#free digital art classes for youth

[makeartclasses]

Website : https://www.makeartclasses.net/

Address : Baldivis, Western Australia, Australia

makeART Classes and Workshops was established in July 2014 making our home in the upstairs art space at the Mary Davies Library and Community Centre in Baldivis. Since then, makeART's passion to provide a space for young artists to expand their creativity and encourage grown-ups to find the playful artist subdued within has expanded into a fun, creative family with classes and workshops to suit every age group.

We invite you to scroll through our palette of opportunities, make your booking and lets create amazing art together.

Our Classes​:

At makeART we are constantly working with the community to develop new classes and workshops. We cater for a variety of ages and also offer school holiday workshops. ​

Children & Youth After School Classes:

We believe your child was born an artist and my aim is to replace the iPad with a canvas, a mouse with a paintbrush and the phone with a palette. For an hour each week your young artist will go on a journey of exploration and self discovery through adventures in drawing, painting, collage and 3D art. You get to simply drop off, pick up and start your own gallery.

Art is a deeply personal experience and our role is to introduce your young artist to a variety of art making materials, inspire and teach the practice of mindfully focusing on the process of their creation. Not only on what they are creating but how they are creating it… the feel of different materials, a pencil mark, pastel, the feathery touch of a paint brush, the magnificence of a splash of watercolour.

All classes begin the week after school starts each term and end the week before school finishes.

​* Sip & Paint!

Make new friends by booking one of our Sip & Paint events at our studio or share laughter with old friends at your own venue where we come to you. Either way, Rachael, our very own artist will provide step-by-step guidance and banter to help you unleash your creativity using acrylic paints on canvas with occasional use of mixed media as collage.

Absolutely no experience is needed. Sip & Paint is perfect for newbies. If you can hold a pencil… you’re covered! All materials are provided, and you don’t have to clean up as we do that for you too. At the end of the evening, you’ll have your own fabulous piece of 16” x 20” artwork to hang on your wall.

​* School Holiday Workshops

To keep up to date with our school holiday workshops, please follow our instagram page: @makeart_classes__workshops

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/makeart_classes__workshops/

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[ladychandraofthemoone]

NWR 36:Rebecca the Cheerful Yellow Engine💛🔆🔅🌻🌼☀️

Some doodles and sketches I’ve had laying around in my sketchbooks of a Rebecca redesign based off of folks on Twitter and Deviantart, the first left one is the latest one I’ve finished today.

Bonus: Tiny Becca with mini lore-ish facts djfjjf (formerly known as “Spitfire” and we all know what happened to the irl basis…)

[art]

Creator Spotlight: @textless​​

Hi! My name is Amadee, and I am a librarian who lives in Arizona. I also love taking photos in my spare time.

Check out our interview with Amadee below!

What got you started in photography?

Both of my parents were very interested in photography. I’d always loved looking at their work, and in high school, I got a 35mm camera as a gift, so I could start taking photos myself. Back then (in the actual 80s), HS students in the Minneapolis area could take classes at area colleges for dual credit. I started taking photo classes at the University of Minnesota and had access to a darkroom and nearly unlimited film and processing supplies without realizing just how amazing that was. I took many photos of friends, acquaintances, and strangers, and I loved looking at work by Nan Goldin and Bill Owens. After college, without access to a darkroom, I stopped taking pictures almost entirely.

How has technology changed the way you approach your work?

Bluntly, technology allowed me to start taking photos again. The first digital cameras I tried in the early 2000s were terrible: slow, clunky, and with next to no storage capacity. Even so, they seemed like the first step in an interesting direction. By 2008 or so, I had a point-and-shoot digital camera and rediscovered what I loved about photography… except that I no longer wanted to take pictures of people. Soon I started taking photos of tiny things, especially insects, and my little camera wasn’t up to the task. I got a DSLR with a macro lens in 2010 and haven’t stopped taking photos since.

I know many photographers who are nostalgic for film, whether or not they were around in the analog era. More power to anyone who wants to spend the time and money, but I don’t miss film even a little. For the kind of photography I enjoy, which is almost entirely documentary, the ability to take an unlimited number of photos, and see what did or didn’t work right away, makes all the difference.

You've also written books in the past—what was the most challenging, yet rewarding part of the process?

I was a children’s librarian for many years and just love books. So, when I started writing, I hoped to create books that would connect with kids and spark their imagination. Cortez the Gnome was a book I would have liked to see as a kid, and the art project elements were fun and frustrating. Gentle Hands filled what felt like a gap in my storytimes and gave me a chance to work with a publisher I like very much. Alas, my biggest challenge is that I haven’t had an idea in years! I write occasional blog posts for Free Spirit on topics related to serving youth, but working with kids was the spark for new ideas, and these days my work is mostly admin. I enjoy it more than I would have guessed years ago, but as a wellspring of inspiration, it is not.

How do you create healthy boundaries in balancing your day job and personal aspirations?

Work comes first every time. That might sound like a drag, but I truly like my job and think library service is critically important. In some of the tiny communities we serve, the library is the only gathering place open to everyone, and the only place to access fast internet, enrichment activities for kids, books, movies, and all kinds of other good stuff. I love taking photos, but I would hate to make a job of it.

What is the hardest part of your process?

The process itself is just fun, and I’d stop if it weren’t. I used to stress about editing and posting photos soon after taking them because I wanted to create a sort of nature journal in real-ish time. That wasn’t sustainable, partly because the subjects that interest me are so seasonal. I might take 2,000 photos in August (peak macro season here), but only 100 in February. Now I just try to indicate when photos were taken and know that I’m the only person who particularly cares about that. For years I posted six new photos each day. Now I generally post two and skip days or longer whenever it suits me.

Right now, the biggest challenges are external. First, my vision is less and less sharp. It’s nothing severe, just a function of age, but it makes me think I’d better develop an interest in non-tiny subjects at some point. Second, some small but annoying health problems have kept me from getting out much over the last year. I used to take a hike or long walk at least once or twice a week, and more in peak bug season. Since last September, I’ve taken two longish walks and mostly stuck to the yard. On the plus side, it’s an excellent yard with an ever-growing assortment of interesting plants and insects.

While this is frustrating in some ways, it’s also a distillation of something I have always liked. Even when I was hiking all the time, I enjoyed going back to the same places, again and again, getting to know them in detail and watching the seasons roll through. Staying so close to home this year has been an extreme version of that, and some aspects of that have been very satisfying.

I should also say, for the record, that I am not technical at all. I’m not interested in new gear as long for its own sake, and I don’t like messing with camera settings or anything fiddly. My favorite piece of photo advice ever was “f/8 and be there,” which I took to mean finding a basic setup you like and focusing on the subject at hand. I like finding strange or beautiful things that other people might not notice and trying to make them interesting to a wider audience. (Wider than just me, that is.)

What is something you would love to photograph but haven't had the chance to yet? Why?

This is oddly specific, but I desperately want to find an Arizona Unicorn Mantis (Pseudovates arizonae; check out the photos here). Several have been spotted within two miles of my house, but I have never found one yet. They are otherworldly and just fascinating. Insect goals!

Are there similarities or differences in your workflow when it comes to photography and writing?

Mostly difference in that photography is relaxing, and writing is nearly impossible, at least right now.

Who on Tumblr inspires you and why?

There are several excellent photographers who live in my corner of Arizona, and I love their work because it shows different aspects of a place I care about. Also, their photos are just gorgeous.

@fatchance​ is practically a neighbor and an all-around lovely person. He takes beautiful pictures of birds and desert flora, and unlike me, he takes the time to learn about and share good information about his subjects.

@thelostcanyon​ is another south-eastern AZ photographer I admire, and he is also a very good painter.

@inlandwest​ is actually my partner. We’ve lived all over the west together, and I like that his wide-open-spaces aesthetic is so different from my focus on the little things.

A little farther afield, I love @macroramblings​, and Celeste, of @celestialmacros​, @celestialphotography​, and @occasionallybirds​, for their beautiful macro work.  @mostlythemarsh​ is another long-time favorite. He’s not a macro photographer, for the most part, but I like seeing familiar places through the seasons, and I like the stark difference between his environment (east coast/Canada) and my own.

Thanks for such wonderful answers, Amadee. Check out her beautiful photography work over at her Tumblr, @textless​!

[anacostiadigest]

Project Create - Anacostia, South East, Washington DC

As Historic Anacostia downtown main street business community, and the surrounding residential neighborhood experience growth and changes, the lives of young children and youth are impacted by the work of the Project Create, which has its roots in the early 1990s to provide a safe haven and after school creative art programs for children in the community.

Project Create, now in 2024, has its permanent place to call home in downtown Anacostia, where it provides free art and digital media classes to at-risk children and youth living in the Anacostia neighborhood and beyond. Project Create studio classes offers children and youth a gateway to engage in studio classes in learning to experiment in art expression of mixed-media collage, jewelry making, graphic design, dance, theater improv, and drawing & painting year round.

