says Mitarotonda. “There are a lot of voices that tell you to play it safe. I think the coolest thing in the world is when someone breaks free and goes for whatever weird shit they dream of doing.”

Goose is Rick Mitarotonda (vocals, guitar), Peter Anspach (vocals, keys, guitar), Trevor Weekz (bass), Ben Atkind (drums), and Jeff Arevalo (vocals, percussion, drums).

LISTEN TO “MADHUVAN”

WATCH “SO READY”

LISTEN TO “SPIRIT OF THE DARK HORSE”

PRE-ORDER SHENANIGANS NITE CLUB

NCAA LGBTQ OneTeam

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NCAA LGBTQ OneTeam facilitators publish open letter condemning anti-transgender legislation

The NCAA LGBTQ OneTeam, a group of NCAA- trained facilitators at colleges across the country published an open letter condemning the actions taken by 28 states across the country to introduce, pass, and sign anti-transgender legislation. 2021 has been a record year for anti-transgender legislation, with 93 anti-transgender bills introduced across the country, the vast majority of which attempt to ban transgender women and girls’ participation in girls’ sports or ban transgender youth from accessing medically necessary, gender-affirming health care.

Laws have been signed banning transgender women and girls’ participation in girls’ sports in Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas, with Executive Orders being signed to the same effect in South Dakota. Legislators across the country have failed to provide examples of issues in their states to attempt to justify these attacks, laying bare the reality that these are attacks on transgender youth that are fueled by discrimination and not supported by fact. Collegiate and professional sports organizations have had trans-inclusive policies for years without incident, and there is no reason any state would need a ban on transgender participation in sports.

The NCAA LGBTQ OneTeam open letter reads as follows:

An Open Letter in Support of Transgender Student-Athletes

We, the undersigned, are facilitators of the National Collegiate Athletics Association’s (NCAA)Division III LGBTQ OneTeam Program, which is a national training program that fosters LGBTQ+ inclusion in NCAA Division III athletics, and members of the NCAA’s Division III LGBTQ Working Group. Given the recent rise in legislation that is focused on excluding transgender people from athletics across the country, we have decided to use our collective voice to condemn such actions. We call on elected officials across the country to immediately halt legislation that is aimed at excluding transgender youth and young adults from equal and equitable participation in sport.

In our role with the NCAA’s LGBTQ OneTeam Program, we train coaches, athletics administrators, and student-athletes across the whole of Division III athletics. This program is aimed at helping to understand the importance of LGBTQ inclusion in college athletics, while also identifying strategies and best practices for institutions and conferences to better ensure that all student-athletes–regardless of their sexuality, gender identity, and/or gender expression–can participate in an inclusive and safe athletic climate. We cannot, in good conscience, fail to speak out at this critical moment.

In the past several weeks, actions–which are aimed at excluding transgender youth and young adults from equal and equitable participation in sport–have been taken by elected officials inseveral states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia. At the time of this writing, the Governors ofArkansas,Idaho,Mississippi, andTennessee have already signed such dangerous legislation into law.

Legislation aimed at categorically banning transgender people–and particularly transgender girls and women–from sport is inherently discriminatory. Such legislation is often “informed” by hate and misinformation rather than science, and it is most certainly “informed” byfear instead of fact. Conversely, trans-inclusive policies, such as those established by theNCAA and theInternational Olympic Committee (IOC), are better informed by the current scientific evidence, and this evidence shows that transgender women do not have an inherent competitive advantage over cisgender women.

Furthermore, discriminatory legislation that is aimed at excluding transgender people from sport has a number ofserious consequences for transgender students. Such legislation dehumanizes transgender students, refuses them the opportunity to participate equally and equitably in athletics, undermines their support in educational settings, damages their mental health, and ultimately harms these students, while also contributing to an exclusionary athletic environment and a more hostile school climate for all students.

