ROCK SPRINGS Openings are available in a program aimed at helping children, teens and young adults cope with stress and anxiety.

The providers at the Pediatrics Clinic of Sweetwater Memorial launched the COPE Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment program in the spring.

Im so excited about the results that I am seeing in the children and teens who are now completing this program, said Tamara Walker, the clinics pediatric nurse practitioner.

As current students finish the seven-week session, some afterschool openings will be available in September, according to a press release.

COPE is a seven-week cognitive behavioral therapy program designed to build resiliency skills in children and teenagers.

Managing stress at a young age can be difficult at any time, Walker said. Starting school again in the middle of a pandemic can add even more pressure, leaving many of us feeling out of our control.

The cognitive behavioral therapy-based program is aimed at helping anyone from age 8 to 21 who is struggling with anxiety and depression.

COMMON SYMPTOMS:

Depression: Irritability, sadness, sleeping too much or too little, gaining or losing weight, feeling guilty or hopeless, having trouble concentrating or making decisions, thinking a lot about death or suicide.

Anxiety: Anger, irritability, nervousness, trouble separating from family, sleep disturbance, obsessive thoughts, somatic symptoms such as regular headaches or stomachaches.

CONSIDER THIS:

CBT programs are the gold standard for mild to moderately anxious and depressed kids and teens.

1 in 4 children, teens and young adults have diagnosable and treatable mental health conditions.

Less than 25% of this population gets the treatment they need.

Depression is a significant risk factor for suicide.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in people ages 10 to 24.

We often cannot control what is happening around us, but we do have control over how we process what is going on around us, Walker said, when she launched the program in the spring. This is where the COPE program becomes influential for my patients. It gives kids and teens the foundational skills that are needed to face stress and adversity without getting stuck in negative thought patterns that often show up in our clinic as anxiety or depression.

Walker completed a pediatric mental health fellowship the Kyss (Keep Your Children Safe and Secure) Fellowship at Ohio State University.

For more information or to make an appointment with Walker, call 307-212-7717.

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COPE program continues to help children, teens deal with stress and anxiety - Daily Rocket Miner

Without a gender transformative approach, male engagement interventions risk reinforcing existing gender inequalities, write Shari L Dworkin and colleagues

The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development recognised that womens lack of empowerment had a negative impact on health outcomes. Due to patriarchal systems, men exercise preponderant power in nearly every sphere of life, ranging from personal decisions regarding the size of families to the policy and programme decisions taken at all levels of government.1 With the Beijing Platform for Action on Women (1995), and more recently the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), increased attention has been paid to engaging men in programmes to advance gender equality and womens health.

Masculine norms that legitimise both mens domination over women and the power of some men over other men, not only harm gender equality, but womens and mens health outcomes.2-4 Increasingly, gender transformative interventions are being implemented to challenge such harmful gender norms and power structures.5-8

Where health interventions with men are explicitly gender transformative, they can contribute to modifying inequitable gender attitudes, such as a woman must submit to sex whenever a male partner decides. They can also promote sexual and reproductive health, including reducing sexually transmitted infections and risks of HIV and contribute to preventing violence against women. The largest number of gender transformative interventions are implemented in this area.5-7

The body of evidence making the case for engaging men shows it is important to do so with the explicit intention of promoting gender equality. Key components of gender transformative interventions with men include examining the role of power relations in negatively shaping health, identifying attitudes and practices among men that harm both womens and mens health, and viewing men as active agents of change in advancing gender equality.3,5 However, most male engagement interventions do not address these components and are not intentionally gender transformative.7

Health interventions may be designed to engage men but it does not mean they seek to challenge harmful gender norms or unequal power structures. Without a gender transformative approach, male engagement interventions may risk undermining womens autonomy and reinforce existing gender inequalities. For example, interventions to engage men as allies to improve womens access to healthcare appear to be positive. However, such programmes should include components to foster shared decision making, otherwise they may reinforce cultural norms that women need to seek permission from men before accessing care.7

As we mark 25 years of the Beijing Platform with a vision of Generation Equality: Realizing Womens Rights for an Equal Future, we must consider next steps for gender transformative programming with men. First, working with males in a gender transformative way is an important complement to womens health and empowerment interventions, such as to improve womens property rights and control over resources.9,10 Such interventions must be underpinned by a supportive policy and institutional environment for gender equality.

Interventions to engage males with the objective of improving womens health must not be unintentionally harmful to womens rights, autonomy, safety, and wellbeing. In addition to clarifying the content of gender transformative programming, how to engage males in a gender transformative way must also be considered.3,5 This includes engaging men in ways that do not alienate or ignore their needs, especially to overcome potential male resistance to gender equality.3,5

More rigorous evaluations of gender transformative programming with men to improve womens health are needed to advance and scale up promising interventions. We know much more about interventions for preventing violence against women. We would benefit from more evidence for other womens health outcomes, including obesity, heart disease, cancer, mental health, birth outcomes, and trauma among others.

Lastly, there is a growing knowledge base showing that health systems are gendered in ways that reinforce inequalities.11,12 The covid-19 pandemic brings this issue into sharper focus. The global frontline health and social care workforce is predominantly female; however, males occupy the majority of leadership positions.

Special attention should be given to how the work environment may expose women to higher risk of infection as well as to their psychosocial needs. As a result of the pandemic, women are also facing a double burden of longer hours at work and additional care work at home, particularly in households marked by unequal gender relations and for women in single headed households.

Beyond covid-19, research shows that health institutions are organized in ways that reproduce harmful gender norms and impede both womens and mens access to and experience of quality care.13 Gender transformative interventions in health systems to improve both womens and mens health are rarely designed or implemented. This is an important area of future research.

Moving forward, health interventions engaging males must explicitly seek to counter unequal gender power structures and harmful gender norms. This will not only contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of women and girls and men and boys but will ensure womens empowerment and autonomy are at the center of such efforts.

Shari L Dworkin, dean and professor, UW Bothell School of Nursing and Health Studies, USA.

