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The creative courage of Sacha Baron Cohen goes beyond expectations


After more than 10 years of talks and wait, Sacha Baron Cohen is back with his Borat character. This time, however, having wreaked havoc right before the elections.

“Into possibly the least hilarious year on record, he has come: not the Borat we deserve, maybe, but the one we need right now.”

Leah Greenblatt, Entertainment Weekly

The Borat Subsequent Film was released on Amazon Prime on October 23. This time, Borat, a journalist from Kazakhstan, is instructed by his government to give his daughter as a gift to Mike Pence.

Like the 2006 Oscar-nominated mockumentary, Borat’s journey brings to light nothing that we don’t already know about mainstream America. This time, however, the exposure of both the actor and the character got them through great danger.


The Borat mockumentary couldn’t have come at a better time

The mockumentary could not have come at a better time. Although the last couple of months have already been a reminder of the political and cultural shit show we are facing, the movie proves the point.

Perhaps among the most revealing scenes of all is Rudy Giuliani’s scene. Giuliani is caught on camera putting his hand down his pants in the presence of an actress pretending to be a reporter.

Both Giuliani and Maria Bakalova (playing Borat’s daughter) go to a hotel room, right after an interview. Cohen, who was supervising the scene from the nearest room, rushed into the suit to save Maria before things got uglier.

The former New York City Mayor and personal lawyer to the Cheeto Jesus claim he was “tucking in his shirt down.

Yet, in an interview with Stephen Colbert, Sacha Baron Cohen responded by saying “Do you have anything to say to Rudy Giuliani about going into a bedroom with supposedly a teenage girl to drink whiskey and zip your pants up and down?”

If this type of behavior is so easily caught on camera and no one does anything about it. There’s no wonder to why America has a president with 26 sexual harassment claims.

Something is off and the Borat mockumentary proves it.

And, for that matter, The Borat proves that creative courage not only bears the greatness of true artistry, but it is what America needs in order to open its eyes to reality.


The most brolic process…

The mockumentary was caught in the midst of lockdowns while filming. And, as if the virus wasn’t a threat already, Sacha Baron Cohen spent five entire days with two pro-conservatives without breaking character.

“I got lost in the character,” the actor revealed during an Ellen interview.

One of the most talked-about scenes of the movie has been the Conservative Political Action Conference scene.

Where Borat, dressed as Trump in disguise, tries to hand-off his daughter to the vice president while he’s speaking at the event. “I brought the girl for you!” Yells Borat while having Maria Bakalova on his shoulder and interrupting Pence’s speech.

Baron-Cohen, who entered the conference dressed as Klansman, told conference-goers from beneath his white hood “I’m Stephen Miller.” The actor later explained that after that, he took refuge in the bathroom for five hours while he assembled his second disguise.

Still, what is more, shocking about the scene is the way the film lingers on Pence assertion that the Coronavirus outbreak was “under control.”


Cohen’s Holy Trinity

Unlike the filming of the first movie, which got the actor famously arrested 100 times, the dangers of filming this sequel were arguably much higher. Covid aside, the production happened in the midst of political protests, rallies, and riots.

According to the actor, during the rally in Olympia, the militia that was present had been antagonizing Black Lives Protest nearby. The group had sent some undercover protestors, who realized that it was Cohen on stage as Country Steve.

As word got out one man had even reached for their handgun while the crowd attempted to storm the stage. Cohen later disclaimed that on two separate occasions he had to wear a life vest.

https://twitter.com/InsideASCIF/status/1277102477658161153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1277102477658161153%7Ctwgr%5Eshare_3&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fvariety.com%2F2020%2Ftv%2Fnews%2Fsacha-baron-cohen-prank-rally-who-is-america-1234692557%2F

But it is Cohen’s creative courage that makes him not only one of the best actors of all times but also humane activists fighting for human rights. In fact, Borat is one part of Cohen’s Holy Trinity.

Cohen is also famously known for Ali G, A white middle-class boy mangling London Black vernacular. The character is used to satirize the media and politicians.

In 2003 he interviewed Donald Trump and tries to sell him an idea for ice cream gloves. Much like Borat, Cohen is in character while the hopefully-former-president has no idea.

After walking out of the interview in disgust, he said “I thought he was seriously retarded. It was a total con job. But my daughter Ivanka saw it and thought it was very cool.”

And there is also Bruno, an Australian fashion journalist who calls out homophobic attitudes just like Borat calls on xenophobia and anti-Semitism.


The courage in Cohen’s satire

If they say that Donald Trump has killed satire, then Sacha Baron Cohen is here to give us hope for an afterlife.

If the four years, a pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement and all the ongoing disasters that 2020 has brought on us wasn’t enough for Americans to realize that action is needed, then I hope that the movie will.

What a better way to show the world’s irony and absurdity, than through ridiculing its legitimate behavior with humor and exaggeration.

These photographers risk their lives to document history in Philly protests

Photographers put their lives on the line daily and the protests in Philly over Walter Wallace’s massacre, yet again, prove this point.

Civil unrest broke out Monday night in Philadelphia after a 27-year-old Black man was shot and killed by a police officer.

Walter Wallace Jr. was experiencing a mental health crisis when the police attacked. His mother, witnessing the entire situation, pledged the officer not to shoot her son.

