boiMAG.com "Festivals"

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CHICAGO FESTIVALS

Beginning Of The Summer Fun Time

MAY 2023

May 12: Manifest Urban Arts Fest

May 12-14: Chicago Mayfest

May 13: Switch on Summer

May 26- 28: Mole de Mayo Festival

May 29: Spring Tequila Tasting Fes

May 27: Memorial Day Parade

May 27-28: Belmont-Sheffield Music Fest

May 27-28: Sueños Festival

May-October: Chicago City Markets

There is an endless list of festivals for anyone who’s here or planning to visit the Windy City. Note: The Windy City name came from "politicians being full of hot air." Which seems to be true.

Whether you’re looking for live music, dancing, or amazing food, there’s a festival in Chicago for you and your loved ones to enjoy.

Lincoln Park Uncorked

Dates: May 12, 2022 | Entrance: $44-58.

Although most festivals in this city take place in the summer, there are some great ones in the spring. This is the perfect spring festival for wine lovers, located in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.

Basically, you get to take a leisurely walk through Armitage Street and Halsted Street, while enjoying sample pours of fine wine, light food, and instore specials in the local shops.

Taste of Chicago

Usually around the 4of July, the changed Dates are: Sept 8-10 | Entrance: free (tickets for food are sold in strips of 14 for $10).

If you’re a foodie, this is definitely the festival for you. Taste of Chicago will take place in later in the season in Grant Park on Randolph St. You’ll get to sample deep dish pizza, Chicago-style hot dogs, cheesecake, and much more.

You can try all the classic Chicago foods, but also international cuisine and novel creations as well. With more than 3 million annual attendees, Taste of Chicago is the largest free outdoor festival dedicated to food in the world.

Don’t want to buy the full portion at your favorite Chicago restaurant? This is a great way to sample and try them all. Dozens of the best Chicago restaurants participate in the Taste of Chicago each year, including food trucks.

Local artists also perform, which makes for a fun backdrop for your smorgasbord.

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Chicago Blues Festival

Dates: June 9 – 12, 2022 | Entrance: free.

Always taking place in early June in Millennium Park, the Chicago Blues Festival is one of the world’s biggest music festivals. It lasts for three days, and people who attend can watch live music performances free of charge. If you want to support this free Chicago festival, buy food and drinks from local vendors.

Over half a million fans every year who come from around the globe for this June event. You’ll hear different kinds of blues here, including Motown, soul, and funk. It includes performances from known artists, such as Etta James and B.B. King, as well as new up-and-comers.

In other events, learn about the history of blues music in this city, dubbed the “Blues Capital of the World,” by pursuing information stations.

Grant Park Music Festival

Dates: June 14-Aug. 19, 2023 | Entrance: free.

Unlike many Chicago festivals, this is a 10-week concert series taking place in Jay Pritzker Pavilion on Randolph St. within Millennium Park. The Grant Park Chorus and Grant Park Symphony Orchestra give performances on select days within

this 10-week period, in addition to guest conductors and performers.

There are also docents that will answer questions and give educational talks during the open rehearsals of the chorus and orchestra that take place before the performances. It’s definitely one of the best things to do in Chicago during the summers!

Chicago Pride Fest

Dates: The weekend before the 2023 Chicago Pride Parade (June 25), the Chicago Pride Fest is 2 days: June 17-18. On Halsted Street around 800 W. Waveland Ave area. $15 Suggested donation at entrance.

The suggested donation for entry helps pays performers and festival workers, and funds community programs.

The festival features live music by headline artists and local favorites, 3 stages, food and drink, 150+ arts/crafts vendors, DJ’s and dancing, drag shows, pet parade, sponsored presence, games, giveaways and lots more.

The annual Chicago Pride Fest® is a legendary street festival, held the weekend before the Chicago Pride Parade (last Sunday in June).

Logan Square Arts Festival

Dates: June 24 – 26, 2023 | Entrance: free.

This annual June event takes place on Milwaukee Avenue in Logan Square Monument Park. It has been going on for 12 years, and it celebrates everything that makes this friendly, eclectic, diverse neighborhood what it is.

