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america Reloaded
Iengaged in a brief conversation with my colleagues about how we feel about where we are today as a people in this very unprecedented socio-economic and political climate. Talk about ‘climate change!’ My imagination was piqued, and I began to think about what had been discussed. We compared this moment in time to various movies and the present, and "The Matrix" film series, created by the Wachowskis, stood out among those mentioned. The science fiction saga explores themes of reality, identity, and freedom.
The series consists of four films:
"The Matrix" (1999): Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves), a computer programmer, discovers that the reality he perceives is a simulated world controlled by intelligent machines. He joins a group of rebels led by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and learns he is "the One," destined to free humanity from the Matrix.
"The Matrix Reloaded" (2003): As the rebels prepare to attack the machines' city, Neo (Anderson) seeks to understand his purpose and encounters the Architect, who reveals the cyclical nature of the Matrix and the concept of choice. The film ends with Neo's realization that he has powers outside the Matrix.
"The Matrix Revolutions" (2003): The final battle between humans and machines unfolds. Neo sacrifices himself to defeat Agent Smith, a rogue program, and broker peace between humans and machines. The Matrix is rebooted, offering humans the choice to leave the simulation. Jada Pinkett Smith played the role of Niobe, a skilled pilot and captain of the hovercraft Logos. She is a prominent member of the resistance against the machines and a former lover of Morpheus who leads them in the final battle.
"The Matrix Resurrections" (2021): Set 60 years after the original trilogy, Neo, now living as Thomas Anderson, is drawn back into the conflict when he realizes that the Matrix has been rebooted and he has forgotten his past. He reunites with Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) to challenge the new system and fight for freedom once more.
Known for its groundbreaking special effects and action sequences, the series is also notable for its philosophical themes. I also thought about how the women played significant roles and were on par
with the men, each bringing their unique gifts to the table. It was important that the women were portrayed as smart and intuitive; the dialogue never alluded to male dominance or misogyny. Still, men and women were romantically inclined, family-oriented, and community-grounded.
I identified some interesting parallels between "The Matrix" film series and the current American political climate: Reality vs. Perception: "The Matrix" explores the idea of a simulated reality, prompting questions about what is real and what is manipulated. Similarly, in American politics, there is often debate over “fake news,” misinformation, and the influence of media on public perception.
Control and Resistance: The struggle between humans and machines in "The Matrix" can be seen as a metaphor for the tension between governmental or corporate control and individual freedom. In the political sphere, issues like surveillance, data privacy, and government overreach echo this theme.
Identity and Agency: "The Matrix" delves into self-discovery and empowerment, as characters like Neo realize their true potential and fight for their autonomy. This resonates with contemporary political movements that emphasize individual rights, identity politics, and social justice.
Revolution and Change: The cyclical nature of "The Matrix" and the repeated attempts to break free from it can be likened to the ongoing efforts for political and social change in America. Movements seeking systemic reform and addressing issues like inequality, climate change, and corruption reflect the film’s themes of challenging the status quo.
Technological Influence: The depiction of a world dominated by artificial intelligence in "The Matrix" parallels concerns about the growing role of technology in politics, such as the impact of social media on elections, cybersecurity threats, and the ethical implications of A.I. Further, and the most troubling to me, is the impact of the machines/A.I. on the unique expression of individuality and creativity. We see the influence daily on our minds to be programmed to whatever it is that corporate, government, education, media, and politicians want us to
think, feel, and choose.
Can we honestly say that our thoughts are our own, or have they been embedded into our psyche, intellectually and emotionally? We are not the uniquely expressed individuals we once were as a people. And what about the inability to distinguish the fake from the real— anything from leather to butts, lips, and news?
We choose what to read, listen to, eat, drink, and how to dress based on our unique socio-political orientations. Of course, there have always been cliques with their requirements. It is human nature to belong to something of value to each one of us as part of a group. Whether it’s a tribe, neighborhood, team, sorority, fraternity, political party, church, or school, we embrace their values, mores, ethics, and expected protocols, decorum, and rules that gift us membership.
We have become more "Stepford" like than not—the robotic-type personalities technically created in the image of man as an idea are what we are seemingly moving closer to unless we unplug. We see this now as we embrace a.i., which can write your articles and music without any skin in the game or emotional connection. This means that what distinguishes us as thinking human beings is losing value and respect among humans. Consequently, we see a growing fraction of the super-wealthy who are anxiously awaiting and pushing forward forcefully to become the machines that are the sole owners of you. Your soul is, no longer significant or viable, yet invaluable. They want to own everything—the land, your bodies, your minds, and mine—your creativity while stealing everything from you that makes you a human and an individual. Imagine laying in a deep sleep, thinking, still creating, as it is fed into the Matrix's machine-run replacements for God. That’s where we are from my perspective, and it’s a battle for our lives. These parallels illustrate how the themes of "The Matrix" can serve as a lens through which to examine and critique contemporary political dynamics.
Kai EL’ Zabar Editor-in-Chief
photo credit: Dot Ward
around town
Honoring Healing Illinois project
Contributors Hosted by The Field Foundation of Illinois and public narrative
Earlier this year, Chicago News Weekly participated in the Healing Illinois Project, supported by The Field Foundation and Public Narrative. Our story, ‘When Separate Equals Hungry,’ investigated segregation in the City of Chicago, focusing specifically on the perils of food insecurity and potential solutions. Issue: 9 Vol 2
By Dr. Sanja Rickette Stinson CNW Columnist
Embracing authenticity in a Hyperconnected World
In a world where Instagram feeds are meticulously curated, where Facebook timelines showcase only the highlights of life, and where Twitter encourages brevity and snappy comebacks, the concept of vulnerability can seem almost radical. Yet, beneath the façade of perfection and carefully constructed images lies a universal truth: our vulnerabilities are what make us truly human.
As a woman who has navigated and continues to navigate the complexities of starting and running a nonprofit during a pandemic, built an entrepreneurial platform, and embraced the journey of authorpreneurship, I’ve come to appreciate the transformative power of vulnerability in my personal and professional life. It’s been through moments of openness and authenticity that I’ve forged meaningful connections, discovered new
opportunities, and grown as a leader and individual.
In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the transformative power of vulnerability. Far from being a sign of weakness, embracing vulnerability has become synonymous with authenticity and courage. It’s showing up as our true selves, flaws and all, and daring to be seen for who we really are.
For women, this could entail taking a makeup-free day or sharing candid stories about the challenges they face. But what about men? In a society that often equates masculinity with stoicism and emotional repression, embracing vulnerability can be particularly challenging. Yet, the truth is that men, too, benefit from embracing their vulnerabilities and showing up authentically.
For men, vulnerability might mean being open about their fears and insecurities, seeking support when they need it,
and challenging traditional notions of masculinity that discourage emotional expression. It's about acknowledging that vulnerability is not a sign of weakness but rather a source of strength and resilience.
Brené Brown, a renowned researcher and author, has spent years studying vulnerability, shame, and resilience. In her groundbreaking TED Talk and subsequent books, she argues that vulnerability is not a sign of weakness but rather the birthplace of connection and belonging. When we have the courage to show our true selves, warts and all, we create the opportunity for genuine connections with others. We invite empathy, understanding, and compassion into our lives, forging bonds that transcend the superficial.
What I know is that embracing vulnerability is easier said than done, especially for women like me. From a young age to reaching womanhood, I've often found myself hiding aspects of who I truly am—my flaws, insecurities, and struggles. Society's expectations have been relentless, dictating that women should uphold a facade of perfection at all costs. Whether it's concealing physical imperfections, suppressing emotions, or downplaying our achievements, the pressure to conform to unrealistic standards has been ever-present. Growing up, I internalized these messages, believing that vulnerability was synonymous with weakness, and that showing my true self would leave me exposed and vulnerable to criticism. So, I learned to wear a mask, to present a polished exterior while concealing the messy, imperfect reality beneath the surface.
But as I've journeyed through life, I've come to realize the toll that this constant hiding takes on my well-being and sense of self. It's exhausting to maintain a facade, to constantly suppress parts of who I am in order to fit into society's narrow mold of acceptability. And yet, paradoxically, it's in those moments of vulnerability—the times when I've allowed myself to be seen, flaws and all—that I've experienced the deepest connections, the greatest growth, and the most profound sense of freedom. It's through embracing my vulnerabil-
ities that I've discovered strength in my authenticity, resilience in my imperfections, and beauty in my humanity. So how do we cultivate vulnerability in a world that often rewards perfectionism and stoicism? It starts with:
- Self-Awareness: Begin by acknowledging your own vulnerability and insecurities. Take time to reflect on your thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and identify areas where you may be holding back or putting up walls. This self-awareness lays the foundation for embracing vulnerability and allows you to recognize when you’re feeling guarded or closed off.
- Courageous Action: Take small, intentional steps toward vulnerability. This could involve opening up to a trusted friend or loved one about something you’ve been struggling with, or sharing a personal story or experience on social media. Such courageous acts require stepping outside of your comfort zone, but the rewards can be profound.
- Self-Care: Incorporate self-care practices into your routine while serving others. Prioritize activities that nourish your mind, body, and soul, whether it’s practicing mindfulness, spending quiet time by yourself, or taking a break to rest and recharge. By prioritizing self-care, you ensure that you have the energy and resilience to show up authentically and serve others from a place of abundance rather than depletion.
Ultimately, embracing vulnerability is a deeply personal journey, one that looks different for each of us. But at the core, it’s about having the courage to be seen and to show up as our true selves, imperfections and all. After all, filmmaker Woody Allen says, “Showing up is ninety percent of success.”
Vulnerability is about letting go of the need for approval or validation and embracing the messy, beautiful complexity of being human. In a hyperconnected world that often prizes perfection over authenticity, vulnerability is a radical act of self-love and defiance. And it’s a reminder that our true worth lies not in our ability to mask our flaws but in our willingness to embrace them.
Erin Aubry Kaplan Contributing Writer
The Force Propping Up Trump That We Still Don’t Talk about
The hand-wringing and panic over last week’s presidential debate/debacle continues apace. Democrats have been downright apoplectic at President Joe Biden’s projecting confusion and weakness when the party needed clarity and resolve. Former President Trump, as usual, was loud and assertive — that is, vigorous — which was more than enough to make him the winner. There are legitimate and pending questions about Biden’s ability to serve another four years. But in terms of a leadership crisis, his age and health do not begin to compare to Trump’s moral decrepitude and general unfitness. The idiotic equivalency of this election season — that both men are unfit on a similar scale, though for different reasons — is deeply, dangerously false.
And it distracts from what’s really dragging us down.
Whatever his age-related problems, Biden is not alone in the confoundment he showed on stage at the debate. Face to face with Trump, the president’s fatigue and bewilderment mirrors what so many of us feel in response to an intensifying moral MAGA mudslide that is overwhelming, not just politically but emotionally.
As usual, Democrats relied on numbers and recitations of policy successes to parry Trump. The Biden administration’s achievements are indeed important. Truth and re-
ality do matter. Except to roughly half the country, which has settled willingly into white nationalism, which runs not on facts but on emotion, specifically resentment and entitlement. It represents the very antithesis of a multiracial democracy that Biden’s policy successes support. You can talk about the importance of low-cost insulin or student debt forgiveness until you’re blue in the face — or until you’re stumbling over your words or losing your train of thought — but that doesn’t budge white nationalists at all.
Here’s the hard truth of the last eight years: America leans at least as much toward white nationalism as it does toward democracy (and that’s being optimistic). Nobody says it out loud, on either side, which is obscuring the real shape of Showdown 2024.
The GOP cult is clearly racist and anti-equality but claims not to be, despite rapidly mounting evidence to the contrary. Trump brags about how much Black folk love him, how much he’s done for civil rights. These are absurd claims, but they stand because the party needs to keep up the pretense of “all men are created equal” fairness, however threadbare. Fairness, civil rights and democracy are still America’s brand, as everybody knows (to quote Trump).
Meanwhile, Biden can’t call out white nationalism because he’s afraid of tarnishing the positive U.S. brand, which glorifies the “heartland” and “hardworking people” and
“ordinary Americans” — code terms for “white.”
The president is in a bind: He must be the publicist in chief, saying we’re all good and well-intentioned people, but the MAGA phenomenon proves him wrong in the most obvious way. He’s tried to walk a line by criticizing MAGA extremists, but if those extremists number in the tens of millions and have seized one of the major political parties, what they espouse is not extremism, it is mainstream-ism.