More than 300 people marched to protest the shooting of Wallace Jr. Once again, video captured the police shooting of another Black man. Rage, fear, and concern broke on Philadelphia’s streets, for yet another Black man’s life taken.


What happened to cause protests in Philly?

After 4 p.m. on Monday, the Philadelphia police responded to reports of a man armed with a knife. A bystander in the neighborhood captured the moment when the police arrived.

The video shows a man later identified as Walter Wallace Jr. walking into the street as people yell and two police officers aim their guns at him.

Then, dozens of shots can be heard right at the moment that the video points to the ground. 27-year-old Wallace, it was later disclosed, was having a mental health crisis.

“Bro, they just killed him in front of me,” a man can be heard saying, reported The New York Times.


The massacre of Walter Wallace Jr.

Soon after the video was posted on social media, unrest and protests broke out in the city of Philadelphia. Mayor Jim Kenney said that the shooting raised “difficult questions that must be answered.” The police are currently investigating the case.

Thirty police officers were injured, and a 56-year-old female officer was also hit by a pickup truck and hospitalized with a broken leg.

In between showers of rocks and bricks thrown by protestors, and the threat of violence from the police, some of the photographers on the front lines of the protests captured these life-threatening moments.


Jessica Griffin

The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily New’s staff photographer, Jessica Griffin, captured the police force that is being used against protesters.

Her pictures are featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Guardian, and Fox News. They show a clear depiction of the unequal power dynamics of the situation.


Elizabeth Robertson

Along with Jessica, there is Elizabeth Robertson. She is also a staff member of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Her pictures have frightened the internet as they portray the extreme brutality police officers use against civilians.

By: Elizabeth Robertson, via The Philadelphia Inquirer

Tim Tai

Tim Tai is another photojournalist from The Philadelphia Inquirer that has been risking his life for content’s sake.

He previously worked as a photographer for the Columbia Daily Tribune and is a member of the National Press Photographers Association and the Asian American Journalist Association.

The Philly protest photographer snapped a shocking depiction of the unrest. Using colors that allow the viewer to understand the intensity of the matter. Most of his work follows police officers violently attacking protestors.


Tom Gralish

Pulitzer Prize-winner Tom Gralish is the assignment photographer at The Inquirer. He had previously worked at the United Press International and Las Vegas Valley Times before moving to Philly.

Photo by Tom Gralish Via New York Times

Philly protests call for courageous photographers

It is both sad and frightening that only one week before the election these instances of police brutality keep happening.

It is clearly something that has happened for years, only this time there are people aware and conscious about the severity of the matter. Not to mention virtually everyone owns a smartphone to record these harrowing occurrences.

Besides the Philly protests photographers, there are brave creatives that are willing to risk their lives for the sake of bringing these issues to the public to open their eyes, daily.

COVID xenophobia: Bloggers fight back against Asian discrimination

Xenophobia against Asians during the COVID pandemic has increased steadily, and bloggers are standing up to show awareness.

“That was awkward,” read the Instagram post that Bryan Boy wrote, drawing awareness to the racial discrimination currently occurring against Asians.

Racism and xenophobia have been history’s number one approach when it comes to disease or outbreaks. And, Covid, is no exception. As soon as the disease spread outside the borders of China, much of the world opted to do one thing: blame it on the Chinese.

Issues and stories of racial discrimination against the Asian population have been trending on social media, and bloggers are paying attention. Still, no one seems to take a closer look into the different forms of this behavior.

Bloggers from all over the world have shared their experiences in the hopes of raising awareness and motivating change.


Xenophobia is everywhere

Bryan Grey Yambao is a Filipino blogger that resides in Sweden. Just last week he uploaded a picture to his Instagram sharing his experience with racism.

View this post on Instagram

THAT WAS AWKWARD. There’s this restaurant @RestaurantRiche in Stockholm that I’ve been going to for over a decade. I haven’t been there in a while and my friend @DeclanChan, who is visiting me for a few weeks, is craving for Swedish meat balls so we went there this afternoon. It wasn’t until we placed our order that we noticed all the huge posters on the wall — an illustrated portrait of a very yellow Xi Jinping with bat ears and the term “BAT MAN” by Swedish artist @ironartworks. Ever since COVID happened, many Asians around the world have gone through so much racist abuse – for instance, on social platforms, I don’t know of any Asian person who wasn’t called a “bat eater”. Now imagine being the only Asian (I’m Filipino, my friend is HK Chinese) customers inside the restaurant, it was packed and everyone was white (they had 2 Asian staff – but they’re Swedish) and then every single wall in there had posters of “Bat Man”. It was just so awkward and quite frankly, I was so embarrassed and mortified I took my Chinese friend there… we ate in silence and we left as soon as we were done. The racism was so distressing! Am I being a Karen? I hate the idea of being a Karen but it was just absolutely surreal. I was in shock. More pics on my stories.

A post shared by Bryanboy (@bryanboy) on

Yambao explained that while he was at Restaurant Richie, he noticed a poster of Xi Jinping — the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. But the poster not only illustrated the Chinese leader colored in yellow skin, but he also was drawn with bat ears. Bellow the illustration it read “Bat-Man.”

He was with his friend Declan Chan, a globetrotting pro-fashion-al based in Hong Kong. Chan is a fashion stylist and influencer, the mastermind behind numerous well-received campaigns for international luxury houses like Cartier, Estée Lauder, and Calvin Klein’s.