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CHICAGO FESTIVALS

Many very talented local merchants and artists give this June festival a lot of unique colors. The festival contains two stages where live music is played by many popular bands. Local food vendors serve popular eats, as well as beer, wine, and spirits.

Since its inception in 2009, this June festival has raised tens of thousands of dollars for nonprofit organizations in the neighborhood.

JUNE 2023

June 2-4: Do Division Street Fest

June 2-4: Lincoln Park Greek Fest

June 3: Chicago Gospel Music Festival

June 3-4: Windy City Hot Dog Fest

June 3-4: Annual 57th Street Art Fair

June 8-11: Chicago Blues Festival

June 9-11: Andersonville Midsommarfest

June 10: Vegandale Fest

June 10-11: Old Town Art Fair

June 10-11: Heat Wave Music Festival

June 10-11: Wells Street Art Fest

June 17-18: Hyde Park Summer Fest

June 14-Aug 19: Grant Park Music Fest

June 16-18: Taste of Randolph St

June 17-18: Chicago Pride Fest

June 17-18: Gold Coast Art Fair

June 22-23: Ravenswood On Tap

June 22-August 21: Millennium Park Summer Music Series

June 24-25: Miche Festival

June 23-24: Chicago Food Truck Festival

June 24-25: Logan Square Arts Festival

June 23-24, 2023: Pride In The Park

June 2023: Célébrez en Rosé

June 2023: Ribfest Chicago

June 2023: Chicago Summerdance

June 2023: Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash

West Fest Chicago

Dates: July 8 – 10, 2022 | Entrance: $10 donation (optional).

West Fest Chicago stands out among other festivals because it is locally planned in West Town, and it is made up almost entirely of local talent and offerings, including local restaurants, live music from local fine artists, and more.

There’s even something from the dog lovers, with Pet Fest on Saturday and Sunday – this includes paw painting, a dog obstacle course, and many pet related demos. Kid Fest is also a part of this event, including many quality activities for families and kids

Windy City SMokeout

Dates: Jul. 13 – 16, 2023 | Entrance: $184.95 for four day passes, $44.95 – 64.95 for one day, free for kids 10 and under.

Love country music, barbecue, and beer? Then this late summer festival is the place for you. Taking place in the United Center, you’ll get to hear live entertainment from your favorite country artists and enjoy delicious barbecue (from the top pitmasters in the world!) and refreshing beer during this four day festival. There’s even a barbecue brunch!

That's enough for now, as you can see, the festivals in Chicago are many throughout the season, so we'll roll out more in the next issue...

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PRIDE JOURNEY

Costal Mississippi

Every now and then I visit a destination I know absolutely nothing about. That happened a few years ago when I visited Oklahoma City and I fell in love with OKC. This time around, that destination was Coastal Mississippi, more specifically Biloxi, Gulfport, and Ocean Springs. In fact, the only thing I knew about the Biloxi was the hotel I stayed at, Beau Rivage. I knew it was owned by MGM Resorts, but that was about it. The rest of the trip was going to be a surprise.

For this particular trip, I wanted to focus on health and wellness and luckily, Beau Rivage’s most recent renovation included two floors full of Stay Well rooms as well as an updated spa. My gulf view room came complete with an aromatherapy machine, ultra high-end linens, a memory foam mattress, and pillows as well as a vitamin-C dispenser hooked up to my shower. I had never seen one of those before, so I had to ask what it was.

After an early check in, I departed for Ocean Springs, a quaint town just east of Beau Rivage. My first stop was a place called Shearwater Pottery. Apparently, it is very well known to everyone but me. After posting pictures on social media, I received numerous comments from friends wanting to visit. Shearwater Pottery was founded in 1928 by Peter Anderson and from

the 1920s through the present day, Shearwater Pottery has produced art pottery, utilitarian ware, figurines, decorative tiles, and other pottery pieces.

