Monthly Archives: May 2022

Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, speaking at the Alltech ONE Conference

President and CEO of Alltech, Dr Mark Lyons, has highlighted agricultures role in saving the planet.

Speaking at the Alltech ONE Conference in Lexington, Kentucky, he said, the reducing is not enough; we have to do something different.

Our belief is that agriculture has the greatest potential to positively influence the future of our planet, to provide nutrition for all and to help rural communities thrive and replenish our planets resources.

He observed that governments and companies reduction and continuous commitments will not get the world where it needs to go.

the reductions, the commitments, the governments and companies make, that is not going to get us where we need to go.

We need to have intentional action to restore our environment. We have to think of ways of lowering environmental impact and at the same time we can provide enough of that nutrition that this growing planet is going to require, he explained.

According to Dr Lyons, progress and doing something different should involve cultivating economic opportunities through this.

I think that the negative message of doing less, not being able to have economic, entrepreneurial and even intellectual opportunities that is not a path forward as we see it.

We have to think of ways where we can truly capture what is being released (carbon), I think this is going to be the most exciting and the biggest economic opportunity that is going to exist in agriculture for the future, he added, How do we create carbon capture in a transformative way.

The ONE Conference is Alltechs flagship event which continues to be an invaluable industry resource, providing innovative ideas, inspiration and motivation through world-class speakers and unmatched content.

This years event welcomed nearly 2,000 international delegates to downtown Lexington in the USA, with an additional 5,000 participating virtually after two years of holding the event virtually.

Dr Mark Lyons, who welcomed delegates challenged them to think about what comes next as we look toward the future.

Its been almost 1,100 days since we were last together and certainly, we know a tremendous amount has changed from social turmoil to a global pandemic and beyond, Lyons said.

What is this all telling us? What can we step back and think about in terms of how we progress forward?.

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Restoring the environment takes intentional actions Alltech CEO implores - Myjoyonline

With the increase of jobs and lure to tech in the Bay Area, where to lay ones hat is still a main problem in todays housing crisis. Maybe you are a carefree environmentalist who can work at the office by day and rent a sleeping pod by night but if you are over the age of 27 living in teeny tiny houses and sharing pods and vans with friends, being green is probably no longer a fun experiment. Covid has taught us the importance of a stable home and WiFi, the need for a good kitchen and healthy food and also about community and space where we can wander or retreat with our bubble of friends or family.

So what are the options for Bay dwellers? A new planned community called Lagoon Valley is being built between the Bay Area and Sacramento, and the project developers believe they are doing their part for planet earth. They are raising the green flag for all the people around the planet who may love Burning Man and glamping but ultimately want to settle into a place that helps define values and community and which may include aging parents.

Using green building codes that will go above Californian standards, Lagoon Valley says they will also protect, improve, and preserve more than 1,300 acres of land and resources. Eighty-five percent of the communitys specific plan is dedicated to open space and parks and recreation creating an environment where wildlife and people can thrive.

With the Bay Area as the largest tech market in the United States, San Francisco has a cost-of-living index of 269.3, almost twice as high as Vacaville, California. Lagoon Valley, on the outskirts of Vacaville, which broke ground in June, anticipates its first residents will move in summer of 2023. It is just 53 miles from San Francisco and will provide fourteen neighborhoods with 1,015 homes varying in size and price ranges, including neighborhoods offering affordable housing, as well as age-qualified residences, and estate homes designed to encourage multi-generational living.

We know that creating a conservation community is the right way. However, it is not the easy way, and Lagoon Valley has taken decades to plan, says Curt Johansen, Development Director, Triad Lagoon Valley, LLC Investing in the planet means living on it as lightly as possible. Weve done that with this dynamic community.

5 ways Lagoon Valley protects the earth and improves human well-being

Gardens in the center: The communitys organic, community-supported farming teaches children and adults to respect, protect, and care for the land in ways that inspire stewardship, social connection, and wellness, not to mention delicious dishes.

Wetlands preservation in situ: Communities that combine wetlands preservation and expansive wildlife habitat in their neighborhood planning create positive change. In addition to encouraging the ecological literacy of community residents, they help maintain a balanced ecosystem.

Solar Powered Homes: Solar energy, both active (for electricity) and passive (for winter heat retention and summer cooling), is no longer optional it is essential to reduce our carbon footprint, reduce impacts to the biosphere, and mitigate climate change.

Car-optional community: like big cities where people can walk to work or walk to their local shops and community centers, Lagoon Valley is an intentional community that will make it easy for people to navigate and shop by foot or by bike.

Using reclaimed water: Californias drought problems are a liability if you are buying a home. Will you have water for the bath tomorrow? Lagoon homeowners have the option to reduce potable water consumption by up to 50% through reclamation of greywater built into their home.