They were craving Swedish meatballs so they went to the “best restaurant in town that had them.” They quickly felt disappointed.


Feelings of exclusivity

The duo felt embarrassed as soon as they sat down, noticing that they were the only Asian-looking people there.

They were met with stares from everyone in the restaurant, but even more, they noticed the poster. Not wanting any drama, they stayed there for a while, but didn’t enjoy their meal at all.

Bryan shared his experience at the restaurant on Tik Tok and Instagram. Restaurant Richie responded to the post apologizing for the inconvenience.

They also said that the posters were taken off and explained that their intentions were intending to “criticize” Xi Jinping and the Chinese culture in general.

The artist “Ironartworks,” however, responded to Bryan and other bloggers, commenting on the same post with “get over with it, everyone is racist.” After realizing the mess they had put themselves into, they deleted the comment. Yet they still defended their work’s intentions on their own Instagram page.

 
 
 
 
 
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Tonight my “BAT MAN” blew up for beeing racist against Asian people. My intention was never for it to be. Thou racism and hate IS a part of our time and that is included in the symbolism. I cant stretch enough how much i apologise for the people who got their feelings hurt by it. I have been working with hardcore satire portraits alot and making a fool of people in power (swipe ex HATE and PUTAN). My intention of the “BAT MAN” was the same, represented by the dictator Xi Jinping and CCP’s handling of the virus outbreak. But i now, thanks to you teatching me, realised that it hit all wrong… So I repeat, my intention was only to make a fool of Xi/CCP, NOT to make a racist comment that hurt a lot of people, but i accedentally did, and I again apologise to you who feel that way. So for that sake i will take down the posts of it, but im keeping this one, to contribute too the open discussion and so you get your voices herd. That was my intention all along.

A post shared by iron (@ironartworks) on


COVID perpetuating people’s xenophobia

This just one of the many examples of racism that Asian people had to go through over the last couple of months. And, just like with the Black Lives Matter movement, Covid-19 has uncovered a system that enforces racism, not an act.

The artwork is clearly problematic, but the restaurant’s obliviousness to it is frightening. In what world is hanging a picture of a Chinese leader with bat ears and yellow-face acceptable and not denigrating an entire culture and population?

Several bloggers have come out after such incidents, and their stories only get worse.

The fact is that using bats to blame an entire nation for a world tragedy is not only uneducated but also ignorant. And it proves something far more concerning: xenophobia is real.

It is almost as if people were looking for excuses to hide their fears, particularly in uncertain times. And those with power have consistently deployed this tactic throughout history. A recent example of course is Nazi Germany, and we all know that no good came out of that.

Why? Because history has taught us that in threatening situations we have to fight. In reality Covid, again, has proven that the only solution is to be together. We are our own enemies. Bloggers know this, and are using their platforms to create awareness on this issue.

Food in the arts? Why we need to consider the trend an artform

When we talk about Art, with capital A, we tend to prioritize senses of sight and sound. Things we can see like paintings or sculptures or hear like orchestra or operas.

Yet, when it comes to including taste or smell under the category of fine arts, western culture (at least) is often hesitant. 

Culinary art has in fact grown in popularity, consideration, and spectrum. Star chefs like Ferran Adria are now invited to art fairs and to host conceptual restaurants that focus more on the experience of food.

Chef’s Table, Master Chef, and other shows now use cooking as a different form of entertainment. Yet, how often do we think of the artistry of the food experience?

Food is perhaps the most intimate form of expression and communication. It is the only art we literally “digest.” So, whether it is used as material for visual art or as performance, there is a surge of people considering food a cultural performance and an artistic experience.


Allie Wist: Forgetting How To Eat

Allie Wist, the visual editor at Conde Nast’s Bon Appetit and Food in the Arts professor at NYU, explains how these mundane performances are, in fact, part of the cultural Arts (yes, with a capital A). 

Like many, Allie didn’t realize that the intersection between art and food until she came to New York. As an artist, she never really saw herself as a painter or sculpturist.

Though she always had a high interest in the different ways to experience and express an idea.

food in the arts
In Photo: Jacob Musselman | Forgetting How to Eat by Allie Wist

While studying Food Studies for her masters at NYU, she realized that there was an aesthetic experience of food that hasn’t been fully uncovered.

“When I got a master’s in food studies, all of the information about culinary logic, Americans feel disoriented in diet culture, food, and genres was fascinating. Yet, it was hard to make it compelling with words alone. It was not activating enough considering we are talking about something we engage in a high sensory way. Words were not as engaging.” 

Allie Wist, 2020

These new ideas of food needed to interact within a physical space or throughout a visual experience. Only this way, the public is able to uniquely “digest” (no pun intended) the diverse intricacies that food provides. 

food in the arts
In Photo: Jacob Musselman | Forgetting How to Eat by Allie Wist

The Food in the Arts professor’s first art project is “Forgetting How to Eat”. A photo essay that explores the role that generational amnesia plays in our knowledge about food.

forgetting how to eat
In Photo: Samantha Widder | Forgetting How to Eat by Allie Wist

She explained that this refers to the fact that what is considered “normal,” has shifted over time. Each generation just accepts the state they are in as “normal,” however disregarding all that is lost in each passing.


How has our food culture evolved?

We went from hunting and gathering to Michelin Star restaurants. Over the last decade, however, people’s relationship with food has grown further apart.