Magaly Marques, global SRHR coordinator, MenEngage Alliance, USA.

Oswaldo Montoya, networks associate, MenEngage Alliance Global Secretariat, USA.

Anthony Keedi, program manager and gender specialist, ABAAD Middle East North Africa, Lebanon.

Avni Amin, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, World Health Organization, Switzerland.

Competing interests: None.

References

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How can gender transformative programmes with men advance women's health and empowerment? - The BMJ - The BMJ

August20, 20208 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

On the internet, content is anything that expresses thoughts, informationor experiences through written, visual, or audio form.

This article is content. The 95 million photos uploaded to Instagram today are content. The 500 hours worth of videos uploaded to YouTube in the last 60 seconds are all content.

The internet is built with content and always has been. It also means everyone has content, and everyone creates it all the time.

That creates some confusion when it comes to content versus content marketing. A lot of content is intended to market a brand but that doesnt mean the brand does content marketing.

Heres why.

Content marketing is a strategic approach to marketing that emphasizes the creation and delivery of valuable content to attract, retainand convert a clearly defined audience.

In other words, its using content strategically to provide solutions to problems that either your business or your readers have. Great examples abound:

Do you see a difference? All of these efforts position you as an authority in your industry, demonstrate your expertise in your topic over the long run and cultivate trust in your audience by putting their needs and interests first.

Youre doing content marketing (and not just content creation or digital marketing) if your content:

Related:How Do You Improve Email Marketing? Start by Improving Your List.

High-performing content is central to your content marketing, but the way you craft it can make or break your strategy. Its not enough to simply create eBooks, blogsand catchy social media that provide helpful information thats still biased toward your brand.

People are catching on to even that now.

Yet, with all the content creation that you will still do, it can be easy to lose your focus. Heres an overview of how to use the eleven main types of content in content marketing:

Related:What You Need to Know About the LinkedIn Stories Feature

By now, I hope Ive demonstrated how content creation is intrinsic to content marketing. However, just because youre creating content, it doesnt mean youre doing content marketing.

I want to drive things home with an example.

Lets say that were growing an athletic clothing brand and looking for ways to attract more customers to our e-commerce site. Weve decided to turn to content marketing for help. It might look like this:

1. You want to increase your brands presence on Google and social media, but you dont want to constantly annoy your readers with ads. How else can you get your brand in front of your readers?

You decide that the best way forward is to start a blog full of topics that interest your readers. A few things that come to mind include clean eating, exercising at home, and personal empowerment. You can also talk about clothes, of course,but your models can all wear your brand, which eliminates the need for more direct advertising.

2. You start your blog, set up your social mediaand let your following know about it.

Engagement metrics indicate that readers are most excited about exercising at home. Looking through their comments, you notice that things like staying focused, finding the right space, and keeping a schedule are all major pain points that they have.

3. You respond by creating an online guide to exercising at home.

You use a combination of eBooks chock-full of challenges that are available as lead magnets, and video tutorials for exercises hosted on your site. To demonstrate how popular your guides are, you create a way for users to record their progress and encourage each other.

4. To maintain engagement, you start up an email newsletter with the latest challenges, shoutouts for people who have achieved their goalsand occasionally a promo here or there.

Throughout this, you continue to grow your online community, adding more content to your blog that addresses questions or pain points. You even start a hashtag that your followers can use to highlight their fitness efforts so that they can spread the word about you.

5. At some point, you realize that you can enrich your readers experience with case studies and white papers.

You begin to include white papers about health and fitness that are relevant to your target audience. You also start to create case studies of success stories from your community.

6. As fitness centers start to notice what youre doing, you start getting offers for sponsored classesand requests to sell your brand in their shops.

Your content marketing is now extending your brands reach into the offline world. Youll continue all of the efforts above, as the results are feeding further content production.

Can you spot all eleven content types above? Look carefully. Theyre here.

(Bonus: Do you know what brand I just described? Spoiler: This is Athletas content marketing strategy. Check it out at https://events.athleta.com/)

The main difference between content versus content marketing? Content marketing involves a lot more than just content creation. In fact, the emphasis isnt content creation at all, but crafting an experience that improves the lives of your readers. If youre putting your readers first, addressing pain pointsand producing exceptional quality content consistently, then youll grow your brand while you cultivate authority and trust. Thats content marketing.

Hopefully, Ive left you with an idea or two about your content marketing strategy. Now, go forth and convert that target audience into passionate fans.

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Content and Content Marketing Are Not the Same. Here's How to Frame the Top 11 Content Formats. - Entrepreneur

BEVERLY HILLS, August 22, (THEWILL) Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC has partnered the United Nations on an initiative to provide seed funding for women across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory.

This is in furtherance of the banks commitment to enhancing food security and providing employment for women in Nigeria across the agricultural value chain.

The UN initiative, tagged The UN Women Project, was borne out of the need to provide economic empowerment for women and close the gender gap in agricultural productivity and incomes while increasing their access to resources and markets.

With a total budget of $40,000,000 for five years from 2019 to 2023, the initiative targets six states namely Ogun, Ebonyi, Cross River, Niger, Bauchi and Sokoto, as well as the FCT.

In line with the objectives of the Federal Governments Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP 2016-2020), the UN Women collaborated with three sister UN agencies which are the Food and Agriculture Organization, International Labour Organisation and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Key mandates of the programme include restoring growth, skills acquisition and building a globally competitive economy, through investments in the agricultural sector.

To pilot the flagship programme, Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC provided seed funding to support women working in the shea nut and rice value chains in Niger and Ebonyi States, respectively. The pilot programme is expected to reach at least 30 women-owned agribusiness organisations and cooperatives in five Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the two states.

The beneficiary LGAs include Mashegu, Munya and Katcha in Niger State as well as Ezza South and Ohoazara in Ebonyi State.

Speaking on the role of the financial institution in the project, Remy Osuagwu, Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank PLC, said: The impact of women in the society is visible in every ramification. Being an organisation that celebrates gender balance, we recognise the call to keep empowering women, and we take advantage of every opportunity to support their endeavours.