We immediately call for 1) an end to such legislation in all states and 2) a repeal of such laws in Arkansas, Idaho, Mississippi, and Tennessee. And finally, we also encourage our legislators to better consider theNCAA best practices and importance of an inclusive athletic environment for all student-athletes.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Timothy R. Bussey, Ph.D.

Pronouns: they/them

Associate Director, Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion | Kenyon College

Kayla Hayes, M.Ed.

Pronouns: she/her

Associate Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dept. of Athletics | Denison University

Kyrstin Krist, Ph.D.

Pronouns: she/her

Associate Professor of Kinesiology and Faculty Athletic Representative | Methodist University

Melynda Link, M.B.A.

Pronouns: she/her

Director of Athletic Facilities & Game Day Operations, Dept. of Athletics | Haverford College

Kathleen M. Murray

Pronouns: she/her

President, Office of the President | Whitman College

Jess Duff

Pronouns: she/her

Assistant Athletic Director for Student Athlete Services & Internal Operations Dept. of Athletics | Bates College

Jessica Weiss

Pronouns: she/her

Head Field Hockey Coach, Dept. of Athletics | Randolph-Macon College

Jennifer Dubow

Pronouns: she/her

Executive Director | Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC)

Maura Johnston

Pronouns: she/her

Head Field Hockey Coach, Dept. of Athletics | Fairleigh Dickinson University

Scott McGuiness

Pronouns: no pronouns

Director of Athletics, Dept. of Athletics | Washington & Jefferson College

Danielle Lynch, M.S.Ed.

Pronouns: she/her

Senior Woman Administrator and Head Track and Field/Cross Country Coach Athletic Department | Penn State University – Harrisburg

Melissa Walton

Pronouns: she/her

Senior Associate Athletic Director Athletic Department | Albion College

Amy Reed

Pronouns: she/her

Senior Woman Administrator and Head Women’s Basketball Coach Dept. of Athletics | Rochester Institute of Technology

Donna M. Ledwin

Pronouns: she/her

Commissioner | Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference (AMCC)

Donnesha Blake, Ph.D.

Pronouns: she/her

Director of Diversity and Inclusion Dept. of Student Affairs | Alma College

Tim Wilson

Pronouns: he/him

Assistant Track and Field Coach, Dept. of Athletics | Stevens Institute of Technology

Anne Kietzman

Pronouns: she/her

Head Field Hockey Coach, Dept. of Athletics | Washington College

Ashley Crossway, D.A.T., A.T.C.

Pronouns: she/her

Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Clinical Education Dept. of Kinesiology | SUNY Cortland

Melissa Brooks

Pronouns: she/her

Head Women’s Basketball Coach Athletic Department | Fairleigh Dickinson University – Florham

Tiffany Thompson

Pronouns: she/her

Associate Director of Gender and Sexuality Initiatives, Intercultural Center | Swarthmore College

Kirsten Clark

Pronouns: she/her

Associate Athletic Director, Dept. of Athletics and Recreation | Clark University

Kate Levin

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Assistant Sports Information Director Dept. of Athletics | Ramapo College

Cori Collinsworth

Pronouns: she/her

Head Softball Coach, Athletic Department | Hanover College

Bethany Dannelly

Pronouns: she/her

Associate Director of Athletics, Dept. of Physical Education and Athletics | Washington and Lee University

Jennifer Childress-White, M.Ed.

Pronouns: she/her

Assistant Athletic Director and University Title IX Coordinator Dept. of Athletics | Pacific Lutheran University

Elise Fitzsimmons, M.S., A.T.C.

Pronouns: she/her

Assistant Athletic Trainer, Dept. of Athletics| SUNY Oswego

Amanda Walker

Pronouns: she/her

Athletic Program Coordinator Athletics Department | Lake Forest College

Danielle O’Leary

Pronouns: she/her

Senior Woman Administrator and Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach Athletics Department | Mount Aloysius College

Crystal Lanning

Pronouns: she/her

Director of Athletics, Dept. of Athletics | University of Wisconsin – River Falls

Neil Virtue

Pronouns: he/him

Assistant Director of Athletics and Head Swimming Coach | Dept. of Athletics, P.E., and Recreation Mills College

Jose’ Rodriguez, M.Ed.