We no longer know the source of our foods mainly because killing a chicken or finding a broccoli plant is no longer our job.

The first American cookbook, American Cookery was published in 1796, by Amelia Simmons. The recipes were originally written without instructions because it was assumed that people knew where to get the ingredients from or the basic steps of preparation.

Now, Hello Fresh and other meal-kit companies, have taken over that responsibility.

It was at the beginning of the 20th century that food companies tried to introduce frozen and package foods. Still, people were resistant to the idea; they feared losing the connection with the meal.

Before the advent of supermarkets, people used to go to the nearest local grocery store. Back then, the local grocer was the mediator between the buyer and its food.

But, the real change happened with the advent of supermarkets in 1930, when food turned into a packaged product on a shelf. And, in the ’50s — the self-service era — turned idea of “convenience” into cultural value.

Our relationship with food has changed gradually over the years. And there has been little to no record as to how different civilizations perceive the significance or cultural value over a meal. And, in that void, is there some intimacy that we are missing?


Food in the arts… What are we missing?

It is hard to know who did what in a hunter-gathering society. We assumed that women did a lot of the gathering, but cooking was probably a collaborative effort.

Yet, for a long period of history, both men and women were farmers. And, it wasn’t until the 17th century, when capitalist ideas emerged, that gender role was significantly assigned.

The problem is that we assumed that cooking was a burden of a patriarchal society. But it was rather a cultural performance that many women embraced.

The information that we once lacked to acknowledge about food now reflects our contemporary views. Thus, for long, we have failed to recognize it as a form of communication and expression in its simplest forms.

Historically, it was a way of performing and preserving identities around different beliefs and sharing cultures. “We’ve heard it from immigrants that food is a very powerful way to share where you come from and reduce that sense of otherness,” explained Allie. 

For a long time, food has been a connection between people and cultures, both on a personal and superficial level.

It is either our way to push ourselves outside our comfort zone, yet also a way we find comfort in the unknown. Food has a direct biological and psychological impact on our interaction with the world, how we feel, and how we act.

If considered, going to a restaurant can be a parallel experience as to going to a museum. Both places not only host art but also hold information about the past, present, and future of different societies.


Have you considered how McDonald’s reflects the capitalist culture of the country it was born in?

Now consider, why did the Romans eat the way they did? Was there a specific order for cooking meat the way they did?

Undeniably, submerging ourselves into their culinary world would provide us a deeper understanding of their culture. And, perhaps, their behavior?

If we pay more attention to what we eat, how we eat, and where we eat, could we have a better understanding of the world in general? After all, art is about provoking emotions and that is something food certainly does.

These Ecuadorian clothing brands remind us to stay sustainably cozy

Sustainable Ecuadorian clothing brands are giving Americans a chance to re-up on some super cozy drip.

The toxic and harmful behavior that human beings have towards the environment is no longer a question, but a fact. Countless mundane activities, like shopping, is slowly destroying our planet.

Yet, we were able to witness how changes in human behavior have a positive impact on the environment. The ozone layer started to recover; levels of harmful pollutants like nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide have plummed, at least during the shutdowns.

Proving that saving the environment is, in fact, in our hands. But, environmental benefits would only be temporary unless there are permanent solutions. 


How are Ecuadorian clothing brands embracing the “new normal” for sustainability?

As the world is slowly heading toward a “new normal,” and we embrace the new reality as re-invented, more conscious human beings it is important to change our toxic behaviors, particularly in the way we consume.  

The textile industry is among the highest pollutants in the world. 20% of the water of all freshwater pollution is made by textile treatment and dyeing, and factory boilers that heat the water release nitrous oxides and sulfur dioxide — all of which harm the ozone layer. 

So, let’s keep this fall cool. 

Learn about how Ecuador, one of the most environmentally diverse, and beautiful places on earth, has incubated top sustainable brands that are setting an example for the entire fashion industry.


Remu Apparel

After learning about the immense amount of waste that the fashion industry generates, and the catastrophic working conditions that garment workers face,

Remu’s founders saw an opportunity to make a change.

Thus, they created an outwear brand that promises to deliver high-quality, non-toxic, products. Using a circular model, the brand is committed to reduce textile waste and minimize resource depletion.

“If we are not able to find quality textiles to refurbish, we use materials made of natural, organic, or recycled fibers.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/CEUy3x_HIsy/

In order to keep their processes as sustainable as possible, Remu’s denim comes from jean donations from customers or fabric scraps.

Then, each of its pieces is handcrafted by seamstresses; using the crafts and skills learned in the rural communities in Ecuador. This is part of Remu’s stand for gender equality; something that is still ingrained in various aspects of Ecuadorian clothing and society.

By providing jobs, economic opportunities, and responsible working conditions for these women, they hope to empower them to take agency of their presents and futures.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1KHH3aA_ZB/

Check out Remu’s apparel here.


Allpamamas

Further in the Andes, skilled and hard-working indigenous women leave their mark in the Ecuadorian clothing brands industry. 

Allpamamas is a brand dedicated to mother nature with the desire to be fair to her in every step of the way. Its name comes from Kitchwa meaning “mother earth.”

Thus, working collaboratively with indigenous women of the region has allowed them to bring a brand that genuinely represents Latin America’s culture through textiles that are made by people who understand not only the land but its nature and spirit.

