#Martinez Street Women's Center

[coochiequeens]

Dozens of women are dead and the President of Honduras is not accepting any responsibility.

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras — A grisly riot at a women's prison in Honduras Tuesday left at least 41 women dead, most burned to death, in violence the country's president blamed on "mara" street gangs that often wield broad power inside penitentiaries.

Twenty-six of the victims were burned to death and the remainder shot or stabbed at the prison in Tamara, about 30 miles (50 kilometers) northwest of the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa, said Yuri Mora, the spokesman for Honduras' national police investigation agency. At least seven inmates were being treated at a Tegucigalpa hospital.

"The forensic teams that are removing bodies confirm they have counted 41," said Mora.

Video clips shown by the government from inside the prison showed several pistols and a heap of machetes and other bladed weapons that were found after the riot. Honduran President Xiomara Castro said the riot was "planned by maras with the knowledge and acquiescence of security authorities." "I am going to take drastic measures!" Castro wrote in her social media accounts.

Prisoners belonging to the feared Barrio 18 gang reportedly burst into a cell block and shot other inmates or set them afire. Relatives awaiting news about inmates gathered outside the morgue in Tegucigalpa. They confirmed that inmates in the prison had told them they lived in fear of the Barrio 18 gang.

Johanna Paola Soriano Euceda was waiting for news about her mother Maribel Euceda, and sister, Karla Soriano. Both were on trial for drug trafficking, but were held in the same area as convicted prisoners. Soriano Euceda said they had told her on Sunday that "they (Barrio 18 members) were out of control, they were fighting with them all the time. That was the last time we talked."

Another group of dozens of anxious, angry relatives gathered outside the prison, located in a rural area about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the capital. "We are here dying of anguish, of pain ... we don't have any information," said Salomón García, whose daughter is an inmate at the facility. Azucena Martinez, whose daughter was also being held at the prison, said "there are a lot of dead, 41 already. We don't know if our relatives are also in there, dead."

Julissa Villanueva, head of the country's prison system, suggested the riot started because of recent attempts by authorities to crack down on illicit activity inside prisons and called Tuesday's violence a reaction to moves "we are taking against organized crime." "We will not back down," Villanueva said in a televised address after the riot.

Gangs wield broad control inside the country's prisons, where inmates often set their own rules and sell prohibited goods. They were also apparently able to smuggle in guns and other weapons, a recurring problem in Honduran prisons."The issue is to prevent people from smuggling in drugs, grenades and firearms," said Honduran human rights expert Joaquin Mejia. "Today's events show that they have not been able to do that."

The riot appears to be the worst tragedy at a female detention center in Central America since 2017, when girls at a shelter for troubled youths in Guatemala set fire to mattresses to protest rapes and other mistreatment at the badly overcrowded institution. The ensuing smoke and fire killed 41 girls.The worst prison disaster in a century also occurred in Honduras, in 2012 at the Comayagua penitentiary, where 361 inmates died in a fire possibly caused by a match, cigarette or some other open flame. Tuesday's riot may increase the pressure on Honduras to emulate the drastic zero-tolerance, no-privileges prisons set in up in neighboring El Salvador by President Nayib Bukele. While El Salvador's crackdown on gangs has given rise to rights violations, it has also proved immensely popular in a country long terrorized by street gangs

[emerald-studies]

How to be an ally

(I fixed ALL the links so fucking reblog)

1.  Check In On Your Black Friends/Acquaintances

In my opinion, I believe the best way to be an ally is to reach out to your Black friends and check in on them, consistently. If you can recognize the times we are living in are absolute hell, you should be checking in on the most effected. None of my friends have checked up on me to see how I was doing or just to talk. They didn’t even bring up the protests until I did. It feels very very lonely and scary to not be checked up on by the people who say they support and love you. So, I’m making this the first point because I don’t want anyone else to feel this way, not trying to complain.

2.  Learn More About Black History

It’s important to learn about the Black activists that our history books left out. Yes, Martin Luther King Jr. was, and is, important but we need to reflect on why he was pushed on us so much in our history classes, compared to other Black leaders. Is it because our government would rather us walk down the street holding signs than actually defending ourselves against the cop who’s beating us?

Here’s a master list of activists to start you off.

3.  Go to Rallies and Protests (If you can)

Find protests and rallies in your area by looking on Twitter and search #yourcityprotest. Or watch your local news channel to see where they are (if they’re being covered on the news). Also search on Facebook. Wear a mask.

4. Donate and Sign Petitions

If you don’t have extra money to donate, that’s fine. If you still want to be an ally then sign all the petitions you can. Take a day to research all the ones you can sign/haven’t signed and sign them!

(Also you don’t need to donate to change.org! Directly donate to non-profit organizations and victims’ families!)

George Floyd - change.org

George Floyd - amnesty.org

George Floyd - colorofchange.org

Get The Officers Charged

Charge All Four Officers

Breonna Taylor - moveon.org

Breonna Taylor - colorofchange.org

Breonna Taylor - justiceforbreonna.org

Breonna Taylor - change.org

Breonna Taylor - thepetitionsite.com

Ahmaud Arbery - change.org

Ahmaud Arbery - change.org 2

Ahmaud Arbery - change.org 3

Justice for Oluwatoyin Salau

Pass The Georgia Hate Crime Bill

Defund MPD

Life Sentence For Police Brutality

Regis Korchinski - change.org

Tete Gulley - change.org

Tony McDade - change.org

Tony McDade - actionnetwork.org

Tony McDade - thepetitionsite.com

Joao Pedro - change.org

Julius Jones - change.org

Belly Mujinga - change.org

Willie Simmons - change.org

Hands Up Act - change.org

National Action Against Police Brutality

Kyjuanzi Harris - change.org

Alejandro Vargas Martinez - change.org

Censorship Of Police Brutality In France

Sean Reed - change.org

Sean Reed - change.org 2

Kendrick Johnson - change.org

Tamir Rice - change.org

Tamir Rice - change.org 2

Fire Racist Criminal From The NYPD

Jamee Johnson - organizefor.org

Darius Stewart - change.org

Darius Stewart - moveon.org

Abolish Prison Labor

Free Siyanda - change.org

Chrystul Kizer - change.org

Chrystul Kizer - change.org 2

Andile Mchunu (Bobo) - change.org

Eric Riddick - change.org

Amiya Braxton - change.org

Emerald Black - change.org

Elijah Nichols - change.org

Zinedine Karabo Gioia - change.org

Angel Bumpass - change.org

Sheku Bayoh - change.org

Visit these sites for more info:

http://www.pb-resources.com/

https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/

5. Educate yourself and others.

Articles:

- “America’s Racial Contract Is Killing Us” by Adam Serwer | Atlantic (May 8, 2020)

- Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement (Mentoring a New Generation of Activists

- ”My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” by Jose Antonio Vargas | NYT Mag (June 22, 2011)

- The 1619 Project (all the articles) | The New York Times Magazine

- The Combahee River Collective Statement

- “The Intersectionality Wars” by Jane Coaston | Vox (May 28, 2019)

- Tips for Creating Effective White Caucus Groups developed by Craig Elliott PhD

- “Where do I donate? Why is the uprising violent? Should I go protest?” by Courtney Martin (June 1, 2020)

- ”White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Knapsack Peggy McIntosh

- “Who Gets to Be Afraid in America?” by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi | Atlantic (May 12, 2020)

Movies/TV Shows:

When They See Us

American Son

Hello Privilege, It’s Me, Chelsea

The 13th

Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story

What Happened Miss Simone?

The Two Killings of Sam Cooke

Who Killed Malcolm X?

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

Homecoming: A Film by Beyonce (Lighter in tone)

LA 92

Dear White People

Videos:

- Black Feminism & the Movement for Black Lives: Barbara Smith, Reina Gossett, Charlene Carruthers (50:48)

- “How Studying Privilege Systems Can Strengthen Compassion” | Peggy McIntosh at TEDxTimberlaneSchools (18:26)

- American Oxygen - Rihanna

- Formation - Beyonce

Podcasts:

- Malcolm X Speeches

- 1619 (New York Times)

- About Race

- Code Switch (NPR)

- Intersectionality Matters! hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw

- Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast

Books:

- The Autobiography of Malcolm X

- Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About RaceBook by Reni Eddo-Lodge

- Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins

- Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Dr. Brittney Cooper

- Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon

- How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi

- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

- Redefining Realness by Janet Mock

- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

- The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century by Grace Lee Boggs

- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

- This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color by Cherríe Moraga

- When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century America by Ira Katznelson

- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, PhD

Follow:

- Shaun King: Instagram | Website

- Antiracism Center: Twitter

- Black Women’s Blueprint: Website

- Color Of Change: Website

- The Conscious Kid: Website | Instagram

- Equal Justice Initiative (EJI): Website | Twitter | Instagram

- NAACP: Twitter | Instagram |

- Ziwe | Instagram | (She has discussions about race with White people, kinda grilling them, every Thursday at 8 p.m. EST. Super thrilling to watch.)

Here’s Some Music Too:

Change Gonna Come - Sam Cooke

Chain Gang - Nina Simone

Missisippi Goddamn - Nina Simone

Fuck Da’ Police - N.W.A.

This is America - Childish Gambino

I’m Not Racist - Joyner Lucas

Fight the Power - Public Enemy

Freedom (Live) - Beyonce

I Can’t Breathe - H.E.R.

American Oxygen - Rihanna

Brown Skin Girl - Beyonce

+

My Playlist With A Few More

Black Artists Matter Playlist

What a large list! It looks so overwhelming! Don’t worry, you don’t have to read/watch/listen to everything. It takes a lot of effort!

Jk.

[chasmnyc]

ART BASEL MIAMI 2021 - Tickets available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/chasm-elevation-tickets-204765016677

CHASM: Elevation In Partnership with Center for The Higher Self

10+ Artist list to be posted Nov. 12th, 2021~

Uplifting energies will be conjured by a diverse group of artists in Wynwood during Art Basel Miami this year. CHASM.nyc partners with the all new Center for The Higher Self, a community healing playground built to expand consciousness through self exploration and sound. CHASM: Elevation features a weeklong, immersive visual art installation inside of the new space, and a day-to-night music and art event on Saturday, December 4th. Faeries, sound healers, performance artists, and VJs converge for a femme-centric mini fest focused on grounding, healing and playful exploration. A garden of pleasures and delights, CHASM: Elevation serves as the alternative to Basel week madness, presenting an alcohol-free elixir bar.

Center for The Higher Self is a space that promotes physical, mental and celestial healing. A space to connect a community of people who are also working towards growth and expansion. A space to hea and vibrate together. Launched in 2021 by Miami native Lauren Martinez, the Center represents the cumulation of a deep inner holistic journey, which the internationally recognized dj and producer began on early in life. From an event space to classes in yoga, reiki, meditation, sound healing, and breathwork, Center for The Higher Self is excited to debut its offerings to the Wynwood community. 

CHASM.nyc is the curatorial project of sculptor, performer and musician Julia Sinelnikova aka The Oracle. CHASM audiovisual exhibitions and performance curations have been profiled in the New York Times, Paper Magazine, and Time Out NY. The project is focused on bringing experimental light art, music, performance and more by lgbtqpoc artists and women to the forefront. 

Julia Sinelnikova is an interdisciplinary artist who works with holograms, performance, and digital culture. Their light installations have been exhibited internationally, and they have performed widely as The Oracle of Vector Gallery. They have received commissions from NYC Parks Department, NYC Department of Transportation, Pace University, Contemporary Art Museum of Houston, Michael Madden (Maroon 5), Barry L. Skolnick (Gilbertsville Expressive Movement), Refinery29, GIPHY, Webster Hall, and Norte Maar. Heavily inspired by electronic music, Sinelnikova has designed sculptural sets for performers including Lee Burridge, Machinedrum, The GZA (Wu Tang Clan), Peaches, Juliana Huxtable, and Aurora Halal. Selected profiles of their work have appeared in The New York Times, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, VICE, Artnet, Huffington Post, The Creators Project, PAPER Mag, and The Miami New Times. Their work has been presented at the Contemporary Art Museum of Houston, The Tides Institute & Museum of Art, The Oulu Museum of Art, and Williamsburg Art & Historical Center. Sinelnikova has also exhibited site-specific installations for Miami Art Week / Art Basel annually since 2011. In 2019 The Contemporary Art Museum of Houston (CAMH) commissioned the artist to create a body of sculptures and video artworks for their forthcoming gala, and the artist presented a full-floor immersive installation as part of their residency there in September 2021 due to covid-19. They are also a singer-songwriter and DJ, and in 2021 opened for Charli XCX at Wynwood Pride and released their debut EP under the pseudonym ORACLE666. In 2021 their four music videos were featured in numerous publications. They have directed four music videos for other artists in the industry. They hold an MFA in Sculpture from Queens College (CUNY) and a BFA in Sculpture, minor in Art History from The Fashion Institute of Technology (SUNY). They live and work in Brooklyn.

Center for the Higher Self - Founder’s Journey

Spirituality has been a continuous part of Lauren Martinez’s life since she was a young girl. Navigating other realms of consciousness has always been a constant for her. But it wasn’t until 2017 that her true calling began to take form. Prior to that, Lauren was an internationally traveling dj & producer based in New York for over a decade. Being recognized by MixMag as a force to look out for, she built momentum for herself in the industry, releasing acclaimed music and simultaneously launching her own record label. It was at this time, at the height of her career, that the universe had other plans.

Lauren’s health took a dark turn, living with chronic pain and depression, she knew things couldn’t continue this way. After vowing to become sober, she began to dive headfirst in every healing modality she found. From acupuncture, to reiki, yoga, plant medicine and shadow work, she pulled back each layer that was holding her down and her vision become more clear. Her calling was to create an all encompassing healing community, where people could come learn about and receive some of the services that helped her. The Center For The Higher Self was born: A place to receive services and also surround yourself with a supportive community of seekers and healers.