I had the opportunity to meet with Margie Ashley, the daughter of Peter Anderson who told me about her family’s legacy in Ocean Springs. At that time, Coastal Mississippi was known for fishing and not so much for the arts, so her family was viewed as outcasts but the community. Margie told me people used to called them the “crazy Andersons.” But they eventually had the last laugh as the family name has become as much of Coastal Mississippi culture as seafood gumbo.

A few minutes up the road from Shearwater Pottery is the Walter Anderson Museum of Art. Walter was the brother of Peter Anderson and equally as talented, creating thousands of works throughout his lifetime. Many of Walter Anderson’s paintings,

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drawings, murals, block prints, sculpture, carvings, and writings are on display at the museum.

The pièce de résistance is the Community Center, which is the site of Walter Anderson’s monumental 3,000 square foot mural, which depicts the historic discovery of the Mississippi Coast and its diverse climates. The city commissioned Walter Anderson in 1950 for a fee of $1.00 and the project took 16 months to complete.

For dinner, head to Vestige, a farmto-table restaurant in Ocean Springs helmed by head chefs Alex Perry and his wife, Kumi Omori who were recently nominated for a James Beard Award. Vestige offers a pre-fixed menu which changes on a regular basis and contains only the freshest local ingredients. And if it’s not local, they fly it in from its land of origin to insure its freshness. We began our meal with sashimi of Hamachi complete with a foie gras emulsion, rose, purple sweet potato and magnolia flower kombucha veil. Yes, that was one dish and just an appetizer, but probably my favorite item on the menu.

After 3 more courses which consisted of a piece of perfectly cooked fish to charcoal grilled wagyu beef, the meal comes to an end with a delectable strawberry Bavarian, with cacao mint genoise, whipped match, grapefruit lemon curd and pecan ginger shortbread. This wasn’t just a meal; it was an experience worthy of a James Beard nomination and definitely the award for Best Chef: South.

You’ll need the rest of the night to recover from a food coma, so head back to Beau Rivage for some much-needed rest or hit the casino if your heart desires.

Head out the next morning to the recently opened Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport, about 15 minutes west of Biloxi. The state-of-the-art facility is home to a variety of sea life and is one of the crown jewels of the area.

I can never see enough animals, so next on the agenda was the Institute of Marine Mammal Studies located at Ocean Adventures Marine Park. Guests can come up close and personal with stingrays, sea lions and dolphins. I had the opportunity to interact with a beautiful male dolphin, getting to rub his belly, give him commands and feed him some delicious fish. For my, I mean his hard work, I got a kiss from one of my favorite animals.

On the way back to the hotel, stop by Coastal Roast Coffee for an afternoon pick me up before dinner. I wasn’t sure what to expect at White Pillars. The bar was set really high at Vestige the night before, but I was in for another treat. We began our meal with a bowl of Oyster & Artichoke soup. I was a bit hesitant to order this at first as I didn’t want to begin my meal with something heavy, but when it arrived, it turned out to be one of the best soups I’ve had in a long time. It was light and fragrant, consisting of Gulf oysters, fennel, and oyster mushrooms in a coconut milk broth. When dining near the coast, why not try the Gulf Seafood Tower, two tiers of fresh oysters, mahi crudo, smoked fish dip and amberjack ceviche.

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Those were just the starters. For my main course, I ordered the Duck Ramen prepared with a confit duck leg, collards, togarashi, duck cracklins, and the traditional soft-boiled egg. In fact, the egg was the only thing traditional about the dish, which was rich and delicious. The duck was cooked to perfection and the broth was fantastic.

The area is home to two LGBTQ bars, Sipp’s in Gulfport, and Just Us Lounge, located within walking distance of Beau Rivage. The crowd at Just Us was a melting pot of the area’s LGBTQ community, extremely diverse and welcoming. One thing to note is that smoking is still legal inside bars, so if that bothers you, there is a large outdoor space available.