Their end goal is to elevate consciousness through fashion. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-kqYsGgqe3/

“Learning about the different artisan techniques, I realized that it is possible to be a well rounded, sustainable brand that is beneficial to the community without losing any commercial opportunity,” said Vanessa Alarcon, Allpamamas co-founder.

Thus, they have successfully followed fair sustainable measures for every single one of their processes.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9SB50AAKBp/

From working with natural fibers that are biodegradable and natural dies, striving to be as close to zero waste as possible. To provide fair and responsible job opportunities to underrepresented minorities; bringing indigenous women to the contemporary fashion world. An industry that, for long, has been extremely exploitative of its workers. 

Allpamamas is committed to delivering truly transformative clothing that carries the essence and energy from which its products were made.

“It is not just a fashion brand, its a project that transforms both the people we work with and our clients.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Fhz2gABet/

Their latest collection speaks of spirituality and its individual meaning without categorizing believes in specific religions. Thus, each of their creating begins with storytelling that it later brought to narratives printed on their garments.

Check out Allpamamas’ apparel here.


Hera Studio

And perhaps there is no better way to know the quality of the clothes we wear than through its durability. And that is why Hera Studio, another Ecuadorian clothing brand, commits itself to create atemporal pieces that would last a lifetime.


Hera mainly focuses on the material and silhouettes of their garments. They are experts in the craftmanship of natural fibers such as wool, linen, hemp, organic cotton.

And naturally, dye most of their products with beetroot, cochineal, red cabbage, turmeric, logwood, anatto seeds, and avocado seeds.  However, they mostly source vintage textiles from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s in perfect conditions — using the past to make the present even more relevant. 

“We seek to create garments that tell stories through their materials.  And we are always experimenting and exploring new dyes that are not toxic to the planet, for us the colors of nature are the most beautiful.

View this post on Instagram

🌱

A post shared by HERA (@_hera_studio) on


But, what makes Hera so authentic and unique is the Ecuadorian clothing brand’s designer, Isabel Perez.

After being architecturally trained, she discovered further ways to balance aesthetics with consciousness through fashion. This made way for Hera to take, into consideration, volume, proportions, forms, and colors. She draws inspiration from architects such as Lina Bo Bardi or Ricardo Bofill.

I don’t even draw the garment. I draw textures and write about the person that will wear that piece.”

Her latest collaboration with Ecuadorian designer, Sara Rekalde, combines both natural dyes and vintage textiles. Inspired by a rusty pink, vintage velvet, the collection conveys fresh and romantic styles with classic designs and promotes ethical fashion.

It is comprised of clean, architectural cuts and oversized volumes representing each of the designer’s styles.


Check out Hera Studio’s apparel here.

It’s getting ugly: What is happening between Armenia and Azerbaijan?

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan is boiling and may soon encourage world powers to enter the picture before it turns into another genocide.

For over 32 years, the two countries have struggled to reach in accordance with Nagaon-Karabakh; a mountainous territory of 150,000 people.

The place is internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan, yet claimed and governed by ethnic Armenians.

The latest round of fighting happened just recently, on September 27, when both nations accused each other of unprovoked attacks.

Armenia accused Azerbaijan’s military of bombing civilian settlements in Nagorno-Karabakh and, in response, they downed two Azerbaijani helicopters and three drones.

In turn, Azerbaijan’s defense ministry announced it had launched a “counteroffensive” with tanks, warplanes, artillery missiles, and drones.

The fight has killed over 360 people; 320 military personnel, 28 Azeri civilians, and 19 civilians in Nagorno-Karabakh. Now, anxieties about a second genocide grow in the region.

The conflict has been boiling since the Nagorno-Karabakh war of 1991. Back then, the two countries had entered into an ethnic and territorial conflict that killed more than 30,000 and displaced more than a million people.

A ceasefire was finally signed in 1994, leaving the territory unrecognized and an open door for future conflict.

This current conflict is the deadliest since the 1991-1994 genocide, and it only continues to grow. Both sides are using a wide range of military equipment, including heavy tanks, long-range artillery, and drones.

Since the struggle began, Armenian-Americans such as the Kardashian clan and Cher, along with others, have been using their social media power and reach to raise awareness over the conflict.

Their posts have been using the hashtag #Artsakh in reference to the original name that Armenia gave to the Nagorno-Karabakh territory.

For Armenians everywhere, this has been a recruiting struggle for survival and a constant fight against the media.

For Azerbaijan, on the other hand, this is the perfect opportunity to right the wrongs of 1991-94 and bring the disputed territory hack to their total control.

Is the fast food industry too woke? Mcdonald’s rapper meals we still need

The McDonald’s rapper meals have captured the public’s attention, just as planned for the fast food titan.

It comes to no ones surprise that fast-food giant McDonald’s could go above and beyond to stay culturally relevant. In fact, for years, they have been tackling culturally significant issues just to stay ahead of the curve.

After more than 7 years of decline, it looks like McDonald’s has rejuvenated its brand with collaborations with cultural icons Travis Scott and J Balvin. Ever since its first collaboration with Scott in September, the corporation’s stocks have risen more than 6 percent.

https://youtu.be/8K0lnarZ0oQ

Not only does this prove McDonald’s is willing to make moves to stay relevant. But it hinders the corporation’s savage efforts to cover claims of systematic racism and discrimination.


The cactus jack meal

The cactus jack meal is $6 meal, curated by the one and only Travis Scott. This meal gives consumers a quarter Pounder with cheese, bacon, lettuce, and medium fries with barbecue dipping sauce, along with a Sprite.