The problem of having to name this problem without really naming it literally makes Biden tongue-tied, which is not a good thing for a man who has dealt with a stutter his whole life. The entire Democratic Party and its white fellow travelers further to the left have stifled themselves on this matter too, subconsciously or because they think talking too directly about white nationalist rot would be self-defeating politics. As disgusted as Biden and others may be by MAGA, they do not, will not call out white people about toxic whiteness. And so the rot spreads unchecked.
The combination of denial and paralysis about race is why watching the debate and its aftermath has been so maddening. The non-MAGA audience seethes at Trump’s usual lava flow of lies, insults and self-aggrandizing bluster. No one — not Biden, not any other Democrat younger and in better
health — moves to shut it down at its root. Faced with the primal id that is at the heart of white nationalism and the pathological narcissism of Trump, the response has to be emphatically and repeatedly, “No.” To Trump and everything he stands for, and to the people he represents.
Biden and the Democrats need to be the rolling thunder that claps back at the whirlwind storm of lies and bigotry that’s been coming at us so hard, in so many ways, that we’ve lost sight of the weather we’re in. We’ve fallen into thinking we can manage the deluge, or negotiate with it. But our only hope of dissipating it is to describe it accurately. There is a silver lining. The storm is bearing down only because diversity is on the rise. Diversity is who and what America is. For most of us, this is an uncontroversial fact, the fulfillment of the founders’ promise of a truly democratic nation. But for Trump and his aggrieved nation within a nation, that ascending promise is a frontal attack that must be fought for however long is necessary, with whatever means is necessary.
It’s past time for the majority of us invested in the promise to employ whatever means is necessary, too. The crisis Biden revealed to the world last week is not about age. It’s about courage.
The author regularly submits to L.A. Times’ Opinion section.
National/World News
Donnell Suggs Editor,
The Atlanta Voice
RNC 2024: parties, protests & proclamations in Milwaukee
The Republican National Convention ended with speeches from former United States President Donald J. Trump and his choice for vice president, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, but it began with a lot of speeches, press conferences, parties, and protests. The Atlanta Voice was in Milwaukee for coverage of the quad-annual convention. At the end of the four days, Trump is the Republican party’s unanimous choice to represent the GOP in the upcoming presidential election on November 5. The Democratic National Convention where United States President Joseph R. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are expected to be nominated as their party’s choices to continue representing as POTUS and VP, is scheduled to take place in Chicago from August 19-22. The Atlanta Voice will be there to cover that convention as well.
On Wednesday night the theme of the conference was “Make America Safe Again.” Along with Vance and his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance, who introduced her husband that night, there were several speakers with military service backgrounds who spoke of the border being less secured under the current administration and “making America safe again.”
“Choose a new path for our children and grandchildren,” said Vance, a father of three, during his first speech as the vice president nominee. “My message to you, my fellow Republicans, is that we love this country and we are united to win.”
He went on to talk about his background, first as a poor child and next as a young United States Marine. A graduate of Ohio State University and Yale Law School, Vance stuck with the script and talked up Trump and talked down Biden and Harris.
“Tonight we celebrate that he is our once and future President of the United States of America,” Vance said of Trump to much applause.
The final theme of the convention was “Make America Great Once Again.” Here’s to seeing what that looks like as both the Biden-Harris administration and Trump/ Vance ticket ramp up their respective campaigns.
Protest and Proclamations
While former United States President Donald J. Trump was receiving an overwhelming nod from the Republican National Committee during the official roll call of the states and his vice president selection, Republican Senator J.D. Vance (Ohio) earned a unanimous nomination from the party hundreds of protesters
filled Red Arrow Park in downtown Milwaukee on Monday, July 15.
Located just two miles from Fiserv Forum where the Republican National Convention began the first day of a four-day quadrennial celebration of Republican politics and ideals, the protest was hosted by the Coalition to March on the RNC. Over 100 organizations signed up to attend and speak during the rally, according to Coalition leaders.
Chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “From Palestine to Mexico, all the walls have got to go” rang out during the anti-Trump, anti-establishment rally. The organizations plan to gather again during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago in August, according to a number of organization spokesmen.
The spokesperson for the Milwaukee Democratic Socialists of America, Dominick Williams, took a moment to address Trump’s comments about Milwaukee being an “awful city” by saying, “He called this a horrible city, but many of our ancestors called this the good land. We believe in the power of people.”
Alongside Williams and the Democratic Socialists of America were speakers from the New Orleans Students for Democratic Society, the Youth Democratic Socialists of America, the Homegrown Organizing Committee, the Denver Anti-War Action, American Party of Labor, which was one of several pro-union organizations in Milwaukee on Monday, the Milwaukee League of Anarchists, Detroit Anti-War Committee, a student-led organization at Wayne State University, the Freedom Socialists Party, and the Green Party of Greater Milwaukee.
There were also pro-Trump and anti-Black Lives Matter supporters at the park during the rally. One man that wasn’t a part of either group, but was pro-Trump was Albany, Georgia resident Billy Pollard, who was selling Trump bumper stickers for a dollar across the street from the park. Pollard, 62, drove to Milwaukee from Georgia to support the former president. He said he voted for Trump twice and was planning to do so again in November.“Donald Trump brings me here because he’s a great man that keeps his word,” said Pollard who wore one of his Trump bumper stickers on the front of his navy blue t-shirt. when asked why he was in Milwaukee on Monday. “Promises made, promises kept. He gets things done and he gets them done fast.”
‘America is not a racist country’
After Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene took the stage on night one of
the Republican National Convention the next three speakers were all Black men. Current Lt. Governor of North Carolina Mark Robinson, Texas Congressman Wesley Hunt, and Congressman John James of Michigan’s 10th District all spoke about their personal stories, the importance of voting this November, and why former United States President Donald J. Trump is the best choice for president. Robinson, the first Black Lt. governor in the history of North Carolina, led things off by telling a story about growing up poor as the ninth of 10 children in North Carolina.
“There is hope and I’m living proof,” said Robinson, who is running for a gubernatorial campaign for his state’s seat this fall. Robinson went on to say the country’s economics were better during the first Trump administration and that Republican voters have to help put him back in office this November.
“Under President Trump the American dream was alive and well,” he said. “This November let's select the Braveheart of our time, Donald J. Trump.”Robinson was followed by Texas Congressman Wesley Hunt, who was one of the politicians who attended the barbershop small business forum in Atlanta last month. Hunt, a veteran of the United States military, who said he was a great, great-grandson of a slave, said 65% of Americans are living “paycheck to paycheck” and that was because of Biden and Harris. “On November 5, we the people can fix the Democratic disaster,” Hunt said of the current economy under the Biden-Harris administration. “We can fix this disaster by electing Donald John Trump and sending him back to where he belongs in the White House.”
“We must win in November to take our country back,” Hunt said.
Congressman John James of Michigan, also a veteran, followed Hunt onto the stage and shared the story of how his father grew up in Starkville, Mississippi and couldn’t even dream of attending Mississippi State University because of Jim Crow. Despite that injustice and racism, James said he was raised by his parents that America was not a racist country.
United States Senator Tim Scott followed a bit later and upon taking the stage asked the crowd, “Are you ready for four more years of Donald Trump?”
Scott began by talking about the attempted assassination attempt of Trump on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. He told the crowd that if they didn’t believe in miracles before Saturday they better believe now.
“We are not setting the course for the next four years, we are setting the course for the next 40 years,” Scott said. “We are the Republican Party of Frederick Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, and Donald Trump.” Byron Donalds, Congressman out of Florida, took the stage to massive applause. He was there to close the Black portion of the evening’s speakers. Wearing a red tie and navy blue suit, Donalds stayed on brand and spoke mostly about the value of education.
“Donald Trump believes every parent deserves a choice and every child deserves a chance,” Donalds said. “If there was ever a time in our nation to come together, that time is now. With Trump, our economy will boom again. Together we will make America great again.”
Scott said he always gets in trouble for saying this but he was going to say it again
anyway: “America is not a racist country,” said Scott. If you take the speaker lineup on night one of the Republican National Convention as proof, at least we can all agree that the Republican Party is doing a better job of proving that it is not.
The New Mavericks
Whether it is a plan or an ironic coincidence, the movement to put Black Republicans out front this week continued on Tuesday afternoon at a boutique hotel in the Walkers Point section of the city. “The New Mavericks’ ‘are how Black Republican leadership around the country are being described, at least this week during the party’s largest event of the year. The Black Republican Mayors Association and the Georgia Republican Party hosted the event which featured talking points from the organization’s Chairman Aurora, Illinois Mayor Richard Irvin, Republican National Convention (RNC) Georgia delegates Bruce LeVell, Rufus Montgomery, South Carolina Senator Tim Scott, and Congressmen Byron Donalds (FL), Wesley Hunt (TX), John James, (MI) and Burgess Owens (UT). Each of whom took turns making sure to say that Trump is the right man to lead the country out of its current financial and spiritual malaise.
“To bring our country back from Marxism and socialism,” Burgess said. “We will be the communities that bring our country back from the abyss.” Day two of the Republican National Convention, which takes place at Fiserv Forum, starts in the early evening, which gives delegates, surrogates and supporters of the Republican Party and its nominees for president and vice president, former United States President Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance a chance to gather for events. The Black Republican Mayors Association event felt very much like a carryover from last night’s speeches at the RNC from Black politicians, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, Hunt, Donalds, James, and Scott,
who said during his speech last night that “America is not a racist country.”
This was the first time the Black Republican Mayors Association and Georgia Republican Party worked together to put on an event like this, according to many of the men who took to the outdoor stage at the hotel.
“Our movement cannot be stopped,” said Scott. “The needs of the people will be met.”
“You represent a dream of mine,” Burgess said of seeing so many Black Republican leaders in one space on one accord.
Irvin, the mayor of a town of just under 182,000, according to data provided by Data USA, said the politicians were there to talk about the future of our country. “I am a Republican mayor in a blue city in a blue state getting things done,” said Irvin. Montgomery, who opened the conversation by welcoming everyone to the event, was more up-front about why this event was planned and ultimately took place. He said Irvin wanted to “get some Black folks together at the RNC,” he joked.
The old saying goes, “Many a true word is said in jest” and even though Montgomery was joking there was truth in what he said.
Georgia Republican Party Chairman Joshua McKoons, one two white men that was on stage that afternoon, said it was too bad it took so long for the two organizations to come together like this. “The best time to start is now, right here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.”
Cynthia D. Blake, the assistant to Chairman for African American engagement for the Summit County Republican Party in Akron, Ohio believes more events like this need to take place in order to change how Black voters feel about the GOP. “I’m here today to support what the mayors do across the country because I understand what they do is important,” Blake explained. “I want to get the Republican Party to understand that it has to do more to support the inner cities.” Dressed in red and white, Milwaukee County Republican Party 2nd Vice Chair Cindy Weaver said she too was here to represent a different ideal of the Republican Party. “I’m here to encourage and promote individuals that work to expand the Republican Party,” she said. There was no sighting of GOP superstar surrogate Amber Rose on Tuesday afternoon.
Night 2: Senate or Bust
The United States Senate was on the mind of the Republican National Committee on night two of the Republican National Convention Tuesday night. Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate and current senatorial candidate Kari Lake joined a host of other Republican senatorial candidates in denouncing the job the Biden-Harris administration has done the past three and a half years. Lake and the others were looking to reinforce the need for Republican voters to help the GOP get a majority in the Senate, something that can go a long way to reaching goals like Project 2025, for example.
“Americans are much more united than you may believe,” said Lake during her speech, which also included pot shots at the “fake news” media. “You guys up there in the fake news have worn out your welcome,” she said.
The speeches that were supposed to unify Americans of both parties, at least on this night, included takedowns from senatorial candidates galore. Wisconsin’s Eric Horde, who is running against Senator Tammy Baldwin, who has held her seat for over a decade, said, “Where Biden and Baldwin have failed, President Trump and I will succeed.”
Bernie Moreno of Ohio followed Horde on stage and commenced to denounce illegal immigrants despite his parents getting him and his siblings to the United States from their native Colombia when they were children. “Many years ago my parents brought me and my siblings to this country legally,” Moreno said with an emphasis on the word “legally.”