I know I said I wanted to focus on health and wellness during this trip, but I seemed to have detoured from my mission somewhere in Ocean Springs. One can’t resist the food in Coastal Mississippi, so screw the diet for one more day and head to The Roasted Bean located in the lobby of Beau Rivage and ask for an order of beignets. These are not listed anywhere in plain site and are the best kept secret of the hotel. I received a tip from the captain of the Biloxi Shrimping Trip, which I went on the morning prior. The powdered sugar pastries where the best I’ve ever had. Light, airy, and simply delicious. They couldn’t have been that many calories, right?

End your stay in Coastal Mississippi with a relaxing CBD massage at the The Spa at Beau Rivage. The 80-minute massage uses CBD body oils as well as a Moor Mud treatment to soothe tired muscles and back pain. Playing with dolphins, eating oysters, and savoring beignets all weekend was quite stressful.

If you are looking for a relaxed seaside vacation, put Coastal Mississippi on your radar. There are many unique experiences that will make your stay truly memorable.

Visit www.coastalmississippi.com for more information about this destination.

Enjoy the Journey!

PRIDE JOURNEY Continued....
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IRENE MICHAELS

Irene always had an eye for new fresh, rising star talent, so DJ Thad X lends his arena-concert sound to get the crowd moving at a fever pitch! Ms. Michaels' house music tour is currently in the works, and you can expect to find her on stage in a city near you soon!

Irene Michaels has been a hot new artist on the dance music scene. She’s a Chicago native who’s an experienced singer, author, model, actress, and ascending recording artist who has truly made a name for herself within in the entertainment industry over the years. Irene’s brand " I On..." includes an anti-aging skincare line, her international best-selling book, and one of the most well known websites around, www.IOnTheScene.com . Never a follower, she began working on house music even before Beyonce and Drake made the long historic sound trendy. Her prior work resulted in two international popular singles "Hush Money" and her brilliant reimagination of Elvis’s iconic song "Devil in Disguise."

Today she reveals her strongest project yet, "I Like Rain." The pre-buzz on the song has hit-song written all over it! Team Irene is composed of all the best in the music industry. With legendary status in house music, DJ, producer and remixer Joe Smooth has been on board since the beginning. World class songwriter Michael A. Levine who has worked with stars such as Lorde, Roberta Flack, who also composed scores for the likes of Hans Zimmer, has dedicated himself to writing songs with her.

Irene Michaels’ label, TRAX Records, is one of the original homes of house music and boasts a storied and long history within the industry. TRAX President Rachael Cain said this, “Irene Michaels has a timeless quality and is absolutely beautiful. She’s 75 years young and shining bright. With her upcoming house music tour in the works, Irene is set to inspire women everywhere and redefine the current image of a dance-pop star.”

Irene said, “I owe a large amount of my House Music approach to Rachael Cain. She came to me one day and said, “Irene, you need to make house music.” She kept after me for a few years, and finally, I said “yes,” and I was delighted I did. Rachael is great to work with, and she knows her stuff. I'm on her trendy label “Trax,” which is world known.”

Eddie Gordon, President of Kings of Spins said this about Irene's music, “Love the sweet vocal, reminiscent of the amazing Jon Anderson from his halcyon days with YES… I believe “I Like The Rain” is going to leave golden pearl drops all around the world, it is such a unique recording.”

So what’s next for Irene? Well it's touring and recording a house music mix of Connie Francis’ hit from the movie of the same title, "Where The Boys Are!"

COVER STORY
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Mental Health and Cancel Culture

Social Ostracization. We used to just call it bullying. Now we have a new version, that, although it may have its positive points (and we will explore them here later!) is called “cancel culture”. It can be devastatingly damaging to mental health, physical health, social health, financial health…. and the list goes on.

It may have started as a means of holding people in power accountable. It may have begun to create social change and make clear that “we are mad as hell and we’re not going to take anymore” (morphed quote from the movie, “Network”). It may have meant to wake people up and make them think about what is happening around them, but now it may have gone too far.

There are no more second chances, folks, no forgiveness and no making a mistake. You screw up, or get this, someone just doesn’t like you, and it’s “Game on!” You’ll get shut down. Whether it is personal or professional, your business or your reputation, this method of dealing with each other can be painful and mentally draining and damaging. It is trauma- producing.