Back in the 1990’s, living in Anacostia was an extremely challenging time. Neighborhood children and youth needing a safe haven and after school programs to go to, but had no where to go. Filling that void of no place to go, is where Rev. John W. Wimberly, active in the community, and pastoring the Western Presbyterian Church in Washington DC, stepped in. Rev. Wimberly launched his after school program, which evolved into Project Create decade later.

Gaging the creative needs of Anacostia at risk children and youth, many with no outlet for after school programming, he started an after school program to meet the community needs. With a small beginning, that planted the seed of the creation of Project Create as a neighborhood after school program with a focus on the arts and culture in Anacostia, and connecting it to the museum resources in the city. That includes the Smithsonian, plus more.

In 2002, Project Create expanded to serve more children and youth in their after school program with collaborative efforts with So Others Might Eat (SOME), which is a non-profit focused on touching and transforming the lives of children and families who are underserved or homeless. With time, Project Create expanded collaborative efforts with Community of Hope, connecting children, youth, and their families to the city health care services.

By 2003, Project Create officially became a non-profit, and achieved a milestone to buy a building on the main street business corridor 208 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE. That is a monumental achievement given its humble beginnings back in the 1990s.

Today, Project Create is a art and cultural pillar in Anacostia downtown main street revitalization, with a focus on engaging children, youth, and their families to participate in the arts and emerging cultural community in Anacostia, and the opportunities within the city and beyond as participants of the program head for colleges and universities throughout the country. All classes are free, and it is open to children and youth of all ages.

Project Create has also expanded its program to offer digital media classes. It has a studio that is fully equipped with sound and recording equipment, DJ and podcast equipment, video and photo technology, new computers with graphic design capabilities, and 3-D printers. That gives way to so much creative space for underserved and homeless children, youth and their families to find creative spaces to thrive in the Washington DC area.

[institutestrength]

How Much Screen Time is Too Much for Today's Youth?

Institute Strength Copyright 2024

Institutestrength.com

Excessive screen time for children under the age of 12 can have several negative effects on their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Here are some key detriments:

1. Physical Health Issues:

- Vision Problems: Prolonged screen use can cause eye strain, discomfort, and even long-term vision issues such as myopia.

- Sedentary Lifestyle: Excessive screen time often replaces physical activity, leading to a sedentary lifestyle that can contribute to obesity and related health issues like diabetes and cardiovascular problems.

- Sleep Disruption: Exposure to blue light from screens, especially before bedtime, can interfere with the production of melatonin, disrupting sleep patterns and leading to sleep deprivation.

2. Mental Health Concerns:

- Attention Problems: Constant exposure to fast-paced, attention-grabbing digital content can reduce a child's ability to focus and pay attention for extended periods, potentially impacting academic performance.

- Increased Anxiety and Depression: High levels of screen time, particularly with social media use, have been linked to increased rates of anxiety and depression in children.

3. Cognitive Development:

- Delayed Development: Excessive screen time can impede the development of essential skills such as language acquisition, critical thinking, and problem-solving, especially in younger children who benefit more from hands-on, interactive learning.

- Reduced Academic Performance: Overreliance on screens for entertainment rather than educational purposes can negatively affect academic performance and reduce the time spent on homework or reading.

4. Social and Emotional Impacts:

- Social Isolation: Children spending too much time on screens may miss out on crucial face-to-face interactions, which are essential for developing social skills, empathy, and emotional intelligence.

- Behavioral Issues: There is evidence to suggest a link between high screen time and increased behavioral problems, such as aggression and difficulty managing emotions.

5. Addiction and Dependency:

- Screen Addiction: The engaging nature of digital content can lead to addictive behaviors, where children become dependent on screens for stimulation and entertainment, making it difficult for them to engage in other activities.

To mitigate these risks, it's important for parents and caregivers to set clear limits on screen time, encourage regular physical activity, ensure a balanced schedule with time for homework and social interactions, and promote screen-free zones and times, especially before bed.

Engaging children in physical activities can be both fun and beneficial for their health and development. Here are some effective ways to get a child engaged physically:

1. Outdoor Play:

- Sports: Enroll them in team sports like soccer, basketball, baseball, or tennis. These activities not only provide physical exercise but also teach teamwork and discipline.

- Biking: Encourage regular bike rides in the neighborhood or on local trails.

- Hiking: Take them on nature hikes to explore the outdoors and enjoy physical activity.

2. Interactive Games:

- Tag or Hide and Seek: Traditional playground games are a great way to keep children moving and interacting with peers.

- Obstacle Courses: Create a fun obstacle course in the backyard or park, challenging them to run, jump, and climb.

3. Dance and Movement:

- Dance Classes: Sign them up for dance lessons such as ballet, hip-hop, or jazz.

- Dance Parties: Have impromptu dance parties at home with their favorite music.

4. Structured Classes:

- Martial Arts: Enroll them in martial arts classes like karate, taekwondo, or judo, which also teach discipline and self-defense.

- Gymnastics: Gymnastics classes can help improve flexibility, strength, and coordination.

5. Family Activities:

- Walks and Jogging: Go for family walks or jogs in the morning or evening.

- Swimming: Spend time at the pool or beach, swimming and playing water games together.

- Gardening: Involve them in gardening activities, which require physical effort and teach about nature.

6. Creative Play:

- Treasure Hunts: Organize treasure hunts that require them to run around and solve clues.

- Interactive Playgrounds: Visit playgrounds that have various equipment for climbing, swinging, and balancing.

7. Home-Based Activities:

- Fitness Videos: Use kid-friendly fitness videos or apps that make exercise fun and engaging.

- Indoor Games: Set up indoor activities like balloon volleyball, hopscotch, or jumping rope.

8. Involving Friends:

- Playdates: Arrange playdates with physically active friends to encourage social and physical interaction.

- Sports Clubs: Join local youth clubs or leagues where they can participate in organized sports.

9. Setting Goals and Rewards:

- Activity Challenges: Create challenges with rewards for achieving certain physical activity goals, like a family hike or a fun outing.

10. Lead by Example:

- Be Active Together: Show them the importance of physical activity by being active yourself. Children often mimic the behavior of adults.

By incorporating a variety of these activities into their routine, you can help children develop a love for physical activity, ensuring they stay active and healthy.

Consider hiring a personal trainer to help you reach your goals today!

Visit Institutestrength.com for more details & sign up for our Patreon for exclusive SOCIETY member training rates !

[3thurs]

Third Thursday events and exhibitions for March 21

The next Third Thursday — the monthly evening of art in Athens, Georgia — is scheduled for Thursday, March 21, from 6 to 9 p.m. All exhibitions are free and open to the public. This schedule and each venue’s location and hours of operation are available at 3thurs.org.

Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia

Yoga in the Galleries, 6 p.m. — This free yoga class surrounded by works of art in the galleries is led by instructors from Five Points Yoga and open to both beginner and experienced yogis. Sanitized mats are provided. Space is limited and spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis; tickets are available at the front desk starting at 5:15 p.m.

On view:

“Kei Ito: Staring at the Face of the Sun” — Photography that examines the intergenerational trauma of nuclear disaster and the possibilities of healing and reconciliation. 

“Richard Prince: Tell Me Everything” — Featuring artist Richard Prince’s most recent suite of works, based on the joke archives of influential 20th-century American comedian Milton Berle.

“Nancy Baker Cahill: Through Lines” — Baker Cahill’s first solo museum show expands upon her background in traditional media and redefines the possibilities of drawing in contemporary art through augmented reality.

“Decade of Tradition: Highlights from the Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson Collection” — Selections from Larry and Brenda Thompson’s gift of works by African American artists.

“Power and Piety in 17th-Century Spanish Art” — Works by premiere Spanish baroque painters such as Francisco de Zurbarán, Bartolomé Murillo, Pedro Orrente and others, on loan from Bob Jones University Museum & Gallery.

Permanent Collection: A wide range of the museum’s permanent collection is always on view, featuring painting, sculpture, works on paper and decorative arts from the Renaissance to contemporary periods.

The museum’s days of operation are Tuesday – Sunday. Reserve a free ticket and see our policies at https://georgiamuseum.org/visit/.

ATHICA: Athens Institute for Contemporary Art

ATHICA@675 Pulaski St., Suite 1200:

“Confluence 2: CCSD High School Student Pop-Up Exhibition” — High school student artists in the Clarke County School District; part of National Youth Art Month.

ATHICA@CINÉ Gallery:

“New Works by Christina Habibi” — Dynamic acrylic and oil paintings.

Lyndon House Arts Center

ARTWORK: Workshops for Artists and Creatives: Public Art & Art Grant Resources, 5:30 – 7 p.m. — The ARTWORK workshop series is presented in partnership with the Lyndon House Arts Center and Invest Athens (Athens-Clarke County Economic Development) and designed for Athens-based artists and creative professionals. The third workshop in the series will cover Public Art Resources, presented by Tatiana Veneruso. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. for networking; the program will begin at 6 p.m.

On view:

“49th Juried Exhibition” — This year’s juror is Jen Sudul Edwards, chief curator and curator of contemporary art at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina.