He spent the bulk of his five minutes on stage blaming the Biden-Harris administration for illegal immigrants entering this country. Moreno is running against Senator Sherrod Brown, a very popular and longtime member of the Senate. “A vote for Trump/Moreno is a vote to put America first,” Moreno said before leaving the stage and making way for Mike Rogers and David McCormick. Rogers, is a senatorial candidate in Michigan and McCormick, whose wife Dina Powell was the Deputy National Security Advisor during the Trump administration, is running against longtime Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey. The same talking points would be repeated by Republican senatorial candidates Jim Banks (Indiana), Sam Brown (Nevada), Tim Sheehy (Montana) and Hung Cao (Virginia).
After making a pronoun joke, Sheehy, who is running against Jon Tester, said, “Jon Tester is the deciding vote for Biden’s America last agenda.”
Cao, a retired U.S. Navy veteran of 25 years, moved to the U.S. with his parents as a child and referred to the United States of America as having “saved my life.” His military experience is something he wears on his sleeve and is often mentioned during his public speaking appearances. “We will vote for love of God, love of family, and love for the greatest country on Earth,” he said. “I’m not done fighting for us.”
Former presidential candidate Nikki Haley, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, Florida Senator Rick Scott, and Lara Trump, the Republican National Committee, also spoke on Tuesday night.
Day 3: Project 2025 is at top of mind of Biden- Harris administration
The Biden-Harris campaign held a press conference at an office building in downtown Milwaukee on Wednesday morning. The presser focussed on a number of hot political topics, including Project 2025. Biden-Harris Principal Deputy Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks, Minnesota Gov-
ernor Tim Walz, Texas Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (D-16) spoke to the media about what took place on day two of the Republican National Convention a night before, immigration, reproductive rights, and Project 2025. “The Republicans yesterday and the day before have lied constantly to the American people,” Fulks said. “They’ve lied about positions on reproductive freedom, they have doubled down on harmful positions about everything. They’ve lied about crime statistics, they’ve lied about the economy, today we are going to hear them lie about foreign policy.”
Fulks said the campaign has plans to focus on all of those topics and others through November. United States Vice President Kamala Harris was in Kalamazoo, Michigan Tuesday afternoon. United States President Joseph R. Biden was in Las Vegas at the annual NAACP Convention.
“The Republicans are lying to the American people about virtually every single issue that impacts their lives,” Fulks said. Fulks added that the campaign’s need to make sure voters understand what Project 2025 aims to change if put into place under a second Trump administration. He said, “it is extremely important for us. Our whole thing has been that this election has a choice, and that there are two very different visions for this country.”
Alongside Fulks and the politicians on stage was Amanda Zurawski, a Texas woman that experienced a near-death abortion due to a complicated pregnancy. Zurawski shared her story of having to wait to have an abortion after her and her husband were alerted by their doctor that the baby girl, Zurawski’s name her Willow, had passed away in utero.
“I want to speak to the women of America, we are sounding the alarm,” Escobar said. “There is much at risk for all of us. There is only one body that can change our outdated immigration laws and that’s Congress.”
A similar press conference focussing on Project 2025 took place in Atlanta on Thursday afternoon. Longtime Georgia Representative Hank Johnson, Georgia State Senator Sonya Halpern, and Georgia State Representative Derrick Jackson were on hand to talk to the media.
Asked if this was a coordinated effort by the Biden-Harris campaign, Fulks said that Trump is going to use Project 2025 to gut checks and balances, get rid of the Department of Education, and implement a nationwide abortion ban. “So we are going to continue to talk about [it] every single day,” Fulks said.
Cynthia D. Blake, the assistant to the Chairman for African American engagement for the Summit County Republican Party in Akron, Ohio. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice
,the shoe dropped Sunday, and if America thought it was in a tailspin, it’s on a very fast merry-go-round now. With the polarization of parties at the forefront and President Joe Biden dropping out of the race, it just got real. After all the talk, all the posturing, back-and-forth bantering, pleas from Democratic politicians, insiders, pundits, and the last group of deep-pocket donors’ very public outcry for Biden to give up his bid for the 2024 Presidential race, the strong and decisive President decided to end the inner-party fight and endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris to replace him as the party’s nominee. I have compiled a look at what Harris, now the frontrunner to be the Democratic presidential nominee, has accomplished for your review.
As Vice President:
1. COVID-19 Response: Played a role in the Biden administration’s efforts to increase vaccination rates and manage the pandemic.
2. Infrastructure Bill: Advocated for and supported the passage of a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill aimed at improving transportation, broadband, and utilities.
3. Foreign Policy: Engaged in diplomatic missions, particularly focusing on Central America to address the root causes of migration.
4. Voting Rights: Championed voting rights and worked to counteract restrictive voting laws across the country.
5. Space Policy: Led the National Space Council, working on policies related to space exploration and national security. Perhaps the most challenging critique from Republicans that Harris must respond is her role as the designated leader on border issues, often referred to as the “border czar.” She focused on addressing the root causes of migration from Central America rather than directly managing the day-to-day operations at the U.S.-Mexico border.
... a look at what Harris, now the frontrunner to be the Democratic presidential nominee, has accomplished for your review.
Here are the key actions and initiatives she undertook in this role:
1. Diplomatic Engagement
- Bilateral and Multilateral Meetings: Harris held meetings with leaders from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador to discuss migration issues and foster cooperation.
- Strategic Partnerships: She worked to strengthen partnerships with these countries to address the economic, social, and security conditions driving migration.
2. Addressing Root Causes
- Economic Assistance: Harris announced and supported efforts to provide economic aid to Central America, aiming to improve conditions that compel people to migrate. This included investments in agriculture, infrastructure, and job creation.
- Anti-Corruption Measures: She emphasized the need to tackle corruption and improve governance in the region, supporting initiatives to strengthen legal and judicial systems.
- Public-Private Partnerships: Engaged with private sector leaders to encourage investment in Central America, focusing on creating economic opportunities and
reducing poverty.
3. Humanitarian Efforts
- Humanitarian Aid: Increased humanitarian assistance to address immediate needs such as food insecurity, healthcare, and disaster relief in the Northern Triangle countries (Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador).
- Support for NGOs: Worked with non-governmental organizations to provide direct aid and services to vulnerable populations in the region.
4. Communication and Messaging
- Public Statements: Harris communicated the administration’s approach to the migration crisis, emphasizing a longterm strategy focused on stability and prosperity in Central America.
- Encouraging Legal Pathways: Promoted the use of legal pathways for migration and sought to dissuade individuals from making the dangerous journey to the U.S. border.
5. Coordination with U.S. Agencies
- Interagency Collaboration: Coordinated efforts between various U.S. government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID),
to ensure a cohesive approach.
6. Tackling Human Smuggling and Trafficking
- Law Enforcement Cooperation: Strengthened cooperation with Central American governments to combat human smuggling and trafficking networks.
- Information Campaigns: Launched information campaigns to inform potential migrants about the dangers of illegal migration and the risks posed by smugglers.
Challenges and Criticisms
- Complexity of the Issue: The root causes of migration are deeply entrenched and complex, making it difficult to achieve quick results.
- Border Crisis Perception: Harris faced criticism from some quarters for not visiting the U.S.-Mexico border early in her tenure and for perceived inaction on the immediate border crisis.
- Political Opposition: Her efforts were often met with political resistance, making it challenging to implement comprehensive solutions.
Harris’s approach as “Border Czar” focused on a holistic and long-term strat-
egy to address the underlying causes of migration, emphasizing economic development, governance, and humanitarian aid in Central America.
As U.S. Senator for California (2017-2021):
1. Legislation: Co-sponsored significant legislation, including the Justice in Policing Act and the DREAM Act.
2. Judiciary Committee: Known for her rigorous questioning during Supreme Court nomination hearings and investigations.
3. Advocacy: Vocal on issues such as criminal justice reform, women’s rights, and immigration.
4. Bipartisan Work: Worked on bipartisan bills, including measures to address election security and counter-terrorism.
As Attorney General of California (2011-2017):
1. Mortgage Settlement: Secured a $25 billion settlement for California homeowners affected by the foreclosure crisis.
2. Privacy and Data Breach: Fought for stronger data breach laws and consumer privacy protections.
3. Human Trafficking: Launched initiatives to combat human trafficking and prosecute offenders.
4. Environmental Protection: Took legal action against companies violating environmental laws.
As San Francisco District Attorney (2004-2011):
1. Conviction Review: Created a program to review wrongful convictions.
2. Truancy Initiative: Launched a program to reduce truancy among elementary school children, linking it to crime prevention.
3. Hate Crimes: Established a Hate Crimes Unit focused on prosecuting hate crimes.
Weaknesses:
1. Perceived Shifts in Policy: Critics argue she has shifted her positions on key issues, such as criminal justice reform, which has led to perceptions of inconsistency.
2. Criminal Justice Record: As a prosecutor, she has been criticized for her tough-on-crime policies, which some argue disproportionately affected minority communities.
3. Public Perception: At times, she has faced criticism for her public speaking style and perceived lack of clear communication on some issues.
4. Political Navigation: Balancing her roles and broader political ambitions has occasionally led to scrutiny and mixed public reception.
Hurdles Kamala Harris Might Face in a Presidential Race Against Donald Trump:
1. Public Perception and Image
- Consistency and Clarity: Harris needs to address criticisms regarding her perceived shifts in policy positions and improve her communication strategy to present clear and consistent messages.
- Approval Ratings: Historically, vice presidents have varied in their approval ratings. Harris will need to bolster her popularity and counteract any negative perceptions.
2. Criminal Justice Record
- Criticism of Past Policies: Her record as a prosecutor has been both a strength and a vulnerability. She will need to effectively address and defend her past policies, particularly those criticized for disproportionately affecting minority communities.
3. Political Experience and Acumen
- Executive Experience: While she has significant legislative and prosecutorial experience, some voters might question her executive experience compared to others, including Trump, who has already served as President.
4. Campaign Strategy
- Clear Policy Agenda: Developing a strong, clear, and appealing policy agenda that resonates with a broad base of voters is crucial. Harris will need to effectively communicate how her policies differ from Trump’s and how they will benefit Americans.
- Debate Performance: Strong performance in debates and public forums will be essential to counter Trump’s often aggressive and confrontational style.
5. Voter Turnout
- Engaging the Base: Mobilizing the Democratic base, including younger voters, minorities, and progressives, is critical. Harris will need to energize these groups and ensure high voter turnout.
- Appealing to Swing Voters: She will need to win over swing voters, particularly in key battleground states. Crafting messages that appeal to moderate and independent voters will be crucial.
6. Media and Social Media Influence
- Media Scrutiny: Navigating media scrutiny effectively and countering misinformation or negative portrayals will be an ongoing challenge.
- Social Media Presence: Utilizing social media to her advantage, countering negative narratives, and engaging with voters directly will be important.
7. Economic Issues
- Addressing Economic Concerns: Voters’ perceptions of the economy will play a significant role. Harris will need to present compelling economic policies that address issues like inflation, job creation, and income inequality.
8. Foreign Policy
- Global Leadership: Presenting a strong vision for America’s role in the world, and contrasting it with Trump’s foreign policy record, will be important to appeal to voters concerned with international affairs and national security.
9. Handling Criticisms and Attacks
- Defensive Strategies: Being prepared to handle and respond to personal attacks, misinformation, and critiques from Trump and his supporters effectively will be crucial.
Ultimately, Harris’s career reflects a combination of significant achievements and ongoing challenges, with both accomplishments and areas where public opinion is divided. She will need a well-rounded, strategic campaign that addresses her vulnerabilities, highlights her strengths, and effectively communicates her vision to a diverse electorate.
Donald Trump’s Response to the Democratic Presidential Hopeful
CNW Staff Report
To no one’s surprise, former President Donald Trump reacted to President Biden’s announcement of his decision to bow out of the 2024 Presidential race on the defensive.
Late Sunday the disturbed former President blasted a spiteful reaction to President Joe Biden’s historic decision calling Biden the “worst president” in United States history. Interestingly, those on the other side have voiced the opposite.
Going into the Republican Convention Trump called for national unity in the aftermath of an assassination attempt he experienced. However, he quickly discarded that message by the time he accepted the GOP presidential nomination on Thursday at the Republican National Convention. He spent the introduction of his acceptance speech, telling a long version of his horrific experience at near death. What followed was a continued run-on rambling speech that ran more than 90 minutes, filled with insults and bile which clearly pointed out that he had not moved the needle towards unity.
His reaction to Truth Social post about Biden’s withdrawal was no different.
Trump wrote on his social media platform, “Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President and is certainly not fit to serve — And never was!” We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Trump told NBC News in a brief phone interview on Sunday that if he’s elected in November, he will “fix what he [Biden] has done.”