Some 72% of Lagoon Valleys 2,400-acre specific plan is dedicated open space and 13% for parks and recreation. The neighborhoods are interconnected with trails that offer easy access to adjoining villages, the Town Center, the Community Farm, neighborhood parks, recreational facilities, an 18-hole golf course seeking Audubon certification, and a Community Event Center with a full complement of amenities. It will be the first conservation community of its kind in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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Lagoon Valley for living intentionally with nature and purpose in the Bay - Green Prophet

Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 3:00pm in the Sanctuary of Hopps Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church located at 1110 State Street in Syracuse, New York for a Multi-Faith Call to Prayer and Action.This will be a brief time of lament, centering, and community building.

Saturday, May 14, 2022 was a day where the world will never be the same again. It was the day an 18-year old male white supremacist named Payton Gendron executed ten African Americans with an assault rifle in a Tops Supermarket located in Buffalo, New York. This was another anti-Black, racist, mass shooting. Gendron intentionally chose an area with a high concentration of African Americans to engage in this act of terror.

The impact of this sinful action has broken our hearts, shocked us with disbelief, incited anger, and infected many with fear and concern that this act can be replicated at any given time.

This is yet another reminder as to why we cannot keep silent about the devastating impact of systemic racism. Most of all, we must remain persistent and consistent in our resolve to dismantle it in our community, institutions, and world.

This is yet another reminder about why military assault rifles should not be accessible to all and why gun control legislation matters.

We can honor the lives of Roberta Drury, Pearl Young, Celestine Chaney, Andre Mackniel, Geraldine Talley, Aaron Salter, Ruth Whitfield, Katherine Massey, Heyward Patterson that were stolen by making the decision to prioritize the dismantling of systemic racism in our communities.

Most of all, we can honor their lives through the intentional listening to the experiences of Black Americans and listen carefully to how we can provide care, extend compassion, and be conduits of healing.

It is our hope that you will join us this coming Sunday, May 22, 2022 at 3:00pm in the Sanctuary of Hopps Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church located at 1110 State Street in Syracuse, New York for a Multi-Faith Call to Prayer and Action. This will be a brief time of lament, centering, and community building.

Rabbi Abraham Heschel marched alongside Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., for voting rights in Selma and was asked did you find time to pray? Heschel said I prayed with my feet.

This will also be a time of praying through hopeful action. One expression of hopeful action will be through our generosity. We will receive a free-will offering to be given to VOICE-Buffalo. VOICE-Buffalo is the local community organizing network that is part of the Faith in Action Network in Buffalo, New York. VOICE-Buffalo can administer our generosity to those who need it most in an area that is deemed a food desert. Your generosity will help to ensure that the residents of East Buffalo will have sustainable food sources and other support where it is needed most. If you are writing a check please issue it to ACTS with VOICE-Buffalo in the subject line.

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Tragedy in Buffalo: the Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse "Multi-Faith Call to Prayer and Action- Sunday at 3:00pm - URBAN CNY

BRIGHTON PARK A Southwest Side photographer wants to offer more public art to neighbors and encourage aspiring photographers to take snapshots of their own communities.

Eduardo Cornejo, of Gage Park, is the photographer behind Momentos Distintos unique moments a small, outdoor installation at Esperanza Health Centers Brighton Park location, 4700 S. California Ave.

The installation features four photos printed on metal sheets, named En Rumbo A?, Teatro Triste, Paso a Paso and La Conversacin. The snapshots feature a man waiting for a bus, an abandoned theater at 59th Street and Kedzie Avenue, people walking into a corner store and a candid shot of people during a summer art program.

Sometimes we walk through life not paying attention to what is around us the beauty in the simple things, Cornejo wrote on a plaque introducing the installation. Stuck staring at the glowing screen in the palm of our hand we often overlook and forget to appreciate what we have.

Each photo was shot on the Southwest Side, which was intentional, Cornejo said. Hes been taking photos since he was a teen, and said it was important for him to document his neighborhoods because he sometimes found himself primarily traveling to the North Side or Downtown to shoot.

Why dont I document my own neighborhood? Cornejo said. You know, I started questioning, like, Why do I feel the need I can only document certain parts of the city, and not where Im from, not my home and not what Im used to?'

Cornejo also said it was significant to title the exhibit and pieces in Spanish as a nod to his heritage.

As Ive been getting older, Ive just been like reclaiming more, questioning the assimilation that sometimes we kind of go through, just speaking for myself, Cornejo said.

Cornejo was awarded a $5,000 grant through the citys Artist Response Program in partnership with the Greater Southwest Development Corporation, which covered all the material and labor costs for the exhibit. He was able to install the photos outside the clinic from his connections working with the Gage Park Latinx Council and Esperanza.

Esperanzas been awesome, theyve been really helpful in the community, Cornejo said. I love the architecture of this building, too. Its something that Ive never seen on the Southwest Side, and I hope we get more buildings like this.