Cancel culture tones are emotionally charged. It brings some of us to the boiling point, polarizing us to a black and white mentality when we

inherently understand that the gray area is the sweet spot. Trying to force change rather than allowing some grace and consideration, is stress producing and whether you are the “canceller” or the “cancellee” the pain and discomfort are real.

Cancel culture is equal opportunity. Race, religion, socioeconomic… all are at risk. Adults and children have all been hurt. Some schools, in fact, have had to develop special rules and procedures around cancel culture infractions. These cancelling behaviors are far reaching and they may now be less about social justice and a whole lot more about just inflicting pain. Inflicting pain because we can, because we feel like it, or because we want to see just how powerful our interests in doing so may be. How many people can we get to be on our side? Cancel culture is a polarizing way of living, for sure, a competition for who can hurt someone the most.

Don’t read this article wrong, social injustices have been greatly impacted by people gathering as one and taking a hard stand for change.

HEALTH & WELLNESS
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1. Weigh the pros and cons before you jump on the cancel culture bandwagon. Think for yourself. What are the real intentions for the “cancelling”?

Those who are marginalized by society have found accountability when what is right has failed. That is not what we are talking about here. We are talking about pushing for change or social isolation in a way that can make it almost impossible not to choose sides. Being a “fence sitter” and being called out for seeing the positives in both sides can also cause you to be “on the outs” and perhaps, to be the next victim.

When cancel culture ignores ideals and principles and simply cancels in order to publicly shame, the culture is not a movement for change it is a bully-fueled power play. Depression, real emotional pain, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress can be the horrible and long term end result.

In addition to the pain, is the idea that there are no opportunities for the perceived wrong-doer to make any changes, to learn or to grow. He/she is just shut out or shut down. Nothing gets better and no one has to have any real social interaction or gain from a good conflict and resolution. We’re missing out on what it means to be human and engage with others; having conflict and using our best skills to work them through. What a shame!

So what do you do? Here are some things that may help you navigate this potentially negative social trend.

2. If there is an objection about a wrong someone has committed, think about whether you know the whole story or not. Is this a person you know and can speak with personally, rather than in public, about this? If this is not someone you know, should you be involved publicly?

3. Be tolerant and accepting of behavior. Everybody screws up and everybody should have a chance to say, “Sorry.” Show some grace.

4. Don’t be anonymous when you have a grievance. Stand up for yourself. Don’t automatically pull other people into your problem. Trust your own skills. You can probably solve it on your own.

5. Consider the fact that joining in on a “cancellation” may be using one incident to describe someone globally. If one mistake that you have made defines you in total, would that be ok with you? Think critically about what “cancelling” may mean to someone.

Cancel culture has impact, no question about it. Whether it is positive and productive or negative and destructive, is up to each one of us. Think about it; really think about it.

If you or someone you know has been bullied and is hurting and needs some mental health support, consider a level of care, confidential assessment at Lake Behavioral Hospital. Call 855 990 1900. They are here to help. By appointment or walk in, we can help you find the level of care that is right for you.

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YOU G OT T HIS, R IGHT?

If you have arrived in spring and are wondering where the time has gone, and how have you gotten here with the incredible amount of stress you are under, you are probably not alone. Maybe a refresher for combatting stress and becoming more resilient is just what you need. Here are some reminders:

YOU KNOW YOUR BODY BEST

Pay attention to the things that tell you your world is not steady. Whether you are feeling fatigued, have digestive issues or a headache, know that these may be stress- related and burn-out may be seeping in. If you are starting to feel this way, maybe take a breather, take a day off, or just sleep in. React and respond to burn-out by taking some time for yourself. If you are feeling really off balance, maybe a mental health check-in would be a good idea. There are lots of places and programs that can help. Reaching out by dialing 988 can offer you someone to talk to confidentially about whatever is on your mind.