“Joe Biden is the worst president in the history of the United States by far,” the former president told NBC News.
“He should never have been there in the first place,” Trump continued, “He should have stayed in his basement.”
Reactions to the president’s Big Decision
It didn’t even take an hour after President Joe Biden announced his decision to exit the Presidential race before former president and GOP nominee Donald Trump made it very clear his contempt remains constant.
He made it public on his social media platform, Truth Social “Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President and is certainly not fit to serve – And never was!”
“He only attained the position of President by lies, Fake News, and not leaving his Basement. All those around him, including his Doctor and the Media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t,” Trump continued.
The Republicans echo chamber sounded Trump’s opinion, while Democrats praised the 81-year-old Biden’s decision reflecting the two Americas.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schum-
er, D-N.Y., voiced his respect, “Joe Biden has not only been a great president and a great legislative leader, but he is a truly amazing human being. His decision of course was not easy, but he once again put his country, his party, and our future first. Joe, today shows you are a true patriot and great American.”
One of the first to voice her recommendation publicly for Biden to step down, Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D- CA called Biden “a patriotic American who has always put our country first. With love and gratitude to President Biden for always believing in the promise of America and giving people the opportunity to reach their fulfillment. “God blessed America with Joe Biden’s greatness and goodness.”
Here’s how replacing Biden will work
Opposite of Pelosi is Current House
Speaker Mike Johnson R-LA who said Biden’s withdrawal speaks ill of the president and his party. Having invalidated the votes of more than 14 million Americans who selected Joe Biden to be the Democrat nominee for president, the self-proclaimed ‘party of democracy’ has proven exactly the opposite,” Johnson wrote.
“If Joe Biden is not fit to run for President, he is not fit to serve as President. He must resign the office immediately. November 5 cannot arrive soon enough,” Johnson added.
To no one’s surprise Republicans quickly went into attacked mode aimed at Harris.
Trump’s former press secretary, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, wrote on her X account that Biden is “not fit to run for president, not fit to serve as president. Biden should resign immediately.”
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott suggested Biden’s move to step down was a premeditated ploy in place prior to his disastrous debate performance.
Kamala Harris on the big issues
“It looks more and more like that very early debate was a set up to force Biden to step aside,” Abbott said on X. “Today’s
announcement may not have happened without that disastrous debate.”
Republican vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, took aim at the woman he now won’t face in a possible debate.
Vance repeated the former president’s sentiment, “Joe Biden has been the worst President in my lifetime and Kamala Harris has been right there with him every step of the way. She owns all of these failures, and she lied for nearly four years about Biden’s mental capacity — saddling the nation with a president who can’t do the job. President Trump and I are ready to save America, whoever’s at the top of the Democrat ticket. Bring it on,” he said. He also referred to the Vice President as the DEI Candidate reverberating the ”New York Post” published a column that declared that Harris would be a “D.E.I. president,” and quickly the phrase ricocheted across the conservative media ecosystem.
Not to be left out the recent would be
President Florida Gov. Ron De Santis is joined the GOP offensive aimed at Harris.
“Kamala Harris was complicit in a massive coverup to hide and deny the fact that Joe Biden was not capable of discharging the duties of the office. She also was the border czar during the worst border crisis in American history. Democrats are just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic,” DeSantis said.
Chair Jaime Harrison promised a “transparent and orderly” process to choose the party’s next nominee and explained that Kamala Harris is the front runner at this point meeting the delegate number required.
Donald Trump, Jr., the former president’s eldest son said, “Harris owns” Biden’s left wing policy record. . . .The only difference is that she is even more liberal and less competent than Joe, which is really saying something. She was put in charge of the border, and we saw the worst invasion of illegals in our history!!!” he wrote.
Democrats praise Biden, line up behind Harris
Two governors who may get some consideration to join Harris on the ticket issued statements praising Biden.
“President Joe Biden has dedicated his life in service to this nation, and its citizens are all the better for it. His is a storied political career culminating in one of the most accomplished and effective presidencies of our lifetime,” wrote Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
Harris praises Biden, honored by his endorsement
“President Biden has cemented his place among our nation’s finest Presidents. I thank him from the bottom of my heart for his service to our great nation,” wrote North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.
Rep. Wiley Nickel, D-N.C., has yet to endorse Harris but spoke highly of her work advocating for women’s rights. Nickel said he would support Cooper as Harris’ running mate, arguing that Cooper would be Trump and Vance’s “worst nightmare.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom praised Biden’s efforts as president.
“President Biden has been an extraordinary, history-making president — a leader who has fought hard for working people and delivered astonishing results for all Americans. He will go down in history as one of the most impactful and selfless presidents. Thank you, @JoeBiden,” he wrote.
Ron Klain, the former White House chief of staff who led the effort to prepare Biden for his debate with Trump, had a more mixed tone in his statement: “Now that the donors and elected have pushed out the only candidate who has ever beaten Trump, it’s time to end the political fantasy games and unite behind the only veteran of a national campaign — our outstanding VP Kamala Harris!! Let’s get real and win in November!
Naomi Biden, the eldest daughter of Joe Biden’s son Hunter, showered her grandfather with compliments on his record in the White House and on his entire political career.
“Not only has he been—and will continue to be—the most effective president of our lifetime, but he has likely already cemented himself as the most effective and impactful public servant in our nation’s history,” Naomi Biden said.
Kamala Harris campaign raises $49.6M in first day
Invoke 25th Amendment: Rep. Mace
Following Biden’s decision to drop out of the race, Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., announced she would file a congressional resolution calling on Harris to invoke the 25th Amendment.
“If the reason Biden is dropping out of the election is that his mental equity and cognitive abilities are on the decline, then who is going to be running the country for the next six months?” Mace told News Nation’s Leland Vittert. Mace argued that if Biden isn’t fit for reelection, the president isn’t fit to finish out his current term as the leader of the country.
fact-based unbiased coverage.
The A.I. The answer.is... CNW
As we venture forward into the “Brave New World” described in a novel by Aldous Huxley, first published in 1932, we encounter an astonishing vision of the future—a world utterly transformed. Through the most efficient scientific and psychological engineering, people are genetically designed to be passive and, therefore, consistently useful to the ruling class.
This powerful work of speculative fiction sheds a blazing critical light on the present and is considered to be Huxley’s most enduring masterpiece. Following “Brave New World” is the nonfiction work “Brave New World Revisited,” first published in 1958. It is a fascinating work in which Huxley uses his tremendous knowledge of human relations to compare the modern-day world with the prophetic fantasy envisioned in “Brave New World,” including threats to humanity, such as overpopulation, propaganda, and chemical warfare. As much as
we tend to adapt to change or transformation generation after generation, somehow the obvious often slips through the cracks, or we like and accept them.
Who doesn’t like the convenience of modern technology? So, we’re more likely to ignore the negative impact that it has on us, our being, our community, and our country. In the same way, we have given in to the failed education of those that follow the Baby Boomers, who were the last generation to receive a solid liberal arts education that prepared and equipped them to emerge as thinking, articulate, curious, and informed citizens.
Today’s youth barely receive more than an abbreviated academic education meant to pass tests and get them enrolled into college. The ultimate goal or intentional outcome of education is to arm a population with informed intelligence that will contribute to the continued growth, development, and advancement of the United States.
The United States is in a unique place in time, and whatever comes to pass, we must
Staff Report
choose a side to land on. The question is, will we land on the good, the bad, or the ugly side of our Constitution? Many are perplexed and bewildered by the conundrum we find ourselves in as a nation and are giving themselves over faith or beliefs. Faith and belief are related concepts, but they are not identical. Here’s how they are similar and dissimilar:
Similarities:
1. Subjectivity: Both faith and belief are subjective experiences and states of mind.
2. Conviction: Both involve a degree of conviction or confidence in something.
3. Influence on Behavior: Both can significantly influence a person’s thoughts, emotions, and actions.
Differences:
1. Basis:
Faith: Often associated with a deep, often spiritual conviction that does not necessarily rely on empirical evidence. It is more about trust and confidence, particularly in religious or existential contexts.
Belief: Generally refers to accepting some-
thing as true or real, often based on some form of evidence or reasoning. Beliefs can be about everyday facts or principles and do not necessarily carry a spiritual connotation.
2. Scope:
Faith: Typically broader and more encompassing, often related to entire systems of thought or worldviews (e.g., faith in a religion, in humanity, in a higher power).
Belief: Can be more specific and narrower, pertaining to particular propositions or statements (e.g., belief that the Earth is round, belief in the efficacy of a medicine).
3. Evidence and Reasoning:
Faith: Less dependent on empirical evidence; can exist even in the absence of supporting evidence or in the presence of contradictory evidence.
Belief: Usually formed based on evidence, observations, or logical deductions. Beliefs can change when new evidence is presented.
Fact and Truth:
Fact: An objective reality that can be verified through empirical evidence and observation. Facts are universally acknowledged and independent of personal feelings or opinions (e.g., water boils at 100°C at sea level).
Truth: The quality or state of being true. Truth can be more subjective and complex, encompassing facts but also beliefs and faith. Philosophical, moral, and existential truths may not always be empirically verifiable but can hold significant meaning for individuals or cultures.
Interaction:
Belief and Fact: Beliefs can be based on facts. For example, someone might believe in climate change because of scientific data.
Faith and Fact: Faith does not necessarily require factual evidence. For example, religious faith often persists regardless of empirical evidence.
Truth and Faith/Belief: Truth can be seen as a combination of factual accuracy and personal conviction. What one person holds as truth may be deeply intertwined with their faith or belief system, even if it lacks empirical support.
In summary, faith and belief are distinct but related concepts, each playing a role in how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Facts provide the empirical foundation, while truth encompasses both the objective and subjective dimensions of understanding.
Clover
Lee Contributing Writer
Renauld White, Handsome Model Who Broke Barriers, Dies at 80
“Glamorous
moments are few and far between. The glamour comes in certain moments in this profession, and you know it because they’re like gems, as when the right light is hitting a diamond. That’s when the glamour comes. The rest is not silence, but, simply, work.”
The First
Long before Tyson Beckford graced Ralph Lauren’s runways as the chosen Black model, Renauld White had appeared on the cover of GQ magazine as the first Black American model. He was a vision of male beauty and strikingly resembled the doll Ken for nearly half a century.
It is noted that White was widely considered to be the first Black American male supermodel and who, for nearly half a century, was an image of American style. He walked the runways for Bill Blass, Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Jeffrey Banks, and Donna Karan, and died on June 26 in Manhattan. The tall and tan, young and handsome debonair White was 80 when he passed away of natural causes.
Square jaw, chiseled face, nice masculine nose, bronzed caramel chocolate complexion— White stood tall at a lean 6-foot-2 but muscular build. He was the 1970s' ideal male model who was highly sought-after and photographed for editorial and commercial work by noted fashion industry photographers like Charles Tracy, Herb Ritts, Horst P. Horst, and Bruce Weber. He was a shining example of Black pride in an era when Blackness reigned. He wore a fabulously groomed cropped Afro crown and a thick mus-
tache which framed his disarming smile. It was the November 1979 issue of GQ that distinguished him as the first Black American model to appear on the cover, preceded in 1977 by the Swiss-Black born model Urs Althaus.
White was the face of several brands like Arrow shirts and Black Tie cologne, and a pitchman for Miller Lite and Delta Air Lines. A cut above the rest, he was the first Black model to sell a hair product mostly marketed to white men: Vitalis Hair Tonic. Now isn’t that something? White was a guest on the Phil Donahue TV show in 1978 to discuss the myth of the “cute but dumb” reputation that accrued to those in his profession. He was as ubiquitous and desirable “as Naomi Campbell would be later,” according to Banks, the designer.
White's Appeal
In the late '70s, White began designing under his own name. Banks, who had worked at Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, made sure that White modeled every collection he produced. Reflecting with a twinkle in his eye, Banks said, “He carried the clothes, he looked beautiful. He was the quintessential American man.”
He also recalled suggesting in the early 1980s that White shave off his mustache for a Bruce Weber campaign for Banks’s clothes, and White balked. “I looked at him as the Black Cary Grant, and I wanted him to stand out from all the other Black models—not that there were a lot of them,” Banks said. “He resisted and resisted, but of course, in the end, he did it, and got tons more work as a result," he continued.