“Soft Trap: A New Installation by Katie Ford” — Ford is the first artist to present work as part of a new annual series at the Arts Center using the lobby case as an installation space for a single work of art. Ford is a mixed-media artist and master of fine arts candidate at the University of Georgia. Since 2019 she has co-directed Reciprocal Works, a creative platform facilitating zine exchanges and workshops.

“Tell Me A Story: Works by Jasmine Best” — Best, a current master of fine arts candidate at UGA’s Lamar Dodd School of Art, uses her memories and manipulations of them to create dialogues about the Black female identity. She explores the folk story traditions of the Black South through tangible and traditional mediums such as fabric and yarn combined with digital sewing.

The Athenaeum

Closed for a private event.

The Classic Center

Classic 1: “Spotlight” — Featuring the work of three painters, William Ballard, Jaci Davis and Ella Hopkins. William Ballard is interested in color and its effects on our mood and perception, Jaci Davis' powerful portrait based works address identity and Ella Hopkins paints intriguing landscapes and interior spaces.

Classic 2: “The Fables” — Athens artist Kristin Roberts illustrates Aesop's Fables with detailed works that are both whimsical and dangerous.

tiny ATH gallery

“Lip Series by LeeAnn Peppers” — LeeAnn Peppers is a self-taught interdisciplinary artist and performer living and working in Athens, Georgia. Homebound, with employment dangling by a thread, she cut lips out of magazine ads, then gave them new bodies before turning them into an animated short. 

—

Third Thursday was established in 2012 to encourage attendance at Athens’ established art venues through coordination and co-promotion by the organizing entities. 

Contact: Michael Lachowski, Georgia Museum of Art, mlachow@uga.edu.

[networkscrambled]

Name: MKN (Mikan) Age: 21 Gender/Pronouns: F|She/her Orientation: Homoromantic Homosexual Height: [UNKNOWN] Notable Physical Features: N/A Trigger Warnings: Dark themes, nsfw/nsft, criminal acts, Likes: Street art, her grandmother, the color orange, freedom, individuality, urban culture, fruity snacks, bold personalities Dislikes: The government, The culture around formality, bitter foods, loud people, meek personalities, consumerism

Appearance:

TLDR: MKN is a street artist who has a close relationship with her grandmother and very strong political opinions. While soft-spoken in person she creates a bold and loud presence both on online platforms and through her graffiti. She makes friends easily online, but doesn’t feel strongly about meeting anyone in person.

Background: MKN, or just Mikan, is a young woman who was born to a normal, middle-class family on the outskirts of Shibuya. She grew up wild and free most of her life, listening to stories her grandmother told her of her own wild youth. While a relatively soft-spoken child, Mikan had a large and bold spirit, and even from a young age she was making her spark of creative and progressive thinking be known. Her father was often trying to support her since his own childhood creativity seemed to spark something in his mother, but as she got older and bolder both he and his wife grew more apart from her. Mikan became a loudspeaker for political debate, and while she was never found on any actual soapboxes, she was always looking for new ways to make herself be heard. The answer later came in the form of a spray can her grandmother gave her, and she went out immediately to start testing her abilities with street art. Her love of the art form grew more and more from that point, and as she grew up and into social media, she began spreading her bold ideals to the rest of the world. She’ll paint over anything she feels is uninspired or spreads a bad message. She’s currently enjoying her domination of the Shibuya space, but a part of her fears the day CAT ever comes out of hiatus… Almost as much as she’s excited over that fateful encounter.

Abilities: Mikan is just a regular RG citizen with no particular ability to see the UG or notice anything that is happening among it. She has a strong ability with graffiti and her grandmother is trying (and failing) to teach her some business sense, but she’s not completely ignoring it. She knows how to pay attention to the world around her, and she has a good way of assessing how it runs. She’s not as great with people, but having a digital platform mitigates that lack of ability.

Personality: Despite her loud opinions, Mikan is not a loud person. In person she is quiet and only really speaks to others when necessary. She isn’t necessarily antisocial, but she’s definitely a not one to start up conversations or bring attention to herself. The best way to get her to open up is through social media. She loves her fans and she comes out a lot when she gets to have a conversation online. Sometimes she even gets into arguments, but she’s not going to waste her time if she feels like she’s working with a lost cause. She’s not quick to make friends in person, but does so almost immediately online and can even work herself up to meeting some of her online friends in person. She tends to remain soft-spoken in person, even around those she feels comfortable with.

Relationships: Mikan has a distant but friendly relationship with her parents, but she has a very close and loving relationship with her grandmother. Even though she really doesn’t care very much for her grandmother’s attitude towards her dad’s old designs or her attitude about tourism and business, she can’t help but love and admire her grandmother’s in-your-face attitude and rebellious nature. Even though she would prefer to leave consumerism out of it, Mikan still looks to model herself after her grandmother and hopefully become someone similar in the future. When it comes to friendships, as mentioned before, most of them are online with people she’s never met in person, and that’s where most of her social life happens. She doesn’t mind making friends, but meeting people face-to-face makes her a little nervous. As much as she would like to live in an idyllic world where nothing bad ever happens, she knows she can’t really rely on that right now, and that she must be careful when taking actions like that. When it comes to romance, she hasn’t quite found herself connecting with someone on that level yet, but she doesn’t consider it completely off the table for herself, either. She definitely doesn’t want her romance to be like some boring rom-com, though, so she’s not particularly looking to change her relationship status.

Hobbies: Mikan’s main hobby is to go out and paint graffiti. She’s even made a name for herself using her bold pieces and her aesthetics to draw others in. And while she wouldn’t consider it a big hobby, she also really enjoys planning and pulling off new coords with her all-orange look (especially if she can do so through small business and local artists!). Even though this particular trademark was something that came up by coincidence (she just really liked the color orange), she has since learned to cultivate it into something that makes her day just a little more enjoyable. Her final major hobby is to post online on various social media sites and curate a digital presence. There’s just something about connecting with the world whenever and wherever she likes.

[karatemarketing360]

How To Reach Gen Z With Youth Centered Marketing

All studios offer the same dangling carrot; the free trial and uniform. Not that this is a bad technique, but there are other tips to expand your candidate pool too.

At Karate Marketing 360, we want you to know that we focus on one specialty brand and because Gen Z has different preferences and habits than older generations, some traditional forms of marketing may not be effective. Born between 1995 and 2010,this new student base for your Martial Arts Facility requires that you know how to read, locate and follow their values, interests, and preferences and turn those into strong leads.

Youth Centered Marketing is the key we give to you when you choose us at Karate Marketing 360 to take care of filling those classes for you. Branding your content, we get you deeply rooted in:

● Storytelling techniques to create an emotional connection between the brand and its target audience. ● Engaging on Social Media platforms for maximum exposure at minimal price ● Using creative visuals or videos to help attract attention from the younger generation of digital pulsers and savvy wise tech teens. These, and other marketing treasures are waiting for you. Send us a message or give us a call and step into KSM with new world awareness.

[visualandpublicart]

VPA's 25th Annual Dia de Los Muertos/Day of the Dead Celebration @ CSUMB

The Covid-19 Pandemic, Agricultural Workforce, and Remembrance

Date: Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Time: 5:00-7:00pm· Location: VPA COMPLEX, Build. 70

Annual Sugar Skull  Workshop

Date: Friday, October 21, 2022

Time: 10am-2pm· Location: Building 72, VPA Complex

All events are free & open to the public!

About: Our annual Dia de Los Muertos/ Day of the Dead event includes a processional, large­ scale altar, performing Aztec dancers, traditional Mexican refreshments, club, sorority and fraternity altars, student artwork, and a cross section of students, faculty, staff and local community members. The Day of the Dead Event includes a series of hands-on workshops, interdisciplinary class presentations, support for the development of club altars, and the preparation of materials such as paper banners, flower arches, student temporary digital projects, and community youth projects. These affiliated workshops and events are part of the larger celebration of Dia de Los Muertos/ Day of the Dead, which will occur on Wednesday, November 2, 2022, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Visual & Public Art Complex.

This year's event will include face painting at the Student Center, Aztec dancers, drummers, a processional, musical performances, and a community gathering at the VPA Complex (Building 70 project space and quad). The event will include a collaborative community altar composed of work from students in classes across the CSUMB campus as well as altars made by students in the Day of the Dead class. This event also introduces diverse aspects of our campus community and regional cultures.

For more information, please contact Project Coordinator, Professor Dionicio Mendoza (dimendoza[at]csumb[dot] edu) or VPA Dept. Chair, Angelica Muro (amuro[at]csumb[dot].edu).

[thebestbookrecommendations]

My Year in Books - 2021

Part Three!