Pronouns: he/him

Chief Diversity Officer, Office of University Diversity Initiatives | Cabrini University

Karen Moberg, M.Ed., L.A.T., A.T.C.

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Associate Athletic Trainer, Athletic Department | Macalester College

Yishka Chin

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Coordinator for Tutoring Services and Trailblazer Program Director, Dept. of Student Success | Notre Dame of Maryland University

Renee Bostic

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Director of Athletics & Wellness Dept. of Athletics & Wellness | Notre Dame of Maryland University

Megan Cullinane

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Assistant Athletic Director and Deputy Title IX Coordinator for Athletics Dept. of Athletics and Recreation | University of Massachusetts – Boston

Maureen Harty

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Executive Director | College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW)

Stephanie Dutton

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Commissioner | North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC)

Sharia Marcus-Carter

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Senior Woman Administrator and Director of Compliance, Athletics Department | Brooklyn College

Happy Birthday Mister Rogers

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Virtual “Happy Birthday, Mister Rogers” Celebration Streams This Saturday, March 20th to Commemorate the Legacy of America’s Favorite Neighbor, Fred Rogers

Premiering on Saturday, March 20 at 10 am CT, Tom Bergeron (America’s Funniest Videos, Dancing with the Stars) will host a special virtual presentation of “Happy Birthday, Mister Rogers,” to commemorate America’s favorite neighbor, Fred Rogers’ 93 birthday. The virtual show will stream at the Mister Roger’s website, Facebook and on YouTube. It includes cameos and birthday shout-outs by celebrity recording artists Kellie Pickler, Vanessa Williams, Lee Greenwood, The Cowsills, Jaci Velasquez, Jim Brickman, Jon Secada, Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr, Micky Dolenz, and Sandi Patty. The virtual celebration is also dedicated to the late Joanne Rogers, wife of Fred, who passed away earlier this year.

The virtual birthday bash is the brainchild of two-time Grammy and Emmy winning producer, Dennis Scott, who has produced two albums of Fred Rogers’ music: Songs from The Neighborhood – The Music of Mister Rogers (2005) & Thank You, Mister Rogers – Music & Memories (2019). Scott also interviewed numerous fans and supporters of Mister Rogers and was surprised by how many people received personal letters from him over the years. One compelling story is that of a young Connecticut girl who was visited by Fred while she was in a coma recovering from brain surgery.

“I wanted to give folks a chance to tell their stories and express their gratitude to Fred on what would have been his 93rd birthday,” said Scott.

Coincidently, producer Dennis Scott is simultaneously spearheading a grassroots campaign to get Fred Rogers nominated to the Songwriters Hall of Fame. A petition in support of that is viewable here.

“Fred loved writing songs and becoming a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, alongside other great American composers, is the best birthday present we could give him,” said Scott. “Happy Birthday, Mister Rogers!”

Caring for Elderly Parent Without Financial Burden

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Ron Craft of Bristol is typical of many adult children who lovingly care for their aging parents. He considers it “a blessing” to be able to keep his mother, Shirley Dunphy, comfortably living in her own home. Also typical for family caregivers, Ron gave up his salary when he left his job as a financial advisor ten years ago to help his mom. However, Ron was able to ease his financial stress three years ago when he enrolled in the Connecticut Adult Family Living (AFL) program that pays him to provide care. Ron is supported by Assisted Living Services, Inc. in Cheshire, a credentialed provider of the AFL program.

“A lot of elderly parents don’t want to be a burden to their children, so they don’t ask for the assistance they need until there’s a crisis,” explains Mario D’Aquila, MBA and COO of Assisted Living Services. “The AFL program stipend eases any guilt parents may have about their child losing income, as well as financial stress for the caregiver.”