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Stanbic IBTC, UN Partner To Boost Women Empowerment In Nigeria - thewillnigeria

CHICAGO, Aug. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As todays digitally savvy consumers expect more relevant and tailored marketing experiences, TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) is joining forces with Signal, a Chicago-based technology company, to expand its capabilities. Signals solutions are grounded in real-time data collection and its platform makes it easier for companies to structure, organize and leverage consumer data.

We are helping our customers use data and insights to provide a better experience for their customers, said Steve Chaouki, President, U.S. Markets, TransUnion. Signals offerings complement our existing marketing solutions, which have historically delivered powerful acquisition capabilities. Signal has great proficiency in customer retention and loyalty. In combining these strengths, we are able to bring our business customers a more complete solution.

The acquisition of Signal represents a further investment by TransUnion to establish leadership in people-based, identity-enabled marketing solutions following its 2019 acquisition of TruSignal and investment in Tru Optik.

TransUnion is well positioned to provide accurate and compliant consumer data and identity information for marketing use, said Matt Spiegel, Executive Vice President, Marketing Solutions and Head of Media Vertical, TransUnion. Were focused on marketing solutions that are people-based because its the future of marketing effectiveness and delivers value to the consumer.

For more than a decade, Signal has been a leading solution for real-time data collection and distribution, enabling marketers to better understand and react to their customers needs. The opportunity to join TransUnion and leverage our combined strengths is extremely exciting, said Lisa Weinstein, Chief Executive Officer of Signal.

About TransUnion (NYSE:TRU)TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing a comprehensive picture of each person so they can be reliably and safely represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good.

A leading presence in more than 30 countries across five continents, TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people.

http://www.transunion.com/business

About SignalAt Signal, we aim to make the intersection between brands and consumers more human by enabling true customer intelligence. Our technology empowers brands to use the first-party data they already own to more accurately understand the customer journey, personalize marketing messages and transform insight into business value. Signal leverages real-time data collection, hosts and maintains a dynamic brand identity graph and unifies profiles to enrich customer knowledge and open up new opportunities for brand engagements. Learn more at http://www.signal.co/.

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TransUnion Expands People-Based Marketing Capabilities with Acquisition of Signal - GlobeNewswire

The Herald

Flora Teckie Correspondent

International Youth Day celebrated globally on 12 August was a reminder of the strength and vigour of our youth, their energy, enthusiasm and flexibility and that it is within their power to contribute significantly to shaping the societies of the coming decades.

Youth have the potential to channel their energy, capacities and talents towards building better communities and advancement of civilisation.

According to the Universal House of Justice, the governing council of the Bah international community the transformation which is to occur in the functioning of society will certainly depend to a great extent on the effectiveness of the preparations the youth make for the world they will inherit.

An effective preparation is only possible through a balanced education an education that would enrich both the mind and the spirit.

An education that leads to moral empowerment, as well as intellectual development, acquiring spiritual qualities and useful qualifications.

According to the Bah Writings, This education . . . in order to be adequate and fruitful should be comprehensive in nature and should take into consideration not only the physical and the intellectual side of man, but also his spiritual and ethical aspects.

It should cultivate behaviours characterised by decency and integrity of conduct, trustworthiness, and freedom from prejudice.

An adequate education would prepare our youth to act in the long-term interests of humanity as a whole. Such education, at the same time, would help to instil in them the awareness of the fundamental oneness of humanity.

Youth would be taught to consider all humanity as members of one family and to be just towards everyone from all races, nations, religions and tribes.

An adequate education, in the Bah view, will cultivate virtue as the foundation for personal and collective well-being, and will nurture in individuals a deep sense of service and an active commitment to the welfare of their families, their communities, their countries, indeed, all mankind.

Youth contribution to empowerment of junior youth

One of the areas of service that youth can participate in is by assisting the younger members of society children and junior youth to attain the spiritual and intellectual powers they need to build better communities.

It is now becoming increasingly obvious that without proper education and guidance during adolescence, our children could easily go astray, even if throughout childhood they have received spiritual guidance.

It is during the few years before the children reach the age of 15 at the junior youth stage that fundamental concepts about individual and collective life are formulated in their minds.

It is during this stage that they apt either to align themselves with positive or negative forces in the society.

Junior youth between the ages of 12 and 15 have special needs as they go through the adolescence stage.

By developing their inherent secular and spiritual potential, they will not only become agents of change for their own generation, but will contribute greatly to the transformation of society.

During the adolescence stage, junior youth go through many rapid changes.

These changes are not only physical, but also emotional, intellectual and behavioural. It is important to note that these changes do not occur in a vacuum.

Environment, culture, upbringing, relationships within the family and elsewhere all contribute to the nature or direction of these changes, influencing young people to think, act and behave in certain ways.

Many parents and teachers believe that this is a very difficult age, one of rebelliousness, irrationality and frivolity without looking to see whether the causes of such behaviour are inherent to the stage of growth of the individual or are imposed by upbringing and social environment.

According to the Universal House of Justice, the governing council of the Bah International Community: While global trends project an image of this group as problematic, lost in throes of tumultuous physical and emotional change, unresponsive and self-consumed, the Bah community in the language it employs and the approach it adopts is moving decidedly in the opposite direction, seeing in junior youth instead altruism, an acute sense of justice, eagerness to learn about the universe and a desire to contribute to the construction of a better world.

Junior youth programmes

Junior youth of this age have a good deal to say, and if we treat them as children we will miss the opportunity to win their trust, and help them form a proper identity.

They need an environment that gives them support, an environment in which their views are respected.

Based on the understanding of the great potential of the junior youth and their needs, Bah communities organise regular programmes for this age group.

Such programmes are intended to provide them with spiritual guidance in order to lay the foundations of a noble and upright character, to enable them to live in harmony and peace, and with understanding and respect for others, and to instil in them a commitment to serve the best interests of their community.

These programmes help junior youth analyse the constructive and destructive forces operating in society and to recognise the influence these forces have on their thoughts and actions.