Billboards, magazine covers, and ads plastered his face everywhere, attracting the attention of many, including Aretha Franklin. She first noticed him in a television commercial for Black Tie cologne in the mid-1980s. Consequently, she contacted him, and for the next decade, he was a favored escort and became a good friend. One of the more memorable occasions they shared was when White accompanied Franklin to Washington to receive her Kennedy Center Honor in 1994.
White was a disciplined man, fastidious in his dress and his diet, gentlemanly and gracious in all settings. It is noted that he was never heard using profanity or saying anything vulgar. He felt he was a standard-bearer for his race. As one of the first Black male models who broke through, like most members of the Black race during that time, he felt he had to uphold a certain set of values.
The Beginning and The Finale
He is quoted as describing modeling as “silent acting.” You can catch him on YouTube breaking it down to Sharon Quinn in 2018 on her “Model Behavior” program.
“There’s not much demanded from men when we get in front of the camera,” he said. “We don’t have to make great shapes. We have to be pillars of coolness, to stand there and be suave and debonair," he added. "You have to have something working in your mind so it comes out through your eyes.”
himself, “You’re a Black man, it’s 1968, your city has been burned down”—Newark had been ravaged by racial unrest the summer before—“there are race riots in the South, but you’re in the North, and you can do something about it.”
White was born on Feb. 1, 1944, in Newark, the second of four sons to Robert White and Maybelline (Scott) White, who was a hat model.
Once his parents divorced, he worked odd jobs and headed to Manhattan on the weekends, dancing at the Palladium on West 53rd Street where he met the Black designer Stephen Burrows, who encouraged White to pursue modeling.
Rejected by the Ford agency because, an agent told him, he was too tall and had a scar on his nose from a childhood baseball game, he was then sent to Wilhelmina, where, he shared, something came over him.
He recalled that feeling of his life before him. What was he to do? He thought to
Enthusiastic about taking charge of his life, White walked in and announced to the Wilhelmina receptionist that he was an official from the N.A.A.C.P. and demanded to see the number of Black models being represented by the agency.
“If I’m not satisfied,” he recalled saying, “I will have picketers outside tomorrow!” Instead, he got a modeling contract. White mentored many and opened doors for more in the modeling industry. He also appeared onstage and on television, including several episodes of the soap opera “Guiding Light.” He never stopped modeling.
Foote Notes
By Kai EL’ Zabar Editor-in-Chief
“I was here before I came, and when I die, I am not leaving”
Bernice Johnson Reagon Passes Away At Age 81
My introduction to Sweet Honey in the Rock was through my undergraduate "big sister," who took me to Chicago’s North Side to hear the most phenomenal a cappella music group I have ever heard. Who knew that once I moved to Los Angeles, I would work with one of the Honeys at the Department of Cultural Affairs? One year, we even produced their LA concert -- they were amazing, phenomenal female performers.
Different from other groups, Sweet Honey in the Rock has endured even as the lineup of musical artists has changed over time. Rosie Lee Hooks, a Sweet Honey in the Rock alum, and I made our annual pilgrimage to see the group, which, due to her entrée, allowed me to be accepted by them as a member of their extended family.
What I recall most of that visit was how even then they saw Bernice Johnson Reagon as their foundational leader and how their respect for her permeated the air surrounding her.
Reagon was many things and accomplished a tremendous amount. Her emotive gospel voice was part of the soundtrack to the Civil Rights Movement. She went on to become a cultural historian, a curator at the Smithsonian Institution, and the founder of Sweet Honey in the Rock. Last Tuesday, July 16, she passed away at age 81 in a hospital in Washington, D.C.
Back Story
Reagon was the daughter of a Baptist preacher in Albany, Georgia, and grew up in a church without a piano. That absence served to strengthen her vocal skills, molded by the music she absorbed, rooted in spirituals and hymns performed by a cappella voices accompanied by clapping and foot stomping. She was an original member in 1962 of the Freedom Singers, a passion she shared with her husband Cordell Hull Reagon, a leader of the Civil Rights Movement in
Albany, Georgia, and a member of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He was also a founding member of The Freedom Singers.
The Freedom Singers was a vocal quartet that provided anthems of defiance for civil rights protesters who were preparing to confront the police or being hauled away to jail. The Freedom Singers were associated with the SNCC, which sent them across the South as well as to the Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island in 1963. The group was founded in 1960 at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. Equal justice and voter education were issues for SNCC that resonated in Reagon’s music.
Reagon is quoted in the Times on the group’s 10th anniversary in 1983 saying, “The songs I write have the thick, dense harmonies of hymns and slow songs out of the Black church."
Credits
Multifaceted and skilled, she composed, consulted, and performed for notable television and radio series, including the documentaries “Eyes on the Prize” (1987), about the civil rights movement, and Ken Burns’ “The Civil War” (1990), to which she contributed a performance
gospel music presentation in the 1980s, Reagon encouraged the audience to hum and sing along with the performers. “And if you can’t do that, grunt or sigh a little,” she instructed.
From No Piano to Sweet Honey
In 1973, she founded Sweet Honey in the Rock, which began as a quartet and grew to a quintet and then a sextet. Their name was inspired by a gospel song based on a Bible verse about the Lord’s promise of blessings to his followers.
of “We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder” to the soundtrack. She is credited as the producer and host of “Wade in the Water: African American Sacred Music Traditions” (1994), a National Public Radio series on Black church music that won a Peabody Award. Named a prestigious MacArthur Fellow in 1989, Reagon was also a distinguished professor of history at American University from 1993 to 2003.
Reagon once wrote, “I sang and heard the freedom songs and saw them pull together sections of the Black community at times when other means of communication were ineffective.”
Reagon studied music at Albany College (now Albany University) and Spelman College, where she received her undergraduate degree. Always in pursuit of personal growth and advancement, in 1975, Reagon received her Ph.D. from Howard University before becoming a professor at American University. In 1974, Reagon was also appointed as a cultural historian in music history at the Smithsonian Institution, where she directed a program called Black American Culture and was later a curator of music history for the National Museum of American History.
There, she amassed a collection of blues, gospel, and spiritual music heritage made available to the public. During one
Sweet Honey in the Rock is made up of all African American women vocalists, who together weave Black musical traditions from the church and the fields with original songs. As an a cappella ensemble, it presents songs rooted in African American culture and history. In 1973, they were unique compared to other groups at the time, singing as one, yet each woman brought her unique voice quality or cadence to the group, which evolved out of a vocal workshop of Washington, D.C.’s Black Repertory Theater Company, from which the ensemble emerged.
The group’s concerts, including appearances at Carnegie Hall, might take aim at contemporary issues, like disarmament, as well as racial, feminist, and sexual politics. Sweet Honey in the Rock released albums “that carry blues and folk-oriented a cappella singing to a peak of refinement,” Stephen Holden wrote in a review in the New York Times in 1982.
In 2022, the multi-Grammy Award-winning group Sweet Honey in the Rock kicked off a three-year 50th-anniversary tour with a concert at Strathmore Music Hall in Bethesda, Maryland. Carol Maillard, an original member of the group, recalled the beginnings of the group of ladies in song.
“When we started at the D.C. Black Repertory Theater at Georgia Avenue and Farragut St., NW, there was a music training where Bernice was our teacher. She gave us everything she knew,” said Maillard about Reagon.
In 2022, Reagon and her composer, singer, and activist daughter, Toshi, premiered an opera based on Octavia Butler’s “Parable of the Sower.” This production also took place at Strathmore. The mother-daughter collaborators composed the music and lyrics for the opera. Reagon said in life, “I was here before I came, and when I die, I am not leaving.” And so, it is.
By Laura Miller Managing Editor
A Nation Mourns: The Passing of Representative Sheila Jackson Lee National news
The political and civic community mourns the loss of Democratic Representative
Sheila Jackson Lee, who passed away on Friday, July 19, 2024, at the age of 74. The long-serving U.S. Congresswoman succumbed to pancreatic cancer, leaving behind a legacy of tireless advocacy and public service that spanned decades.
Born on January 12, 1950, in Queens, New York, Jackson Lee’s remarkable career began with a solid educational foundation. After graduating from Jamaica High School, she earned her Bachelor’s degree in political science from Yale University in 1972 and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1975.
Before embarking on her congressional career, Jackson Lee served as a municipal judge in Houston and as a member of the Houston City Council from 1989 to 1994. Her election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994 marked the beginning of a distinguished tenure representing Texas' 18th Congressional District, which she continued to serve until her passing.
A Voice of Power and Purpose
Throughout her nearly three decades in Congress, Jackson Lee was a prominent advocate for civil rights, healthcare reform, immigration policy, and criminal justice reform. She played a pivotal role on several committees, including the House Committee on the Judiciary, the House Committee on Homeland Security, and the House Committee on the Budget. Her efforts and dedication earned her widespread recognition as a leader in the fight for equality and justice.
Jackson Lee’s commitment to her constituents and unwavering dedication to her principles made her a respected figure in American politics. Known for her passionate speeches and relentless pursuit of justice, she often spoke about the importance of civil rights and equality. "We cannot rest until all Americans enjoy the same rights and opportunities.
Our work is far from over, and I will continue to fight until we achieve true equality for all," she once said.
"I have seen the face of despair, and I have seen the power of hope. We aim to transform that hope into reality for every American," she said on another occasion.
A Legacy of Service and Sacrifice
Her career was marked by a deep connection to her constituents and a tireless dedication to making a difference. She once reflected on her role, saying: "Public service is a calling, and it demands sacrifice. But it is also a profound privilege to be able to make a difference in the lives of so many people."
Mentors and Inspirations
Throughout her career, Sheila Jackson Lee was influenced and inspired by several key figures. She often cited Shirley Chisholm, the first African American woman elected to Congress, as a profound influence on her career. Additionally, she was inspired by civil rights leaders such as Barbara Jordan and Martin Luther King Jr., whose legacies of advocacy and justice guided her path in public service.
Community Reaction
The passing of Jackson Lee elicited an outpouring of grief and tributes from across the nation. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, whose senior advisor, Jason Lee, is Jackson Lee’s son, expressed deep sorrow over her death.
"Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee was a trailblazer in the truest sense of the word. She defined her career through her advocacy, fighting relentlessly to create a better future for all, and her passing is a tremendous loss for residents of Texas’ 18th Congressional District and our entire country. The First Lady, myself, and my entire administration are sending our love and our deepest condolences to my senior advisor, Jason Lee, and Rep. Jackson Lee's family and loved ones during this difficult time," he said.
Fellow Texas Democrat Rep. Jasmine Crockett posted a heartfelt tribute on
social media platform X, sharing a photo of the two women wearing pink outfits.
“Tonight, Texans all over are mourning the loss of a legend, a true leader for social justice, a public servant, and my friend, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Sheila was a fierce advocate who never backed down. If you ever needed a living example of servant leadership, you could look no further — Congresswoman Jackson Lee was compassionate, resilient, and most importantly, always willing to do the work!” she wrote.
A Lifelong Advocate
Jackson Lee’s voice resonated beyond the halls of Congress. She was a beacon of hope and a staunch advocate for the marginalized. Her words often echoed the struggles and triumphs of the communities she served.
"The fight for justice is never easy, but it is always necessary. We must continue to stand up, speak out, and make our voices heard," she said in a speech. "Healthcare is not a privilege; it is a right. Ev-
ery American deserves access to quality healthcare, and I will not rest until that is a reality," she continued.
A Legacy Remembered
Jackson Lee’s legacy extends beyond her legislative achievements. She was a mentor to many and an inspiration to countless individuals striving to make a difference. Her contributions to the community and the country will be remembered for generations to come. Jackson Lee is survived by her husband, Dr. Elwyn Lee, their two children, and numerous family members and friends. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family in the coming days.
The nation mourns the loss of a dedicated public servant whose life’s work made a significant impact on the course of American history. As we remember Jackson Lee, we honor her unwavering spirit and commitment to justice, equality, and service.
Green Lights and Mic Checks: GLC’s Journey with Cannabis and Hip Hop Green Lights and Mic Checks: GLC’s Journey with Cannabis and Hip Hop
Cover Story
By Mila K. Marshall, Ph.D. Cannabis Corner Editor
Green Lights and Mic Checks: GLC’s Journey with Cannabis&Hip Hop
Irecently spoke with Leonard "GLC" (Gangsta Legendary Crisis) Harris, a Chicago native and well-known hip-hop artist who has more layers than a newbie to Chicago winter. Our hour-long interview is filled with trips down memory lane of 1990’s Chicago. He tells me how "dope" it is to be on the cover of Chicago News Weekly and that sure he’s been interviewed before but never had the cover story. You could hear him smiling over the phone. The 1990’s and early 2000’s were a mix of creating and surviving for GLC. He is one of the few who was capable of both.