D’Aquila explains that a caregiver can receive a tax-free stipend of over $500 per week, depending on the complexity of care, under AFL. The program is part of the Department of Social Services’ Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders (CHCPE).

Shirley, 80, required care after falling down the stairs 13 years ago and sustaining second degree burns on her legs. She never fully recovered. Ron, 57, lives with his mother and does all of the cooking & laundry, gets her dressed, drives her to doctor’s appointments, bathes her and pays her bills. Prior to the fall, Shirley was extremely active, travelled a lot, was involved in church and other activities and hobbies, and socialized with friends. Dunphy is still full of mental energy, but uses a walker and cane to move around.

“It was difficult at first for me to admit that I physically needed help as I was always very independent and took care of others,” shares Dunphy. “I had to learn how to allow others to care for me. There’s always a sense of pride in all of us not wanting to admit you need help. But it is so natural for a mother and son to care for and help each other.”

The pair also share a spiritual bond as they are both retired ordained ministers. Dunphy writes faith-infused, Christian-based books. She authored Windfall: A Cut Above on Amazon and Kindle with four more books in the works based on her life experiences.

Shirley learned about the AFL program during a home visit from the CCCI (Community Care of CT, Inc) organization. Ron had previously volunteered at a nursing home, so he was already comfortable with caregiving.

“Before we could even apply for the program, Mary Scagliarini RN, Director of the Adult Family Living Program at Assisted Living Services (ALS), came to our house to get it prepared by installing fire alarms, life alert, etc.,” said Ron. “She then guided us through the application process and it was approved within a few days.” He is grateful that today, ALS offers a huge support network to give guidance and answer questions. Mary and Nurse Andrea Murray are just a phone call away.”

In its formal role as a credentialed provider of the program, ALS provides Ron and other caregivers with the “tools” needed to be comfortable and successful at caregiving, such as:

Provide the caregiver with orientation, education and on-going support.
Ensure that the home is properly maintained as required by the State.
Make sure the Caregiver is meeting the homecare and safety needs of the participant.
Pay the Caregiver weekly and offer direct deposit for convenience.
Provide respite coverage for the Caregiver for time off or vacations as needed.
Enlist resources, such as a Certified Dementia Care Specialist, to assist in training for certain circumstances.
Utilize the company’s unique and innovative program called CarePlus that combines caregiving and technology to help address client needs at no additional cost. “Personal care supplemented with wireless devices is the perfect combination,” said D’Aquila.

In order to qualify, applicants must be a Connecticut resident, 65 years of age or older, at risk of nursing home placement, meaning, the applicant needs assistance with critical personal care such as bathing, dressing, eating, taking medications, toileting or transferring, as well as meet the program’s financial eligibility criteria.

“Most elderly people want to remain in their own home and home care is more cost-effective than an in-patient care facility,” said D’Aquila.

“God bless this program!” exclaims Dunphy. “It has allowed me to live with my son in my own house. My son is my eyes, heart and soul, he is my guide and I am so grateful to be cared for by him.”

For his part, Ron is thrilled to see his mother not just living, but thriving. “I encourage anyone not yet enrolled in the AFL program to reach out to Assisted Living Services, as it’s going to alter your life!”

About Assisted Living Services, Inc.

For almost 25 years, award-winning home care agency Assisted Living Services, Inc. in Cheshire with branch locations in Clinton and Fairfield has provided quality care to residents across Connecticut. Their unique CarePlus program blends personal care with technological safety and monitoring devices from sister company Assisted Living Technologies, Inc. Learn more by visiting www.assistedlivingct.com or calling 203.634.8668.