The Night Strangers - Chris Bohjalian

In a dusty corner of a basement in a rambling Victorian house in northern New Hampshire, a door has long been sealed shut with 39 six-inch-long carriage bolts. The home's new owners are Chip and Emily Linton and their twin ten-year-old daughters. Together they hope to rebuild their lives there after Chip, an airline pilot, has to ditch his 70-seat regional jet in Lake Champlain after double engine failure. Unlike the Miracle on the Hudson, however, most of the passengers aboard Flight 1611 die on impact or drown. The body count? Thirty-nine – a coincidence not lost on Chip when he discovers the number of bolts in that basement door. Meanwhile, Emily finds herself wondering about the women in this sparsely populated White Mountain village – self-proclaimed herbalists – and their interest in her fifth-grade daughters. Are the women mad? Or is it her husband, in the wake of the tragedy, whose grip on sanity has become desperately tenuous?

Genre(s): Horror, Mystery, Paranormal

Thoughts: I wasn’t a huge fan of this one. It felt like three different books mixed into one. Overall, 2/5.

The House in the Cerulean Sea - T. J. Klune

Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they’re likely to bring about the end of days. But the children aren’t the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn.

Genre(s): Fantasy, LGBTQ, Romance

Thoughts: I thought this book was so sweet! It was like a breath of fresh air and it was so enjoyable to read. Overall, 4.5/5.

New Media in Art - Michael Rush

Following innovative ideas about representation and the free use of materials in cubism, futurism, and surrealism—particularly in the work of Duchamp—artists abandoned strict adherence to traditional hierarchies of media and embraced any means, including technological, which best served their purposes. In the past fifty years especially, ideas about time and duration have reinstated narrative in art, via filmmaking and video, the theatricality of happenings, performance and installation art, digitally manipulated photography, and virtual reality.

Genre(s): Art, Non-Fiction

Thoughts: I read this book for a class and it wasn’t too bad. It provided a solid overview of new media art with a lot of imagery and example. Overall, 2.5/5

Mexican Gothic - Silvia Moreno-Garcia

After receiving a frantic letter from her newly-wed cousin begging for someone to save her from a mysterious doom, Noemí Taboada heads to High Place, a distant house in the Mexican countryside. She’s not sure what she will find—her cousin’s husband, a handsome Englishman, is a stranger, and Noemí knows little about the region. Noemí is also an unlikely rescuer: She’s a glamorous debutante, and her chic gowns and perfect red lipstick are more suited for cocktail parties than amateur sleuthing. But she’s also tough and smart, with an indomitable will, and she is not afraid: Not of her cousin’s new husband, who is both menacing and alluring; not of his father, the ancient patriarch who seems to be fascinated by Noemí; and not even of the house itself, which begins to invade Noemí’s dreams with visions of blood and doom. Her only ally in this inhospitable abode is the family’s youngest son. Shy and gentle, he seems to want to help Noemí, but might also be hiding dark knowledge of his family’s past. For there are many secrets behind the walls of High Place. The family’s once colossal wealth and faded mining empire kept them from prying eyes, but as Noemí digs deeper she unearths stories of violence and madness. And Noemí, mesmerized by the terrifying yet seductive world of High Place, may soon find it impossible to ever leave this enigmatic house behind.

Genre(s): Horror, Mystery, Gothic

Thoughts: I was a little disappointed in this one after how hyped this one was. I thought the whole thing just got a little weird and for me it didn’t really work. Overall, 3.5/5.

Claire DeWitt and the Bohemian Highway - Sara Gran

When Paul Casablancas, Claire DeWitt’s musician ex-boyfriend, is found dead in his Mission District home, the police are convinced it’s a simple robbery. But Claire knows nothing is ever simple. With the help of her new assistant, Claude, Claire follows the clues, finding hints to Paul’s fate in her other cases—especially that of a missing girl in the gritty 1980s East Village and a modern-day miniature horse theft in Marin. As visions of the past reveal the secrets of the present, Claire begins to understand the words of the enigmatic French detective Jacques Silette: “The detective won’t know what he is capable of until he encounters a mystery that pierces his own heart.” And love, in all its forms, is the greatest mystery of all—at least to the world’s greatest PI.

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller, Detective

Thoughts: A great sequel to Claire DeWitt and the City of the Dead. It has it’s own stand alone story and continues on the overarching story from the first one. Overall, 4/5.

The Infinite Blacktop - Sara Gran

Claire DeWitt, the world’s best private detective, wakes up one dark night in an ambulance in Oakland: someone has just tried to murder her. But she’s not dead. Not yet. More sure of herself than of the police, Claire follows the clues on a 52-hour odyssey through shimmering Las Vegas and the shabby surrounding desert to find out who wants her dead. But in order to save herself, Claire will have to revisit her own complicated past as she navigates the present: a past of childhood obsessions, rival detectives, lost friends, and mysteries mostly—but not always—solved. Three intertwining stories illuminate three eras of Claire’s life: her early years as an ambitious girl detective in Brooklyn (before it was gentrified), which ended when her best friend and partner in crime-solving disappeared; a case of an unexplained death in the art world of late-1990s Los Angeles, when, devastated by the demise of her mentor in New Orleans, Claire was forced to start again; and her current quest to save her own life from a determined assassin. As the connections between the stories come into focus, the truth becomes clear. But Claire, battered and bruised, will never quit her search for the answer to the biggest mystery of all: how can anyone survive in a world so clearly designed to break our hearts?

Genre(s): Mystery, Thriller, Detective

Thoughts: This book was bad in the way that it was so good it just made me desperate to read the next part, which as of yet isn’t out. Fantastic story. Overall, 4/5.

The Giver - Lois Lowry

The Giver, the 1994 Newbery Medal winner, has become one of the most influential novels of our time. The haunting story centers on twelve-year-old Jonas, who lives in a seemingly ideal, if colorless, world of conformity and contentment. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver of Memory does he begin to understand the dark, complex secrets behind his fragile community.

Genre(s): Dystopian, Science Fiction

Thoughts: This was one of those classic books that I never got around to reading, but I’m glad I did. Overall, 3.5/5.

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

Largely set in a futuristic World State, inhabited by genetically modified citizens and an intelligence-based social hierarchy, the novel anticipates huge scientific advancements in reproductive technology, sleep-learning, psychological manipulation and classical conditioning that are combined to make a dystopian society which is challenged by only a single individual: the story's protagonist.

Genre(s): Dystopian, Science Fiction

Thoughts: Maybe it was because I read it directly after The Giver, but I couldn’t help but compare those two. I liked The Giver a little more, but there was something a little darker and deeper about this one. Overall, 3/5.

Life of Pi - Yann Martel

Life of Pi is a fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel published in 2001. The protagonist, Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, a Tamil boy from Pondicherry, explores issues of spirituality and practicality from an early age. He survives 227 days after a shipwreck while stranded on a boat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

Genre(s): Fantasy, Adventure, Contemporary

Thoughts: I thought this book was absolutely beautiful. Fantastic read, 4/5.

Anxious People - Fredrik Backman

Viewing an apartment normally doesn’t turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage. As the pressure mounts, the eight strangers begin slowly opening up to one another and reveal long-hidden truths.

Genre(s): Contemporary, Humor, Mystery

Thoughts: This book was really light and fun and a little silly. Overall, 4/5.

[katerina-belkina]

On September 30th we will open the exhibition Photo-Eye: 25 years of the photo school „Samara“ The Samara photography school has always played an important role in the development of youth photography not only in the region, but also in the country. The Palace of Pioneers is a unique environment for communication. Some studied for only a few months, others attended school for years, going from manual development in the laboratory to modern digital photography. Over the 25 years of the existence of the Photo School, the students have become finalists of many competitions, received recognition and serious awards, and their work has taken part in international projects. The photography school is the center of youth photography in the Samara region. Over forty graduates have linked their profession with photography, becoming photojournalists, photographers, journalists and videographers. Pupils of the photography school annually become winners and prize-winners of competitions of the All-Russian and international levels: "@hasselblad masters", “Young Photographers of Russia”, “All-Russian and European Youth Delphic Games”, “Samara Look”, etc. In 2014, the Samara photography school was recognized as the best in Russia. The exhibition will feature an anthology of works by graduates of different years. Many of these works were highly appreciated by the Russian and international jury. The exposition will be of interest to anyone interested in photography and art. Within the framework of the exhibition, free creative evenings and master classes are planned. Participants of the exhibition: Daria Aslanyan Katerina Belkina @thebelki Evgeny Gurov Elena Eleeva Yulia Zotanina Andrey Karpov Marina Keilina Alexey Maishev Mikhail Milberg Andrey Musorin Nikolai Mukhanov Sergey Paliy Maria Polezhaeva Polina Popova Ksenia Simakova Elena Sokolova and other Curator: Kristina Syrchikova Venue: Alabin Museum Uliza Leninskaya 142 443041 Samara Russia #exhibtition #samara #russia #belkina #katerinabelkina #alabinmuseum #photoschool #PhotoEye #25years #bestofrussia (hier: Самара) https://www.instagram.com/p/CUOymgSITPv/?utm_medium=tumblr

[moonctzeny]

the ask game is soo interesting!! how about love talk + slow burn + drawing

(love talk huh 😏)

lucas.