Esperanza founder and CEO Dan Fulwiler said the community garden outside the Brighton Park clinic is intended to be a place of reflection and beauty.

Esperanza is proud to partner with Eduardo Cornejo in validating the beauty of our neighborhoods and having it displayed for our staff, patients and community members to enjoy, Fulwiler said in a statement.

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Momentos Distintos Outdoor Photo Exhibit Shows Southwest Siders The Beauty In 'Seemingly Mundane' Everyday Moments - Block Club Chicago

The We Hear You Coalition is looking back on racial inequalities in Midland County to support the development of a more inclusive community.

Midland-area leaders joined forces two years ago, following the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. A police officer knelt on his Floyd's neck for approximately nine minutes on a street in Minneapolis as Floyd repeatedly said he couldnt breathe. The killing, captured on widely-viewed bystander video, sparked protests around the globe including Midland.

Looking back, co-organizer Diane Brown Wilhelm said the coalition is honoring the moments of progress along the way by connecting foundational work "that everybody is taking on to make a difference."

The coalition organizers have presented findings from a large data collection effort to key local partners in an effort to increase the collective understanding. However, Brown Wilhelm recognizes that there are community members do not understand the initiatives of We Hear You.

Despite that, Brown Wilhelm and co-organizer Sharon Mortensen said there are many community partners who have taken interest. One of them is Chief Nicole Ford of the Midland Police Department, who is working to implement tangible actions plans into the department's effort to address racial injustice.

Ford said she is exploring "different areas" to hit by 2024 in order to "move us forward in a positive direction," as a police department.

"I'm extremely happy that I get to participate in a group like this because I really liked that we use the data to drive our decisions," she said. "I love the cohesive group that we've become. Now it's an open dialogue. That's where we really start to make some positive changes."

Mortensen and Brown Wilhelm said the coalition would like to build a three-year roadmap to implement actions aligned with the efforts to address inequalities found in the survey based on policing, business, government structure (elected and appointed officials), health care, housing, income and poverty.

"We can't do this work alone," Brown Wilhelm said. "We need to make sure that we're positioning this so that the work continues for the long-term."

For example, the Midland County Community Health Improvement Plan is being examined to incorporate addressing some of the health disparities to address the inequalities, according to Mortensen.

The We Hear You organizers began addressing the needs of marginalized communities by conducting a survey to get a better understanding of what issues need to be addressed in the city related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Over the last year, the group has been presenting its findings to critical stakeholders across the coalition's focus areas.

The We Hear You initiative comprises three components: a summary report; Community Survey; and Community DEI Dashboards. Saginaw Valley State University worked with the coalition on the Midland Racial and Ethnic Equity and Inclusion Survey that was sent out in February 2021.

Along with helping fund the We Hear You survey, the Midland Area Community Foundation reported an increase in residents' interest of its Cultural Awareness Coalition.

Community Foundation President/CEO Sharon Mortensen said the group is developing a community voice, in part by organizing a Juneteenth event. The Juneteenth Block Party will be held from 2-6 p.m. on June 19 at Creative 360, which is located at 1517 Bayliss Street. It's sponsored by the Midland Area Youth Action Council.

"Encouraging voice through some of the activities of coalitions, like Cultural Awareness, that are bringing people together is really a critical way to get folks involved in our community," she said. "Their voices can be heard and ideas that they have can be implemented."

One project under the Cultural Awareness Coalition created was the Visibility Project Podcast, which launched in 2021, to give a voice to marginalized groups in the City of Midland. Topics discussed include domestic violence, overcoming stereotypes and fighting through physical disabilities.

The first component of the recent findings consists of an analysis of Midland County data in comparison to secondary data sources such as the U.S. Census, the CDC, and the FBI. For example, the coalition found a great variation within the general perception of police based on WHY respondents race/ethnicity. A greater percentage of African American and Hispanic respondents (42.5 and 42.7 percent, respectively) perceived their neighborhoods to be crime-free in comparison to non-Hispanic white respondents (only 34.8 percent).

The full report repeatedly emphasizes collection and analysis of data as a first step to help develop intentional, strategic, assessed, accountable, and sustained actions to end inequity, injustice, and bias in our community.

Midland residents Juwairiya Iqbal, left, and Trinity Thomas, right, lie down in the middle of Saginaw Road Sunday, June 7, 2020 alongside approximately 1,200 other protesters for 8 minutes and 46 seconds, the length of time George Floyd of Minneapolis was pinned to the ground under the knee of the white police officer now charged with Floyd's murder. (Katy Kildee/kkildee@mdn.net)

Brown Wilhelm, Ford and Mayor Maureen Donkerissued a public statement on June 4, 2020 to condemn the murder of Floyd.