YOU KNOW YOUR OWN MENTAL HEALTH HISTORY

If you already have a history of depression, you may already know the signs. Sleeping too much, not sleeping at all, not eating or overeating may be some early onset clues that you are not at your mentally healthiest. Before you start isolating and pulling away from friends and family and pleasurable things begin to slip away, reconnect with a therapist or talk with the one you may be seeing now to let him/ her know that you are feeling unwell. Don’t let depression get ahead of you. Be preventive in your thinking.

YOU KNOW WHAT BRINGS YOU HAPPINESS

Whatever it is that makes you feel happy, try to plug it into your day. De-stress by reading, walking, exercise, or spending time with a friend. Make sure that your joy is not mixed up in things that are overdoing it, like drinking, drugging, overeating, or even binge shopping. The results of these are short term, with a long term not-so-positive impact. Treat yourself well.

YOU KNOW WHEN THINGS ARE PILING UP

A new phrase that is making its way around the mental health world is” task paralysis”. This phrase is such an accurate way of describing what it feels like when things begin to clutter your mind. Although we believe we are multi-taskers, suddenly we find ourselves “frozen” and unable to get even a single thing completed.

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This is fair warning from your brain that you are “full”. You need to slow it down. Take one task at a time and breathe!

YOU KNOW WHEN YOU NEED SOMETHING DIFFERENT

You may start to feel like your work space or home space, although comfortable, just isn’t enough. Get up and out. Research is pointing more and more to the value of spending time outside in the fresh air. It doesn’t even have to involve major travel, just a few minutes in a park or local forest preserve can make a difference. Taking in natural colors and sounds can be rejuvenating. Use the time to enjoy nature. This could be a good time to journal or sketch, too. Many people find great solace in church and this may be how you find that “something different” that can bring you light.

YOU KNOW WHAT YOU MUST HAVE

There are just some things that you stand firm on. They may be beliefs, they may routines, or they may be ways of doing things, but they are foundational to you. If these things are healthy for you mentally and physically, hold tough. Keep on being you.

U SING A FFIRMATIONS AND H ARNESSING P OSITIVE T HINKING

The power of affirmations lies in repeating them to yourself regularly. It’s useful to recite your affirmations several times a day (have them pop up in your notifications!). You should repeat your affirmations as soon as you engage in the negative thought or behavior that you want to overcome.

When stress and burn-out are taking their toll in ways that make you feel depressed, anxious and out-ofcontrol, please find your way to a mental health professional to help you sort things out.

Calling 855-990-1900, can put you in touch with mental health professionals at Lake Behavioral Hospital. A free mental health assessment can help determine what level of care is the best match for what is going on with you in the moment.

Don’t hesitate to call and make an appointment or just walk in, 24/7/365. They can help; it’s what they do!

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enhance marketing, as with this Pepsi Max bus shelter.

V IRTUAL R EALITY AND AUGMENTED R EALITY

The next exceptional technology trend - Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), and Extended Reality (ER). VR immerses the user in an environment while AR enhances their environment. Although this technology trend has primarily been used for gaming thus far, it has also been used for training, as with VirtualShip, a simulation software used to train U.S. Navy, Army and Coast Guard ship captains.

In 2023, we can expect these forms of technologies being further integrated into our lives. Usually working in tandem with some of the other emerging technologies we’ve mentioned in this list, AR and VR have enormous potential in training, entertainment, education, marketing, and even rehabilitation after an injury. Either could be used to train doctors to do surgery, offer museum goers a deeper experience, enhance theme parks, or even

Fun Fact: 14 million AR and VR devices were sold in 2019. The global AR and VR market is expected to grow to $209.2 billion by 2023, only creating more opportunities in the trending technology, and welcoming more professionals ready for this gamechanging field.

While some employers might look for optics as a skill-set, note that getting started in VR doesn’t require a lot of specialized knowledge, basic programming skills and a forward-thinking mind-set can land a job; another reason why this new technology trend should make up to your list of lookouts!

B LOCKCHAIN

Although most people think of blockchain technology in relation to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, blockchain offers security that is useful in many other ways. In the simplest of terms, blockchain can be described as data you can only add to, not take away from, or change. Hence the term “chain” because you’re making a chain of data. Not being able to change the previous blocks is what makes it so secure.