[doubleattitude]

NUVO Dance Convention, Dallas, TX: RESULTS

High Scores by Age:

NUbie Solo

1st: Ariella Scott-’My Boyfriend’s Back’

1st: Sylvie Win Szyndlar-’Rainbow Connection’

2nd: Sebastian Mancini-’Guerriero

3rd: Avery Olson-’Monster’

4th: Reis Terhune-’Saxx’

5th: Arianna Claxton-’Ride’

6th: Mackenzie Glover-’Suddenly’

7th: Avery Redus-’Lost Boy’

8th: Ella Benjamin-’In Love With A Monster’

Mini Solo

1st: Ellary Day Szyndlar-’Snow’

2nd: Naiya Abalos-’Forces’

2nd: Tiara Sherman-’The Things That Remain’

3rd: Roxie Onellion-’Mellow Yellow’

3rd: Alexis Alvarez-’Wide Eyes’

4th: Camilla Sonnier-’Ave Maria’

4th: Ainsley Epton-’Dangerous’

5th: Anna Holley-’Reminisce’

5th: Addison Price-’We Will Not Give In’

6th: Braylynn Grizzaffi-’Path5′

6th: Kazuma Brailsford-’Mugen’

7th: Esprit Frank-’Grains’

8th: Winter Eberts-’Dreamlike’

8th: Karyna Majeroni-’Pistolette’

9th: Maddie Pedder-’Vibrations’

10th: Delila Hewitt-’Shop Around’

Junior Solo

1st: Kennedy Kahler-’Inanna’

1st: Laci Stoico-’Mibiso’

2nd: Kayla Jinks-’First Ember’

2nd: Lucy Cavender-’Formed From Static’

2nd: Graham Johnson-’New Shoes’

3rd: Lilly Allen-’Femme Fatale’

3rd: Campbell Castner-’Hallelujah’

3rd: Jade Bontron-’Harlequinade’

3rd: Amaya Llewellyn-’Must’

4th: Kylie Kaminsky-’Beneath the Surface’

4th: Ava Mogote-’Somewhere Over the Rainbow’

4th: Sydney Kelly-’You Are the Reason’

5th: Julia Chavez-’Going Under’

5th: Ryleigh Jane Touchstone-’This Is Real’

6th: Anya Inger-’Quiet Thoughts’

7th: Adelyn Kolanz-’Transform’

7th: Alita Kneeland-’Transparent’

8th: Anabel Alexander-’It’s Okay ‘Till It’s Not’

8th: Colby Rich-’The Letting Go’

8th: Campbell Clark-’The Scarlett Effect’

9th: Nily Samara-’Dot 2 Dot’

9th: Brielle Ring-’I Remember Her’

9th: Finley Aldridge-’Jealous’

9th: Nyah Jackson-’Slow Meadows’

10th: Kylenn Pallohusky-’Get There’

10th: Kenlie Winsett-’Patterns of the Tides’

10th: Clare Loftus-’Restless Night’

10th: Makaia Roux-’Runaway’

Teen Solo

1st: Isabella Jarvis-’Allow The Light’

1st: Sarah Kate Kurzius-’Charmed’

1st: Avery Hall-’Lie To My Heart’

2nd: Hudson Pletcher-’Ascension’

2nd: Addison Middleton-’Dark Dissonance’

2nd: Savanna Kristich-’I Copy’

2nd: Avery Watson-’Locked’

3rd: Gianna Mojonnier-’One Note Samba’

3rd: Sabine Nehls-’Shout’

4th: Mini Preston-’Granular Breath’

4th: Macy Orvis-’Look At Me’

4th: Trinity Kelly-’Sorrow’

5th: Sydney Orr-’So Far’

5th: Ella Williams-’The Garden’

5th: Sydney Ishaug-’Unseen’

6th: Lydia Werschay-’A Deal With Chaos’

6th: Dru Neal-’Bring Back The Path’

6th: Drew Rosen-’Deconstruct Composition’

6th: Isabel Reese-’Inside’

6th: Kali Knewitz-’My Accomplice’

6th: Dasha Vishnyakova-’Partita’

6th: Lauren Rahimizadeh-’Settle For More’

7th: Ava Lynn-’Catch 22′

7th: Ava Miller-’Tarnished’

7th: Cambry Bethke-’Winging It’

8th: Kathryn Martinez-’Another Brick In The Wall’

8th: Natalie Bowen-’Distance Between’

8th: Beth Anne McGowans-’The Water Rises’

8th: Sophia Bishop-’Unravelings’

8th: Isaiah Bowens-’You Know What’

9th: Mikaella Lopez-’Mind In Flight’

9th: Brielle McCoy-’My Brightest Diamond’

9th: Gianna Garwacki-’Penance’

9th: Braylon Browner-’Run From Me’

10th: Aiden Skelte-’Baiao Destemperado’

10th: Katelyn Neasham-’How They Run’

10th: Kalen Latin-’Made of Silk’

Senior Solo

1st: Christian Burse-’Atlas’

2nd: Kamryn Funk-’5,6,7,8′

2nd: Charlotte Foldes-’Shock To Us All’

3rd: Raegan Davidson-’After That’

3rd: Peyton Winsett-’Distortion’

3rd: Lainey Myers-’You Are the Reason’

4th: Sophia Seymour-’Broken’

4th: Makenna Wallace-’Hope Is A Dangerous Thing’

4th: Taelynn Ritchie-’If You Could Do It Again’

5th: Raegan Stafford-’Beneath the Light’

5th: Gracie Lee-’Love of My Life’

5th: Emma Sucato-’Memories’

6th: Kylie Sicillan-’Time & I’

6th: Haley Beck-’Upside’

7th: Chloe Lopina-’In Love In Vain’

7th: Kennedy Barry-’The Distance Between’

8th: Makaila Teagle-’He Needs Me’

8th: Brooke Jensen-’Sunder’

9th: Riley Canterbury-’Figures’

9th: Haley Bogdon-’Giuseppe’

10th: Emmalynn Mackaron-’Georgia On My Mind’

10th: Gracie Zytysnki-’Letters of a Traveler’

10th: Emma Johnson-’To Be’

10th: Caroline Pierce-’What Remains’

Open Solo

1st: Summer Martin-’Insomnia’

NUbie Duo/Trio

1st: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Tomorrow’

2nd: Beyond Belief Dance Company-’Insomnia’

Mini Duo/Trio

1st: The Pointe Performing Arts Center-’Angel by the Wings’

2nd: Stars Dance Studio-’Stronger’

3rd: The Dance Movement-’Pour the Milk’

Junior Duo/Trio

1st: Beyond Belief Dance Company-’Painted Black’

2nd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’Inception’

3rd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’This Is Me, Sincerely’

Teen Duo/Trio

1st: Next Step Dance-’Georgia’

2nd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’After The Fall’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Kitri’s Friends’

2nd: Bobbie’s School of Performing Arts-’What Goes Around’

3rd: Next Step Dance-’Daina & Acteon’

Senior Duo/Trio

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Tea for Two’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’As The Petals Fell’

NUbie Group

1st: Next Step Dance-’Milly Rock’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’

3rd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Gypsy’

Mini Group

1st: Next Step Dance-’Knock On Wood’

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Strings’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Ain’t Your Mama’

3rd: Next Step Dance-’Charlie’s Angels’

Junior Group

1st: Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Dance With You’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Threads That Blind’

3rd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Marquises’

Teen Group

1st: Next Step Dance-’A Women Left Lonely’

2nd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’

3rd: Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Put A Spell On You’

Senior Group

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’A Human, A Light’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Manic’

3rd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Completely Gone’

NUbie Line

1st: Next Step Dance-’Boy From New York City’

Mini Line

1st: Next Step Dance-’Sweet Dreams’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Spring’

3rd: Next Step Dance-’The Chain’

Junior Line

1st: Next Step Dance-’Vogue’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’On Your Radio’

2nd:Next Step Dance-’Opening’

3rd: Next Step Dance-’I’ll Be There’

3rd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Salute’

Teen Line

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Where Is My Body’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Tarentella’

3rd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Invocation of Lust’

Senior Line

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Devour’

Mini Extended Line

1st: Next Step Dance-’Runaway Baby’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Footloose’

Junior Extended Line

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Don’t Stop Me’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Respect’

Teen Extended Line

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’American Pie’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Distortion’

3rd: Next Step Dance-’#FreeBritney’

3rd: Next Step Dance-’It’s All So Incredibly Loud’

Senior Extended Line

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Hotel California’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Sexy Crazy’

Mini Production

1st: Dance Industry Performing Arts Center-’Cool Rider’

Junior Production

1st: Next Step Dance-’Let It Cook’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Flatline’

3rd: Next Step Dance-’Everlasting Love’

Teen Production

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Goodnight’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Overture in A’

Senior Production

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Crunk’

High Score by Performance Division:

NUbie Tap

Next Step Dance-’Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’

NUbie Hip-Hop

Next Step Dance-’Milly Rock’

NUbie Jazz

Next Step Dance-’Boy From New York City’

NUbie Lyrical

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Gypsy’

Mini Lyrical

1st: Next Step Dance-’Sweet Dreams’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’We’ve Got Aways To Go’

3rd: The Dance Movement-’Wings’

Mini Ballroom

1st: Next Step Dance-’Runaway Baby’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Ain’t Your Mama’

Mini Tap

1st: Next Step Dance-’Charlie’s Angels’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Weird Science’

Mini Jazz

1st: Next Step Dance-’Knock On Wood’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Boy Meets Girl’

3rd: The Dance Movement-’#Hashtag’

Mini Contemporary

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Strings’

1st: Next Step Dance-’The Chain’

Mini Ballet

1st: Next Step Dance-’Spring’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’The Ladies of the Wild West’

Mini Specialty

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’The Stepford Wives’

Mini Musical Theatre

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Footloose’

Junior Musical Theatre

Paragon Dance-’The Internet Is Down, A Musical’

Junior Jazz

1st: Next Step Dance-’Vogue’

2nd: Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Dance With You’

3rd:  Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’On Your Radio’

Junior Contemporary

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Threads That Blind’

2nd: Paragon Dance-’My Life Is A Song’

3rd: The Dance Movement-’Don’t Give Up On Me’

Junior Tap

1st: Next Step Dance-’I’ll Be There’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Sunny Side of the Street’

3rd: The Dance Movement-’Shine’

Junior Ballet

1st: Next Step Dance-’Opening’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Salute’

3rd: The Dance Movement-’In Time’

Junior Specialty

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Marquises’

Junior Lyrical

Next Step Dance-’Free As A Bird’

Junior Ballroom

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Don’t Stop Me’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Respect’

Junior Hip-Hop

1st: Next Step Dance-’Let It Cook’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Flatline’

Teen Contemporary

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Goodnight’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’A Women Left Lonely’

3rd: The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’

Teen Jazz

1st: Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Put A Spell On You’

1st: Next Step Dance-’Technologic’

2nd: The Dance Movement-’Cola’

3rd: The Dance Movement-’Thule’

Teen Ballet

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Overture in A’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Tarentella’

3rd: Downtown Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’An American In Paris’

Teen Hip-Hop

1st: Next Step Dance-’#FreeBritney’

2nd: The Dance Movement-’Wow’

3rd: Contemporary Ballet Dallas-’Speed It Up: The Beginning’

Teen Tap

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’American Pie’

2nd: The Dance Movement-’I Feel Good’

Teen Ballroom

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Distortion’

Teen Musical Theatre

Next Step Dance-’All That Jazz’

Senior Ballet

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Completely Gone’

2nd: Next Step Dances-’Fratres’

Senior Contemporary

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’A Human, A Light’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Hotel California’

3rd:  Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Devour’

Senior Tap

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Manic’

Senior Lyrical

Dance Industry Performing Arts Center-’Yesterday’

Senior Ballroom

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Sexy Crazy’

Senior Jazz

Dance Industry Performing Arts Center-’Like A Boy’

Senior Hip-Hop

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Crunk’

Best NU Groups:

NUbie

Next Step Dance-’Milly Rock’

Mini

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Strings’

Next Step Dance-’Sweet Dreams’

Junior

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Flatline’

Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Dance With You’

Next Step Dance-’Vogue’

Teen

The Rock Center for Dance-’Hey!’

Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Put A Spell On You’

Next Step Dance-’A Women Left Lonely’

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’American Pie’

Senior

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’A Human, A Light’

Next Step Dances-’Fratres’

Studio Pick:

The Dance Movement-’Gemini’

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’A Human, A Light’

Next Step Dance-’A Women Left Lonely’

[someguyscaliforniavoterguide]

Select L.A. County/California Races, March 3, 2020

Hi friends, it’s me again. I am here to offer my opinions on how you should vote. As before I am up front about my biases: I am a Warren supporter, I live in L.A. and I am actively pro-density (Yay SB50, you deserved better) and pro-transit. I live in the east Valley, so I tend to focus more closely on the issues that directly impact my side of town, though I try to keep an ear out on things countywide. 

Last time I did this a couple of folks reached out to give me gifts to say thanks for doing this guide. This year, I would encourage anybody who wants to say thanks to donate $5 to Fair Fight,  a group founded by Stacey Abrams to fight voter suppression in the 2020 election. We’re gonna need all the help we can get in November to defeat the GOP, and Abrams is doing it in a smart way. 

Other voting guides

This is my voting guide and reflects my general opinion on things. However, I am indebeted to many other guides, including the Knock L.A. Voter Guide and the L.A. Podcast Voter Guide for their takes. I don’t always agree with them, but both of these are invaluable resources for the progressive voter in Los Angeles. 

L.A. City Council 

This year the even numbered seats are up for re-election. Half of them are effectively uncontested, a couple are very much contested, and two are free for all because of term limits. 

CD2: Ayinde Jones

Look none of these candidates set my heart afire. I work with Councilmember Krekorian’s office a lot (remember, I live in the east Valley) and he’s a competent politician with a ton of endorsements and community ties, I have no illusion he’s going to win his full term comfortably on March 3. However, I believe it’s good to encourage competition, and Ayinde Jones did a good (not great) job at the candidate forum I attended hitting on themes of how the parts of CD2 north of Victory are being left behind as the area evolves. I wish he were better on S50, but then again all three candidates were opposed, so that’s kind of a wash. I look forward to hearing more from Jones in the future. 

CD4: Sarah Kate Levy

From a paucity of options to a surplus of options next door. CD4 is currently represented by David Ryu, a politician who came out of the Neighborhood Council system and went on to become...a city hall politician. Both his opponents are great. Nithya Raman is the founder of SELAH, a group that does amazing work helping the unhoused in Los Angeles, and recently led Times Up! Hollywood for a year. I’d vote for her in a heartbeat, but I am encouraging people to vote for Sarah Kate Levy for two reasons: first, Levy is unabashedly supportive of SB50 and we need this kind of leadership, and second I am hoping these two excellent women will get so many votes that they overwhelm Ryu and leave him in third place. Fingers crossed. 

CD6: Bill Haller 

This is another shoo-in. Nury Martinez is the City Council president and has the backing of the County party and all the local clubs. I am endorsing Bill Haller because he supports an agenda that includes more public funding for affordable housing, more and better transit, and climate justice.  

CD8: Marqueece Harris-Dawson 

There are no other candidates in this race, so congratulations on your re-election Councilmember Harris-Dawson. 

CD10: Aura Vasquez 

This is an open seat, and the smart money has Mark Ridley-Thomas as the frontrunner. Ridley-Thomas is a current member of the L.A. County Board of Supervisors (more on them later) who is termed out of that position. I’m endorsing Aura Vasquez, a progressive activist with ties to Mid-City who has served as a commissioner for LADWP and led fights for renewable energy, banning single use plastics, and housing affordability in her community. 

CD12: Loraine Lundquist 

Dr. Lundquist rules. She takes public transit to debates, she is an honest to goodness scientist, and she nearly beat a Republican in what is the most conservative district in L.A. during a special election. I have donated money to this lady because we need to win this one. Her opponent, John Lee, wasted no time in trying to block housing for the homeless in his district and in attacking a successful safer streets project on Reseda Blvd. The city has a chance - a really great chance thanks to the realigned municipal elections - to toss out the worst possible councilmember in favor of the most progressive voice, don’t mess it up. 

CD14: Cyndi Otteson

This race is Kevin de Léon’s to lose, but he won’t commit to serving a full term since he really wants to be mayor. I say let him have his spare time to run for mayor and select Ms. Otteson, a grassroots activist who has the support of the UTLA and who is the only voice in favor of the Colorado Blvd alignment of the NoHo to Pasadena BRT project. Transit equity matters, and Ms. Otteson deserves your vote this March. 

LAUSD School Board 

Deferring to the teachers’ endorsements on this one. 

Board Seat 1: George McKenna

Board Seat 3: Scott Schmerlson

Board Seat 5: Jackie Goldberg

Board Seat 7: Patricia Castellanos

Glendale City Council: Dan Brotman 

An environmental activist with progresive views, Brotman will be a useful voice in Glendale’s city hall. 

District Attorney: Rachel Rossi 

George Gascón and Rachel Rossi will both be light years better than the current county D.A., Jackie Lacey. Both have promised to make substantial reforms in the office. I am really torn on this one, since I think Gascón’s experience as a Deputy DA in San Francisco is a big deal, and since he has the backing of the County Party. I am endorsing Rossi in a tilt-at-windmills hope that somehow she and Gascón make it to the final ballot in November and give us a thoughtful debate between a career prosecutor bent on reform and a public defender whose goal is reform about methods and ideas. Anyway, don’t vote for Jackie Lacey is all I am saying here. 