"Hollow words, followed by inaction, will only serve to deepen the pain being shown across the country and which exists right here in our community, too," reads a line of a June 2020 statement, signed by Ford, Donker and Brown Wilhelm. "We can and must do better, and we will."

During summer protests of 2020, an estimated 1,200 people demonstrated at the Ashman Circle in Midland to protest George Floyds murder in addition to the murder of Breonna Taylor by Louisville police March 13, 2020, and the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, an African-American man, while he was jogging in Glynn County, Georgia, February 23, 2020. Speakers at the Midland rally shared their own experiences with racism, condemned institutional oppression, and demanded justice.

On July 13, 2020, the Midland City Council voted unanimously to support this initiative, and on October 20, 2020 the Midland County Board of Commissioners similarly passed a resolution supporting this work.

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We Hear You looks forward to implementing action plans with community partners - Midland Daily News

Mary Soo Hoo Park in Chinatown has been reactivated with a site-specific public art installation, YEAR OF THE TIGER, by Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong, a NY-based artist, commissioned byPao Arts CenterandThe Rose Kennedy Greenwayin honor of the Lunar New Year and the Pao Arts Centers fifth anniversary.

Residents and visitors now have a colorful place to congregate and continue the conversation about how accessible and inviting public spaces helps build community socialization and increase equity within the neighborhood.

The hope is that this really does become a community hub and a place for people to gather and dialogue,Chery Wing-Zi Wong, the installation artist and trained architect, said. just to have casual encounters and to have a place where people feel safe to sit and be in.

The installations opening on Saturday atMary Soo Hoo Parkcatalyzes whats to come in and around the space this summer. To help celebrate its fifth anniversary, Pao Arts Center has partnered up with the Rose Kennedy Greenway for a summer performance series called Vision/Voices, opening with Wongs installation.

Sheila Novak, the associate curator of public art at The Greenway, selected Wong after following her work for years. Novak said that a lot of her work at The Greenway has been dedicated to the Chinatown community. Creating projects that resonate, support, and amplify community needs, joy and voices are important.

Ive been thinking a lot about how the web of artist, performer and community member is actually really dense not siloed as we like to in art spaces often think of it, Novak said in an interview with The Scope. The people in the audience are also performers and artists who are also community members. I love that it can really be a space that holds work made with, by and for this community. And so even though Cheryls not from Boston, she honors that intention really thoughtfully, and she said she made it a point to come up here [before starting the commission] to get to know the community.

When taking on the commission, Wong said it was important to talk to Mary Soo Hoos (who the park is named after) descendants, whom she met last fall.

I met with her daughters [and] learned about her legacy a bit more, directly from them, Wong said. Looking at stuff on the internet is limited to bias, and theres very little about her there. So, [it was] to hear more from them about what it was like to grow up in Chinatown and what it meant for their mom.

Mary Soo Hoo Park is on the southern end of The Greenway and is located to the left before the Chinatown Gate entrance. On one side, you will often find a group of elderly gentlemen playing a game of xiangqi, Chinese chess; on the other side, its usually bare, open space for visitors to pass through but not much else. The team at The Greenway, along with Wong, wanted to find a way to reactivate the space.

Cheryl was an obvious choice because of her ongoing work in Chinatowns across the country and interest in working in Boston and because of her ongoing practice of creating transformative art-chitecture and social gathering spaces, Novak said. Working with Cheryl was delightful, given her keen sense of spatial transformation and her ability to imagine a space which could hold both casual gatherings and more structured performances. We were grateful, as well, to her intentional, community- and site-responsive practice.

I think thats a big reason why I do the things I do in terms of why this was cited here, what it does and how it acts as an affiliate, Wong told The Scope on opening day. The other side of Mary Soo Hoo is well occupied because they have tables and chairs. And I think thats one of the things that I critique in my work or try to look into is that there are a lot of public plazas, parks and spaces, but theyre not designed for people that use them and without seating or any real place for people to pause.

While the temporary installation is not fixed to the ground, Wong said that it is heavy enough. The pieces are conjoined together so that they cant move, ensuring that they can withstand any weather or frequent utilization. The legs of the benches are welded steel tubes, and small risers are added to the bottom of the benches to keep them from hitting the ground directly and to be able to level the pieces. The remaining parts are formed by pressure-treated wood with exterior grade paints.

To me, thats a big part of public art, figuring out the duration of the piece. What are the conditions in which itll be exhibited indoors or outdoors and then finding materials that respond to that, said Wong. But, they will definitely over the next year have undergone weathering. So thats why when theyre going to be split apart on de-installation and donated back to local orgs [in Chinatown], theyre going to be touched up.

Though the public installation will only be in the park for about a year, the idea of donating its pieces back to the community lends to the namesake of the works host site.