Today, GLC not only walks among legends, having worked with hundreds of high-profile artists, he’s a legend himself -- in fact, it says so right in his name. His journey through life is filled with moments of deep loss, serendipity, and intuition. He strives to live righteously and authentically, and without regret. His demeanor is gritty but tender. He’s music when he speaks, his words rhythmic and poetic.
From the outside, GLC’s life is charmed but filled with the same challenges of loss and stress of any Black
Chicago child. Maintaining the essence of cool, he shares stories of his success. From writing and performing hot tracks to buying into the bud business, Grammy award-winning GLC talked about all things family, elevation, weed, and the “ism.” Although he started his own motion picture company, he is far from the Hollywood type. He’s still just a kid from Chicago.
Musical Beginnings
Music is in GLC's DNA. His father was a nightclub DJ who passed away when he was just 8 months old. It wasn’t uncommon for his home to be filled with music.
“My family just played music all the time. There were so many records in my house, we had phonographs and record players. I had two older brothers and two older sisters, several cousins, uncles, and aunts were up on the latest greatest music and I just gravitated to it,” he recounted.
Far from shy, he recalls taking every opportunity to perform.
“I started doing talent shows when I was in elementary school, and park district summer camps, and I would win.
GLC’s verse on “Spaceship” is a classic on West’s 2004 album "The College Dropout":
“Waitin' patiently I ask myself Where I want to go, where I want to be Life is much more than runnin' in the streets”…
A year later, he was featured on Ye’s sophomore album, "Late Registration." "Drive Slow" was produced by West and featured Houston rapper Paul Wall and GLC. The album debuted at number one on Billboard. Now, nearly 20 years later, it has a little over 83 million streams on Spotify alone. Two decades ago, he was asking where he wanted to go and where he wanted to be. His debut album, "Love, Life & Loyalty," was a roadmap for his response. The 13-track album featured John Legend, Bun B, Sir Mix-A-Lot, BJ the Chicago Kid, the Legendary Traxster, Bump J, and Twista. He followed up with "The Eternal Sunshine of the Pimpin’ Mind" in 2011 and "The Anti Simp" in 2012. Today, what he knows for sure is he is a vessel for change and is using all of his creativity to remind fans to elevate beyond their circumstances.
The War on Drugs … the War on Us
I'd be winning lunchroom freestyle battles every day at Simeon and my confidence just elevated,” GLC said.
He takes the time to note that it’s his alumni week and runs down the names of other notable Wolverines.
“We’ve got so much talent that came from that school from professional ball players to elected officials, comedians.
To be part of that legacy I’m proud. There are a lot of people that went on to do amazing things,” he shared.
From Grammar School Talent Shows to Grammy Awards and Nominations
His teenage years are when he found himself connected to one of the most brilliant producers of all time -- Kanye West.
“I had a friend from elementary school who was cool with a producer who went to another school. He linked us together, and that producer just happened to be Kanye, we were kids,” he said.
He’s traveled the world as a performer and worked with hundreds of award-winning artists. Most notably his friend and past GOOD Music label mate Ye.
One way GLC elevates himself is with marijuana. He opened up about his own experiences and unsurprisingly connects the dots between health, advocacy, and being part owner of Cronja, a cannabis company. GLC reminisces about when he first smelled it and how he and his friends started experimenting. He vividly describes life as a 6-year-old growing up during the War on Drugs. His voice trails as if he’s still that first grader… the numbness of seeing death from overdosed Black bodies and he is adamant that indeed it was a war… but not on drugs.
“It was an everyday routine my brother would get up to go to school. We’d get to the front door, get downstairs when we opened up the door, somebody was laid out at the bottom of our stairs, and we got down the stairs and someone would be laid out. This was the crack era. I was just a little kid when I saw my first dead body. I was thrown but I just had to go to school. That is what life was sometimes. It was a war on us,” he said. Despite how propaganda attempts to demonize marijuana, GLC, who's also a Type I Diabetic, never experienced the plant as a gateway drug but more as a medicinal intervention and respects the
...This was the crack era. I was just a little kid when I saw my first dead body. I was thrown but I just had to go to school. That is what life was sometimes. It was a war on us...
nature of the plant and its benefits.
“Those infomercials always market asking people, do you or anybody you know suffer from diabetes? But I never looked at myself as suffering, because I'm not,” he said.
Inner peace is where he invests his energy and for him marijuana is a joy enhancer.
His Brother's Keeper
It had to be divine intervention that GLC learned so much about marijuana. As fate would have it, his expertise would elevate him from brother to cannabis caretaker as his older sibling Baba Kwesi Harris was diagnosed with Stage VI cancer with only weeks to live. Known as Mr. Holistic, he found himself helping support the longevity and quality of his brother's life.
“Nobody really knew what was going on. Doctors told my brother he had 30, maybe 90 days to live. He was not big on cannabis at all. He wanted nothing to do with it. He came from the years where messages were being pushed that it was the devil's harvest and it made you do bad things. It’s never made me want to do something negative. But my brother, he let me help him and I convinced him to try hemp seed oil. He was taking maybe three tablespoons per day. He lived for almost four more years past the doctors' expectations. Being holistic, I suggested other natural herbs and supplements besides cannabis oil,” said GLC. He, like others, has personal connections to the plant's healing properties.
“Al Harrington is another great example of a brother that introduced medical marijuana to his grandmother, he even named his company after her -- Viola,” he said.
Becoming an Owner of Cronja
The plant has been part of hip-hop culture in GLC’s opinion. Since he was already a proponent of its medical benefits and enjoyed elevation himself, it was only a matter of time before a brand invited him to co-sign. He emphasized just how important relationships were for moving forward to buying shares of the cannabis brand.
It all began in 2010 in Atlanta when GLC met who would later become co-founder of Cronja, Ryan Cron, who is a Marine Corps combat veteran. He, like GLC, isn't just promoting pot for the sake of financial gain. Indeed, Cronja is clearly anchored in wellness and access. Cron often talks about using medical marijuana for his PTSD and is very vocal about the addictiveness of opioids
in veterans.
“It was really because of a solid relationship. I had met Ryan when I was performing in Atlanta. He was always really supportive of my music and over the years we got a chance to get to know each other. When the opportunity arose it was all in alignment. They had high-quality products, a strong direction and we all came from a bit of a hip-hop background. It was the right time and it just fit,” GLC said.
In fact, that is the very topic he will be discussing at the Black CannaBiz Conference and Expo on his panel titled "The CRONJA Story: The Importance of Partnerships," which will be held on Friday, July 26th at the Swissotel in downtown Chicago.
Imprinting the Illinois Market
Cronja, although Black and veteran-owned, wasn't awarded one of the highly coveted Illinois licenses. But the brand has honed in on creating strong ties with the cannabis community and being present with their swagged out premium rolling trays. As the company finds its way through partnerships and creative marketing, GLC’s celebrity is perfect timing and maybe one of the most boss moves ever. Products can be ordered online or purchased at any of the 10 stores in the Chicagoland area. But the genius is in how GLC is doing what rappers have been doing with their private label brands -- strategic product placement in their music videos.
Three Brands. Two Owners. One Music Video.
GLC’s recent collaboration with Wiz Khalifa on the cannabis-inspired song “Kush & P” was produced by the legendary producer No ID along with Xcelence, Sickone, ZoMixedIt, DJ Pharris, and SkattaMan. Beyond the iconic production team, the visuals were historic.
“When we did that video, what was so dope about it was that here we are with our own brands of cannabis in the video. We weren’t just showcasing; we actually own those companies,” he said proudly.
“People are still in jail for this, and other folks are making all this money. We even had John Monopoly’s brand in it,” he said.
Marketing and advertising are tricky with the mix of government regulations. GLC, as an artist, has a platform that a company like Cronja needs to navigate the complex regulatory landscape. It is a clever move in the fickle industry. But GLC had to give a nod to one other Chicago-based brand and rapper.
“Gotta show love to Vic Mensa with 93 Boyz. He’s another one here at the crib doing good things with his brand and social equity,” he said.
Balance is His Brand
Just a few weeks ago, GLC released a new single with J. Ivy titled “Who am I?” It seems as though GLC is not done asking himself some of the best questions many others probably should. A standout lyric from the track, “the downfall of a hustler is when he gets greedy,” couldn’t be more relevant to where he is in his life to date.
A stunning AI short film that accompanies the track showcases that the rapper’s continues to push creative boundaries. He doesn’t hoard his talent. He is far
from selfish with his time and resources but recognizes burnout and is cautious to ensure he’s always in the best position to help others. I asked him how he balances it all.
“You know, I’m a person that wants to help and see change. But you know how when you’re on a plane, they say put your mask on first before helping others ... I have to always keep that in mind. I’m of no help if I have nothing,” he said. Later this holiday season, GLC will also be balancing the return of his vegan dessert brand, Ism Cakes, to store shelves. As the interview came to an end, GLC invites readers to enjoy whatever gets them elevated and listen to a specially curated playlist titled “Smoke & Ism.” I encourage you to press play.
around town CannabiZ
THuRSDay SCHEDuLE
7:00 AM - 9:00 AM BreAkfAsT
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Black CannaBiz Expo open
9:00 AM - 9:15 AM Opening Address: Precious Osagie-Erese, Michael Malcolm
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
The Current state of Illinois Cannabis:** Shawnee Williams, Eddie Moore, Neffer Kerr, Peter Contos, Reese Xavier
9:50 AM - 10:20 AM resiliency: The R3 Grant Program’s Other “R” Sen. Kimberly Lightford, Ambrose Jackson, Kristi Price
10:25 AM - 10:55 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:35 AM - 12:00 PM
The Next frontier: How Tapping into other cannabinoids of the plant is shifting the industry politically and economically:** Fredricka Easley, Christine DeLaRosa, Steven Philpott
Cultivating Clean Cannabis: Guy Rocourt
The Journey to C suite: Gibran Washington, Fred Spencer, Khari Edwards, Menelik Washington
12:00 PM - 2:00 PM LuNCH
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM
The realities of raising Capital: Whitney Beatty
• The Columbusing of Cannabis: A Call to Action for increased Inclusivity and Cultural Awareness in the Industry: Tai Duncan, Jai Kensey, Dr. Angelyn M. Anderson, Asya Hill
• Cannabis Tourism: The $17B Industry that Few People Know About: Norman Lawrence
• Brand Integration in Store Design:** Aiden Sims, Dario Boyce
• Legislative Affairs Panel: Michigan/Chris Jackson
Tracking Your Marketing rOI: Blandine Jean-Paul
• Why Market Structure Matters in the Creation of an Equitable Market: Rodney Holcomb
• The Big 5: Medical Conditions that Disproportionately Affect Black People and Where Cannabis Can Help: Dr. Bridget Williams MD
• Spotlight on Cannabis Pharmacists:** Cassandra Gosa
Cannabis Accounting Tips: Naomi Granger
• Managing Risk in Cannabis: Cameron Ward
• Choosing Your Team: Internal and External: Donna Bracey, Chris Atkinson
• Perfecting Your Pitch: Presented by S.E.E.N.
CannabiZ
FRIDay SCHEDuLE
7:00 AM - 9:00 AM BreAkfAsT
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Black CannaBiz Expo open
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
9:35 AM - 10:10 AM
Lessons Learned from California: Becoming Legends of the Craft: Chris Ball, Charles Ball, Whitney Beatty, Ebony Anderson, Cristalle Bowen
Cannabis Advocacy in the Black Community: Challenges and Opportunities: Arianne Richards, Doug Kelly, Felicia Santiago, Elaina Green, Al Kamara
9:50 AM - 10:20 AM The Cronja story: The Importance of Partnerships: Michael Malcolm, Leonard “GLC” Harris, Precious Osagie-Erese
10:25 AM - 10:55 AM scaling successful Brands through Multi-state Opportunities: Jesse Horton, Derek Levy, Menelik Washington
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM rooted in Good Pitch Competition
11:35 AM - 12:00 PM The Business of Technology: Ryan D’Wolff Munro, Sean Ilenrey
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
The New frontier of success exploring supplier Diversity in Cannabis:Roz McCarthy
12:35 PM - 12:50 PM Pitch finale
1:00 PM - 1:45 PM embracing Wellness: Redefining the Perception of the Devil’s Lettuce: Toni
• How New York State government is finally doing it right: Tabitha Robinson
• Beyond the Transaction: Crafting Sensory Dispensaries that Create Human-Centered Retail Experiences: Dominique White
• Awarded in Alabama: The Journey of Native Black Cultivation: Antoine Modrican
2:00 PM - 2:45 PM empowering Cannabis retail: Kurt Kauffman
• Fostering Equity and Inclusion in Maryland’s Cannabis Industry: Insights and Actions from the Office of Social Equity: Audrey Johnson, Erin Johnson
• Deal Making In Cannabis: Robert Johnson, Willie Jr Flemming
• A Crash Course in Climate Change and Cannabis: Mila Marshall PhD
3:00 PM - 3:45 PM seeN Presents Collective efforts: Exploring Opportunities Beyond Dispensaries and Producers: Steven Conville
Legal Leaders in Chicago: InCBa’s 7th Annual Cannabis Law Institute
The International Cannabis Bar Association (INCBA) hosts the premier conference, the Cannabis Law Institute (CLI), that is dedicated solely to advancing legal excellence in the fast-paced cannabis industry, allowing legal professionals, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and industry influencers to connect and collaborate.