you were an international student, studying in hong kong. on the limited free time when your body didn't consist of 85% coffee, you'd visit a local workshop, where you and a group of drawing hobbyists were weekly given a theme and collectively drew. immediately you noticed lucas, with his big body and beautiful smile, a piece of art himself. you assumed he didn't speak your language (not that you had the courage to approach him), so you just knew his first name that the instructor called him by, and that he looks cute when concentrating, and that his glasses make him hotter than usual. you two had the tiniest of communications in every class, but you were never using any words. one day he'd look you up and down when you wore your favourite skirt, the other you'd brush your hand while walking past him and getting dizzy from his cologne. naughty smiles, a wink here and there, but then he'd always be the first one to barge out the room, leaving you hungry for more. one day, when you were hurrying to your seat after arriving late, you dropped your coffee all over his block, his pencils and coal. you started to profusely apologize, signaling as best as you could that you would pay him back for the utensils you ruined. he just told you to meet him at the rooftop after the workshop's over, in surprisingly fluent english and you nervously took your seat. the today's theme was portraits, yet you couldn't get your meetup with lucas out of your head (and the scolding you'd probably get). and he didn't help your anxiety either, never taking his eyes off you during the entire class. his stare was intense, penetrating, and you thought that you'd ruined every chance of ever sleeping with him in the future. when you meet him on the rooftop, he has a piece of paper rolled in his hands, and hands it over to you when you start to apologize again. it's a drawing of you, with today's hair and jewellery and you put two and two together. "you drew me?" "i needed reference. and who else would i draw but the pretty girl in class?" pretty??? "well, uhmm" you stutter and hand him your drawing as well "it's funny, i drew you". lucas lets out a loud laugh, and you think that's the most youthful you have seen him, but his eyes change a shade immediately after. he hands you a small piece of paper with a series of digits on them and clears his throat, "your drawings may be okay but i think you might need help in your figure studies. call me if you ever want me to model for you"

send me a song stuck in your head, your favourite fanfic trope and one of your hobbies and I’ll tell you which nct member would challenge you on a rooftop fight and why

[armandbacon]

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She talked eagerly of the blue skies, of the high mountains with snow and ice on them which she had seen and passed through, of the waterfalls in the mountains; and then of the lakes sandalias doradas gioseppo and valleys of Italy, of the flowers and trees, of the villagers, of their dress, their dark faces, and black eyes.. If you are a class member and do not opt out, you will automatically become a class member in this lawsuit and will be bound by ghete galbene piele any judgment or other final disposition, whether favorable to the class or not. He had been afraid, though. And again. In June last year, a report by the British Fashion Council said we have been setting menswear trends since 1528. Lord Ramsay laughed. "They installed an electric wheelchair lift which allowed him to safely and quickly board and disembark the aircraft," said Museum Curator Christina Douglass. Which one do you prefer?. 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Distributor: Starz Digital Media.. “You should be.” He yanked at her arm, pulling her along beside him. I just want to do something that will change something.". Gary ran Concepts a residential and commercial cabinet shop. I wanted to fly to you today (I was free for half a minute) to give you a flying kiss, but I didn’t succeed even in that. Just continually tried to drill and make his game better in lots of different ways. Mance Rayder’s host had broken against the Wall like gotcha karkötő a wave upon a stony shore, though the defenders were no more than a handful of old men, green boys, and cripples. sandalias doradas gioseppo You know, you’d better be going home. Such a feeling the law regards as hateful, and visits, in its practical exhibition, with condign punishment, because opposed to the very existence of law and society. So far this year in the Mahoning County area they've investigated one fatal crash, 32 crashes with injuries and 155 causing property damage. 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Although Bombardier has left the GTF engine issues behind, supply chain constraints appear to be, now, a more pressing issue. Among the European influenced cuisine are some Mediterranean inspired appetizers. We had the benefit of the ongoing RCMP investigation and we received some witness statements from the defence. That earned him the worst thrashing he ever had at Winterfell, though it was almost tender compared to the beatings his brothers used to give him back on Pyke. But what is surprising is how much of this is going on. She has courage, I grant that, but if she thinks I am about to suffer another scolding, she could not be more wrong. With the salsa travel, it is important to sit a little lower, as if about to sit in a chair, to really get into this move.

[crowwstudies]

hello!! i’m selena and i’m back after years of not being active on this site. i still go here for inspiration but i reblog lately. rn and i’m in a slump because we have been in quarantine in almost a month and i haven’t left the house in a solid two weeks (so i’m making this post to try to cope). yes, we’re all in quarantine rn and i know y’all are looking for ways to cope/distract yourselves/be productive during this time. also, i’ll do my best to be realistic because i’m also trying to find ways to cope based on experience.

i will emphasize, NO ONE is going to pressure anyone into being productive during the quarantine because we all just want to get by.

“but what if i’m doing well during this quarantine and i just what to let time pass by?”

then this post is for you !!

1. schedule what you can do for the day

maybe we all keep saying we’re bored, we have nothing to do, we feel so unproductive this and that; so i could suggest making a list of what you do during the day to fill up the time slots of your day. this all depends on what time you wake up and what time you go to sleep (my sleep schedule is wack lately lmao i just wanted to share)

once you feel that you still have nothing to do or you still have gaps in your schedule, then you could look for more ideas on what to do or just simply take a nap (because i swear to god naps are the best). maaaaaybe you could try a new hobby and finally commit to it (no pressure, though, after all we’re going through a pandemic)

if you want some printables on a daily schedule, i have some links

universi-tea  moodyprintables

2. declutter your room, organize your desk, make everything prettier !!

okay so quarantine. we’re all stuck in our rooms, our houses, and whatever else you see. so why not make everything more pleasing to the eyes? maybe, through decluttering, you’ll find something that will remind you of something (i hope it isn’t something bad tho) and maybe you have some decors that you haven’t hung up like string lights. but please, before the string lights, consider the electricity bill, especially for families that don’t have a source of income rn.

you could also handcraft your own decorations, and speaking of that, i could transition to my next suggestion, which is...

3. try out crafting

of course, with the materials you have in your reach. you could make origami, perhaps a curtain of paper cranes, a wall of paper flowers, a string of paper decorations? these links below could suggest more

diy paper room decorations diy yarn room decorations easy wall art diy home accents fabric projects

there are more ideas on the internet, and maybe you have other materials you have stored in your house !! you can search up more diy projects based on that and you could put a twist to the ideas you see on the internet

4. have a try at journaling

based from my experience, self-isolation leads us into being stuck with our thoughts. so, journaling is one way to let out those thoughts. there are a lot of ways to journal, whether traditionally or digitally, and there are a lot of ideas on the internet. if you don’t know where to get started, here are a few useful posts out of the shitton of posts you can find on the internet

bullet journaling: a guide by bujowsofie 31 day journal challenge by coffeeandpoem journaling ideas/inspiration by gh0stylt 15 things to collect in your journal by improving-slowly 150 self-discovery and bullet journal prompts by undersoilanddirt masterpost of journal prompts by undersoilanddirt

5. learn a new language

have you ever attempted to learn a new language but was never able to commit to it? now is like... a perfect time since we have possibly months of quarantine so we’re gonna be stuck here doing nothing lol anyways you don’t have to commit either if you don’t absolutely feel like it. it’s really up to you if you want to do this for a long time since this is a way to pass time for the quarantine period. here are useful links and masterposts for people trying to learn a new language

how to learn a language when you don’t know where to start by escapetoluna 2+ months of language learning prompts by amillionlanguages language learning masterpost by languagessi tips for starting a langblr by join-the-dutch-clan

6. pick up a new hobby

there are lots of hobbies you can learn with the help of youtube (or online courses, if you can afford it; and as they say,, hope all..) here is a list of hobbies i could suggest 

drawing/painting photography playing a musical instrument writing handcrafting cooking/baking sewing

7. start working out at home

there are a lot of ways to get fit (since diets and meal plans are a difficult option ngl especially where i live in), and working out does not require equipment. you could perhaps use applications (i personally use Home Workout), or you could do yoga by watching and imitating what instructors do on youtube. you could even try getting flexible during the quarantine period or even study your favorite dances (or even just a little bit of zumba!!)

8. do some advance studying in your academics

yes. i hate mentioning this. but if your online classes aren’t suspended (hello @ my school idk what you’re doing but it’s not effective at all for underprivileged students) then you better check your priorities LMAO. i do wish that whatever situation you are in is conducive for you to be able to learn, but if you’re done with your academics you could do some advance studying so that you can get a headstart once you go back to “normal”.

9. oooooor you could study an online course you are interested in

there are free courses offered by the ivy league rn, here is the link !!

10. and lastly, remember that this pandemic is a time for you to rest and be aware of what’s happening outside. multiple factors led us into this situation and we must make a change for these type of things to not happen again. as the youth, we must be socially aware because it’s our job to help our nation.