Mary Soo Hoo was a longtime resident and community activist in Chinatown. Soo Hoo worked fearlessly to advocate for a better quality of life in the neighborhood. Her activism led her to gain recognition from the city with numerous awards and honors, including having the park named after her. A part of Soo Hoos activism and her continued legacy is to create environments and spaces in the area that enhance ones quality of life, community engagement and public safety.

The collaborative process between Wong, Novak and Pao Arts Center Director Cynthia Woo started with a performance series, building on the bold, confident and generous characteristics of the Tiger. They wanted to host different lineups of Boston-based artists to activate the park through a monthly series of music, theater and spoken word performances. Novak said that the project is especially important in creating spaces for gathering and celebration to create a space of healing from isolation and anti-Asian sentiment and violence exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

On opening day, community members enjoyed an afternoon of live performances, including lion dancing from Wah Lum Kung Fu Academy and traditional Korean drumming.

Most of the performers utilized the new installation as their stage, while spectators sat and relaxed in other parts of the installation.

State Rep. Michelwitz and City Council President Ed Flynn both stopped by for a few moments to support the new installation and congratulate Pao Arts Center on its fifth birthday.

Ba Pham performed intimate songs on the piano for the crowd to enjoy.

As someone who grew up in the Boston Chinatown community, I always felt like a cultural and arts space was lacking in the neighborhood. The community always looked forward to things like August Moon Festival or Lunar New Year because those are one of the few moments a year the community was able to come together and celebrate, Ashley Yung, the theatre and performing arts manager at Pao Arts Center, said in an email to The Scope. The community deserves so many more of those experiences. Im really proud that now that we have Pao Arts Center, we get to offer more opportunities for the community to gather and celebrate.

The Pao Arts Center (PAC) was founded in 2017 and serves as a community response to a need for a physical arts and culture destination in the neighborhood, where residents and artists can freely express themselves and explore their ethnic identities. The center is the first to exist in Chinatown and is by collaboration between Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC) and Bunker Hill Community College (BHCC).

In the Boston area alone, there are over 13 AAPI ethnic communities, each with its own social norms and cultural traditions. We are not a monolith of opinions and experiences, Leslie Condon, visual arts program manager at PAC, said. The more that we can steer our own complex narratives and amplify them within our community, the more we can reinforce our community capital, sense of agency and feelings of belonging.

In agreement with Condon, in an email interview, the centers director Cynthia Woo said that in its five years of existence, the center has built a space of belonging both for artists and community members to connect with each other, their culture and themselves.

When we hear from community members that they now recognize that they, too, are creative and artistic or when artists and visitors thank us for creating a welcoming, comfortable space of support for them, it validates the importance of spaces like these, Woo said. Its also been an immense privilege to work in Chinatown with residents, local CBOs, artists and community members to use creativity, culture, and artist practice to uplift to respond to the needs of this neighborhood.

Woo said that in the last five years, the center has been working on using the arts to enhance and support multiple sectors from social service (with BCNC), education (with BHCC) and community development (with ACDC), amongst many other sectors and partnerships.

According to its website, the center is housed on a historically significant piece of land, Parcel 24. In the 1960s, many Chinatown residents living in this area were displaced due to highway construction plans. The site says that the redevelopment of this land as a place to celebrate and explore Asian culture represents a powerful shift towards community-oriented development in the face of rapid change.

To have a community arts center located on that land is a way to reclaim the space for the community. To be able to provide space, material support, and educational support to people in the neighborhood to lead and participate in creative programming is our way of nurturing joy, community voice, individual and community empowerment, and correcting historically inequitable access to artistic resources in the Greater Boston API community, Sophia Chen, communications and development manager for PAC, said in an email. This framework speaks to the partnership between a social service agency (BCNC) and an education institution (BHCC) that led to the creation of the center. Our programming ranges from dance classes for seniors to innovative artist residencies, an annual arts festival, art classes, and so much more, prioritizing serving the community.

A new exhibition, The Collective Imaginary, will beopening on May 27that 99 Albany St., where the center is located and will coincide with the rest of the summer performance series that PAC and The Greenway are jointly hosting.

For thesummer series, Condon, Yung and Woo said that they wanted to bring back and feature artists from the past five years to highlight all the breath, experiences and mediums from alumni artists, make sure the summer artist lineup was intergenerational and include performances that center cultural practice and identity.

The neighborhood has a long history of community organizing and the recognition of the role arts, culture and creativity can play in activism and support, Woo said. This five-year anniversary belongs to every organization, residents, community members and artists.

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Pao Arts Center celebrates five years, new installation comes to Mary Soo Hoo Park - The Scope

Campus News

This year's UB graduates are determined to make change in the areas they care most about. Photo: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki

By ANDREW CODDINGTON

This spring, more than 6,000 UB students received their degrees in commencement ceremonies across the campus, the last taking place on Sunday.