Established in 2015 in San Francisco, California, INCBA was created by innovative attorneys recognizing the need for a specialized association focused on cannabis law. Over the years, INCBA has evolved into a leading source for cannabis law education and networking on a global scale. Uniting and educating legal professionals in the cannabis industry is paramount to a healthy and equitable industry.
The 7th annual conference will take place at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law in Chicago, IL, on July 25th and 26th, 2024. CLI 2024 will bring together a diverse group of legal experts, policymakers, and industry leaders from around the globe. As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, the conference offers attendees invaluable insights and practical knowledge to navigate the complex legal landscape surrounding cannabis.
"We are thrilled to host the CLI 2024 and provide a platform for legal professionals and industry leaders to collaborate, learn, and share innovative legal strategies," Jason Horst, president of the INCBA, said. "This conference plays a crucial role in shaping the future of the cannabis industry, promoting innovation, and ensuring compliance with changing legal standards."
Over two days, the conference will feature a comprehensive program, including a keynote speech from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, panel discussions, and breakout sessions on a variety of important topics. At-
tendees will have the chance to interact with esteemed experts and gain deep insights into emerging legal trends, regulatory challenges, business opportunities, and social equity issues in the cannabis sector. Panel conversations will include topics on international transactions, cannabis labor issues, employment non-discrimination, commerce clauses, cannabis press, and more.
Laura Miller Managing Editor love & Relationships
Love, the Heart, and the Mind: Finding Balance
It's often said that the heart and the mind take turns guiding our personal decisions. They can't both be in control simultaneously, and I imagine there's a celestial lottery determining which will rule at any given moment. The danger lies in those moments when the heart wins and we forget to engage our brain.
The Heart vs. The Mind
When this happens, our decisions become purely passion-driven, steered by desire, and influenced by a part of us that shouldn't always take the lead. We may fall in love with someone who is entirely wrong for us. They don't nourish us spiritually or mentally, and perhaps they don't even respect us. Yet, they possess one or two qualities on our checklist, so we keep them around. Gradually, the red flags we noticed at the start become less apparent, and we convince ourselves that we love this person.
The Danger of Heart-Driven Decisions
With the heart in control and the brain taking a backseat, our insecurities and neediness emerge, driven by emotion rather than rational thought. The brain, in its wisdom, stores our insecurities away, using them as motivation for self-improvement when needed. However, when the heart is in charge, these insecurities evolve into crutches, blocking access to the healthy parts of ourselves and clouding our judgment with rose-colored lenses that align us with foolishness. This often causes more harm than good, leading to decisions with long-lasting consequences. Falling for the wrong person can derail our life's purpose and amplify our issues with selflove.
Recognizing True Love
Love, in its purest form, is one of the most powerful experiences we can have. It awakens parts of us that remain dormant without it, feeding us in ways nothing else can. Naturally, we should continue to seek it. True love propels
us toward happiness, fulfilling a deep need. But this is love in the right hands, serving its intended purpose. The kind of love I've described here is so far from true love that it deserves its category: love adjacent.
As Maya Angelou beautifully said, "Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope."
Challenges and Reflections
If you're searching for love, remember that love is not a tool to lose yourself in; it's a tool to engage and enhance you, making you better and stronger than before. Too often, we choose a partner in a fog of loneliness, trying to keep up appearances. I challenge you, in this new year, to thrive in your alone time. Remove the constraints of trying to keep up with everyone else and love yourself first. You have always been enough. Let go of those who left you, of past heartbreaks, and live in the promise of what's best for you. Thank those who exited your life, for they served their purpose. Rumi's wisdom resonates here: "Your
task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."Choose to find real love, one that doesn't start like the climax of a teen drama. Seek a love that flows like a river's current. You want true love, not something that merely resembles it. Don't settle for being love-adjacent. When you find it, you'll know the difference. You won't feel lonely when you're in it. Love is a powerful force that can either uplift or derail us, depending on how we navigate it. By balancing the heart and the mind, we can make decisions that lead to true, fulfilling love rather than settling for something less. Remember, you are always enough, and the right love will enhance, not diminish, your sense of self. Seek the kind of love that lifts you up, aligns with your values, and nourishes your soul. In this way, you will create a beautiful, lasting connection that truly reflects the best version of yourself.
Image By Piro at Pixaby
Living Chicago
By Mila K. Marshall, Ph.D. Staff Writer
powering pot Per Illinois’ Climate Goals
Social equity undergirds the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (CRTA). One undervalued element of the legislation is its direct contribution to protecting the environment. Illinois environmentalists made the state law the “greenest” in the nation. Considering the shifts in climate that Illinois is experiencing, the law essentially gives a roadmap for indoor growers. Indoor operations are also under constant surveillance with cameras and 24-hour security systems. It is unlawful for medical or adult-use marijuana to be grown outdoors. Illinois' strict regulations for growing come with an inconvenient cost. Temperature and humidity must be optimal at all times, requiring energy for the lighting system. Grows are energy-intensive and require heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems around the clock. Energy use leads to greenhouse gas emissions, making cannabis one of the most energy-intensive industries in the United States.
How much energy are we talking about?
The annual energy cost of American marijuana is $6 billion per year. Grow-
ing facilities in Denver have been blamed for half of the electricity use, increasing state consumption by 1% in a year. Twenty years ago, a study on the electric load impacts of indoor cannabis production found that growing four potted plants indoors required the same amount of energy as 29 refrigerators, and four pounds of marijuana can use as much energy as an average U.S. household. Growers' energy bills can be 20% to 50% of the operating budget, and lights can be up to 90% of the total energy budget of a grow. As more states legalize growing cannabis, energy use will go up as well.
What does electricity have to do with climate change?
Illinois produces the fifth-largest amount of electricity in the nation and is also the fifth most power-hungry state. Natural gas and coal are sources of energy to make electricity. All sources generate some amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. In 2022, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported that direct natural gas consumption contributed to 78% of the carbon dioxide produced from residential and commercial sectors. Illinois is on track to be
powered by 100% renewable energy by 2050. Already, the state leads the nation in nuclear energy production. Overall, Illinois is climate-progressive. However well-meaning and holistic the approach to reducing state carbon emissions, social equity growers are still left with few funds to invest in going green while growing it.
Is Illinois’ law also an environmental justice bill?
While the CRTA isn’t a direct environmental justice bill, it is at least a reflection of the types of statewide policies that protect against continued greenhouse gas emissions that disproportionately impact Blacks. Applicants for craft grower permits must include environmental plans for recycling, use of energy efficiency technology, water conservation, and waste management. Once an applicant submits their plans and they are accepted by the Illinois Department of Agriculture, the lead regulator for growers, it becomes a binding requirement. Growers and cultivators must also share their energy use to track consumption.
Federally funded state energy efficiency programs could leave cannabis growers in the dark Mixed regulations wreak havoc on every
aspect of the supply chain, especially for growers. Illinois’ recent Cannabis Diversity Report indicated that craft grow licenses went to social equity applicants. Yet capital is next to impossible to access as long as it is a Schedule I narcotic and federally illegal. To date, few growers have been able to become operational because of challenges accessing capital. Minority growers who are ideal candidates for relief may find it even more difficult to access state funds from federal sources. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund, for example, awarded the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency $14,963,220. Beneficiaries are small businesses, and projects in federally designated disadvantaged communities are the target recipients to help Illinois reach environmental and climate goals. But when federal dollars are subsidizing sustainability, any federally illegal industry is sure not to get a helping hand.
By Mila K. Marshall, PhD CNW Cannabis Corner Editor
Illinois Equity Staffing is helping cannabis companies hire right the first time
Reducing staff turnover saves companies time and money, but finding the right hire can be challenging. For cannabis companies, this is especially true. With so many different job boards and mixed experiences, hiring managers and human resource professionals are key in creating dynamic and diverse teams.
Cannabis
didates on-site as possible during the two-day expo. The organization provides expertise in recruiting, staffing, onboarding and benefits administration, as well as training, payroll, compliance, and social equity and diversity auditing.
As the Black CannaBiz Conference and Expo fast approaches -- it will be held at the Swissotel Chicago from July 24 to 26 -- Illinois Equity Staffing (IES) is doing something novel for employer partners who are looking for strong candidates to fill positions in their businesses. Black CannaBiz is an annual industry conference and expo highlighting the work, successes, and insights of Black voices. IES was at the inaugural conference in New Orleans, and the Chicago-based non-profit is offering business owners both a way into the conference and a chance to meet as many eligible can-
Chicago News Weekly spoke with Shawnee Williams, executive director and founder of IES, to learn more about what the organization can offer cannabis entrepreneurs.
CNW: What does IES do and for whom?
Williams: IES is your WBE/MBE onestop shop for all things human resources, from consulting, talent acquisition, and training to workforce development and advocacy in the cannabis space. Our mission is to promote social equity and diversity in the cannabis industry through creative strategies and partnerships with like-minded organizations and companies within the ecosystem.
CNW: How many people has IES helped find employment in the industry?
Shift Happens
Williams: Since its infancy, IES has placed over 100 people in various roles within compliance, retail, manufacturing, accounting, marketing, and hemp.
CNW: You are conducting interviews at Black CannaBiz Conference and Expo. Will there be job offers on the spot?
Williams: The Illinois Equity Staffing booth activation is about professional development and employment in the cannabis space. We'll have time slots on Thursday, July 25th for attendees who'd like to improve their interview skills, resumes, and LinkedIn profiles. Our employer partners -- Sway Dispensary, Market 96 Neighborhood Dispensary, and the 1937 Group -- will all have hiring managers conducting screening interviews for the various opportunities they have on both days of the conference.
CNW: This will be held at the actual expo, so how can people have access to be interviewed?
Williams: The tickets are being given away to any potential employer partners
who would like to attend the conference and interview for opportunities they have open, not the interviewees.
CNW: What are three things people should do to prepare for their interview with employer partners?
Williams: We will have interview guides and on-site mock interviews on Thursday, July 25th for folks who'd like to learn more about interviewing techniques.
CNW: What days and times will interviews take place?
Williams: Mock interviews are on July 25th (Thursday) only, and on-site interviews will be both days for various opportunities by minority-owned cannabis companies.
IES has been an integral part of workforce development in Illinois. Williams will be speaking on “The Current State of Illinois Cannabis” panel along with other local advocates on Thursday, July 25th from 9:15 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. in the Vevey Ballroom.
Rescheduling Cannabis Could Have Major Implications
By Mila K. Marshall, Ph.D. Cannabis Corner Editor
The rescheduling of cannabis is a controversial topic, and the window of time for voices to be heard by the federal government is quickly closing. Years of lobbying on Capitol Hill seem to be paying off. Thousands of entries, some anonymous, have been submitted to date, and advocates on both sides are encouraging their supporters to speak up. Currently, marijuana is classified as a Schedule I controlled substance. Advocates and industry professionals believe this classification is outdated and wish for the industry to be regulated fairly. Under the current classification, marijuana is considered to have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Many states already have medical marijuana programs that provide safe alternatives to other medical interventions, positively impacting patients' lives.
Rescheduling cannabis to a lower classification could open up new avenues for medical research and potentially lead to the development of new treatments for various conditions. Some studies have shown that cannabis may be effective in treating chronic pain, epilepsy, and certain mental health disorders. However, the current Schedule I classification makes it difficult for researchers to access funding and necessary approvals to conduct clinical trials. Rescheduling cannabis could remove some of these barriers and allow for more rigorous scientific studies to determine its safety and efficacy.