In addition, blockchains are

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TECH TRENDS

consensus-driven, so no one entity can take control of the data. With blockchain, you don’t need a trusted third-party to oversee or validate transactions.

Several industries are involving and implementing blockchain, and as the use of blockchain technology increases, so too does the demand for skilled professionals. From a birds eye view, a blockchain developer specializes in developing and implementing architecture and solutions using blockchain technology. The average yearly salary of a blockchain developer is over $460K.

If you are intrigued by Blockchain and its applications and want to make your career in this trending technology, then this is the right time to start. To get into Blockchain, you need to have hands on experience of programming languages, the fundamentals of OOPS, flat and relational databases, data structures, web app development, and networking, to get that you can enroll in blockchain training course.

Mastering blockchain can help you scale up in a variety of fields and industries:

Risk Analyst

Tech Architect

End Engineer

Another promising new technology trend is IoT. Many “things” are now being built with WiFi connectivity, meaning they can be connected to the Internet—and to each other. Hence, the Internet of Things, or IoT. The Internet of Things is the future, and has already enabled devices, home appliances, cars and much more to be connected to and exchange data over the Internet.

As consumers, we’re already using and benefitting from IoT. We can lock our doors remotely if we forget to when we leave for work and preheat our ovens on our way home from work, all while tracking our fitness on our Fitbits. However, businesses also have much to gain now and in the near future. The IoT can enable better safety, efficiency and decision making for businesses as data is collected and analyzed. It can enable predictive maintenance, speed up medical care, improve customer service, and offer benefits we haven’t even imagined yet.

And we’re only in the beginning stages of this new technology trend: Forecasts suggest that by 2030 around 50 billion of these IoT devices will be in use around the world, creating a massive web of interconnected devices

I NTERNET OF T HINGS (I OT)
Front
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TECH TRENDS AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

spanning everything from smartphones to kitchen appliances. The global spending on the Internet of Things (IoT) is forecast to reach 1.1 trillion U.S. dollars in 2023. New technologies such as 5G is expected to drive market growth in the coming years.

And if you wish to step foot in this trending technology, you will have to learn about Information security, AI and machine learning fundamentals, networking, hardware interfacing, data analytics, automation, understanding of embedded systems, and must have device and design knowledge.

5G

The next technology trend that follows the IoT is 5G. Where 3G and 4G technologies have enabled us to browse the internet, use data driven services, increased bandwidths for streaming on Spotify or YouTube and so much more, 5G services are expected to revolutionize our lives. by enabling services that rely on advanced technologies like AR and VR, alongside cloud based gaming services like Google Stadia, NVidia GeForce Now and much more. It is expected to be used in factories, HD cameras that help improve safety and traffic management, smart grid control and smart retail too.

R ELATED LEARNING: How 5G Technology Will Change the World?

Just about every telecom company like Verizon, Tmobile, Apple, Nokia Corp, QualComm, are now working on creating 5G applications. 5G Network subscriptions will reach 4.4 billion by the end of 2027, making it an emerging technology trend you must watch out for, and also save a spot in.

C YBER S ECURITY

Cyber security might not seem like an emerging technology, given that it has been around for a while, but it is evolving just as other technologies are. That’s in part because threats are constantly new. The malevolent hackers who are trying to illegally access data are not going to give up any time soon, and they will continue to find ways to get through even the toughest security measures. It’s also in part because new technology is being adapted to enhance security. As long as we have hackers, cybersecurity will remain a trending technology because it will constantly evolve to defend against those hackers.

As proof of the strong need for cyber-security professionals, the number of cyber-security jobs is growing three times faster than other tech jobs. According to Gartner, by 2025, 60% of organizations will use cyber-security risk as a primary determinant in conducting third party transactions and business engagements.

You must note that however challenging the field is it also offers lucrative six-figure incomes, and roles can range from:

• Ethical Hacker

• Malware Analys

• Security Engineer

• Chief Security Officer

Offering a promising career path for someone who wants to get into and stick with this evergreen trending technology.

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