In addition to sharpening their spiritual perceptions and enhancing their lives, they also help channel their energy and talents towards the transformation of their communities, advancement of civilisation and building of a better world.

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Empowering youth to build better communities - The Herald

Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the worlds leading cloud software company powering social good, announced it named Michael Boulware Moore as its first Diversity and Inclusion Officer. Moore had joined Blackbaud in early 2020 following his tenure as the founding president and CEO of the International African American Museum in Charleston, South Carolina which is located on the former Gadsdens Wharf where almost half of all enslaved Africans took their first steps in America.

For the museum, Moore led the $125 million capital fundraising effort and hired a talented staff base. Plus he was responsible for managing the curation of the museum experience.

Prior to serving as CEO of the International African American Museum, Moore spent over two decades as an accomplished marketing and advertising executive working with global brands, including Coca-Cola, Glory Foods, and Kraft as well as several successful entrepreneurial ventures. And Moore is also an accomplished author and keynote speaker as well as a thought leader on a number of subjects including social justice and African American history.

Blackbauds commitment to diversity is a focused and continually expanding effort spanning education, awareness, recruitment, empowerment, community involvement, and financial support. And Blackbaud has employee-led affinity groups that serve to empower and develop personal and professional growth in all employees.

Moore earned an undergraduate degree in political science from Syracuse University and holds an MBA from Duke University. And he currently serves on the boards of St. Marks School in Southborough, MA, Nation United Foundation, Reconstruction Beaufort, and Penn Center, the first school for African Americans in the Confederate south. Moore lives with his family in a suburb of Charleston, SC.

KEY QUOTES:

Our vision at Blackbaud is to power an Ecosystem of Good that builds a better world a world that is inclusive and accepting of all. Like so many companies, we are continually evaluating our progress toward fulfilling that vision and evolving our approach to ensure were creating a culture consistent with who we are as an employer, technology leader and community steward. We couldnt be more pleased to welcome Michael as our first leader completely dedicated to diversity and inclusion. He is a proven leader and advocate for social justice, who will take diversity and inclusion at Blackbaud to the next level.

Maggie Driscoll, Chief People Officer, Blackbaud

I have dedicated much of my life to social justice and telling the untold stories of our history and how its shaping our present, said Moore. I believe in Blackbauds mission of empowering and connecting people through technology to drive impact for social good and am inspired by the culture we have built. The power of diversity and inclusion and the impact it can have on the culture, values and growth of our business is exciting. I look forward to taking all that is already in place and evolving it as we continue to look deeply as a society and company at what a truly inclusive culture looks like.

Michael Boulware Moore

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Blackbaud (BLKB) Names Michael Boulware Moore As First Diversity And Inclusion Officer - Pulse 2.0

Youre welcome: Weve made finding new songs by rising bands easy. Each week, were gathering the best from the underground and offering it to you in one concise list. Scroll below and check out our Spotify Discover playlist, featuring these tracks and more!

In return, we want to hear your favorite. Let us know which track youll be spinning for the rest of the weekend in the comments!

The second single off their upcoming album, Moon Taxis Light Up is the uplifting track everyone needs to hear right now. Featuring lyrics surrounding hope and a bright backing track to match, frontman Trevor Terndrup says the song was released at just the right time. We have always found solace through music and people coming together around music, be it in a large crowd or singing in the car, Terndrup says. So until we can dance and sing together again, Light Up and dont give up.

Carlie Hanson opens up about the darkest periods of her life in the deeply personal Good Enough. Inspired by the singers struggles with relationships, depression and anxiety, Good Enough is as relatable as it is memorable. Produced by Mitch Allan and Anthony Jones, the track features upbeat synths and beats despite its raw lyrics, reminding us that its all right to feel lost sometimes.

Kat Cunning delivers a new alt-pop anthem with their latest love song, Supernova (tigers blud). The track builds to a colorful climax before leaning into a gentle bridge and was inspired by Cunnings experience with falling for someone while knowing it wont work. I wrote [the song] to celebrate the power of lovehow it can make us feel three times our size and even overpromise things we have no control over, Cunning says. I hope it accompanies the lovers who would rather burn at the hands of something supernatural than watch through a telescope a million miles removed. Recently signing with Lava Records, theyre currently working on their debut EP, which is set to drop soon.

With striking rhythms and looping synths, sophie meiers explores the edge of the world while delivering haunting vocals and airy melodies. The anti-pop singer envisions the end of life as we know it with dark imagery and lyrics such as The violence makes me feels so calm and Death is certain. The track is included on their latest EP, you and me again.

French quartet Prish debut the first single off their forthcoming album with Fixed It All. Grunge-like guitars fill every beat while a heavy bassline drives lyrics addressing questionable decisions and losing friends. Vocalist/guitarist Mathias Court says the Will Yip-produced track sets the tone for the rest of the bands upcoming LP set to be released through SideOneDummy, which will be darker [and] heavier than their previous works.

Tedy takes us on an R&B journey of empowerment and addresses societys views on masculinity with Boys Dont Cry. Backed by moving synthesizers and beats, Tedys voice fluctuates between low verses and high choruses with ease, providing a smooth roller coaster of sound. Directed by Elliott Muscat and Tristan C-M, the tracks accompanying music video details the singers own life experiences and how he overcame his hardships. The song will be included on Tedys upcoming EP, Boys Dont Cry, out Sept. 11 via Sony Music Canada.

Touching on loss and mourning, pop-punk five-piece Three Cheers Too Late release an emotional new single with This Might Be It. Unwavering and fast-paced, the band waste no time getting to the heart of the track with resonating lyrics about how no one really knows what comes after death. Vocalist Anthony Santiago says he hopes the track can help others reflect on their own grief the way writing it helped with his own. I want to believe theres something after this life, he shares. Im honestly just waiting for a sign from my loved ones who have left this life before me to say that its all right and that there is something more.