Superior Court

Voting for judges is stupid. We shouldn’t be doing this, but since we have to, I’ll make some suggestions. My math is based on other progressive endorsements, Party endorsements, and reverse-engineering some well known conservative voting guides to, if nothing else, make sure I am not voting for their endorsement. 

Office 17: Shannon Kathleen Cooley (the race is uncontested) 

Office 42: Linda Sun

Office 72: Myanna Dellinger

Office 76: Emily Cole (Cole is a prosecutor, but her opponent is a man who literally changed his name to “Judge” after serving as a judge in Stanislaus County) 

Office 80: Klint James McKay

Currently an administrative law judge, he impressed Public Defender Union representatives with his thoughtful and articulate answers to their questioning.

Office 97: Sherry L. Powell (Powell’s opponent ran as a conservative Republican for state assembly in 2018, this is a defensive vote)

Office 129: Kenneth Fuller

Office 131: Michelle Kelley (the race is uncontested)

Office 141: Lana Kim (the race is uncontested)

Office 145: Troy Slaten (Slaten’s opponent has a troubling history of misconduct and should not be elected to a judgeship) 

Office 150: Tom Parsekian

Office 162: David D. Diamond

L.A. County Board of Supervisors

The Supervisors oversee policy for the County, including all unincorporated areas, the LASD, County Health services, etc. For a county of TEN MILLION PEOPLE, there are only five supervisors, so they have a hugely outsized influence. 

Seat 2: Jorge Nuno 

A lot of progressives are endorsing Holly Mitchell in this seat. Me, I just can’t go there when she’s speaking at events for Livable California and when she gave a floor speech opposing SB50. Though he’s the front runner, Herb Wesson doesn’t deserve your vote - he was City Council president when the homelessness crisis exploded and he’s done little to address it. Nuno is a progressive and has an ambitious platform. 

Seat 4: Janice Hahn 

She’s solid, and nobody’s pushing her from the left. 

Seat 5: John Harabedian 

Kathryn Barger, the incumbent, is a Republican who supports Trump’s immigration policies. John Harabedian is a solidly Center Left Democrat who has the backing of the county party and who could, in this presidential election year, win an upset in what is traditionally a Republican stronghold of L.A. County. Vote for him. 

County Ballot Measures

Measure R: YES YES YES 

This will provide crucial tools to the already existing civilian oversight committee for the LASD, including subpoena powers. It also requires the commission to study ways to divert offenders from jail. You need to vote yes on this. 

State Ballot Measures 

Prop 13: Yes

$15B in bonds to invest in public schools and “local control” to allow local school districts to issue larger bonds. The only real opposition is from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association, a revanchist organization that is singlehandedly responsible for much of our state and local problems in the past few decades. Don’t listen to them. 

Congressional Elections 

Despite some misgivings, I am generally supporting the progressive challengers here to hopefully lead to a Progressive/Center Left election in the fall. 

CD 25: Christy Smith 

She has a good track record in the state assembly and a strong local support network. She’s not a carpetbagger with a YouTube show, and she’s not a Republican. 

CD 28: Adam Schiff 

He’s not the most progressive guy in Congress but he’s been critical to holding Trump accountable. He’s earned this vote. 

CD 29: Angelica Duenas 

Tony Cardenas is a bit of a non-entity on the national stage but he does good local work and he was an early vote in favor of impeachment. The rape allegations against him which troubled me last time were dismissed with prejudice in 2019. Cardenas has a progressive challenger, Angelica Marie Duenas, who has run in the past as a Green Party candidate. I don’t trust her decision to abandon that label and come into the Democrats after getting drubbed in 2018, but overall I like her ideas and I’d be happy to see her and Cardenas in a runoff this year. 

CD 30: CJ Berina 

Brad Sherman is an okay Congressmember. CJ Berina is a young, progressive challenger who’s attracted the attention of the Sunrise Movement. I’d vote for him to try to push the GOP out of the runoff and make this a race between the Center Left and the Progressive Left. 

CD 34: Frances Yasmeen Motiwalla

Jimmy Gomez is solid; let’s push the GOP out of the runoff though by supporting this progressive. 

State House 

District 39: Luz Rivas

District 41: Chris Holden 

District 43: Laura Friedman 

District 44: Jacqui Irwin

District 45: Jesse Gabriel 

District 46: Adrin Nazarian

District 48: Blanca Rubio 

District 49: Edwin Chau 

District 50: Richard Bloom

District 51: Wendy Carillo

District 53: Godfrey Plata

District 54: Tracey Jones

District 55: Andrew Rodriguez

District 58: Margaret Villa

District 59: Reggie Jones-Sawyer

District 62: Autumn Burke

District 63: Anthony Rendon

District 64: Fatima Iqbal-Zubair

District 66: Al Muratsuchi

District 70: Patrick O’Donnell

State Senate

SD 21: Kipp Mueller

SD 23: Abigail Medina

SD 25: No Endorsement - I rarely do this but honestly Anthony Portantino does not deserve your vote. Write in Mickey Mouse. 

SD 27: Henry Stern

SD 29: Josh Newman

SD 31: Richard Roth

SD 33: Lena Gonzalez

SD 35: Steven Bradford

County Committees 

Look this is getting waaaaaaaaaaaaaay into the weeds. What I am going to say is this: I know that a lot of “progressive” slates are out there and I encourage you to try your best to vet them. In my district, one of the candidates is somebody I know personally - she actively campaigned for Jill Stein, she circulated the decades-old “Clinton Death List” to voters, and she pushed Pizzagate theories. I am not voting for this person, but she is endorsed by “Progressive California” so...just be careful. 

[libertasrpg]

We welcome Toby Jones to the city. He’s 28 years old and is a waiter. Toby is often mistaken for Tommy Martinez. He’s open.

→ Background Information

For as long as he could remember, Toby has been alone. Abandoned as a young boy, he bounced around in the foster system all of his childhood. Moving from centers to families, his charm kept him in homes until the same thing happened time and time again. The family had their own baby and then they’d return him right back to where he came from. Always let down and left to fend for himself, he quickly learned the philosophy that home and family was only temporary and not meant for the likes of people like him. At the first chance he took, he ran away. Not being able to face the possibility of another heart break, he left in the middle of the night and took to the streets. Learning to make his way by stealing food from restaurant ‘tony’s’ until the owner started to take pity on him. In the end giving him a job, so he could earn a bit of cash and get a warm meal. 

→ Living Situation

Known for bouncing from girl to girl and being one of Liberta’s heart breakers, Toby typically ends up staying with the various women he spends his nights with. After so many years of living out of a backpack, finding somewhere permanent isn’t in his vocabulary. He doesn’t have a place he necessarily calls home, rather a small room above Tony’s where he keeps the few things he has and showers. It’s not alot sure, but it’s better than the park. After so many years of not having anything, he tries not to get too attached or worried, knowing that it could easily still be taken away from him. 

→ Relocation Explanation

After getting in trouble with the law soon after he ran away, he skipped town and car hitched down to Liberta’s to escape getting dragged back into the system. He was living on the streets for a short while, but because of the kindness of Tony - something he still doubts from time to time -, he was able to find a way and even dare say gather a more permanent spot of resistance. 

→ His Personality

A sweet talker, Toby has a way with the ladies that always has them falling at his feet. Known for being a heart breaker, he loves them and dumps them because the reality being he is too afraid to commit. Commitment and actually accepting that love, is something that he finds to be extremely difficult. Family and friends were always temporary and he is so used to being the lone wolf so letting anyone in permanently isn’t in the playing cards. Though that doesn’t make him any less charming, he’s adventurous company to keep. 

→ Her Qualities

Charming, Witty, Daring

Cavalier, Loner, Realist

→ Her Relationships

Lacy Dear (Friend & potential love interest): Toby butted his head into the conversation as he always did, catching sight of the pretty petite woman how could he not? Nicknaming her ‘Pidge’, he can’t help but be captivated by the little lady. She is the complete opposite to him, elegant, graceful and a woman of class. Him on the other hand, he was a scoundrel and taking it upon himself to broaden Lacy’s horizons.

Peggy (Ex-girlfriend & close friend): Toby and Peggy have always had an on and off ‘fling’. Once upon a time they briefly dated when he roled into town, but both of them decided it was best if they keep things casual as Toby isn’t one for commitment. Though that doesn’t make Peggy any less swayed by the males charms, she can’t help but adore him. Toby has helped Peggy out of trouble more than once and he can’t help but have a soft spot for the woman.

Tony Alfonsi (Boss & friend) : Having met when Toby was digging through the male’s restaurant bins for scraps, Tony felt sorry for the boy and took him under his wing. After roughly ten years now in Libertas, Toby won’t admit it but Tony has come some what of a father figure for him. Helping him without question when everyone else viewed him as a tramp, Tony has given him food, a job and a roof over his head, a debt he will never be able to pay back. 

→ Possible Connections

Jack Dawson (Acquaintance & street rival): The pair are in many ways, more similar than they know. Meeting on the streets, there was a small rivalry for territory. Though Toby admires the family they seemed to have created, he sticks to himself and is skeptical about trusting anyone.

James Hook (Tattooist): Having met on occasion in passing, the other male managed to convince Toby to get a tattoo on one late night. From there they’ve had a mutual acceptance of one another. 

Toby Jones is based on Tramp from Lady and The Tramp.

[chicana]

Yoooo my students are so creative! Check out the beautiful alebrijes they made today after a conversation about assets and issues in our community. These spirit animals might be imaginary but their dreams of having a safe neighborhood to grow up in are real. Today we celebrate all of our ancestors that have paved the way for us to be here, and it is our responsibility to love, guide and affirm those generations that come after us. #InLakEch #DiaDeLosMuertos #Alebrije #GirlZone #YouthEmpowerment (at Martinez Street Women's Center) https://www.instagram.com/p/BptONBchkRE/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=136wrso91srmg

[empoweringlatinawomen]

Elizabeth Martinez

"Revolutionary Chicanas want the   liberation for our people  and all oppressed peoples."  -Elizabeth Martinez 

A writer, activist, feminist, she was one of the women who helped organized the Chicana movement. She used her literary skills as an editor and writer to inspire, provoke, educate, strategize organize, and build cross ethnic and cross racial alliances, to pursue social justice. Her main mission, written in her manifesto, was to destroy hatred and prejudice. Like many Chicanas, growing up she struggled with her identity.  

She:

-confounded El Grito del Norte  

- authored the book “De Colores Means All of Us” which presented a radical Latina perspective on race, liberation, and identity issues 

-helped create the Chicano communication center, which used political street theater, comic books, and other forms of grass roots media to convey the struggles of tradition New Mexico communities  

-edited 500 years of Chicano history in pictures that showed the history of resistance, economic exploitation, and labor struggles 

- wrote a volume “500 years of Chicana women's history”  

-helped found the institute for multiracial justice, with goals to build cross racial alliances like police brutality, immigration, and incarceration 

-confounded El Grito del Norte  

- authored the book “De Colores means all of us” which presented a radical Latina perspective on race, liberation, and identity issues 

-helped create the Chicano communication center, which used political street theater, comic books, and other forms of grass roots media to convey the struggles of tradition New Mexico communities  

-edited 500 years of Chicano history in pictures that showed the history of resistance, economic exploitation, and labor struggles 

- wrote a volume “500 years of Chicana women's history”  

-helped found the institute for multiracial justice, that sought to build cross racial alliances like police brutality, immigration, and incarceration 

[lamarbuyshouses]

Beto Bets on the Border

Miguel Roberts/The Brownsville Herald via AP

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Beto Bets on the Border

Will showing up with a high-minded call for border solidarity translate to the historic levels of Latino turnout that O'Rourke needs?

–

by Justin Miller August 24, 2018

After winning the Democratic primary for Beto O'Rourke's congressional seat, his friend and political ally Veronica Escobar, an exuberant former El Paso County judge, began planning a four-day “Border Surge” bus tour to spread the gospel of Beto in the Texas borderlands, where he struggled in the primary.

The goal of the tour, which wrapped up this week, was to knock on thousands of doors and kick off a fevered get-out-the-vote push that will increase Democratic voter turnout in the 32 border counties by 15 percent. That lofty feat would bring in 170,000 new votes and, Escobar hopes, help put O'Rourke over the top in November.

In order to come even close to winning, O'Rourke needs to do a hundred different things that Democrats have failed to do in the past. That includes achieving record levels of turnout in the Rio Grande Valley, one of the largest- and fastest-growing pockets of Latino voters in the nation - and an area notorious for low voter participation.

After years of Republicans (and some Democrats) using the U.S.-Mexico border as a punching bag for their war on immigration, O'Rourke and his allies are hoping that a high-minded call for border community solidarity from El Paso to Brownsville - 825 miles to the southeast - will resonate with voters.

Veronica Escobar, who will likely become the first Latina elected to Congress from Texas, has made increasing turnout for O'Rourke along the border her personal mission.  Justin Miller

With less than two months until early voting begins, O'Rourke's most recent campaign swing came with a sense of urgency.

The Observer tagged along with Escobar's “Border Surge” bus tour, which included rallies and blockwalking in Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville, to see what O'Rourke and his allies are doing to reach out to Latino voters and jumpstart turnout in one of the most crucial regions for statewide campaigns.

'He's the male Ann Richards'

Just weeks after launching his presidential bid by calling Mexicans “rapists,” Donald Trump flew to Laredo to preach about the dangers of illegal immigration and promote his border wall plan. Surrounded by a security detail, Trump claimed that he came to the Texas border city at great risk to his personal safety.

Three years later, Escobar and a busful of about 30 volunteers - mostly older women, all without a single bodyguard  - survived the harrowing 10-hour journey from El Paso to Laredo for the first stop in her “Border Surge” tour.

With the 100-degree heat lingering into the evening, hundreds of Laredoans flock into the Casablanca Ballroom to hear from O'Rourke as he makes his eighth trip through the city. “He's the male Ann Richards as far as charisma goes. And the South Texans loved Ann Richards,” former Webb County Judge Mercurio Martinez tells me. “He wins over every person he talks to.”

The statewide Democratic ticket has tagged along for O'Rourke's swing through Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville. They deliver a series of long-winded stump speeches like an amateur warm-up act killing time before the headliner, who's speeding down I-35 from an afternoon event in San Antonio.

You can feel the crowd turn electric when O'Rourke and his entourage enter the hall. He hangs off to the side, greeting supporters and taking photos as Cristela Alonzo, a comedian and TV star from Hidalgo County and Beto's travel companion through the Valley, warms up the crowd.

Then he jumps on stage and delivers a speech in his hallmark style - stream-of-consciousness, but remarkably coherent. He touches on everything from family separations, Dreamers and health care to veterans and ending ongoing wars to Trump's “collusion in action in Helsinki with Vladimir Putin.” He's often at his most candid when talking about growing up in El Paso and about the tragedy of family separations.

As a native El Pasoan and close friend of O'Rourke's for about 20 years, this campaign is personal for Escobar. “I feel that we are giving [the state] our best. He is a son of the border,” she says. But she worries about the prospect of O'Rourke losing because of dismal border turnout. Political analysts point to early indications that, even in the Trump era, Latino turnout is likely to dramatically fall off like it has in previous midterm cycles. And in a cycle that's focused on flipping suburbs, many Democratic groups have, once again, failed to prioritize Latino outreach. “Shame on us if that were to happen,” she says. “That would send a really terrible message to the White House, to state leaders, to Republicans, to all those who demonize us that we're OK with it and that it doesn't bother us.”

'This election could be decided by the person whose door you knock on'

On a steamy Saturday morning, O'Rourke climbs onto a stone ledge at a park in north Laredo to present to a crowd of about 60 volunteers his romantic belief in the power of blockwalking. “They may not see the TV ads that we've got running now, they may not hear the radio spot that might play on their way home from work. They will remember that you took the time this morning … to listen to them.”