If you wonder why none of this sounds especially unique, it’s probably because that’s true. The cactus jack meal looks like it could be a generic order for anyone stepping through Mickey D’s doors at any given time.

But this just garners additional evidence to the fact that this was nothing more than a marketing ploy for McDonald’s and Travis Scott, and we’re not hating on them for it.


J Balvin meal

Shortly after the cactus jack meal was released, J Balvin launched his very own collaboration with McDonald’s. Meaning we got a second McDonald’s rapper meal just shortly after the first.

In addition to the meal, which includes a Big Mac, fries with ketchup, and an Oreo McFlurry, Balvin also released a full range of merchandise.

https://youtu.be/5lA4NKK7MIM

However, fans of the McFlurry were disappointed to see similar McDonald’s malfunctions rearing their ugly heads again, like that “the ice cream machine is broke.”

Balvin was especially proud that his name is mentioned in the same breath as Michael Jordan and Travis Scott, two previous collaborators with the fast food giant.

“And the fact that I’m Latino… I consider myself a global citizen, but I’m from Medellín, Colombia, and this is the first time they’re working with a Latino. It’s a big campaign, so I feel really proud of it. And yeah, I can’t wait to see people who wait in line and buy the J Balvin meal and support the culture. It’s really dope.”

J Balvin

Quavo and other McDonald’s rapper meals

Quavo seems to be picking up on the bags and free press Scott and Balvin are getting from their McDonald’s collabs. Here he is lobbying for Mickey D’s to create a new meal centered around him.

 
 
 
 
 
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Double Cheeseburger Plain New Spicy Nuggets Medium Fries BBQ Sauce (Hot N Fresh) What U Want ???

A post shared by QuavoHuncho (@quavohuncho) on

“Double Cheeseburger Plain New Spicy Nuggets Medium Fries BBQ Sauce (Hot N Fresh) What U want ???” he writes on Instagram.

Audacious Quavo, we’ll give you that, but this got us thinking. What other rappers’ McDonald’s meal would be hot and tasty? 

Trippie Redd? SahBabii? Cardi B? Coi Leray? The options are endless and specifically intriguing with the aforementioned four rappers because of their unique styles. What could they bring to the table, culinary and marketing-wise?

With how funny these meals are and the memes that they create, and how emblematic they are of the zeitgeist of this early millennium, it’s easy to forget more pressing news.

Questions remain about whether these recent collaborations had nefarious intentions, in that McDonald’s wanted to divert attention away from racial discrimination lawsuits.


The lawsuits

The Travis Scott and J Balvin McDonald’s meals were clear attempts at boosting the company’s stock price, sales, and overall public relations. But they also overshadowed two large lawsuits filed in January and September, respectively.

The first suit claimed the company “conducted a ruthless purge” of its Black leaders and fostered a “hostile and abusive work environment.” The second suit was filed by a group of 52 Black franchise owners who claimed McDonald’s subjected them to “systematic and covert racial discrimination” spanning decades.

Even though we are extremely excited about other rappers possibly collaborating with McDonald’s, and deservingly getting a bag for it, it’s important to stay woke and realize the smart yet sinister PR ploys from companies of this stature.

McDonald’s, like most companies, cares about its bottom line above all else. Let’s stay up with the news so that we’re not just buyers in a consumerist world with no justice.


Additional reporting by Conrad Hoyt

Rethinking the ‘new normal’: How the pandemic has forced us to open our eyes

Last week New York City restaurants opened indoor dining at 25% capacity.

New Yorkers can finally now eat out without the stress of being hit by the rear-view mirror of a car while dining in what used to be the parking spaces in Manhattan.

Seven months into this pandemic and people are itching for things to go back to how they were. But while everyone wants things to “back to normal,” many are still procrastinating with their compliance to adapt to the “new normal.” 

The truth is, however, that things where never “normal” in the first place. In fact, it was never supposed to be that way. 

BC (Before COVID) 

The devastating effects of the pandemic made us acknowledge the little things that we had taken for granted.

For the first few months, we were forced into isolation; we missed important celebrations or even simple gatherings with family and friends. Most stayed home and saw the same people every single day, while others saw no one. 

The simple act of waking up and having a place to go was gone; even the anxiety of being late did contribute to some morning adrenaline that I am personally missing.

Going grocery shopping and being able to touch every single fruit to know which one is best without risking my life or the life of anyone around me was also nice. And let’s not start talking about going to the movies. 

Parties. Concerts. Travel. They are all well missed. 

But the pandemic also opened our eyes to the harsh realities. Global warming, racial discrimination, lack of health care, and bad human habits.

It was never okay for people to die because of water contamination, yet 40% of the deaths were attributed to that. Nor is it okay for cops to kill Black people for no reason at all. 

The simple fact that the United States’ president had kids lock down in cages and is not willing to condemn white supremacists is not okay. 

And, as soon as human beings were forced to confinement air pollution substantially decreased, water became cleaner and the ozone layer began to heal.

The lack of social distraction helped people open their eyes to the real problems happening out there. It helped raise awareness as people took the time to learn and unlearn about toxic behaviors we have adopted. And we finally took action. 

COVID-19 only proved that our definition of normal was only treacherous to all living rights.

The new normal

So when are things going back to “normal?” Hopefully, never again.