Inspired by 90s vibes and psych-punk grinds, Model Childs (aka Danny Parker) Drain Me boasts echoing vocals and a beat that is downright groovy. Meant to capture the feeling of what its like to be crushing on someone, the song is catchy and intoxicating with smooth guitar transitions and slick drums. The track is the second single from Parkers upcoming debut album, Dropout, which drops Oct. 16.

Beginning with slow guitar riffs, Younger Hunger slowly rocket into outer space with each instrumental addition on the otherworldly Pray 4 U. The track is their third single since the release of their debut EP, YIKES, earlier this year. Grappling with toxic relationships, the trio meld ear-catching melodies and tight rhythms into a euphony of psych-pop harmonies.

Their first single since the release of 2015s Ghosts Again, foreveratlast tear it up and tackle their inner demons in Holy Ghost. Vocalist Brittany Ritchey says the track was written so others would be able to relate to it on a personal level. I wrote it off some personal things, but with alcoholism, addiction and even people that create holes in our lives in mind, she says. Its like, what is it that follows you? Whats hiding in your shadows? The band currently have an album ready for release but havent shared a definite date for its arrival.

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New songs released this week | New music August 21 | Alternative Press - Alternative Press

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Quantasy + Associates (Q+A) today announced the creation of True Voice, a wellness platform developed in partnership with lead investments from Jill Scott and her business partner, Live Nation Urban's Shawn Gee.

True Voice will offer mindfulness resources, educational content and community-building tools shaped by today's cultural realities. Financial terms were not disclosed.

True Voice is designed to address the full spectrum of cultures, lifestyles and interests that the current "wellness" market misses, starting with women of color. At launch, the True Voice platform will include a suite of wellness resources that will empower members to be their truest selves. The platform will offer mindfulness courses developed in conjunction with recognized leaders in health and wellness, live sessions with experts, tools to support community organization and advocacy, as well as daily recommendations tailored to each member's own physical and mental wellbeing. True Voice is under development now and will open for consumer access in Q4 of this year.

Challenging Stereotypes Around How "Wellness" Should Look and Feel

The Global Wellness Institute estimates that the global wellness economy is a $4.5 trillion+ marketencompassing everything from yoga and meditation, to acupuncture, holistic healers, doulas and more. And while women of color represent billions of dollars in spending power in America, wellness and self-care products are still largely created for and marketed to predominantly white consumers.

That opportunity is why Q+A, Scott, and Gee are backing True Voice. Scott, named by TIME Magazine as a "cultural icon of healing power and serenity," is a multimedia entrepreneur, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter, New York Times bestselling poet, and NAACP award-winning actress, and will be the lead investor of the platform. Los Angeles-based Quantasy will lead all aspects of platform development, as well as branding and marketing.

"Throughout my entire life and career, I've always remained true to my authentic voice, and finding that voice was a result of prioritizing my personal wellbeing and listening to my mind, body and soul starting at an early age," said Scott. "As a Black woman, it is important for me to have the love and support of others who look like me and share similar experiences. True Voice will be your wellness village, introducing various solo and community practices into your daily routine so you can discover your true self."

A Digital Resource for Wellness

Inner peace, mindfulness and empowerment are important for women of color, yet the current crop of digital resources and wellness apps fail to address their cultural needs. One of most compelling aspects of True Voice will be its national database of wellness professionals and practitioners of color. True Voice members will ultimately be able to locate and connect with holistic healers and therapists that can relate to them on a deeper level.

"The ability for people to build focus and access resources to enjoy a life rich in fulfillment is about bringing together personal well-being and societal change," said Will Campbell, Co-Founder and CEO, Quantasy + Associates. "This platform not only includes content and information that can do that, but is designed to facilitate important conversations that challenge social and cultural norms, destigmatizing issues that have historically held people back. We couldn't be more proud to partner with Jill and Shawn to bring the vision of this resource to life."

Quantasy has a proven track record of building successful technology and entertainment brands. They built Kevin Hart's Laugh Out Loud Network, Google's product inclusion platform, and ESSENCE Studios, which hosted their first-ever virtual ESSENCE Festival, and are leading the development of True Voice. Sign up for updates on True Voice at http://www.truevoiceapp.com, and follow @TrueVoiceApp on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

About Quantasy + Associates

Quantasy + Associates (Q+A) is a fully integrated brand services agency at the intersection of entertainment, advertising, technology and culture. Understanding that brands can only truly impact cultural conversations and connect with their audiences with the right mix of Advertising, Content, Influence, and Platforms + Technology, Q+A helps clients move culture in the right direction through its deep specialisms across all four pillars. Founded in 2011 and based in Los Angeles, its client roster spans Fortune 500 companies, high-growth start-ups, civic leaders and global entrepreneurs, including American Honda, Google, Kevin Hart, Magic Johnson and Wells Fargo. For additional information, please visit http://www.quantasy.com.

SOURCE Quantasy + Associates

http://www.quantasy.com

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Quantasy + Associates Announce True Voice, A Wellness Platform for Today's Cultural Realities, With Lead Investment from Jill Scott - PRNewswire

Listen, you know as well as we do that the old phone that you left behind when you upgraded to a newer and cooler model is just going to gather dust in some obscure corner of your house. Also, what about that PC (Personal Computer) which is more of a relic? Or that camera lens which you were sure is going to make you a hot-shot photographer one day? These devices may have served their purpose in your life, but for someone else, they could be a lifeline. This is what New Delhi-basedDigital Empowerment Foundation (DEF)is advocating. It is asking for your old and redundant devices which can be used by children in rural households to learn online, which has become the norm du jour since the pandemic took over our world and life, as we knew it. They are aptly calling this initiativeDigital Daan.

Give one, give allIn the year 2002, Osama Manzar and Shaifali Chikermane started DEF with the aim to draw rural and marginalised communities out of the darkness and into the digital age. Their presence is spread across 500 locations in 126 districts of 23 states. And Digital Daan is one of the steps they took to get closer to their goal. Osama introduces us to this latest initiative and tells us that it's a three-year project during which they want to distribute one million devices. And when they say devices they mean smartphones, PCs, laptops, tablets, printers, projectors, camera and camera lens. "Many households have smartphones but sometimes it is with their father who is out or a brother who refuses to share. And then there are those households that don't have access at all. It's an unfair challenge, like having the Right to Information Act (RTI), but not being able to make use of it," explains. No wonder they have more requests from those people who need devices rather than those who are willing to donate them.