Even as his campaign starts to ramp up more traditional modes of outreach, he has no intention of de-emphasizing this cornerstone of his DIY campaign. “In the closest Texas Senate election in decades … this election could be decided by the person whose door you knock on.”

O'Rourke's crowd sizes keep getting bigger with each pass through a town.  Justin Miller

Using Polis, the campaign's voter database app, which provides a real-time map of low-frequency Democratic voters, Escobar goes from house to house in Laredo's middle-class Hillside neighborhood. It takes a minute to get her bearings, briefly walking the wrong way as she tried to find a street. “This is the problem with door-knocking in a city you don't know,” she says. Another problem: It's hard to convince unlikely voters to vote when they don't answer the door. For the 45 minutes I tagged along, she knocked on about a dozen doors and got answers at only one or two. She'd leave a handwritten note, hoping that might help.

Tagging along with Escobar is Sergio Mora, a former Webb County Democratic Party chair. The enthusiastic crowd at last night's event makes him think change just might be afoot in Laredo. But is there any other evidence that voters are unusually fired up. He shrugs. “That's the big experiment this cycle.”

One El Paso volunteer tells me that most people who answered their doors in Laredo had never heard of O'Rourke and many had no intention of voting.  

'This is a powerfully sacred place to me'

The 150-mile stretch of remote highway between Laredo and McAllen has lots of big ranches, wind turbines and Border Patrol agents, but not much in the way of voters. The “Border Surge” bus skips past Zapata, Jim Hogg and Starr Counties, roaring on to Brownsville. Meanwhile, O'Rourke stops off for his sixth visit to McAllen, the seat of Hidalgo County. It's the epicenter of the Valley, where the number of registered voters has more than doubled since 2000 to about 330,000.

Several hundred supporters packed Cine El Rey, a downtown theater, to capacity with even more folks filing into the restaurant next door to watch him via livestream. O'Rourke tells reporters before his speech that the Valley often feels like the center of the universe to him. “This is a powerfully sacred place to me.”

While he's cast himself as an unsullied ally of the border, O'Rourke's voting record includes a wrinkle or two. Pressed by a local reporter on whether his controversial vote for an appropriations bill that put at risk the future of the local Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, he performed an uncharacteristic punt. He says he's “working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle. We're doing everything we can to stop that [from being constructed].”

With that, O'Rourke was whisked away by his aides.

'People always call Brownsville and the Valley 'the sleeping giant”

The hour-long drive through the suburban sprawl of chain restaurants and shopping centers between McAllen and Brownsville is a reminder of the Valley's rapid growth - even as climate change and urbanization put the Rio Grande at risk.

On the border by the Gulf, Brownsville is the heart of Cameron County. O'Rourke very nearly lost here to Sema Hernandez, an unknown Houston activist, and now needs the area to turn out for him in huge numbers. This is his sixth visit to Brownsville.

At his third and final event during his Valley swing, hundreds pile into the sweaty Tex-Mex Nightclub on a frontage road off Interstate 69 to hear O'Rourke deliver another barn-burner. Afterwards, as he wends his way through the crowd to get outside, greeting well-wishers and selfie-seekers, he emphasizes the importance of the RGV to his statewide strategy. “It's everything. It's everything,” ticking off how many times he's been to Laredo, McAllen, Brownsville and other Valley towns.

O'Rourke's rallies often feel like an alternate universe. People are filled with hope, their Texas cynicism washed away. It's a place where anything - a post-partisan reckoning, a surge in Valley turnout and yes, even a Democrat winning statewide - seems possible. Life is sweet at a Beto rally. But outside that bubble, the feeling can get quickly wiped away.

The Valley's elections are driven by an internecine political machine with a long history of corruption. Candidates lean heavily on politiqueras, who charge campaigns to turn out voters. His campaign has prided itself on doing things differently, and in the primary O'Rourke apparently declined to use them.

I asked whether he has any plans to use politiqueras for the general election. “We're getting behind those who are volunteering their time to knock on doors. There are some neighborhoods where the residents there don't have the luxury to knock on doors on a Saturday. They're working their second job or their third job,” he says. “If we can find paid staff in those neighborhoods who are gonna be able to knock on doors, who know their neighbors, we'll do that as well.”

O'Rourke hangs off to the side with volunteers from El Paso before his speech in Laredo.  Justin Miller

Vicente Martinez, a local activist and recent graduate of the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley, is skeptical of a voting surge around here. “People always call Brownsville and the Valley 'the sleeping giant'” and wonder if now is when it will wake up, he says. “I heard that in elementary school and I heard that after Trump was elected.”

Is Beto doing enough to reach young people? Martinez smiles and points to the venue where the band is still playing. “Tex-Mex conjunto. That's not a millennial thing. … It's a little stereotypical.”

'The greatest candidate of our generation'

A powerful Gulf breeze sweeps through Tony Gonzalez Park, cutting the early morning's humid heat and rustling the palm trees that dot the park. Volunteers sip on coffee and munch on pan dulce as they get ready to hit the streets of Brownsville. Escobar grabs a bullhorn and introduces O'Rourke as “the greatest candidate of our generation.”

This is Day 22 of his relentless 34-day sprint around the state. Dressed in his black skinny jeans and white dress shirt, which he'll wash during a live-streamed laundromat trip a few hours later, O'Rourke delivers an energetic call to action. But the fatigue is evident in the bags forming under his eyes.

After his speech, he heads out to block walk in the surrounding Southmost neighborhood with State Representative Eddie Lucio III, a 39-year-old attorney whose father, Eddie Lucio Jr., serves in the Texas Senate. From there, he stops for a roundtable in Harlingen, eats a Tex-Mex lunch, does his laundry and drives the two hours north to Alice for a town hall.

O'Rourke hopes that an army of volunteers knocking doors will lead him to victory.  Justin Miller

Tony Martinez, the Brownsville mayor, says O'Rourke just might have the winning political formula, but admitted that “he's probably not as known [in Brownsville] as I'd like him to be.” To increase turnout by 15 percent in this county, O'Rourke needs to drive out 25,000 more voters than Democrats did in 2014.

Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. is one of the few not wearing a Beto T-shirt - he's facing an election fight in November and sports his own black-and-orange campaign shirt. He says that O'Rourke has injected a sense of urgency into the local politics and is doing the work that Democrats in the area have long neglected to do.

O'Rourke's multiple trips through the Valley seem to be moving the needle, Treviño says, at least a little bit. “I think we're going to surprise a lot of people. I like that we're just creeping up now and not gonna peak too early,” Treviño says.

Blockwalking as a duo in Los Fresnos, a small exurban town 30 minutes north of Brownsville, Treviño and Cameron County Clerk Sylvia Garza-Perez emphasize to residents that Beto is a Democrat and a fronteriza who is against family separations.

Luis Gonzalez, who voted for O'Rourke in the primary, was one of the few people who had heard of the El Paso congressman.  Justin Miller

Of those who answer their door, almost no one knows who O'Rourke is, but they politely listen, nod along and promise to vote.

Hanging out in his yard with his boxer, Luis Gonzalez was the only person who knew of O'Rourke, having voted for him in the primary. He's not so sure about any sort of surge and lamented the fact that O'Rourke seemed to focus on the bigger Valley hubs like Brownsville and McAllen. “What about the farm towns? Why isn't Beto coming here?” he asks.

'I don't believe it will happen organically'

At their last blockwalking event on a Monday morning, Escobar and her El Paso volunteers gathered at a park in a nice suburban neighborhood on the northside of McAllen, waiting for local volunteers to show up. Luciano Chano Garza, a local party activist, begins calling up more people to see if they could come out. Celia Hilber, an older woman who recently moved back to the Rio Grande Valley from Alabama, was one of the only other local volunteers there. “I may not be able to give much money, but I can give my time and effort,” she says after taking a team of El Pasoans to blockwalk.

With the help of people like Garza-Perez and Treviño, O'Rourke needs record levels of turnout in Cameron County.  Justin Miller

Danny Diaz started Cambio Texas with the sole purpose of increasing turnout in the lower Valley. The group hopes to target about 25 precincts in Hidalgo County -  where about a third of the population lives in unincorporated colonias - with especially bad turnout in 2014. But the group is still fledgling and doesn't have much in the way of money to fund a large-scale operation. He's talked to the state Democratic Party, but says they haven't committed any sort of funding.

That leaves O'Rourke's campaign trying to fill in the gaps. He's been running radio ads in the area for a while, opened up two campaign headquarters in the Valley and hired a cadre of local field organizers. But the campaign is still largely relying on volunteers to help with phone-banking and door-knocking.

“I don't believe it's a guarantee that [a border turnout surge] will happen. I don't believe it will happen organically. I don't believe that anger alone will fuel it. But we have one of the two components: an inspiring candidate,” Escobar says. “We need an army of field volunteers knocking on doors and spending the time with those voters who [would otherwise] stay home.”

Infographic sources: 2014 figures from the Texas Secretary of State, 2018 figures courtesy the Texas Tribune.

The post Beto Bets on the Border appeared first on The Texas Observer.

[talklokitome]

Chapter 4: Introductions

A little later then I wanted, but I was traveling! Here is the 4th installment of my LokixOFC fic. You can read the whole thing on AO3: Playing with Fire.

Please let me know what you think so far!

---

The whole team was gathered and Loki was back in his seat by the window watching as the young woman, led by Natasha, entered the conference room. Her dark black hair was pulled into a single long braid down her back. She hadn’t dressed up for the occasion, which Loki liked for some reason, imagining it might offend Stark’s ego on some level, and she wore simple Midgardian clothes: flat black boots, jeans, and a dark sweater with a leather jacket. She glanced around the room only once before sitting, her face expressionless, something Loki noted as odd, considering that the other two candidates had been nauseatingly eager to be in such company.

Stark wasted no time getting started. “Seraphina, it’s great to meet you. Thanks for coming--”

“It’s Sera.”

“I’m sorry, Sarah?”

“No. Sera. Like error, but with an S and an A.”

“Uh, right, okay then. SEH-RA, thanks for coming in. As you probably know, I’m Tony Stark, and these are--”

“I know who you are,” she said, cutting him off for a second time. “I see the news like everyone else.”

Loki smirked. This was going to be good.

“Right,” Tony said, giving her an overly friendly and not at all convincing smile. “Then you also know our job is to protect the world from major threats. We called you in because we think maybe you can help us.”

Sera didn’t respond but continued to stare politely at Tony, waiting for him to continue.

“You know, because of your abilities,” he added.

Her eyebrows raised only slightly at this. “My abilities?”

Loki looked at Sera more closely. Something odd was going on. She was clearly trying to play it cool, and doing pretty well...from the shoulders up. Underneath the table, however, was a different story. While her face remained impassive, her feet tapped incessantly, her hands fidgeting and twisting the end of her sweater.

“Okay, let’s just dive right in shall we?” said Stark with a sigh, opening a folder in front of him. “Seraphina Martinez, nurse at Hudson City Hospital. Graduate of Fordham University, daughter of George and Melody Martinez, sister of Mary and Gabriel, the latter recently deceased. Volunteer at the Women’s Center. Suspected inhuman with the nickname, “El.”

Loki noticed that Sera had stopped moving completely, the only tell she gave that any of this pronouncement had affected her.

After a pause in which Stark looked unreservedly smug, she said, “I see you did your research.”

“Always do. How long have you had your Inhuman powers?”

“About 5 years.”

“And how did you get them?”

She gave a small sideways smile at this. “Terragenesis,” she said as though to a child.

“Well, obviously. But how?”

“That’s a story for another time.”

Surprisingly, Tony didn’t push this point. “So why don’t you tell us more about your abilities?”

“Why don’t you tell me, since you probably already know?”

Steve chuckled, giving Tony a “she’s-got-you-pegged” look.

“Nature or organic matter manipulation? We’ve heard some rumors and seen some footage of you manipulating water and trees.”

“That’s one way of putting it.”

“Do you do any training or practice? I understand it can be a challenge for Inhumans to stabilize and gain control of their powers at first.”

“I do...work on it,” she said with some hesitation.

“Is that where you disappeared to last night?”

For the first time, Loki saw some emotion flicker across her face. She didn’t respond.

Steve was frowning at this and looking at Banner, some wordless communication happening between them.

Tony continued, “because you know, we’re professionals. We can offer you training and resources that would totally blow any back-alley street fighting out of the water.”

“Back-alley street fighting?”

“Or whatever it is--whatever you want to call it. It doesn’t matter. What I’m trying to say is...we are looking to add talented, enhanced individuals to the roster here. We want to make sure we are prepared next time.”

“Next time?”

“Sera,” Steve said before Tony could continue. “I’m sorry this is all very abrupt. We have reason to believe that what happened in NY might not be the last situation like that. When we see someone with potential to help save more lives, to protect more people, we have to at least explore that option.”

He had said the right thing. Sera’s shoulders relaxed slightly at these words and she nodded. “I understand. I’m sure I would do the same thing. So what are you asking me, exactly?”

Natasha stepped in now, once again speaking before Tony had the chance. Loki grinned. “Just a trial period. Train with us. Let us learn from each other. Show us what you can do.”

“I could...consider that,” she said.

“Okay great,” Tony said, unable to contain himself. “What about other Inhumans? Do you have any pals that could--”

“No,” she said sharply, giving Tony a piercing look. “Inhumans aren’t popular in the public eye right now. Most want to lay low. I will not be part of this if it is your mission to hunt them down or smoke them out of hiding.”

There was no compromise in her voice whatsoever. What with that and the way she kept interrupting Stark, Loki decided he liked this woman.

“Okay, okay, point taken,” Tony said with his hands up after an additional glare from Steve. “But I did want to ask one other thing. You said you got your powers 5 years ago. Was that before or after you were in that dormitory fire?”

Sera stood up abruptly, knocking her chair out from behind her. It fell with a crash, startling Clint out of his afternoon nap with a jolt. Loki noticed that Sera’s hands flexed once before balling into fists at the same time the papers on the table fluttered and his hair blew back from his face.

“I’m not discussing that. I was told you had information about my brother’s death. That doesn’t seem to be the case. I think it’s best if I leave. Thank you for your time,” she said, even though they had been the ones to ask her here. She started walking toward the door.

“Your brother was killed in an area of the city known for illegal trade in alien tech left-over from the Battle of New York,” Natasha said.

Sera stopped and stood facing the door and Loki leaned forward, his interest peaked. This was news to him. Leftover Chituri tech? Illegal trade? Well...leave it to humans to profit off of anything. But he was curious…

“That’s not...that doesn’t make any sense,” she said, turning back to the table.

“Do you know any reason why he might have been involved in that kind of trade?” Tony asked.

“No,” she said, with complete sincerity. “After NY...he was different. He wanted to help people, but…” she trailed off and her eyes drifted to Loki for the first time. He was waiting for the outburst, the accusations, the demands for answers. They didn’t come. He realized she had recognized him right away, knew who he was the whole time. It occurred to him that she was actually waiting for him to speak, to say something. What, to apologize? Explain?

The rest of the room noticed this odd stare-down too, Sera’s silence confusing them as they stared between the two, also waiting for an outburst that never came.

“I should go,” she said.

“But you will still do the trial? Go through training?” Tony called, standing up to follow her out the door.

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea”

Surprisingly, Tony switched tactics, giving a strange look to Natasha who disappeared. “Okay well then let me at least walk you out.”

Loki, Thor, Bruce, Steve, and Clint all looked at one another, puzzled by this odd behavior. All at once they got up to follow Tony.

***

“I’ve arranged to have one of my cars take you home,” Tony said as they reached the garage level.

“That’s really not necessary.”

“It’s the least I could do. A small thank-you for taking the time to come talk with us today. We just have to go down to the parking garage. It’s below the main level.”

Sera turned to look behind her to see Loki and the rest of the team a few paces back.