Benzel-Busch Motor Car Hosted AMG Road Rally

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Elite New Jersey motorcar enthusiasts participated in the exclusive Benzel-Busch Motor Car Road Rally Race that recently took place at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut. Touted as the “Road Racing Center of the East” for nearly 55 years, Lime Rock Park is a classic 1.53 mile, 7-turn course nestled in the scenic Berkshire Mountains in northwest Connecticut, the ultimate driving event featured world class Mercedes Benz AMG vehicles. Guests met the State’s foremost niche car aficionados and witnessed an exclusive AMG lineup including a GTR and the 2020 G-wagon. These awe-inspiring vehicles are handcrafted and tailored to elite Benzel-Busch client specifications, running from $50,000 to $200,000.

Watch Video here

SUMMER ReFRESH!

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SUMMER ReFRESH!

Works from the collection

On view through September 21, 2019

Gilles Clement Gallery presents a gathering of their latest collection of cutting- edge Contemporary, Pop, Op and Street Art. An array of artwork delights and inspires the viewer with iconic imagery, vivid colors, and culturally significant themes. Rotating throughout the season, the exhibition will showcase an eclectic mix from the gallery’s stable of artists, and a range of mediums and techniques including photography, painting, mixed media, collage and neon. Fresh additions to the gallery are the vibrant abstract works of Philadelphia-based modernist painter Michael Gallagher; Spanish artist Lino Lago’s clever oil paintings that juxtapose classical and contemporary art; and the exploded pop sculptures of French artist Francois Bel. Other featured artists include: Curtis Cutshaw (oil enamel on birch), David Datuna (mixed media), Robert Mars (vintage collage and neon), Clement Kamena (acrylic on canvas), MARCK (video sculpture) and TRAN$PARENT (money art).

SUMMER ReFRESH: works from the collection will be on view through September 21, 2019 at the Gilles Clement Gallery, 45 East Putnam Avenue, Greenwich CT 06830.

WEBSITE: http://www.gclementgallery.com/upcoming-exhibitions

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Images:

Michael Gallagher, Pink and Green Acrylic on canvas on panel, 36” x 48”

Francois Bel, Warhology Turquoise Caps Mixed media, acrylic glass, 17”x 5.5”x 4” (feature photo)

Lino Lago, Fake Abstract Blue Oil on canvas, 43.3” x 39.4”

Tom Burr at the Wadsworth Atheneum

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Portraits by Tom Burr Propel MATRIX Exhibition Series at the Wadsworth Atheneum

Connecticut-born sculptor Tom Burr’s expansive body of portraiture takes a different approach to the relationship between the built environment, material, subjectivity, and historical personalities. Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the museum’s presentation of two other portrait centered exhibitions, Tom Burr / MATRIX 182 / Hinged Figures unites a selection of the artist’s reclining figures, several of which are portraits of individuals from queer history and American Modernism. Burr began the series in 2005, and MATRIX 182 constitutes the largest museum presentation of the reclining figures to date. The sculptures will be shown both within the MATRIX Gallery and around the museum, in dialogue with specific artists and architectural spaces, and also at the Austin House.

“I wanted to see the figures spread throughout the different spaces in the museum–spaces that resonate with the history of 20th-century art being shown–but also in other, less expected settings, such as Chick Austin’s house,” says Tom Burr. “I wanted to create a constellation of figures and sites that would engage, in a sense, the museum and the house as a total stage set.”

Burr’s sculptures combine Minimalist forms with figures and material attributes, such as books, magazine pages, notecards, tinsel, and a Chanel dress. He is interested in the way certain figures shape and are shaped by the spaces they inhabit. In this MATRIX project, Burr directly addresses the Wadsworth’s prominent role in the history of Modernism in several portrait subjects, including former director A. Everett ‘Chick’ Austin, and two creatives, writer Gertrude Stein and composer Virgil Thomson. They were commissioned in the 1930s to make the opera Four Saints in Three Acts to inaugurate the newly completed Avery Memorial and its purpose-built theater. Two 33 rpm records of the opera and are featured in Burr’s Chicks, 2008

One foot in the grave (reclining), 2010 references photographer Robert Mapplethorpe whose career is embedded in the Wadsworth’s history.A MATRIX artist in 1984, Mapplethorpe’s work has also been presented in exhibitions in 1990, 2015 and will be included in Be Seen: Portrait Photography Since Stonewall opening June 22, 2019. Burr’s portrait of Mapplethorpe (below) includes a postcard featuring one of the photographer’s black-and-white flower images and a small pile of soil evoking a meditation on illness and the AIDS epidemic.