This initiative started recently, in lieu of the increasing importance of digital education, for which, one needs a device and internet. "But this is not just a giving, receiving or crowdsourcing initiative, this is strategic. There is a lack of meaningful devices that are needed," he says. And because only 12.5 per cent of students have access to smartphones (as per 2017-18 National Sample Survey), it is important that they are given access as soon as possible.

Before you donate the device, all DEF asks is that you delete all your personal files, ensure that the devices are in working condition and they also request you to provide chargers along with it. Because the cost of collection, management and distribution can comes up to a lot, they are asking people to courier the devices over to them. Okay, so the collection plan is clear, what's the distribution plan, we ask. "We have over 700 community resource centres of our own, we will first use our own network and distribution channel. We are also creating a list of credible NGOs who work in the realm of education and who could do with devices. There are also people applying for devices and writing in to us for them, they will also be given devices," shares Osama. The first phase of distribution will begin in November.

Word of mouth at workDEF has been getting a lot of attention on social media so they are happy with that. They even have a corporate on board who has agreed to provide 10,000 devices. But another challenge is collecting meaningful devices. "If you want to donate a smartphone which only works on 2G, then that's a bottleneck," explains Osama.

The elephant in the room, so to speak, in this situation is the internet. As providing devices is solving just one part of the equation because the internet still remains elusive in most rural areas. But Osama is not afraid to address this because they are hoping to advocate for it. "What we are advocating for is for internet service providers to offer student-friendly data packages that are cheaper and come at a discounted rate. Also, the network infrastructure itself needs to increase so that even remote areas can access the internet," he says. He also proposes that each state education department comes up with a scheme for digital devices, just like they are giving our free ration and offering scholarships. "And with the help of the Universal Service Obligation Fund (offers subsidies to make sure that telegraph services are accessible to all, especially those from rural areas) data packages can be worked out," he offers.

For more on them, check out digitaldaan.in

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This Delhi NGO wants your old devices so that kids in remote areas can use it to learn online - EdexLive

New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has paid rich tribute to Suresh Raina, who recently announced his retirement from international cricket, saying the former Indian batsman never played for personal glory but for the glory of the team and the country.

Like MS Dhoni, Raina too on the occasion of India's 74th Independence Day, hanged his boots from international cricket via a social media post.

"On 15th August, you decided to make what would surely have been one of the toughest decisions of your life. I do not want to use the word 'retirement' because you are way too young and energetic to 'retire'," Prime Minister Modi said in a letter addressed to Raina.

"You are padding up for the next innings of your life, after an extremely fruitful innings on the cricket field," he added in the letter he tweeted.

The 33-year-old expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister by tweeting back: "When we play, we give our blood & sweat for the nation. No better appreciation than being loved by the people of this country and even more by the country's PM. Thank you Narendra Modiji for your words of appreciation & best wishes. I accept them with gratitude. Jai Hind!"

Raina represented India in 18 Tests, 226 ODIs and 78 T20Is in an international career spanning 13 years.

"You have lived and breathed cricket. Your interest in the sport began early in life, in the by-lanes of Muradnagar and subsequently found feet in the playgrounds of Lucknow," said Prime Minister Modi.

"There on, what an eventful journey it has been, culminating in the most important honour of representing India - a country you love deeply - in all three forms of the game.

"Generations will remember you not only as a fine batsman but also as a very useful bowler who the captain could turn to when the situation demanded. Your fielding was exemplary and inspiring.

"Some of the best catches in recent international cricket have your distinctive imprint. It would take days to count just the number of runs you have saved by your alertness on the field," he added.

Raina first made his international debut at the age of 18 and also led India in ODIs and T2OIs when he turned 23.

He is the youngest to lead an India men's T20I side and was also a member of the side that played in India's first-ever T20I. The southpaw is also the first Indian to score a century in the T20 World Cup.

"As a batsman, you especially distinguished yourself across all mediums and particularly in the newest form of the game, the T20 cricket. This is not an easy format. In tune with our times, it requires quick fixes in double quick time. Again, your promptness and speed were assets for this form," said the Prime Minister while praising Raina's performance in the shortest format of the game.

Raina was part of the World Cup winning team in 2011, when India defeated Sri Lanka in the summit clash at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. He had played a crucial role in India's successful campaign in the tournament and Prime Minister Modi recalled his valuable performance in the quarterfinals against Australia.

"India can never forget your inspiring role during the 2011 World Cup, especially during the later matches. I saw you live in action at the Motera Stadium, Ahmedabad, during the quarterfinal against Australia. Your anchoring innings had a big role to play in our team's victory," he said.

"I can confidently say that most fans will miss seeing your elegant cover drives, one which I was lucky to witness live that day.

The Prime Minister further praised the left-handed batsman for his fighting spirit which he believes is deeply motivating for the youngsters

"Sportspersons are admired not only for their conduct on the field but also off the field. Your fighting spirit can motivate many youngsters," stated Prime Minister Modi.

"During your cricketing career, you sometimes faced setbacks including injuries but every time you overcame these challenges, thanks to your tenacity. At the same time, Suresh Raina will always be synonymous with team spirit.

"You played not for personal glory but for the glory of your team and the glory of India. Your enthusiasm on the field was infectious, and we could all witness that you would be among the first and most animated players to celebrate the fall of the opposing team's wicket," he added.

Prime Minister Modi, towards the end in his letter, also praised Raina for his efforts towards women empowerment and Swachh Bharat and wished him luck for his second innings beyond cricket.

"Your care and compassion towards society is visible in your numerous community service efforts. You have passionately supported efforts towards women empowerment, Swachh Bharat and helping the needy," said the Prime Minister.