“Wow, you guys really do everything together, huh?”

“Um, not exactly everything.”

Stark opened the door and beckoned Sera through, then let Clint pass, before stepping back inside the hall. He stopped the others. “Hold up guys. If you could just step over here for a second?” he said, gesturing to the small chauffeur's office.

“What’s going on?”

“Just a sec, Cap. I thought about what you said. About the last two that didn’t turn out so well. So I devised a little test, just a small one, to make sure she’s got what we’re looking for. Nat and Clint are just helping out.”

“Hang on...these aren’t your cars,” Steve said, looking through the two-way glass into the parking area, where half a dozen cars stood shining under the fluorescent lights.

“Please,” Tony said with an eye-roll.

The sound of gunfire ripped through the air, and Loki felt Banner jump beside him. Stepping away slightly, Loki watched Natasha pull out her gun and begin firing across the deck at a few men in black combat gear. But something wasn’t right. Natasha’s shots were way off, clearly hitting the cement walls behind them, as were the men’s bullets on her side. She gestured for Sera to duck behind the nearest car, which they did together.

Clint had taken cover behind a different car and was lazily shooting arrows into a cement column at the back of the garage.

It’s a ruse, Loki thought, meant to make this Sera woman think they are under fire. He watched as the momentary panic of her surprise faded from her eyes, a look of determination replacing it. She knelt behind the car and pressed her palms into the cement and closed her eyes.

The building began to shake.

“Stark,” Steve said in warning.

“Just wait. Give it a sec.”

Columns of asphalt and earth broke through the cement floor of the garage, twisting into a wall to form a shield around the car Sera and Natasha hid behind.

Natasha turned to Sera. “That’s you?”

She nodded.

“Not bad.” With that, she ducked around the car behind the newly formed wall to get better “aim” at the attackers. And though Loki was sure that no bullet hit her, she suddenly fell back, grasping her shoulder as blood leaked through her fingers.

Tony spoke before Steve could say anything. “It’s fake. We need to see how she handles a crisis.”

“We already know she’s an ER nurse. She wrecked your garage and for all we know she could take the building down. That’s enough.”

Out in the garage, Sera had crawled over to Natasha, feeling her head with her palm. Still crouching over her, she gave Natasha a puzzled look.

“You aren’t hurt.” She pulled at Natasha’s sleeve with her other hand and the fake blood packet was exposed. “What’s going on here?”

“It’s nothing. Just a test. We do this for everyone.”

“And now you’re lying. This is really--”

But before she could finish her sentence, one of the bullets clearly aiming for anything but human targets, found another mark. The gas tank of the car Clint was crouching behind erupted in flames.

Sera froze and Loki watched transfixed as she closed her eyes, for one second a look of utter fear and agony crossing her face, before her body rolled in unmistakable pleasure. As she stood the fire from the car exploded into the air, soaring over her head to find the next car. Her arms waved and the fire danced again, leaping from car to car like she was a ringmaster directing her circus animals to do tricks for a crowd.

When she turned her attention toward the window, Loki was the first to duck, pulling Thor down with him. The fireball exploded above him, shattered glass falling around them like an icy rain as the desk caught fire.

“Tony!” Steve yelled, though they were both running out into the garage now.

They called to Sera, but she seemed beyond hearing them. He wasn’t sure why, but some intuition was telling Loki that Sera wasn’t really in control, despite the evidence to the contrary. This gave him an idea.

Projecting an image of himself into the garage, he cast an illusion, erasing the fire from her vision. Startled by the sensory change, Sera stumbled and locked eyes with him. There was a moment of clarity in her vision as she saw him, and she took her chance. “Get rid of the fire!” But then her eyes rolled and she sent fire shooting at where his illusion stood. Whether she could see the fire or not, she could feel it.

“Why aren’t the fire sprinklers going off?” Bruce yelled over the noise as he put out the fire on the desk with a small fire extinguisher.

At this moment two of Tony suits flew in through the exit ramp and began shooting white smoke onto the scene, putting out the fire. It only took a few moments, but as soon as the last flame was extinguished, Sera collapsed onto the ground, her head in one hand, shaking.

“Uh, what the hell was that?” Tony asked.

“I’m really sorry about this, Sera,” said Steve. “This should not” he looked at Tony, “have been sprung on you like this.”

“No, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry about the damage. I...this is something I can’t practice at home. Too dangerous.”

“Dangerous and bad-ass! You can control fire?” Tony asked.

“I can call it but not very well, as you can see.”

“Sera. Come back inside, into the lab. Let’s talk this over and see about setting up some proper training for you” Tony said.

She looked up at him hesitantly, and her eyes darted over to Loki before looking back at Tony.

“Come on. What if there’s a fire at the hospital? We can help you get control.”

She nodded and stood, following Tony back inside, where they were joined by Natasha, Clint, and Bruce, the latter of which started asking her questions right away.

Steve waylaid Thor before he and Loki could leave. “Did you know about this?”

“I did not. But it seems like it went very well! Um, or...not?” Thor said, faltering with the look Steve gave him.

“This was completely unethical. She’s just a civilian and she could have gotten hurt, or actually hurt someone else. Tony’s taking this too far.”

“He just wants to help. His methods may be a bit...creative but--”

“If you’ll excuse me,” Loki interrupted, not wanting to hear anymore of this argument. He quickly made his way back to his room and replayed everything he had seen in his mind.

Laying back on his bed, he closed his eyes and replayed everything since Sera entered the conference room. Her excellent poker face contrasting with her fidgeting hands and feet. Her polite words in opposition with her tempered actions. And especially, especially the look on her face when the fire blossomed into the air. The split second of fear, a look of bracing herself before a complete and utter surrender, the look of ecstasy on her face. He played that moment over and over again in his mind, a smile slowly spreading across his face.

[ericvick]

Vaccine dose amount on rise as the town slowly and gradually reopens

Boston moved into a new stage of eased-up pandemic limits on Monday as small children from pre-K to Grade 3 returned to classrooms for the initial time in a just about a year and places to eat and other indoor corporations confronted renewed exercise with capacity allowances ramped up to 50 per cent.

Still, Mayor Walsh stated on Monday, less stringent statewide principles governing are living entertainment indoors would not be allowed within the metropolis right up until later on in the thirty day period.

Meanwhile, initiatives to defend the city’s citizens from the lethal virus have built continual development. As of Feb. 23, much more than 96,000 Bostonians – some 15 per cent of them more than age 16 – experienced gained at least their to start with dose of vaccine safety towards Covid-19. The figures have no question risen because that date.

“Of those people folks, about 42 per cent went to men and women of shade,” mentioned Wellbeing and Human Expert services main Marty Martinez, who joined Walsh in a Monday push convention to present updates on the city’s pandemic reaction.

Across the state, a quantity equivalent to the population of Methuen — around 51,000 people — got their second vaccination doses between past Friday’s report from the Division of General public Overall health and Sunday’s update. There are now 550,000 men and women entirely vaccinated towards the coronavirus, Gov. Baker reported Monday morning, in comparison to 550,302 complete verified bacterial infections given that the start off of the pandemic.

Also on Monday, Baker reported about 68 percent of state citizens 75 and older experienced been vaccinated. In the long-expression care sector, 90 per cent of inhabitants and about 70 per cent of team experienced obtained vaccines, he famous.

As to renewed industrial action in Boston, specific organizations will not nonetheless be in a position to both reopen or maximize ability boundaries, which includes indoor live performance venues, large-get in touch with indoor recreation like roller skating or laser tag, and stay audio in dining places.

Walsh reported that the town will continue to align with the state’s phased-in reopening established for March 22, relocating into section 4 action 1 – “if our cases and community well being details help that.”

He included: “I want to be clear: We are relocating ahead listed here in the metropolis of Boston together with the state, but we have some crucial exceptions that are heading into impact. We’re getting an solution that matches our unique features as a substantial, primarily dense, town.

“We have not elevated the 6-human being highest at tables and I know eating places want that, but just be affected individual. We will get there, but we are earning confident the general public wellness figures are risk-free right before we do this.”

Improved outside eating in Boston will resume on April 1 and further particulars on restricted parking and street closures will be built offered in the coming weeks. So considerably, the town has gained 370 programs for outdoor dining licenses and accredited extra than 150.

Walsh also urged Bostonians to continue on to get examined for the virus as the state-led hard work to distribute vaccine pictures starts to penetrate further into the city’s toughest-strike neighborhoods.

There are now 17 vaccination web pages in the metropolis, including 7 local community health centers, 8 pharmacies, and 2 mass vaccination internet sites, together with the Reggie Lewis Centre and Fenway Park.

50 percent the appointments at the Reggie Lewis Middle have been reserved as precedence reserving for citizens of “Roxbury and bordering communities”– which includes Dorchester.

“We are proud of the equitable access we have been able to provide to metropolis of Boston inhabitants, specifically at the Reggie Lewis Middle,” stated Walsh. “Moving ahead, we’re heading to keep on to keep 50 percent of the vaccine slots qualified for people today of shade, doing the job by way of neighborhood wellbeing centers and metropolis businesses.”

So much, far more than 4,000 people have been vaccinated at the Lewis Middle because it opened on Feb. 1, in accordance to Martinez. He stated 45 % of these have been persons of colour and 55 p.c Boston inhabitants, with Roxbury as the most represented of the city’s neighborhoods.

Condition officers have contracted with CIC Well being, which operates the mass vaccination courses at Fenway Park and Gillette Stadium, to grow the Reggie Lewis procedure. The agency mentioned it will have the capability to administer 800 Pfizer pictures for each working day from the Reggie Lewis Center with plans to “ramp up to 2,500 every day appointments within just about a month.”

When requested if the city may possibly use outside and drive-through vaccination internet sites as the weather begins go warm up, Martinez replied: “That’s definitely a part of it. We’re not pretty there temperature-wise the place we’d want to create outside areas but it is surely a section of the larger piece.

“What we want to be capable to do around vaccinations,” he stated, “is to not only have these fastened locations— pharmacies, local community overall health centers, and our mass vaccination web sites – but also destinations in which we can deliver the vaccine.”

With regard to instruction, the BPS’s invitation to pre-K to Quality 3 pupils for in-individual mastering meant that yet another 7,900 pupils in all could return to lecture rooms, introducing up to a overall of 15,000 college students who have been invited to return to city educational facilities since the starting of November.

“We’ll carry on to deliver college students again into our universities safely and securely as lengthy as the public well being facts guidance it,” said Walsh, including that Covid-19 pool screening will be available to all college students whose people consent.

For each the timeline that BPS released in January, all pupils in grades 4 by means of 8 will be qualified for in-individual understanding on March 15 and all remaining students will be suitable on March 29.

Walsh also took see of the forthcoming St. Patrick’s Day holiday break. He warned Bostonians about social distancing, reminding every person that the parade in South Boston has been cancelled all over again this calendar year and that private gatherings stay limited to 10 individuals indoors and 25 outdoors.

“There ought to be no huge gatherings of any type for St. Patrick’s Day,” he explained. “We are so near to a complete line below what we really don’t need to have now is a action backwards. Events like St. Patrick’s Working day grow to be super-spreader activities and carry us into a scenario exactly where we’re shutting every thing down all over again.”

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[emerald-studies]

How to be an Ally

 Discussions on Race Pt. 2

June 29, 2020

Day 1 of 7

Post with fixed links here!: 

https://emerald-studies.tumblr.com/post/626271345488150528/how-to-be-an-ally

Reblog this one!

[ These are just some thoughts I have in my head about this topic, it isn’t meant to be a purely academic discussion. It’s meant to be a conversation to learn about another perspective. ]     

Also sorry this one took longer than previous posts, I had to do a lot of research.     

-

1.  Check In On Your Black Friends/Acquaintances 

 In my opinion, I believe the best way to be an ally is to reach out to your Black friends and check in on them, consistently. If you can recognize the times we are living in are absolute hell, you should be checking in on the most effected. None of my friends have checked up on me to see how I was doing or just to talk. They didn’t even bring up the protests until I did. It feels very very lonely and scary to not be checked up on by the people who say they support and love you. So, I’m making this the first point because I don’t want anyone else to feel this way, not trying to complain.

2.  Learn More About Black History

It’s important to learn about the Black activists that our history books left out. Yes, Martin Luther King Jr. was, and is, important but we need to reflect on why he was pushed on us so much in our history classes, compared to other Black leaders. Is it because our government would rather us walk down the street holding signs than actually defending ourselves against the cop who’s beating us?

Here’s a master list of activists to start you off.

3.  Go to Rallies and Protests

Find protests and rallies in your area by looking on Twitter and search #yourcityprotest. Or watch your local news channel to see where they are (if they’re being covered on the news). Also search on Facebook. Wear a mask.

4. Donate and Sign Petitions

If you don’t have extra money to donate, that’s fine. If you still want to be an ally then sign all the petitions you can. Take a day to research all the ones you can sign/haven’t signed and sign them!

(Also you don’t need to donate to change.org! Directly donate to non-profit organizations and victims’ families!)

George Floyd - change.org

George Floyd - amnesty.org

George Floyd - colorofchange.org

Get The Officers Charged

Charge All Four Officers

Breonna Taylor - moveon.org

Breonna Taylor - colorofchange.org

Breonna Taylor - justiceforbreonna.org

Breonna Taylor - change.org

Breonna Taylor - thepetitionsite.com

Ahmaud Arbery - change.org

Ahmaud Arbery - change.org 2

Ahmaud Arbery - change.org 3

Justice for Oluwatoyin Salau

Pass The Georgia Hate Crime Bill

Defund MPD

Life Sentence For Police Brutality

Regis Korchinski - change.org

Tete Gulley - change.org

Tony McDade - change.org

Tony McDade - actionnetwork.org

Tony McDade - thepetitionsite.com

Joao Pedro - change.org

Julius Jones - change.org

Belly Mujinga - change.org

Willie Simmons - change.org

Hands Up Act - change.org

National Action Against Police Brutality

Kyjuanzi Harris - change.org

Alejandro Vargas Martinez - change.org

Censorship Of Police Brutality In France

Sean Reed - change.org

Sean Reed - change.org 2

Kendrick Johnson - change.org

Tamir Rice - change.org

Tamir Rice - change.org 2

Fire Racist Criminal From The NYPD

Jamee Johnson - organizefor.org

Darius Stewart - change.org

Darius Stewart - moveon.org

Abolish Prison Labor

Free Siyanda - change.org

Chrystul Kizer - change.org

Chrystul Kizer - change.org 2

Andile Mchunu (Bobo) - change.org

Eric Riddick - change.org

Amiya Braxton - change.org

Emerald Black - change.org

Elijah Nichols - change.org

Zinedine Karabo Gioia - change.org

Angel Bumpass - change.org

Sheku Bayoh - change.org

Angel DeCarlo - change.org

Sandra Bland - change.org

Sherrie Walker - change.org

Darrien Hunt - change.org

Cornelius Fredericks - change.org

Elijah McClain - change.org

James Scurlock - change.org

Darren Rainey- change.org

Visit these sites for more info:

http://www.pb-resources.com/

https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/

5. Educate yourself and others.

Articles: 

- “America’s Racial Contract Is Killing Us” by Adam Serwer | Atlantic (May 8, 2020)

- Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement (Mentoring a New Generation of Activists

- ”My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” by Jose Antonio Vargas | NYT Mag (June 22, 2011)

- The 1619 Project (all the articles) | The New York Times Magazine

- The Combahee River Collective Statement

- “The Intersectionality Wars” by Jane Coaston | Vox (May 28, 2019)

- Tips for Creating Effective White Caucus Groups developed by Craig Elliott PhD

- “Where do I donate? Why is the uprising violent? Should I go protest?” by Courtney Martin (June 1, 2020)

- ”White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Knapsack Peggy McIntosh

- “Who Gets to Be Afraid in America?” by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi | Atlantic (May 12, 2020)

Movies/TV Shows: 

When They See Us

American Son

Hello Privilege, It’s Me, Chelsea

The 13th

Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story 

What Happened Miss Simone?