From here, theyre heading for jobs ranging from big tech (Amazon, Google, IBM) to finance (Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan), pharmaceuticals (Eli Lilly and Company) and entertainment (Disney, the NFL). Others are choosing to remain in Buffalo and the greater Western New York region, taking positions at M&T Bank, Kaleida Health, Citi, Moog, Lockheed Martin, tech startups like Odoo, and more. Still others will continue their education at institutions like Virginia Tech, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins, Princeton and UB.

Change agents

These graduates plans reflect the diversity of their values, as well as their determination to make change in areas they care most about.

For Arlene Kaukus, director of the Career Design Center, labor market trends, together with the resilience and passion shown by this class, point to good things ahead for both the individual graduates and society as a whole.

We have a marketplace bursting with opportunities, so the competition for talent is intense, Kaukus says, citing low unemployment and booming hiring forecasts. Students going into the workplace have a great opportunity to make choices that are very thoughtful and intentional.

Whether thats choosing to work for a company based on its demonstrated actions toward sustainability, or demanding an organization do more to advance racial justice and inclusion, new grads find themselves with tremendous power to transform the broader economy.

I think theyre going to be change agents, Kaukus says.

Passion for a healthier planet

Mady Radel, a presidential scholar, straight-A honors student and environmental studies major with a passion for corporate sustainability, has worked at Wegmans for more than five years, starting out as a cashier before rising through the ranks to store management.

In January, Wegmans met with Radel to see how they could entice her to continue her career with the company. As a result of that conversation, Radel is now leading a special project, working with the head of Buffalos corporate division to reduce waste in her store and eventually develop systems to share with other stores.

It felt great to have people take me seriously and say, we really value you, and we know you have these passions, so lets find a way to incorporate that into what you do, Radel says.

And for a healthier populace

Temara Cross, a first-generation college student, is graduating summa cum laude with a combined BS/MPH in public health, a BA in African American studies and a minor in anthropology. As a student, she was involved in community activist organizations Say Yes Buffalo and Open Buffalo, and served on the Presidents Advisory Council on Race at UB.

Now, Cross has her sights set on Buffalos racial health disparities, which, as a resident of the citys East Side, she has witnessed firsthand; while Cross was a junior in high school, her grandmother passed away from preventable diseases. Her plan is to work in public health with underserved communities, eventually pursue a medical degree, and then open a comprehensive health clinic on the East Side that accommodates the social and environmental determinants of patients health.

Weve seen what can happen in the past 50 years alone, says Cross. People have stepped up to the plate and created the change that they wanted to see in their community. And so Ill continue to do what Ive been doing, continue to use my experiences at UB and my lived experiences in Buffalo to create the change that I want to see.

Cause for optimism

Theres no question that the world is facing unprecedented challenges that will take years, and likely generations, to solve. But graduates like Cross, Radel and many others in this class give hope that change is not only possible its probable.

One of the things I love about working at the university is students optimism, openness and their sincere interest to grow and make things better, says Kaukus, who has spent 12 years in career services at UB, helping young people chart their futures. Its hard to be around our students and not feel optimistic.

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UB's class of 2022 has drive to change the world - UB Now: News and views for UB faculty and staff - University at Buffalo

In a series of conversation-sparking cover stories, enlightening interviews and insightful editorial pieces covering boundary-breaking creatives and the layered facets of culture theyve influenced, teen-oriented magazine Our Era has reshaped the landscape of the media industry for an up-and-coming generation.

Curated by the forward-thinking mind of 18 year old editor-in-chief Lucy Ivey, who started the magazine at 15 years old, Our Era has helped pave the way forward for Gen Z creatives and change-makers by amplifying their voices and highlighting their trailblazing pursuits in every print and digital edition of the magazine. In the two years since Our Era has solidified itself in the media scene, Ivey has spearheaded five issues, cultivated an impressive roster of cover stars and has collaborated with major brands like Steve Madden to celebrate Womens History Month.

In a similar vein, the Gen Z magazine now applies its unrivalled editorial voice to another set of cover stories, this time for Mental Health Awareness Month in partnership with Instagram. Shining a light on four, young and emerging Instagram creators, the new editorial features hone in on each talents approach to destigmatizing mental health in their diverse communities by practicing intentional living and wellness habits. Featuring writer Tauri Jane, queer Asian-American artist and influencer Kim Saira, teen creator Mikah Jones and queer indigenous Inuk creator Serqininguak Ketura, each of the incisive pieces, written by Ivey and Our Era Features editor Ella Edwards, explore the Gen Z talents upbringings and modes of self-expression, spanning from art to activism.

For the latest edition of Our Era, the four creators and Ivey were dressed and styled in befitting outfits by stylist Bernadet Davood. Fusing her distinct style aesthetic with each creators unique identity, Davood deftly curated dazzling looks utilizing pieces from independent brands who are representative of the same beliefs, ethos and philosophies of Gen Z.