"I am glad you are attached to India's cultural roots and proud of deepening youth's connect with our glorious ethos as well as value systems. I am confident you will have an equally fruitful and successful innings in whatever you wish to pursue in the times to come.

"I do hope you will use this opportunity to spend even more quality time with Priyanka, Gracia and Rio.

"Thank you for doing whatever you can to make India a leader in sports and constantly inspiring young minds," he signed off.

Originally posted here:

Raina never played for personal glory but India's, says PM Modi - Daijiworld.com

Did you know that the people of villages across Uttarakhands Kumaon region celebrate a festival to thank crows? Or that theres a village in Himachal Pradeshs Tirthan Valley known as Bihar? And that it has a month-long festival dedicated to local delicacies? Rural India is a treasure trove of many such intriguing stories which havent received enough attention and appreciation. Well, thats set to change soon. In a first, Voices of Rural India, a not-for-profit digital initiative, aims to revolutionise storytelling by hosting curated stories told directly by rural storytellers. For instance, the tale of a young astronomer in Ladakhs Maan village who is breaking gender stereotypes, or that of a postman from Zanskar who is fascinated by petroglyphs.

The coronavirus pandemic has left a huge dent on Indias tourism industry. As a result, rural communities have lost their livelihoods, supply chains have been disrupted and alternate income streams have been severely impacted. Industry experts opine that the effect of COVID-19 on the tourism sector is here to stay for at least a year. This is where Voices of Rural Indiacomes in. The platform has been formed to turn this unprecedented crisis into an opportunity to generate alternate livelihoods by upgrading digital skills in rural India.

The initiative has been co-founded by travel blogger Shivya Nath, Malika Virdi (founder director of community-based tourism organisation Himalayan Ark) and Osama Manzar (founder of the Digital Empowerment Foundation). Despite a long tradition of oral storytelling, rural communities are largely excluded from the digital world, Nath says. With Voices of Rural India, we hope to create a digital storytelling revolution by supporting and empowering rural storytellers". The travel blogger feels that while urban dwellers can leverage digital tools to work and study online, rural India continues to be held back by the lack of digital skills and opportunities.

In the short-term, Voices of Rural India is creating a revenue stream for affected communities through digital journalism. In the long run, it aims to develop digital storytelling skills at the grassroots level, along with becoming a repository of local culture and knowledge, documented in local voices.

Voices of Rural India is currently working with rural communities in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Maharashtra and Gujarat, through on-ground community-based tourism organisations like Global Himalayan Expedition, Himalayan Ecotourism and Grassroutes Journeys. They assist the team in identifying storytellers who are usually guides, homestay owners, tour operators and youth and women from the local community.

Voices of Rural India volunteers share storytelling modules with community organisations, which identify story ideas and storytellers. Rural storytellers submit stories in audio/visual or video or text format. The volunteers and community organisations then select, edit and curate the best story ideas rooted in human experiences. Volunteers finally remunerate and promote the storytellers. Every storyteller is currently being paid Rs 1,000 every time their story is accepted for publishing.

Rural India is a goldmine of stories that the world needs to know, believes Manzar. There are approximately 6,50,000 villages in India. Even if we have one story from each village, the World Wide Web could have three-quarter of a million stories online, which could not only enrich the country but the entire digital world, he opines.

Landscapes, and communities who inhabit them, are embedded in their own particular stories and cultures. And perhaps, thats part of what draws the tourist to rural destinations, says Virdi. She adds that the initiative is an opportunity for rural storytellers, guides and community folk to delve into their life experiences and own their folklore with pride and re-tell them to the world. With the possibility of physical travel now on hold, learning to own our narratives in this new virtual medium is both exciting and challenging. But what better way to stay connected despite the discontinuities, she adds.

The organisation is also providing virtual training to rural storytellers. They are focussed on teaching them basic storytelling, how to brainstorm ideas, how to add their personal perspectives into their stories and using smartphones for recording audio and video and taking pictures. Some of the storytellers are also learning typing in Hindi.

In the long run, Voices of Rural India aims to bring these storytellers on social media platforms and leverage online tools which will also help them in tourism and other side businesses. The organisation is also looking for volunteers with editing and social media expertise, who could assist them in developing easy to learn training material.

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Voices of Rural India: Taking Stories from Indias Hinterland to The World - Outlook India

This is Part Three of a 20-Part Series

For many who receive a medical death sentence, life comes to a screeching halt while the pace of time seemingly accelerates. For David Patient, HIV/AIDS meant that life was just beginning.

Patient was a rare phenomenon. As a sensitive, emotionally tormented, suicidal young man, the twenty-two year old realized that not only did he want to live, but the virus inside of him wanted to live too. Thus, in 1983, Patient and his disease (which was baffling medical researchers worldwide) became allies.

After his initial diagnosis as terminal, Patient moved from his home in Las Vegas to Florida. There, in 1986, he participated in the very first human trials of an antiretroviral (ARV) drug referred to as AZT (azidothymidine).

Patient quickly became ill from side effects. Consequently, he and one other person dropped out of the trials.

As of 2004, at the time of Patient co-authoring the book, The Healer Inside You, he and the other person who had dropped out of the AZT trials were the only two people of the initial trial still alive. Patient later learned that the deaths were not from the drug itself, but from the high dosages administered in the early trials.

Also in the late 80s, Patient abruptly ended the use of illicit drugs, which he had engaged in for years to numb chronic depression. This led to productive decisions such as learning to become a chef, attending support groups for people with HIV/AIDS, and getting certified as a hypnotherapist a skill which empowered Patient to help people with HIV/AIDS manage pain and suffering as they died.

Throwing himself into personal growth, educational endeavors, and social support, Patient transformed from a reckless young man into a caring and focused adult. He assisted in the establishment of the first AIDS agency in Florida, and in 1992 received a commendation from President Clinton for his work in AIDS.

During these years, Patient was also involved in studies of "long-term non-progressors," which required regular visits to research labs.