Chicago News Weekly captured the thoughts of three professionals, each offering their unique insights on the changing landscape and the potential historic shift if rescheduling occurs.
Eddie Moore, co-owner of Sway, the first queer and BIPOC-owned dispensary brand in Illinois : “I’m hopeful but concerned about the banking part. The legislation could essentially help the larger companies.
The real benefits to the business community will be 280E, and those owners and operators will feel relief. My partners and I are focused intentionally on small businesses, and these policy solutions in theory trickle down, but not always. Those lobbying tend to be the ones with money, not the average entrepreneur. Coalitions of independent owners recognize the value of coming together to advocate for ourselves, and that needs to keep happening across the country no matter what type of rescheduling happens. It has to be all of us working together.”
Dr. Tiffany Brown, Pharm.D., pharmacist:
“The government schedules drugs or substances depending on their acceptable medical use and the drug’s abuse or dependence potential. My peers and I are all trained clinical drug information experts. We evaluate the appropriateness of therapies, act as empathetic motivational counselors, and are quite often known as trusted medication ‘gatekeepers.’ A change in a schedule class will most likely be included in pharmacy continuing education in the future, especially if it concerns specific daily practice settings. Rescheduling could possibly even affect courses
required in pharmacy school. Clinical toxicology elective courses might be offered to have a deeper dive into the medicinal application of marijuana. Lastly, we have access to see patients' medical records. Some may not be aware, but every IL pharmacist can make arrangements to see if their patient has a certified medicinal marijuana card if required for patient care. No matter what, people should always consult their doctor on conditions and symptoms to determine if medical marijuana is appropriate.”
Ernest Toney, executive director, CEO & founder of BIPOCANN, a Denver-based consulting firm that helps social equity and minority entrepreneurs in the cannabis industry:
“One of the biggest benefits of rescheduling marijuana to a Schedule III substance is the end of Internal Revenue Service Code section 280(e), which prohibits certain cannabis businesses from taking business deductions when calculating tax liabilities. 280(e) only applies to Schedule I and II substances, so a move to Schedule III will immediately allow state-licensed cannabis businesses to deduct ordinary expenses that they cannot take advantage of at present. That benefit will improve the financial positions of many social equity and minority-owned licensed cannabis businesses, who are currently struggling to stay afloat due to burdensome tax regulations.”
The final day to file comments was Monday, July 22, after a 60-day public comment period.
By Zada Johnson, Ph.D. Staff Writer
Goodman’s Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil Offers a Spellbinding Musical Take on the 90s Original
Extended by popular demand through August 11th, the Goodman Theatre’s world premiere of “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” is a compelling musical interpretation of John Berendt’s seminal true-crime novel and Clint Eastwood’s 1997 film adaptation. From start to finish, the musical is a veritable feast of top-notch performances and visual aesthetics framed around a more inclusive storyline than the original works. For theater lovers, this may be one of the best productions of the season with its beguiling stagecraft and thought-provoking messaging.
“Midnight” begins in Savannah, Georgia’s Bonaventure Cemetery, the crossroads between the living and the dead. Minerva, Savannah’s local conjure woman, calls out to the spirit world while a procession of ancestors from the cemetery converges on the stage. As Minerva continues her incantations, the swirling procession gives way to a line of Alvin Ailey-esque dancers accompanied by drumming that references the city’s his-
toric African roots by way of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Like the book and film, the eclectic mix of people and events in 1980s Savannah is on full display in the musical adaptation. However, this adaptation pays closer attention to the people of color that were glossed over in earlier works. This is illustrated in the beautiful opening scene with Minerva as well as a host of other moments in the production where Black, transgender, and female characters are elevated into full visibility.
Following the cemetery procession, the audience is introduced to the main character Jim Williams, an influential nouveau riche antiques dealer whose annual invitation-only Christmas party is the talk of the town. Williams gained notoriety on the Savannah social scene with the purchase and restoration of the Mercer House (linked to iconic Tin Pan Alley songwriter Johnny Mercer) and his leadership in renovating the city's historic district. During his plans for the upcoming holiday season, Williams’ rivalry with the Preservation League Ladies group intensifies when their ring leader Emma helps orchestrate a Civil War
movie shoot on the same night as his Christmas party. Adding insult to injury, Emma invites all his guests to ditch his party and be extras in the film. However, things come to a screeching halt when shots ring out from Williams’ home and someone ends up dead.
Along with Williams, transgender performer the Lady Chablis, is the other main character of the musical. A standout from the 1997 film, Chablis is given the stage time she deserves in this production to tell her own story. The Civil War movie shoot and growing attention to the city from outsiders cause the owner of the nightclub where Chablis works to forbid her from kissing White men during her show. In protest, she packs up and leaves to seek success elsewhere but encounters adversity and discrimination even from other African-Americans in the city.
The murder at Jim Williams’ home and its impact on local residents prompts Chablis to fight for her right to exist in Savannah.
“Midnight”’s effort to re-imagine the original 1990s plot into a more inclusive narrative for contemporary times is bolstered by stellar performances from the ensemble cast.
Brianna Buckley is captivating as Minerva, bringing a historically contextualized realism to the conjure woman who spiritually advised Jim Williams. Tom Hewitt is simultaneously charming and ominous as Jim Williams, breathing life into the many layers of the character’s complex persona. Austin Colby is compelling as Danny Hansford, Williams’ troubled restoration assistant. J. Harrison Ghee shines as Chablis, stealing nearly every scene they are in and paying heartfelt tribute to the real-life Lady
Chablis, who played herself in the 1997 film. Sierra Boggess is a delightful society lady villainess as Emma Dawes, lending a bit of humor to her stifling conservative views as she labels the Civil War “the war of Northern aggression.”
The original score of “Midnight” is also a treat. The ensemble’s opening “Bonaventure” elegantly invites the audience into the eccentric Southern world of 1980s Savannah, with a lively call and response that includes a complimentary cocktail for those lucky enough to snag one on the main floor. The Lady Chablis’ nightclub numbers “The Shed Shack” and “Let There Be Light” sizzle with a touch of down South juke joint. The inspiring last number “Butterflies” is especially touching in its call for everyone in the audience to release the restraints that hold them back. In addition to the score, the scenic design of the production is breathtaking with its moss-covered live oaks and gothic statue replicas from the Bonaventure Cemetery (including the famous “Bird Girl”) as well as the stunning large-scale model of the Mercer House.
With its knockout cast, gorgeous visual aesthetics, and inspiring messaging, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” is a must-see. Tickets are available through August 11th at the Goodman Theatre's website: goodmantheatre.org.
Food & Wine
By Mare Evans Contributing Wriiter
Grilled portobello Tacos
Dreaming about backyard barbecues, picnics in the park, or back porch gatherings where you can indulge in grilling joy? Don’t let trying to eat healthier spoil your open-fire plans. I'm here to share healthy options for grilling so you always have a choice and don't feel left out of the delightful, delicious summer meals that make it worthwhile to indulge in summertime weather. I recognize that health looks different for different people, so I’m including options for every diet: lowcarb, vegan, pescatarian, gluten-free, and even low-oil. I'm here for you. I won’t let summer pressures prevent you from enjoying your favorite time of year.
It’s no secret that most successful “diets” are about enjoying the foods we can eat instead of focusing on the ones we can’t, right? So, we’re going to examine what we like and then make simple alter-
natives that deliver the same satisfaction. The name of the game here is creativity—use our recipes for inspiration, but play around with different flavors. You might discover that you like them even better than the originals.
For more summertime inspiration, check out our top vegetarian BBQ recipes, best low-carb cocktails, and favorite air fryer vegetable recipes too.
Meat Lovers, Rejoice!
Portobello mushrooms, also known as nature's steak, offer a thick, meaty texture that is a great substitute for those who love that hearty steak/burger feel. They are fabulous because, if seasoned correctly, they will absorb whatever flavors you want. You can saturate them in the juices from your cooked steak or burgers or grill them on the same surface.
Mushroom Connoisseurs, Unite!
Jumpstart summer taco nights with
portobello mushrooms marinated in taco spices and grilled to perfection. This vegetarian taco entrée will delight meat-lovers and vegans alike.
Here’s how to prepare your magic mushroom dish
The mushrooms:
With any portobello mushroom recipe, selecting and prepping the mushrooms correctly is important. Choose portobellos that are large and still retain that slight cup shape, avoiding any that look thin or ragged at the edges. Rinse each mushroom cap and gently pat dry, then remove the stem using a sharp knife (trying to twist or snap it off may tear the mushroom) and use a small spoon to scrape out the dark brown gills on the underside of the mushroom cap. While technically edible, those gills will add an unpleasant fusty flavor to your tacos. Once they’re cleaned and sliced, marinating the mushrooms in spiced oil for just 30 minutes allows them to soak in all that flavor before grilling.
The taco toppings:
With such a hearty spiced filling, bringing crunch, creaminess, and acidity to the taco is key. I usually love a hearty white or red cabbage slaw in a taco, but in this case, I opted for a simple Napa. Its slightly more delicate texture lets the mushroom shine while still adding that necessary fresh crispness.
Thinly sliced avocado adds the perfect soft creaminess to highlight the richly spiced (but not at all fatty) mushrooms, and a squeeze of lime over the top brings everything together. I personally love a sprinkle of cotija cheese over top, but if you’re vegan, feel free to leave it off. The tacos will still taste amazing without it.
Storage:
These tacos are best enjoyed when the mushrooms are fresh off the grill, but if you have leftovers, the slaw and mushrooms can both be stored in individual airtight containers in the refrig-
erator for 1 to 2 days. The slaw will soften over time as the acid in the lime juice continues to break it down, but it will still taste great.
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, thinly sliced, plus more for serving
1 avocado, thinly sliced
8 (5" to 6") corn tortillas, warmed Cotija cheese, for serving (optional)
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, whisk oil, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
2. Arrange mushrooms in a single layer in a shallow glass baking dish. Pour marinade over mushrooms, gently turning to coat as needed. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, toss cabbage, onion, 2 tablespoons cilantro, and remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice; season with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt.
4. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat; preheat for 5 minutes (or heat a grill pan over medium-high heat). Clean and oil grates.
5. Remove mushrooms from marinade, letting excess drip off. Grill in a single layer, turning halfway through, until deeply marked on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
6. Arrange 2 slices of avocado and a handful of slaw in the center of each tortilla. Top with 3 to 4 grilled portobello slices and a smattering of cilantro and cotija cheese. Then serve.
By C.L. Blackburn Staff Writer
KEEn’S Intentional Originality Creates A Funky Mule Plus!
According to KEEN Footwear, “We’re not here to just make shoes. When we started Keen in 2003, we said we’d like to do things differently. We’d bring people together, look out for each other, and take care of our planet. That’s why we’re in business. We just happen to make really good shoes.”
KEEN, the accidental shoe designer and manufacturer, has a history of being unintentionally stylish but intentionally making a difference on the planet. Accordingly, they established five markers that support their mission:
1. They note that we live together on the planet, so they’re all about recognizing all people as human beings first.
2. They put emphasis on being original in everything they do, from their products to their events. That means they do what hasn’t been done before.
3. They make original goods that are durable and last.
4. They do the right thing, which sounds like Spike Lee’s movie title. KEEN believes in being there for people, and that shows up in numerous ways. KEEN says, “Talk is cheap. We live to take action.”
5. They create with conscience, and in doing so, they are changing the way shoes are made and impacting the planet in a good way.
KEEN’s recent design, a sneaker-sandal hybrid shoe, might be made purely for functional purposes, but they’ve acquired a fashion-conscious audience, spurring big-name collaborations and inciting KEEN dupes by everyone from the high-fashion house Gucci to Nike’s cutting-edge ACG label.
KEEN’s design creations excel on all fashion points – well-designed, smart, stylish, comfortable, and unique yet in the current fashion mix. The latest KEEN endeavor is the Hypowser, which is yet another moment where the Oregon-based brand has created an exclusively practical shoe whose peculiar features make a fashionable statement. The unapologetic comfort of their Howser model meets the maximal cushioning of the Hyperport shoe design for a hyper-wearable, comfortable, and original hybrid wrap shoe. The blend of two signature KEEN models combines the puffy slip-on upper of its Howser model with the hyper-cushioned, ridge-shaped sole of its Hyperport sandal. Whatever your pick, you win!