The Instagram x Our Era cover stories are available now on the Our Eras website. Continue reading for a candid conversation between Hypebae, Ivey and the creators as they share the pioneering light that defines their generation.

Founder and editor-in-chief of the teen-geared magazine, Lucy Ivey has a curated an inclusive and supportive safe space for Gen Z creatives like her.

As the editor-in-chief of Our Era Magazine, why is it vitally important to use your magazine and platform to advocate for mental health awareness and destigmatize mental health perceptions?

We are the first generation of digital natives. We grew up with social media and have information at our fingertips at all times. It is extremely hard to catch a break. With this campaign, I want to encourage other gen-z-ers to open up about their mental health, about how they manage it, and the role intentionality plays in setting healthy boundaries. Its important that we feel okay about addressing these things.

With Our Era, what do you hope to achieve through placing emphasis on social and justice issues, and how is the magazine being used as a vehicle to create positive change?

What we aim to achieve is to give Gen Zers a platform that is their own a for Gen Z by Gen Z space for their creative light to shine. With Our Era, we are building a community of Gen Z creatives who can find comfort and connection with fellow artists and followers of their craft. Art in all of its forms is a powerful way to address social justice issues, get a message across, and bring positive change. Art and social justice intersect in so many ways. A zine is a great way to talk about mental health and explore these issues. Our Era is excited to work with Instagram. Its such an amazing platform for amplifying the great work and causes that are important to our generation. I hope this campaign will foster greater conversations and openness about mental health. Our generation struggles so much with anxiety and depression and its important that we see representation of these issues in the media.

What advice would you offer to those who are struggling with their mental health and what are some ways youve been able to overcome your own personal hurdles surrounding mental health?

I have been dealing with anxiety and depression for a long time. What helps me feel a little less alone is knowing that although it may feel dark and lonely at times there are other people in the world that are struggling with similar things. As scary as it can be, it is so important to talk to people, to find connection with others, to express yourself; to give your problems a space to breathe in and to not be afraid to seek help. There are people out there that care, even when the voice in your head is screaming otherwise.

A writer and creator, Tauri Jane practices pleasure activism and uses her creative craft as a mode of self-discovery and group-exploration.

To those who may not be aware, what is pleasure activism and how were you first introduced to it along with ways youve been able to participate?

I was introduced to pleasure activism in the summer of 2021 through a friend. It is defined in many ways by Adrienne Maree Brown, but my favorite definition is the practice of making activism and liberation one of the most pleasurable experiences one can have. I participate in pleasure activism in a multitude of ways, whether it be creating spaces for communal joy through my journaling workshops or dancing with strangers on the subway platform. Brown has a quote in which she says if I want to prove to other black women that they can access pleasure, then it really matters that I experience pleasure myself. This resonates with me deeply because I want women to know how transformative joy can be in their lives. Powerful things can happen when we center positive experiences. When youre in a writing workshop, laughing from your belly in a room filled with strangers, that experience sticks with you. It shapes your empathy and sets a standard for what you expect out of life. You realize that the work is really connecting with others and creating spaces where love can lead.

What are key lessons youve been able to decipher about yourself and others through your creative medium?

The key lesson Ive learned is that joy is the ultimate healing tool. We live in a culture that feeds off crises. Every day we learn that there is something to be outraged about or fearful of. While I dont want to dismiss the value of those feelings, I think we underestimate how important and how empowering collective joy can be. Thats the end goal after all, right? We all want to be happy at the end of the day. Why arent we taking advantage of the spaces and practices that produce those feelings? I dont want the narratives that surround my life to be centered around suffering. I want to know that there is a lot of good in the world. And that the reason we take to the streets and protest is not only because were angry but also because we love each other.

How has the artwork of marginalized communities inspired you in your craft?

I think the art that emerges out of marginalized communities is the purest form of pleasure activism. It is people who, despite suppression or whatever disadvantages they face, are saying out loud that they are still capable of creating beauty in their world. That is radical to me.

Can you expand upon why joy is not only empowering but transformative?

Feelings are powerful. We understand this when were talking about anger or sadness. We say Oh! That person was angry. Thats why they committed this crime or, Oh! That person was sad. Thats why they isolated themselves. Joy is no different. When people feel good, they do good. Think of the destruction weve seen over time from collective anger. Is it not possible for collective joy to have an equally powerful impact? Its important for me to emphasize community when making this connection, because its one thing to feel good on your own, its another to experience this feeling as a collective. We need to be asking ourselves how can the collective experience radical joy and what will come out of that. Of course it starts on a personal level with you saying Im going to prioritize the things that bring me pleasure. Then you start asking yourself, how can I help others feel empowered in the same way?