The Two Killings of Sam Cooke

Who Killed Malcolm X?

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

Homecoming: A Film by Beyonce (Lighter in tone)

LA 92

Dear White People

Videos:

- Black Feminism & the Movement for Black Lives: Barbara Smith, Reina Gossett, Charlene Carruthers (50:48)

- “How Studying Privilege Systems Can Strengthen Compassion” | Peggy McIntosh at TEDxTimberlaneSchools (18:26)

- American Oxygen - Rihanna

- Formation - Beyonce 

Podcasts:

- Malcolm X Speeches

- 1619 (New York Times)

- About Race

- Code Switch (NPR)

- Intersectionality Matters! hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw

- Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast

- Pod For The Cause (from The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights)

- Pod Save the People (Crooked Media)

- Seeing White

Books:

- The Autobiography of Malcolm X

- Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About RaceBook by Reni Eddo-Lodge

- Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins

- Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Dr. Brittney Cooper

- Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon

- How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi

- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

- Raising Our Hands by Jenna Arnold

- Redefining Realness by Janet Mock

- Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

- The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century by Grace Lee Boggs

- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

- This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color by Cherríe Moraga

- When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century America by Ira Katznelson

- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, PhD

Follow:

- Shaun King: Instagram | Twitter | Website

- Antiracism Center: Twitter

- Audre Lorde Project: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Black Women’s Blueprint: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Color Of Change: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Colorlines: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- The Conscious Kid: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Equal Justice Initiative (EJI): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Families Belong Together: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- MPowerChange: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Muslim Girl: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- NAACP: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- National Domestic Workers Alliance: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Ziwe | Instagram | (She has discussions about race with White people, kinda grilling them, every Thursday at 8 p.m. EST. Super thrilling to watch.)

Here’s Some Music Too:

Change Gonna Come - Sam Cooke

Chain Gang - Nina Simone

Missisippi Goddamn - Nina Simone

Fuck Da’ Police - N.W.A.

New Slaves - Kanye

This is America - Childish Gambino

I’m Not Racist - Joyner Lucas

Fight the Power - Public Enemy

Glory - Common, John Legend

Freedom (Live) - Beyonce

I Can’t Breathe - H.E.R.

American Oxygen - Rihanna

Brown Skin Girl - Beyonce 

+

My Playlist With A Few More

Black Artists Matter Playlist

What a large list! It looks so overwhelming! Don’t worry, you don’t have to read/watch/listen to everything. It takes a lot of effort!

  Jk. 

If you don’t want to do some homework and good deeds, then you don’t want to be an ally. And that’s perfectly fine. Just don’t lie to yourself about it.

Tough shit.

-

Discussion time.

Who are your favorite Black activists that you didn’t learn about in school?

(Mine is Huey P. Newton)

Favorite song by a Black artist? 

(Mine is Freedom by Beyonce but the live version)

Let me know what you think here

-Faith

[placetobenation]

Goldberg is back.

Yes, it’s time for a major PPV with the Royal Rumble in three weeks and again we have a returning superstar from the past trying to worm his way into the main event. Goldberg returning on Legends Night, making the challenge for Drew McIntyre’s WWE Championship makes little sense, as we’ll explain in our RAW recap later. Regardless of the storyline, the match on its face doesn’t make me want to invest in it. McIntyre’s been an awesome champion carrying the RAW brand week-in and week-out. Why on Earth would anyone believe that Goldberg, who hasn’t wrestled since losing to Braun Strowman at WrestleMania 36 in April of 2020, should be able to beat a guy on top of the chain who’s been out there wrestling on a consistent basis? Besides, didn’t Goldberg already call out Roman Reigns at the end of 2020 or are we just supposed to forget about that? And speaking of forgetting, why exactly do we get McIntyre going up against Randy Orton again this Monday night out of the blue? Is there something I’ve missed there? Having your top champion wrestle every week waters down how the effectiveness of the championship and the wrestler. It should be a big deal when the WWE Champion wrestles on the show, not just more of the same old thing.  I’m not saying it should be months in between appearances like back in the days of Bob Backlund and Hulk Hogan, but every Monday night for a month is a bit much.

Either way, that bit of business was the oddest thing to go down in what was a pretty eventful and productive week around the WWE.

Star of the Week

And still … #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/WuNF0Yu88M

— Ryan Satin (@ryansatin) January 7, 2021

Finn Balor – Back from a broken jaw, The Prince delivers a main-event victory over Kyle O’Reilly to retain the NXT Championship, returning the jaw injury to his foe in the process. These two have put on back-to-back dynamite matches and here’s one who’s hoping there’s a third one to add to the trilogy down the road. He’ll need to stay on top of his came because here comes Karrion Kross and Scarlett back to take what they think is rightfully theirs.

RAW

RESULTS

The New Day defeated The Miz & John Morrison

AJ Styles defeated Elias

Non-Title WWE Women’s Championship Match: Lacey Evans & Peyton Royce defeated Charlotte Flair & Asuka

Non-Title United States Championship Match: Riddle defeated Bobby Lashley

Dana Brooke defeated Shayna Baszler

Randy Orton defeated Jeff Hardy

Non-Title RAW Tag Team Championship Match: Lucha House Party defeated The Hurt Business

WWE Championship Match: Drew McIntyre defeated Keith Lee to retain title

Someone’s got upset fever in the WWE. Not one, not two, not three, but four upsets on the night. Amazingly enough too, they all made perfect sense!

"GET OUT NOW." Consider @MsCharlotteWWE furious…#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/NyRmekWGsv

— WWE (@WWE) January 5, 2021

Charlotte Flair getting pinned by Lacey Evans after Papa Ric Flair takes his flirting with Evans to a nasty level and “inadvertently” trips his own daughter was a nice swerve. Maybe this wakes up Flair and turns her against Asuka and the true Queen persona returns after a few weeks of being nice.

Riddle over Lashley after seemingly tapping out makes him a US Title contender. That’s a good thing. He’s earned it.

Dana Brooke over Shayna Baszler. I’m good with that for a week. Brooke and Mandy Rose have been beat up so many times the past month, they deserve some positivity.

Lucha House Party wins again! Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin are at odds. It’s a nice mix as we lead to the eventual Four Horseman-esque dumping of Alexander I think it’s coming post-Royal Rumble.

What a BATTLE! #WWETitle @DMcIntyreWWE @RealKeithLee

#WWERaw, 1/4/21 pic.twitter.com/IV2lqkwgPj

— WWE (@WWE) January 6, 2021

Kudos to Keith Lee and Drew McIntyre! Those two put on quite a show as McIntyre defended his WWE Championship. Lee continues to keep himself in the main event mix with another quality showing.

Hope you enjoyed that @Goldberg, because it’s the only push you’re gonna get pic.twitter.com/VFUd150xoC

— Drew McIntyre (@DMcIntyreWWE) January 5, 2021

Now, to the elephant in the room. Goldberg. The whole premise of him coming down to berate McIntyre for tearing the legends down when he’s done nothing of the sort. He’s been as respectful as the day is long. I don’t think for a second that Goldberg will, or should be on McIntyre’s level. Here’s hoping Drew puts his “Dad” in his proper place. Plus, not for nothing, but what a shoddy way to end the night by dumping out at the end of RAW to see Modern Family on the USA Network before we see McIntyre pop right back up from the Goldberg push down that we saw later on social media. Sloppy TV production right there from the WWE who is usually really good at that part of the biz.

Heartthrob @AngelGarzaWwe was ready to party with @iamcardib on #WWERaw but instead ran into THE BOOGEYMAN! pic.twitter.com/oLQQM73Xgn

— WWE (@WWE) January 6, 2021

Speaking of the legends, outside of the ridiculous H-Phone with Hulk Hogan to start the night, I thought it was pretty well done. Nothing crazy. Nothing hugely surprising. But they played the hits. Loved The Boogeyman being a shock to Angel Garza. Melina with the Lucha House Party was a nice touch. It’s too bad Mick Foley has to miss the night due to a COVID-19 positive test. Prayers out to Mick and the Foley family.

NOT AGAIN, RANDY!!!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/KVx5WbNIzH

— WWE (@WWE) January 5, 2021

Otherwise, Jeff Hardy is one good sport for letting Randy Orton continue to stretch out his ears to no end. The New Day vs. The Miz and John Morrison was pretty good to kick-start the night. I’m expecting The Miz to turn on his buddy anytime now and blame him for the losses.

NXT

RESULTS

Karrion Kross defeated Damien Priest

NXT Cruiserweight Championship Match: Santos Escobar defeated Gran Metalik

Last Woman Standing Match: Raquel Gonzalez defeated Rhea Ripley

Shotzi Blackheart & KUSHIDA defeated Candice LeRae & Johnny Gargano

NXT Championship Match: Finn Balor defeated Kyle O’Reilly

New Year’s Evil was a home run folks!

It's only a matter of time before he gets back what's his. 𝑻𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝑻𝒐𝒄𝒌. #WWENXT #NXTNYE @WWEKarrionKross @Lady_Scarlett13 pic.twitter.com/OORdOxs5d2

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 7, 2021

I’ll admit, Karrion Kross and Damien Priest was a little bit of a disappointment for me because I had such high expectations for it. It did what it needed to do though as Kross keeps his title aspirations alive to get back his NXT Championship from Finn Balor.

Santos Escobar continues to dazzle as the highlight of the cruiserweight division. While many can compete, there are few who can or will take him down. Gran Metalik tried but came up short.

.@RaquelWWE is the #LastWomanStanding. Words cannot even describe what we just witnessed. WOW.#NXTNYE @RheaRipley_WWE pic.twitter.com/kn4eCTVbwo

— WWE (@WWE) January 7, 2021

Raquel Gonzalez and Rhea Ripley was a downright epic war. These two took their Last Woman Standing match all over the WWE Performance Center and even took it to another level with Ripley locking Dakota Kai in a locker to prevent further involvement. Gonzalez’ chokeslam of Ripley through the stage was impressive. I’ll have to say, I wonder where Ripley goes next as she hasn’t won “the big one” in almost a year since dropping the NXT Championship to Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 36. Gonzalez stardom continues to rise and now joins Mercedes Martinez and Toni Storm at the top of the charts to take down NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai.

So many questions, so little answers. #NXTNYE @XiaWWE @Bigboawwe pic.twitter.com/cXbnetNiD1

— WWE (@WWE) January 7, 2021

Badass thy name is Xia Li. For the first time since their banishment, Li and Boa are back live and Xia showed she’s for real. She looks the part and has all the feels of a faction led by ???? We’ll continue to guess.

Shotzi Blackheart & KUSHIDA is an interesting combo to take on The Gargano Way duo of Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae. It was fun!

Does he have your attention now?

#AndStill #NXTNYE #NXTChampionship @FinnBalor pic.twitter.com/lMyzOltoXm

— WWE (@WWE) January 7, 2021

Finn Balor vs. Kyle O’Reilly II. Holy smokes! This was high drama to say the least. It was touch-and-go right until the end. Having Balor take aim at KOR’s jaw seemed right. Balor with a little color the hard-way proved how tough his one was. I like that they didn’t get lazy and make a Kross run-in mar the finish either. It let these two have the stage they so richly deserved.

ABOUT TIME. Per #WWENXT GM @RealKingRegal, the WOMEN'S #DustyCup is coming your way, soon! #WeAreNXT #NXTNYE pic.twitter.com/D7btsuCPso

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 7, 2021

Finally, I love that the women of NXT are getting a Dusty Rhodes Classic of their own. The NXT women’s division is top notch and there’s plenty of match-ups that could be made. Just like the men though, I hope they bring in some other indie teams to spice it up too.

SMACKDOWN

RESULTS

Intercontinental Championship Match: Big E defeated Apollo Crews

SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match: Robert Roode & Dolph Ziggler defeated The Street Profits to win the titles

Gauntlet Match – Rey Mysterio defeated Sami Zayn; Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Mysterio; Nakamura defeated King Corbin; Nakamura defeated Daniel Bryan; Adam Pearce defeated Nakamura to win a title shot against Roman Reigns at Royal Rumble

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOH#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/WCsFNufQU4

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 9, 2021

It was all about the titles this week on SmackDown. First up, Big E defended his Intercontinental Championship for the first time against his friend, Apollo Crews. But, after Crews thought he pinned Big E yet instead the referee called for a double pin and a draw, Crews wasn’t so friendly. One slap later and a decent back-and-forth restart of a match, Big E retained his title. Nice job by Big E turning things serious when he needed to get the victory.

The Dirty Dawgs did it! AND NEWWW #SmackDown Tag Team Champions: @HEELZiggler & @RealRobertRoode. pic.twitter.com/hUh0XCUWc6

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 9, 2021

We have new tag team champions as Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode take advantage of Montez Ford’s injured left knee to take home the gold. Good to see the vets rewarded with a tactical win. Let’s hope they keep it for a bit and it’s not just a quick respite for the TSP.

The second hour of SmackDown was devoted mostly to the Gauntlet Match to decide who will face Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship at the Royal Rumble. As they foreshadowed in the opening segment, Paul Heyman got WWE official Adam Pearce put into the match as a bit of payback for making the Tribal Chief look stupid for his latest actions. And the rest, as we always say, is history.

Respect.#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/62aycltXw2

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 9, 2021

What a great "win" by @ScrapDaddyAP, who will now face @WWERomanReigns at the Royal Rumble! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/ObSpiKmHoB

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 9, 2021

As for the match itself, I didn’t like Sami Zayn being eliminated by Rey Mysterio in about a minute. He deserves better. Nakamura, who’s really been an afterthought on the singles front for months, looked good with victories against Mysterio and Corbin. Against Daniel Bryan, Nakamura looked even better as those two are magical together in the ring. Beautiful sign of respect afterwards as well. Unfortunately for Shinsuke, the expected happened as Reigns and Jey Uso beat up Nakamura before Pearce entered the ring as the final contestant of the Gauntlet Match. Reigns showed it’s HIS show, as Uso superkicks Pearce before dragging his body over Nakamura to get the win. Predictable? 100%! Good for the storyline. Absolutely.

""I want to put the past behind me." – @SonyaDevilleWWE to @ScrapDaddyAp#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/gWKF48xJ7F

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 9, 2021

Finally, what’s the deal with Sonya Deville? At least they addressed her loss in the loser leaves WWE match with Mandy Rose to end 2020. But they didn’t really quite explain what her role will be in aiding Pearce. Will it be taking over now that Pearce is back in the ring? I really wish Michael Cole and Corey Graves would give a little background on Pearce. He was a former 5-time NWA Champion. If Paul Heyman could slip in a Scrap Daddy WCW line, why not give us a little context. I get that the WWE doesn’t think anything exists outside the WWE Universe, but in this day of social media, it helps the story get over with some needed details. They’ve never explained who Pearce is other than just another backstage guy. Major mistake on their part.

Parting Shots:

Could Jay White be coming to the WWE? Rumors abound that he could be leaving New Japan Wrestling after his loss at Wrestle Kingdom. It seems like White liked this tweet from our star of the week Finn Balor after his NXT Championship match this week with Kyle O’Reilly. Count us in on wanting to see that one!