We have been forced to look at our lives in retrospect and really consider what’s working and what’s not.

The pandemic taught us several things, starting with health care. People have never been more conscious of their mental and physical well being.

Not only has there been a huge increase in hospital equipment investment, but also in mental health. Governments are finally forced to improve health care systems because there’s now proof of how poorly it was being handled.

There are no more excuses about exercising either. Being in our houses all day has allowed us to find creative ways to stay active. Workout classes have never been more accessible and working out in small spaces has been proven not only possible but effective.

And the internet, after all, is not that bad. It has eliminated the need for unnecessary travel, especially when it comes to working. The meeting that “could have been an email” is now a phone call or a Slack message, making companies just as productive.

Many have even realized the benefits of working from home so much that they may never go back to the office again.

And yes, social disturbances have not ceased while social injustices and oppressive systems still exist. But that is because people have learned about the real problems.

The world was literally built on change. And now, changing what was normal is exactly what we need. We literally have a ticking clock reminding us that our relation to the environment, and that includes the people surrounding us, needs to change.

We can’t go back to where we were.

Apple’s ad on over-sharing proves that there is a privacy problem

We have a privacy problem.

Just a few weeks ago, Apple released its new iPhone ad titled “Over Sharing.” 

It starts off with a man shouting to a bus full of people that he “browsed eight sites for divorce attorneys today,” and later escalates to a woman giving her login information to strangers at a movie theater. Then we see a man yelling out his heart rate while jogging and a woman shouting out her credit card details. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l61NE0eqkw

Finally, the ad ends with the reassurance that Apple is committed to protecting its user’s privacy. With an ending quote that reads: “Some things shouldn’t be shared. iPhone helps keep it that way.”

After publicly apologizing for allowing contractors to listen to the user’s commands to Siri without informing them, the company has hammered its dedication to protecting the privacy of its users. Tim Cook, the company’s CEO, repetitively called privacy a fundamental human right. 


A clear privacy problem

Ever since Edward Snowden came out and exposed the truth about privacy, it’s safe to say nobody feels comfortable with their laptop cameras. And countless times have we been told that the government is monitoring every single of our moves. 

But, why?

Not gonna lie, sometimes it’s hard to imagine any CIA agent just sitting there judging my cooking skills while also solving international conflicts. “Don’t they have bigger issues to worry about? Isn’t the world on the verge of another world war?”

It seems irrational for anyone to be watching our mundane activities all day long while there are bigger life-threatening events yet to solve.

However, our willingness to share our information has given companies like Facebook and Google an open book to different human weaknesses. They have figured out the mind control game that we used to only see in movies. And now, the single biggest threat to humanity is the lack of privacy.


The lack of privacy issue

“If you are not paying for the product, then you are the product”.

– The Social Dilema, Netflix

Tech companies today are now some of the most profitable companies of all time. And while many of these “users” pay don’t even pay for their services, they make money from selling space for ads. The “users” are just a by-product for their real clients: big corporations.

Their main goal is to guarantee spaces where these ads would be successful. The better they know the user, the better their predictions become, thus the more certainty they have over their service. The Social Dilemma documentary on Netflix puts it simply: “great predictions begin with one imperative: you need a lot of data.”

Data begins and ends with engagement and growth. The more users scroll, like, and interact with each other, the better the algorithm gets to understand their behavior.

They can predict what kind of videos would keep us watching, where we are going to go, and what actions are we taking. Ultimately, they can predict what kind of emotions are more likely to trigger our behavior. We clearly have a privacy problem. And it is scary.

Companies like Facebook, Google, and Amazon are essentially building business models that predict our actions. This is something that Shoshana Zuboff calls “surveillance capitalism,” where tech companies compete for the user’s attention.


The true Truman Show

“It is the gradual, slight, imperceptible change in your own behavior and perception that is the product.”

– Jaron Lanier, The Social Dilemma

What this does is far more concerning than a computer understanding you better than you understand yourself. The job of the algorithm is to figure what to show you next to keep you on screen. To handle and control, in a skillful manner, the content users are exposed to in their everyday life.

In other words: manipulation.

In fact, manipulation is something that is very explicitly taught at many of the great technology schools. The Standform persuasive lab, for that matter, teaches how to build technology based on the psychology of what persuades people — persuasive technology.

They use what psychologists recognize as “positive intermediate reinforcement.” This means implanting unconscious habits on its users. Every time your finger scrolls down, you expect the page to refresh. This technology is intentionally designed to modify user behavior and to incentivize some action.

Over the years, Facebook, Google, Twitter, and more have mastered the art of manipulation, to the degree we are not even conscious about. There is more information recorded about human behavior than can possibly be imagined. Houston, we have a privacy problem.


Now what?

Now, the question is why have these “tools” created for positive, become so negative?

When Facebook published their results on their famous Massive-Scale Contagion Experiment in scholarly journals, they emphasize two key findings. “One is that they know they can successfully manipulate subliminal cues in the online content to change real-world behavior or real-world emotion. Two, we can exercise this power or these methods while bypassing user awareness.”

Particularly during these times, the digital world has become our primary source of communication, community and belonging. It has proved its efficiency to keep things going, even while people are forced to stay at home.

Still, the polarizing realities of the world have never been more evident. Anti-maskers claim that COVID-19 is a hoax, all while at the same time the overwhelming numbers of infections and death keeps rising.