[davidshawnsown]

MESSAGE IN HONOR OF THE 76TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE HISTORIC RAISING OF THE NATIONAL FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ATOP THE SUMMIT OF MOUNT SURIBACHI IN IWO JIMA

Ladies and gentlemen, to all the people of the United States of America and Canada, to all our remaining living veterans of the Second World War of 1939-1945 and of all conflicts past and present and their families, to our veterans, active servicemen and women, reservists and families of the entire United States Armed Forces and Canadian Armed Forces, and to all the uniformed military and civil security services of the Allied combatants of this conflict, to all the immediate families, relatives, children and grandchildren of the deceased veterans, fallen service personnel and wounded personnel of our military services and civil uniformed security and civil defense services, to all our workers, farmers and intellectuals, to our youth and personnel serving in youth uniformed and cadet organizations and all our athletes, coaches, judges, sports trainers and sports officials, and to all our sports fans, to all our workers of culture, music, traditional arts and the theatrical arts, radio, television, digital media and social media, cinema, heavy and light industry, agriculture, business, tourism and the press, and to all our people of the free world:

Today, the whole world remembers among others the arrival in 1778 of the great Prussian general Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben to the Continental Army quarters in Valley Forge, the beginning of the historic siege of The Alamo in 1836, and the anniversary of the 1847 Battle of Buena Vista, the 1905 formation of the Rotary Club, the beginning of the February Revolution and the formation of the Federal Communications Commission in 1917, the Miracle on Ice of 1980 and the attempted coup by several officers of the Spanish Civil Guard in the Cortes in 1981.

Today we join in the celebrations of the 51st anniversary since the declaration of the Republic of Guayana in 1970, the one hundredth and third  year  anniversary of the 1918 declaration of independence of the Republic of Estonia and the thirty-seventh year anniversary of the independence of Brunei Darussalam in 1984, as well as the 7th year anniversary of the closing of the Sochi Winter Olympic Games and the victory of the Ukrainian Euromaidan Revolution of 2014.

On this day in 1945 the Red Army and the Polish Armed Forces in the East ended the Nazi occupation of Poznan, the Philippine capital city of Manila was liberated from the Japanese despite its wartime damages and at the cost of so many lives, the Los Banos internment camp in the namesake town in Laguna Province was found and its POWs then liberated by a joint force of Filipino guerillas and American soldiers from the US Army’s 11th Airborne Division, and the RAF Bomber Command destroyed Pforzheim from the air.

Today marks 76 years since Easy Company, 2/506, 3BCT, 101ABN departed from Hagenau in northeastern Alsace, France, after weeks of helping its liberation and reinforcing its defenses against any remaining German resistance. Easy Company’s deployment in this part of France just miles from the Rhine was marked by times of sadness and joys among its men, most notably the return of Market Garden veteran David Webster and the promotion of some of its veteran officers.

And today, ladies and gentlemen, in these changing times in the long history of our planet and of all humankind,  together with the thousands of serving men and women of the United States Marine Corps, we celebrate 76 years since the historic moment that forever has been a part of the heritage of the Marine Corps and the long 245 year history of the United States of America: the diamond jubilee anniversary since the very day that the national flag of the United States of America was raised on the peak of  Mount Suribachi in the Japanese island of Iwo Jima.  What we are celebrating today is now in the clear light of the recent revelations of the United States Marine Corps which was made public on June 23 of 2016 and later on in 2019 thanks to efforts made by historians and history experts and resource persons concerned, ending years of speculation and mystery surrounding the events of this this battle that is, for all generations, part of the history of not just the Corps, but of the entire United States Armed Forces. It is a battle that deserves our profound remembrance and commemoration, and a historic moment that will be always remembered for all our generations.

The six Marine flag raisers of Iwo Jima,  Sergeant Michael Strank, Corporals Harold Keller and Harlon Brock, and Privates First Class Ira Hayes, Franklin R. Sousley and Harold Schultz, all of the 2nd Battalion, 28th Marine Regiment of the 5th Marine Division, all participants of the heroic landing and battle for the liberation of Iwo Jima from the military might of the Empire of Japan, are the very people that represented the hundreds of thousands of Marines of V Amphibious Corps who fought on that island together with their fellow servicemen of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard and the National Guard Bureau. It was these six servicemen who represented the millions of Marines who fought in the Pacific Theater of Operations, as well as serving in Navy and Coast Guards vessels in all theaters of the war. It was they who represented the diversity of peoples from all walks of life and from ethnicities and nationalities who during the long war served as part of the victorious armed forces, resistance organizations and security forces of the Allied Powers. It was they who on this day 76 years ago, chosen by destiny to stand on behalf of millions of Americans, flew the flag of the nation on the summit of Mount Suribachi and became part of the long and cherished memories of a victory that will last forever. It was this flag raising that would be forever be immortalized in the 2005 movie Flags of our Fathers.

These six men, who came from different parts of the United States, were the ones who 76 years past raised our symbol of liberty and independence in the summit of Mount Suribachi, motivated by the foremost wishes of the then Secretary of the Navy, James Forestal, that the Iwo Jima campaign be symbolized by the flying of the national flag not just as symbol of the power and dignity of the Armed Forces and as proof of the American liberation of the island, but also to show the world that the United States Marine Corps has once more performed to the world its primary responsibilty of perfoming amphibious conventional and un-conventional warfare operations for the sake of the defense of the people and government of the United States, its foreign interests and business abroad and in defense of its overseas diaspora and the freedoms and liberties of millions all over the world. The historic flag raising that we remember today is just  part of a long history of faithful service of the branch of the Armed Forces to the nation and people of the United States from its beginnings in 1775 during the Revolutionary War under the authority of the Second Continental Congress to overseas operations today in Iraq and Afghanistan and in support of federal, state and regional authorities in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing vaccination program in the United States and it its military bases abroad. Once more it honors the memory of the heroes and martyrs of one of the greatest military operations in United States history, and the legacy of the heroic valor shown in this island has been forever immortalized in stone in the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, for over six and a half decades.

As we recall the flagraisers of Iwo Jima, we today recall the legacy they left to our country and people on this very day in our history as they threw open the doors of victory and peace that would in just a few months be upon the world with the victory over the Axis Powers, first in Europe and Northern Africa, and then in the Asia-Pacific.

We will never forget that these six Marines, whose contributions to the legacy of the defense and security of our nation were made on this day, were among those who were worthy to ensure the fierce physical and mental training required to be United States Marines and thus made themselves part of the long and distinguished history of this institution. In these changing times of our history, by our acts of remembrance and honor in memory of the events of the long battle for the liberation of Iwo Jima against the forces of the Empire of Japan, we never forget to remember the heroic actons done during the days of this great battle and most especially the six thousand American military servicemen who perished in this tiny island for the sake of the freedoms, dreams and aspirations not just of the people of the United States of America but also of all the millions of people of the free world. These Marines, together with those who served with them in V Amphibious Corps, are once more a reminder to the nation and the world of the patriotic and internationalist duties of the men and women of our armed forces, whether be active or reserve, together with the National Guard and the state defense forces and state naval forces, in the defense of the independence and liberty of millions all over the world and of both American and common international interests, and the responsibility of all Americans to help not just in national defense but in the building of national prosperity, security and safety, preservation of the country’s religions and cultures, safekeeping the enviroment and the sites of national importance, and becoming active in sports and recreation, as well as in spreading the values of our nation and people to millions all over the world.

The legacy left today by these men in scarlet and dark blue, which has become a part of our military historic and patriotic patrimony and heritage as a people and nation, and a eternal memory of the millions who fought and died in the Second World War, reminds us that as one people we owe a lot to the men and women of our Armed Forces and the National  Guard and their veterans in the defense of the ideals of freedom and independence of our country and its continued existence amongst the community of united and independent nations of the world.

Ladies and gentlemen and people of our free world: 

As one united people, in the midst of the worst pandemic in human history, it is with deep respect and gratitude, with humble respect and our deepest thanks not just to those who died but also to those who survived and our remaining veterans of this great battle living among us, as the whole world remembers and celebrates this very moment in our history and most of all in the history of the glorious United States Armed Forces, we, in remembrance of all the fallen and with profound thoughts of all who serve today in the armed forces and in our uniformed security and civil defense services, greet each other and the men and women of the United States Marine Corps as we celebrate together as one nation and one free world the seventy-sixth year anniversary of the historic raising of the national flag of the United States of America by these 6 brave Marines of the 5th Marine Division, risking even to lose their very own lives in the defense of their country and her people. The diamond legacy left by this historic act remains part of our long history and the patrimony of her Armed Forces, and thus is one of the greatest defining actions by the millions who served during those critical times of our history, those who are collectively called as our “greatest generation” of the armed forces, resistance organizations and our civilian security services. Only few remain living among the thousands who survived the battle and helped win one of the greatest operations in the military history of the United States, and today we thank these remaining living veterans of Iwo Jima, who 76 years ago helped bring forth the victory over the Empire of Japan in the Asia-Pacific, for their service to the nation and for their contributions to the victory won in this part of the world. To them, we owe our gratitude and pledge thus to honor the legacy they left behind in our history and to forever remain committed to fight just as they did long ago towards a better world.