STEP RIGHT UP pic.twitter.com/ojcoHpdcz6

— Finn Bálor (@FinnBalor) January 7, 2021

Coming up this week:

RAW: Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton Goldberg’s Challenge addressed NXT: Dusty Rhodes Classic begins

SMACKDOWN: TBD

Thanks for letting us share our thoughts! Shoot me an email at jcrowe567@gmail.com. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! You can also check out my blog, The Crowe’s Nest as we delve into more pro wrestling, sports entertainment and the World of Sports. My apologies ahead of time – I AM a Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics and Bruins fan! If you’re not down with that, I’ve got TWO WORDS for you… NEW ENGLAND

[doubleattitude]

JUMP Dance Convention, Dallas, TX: RESULTS

High Scores by Age:

JUMPstart Solo

1st: Mikaela Florez-’Stop Go’

2nd: Mackenzie Glover-’Suddenly’

3rd: Audrina Mossembekker-’Fields of Gold’

4th: Arianna Claxton-’Ride’

5th: Avery Redus-’Lost Boy’

6th: Zephira Duran-’Little Weaver Bird’

7th: Nora Davis-’Broadway Banana’

8th: Symone Armijo-’Rotten To the Core’

Mini Solo

1st: Braylynn Grizzaffi-’Path5′

2nd: Sophia Gil-’Film Credits’

2nd: Anna Holley-’Reminisce’

3rd: Landry Silas-’Cheek to Cheek’

3rd: Allie Plott-’The Path’

4th: Lexus Natalie-’Alternate World’

4th: Winter Eberts-’Dreamlike’

5th: Harper Ducale-’Change Is Everything’

5th: Ashley Otano-’Dark Matter’

5th: Kinsley Oykhman-’Life Could Be A Dream’

5th: Carolina Sterkel-’Thoroughfare’

5th: Kalista Greer-’Yesterday’

6th: Zoey Claxton-’Moonlight Sonata’

6th: Noah Johnson-’Scanner’

6th: Channing Embry-’Whatever Lola Wants’

7th: Denise Torres-’Drag Shift’

7th: Presley Nava-’Pure Imagination’

8th: Cora Woodhouse-’Pulling On A Thread’

9th: Avery LeSaicherre-’Hide and Seek’

9th: Patience Hughes-’Weird People’

10th: Dennis Paul Haggerty-’Beautiful Dream’

Junior Solo

1st: Laci Stoico-’Mibiso’

2nd: Graham Johnson-’New Shoes’

3rd: Lilly Allen-’Femme Fatale’

3rd: Ciana Ciulla-’Nana’

4th: Zoe McDonald-’U Can’t Touch This’

5th: Kortlynn Rosenbaugh-’Concentration’

5th: Colby Rich-’I Lie’

5th: Jazlyn Quintero-’The Deep End’

5th: Lincoln Blakely-’What I Came To Do’

6th: Kanon Greer-’To The Sky’

7th: Caroline McGowan-’Everything Evaporates’

7th: Makaia Roux-’Everything I Wanted’

7th: Kenlie Winsett-’Patterns of The Tides’

7th: Carolyne Knutson-’Peace’

7th: Campbell Thurow-’You Can’t Touch This’

8th: Jade Bontron-’A Night In Paris’

8th: Jocelyn Nguyen-’I’m Not Myself’

8th: Ava Mogote-’Somewhere Over The Rainbow’

8th: London Campayno-’Valis’

9th: McKenna Markham-’Shrine Tooth’

9th: Nyah Jackson-’Slow Meadows’

9th: Stella Eberts-’Valley’

10th: Addison Haggerty-’Ghost In The Wind’

10th: Scarlett Petty-’Stars’

10th: Kylie Carter-’The LOOK’

Teen Solo

1st: Garris Munoz-’Enlightenment’

1st: Avery Lau-’Fear of the Unknown and The Blazing Sun’

1st: Hudson Pletcher-’Forged Imitation’

2nd: Sarah Kate Kurzius-’Charmed’

2nd: Ava Miller-’Tarnished’

3rd: Carmen Beiner-’Dyonisis’

3rd: Braylon Browner-’Run From Me’

3rd: Sabine Nehls-’Shout’

4th: Beth Anne McGowan-’Heart Is As Black At Night’

4th: Ella Williams-’The Garden’

5th: Macie Krause-’Menace’

5th: Dasha Vishnyakova-’Partita’

5th: Caroline Belknap-’Sonata De Le Muerte’

5th: Kali Knewitz-’Wake Up Your Eardrums’

6th: Kathryn Martinez-’Another Brick In The Wall’

6th: Gianna Garwacki-’Epiphany’

6th: Sophie Bishop-’La Mamma Morta’

6th: Isabel Reese-’Spectral Density’

7th: Ella Hendricks-’Ella and Ella’

7th: Faith Stoner-’Solids’

8th: Brielle McCoy-’My Brightest Diamond’

8th: Trinity Kelly-’Sorrow’

9th: Sofia Ramirez-’Long Train Running’

9th: Peyton Koepke-’On The Horizon’

9th: Natalya Toirac-’See how they run’

9th: Jillian Sims-’Shadow Journal’

10th: Dru Neal-’Bringing Back A Past’

10th: Caitlyn Herrin-’Hour After Hour’

10th: Macy Orvis-’Look At Me’

10th: Mia Miller-’Only The Voices’

Senior Solo

1st: Jackson Roloff-Hafenbreadl-’FOUR’

2nd: Ruby Castro-’For You’

2nd: Paige Mcmanaman-’Vienna’

3rd: Jordan Apodaca-’Standing Over The Horizon’

4th: Chloe Lopina-’In Love In Vein’

4th: Lainey Myers-’You Are The Reason’

5th: Raegan Davidson-’After That’

5th: Raegan Stafford-’With All My Love’

6th: Peyton Winsett-’Distortion’

6th: Emily Fluker-’I Will Follow’

6th: Clara Gough-’Snow Queen’

6th: Haley Beck-’Upside’

7th: Karsyn Kelly-’Don’t Make Me Over’

7th: Gracie Lee-’Love of My Life’

7th: Cahntal Le-’Tear Jerker’

7th: Jonah Tran-’Unburdened and Becoming’

8th: Elise Knecht-’Corps’

8th: Emma Sucato-’Memories’

8th: Haley Bogdon-’The Mourning’

8th: Kylie Sicillan-’Time & I’

9th: Emmalyn Mackaron-’San TOI’

10th: Ella Berner-’Grief Point’

Mini Duo/Trio

1st: HYPE Dance Studio-’American Boy’

2nd: HYPE Dance Studio-’G.I.R.L’

3rd: Centre for Dance-’Faith’

Junior Duo/Trio

1st: Artistry In Motion Performing Arts Center-’Cringe’

2nd: Dance Company of Wylie-’Machine’

Teen Duo/Trio

1st: Next Step Dance-’Georgia’

2nd: The Pointe Performing Arts Center-’Listen’

3rd: South Tulsa Dance Co-’Strangers In The Night’

Senior Duo/Trio

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Tea For Two’

2nd: Texas Academy of Dance-’Do The Sacred Mass’

JUMPstart Group

1st: Next Step Dance-’Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Boy From New York City’

3rd: Next Step Dance-’Milly Rock’

Mini Group

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’We Love to Bebop’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Strings’

3rd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Ain’t Your Mama’

Junior Group

1st: Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Dance With You’

1st: The Pointe Performing Arts Center-’Send In The Clowns’

2nd: Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Image Deconstructed’

3rd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Letters To’

3rd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Threads That Bind’

Teen Group

1st: Next Step Dance-’Maria Bonita’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’A Women Left Lonely’

2nd: Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Herd of Defense’

3rd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Wish We Could Turn Back Time’

Senior Group

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Embraceable You’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’A Human, A Light’

3rd: Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Can You Hear That?’

Mini Line

1st: Next Step Dance-’The Chain’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Spring’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Sweet Dreams’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’We’ve Got a Ways to Go’

3rd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’The Ladies of the Wild West’

Junior Line

1st: Next Step Dance-’Mi Mujer’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Opening’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-‘Salute’

3rd: Next Step Dance-’Vogue’

3rd: The Pointe Performing Arts Center-’We Are The Ones’

Teen Line

1st: Next Step Dance-’Tarantella’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Dead Hearts’

3rd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Where Is My Body’

Senior Line

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Devour’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Invocation of Lust’

JUMPstart Extended Line

1st: Next Step Dance-’Ridin Dirty’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Hey Diddle Diddle’

3rd: Next Step Dance-’Rock Star’

Mini Extended Line

1st: Next Step Dance-’Runaway Baby’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Footloose’

Junior Extended Line

1st: Next Step Dance-’Bridge Over Troubled Water’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Flatline’

3rd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Don’t Stop’

Teen Extended Line

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’American Pie’

1st: Next Step Dance-’Snowing’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Overture In A’

3rd: Next Step Dance-’Technologic’

3rd: Kim Massay Dance Productions-’You Know Me’

Senior Extended Line

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Hotel California’

2nd: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Sexy Crazy’

Mini Production

1st: Next Step Dance-’42nd Street’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Game On’

Junior Production

1st: Next Step Dance-’Let It Cook’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’Everlasting Love’

3rd: The Pointe Performing Arts Center-’Wanna Rock’

Teen Production

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Goodnight’

2nd: Next Step Dance-’All That Jazz’

3rd: The Pointe Performing Arts Center-’RELAX’

Senior Production

1st: Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’CRUNK’

High Scores by Performance Division:

JUMPstart Tap

Next Step Dance-’Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’

JUMPstart Hip-Hop

Next Step Dance-’Milly Rock’

JUMPstart Jazz

Next Step Dance-’Boy From New York City’

JUMPstart Lyrical

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Gypsy’

Mini Jazz

Next Step Dance-’Knock On Wood’

Mini Tap

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’We Love to Bebop’

Mini Contemporary

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Strings’

Mini Ballroom

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Ain’t Your Mama’

Mini Ballet

Next Step Dance-’Spring’

Mini Lyrical

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’We’ve Got a Ways to Go’

Next Step Dance-’Sweet Dreams’

Mini Hip-Hop

Next Step Dance-’Game On’

Junior Jazz

Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Dance With You’

Junior Lyrical

The Pointe Performing Arts Center-’Send In The Clowns’

Junior Ballet

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-‘Salute’

Next Step Dance-’Opening’

Junior Contemporary

Next Step Dance-’Mi Mujer’

Junior Tap

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Letters To’

Junior Specialty

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Marquises’

Junior Hip-Hop

Next Step Dance-’Let It Cook’

Junior Ballroom

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Don’t Stop’

Teen Contemporary

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Goodnight’

Teen Specialty

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Dead Hearts’

Teen Jazz

Next Step Dance-’Technologic’

Kim Massay Dance Productions-’You Know Me’

Teen Lyrical

Next Step Dance-’Snowing’

Teen Tap

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’American Pie’

Teen Hip-Hop

Next Step Dance-’#FreeBritney’

Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Roses’

Teen Ballet

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Overture In A’

Teen Ballroom

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Distortion’

Teen Musical Theatre

Next Step Dance-’All That Jazz’

Senior Contemporary

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Hotel California’

Senior Specialty

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Evermore’

Senior Tap

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Embraceable You’

Senior Lyrical

High Attitude Dance Academy-’Because You Loved Me’

Senior Ballet

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Completely Gone’

Senior Jazz

Eminence Dance Complex-’Cold Hearted Snake’

Senior Ballroom

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Sexy Crazy’

Senior Hip-Hop

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’CRUNK’

Best of JUMP:

JUMPstart

Next Step Dance-’Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy’

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Gypsy’

Mini

The Pointe Performing Arts Center-’Where The Light Gets In’

Next Step Dance-’42nd Street’

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’We Love to Bebop’

Junior

Next Step Dance-’Mi Mujer’

Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Dance With You’

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Threads That Bind’

The Pointe Performing Arts Center-’Send In The Clowns’

Teen

Kim Massay Dance Productions-’You Know Me’

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’American Pie’

The Pointe Performing Arts Center-’A Destination’

Next Step Dance-’Snowing’

Senior

Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Can You Hear That?’

Next Step Dance-’Half the Man’

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Hotel California’

Best In Studio:

Next Step Dance-’Snowing’

Kim Massay Dance Productions-’Can You Hear That?’

The Pointe Performing Arts Center-’A Destination’

Prodigy Dance and Performing Arts Centre-’Hotel California’

[foryourart]

Étienne Szeemann’s Swiss cross made of hair from salon clientele, a personal tribute to his receipt of Swiss citizenship, ca. 1919. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2011.M.30) © J. Paul Getty Trust. PLAN ForYourArt: February 22–28

Thursday, February 22

Caravaggio — Part II, Santa Barbara Museum of Art (Santa Barbara), 10–11:30am.

Immigration Workshop, CalArts (Valencia), 12–1pm.

Medeas by Andrea Pallaoro - Film Screening, CalArts (Valencia), 1–4pm.

School of Music Visiting Artist Series: Seth Boyden, CalArts (Valencia), 2–4pm.

Late Night: Tattoo, Museum of Natural History (Downtown), 5–9pm. $10.

Tom Friedman: Ghosts and UFOs: Projections for Well-Lit Spaces, Parrasch Heijnen Gallery (Downtown), 5–7pm.

Learning to Love the Literati Poetry Reading and Reception, Santa Barbara Museum of Art (Santa Barbara), 5:30–6:30pm.

MOVIE NIGHT – The Royal Tenenbaums, ESMoA (El Segundo), 5:30–7:30pm.

TOURS & TALKS: Stories of Almost Everyone Walk-through: Gary Dauphin, Hammer Museum (Westwood), 6pm.

Screening: Eliot Rausch, Underground Museum (Mid-City), 6pm.

ORANGE 6, Coagula Curatorial (Chinatown), 6–9pm.

One Hour/One Painting, Laguna Art Museum (Laguna Beach), 6pm.

Matthew Rolston: Hollywood Royale, Annenberg Space for Photography (Century City), 6:30–8pm.

Volume I: Cultural Identities, Residency Art Gallery (Inglewood), 7–9pm.

Kybelle Dance Theatre, The Loft at Liz’s (Mid-City), 7–9pm.

Challenge for Change | Mur Murs (1981), LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes (Downtown), 7–9pm.

Moving Line, El Camino College Art Gallery (Torrance), 7–9pm.

At land’s edge: Kristina Wong, Human Resources (Chinatown), 7–9pm.

Cameron Rowland lecture, Hammer Museum (Westwood), 7:30pm.

David Horvitz with Christine Sun Kim, JFDR, and Xiu Xiu Noise: Watering a Glass Flower II, (Some Meditations for Resonating Hourglasses Sounding the Shapes of Hours), Edward Cella Art+Architecture (Culver City), 7:30pm.

The Broad and X-TRA present Simone Leigh + Steven Nelson in Conversation, The first in a series of talks addressing the legacy of Joseph Beuys, The Broad (Downtown), 7:30pm. $15.

MONDONGO: WHAT ARE WE GONNA SAY AFTER HELLO?, Track 16 (Downtown), 7:30–9pm.

Cheng Foundation Lecture - Chop Suey, USA: How Americans Discovered Chinese Food, The Huntington (San Marino), 7:30pm.

TONY KUSHNER & SARAH VOWELL IN CONVERSATION, CAP UCLA (Westwood), 8pm.

Friday, February 23

Talk: A Bilingual Scholars' Day— Painted in Mexico: 1700–1790: Pinxit Mexici, LACMA (Miracle Mile), 9:30am.

A Man and His Prostate, Palm Springs Art Museum (Palm Springs), 10am–5pm. Through February 25.

Culture Fix: J. Lorand Matory on the Arts of Candomblé, Fowler Museum (Westwood), 12pm.

Distinguished Artist Interviews: Catherine Opie interviewed by Helen Molesworth; The Promise Piece, Ten Years Later, A message from Yoko Ono; Judy Baca interviewed by Anna Indych-López, 106th CAA Annual Conference, LA Convention Center (Downtown), 3:30–5:30pm.

Hannah by Andrea Pallaoro - Film Screening, CalArts (Valencia), 4–7pm.

Art Buzz: Harald Szeemann, Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (Downtown), 5:30–7pm.