“Tom Burr’s continual engagement with queer historical figures and modernism identified him as a strong choice for an expanded MATRIX project for the summer of Stonewall 50,” says Patricia Hickson, Emily Hall Tremaine Curator of Contemporary Art at the Wadsworth. “Although most of these sculptures were made some years ago, the personas

they evoke resonate with the Wadsworth’s history in terms of collections, exhibitions, and programming. Burr has remarked on the noteworthy inversion of these departed figures’ ‘return’ to the Wadsworth as memories in the form of sculptures.”

Artist Biography

Tom Burr was born in 1963 in New Haven, Connecticut. Burr has exhibited in group and solo shows throughout the world since 1988, in institutions and museums including the SCAD Museum of Art, Savannah, GA; FRAC Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, France; SculptureCenter, New York, NY; Skulptur Projekte, Münster, Germany; Contemporary Arts Museum, Houston, TX; Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain; The New Museum, New York, NY, and the 2004 Whitney Biennial, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY. The works of Tom Burr are included in numerous private & public collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA; The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel; Lenbachhaus Museum, Munich, Germany; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA; Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY.

Related Programs

Tom Burr / MATRIX 182 / Hinged Figures opens during Art After Dark, Thursday, June 6 from 5-8pm, and the artist will give a Gallery Talk at 6:30pm. A docent-led Art In Focus tour of Tom Burr’s Chicks (2008) will take place on Friday, August 21 at noon. Curator Patricia Hickson will lead a Gallery Talk on Thursday, August 29 at noon.

About MATRIX

Inaugurated in 1975, MATRIX is the Wadsworth’s groundbreaking contemporary art exhibition series featuring works by artists from around the world. From its inception, MATRIX has been a forum for art that is challenging, current, and sometimes controversial. Through clear explanation and thoughtful engagement with the viewer, MATRIX exhibitions call into question preconceptions about art and increase understanding of its possibilities. Many MATRIX artists, such as Christo, Sol LeWitt, Gerhard Richter, Cindy Sherman, Andy Warhol, and Carrie Mae Weems are now considered seminal figures in contemporary art.

Exhibition and Program Support

MATRIX 182 is generously supported by the Howard Fromson Exhibition Fund.

The MATRIX program is supported by the Wadsworth Atheneum’s Contemporary Coalition. Sustaining support for the Wadsworth Atheneum is provided by Newman’s Own Foundation and the Greater Hartford Arts Council’s United Arts Campaign

About the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art

Founded in 1842 with a vision for infusing art into the American experience, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art is home to a collection of nearly 50,000 works of art spanning 5,000 years and encompassing European art from antiquity through contemporary as well as American art from the 1600s to today. The Wadsworth Atheneum’s five connected buildings–representing architectural styles including Gothic Revival, modern International Style, and 1960s Brutalism–are located at 600 Main Street in Hartford, Conn. Hours: Wednesday-Friday: 11am-5pm; Saturday and Sunday: 10am-5pm Admission: $5-15; discounts for members, students, and seniors. Free admission for Hartford residents with Wadsworth Welcome registration. Free “happy hour” admission 4-5pm. Public phone: (860) 278-2670; website: thewadsworth.org.

Image:

Tom Burr, Chick, 2008. Plywood, paint, steel hinges, canvas medical straitjacket, white rubber, steel drafting lamp, steel ashtray. Installation view. SculptureCenter, 2008. Collection of Shelley Fox Aarons and Philip Aarons. © Tom Burr.