A "non-progressor" is someone with HIV whose immune system does not get weaker, even after decades of infection. However, Patient does not fit the technical definition of a "non-progressor," because his immune system initially weakened after diagnosis, but later improved - without medication.

(This was a phenomenon reported in only 3% to 7% of people with HIV in the 80s and 90s).

While Patient experienced rare improvements in his health before effective drug therapies were available, he was not an advocate against pharmaceuticals. He believed that individuals with illness should use anything they have at their disposal to improve conditions.

In the years before effective HIV/AIDS drug therapies were available, Patient supported himself and others through the skilled use of counseling and nutrition.

However, when effective drugs for HIV/AIDS became available, Patient put his neck on the line to ensure that underserved populations could also access them.

In 1992, Patient relocated to California, where he opened a counseling practice.

Meanwhile, back in South Africa, where Patient had grown up, the longstanding Apartheid government was nearing its demise.

In 1990, revered anti-Apartheid activist Nelson Mandela had been released from a 27-year prison sentence. This enlivened new hope for a democratic South Africa.

Since David Patient had been exiled from South Africa since the age of 18, these political changes filled him with excitement over the possibility of returning to his home country (see Part Two for more details).

Until then, Patient found ways to support his fellow South Africans with HIV/AIDS by shipping ARVs (antiretrovirals) overseas.

He was living in San Francisco at the time, where people with HIV/AIDS were given ARVs at no-cost to manage the disease. Patient began working for an agency which, after the death of San Francisco-based, free ARV recipients, gathered and shipped any of their unused medications to South Africa to be used by underserved persons-in-need.

Patient waited for the day that he could return to South Africa to teach indigenous populations how to use effective drug therapies, mind-body-science, and nutrition to support their mental, emotional, and physical health.

His journey in disease containment and prevention was only beginning, yet he had already outlived his initial medical death sentence by nearly a decade.

To be continued

Amid the current global crisis, Patients legacy is as relevant today as it was decades ago. His life work is an example which can enrich humanitys quality of life in all parts of the world. It is shared as a mirror to the magnitude of our own self-empowerment and community impact during the current crisis.

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Against the Odds: Choosing Life, Health, and Service - Olney Daily Mail

By Dr. Satywan Saurabh

The Prime Minister, during his address to the nation on the 74th Independence Day, brought about a committee/legislation to reconsider the minimum age of marriage for women from Red Fort. These laws mandate the minimum age of child marriage to be made to prevent child marriage and abuse of minors. Different religions dealing with marriage have their own standards of personal laws.

The minimum age of marriage in India, especially for women, has always been a controversial subject, and whenever there is talk of changes in such rules, there has been strong resistance from social and religious conservatives. According to the current rules, the minimum age of marriage for men and women is 21 and 18 years respectively.

The Union Ministry of Women and Child Development constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Jaya Jaitley to examine matters like maternal age, the imperative of reducing maternal mortality, and improvement in nutrition levels among women. It will examine the relation of the age of marriage and motherhood with pregnancy, birth and beyond, health, medical well-being, and nutritional status of the mother and newborn, baby or child.

The law will also look at key parameters like infant mortality (IMR), maternal mortality (MMR), the total fertility rate (TFR), the sex ratio at birth (SRB) and child sex ratio (CSR) and examine the possibility that Now whether it will be right to increase the age of marriage for women from the current 18 years to 21 years.

The link between age at marriage and nutritional age is a biologic fact, a study conducted by the International Food Policy Research Institute showed that for young adults compared to the age of children born to adolescent mothers (1019 years) Births (2024 years) were 5% more likely to be stewed (less for their age), 11 percent more than children of adult mothers (25 years or older). Children born to adolescent mothers have 10 percentage points more weight than those who are underweight as adult mothers.

It also highlighted other factors, such as low education among adolescent mothers and their poor economic status, with the strongest relationship with child height and weight measurement. Above all, it was recommended that increasing age at first marriage, age at first birth, and girls education is a promising approach to improving maternal and child nutrition.

There does not appear to be any legal reasoning for the minimum age of women and men to be equal for marriage, although many people argue against it, but see this type of argument different rules Article 14 of the Constitution (Right to Equality) And violate Article 21 (right to live life with dignity). Different ages of women and men for marriage promotes orthodoxy in society. The difference in age of marriage for women and men has no basis in the law because the women and men involved in marriage are equal in every way and therefore every partnership should be equal.

On the other hand, there have also been arguments against increasing the minimum age of marriage for women,The National Coalition for Adolescents claims that raising the legal age of marriage for girls only artificially expands, criminalizes, and criminalizes the number of underage married individuals without any legal protection. Girls have to be attracted to sex.

Among all this, there are many arguments in favor of increasing the minimum age of marriage of women. There is a need to bring gender-neutrality in the democratic era. There is a need to reduce the risks of early pregnancy in women. Early pregnancy is associated with increased child mortality and affects the mothers health. Despite laws to reduce the minimum age and to have sex with a minor, child marriages are very prevalent in India.

Early pregnancy is associated with increased child mortality and affects the mothers health. Thus, attention is needed to the mothers health and readiness to carry a child. The government needs to emphasize the economic and social empowerment of women and girls, along with targeted social and behavior change communication campaigns, as well as raising the minimum age of marriage for women will increase gender-neutrality.

According to the data, 35000 women died due to complications during pregnancy and delivery in the year 2017 in India. It is true that in India, at the time when women should pay attention to their future and education, they are burdened with the burden of marriage, today there is a need for change in this orthodox practice in 21st century, which is empowering women This will prove to be an important step in the direction of.

Increasing the minimum age of marriage for women will give more time for women to get educated, enter colleges, and get higher education. With this decision, the entire Indian society, especially the lower economic class, will get an opportunity to progress.

(Dr. Satyavan Saurabh is a research scholar, poet, independent journalist and columnist. The views expressed are personal opinion of the author. He can be reached atgoonjtichaupal@gmail.com)

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Whether it will be right for women to increase the age of marriage or not - Avenue Mail