May this great moment, which forever belongs in the annals of American military history, be for all generations a moment that will be forever a part of our history and sacred patrimony, and a part in the long 246-year history of the United States Marine Corps and the 74 years of the modern United States Armed Forces, truly a sacred and memorable moment of national pride that will be forever be remembered and never forgotten in our hearts for years and decades to come and in the hearts of all the people of the free world, and most of all of the American people, a memorable moment that will be treasured to our children. For this very immortal battle, one of many Allied victories in the Pacific Theater of Operations and one of the greatest military victories of the United States Armed Forces in this part of the world during the Second World War, shall be remembered as the one very battle that showed the world the bravery, courage and determination of the United States Marine for the defense of the American nation and all the free peoples of the world, and for the preservation of the values of freedom and liberty on which the United States was formed, thanks in part of the courage and gallantry shown by the US Marines in the early years of the nation that it helped to build. Today, as we honor this historic anniversary of such a great moment by these 6 Marines for our country and Corps, we once again recall the sacrifices made by the men and women of our Armed Forces in the victory won in this battle and many other combat operations in the Second World War in Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific, flying the flag that today was raised in triumph in the peak of Mount Suribachi and in all our installations and military bases, in the sacred cause of the defense of the republic and her people and the cause of independence and liberty of the peoples of the free world. Once more, we today reaffirm that no matter what the dangers this world might face, with the strength and determination of the thousands of servicemen and women in the Armed Forces and the National Guard Bureau, and the inspiration of our heroes of the past, we will overcome all trials and disasters, and forge onwards towards the goal of a better tomorrow for our future generations.

In closing, may the eternal memory of these brave 6 Marine flagbearers, who risked their futures and their lives for the sake of our liberty 76 years ago when they raised the very symbol of our freedom, sovereignity and independence, be honored all the more by our efforts by all of us today, the people of this great land together with the free peoples of the world, everyday and by the generations to come – the very eternal memory of them and of all the millions who fought in the Second World War who will never be forgotten and will be honored for all time, in very age, century upon century, for the peace of our world and for the future of humanity!

And may this historic moment live on the hearts of the millions of American people and forever remain a celebration worthy to be honored as forever a part of the history and patrimony not just of the United States Marine Corps and the United States Armed Forces, but also as a great moment in the history of our great independent homeland the United States of America!

ETERNAL GLORY TO THE FALLEN OF THE BATTLE OF MANILA AND THE BOMBING OF PFORZHEIM!

LONG LIVE THE 37TH NATIONAL DAY OF BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, THE 51st ANNIVERSARY OF THE DECLARATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF GUAYANA, AND THE 7th ANNIVERSARY OF THE CLOSING OF THE SOCHI WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES AND THE VICTORY OF THE EUROMAIDAN REVOLUTION!

ETERNAL GLORY TO THE MEMORY OF THE 6 MARINES WHO ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT DAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY EXACTLY 76 YEARS AGO ON THIS VERY DAY IN OUR HISTORY, ATOP THE PEAK OF MOUNT SURIBACHI IN IWO JIMA, RISKING EVEN TO SUFFER DEATH BY ENEMY GUNFIRE, BAYONETS AND GRENADES, RAISED THE VERY SYMBOL OF FREEDOM AND LIBERTY, OUR GLORIOUS NATIONAL FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

ETERNAL GLORY AND MEMORY TO THE HEROES, MARTYRS AND VETERANS OF THE GREAT BATTLE OF IWO JIMA, ONE OF THE GREATEST BATTLES EVER FOUGHT BY THE MEN OF THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS!

ETERNAL GLORY TO THE MEMORY OF ALL THE VETERANS, ALLIED HEROES AND FALLEN OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR IN THE PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS!

LONG LIVE THE GLORIOUS, INVINCIBLE AND LEGENDARY UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS, ALWAYS FAITHFUL TILL THE END FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND OF THE FREE WORLD!

GLORY TO THE VICTORIOUS PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND HER UNIFORMED SERVICES!

AND FINALLY, GLORY TO THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, DEFENDERS OF OUR FREEDOM AND LIBERTY AND GUARANTEE OF A FUTURE WORTHY OF OUR GENERATIONS TO COME!

 May our Almighty God bless our great country, the land of the free and the home of the brave, the first of the free republics of our modern world, our beloved, great and mighty United States of America!

Semper Fidelis! Oorah!

 1800h, February 23, 2021, the 245th year of the United States of America, the 246th year of the United States Army, Navy and Marine Corps, the 127th of the International Olympic Committee, the 125th of the Olympic Games, the 80th since the beginning of the Second World War in the Eastern Front and in the Pacific Theater, the 76th since the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa and the victories in Europe and the Pacific and the 74th of the United States Armed Forces

 Semper Fortis

John Emmanuel Ramos

Makati City, Philippines

Grandson of Philippine Navy veteran PO2 Paterno Cueno, PN (Ret.)

 (Honor by Hans Zimmer) (Platoon Swims) (Rendering Honors)

[coochiequeens]

With permission, Women Are Human reposts for our readers the text of Donovan Cleckley’s speech “An Unspeakable of the Oscar Wilde Sort,” originally posted to Uncommon Ground Media on August 21, 2020. The text remains much the same, aside from small changes to punctuation and brief additions to the note at the end not delivered in the text of the speech itself. Medicalizing gender-nonconforming youth can do irreversible damage to lesbian girls and gay boys being socially and medically transitioned.

On August 8, 2020, I spoke at “Can I Get a Witness?: Voices from the Trenches,” one voice among many speakers, most of whom were women from all walks of life, across races and classes. Our event showcased 30 speakers from six countries (Brazil, Canada, India, Sweden, the U.K., and the U.S.). Here is the text of my speech, slightly edited and with references throughout noted for our readers. This text includes additional material of interest in selections from Emmeline Pankhurst and Oscar Wilde, as well as additional resources that correspond to my remarks. I cheer for the courage of all who hear the call. “Courage calls to courage everywhere, and its voice cannot be denied,” Millicent Fawcett said in 1920. Just the other day, feeling so in the flesh, despite being digital, I discovered, indeed, that she was certainly right: Courage does exactly that.

“And there is nothing left to do But to kiss once again, and part, Nay, there is nothing we should rue, I have my beauty,—you your Art, Nay, do not start, One world was not enough for two Like me and you.” – Oscar Wilde, “Her Voice,” Poems (1881)

“We tried it long enough. We submitted for years patiently to insult and assault. Women had their health injured. Women lost their lives. We should not have minded if that had succeeded, but that did not succeed, and we have made more progress with less hurt to ourselves by breaking glass than ever we made when we allowed them to break our bodies. “– Emmeline Pankhurst, My Own Story (1914)

I am so grateful to be here, gathered among so many brave and brilliant voices, whose work I so admire for seeing the pressing need for free inquiry in a climate of censorship. My own story, as I think, comes to the crossroads with what has become normalized. As lesbian feminists foresaw, decades ago, this ongoing psychological and sociological phenomenon can be described as the erasure of homosexuality through the medicalization of gender-nonconforming youth. Simply put, it is experimentation, in which pain is being farmed for profit. Our existence as homosexual people, as lesbians and gay men, becomes erased through institutionalized acts of medical violence done to our bodies. Gender identity has become an utterly eerie means of effectively undermining sex as a category of significance and, by extension, undermining sexual orientation, which, while harming everyone, especially harms homosexual people. Whether young or old, we have become unspeakable in this queer state of quiet. And so, I come to you today, reflecting here, not because I hold all the answers, as none of us do, but because I ask questions, when thinking critically about life is becoming itself a thoughtcrime. I speak the unspeakable. In the beginning, there was a little boy, seen as queer, who did not act as other boys of his age acted. As for his friends, he played primarily with girls, not boys, loved playing pretend, and, as was clear, was himself non-masculine, despite his sex being male. This description applies not only to my life, but also, as we know, to other members of my sex, who have lived and died. From young to old, males should be able to be non-masculine, to be our own sex as males, without feeling as though we must deny our bodies as ourselves. Male children not acting masculine does not make them necessarily either homosexual or bisexual. They can be heterosexual, because gendered interests, like what somebody wears, is not explicitly indicative of sexual orientation. Yet, based on what we know, boys who are less masculine than peers of their sex, the minority of boys who do socialize primarily with girls, often age into being gay men, like me. Must males act masculine to be male? No. Conservatives and liberals, however, seem to be taking differing paths to compelling an ideal of masculinity as essential for male children to be male.

I remember one of my friends once telling me about his relative, a male child, who was not seen as masculine. Family members felt disgusted at the idea of a feminine male, because non-masculine males are presumed to be homosexual. So, families and male peers, usually, seek to ‘correct’ the male to act masculine to be ‘correctly’ male, which is presumed as natural for members of our sex. Misogyny and homophobia both intersect in the impulse to ‘correct’ little boys for not acting masculine enough, because this ‘correction’ reinforces both male dominance and female subordination as central to the compulsion of lesbian girls and gay boys to ‘straighten’ ourselves against our will.