Bill Barminski Retrospective, Castelli Art Space (Culver City), 6–10pm. Continues February 24.

Alake Shilling: Monsoon Lagoon, 356 Mission (Downtown), 6pm.

Gabrielle Teschner, Michael Wall, and Brant Ritter, TAPPAN (962 East Fourth Street, LA CA 90013, Downtown), 6–9pm.

Panel: Chicanx/Latinx Art after PST: LA/LA. Sustaining the Field, Self Help Graphics and Art (Downtown), 6–8pm.

Guided tour: Mari Cardenas & Milton Jurado, Self Help Graphics & Art (Downtown), 6:30pm.

NO TIME TO WASTE, Moskowitz Bayse (Hollywood), 7:30pm.

Pictures of an Exhibition, LA Phil (Downtown), 8pm. Through February 25.

Djanjoba LA 2018: A Drum & Dance Gratitude Festival, various locations (across locations), 8pm. Through February 25.

Witch House: A Witches' Cabaret, CalArts (Valencia), 8pm. Through February 27.

Saturday, February 24

SYMPOSIUM: BLACKNESS AND THE ART OF EMPOWERMENT IN BAHIA, BRAZIL, Fowler Museum (Westwood), 10am–4:30pm.

Demanding Investment Without Displacement, The Wellness Center (Downtown), 10am–3pm.

Feminism and the State: Art, Politics, and Resistance, MOCA Grand Avenue (Downtown), 10am–4:30pm.

What is Contemporary? Feminism and the State: Art, Politics, and Resistance, MOCA Grand Avenue (Downtown), 10am–4:30pm.

Bob Baker Day, Bob Baker Marionette Theater (MacArthur Park), 10am–6pm. 

Not Her(E): A Workshop, Women’s Center for Creative Work (Frogtown), 10am–1pm.

Bonsai-a-Thon, The Huntington (San Marino), 10am–5pm. Continues February 25.

tokidoki x iHasCupquake Launch Event & Signing, La Luz de Jesus Gallery (Los Feliz), 11am–3pm.

Cartomancy: The Seni-Horoscope Re-imagined by Shay Bredimus and Tony Delap: A Retrospective, Laguna Art Museum (Laguna Beach), 11am–5pm.

Workshop: Finding Autonomy and Connection through Contact Improv, Pieter (Lincoln Heights), 12–3pm.

Donna Bates and Corban Lundborg, Gabba Gallery (Koreatown), 12:30pm.

Thinking Like a Roman: How to Renew America's Polarized Landscape, Getty Villa (Pacific Palisades), 1pm.

Artist at Work: Paper and Light, Getty Center (Brentwood), 1–3pm.

Dos Colectivos, USC Fisher Museum of Art (Downtown), 1–4pm.

Closing Reception, Tieken Gallery (Chinatown), 1–6pm.

Public Anchors Finale, Side Street Projects (Pasadena), 1–4pm.

Talk: Artists in Conversation: Isabel Avila and Linda Vallejo, LACMA (Miracle Mile), 1:30pm.

Existing On Our Own Terms: Healing Rituals As Liberatory Practice, Women’s Center for Creative Work (Frogtown), 2–5pm. $15–25.

Maren Hassinger: The Spirit of Things, Art+Practice (Leimert Park), 2–5pm.

The Great Compromise, UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts (Irvine), 2–5pm.

"Animalia" - A Voice Event, CalArts (Valencia), 2–4pm.

Male Glaze pop-up, Freehand Gallery (Beverly Grove), 4pm.

The Circuitry of Joyce J. Scott: A Group Exhibition of Collaboration and Innovation, Craft in America Center (Beverly Grove), 4–6pm.

Melvino Garretti: Space Versus Space, Vernon Gardens (Vernon), 4–8pm.

Kevin Larmon: slipping in and out of phenomenon and Nathan Hayden: Strong Magic, CB1 Gallery (Downtown), 4–7pm.

Açúcar: A film series organized by Ellen Gallagher, Hauser & Wirth (Downtown), 4–10pm.

#CAMOLORDS - UNSEEN, Anahid Boghosian - HERE NOW and Brian Reed - From Semi-Abstract And Back, TAG Gallery (Santa Monica), 5–8pm.

UNICEF Next Generation Art Party, 800MAIN (Venice), 5pm. $40–150.

Petra Cortright: CAM WORLS, UTA Artist Space (Downtown), 5–7pm.

ADC Fundraiser: The Koerner Affair, Koerner House (Palm Springs), 5-8pm.

Opening Reception: Carmen Argote Artist Lab and Opening Reception: Mariángeles Soto-Díaz, 18th Street Arts Center (Santa Monica), 6–8pm.

Rodrigo Valenzuela: General Song and Carla Issue 11 launch party, Klowden Mann (Culver City), 6–9pm.

Kevin Cooley: Still Burning, Kopeikin Gallery (Culver City), 6–8pm.

Matthew Brandt: AgX.Hb, M+B (West Hollywood), 6–8pm.

Lorser Feitelson: Figure to Form, Louis Stern Fine Arts (West Hollywood), 6–8pm.

Aaron Wrinkle: LA Salon, there-there (East Hollywood), 6–8pm.

L.A.W.S. presents Language: The Art Show, Los Angeles Water School (Downtown), 6pm–12am.

SHOP and SOLO PROJECT, Denk Gallery (Downtown), 6–8pm.

Robert Moreland: Slow Talker, Wilding Cran Gallery (Downtown), 6–8pm.

Like Ghosts: New Works by Rema Ghuloum and HK Zamani, JAUS (Sawtelle), 6:30–9:30pm.

THE PAIN ISN'T OVER | Leafar Seyer & Prayers, THESE DAYS (Downtown), 7–10pm.

Herakut: Rental Asylum, Troy Brooks: Skinwalker, and Adrian Cox: Terra Incognita, Corey Helford Gallery (Downtown), 7–11pm.

L.A. Dance Project presents Bodies2, L.A. Dance Project (Downtown), 7pm.

Los Angeles Ladies Arm Wrestling Presents Queens at the Table, Bootleg Theater (MacArthur Park), 7–11pm. $10–15.

Sonnets and Sonatas Presents: Animals!, Getty Center (Brentwood), 7:30pm.

Independence Day and A Cylindrical Object on Fire in the Dark, Los Angeles Contemporary Archive (Chinatown), 7:30–10pm.

lost tribes, LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions) (Hollywood), 8pm. Also February 25.

Saluti, Grace Palmer: Secrets of Virtuous Cycle Management Institut IDGAF, Pieter (Lincoln Heights), 8:30–10pm.

The Moon Has Made Us Brothers, CalArts (Valencia), 9–10pm.

Sunday, February 25

The Art of the Movie Poster: Highlights from the Mike Kaplan Collection, LACMA (Miracle Mile), 10am–7pm; talk, 4pm. 

Tony DeLap: A Retrospective, Laguna Art Museum (Laguna Beach), 11am–5pm. 

TURBANTE-SE / A HEAD WRAP WORKSHOP, Fowler Museum (Westwood), 12pm.

Mesoamerica in Midcentury California: Revivals and Reinventions, LACMA (Miracle Mile), 1–2:15pm.

Painting workshop with Alake Shilling, 356 Mission (Downtown), 1–4pm.

IN CONVERSATION: ENRIQUE MARTINEZ CELAYA WITH DAN MCCLEARY & DEMIAN FLORES, USC Fisher Museum of Art (Downtown), 1pm.

Symbols in Copper, California African American Museum (Downtown), 1–3pm.

WORKSHOP: FREE THE VOICE: Odeya Nini, Pieter (Lincoln Heights), 1–4pm. $35.

Pop-Up Community Portrait Studio, Santa Barbara Museum of Art (Santa Barbara), 1–4pm.

Dora De Larios and Rigo 23: Ripples Become Waves, Main Museum (Downtown), 2-5pm.

Panel: Albert Chong, Andrea Chung, and Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons, moderated by Los Siu, California African American Museum (Downtown), 2–4pm.

WON JU LIM: Aunt Clara's Dilemma, AUDREY HOPE: Dreams of Pentecost, and MARISSA GRAZIANO: Lesbian Step-Sisters Better Not Get Caught By Dad!, DXIX (Venice), 3–6pm.

Artist Talk: All Hands on Deck, Otis College of Art and Design (Westchester), 3–5pm.

HOME, HOOD, HILL: Final Projects: Group XLV, Mackey Apartments, MAK Center for Art and Architecture (Mid-City), 3–6pm.

Chad Attie: The Last Island Talk & Screening, The Lodge (East Hollywood), 3-6pm.

Feminism Now, Shoebox Projects (Downtown), 3–6pm.

Anna Wittenberg: Dog Mod, Bozo Mag (West Adams), 4–8pm.

Talk: The Art of the Movie Poster: A Conversation with Mike Kaplan and Kenneth Turan, LACMA (Miracle Mile), 4pm.

Surfing Countdown, Zebulon (Frogtown), 6pm–12am.

WORKSHOP: Orgasmic Yoga: Dr. Victoria Reuveni, Pieter (Lincoln Heights), 6–10pm. $30–40.

SCREENINGS Part of the series The Black Book: Chocolate Babies, Hammer Museum (Westwood), 7:30pm.

PlumbLine - Jewelry Objects seminar, Long Beach City College Art Gallery (Long Beach), 7–9:30pm.

Monday, February 26

Artists, Icons and Legends: The Portraits of Michael Childers, Palm Springs Art Museum (Palm Springs), 10am–12pm.

THIS, NOT THAT LECTURE: CHARLES WALDHEIM, UCLA (Westwood), 6:30pm.

Tuesday, February 27

Cut! Paper Play in Contemporary Photography and Paper Promises: Early American Photography, Getty Center (Brentwood), 10am–5:30pm. 

Film: Amadeus, LACMA (Miracle Mile), 1pm.

Artists Council 50th Anniversary Celebration, Acqua California Bistro (Rancho Mirage), 4–7pm.

PAUL ESPOSITO, UCLA (Westwood), 5–7pm.

Artist walkthrough: Black, The Loft at Liz’s (Mid-City), 7–9pm.

PEN PRESENTS X ARTISTS BOOKS: ALEXANDRA GRANT & KEANU REEVES with SYLVAN OSWALD, The Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever (Hollywood), doors 7pm; show, 8pm.

How To Have Hard Conversations, Women’s Center for Creative Work (Frogtown), 7–10pm. $16–20.

PlumbLine - Jewelry Objects closing reception, Long Beach City College Art Gallery (Long Beach), 7–8:30pm.

SCREENINGS: Faces Places, Hammer Museum (Westwood), 7:30pm.

Zoe Buckman: Champ, The Standard (Hollywood).

Wednesday, February 28

MAC Meeting, Lecture & Luncheon with guest speaker David Zippel, Palm Springs Art Museum (Palm Springs), 10am–1pm.

FOWLER OUT LOUD: RANDY REYES: LXS DESAPARECIDXS, Fowler Museum (Westwood), 6pm.

Talk: Michael Govan and Richard Prince, LACMA (Miracle Mile), 7pm. Sold out.

Founder's Day Lecture - In Search of Blue Boy's True Colors, The Huntington (San Marino), 7pm.

CONVERSATIONS: Jeffrey Stewart and Carl Hancock Rux, Hammer Museum (Westwood), 7:30pm.

Getting Fed By Your Feed: Curating An Instagram Diet, Women’s Center for Creative Work (Frogtown), 7:30–9:30pm. $1–10.

Reconstructing Grandfather, ICA LA (Downtown), 7:30pm.

Cross-Hatched: Incidents and Echoes: Jasper Johns + John Cage, The Broad (Downtown), 8pm.

[projectrepublic-blog]

Illegal Immigrant Taunts Family With Terryfying Court Room Statement After Raping Woman

While much of the country’s attention was centered on the extraordinary acquittal of Kate Steinle’s killer in San Francisco, another illegal immigrant arrested of horrendous crimes was being held responsible for them farther up the coast in Portland, Oregon.  According to the  New York Post , a Mexican national with a criminal record and series of prior deportations and re-entries named Sergio Jose Martinez was sentenced to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts including assault, burglary, kidnapping, sexual abuse, sodomy, and rape.  He remained incredibly defiant and conferred no remorse while enduring his sentence. During the sentencing hearing, throughout which Martinez was repeatedly spotted smirking and smiling, the brother of one of his victims stated: “Sergio, no sentencing is enough. I rather you rot in hell.”     Couple Indicted for Child Cruelty — Shocking Crimes — ‘Unimaginable Horrors’     Later, as Martinez was being led out of court, he returned the sentiment to the family and replied, “See all you guys in hell.”   Sergio Martinez smiled throughout his change of plea, sentencing hearing as he receives 35 years in prison for two violent attacks in Northeast Portland.      #KOIN6News   #pdx   pic.twitter.com/p1qTCWYOga   — Brent Weisberg (@BrentKOIN)  December 1, 2017        According to  KOIN , the 31-year-old Martinez was being sentenced for the violent assault of two women in two separate incidents on July 24.  In the first incident, Martinez broke into the home of a 65-year-old woman, assaulted her, forcibly raped her and then stole her cell phone, purse and car.  The victim managed to call the police from a neighbor’s home after her assailant fled. Law enforcement was then able to track the stolen phone and find the stolen car.  However, in the meantime, Martinez had launched another attack on another woman, this time in a parking garage. Despite Martinez having a knife, the woman put up a fight and drew attention from passers-by, which prompted Martinez to try and flee, only to be caught by police shortly afterward.     Special Counsel Mueller Investigation Has Cost Almost $7 Million in Less Than 6 Months     Martinez’ arrest record dated back to at least 2003, with more than a dozen arrests, and he reportedly served prison time in both Oregon and California over the years.  Incredibly, Martinez had been taken into custody at some point earlier in the year prior to the assaults, but was released by the Multnomah County Sheriffs Office in spite of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer being placed on Martinez — all due to the  state’s sanctuary law .   KGW  reported that Martinez had been deported by the U.S. government no less than 20 separate times, but had only received at least five probation violations for unauthorized re-entry into the country.  His most recent deportation occurred in November of 2016, and it is unclear when he re-entered the country after that date.  The man’s criminal record included prior convictions for burglary, battery, theft, and obstructing a police officer, and he was known to be a habitual abuser of methamphetamine.  The New York Post noted that the Multnomah County Sheriff seemed to sidestep his role in allowing the crimes in July to occur by virtue of his releasing Martinez, and even seemed to cast blame on the federal government for the illegal alien being in the country in the first place.     Republicans start contempt resolution for top DOJ, FBI officials after missed Monday deadline     “He was released consistent with the orders of the court. No federal or state criminal warrants were present at the time he left our custody,” stated Sheriff Michael Reese, even as he admitted that Martinez “returned to commit additional crimes” after having been previously deported.  “It would help our community to understand how he was held accountable by federal authorities for multiple, illegal re-entries,” Reese added.  Well, sheriff, maybe if you had held onto the guy until ICE came along to pick him up, he might have been held accountable, especially under the current administration, as opposed to the prior collective. Then, two innocent women in your jurisdiction wouldn’t have been assaulted, one of them sexually.     SHOCKING FOOTAGE: Sheriff’s deputy caught on camera shooting ex-girlfriend, then himself     Please share this on Facebook and Twitter so everyone can see the criminal illegal immigrant Portland authorities allowed back onto the streets to commit more crimes, and who will now serve a lengthy sentence behind bars.   What do you think of what this criminal illegal said to the families of his victims?   Scroll down to comment below!   The post  Illegal Immigrant Taunts Family With Terryfying Court Room Statement After Raping Woman  appeared first on  Project Republic | Headlines, News, Politics .

http://www.projectrepublictoday.com/2017/12/06/illegal-immigrant-taunts-family-terryfying-court-room-statement-raping-woman/

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