One thinks “don’t these people read the news?”

Cathy O’Neil, the author of Weapons of Math Destruction, said it better than anyone else: “Algorithms are opinions embedded in code.”

They are. That’s the problem. The human mind is vulnerable to persuasion. It was vulnerable in 1942 and it still is. Only this time it’s an algorithm with little to no human supervision that keeps feeding on our behavior. And we keep unconsciously complying with it.

In August, Apple announced that it created a privacy-focused software that curtailed Facebook’s ads for iPhone users. The company is elevating its efforts to address this concerning issue.

Now that the presidential elections are right around the corner, the urge to improve communication pathways and deliver legitimate news is critical. “The life of Americans depends on it,” as Michelle Obama said.

So, perhaps there could not be a better time for Apple to remind us all that “some things should not be shared.”

Splashlight exec Lida Moore talks diversity and creativity in the workplace

Especially during the digital era, the creative DNA of a brand is not just important but essential. That includes the creative process, diversity within the company, and adapting to the current marketplace. Lida Moore, diversity advocate and Splashlight executive, knows this all too well.

Even before COVID, 91% of Americans were expected to become online shoppers by 2023 and the pandemic only accelerated the shift to online retail at an unprecedented pace. Just in the second quarter of 2020, online sales amounted to more than 200 billion dollars.

The pandemic has only proven what we already knew: e-commerce is THE thing. And companies would simply not survive this digital era without it.


How to thrive? Workplace diversity

It might seem like an old, repetitive, statement, but facts would render it true: diversity is the key to creative success.

This is something that Lida Moore, executive director of photography and head of the creative department at Splashlight, explained during our interview. 

Splashlight & visual content creation 

Started in the 2002s, as was only a small studio for editorials and advertisements in New York City. But quickly, the owners saw fashion and retailed business evolving and changed their focus toward e-commerce. Even before social media was a thing, Splashlight was ready for the change. 

Now, they are the leaders on visual content creation for photography and videography in the space. Their clients include Target, Bloomingdales, David Yurman, and Victoria’s Secret to name a few. For years, they have built a reputation for bringing their high-quality standards of high-fashion photography and video into the world of e-commerce. 

In other words, Splashlight has turned online shopping into a visual experience. 

Behind the creative power is Lida Moore. Lida started working at Splashlight seven years ago. After having worked for Conde Nast for some time, she noticed that the magazine world was struggling to keep up with the creativity being innovated during the digital times.

Knowing it was time for a change, she moved to Splashlight and began working in e-commerce. One of the first things she did there was expanded Splashlights casting; this way, making sure that there was more representation of different ethnicities, body types, and abilities. Workplace diversity was essential.

“Creative people are particularly sensitive and when you are dealing with visuals. It’s important to create a space where there is a comfort level that everyone can feel they can make their voice heard or they know their creative case is relevant.” 

– Lida Moore

Now, she oversees the entire creative department at Splashlight, making sure that communication and execution is fluid and effective between the production and the operations team.

Making real content means learning from one another 

Compared to editorial, where there are only 6 shots a day, Splashlight produces 50 or more. How to elevate each shot to make the e-commerce content just as good? That’s the challenge and Lida’s favorite part of her work. 

She has her team treat each e-com shot just like they would for an editorial. Each of the 50+ shots a day gets the same consideration, attention, and effort. Thus, it is fundamental to have every single individual on the team, interested, engaged, and highly productive.

Keep the creative leaders coming.

Lida Moore

She explained the importance of collaboration and putting people who’ve never worked together before on the same project. This way she can take advantage of their strengths in different areas while constantly improving and expanding their communication skills. 

Lida Moore, diversity enthusiast, explained that by having diverse backgrounds, creatives can display solid, yet unique, interpretations for the projects. It is important to create a space for them to feel heard, understood, and valued. And for them to listen and learn from one another. 

“People get excited when they get to talk about their ideas and that is exactly what gets creative content created: learning from each other. That is why listening is part of our core values”

– Lida Moore

Many Hats 

For that reason, Many Hats, is the perfect place for creative collaborations. Black creative collaborations, to be specific. 

Another lesson that Lida learned during her experience in editorial as well as at her time at Splashlight, is that more often than not she found herself working with the same people.

As good as their ideas and visions were, it became difficult to continue to challenge them. To push their creative boundaries, ideas, and perspectives was something she had to learn how to do. 

“I worked with Joy Fennel (makeup artist) for many years. She is heading the All Black Everything Summit. For as long as I can remember, we have talked about getting more artists of color on set. We both come from the editorial world and realized that it was something that didn’t exist at all.”

– Lida Moore

Thus, Joy introduced Lida and Kat Simonova, founder of Many Hats.  She immediately sent Lida a roster of photographers and creatives she would have not come across using the standard agencies that she knew.

More importantly, the platform created a space for creative people to meet directly, taking away the middle man.

It provides opportunities for direct conversations between talent and creatives; opening the possibilities to learn about certain abilities or experiences that agents might not be aware of. Once again, Lida Moore’s diversity understanding allowed her vision to prosper.

All of the sudden the range of diversity is unlimited and creativity is elevated daily. And within only one month, Splashlight has already hired three creatives they would’ve never been introduced to otherwise. It was apparent that in order to optimize the brand’s capabilities, workplace diversity needed to be a central focus.

When it comes to creativity and creatives, there are no bounds.