We live in an environment where gender-nonconforming children of either sex are seen as somehow always already ‘the opposite sex.’ From the recent Netflix reboot of The Baby-Sitters Club, we see the character Bailey, a ‘trans kid,’ observed male at birth, whose femininity appears as evidence of the child truly being female, not male. The doctor and the nurse see Bailey as male, based on the information on the medical chart, showing the sex as male. But, apparently, little boys cannot have long, blond hair and wear glittery butterfly tops, presumed as only what little girls can do. So, genderist authoritarian, moralizing Mary Anne, the babysitter, responds that “if you look at her and not her chart, Bailey is not a boy. And by treating her like one, you are completely ignoring who she is.” Yet, we might wonder what circumstances underlie Bailey’s development. Bailey is played by the well-known ‘trans kid’ Kai Shappley, championed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Reflecting, Kai Shappley’s mother Kimberly Shappley says of her child’s early life:

“I remember even thinking, before Kai was three, that, I think this kid might be gay. And I thought that that could not happen – and that would not happen. We started praying fervently. Prayers turned into googling conversion therapy, and how can we implement these techniques at home to make Kai not be like this. Putting her in time-out for acting like a girl, putting her in time-out for stealing girl toys, spanking her, really spanking her, every time she would say ‘You know I’m a girl.’ No matter what the consequences, she’s persisting in the fact that you should already know she’s a girl.”

About the Shappley case, Feminist Current recently published a piercingly critical piece by Victoria Smith, also known as Glosswitch. And we see Kai’s experience echoed from Jazz Jennings’s experience as another ‘trans kid.’ In I Am Jazz, co-authored by Jessica Herthel in 2014, Jennings tells us:

“I have a girl brain but a boy body. This is called transgender. I was born this way! […] As I got a little older, I hardly ever played with trucks or tools or superheroes. Only princesses and mermaid costumes. My brothers told me this was girl stuff. I kept right on playing. […] Sometimes my parents let me wear my sister’s dresses around the house. But whenever we went out, I had to put on my boy clothes again. This made me mad!”

On Twitter, the CEO of Mermaids, Susie Green, whose child, also a member of my sex, and whom she subjected to ‘gender-reassignment surgery’ in Thailand at 16 years old, has expressed sentiments queerly akin to Shappley’s and Jennings’ parents. Green writes:

“My first child, two years old, and I was starting to think that perhaps my child was gay as they were so different to the other little ‘boys’ as the things they were drawn to were largely seen as for girls.”

Mermaids, as an organization, has propagated puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and cosmetic surgeries as a ‘medical solution’ to gender dysphoria as a ‘medical problem.’ This enterprise has been profitable, at great cost to lesbian girls and gay boys. It could be seen as a gay genocide in the mass medicalization of so many human beings, especially youth, coming from the homosexual community.

“I’m an unspeakable of the Oscar Wilde sort,” Maurice says to the physician Dr Barry in E.M. Forster’s novel Maurice. His mental distress over himself being a gay man leads him to desire a ‘cure’ for his homosexuality, maybe of the medical kind. But, as Maurice discovers, he cannot destroy his sexual orientation exclusively toward members of his same sex, as much as his anguish disturbs him. Forster wrote this work between 1913 and 1914, but it was not published until 1971, dedicated to a happier year. As I read Abigail Shrier’s Irreversible Damage, one passage resonated with me, given my own story in relation to other members of my own sex, especially boys like I once was. Shrier writes:

“We are, by nature, social animals – as Aristotle once observed. We absorb ideas about ourselves from our surroundings more often than we realize and more deeply than we know. If we attend a school or live in a family in which we are made to feel stupid or told we are, some number of us will come to believe it. If a boy is placed in a school in which the other boys tease him for being gay, he may come to internalize their homophobia. He may turn his anger inward, at himself.“

Homophobia has theorized homosexuality as a ‘problem’ that can be ‘solved’ by ‘conversion,’ arguing that one can ‘transition’ from one way of being to another. But, as Shrier herself also writes, sorts of socialization will not “convert” homosexual people. Examples of such ‘conversion’ can include the expected right-wing, religious fundamentalist homophobes trying to ‘re-educate’ us to perform ‘heterosexuality’ in public. But, at present, it also can include the unexpected left-wing homophobic awkward authoritarians telling lesbians and gay men to ‘unlearn’ our ‘genital preferences’ in the name of ‘trans rights.’ Further, homophobia can take the form of medically ‘converting’ gay boys into ‘straight girls,’ doing the same in ‘converting’ lesbian girls into ‘straight boys.’ Given the history of the medicalization of homosexuality, we now see a social movement doing precisely that, silencing and suppressing us until our bodies are destroyed and our names cannot even be spoken. Among heretics, I haggle with you, here, adventuring with you all, as we work toward a gayer life to come. Where misogyny grows, homophobia blossoms. I challenge you to dare and defy authority for the rights of women and girls and, by extension, for the rights of lesbians and gay men. Dare to be bad. Defy even when Big ‘Sister’ says that you’ve gone mad. After all, why not try? Courage only sounds crazy in a dystopian wasteland where freedom has become slavery. Note

In Susie Green’s 2017 TEDTalk, “Transgender: A Mother’s Story,” she talks about her child having been a little boy who “was gravitating towards things that you would see as stereotypically female,” whose “favorite outfits were the tutu and Snow White costume.” Green says:

“And, again, that was fine. But not for Dad. So, Jackie’s dad struggled, and he blamed me. His thoughts were that, because I allowed the Polly Pocket and the My Little Pony, that I was facilitating and encouraging. And I disagreed. And it caused tensions. What I had come to the conclusion with, over the sort of years, until she was about two, was that I had a very sensitive, quite effeminate little boy, who was probably gay. But Jack’s dad did not approve of our child’s effeminate behavior, and it created such tensions that we ended up in couple’s counseling. We went to couple’s counseling, and what they said to us as parents that we had to agree, no matter what it was that we agreed upon, we had to agree. At that point, Tim decided that I must agree with him, apparently, and then all the ‘girl toys’ or ‘girly toys,’ as such, were taken away and put away, and Jack was made aware that this was not appropriate. And, suddenly, a confident, happy little boy became quite quiet, withdrawn, very clingy, and tearful. “ This case of gender-nonconforming behavior in a child of the male sex, a departure from the social expectations of masculinity for males, resembles that of both Jennings and Shappley. We see, then, that Green’s child grew up under similar parental circumstances as those of Shappley’s child, which, likewise, perhaps could resemble Jennings’ parents. What we can recognize, across these narratives, seems to be that the child’s earliest experiences, at just a few years old, was the conditioning that the mind was ‘wrong’ for the body. That is, as an alienation between the mind and the body becomes seen as always already there, the child learns to see himself or herself as having been ‘born this way’: born in the wrong body. For children observed male at birth, parental rejection of them for being non-masculine requires utterly honest unpacking as homophobia. By extension, such homophobia can become internalized by the child, engendering a marked dissociation between the mind and the body. Green’s talk appears described as “the inspirational story of her transgender daughter, who told her when she was four that she should have been born a girl.” Yet, far from “inspirational,” as we see them advertised, stories of ‘trans kids’ have been missing a critical analysis, however troubling it might be, regarding the trauma of misogyny and homophobia on child development. Communicating to a perceivably gender-nonconforming child of either sex that his or her mind is ‘wrong’ and that his or her body must be ‘fixed’ certainly is of true significance to that child’s developing sense of self. We need to think seriously about what it means for a boy to grow up in a household where he is not allowed to play with what he wants unless he can be ‘made,’ by medicine, into a ‘trans girl.’ With these cases in mind, the concept of gender identity, central to this manner of medicalization, does not present freedom from gender as much as a new slavery to it.

“My Voice”

from Poems (1881)

by Oscar Wilde

“Within the restless, hurried, modern world We took our hearts’ full pleasure—You and I, And now the white sails of our ships are furled, And spent the lading of our argosy. Wherefore my cheeks before their time are wan, For very weeping is my gladness fled, Sorrow hath paled my lip’s vermilion And Ruin draws the curtains of my bed. But all this crowded life has been to thee No more than lyre, or lute, or subtle spell Of viols, or the music of the sea That sleeps, a mimic echo, in the shell. “Violence has been done to us, and I who stand before you in this dock have lost a dear sister in the course of this agitation. She died within three days of coming out of prison, a little more than a year ago. These are things which, wherever we are, we do not say very much about. We cannot keep cheery, we cannot keep cheerful, we cannot keep the right kind of spirit, which means success, if we dwell too much upon the hard part of our agitation. But I do say this, gentlemen, that whatever in future you may think of us, you will say this about us, that whatever our enemies may say, we have always put up an honourable fight, and taken no unfair means of defeating our opponents, although they have not always been people who have acted so honourably towards us. “– Emmeline Pankhurst, My Own Story (1914)