With her digital designs about mental health, Asian American creator, Kim Saira encourages her peers to be intentional with their wellbeing while working to destigmatize mental health in her Southeast Asian community.

As an Asian American immigrant, how are you using your platform to create meaningful, impactful change?

Something I recognize and try to be very cognizant of is that people who follow me are allowing me to take up space on their Instagram feeds. So, even though I spend my time and energy creating content, people who follow me spend their time and energy looking at it. Because of this, I try to be as transparent as I can about my experiences and journey as an Asian American, immigrant and human. So much of my own Filipino-American history and nuanced experiences arent represented in the media (or even taught in schools) so Im very grateful to have a platform that allows for me to speak on issues regarding mental health, my own personal healing journey, how its constantly evolving and changing and other Asian American-related issues. Overall, I think one of the best ways we can continue to learn from each other, so that we can all collectively contribute to a more loving world, is by listening and learning from other peoples life experiences while reflecting on our own and I think telling my own vulnerable stories and viewpoints through my platform is how I try to show up meaningfully.

How do you harness the power of art as a mode for social justice activism?

Art has always been an extremely impactful tool in order to get thoughts or emotions across to an audience. Using art, I make infographics (which are basically just short, digestible pages that talk about my take on a specific topic). Infographics are one way to get my experiences, words or action items out to a greater audience, to hopefully provoke more loving, impactful change. Also, not everyone can volunteer for organizations or attend rallies in-person, so using artistic modalities (like infographics) is more accessible.

Why is it important to create awareness surrounding mental health and destigmatize the conversation within your community and amongst your peers?

Growing up, I had no idea what the concept of mental health even was. I had such minimal emotional regulation, fueled by trauma coming from all sorts of places. I didnt even seek therapy (or really understood the importance of it) until I was at my lowest point in 2020. And I am not alone in my experiences (in fact, Ive been able to connect with other Asian Americans because of this shared experience). According to Mental Health America, Asian Americans are the least likely group to seek any sort of mental health resources or ask friends or family for help. This is perpetuated by factors like language barriers, cultural stigma, cost, lack of AAPI therapists due to high systemic barriers to become therapists and more.

This is why creating awareness and accessibility to healing resources are so important, even beyond mental health month. The reality is, there are folks that feel alone, afraid or othered if they know that they need assistance and not everyone can afford therapy. There are so many nuances that go beyond mental health posts on social media. Therefore in my opinion- having more open, vulnerable dialogue, learning to hold space for others and creating a safe space for folks to talk about their mental wellbeing is important for reducing stigma and creating more wellness inclusivity.

What measures do you take to ensure that you are practicing mindfulness and being intentional about caring for your wellbeing?

My mindfulness and healing modalities have shifted and changed throughout the years, especially because my job relies on me being online on social media. I do my best to take intentional, offline pauses (though sometimes its hard). I also try to practice self-compassion and I do this by actually affirming myself verbally (even in front of a mirror), or through journaling. Personally, one of the best ways I practice mindfulness is by observing my mind. Usually I do this by putting on music like sound bowls, lying down and doing nothing for a given period of time. This is because there are thousands of thoughts I am thinking everyday without even realizing how theyre affecting my mental wellbeing.

Something else Im extremely intentional about is what I choose to listen, watch and read. Were living in an era where instant gratification, trends, and shock-value are being marketed in the masses and so much of our own innate energy is being outsourced to those outlets. So for example, I try to be cognizant of the lyrics of music that I listen to or minimize following pop culture.

Im also so grateful to have a support system who checks in on me whenever they sense that I could use time for quiet and grounding and Im learning to strengthen my boundaries and know if Im consciously putting myself in situations that arent serving me.

Mikah Jones is the teen Instagram creator who uses their social media platform to guide their peers through a series of guided healing and spiritual sessions.

What motivated you to enlighten your community with a series of guided sessions in your healing space?

I view everything I share online as a service to my younger self. It took me 10 long years to get to where I am right now but Im still, of course, healing and growing myself. I strive to help people shorten their journey back to themselves, by learning to love and embrace the pains of their past and accept themselves fully. They wont need to go on a 10 year journey like myself; constantly unstable and suicidal. They can simply take the fast route to the love they have within themselves.

Many of those who come across my videos are seeking happiness, control over their emotions, joy and love. Therefore, I view everyone who follows me and stumbles upon my videos as extensions of myself. Right now bringing people into my healing space and guiding them through all the lessons that I have learned is what the younger me and my audience needs right now.

Why is it important to make wellness practices such as meditation accessible to everyone?

Suffering is a choice but its only a choice if you understand the relationship youre supposed to play in your suffering. Practices like meditation place you in a movie theater where you are watching your own movie with your emotions, thoughts, and worries about past regrets on full display. Many of us are living life full throttle with no brakes, we just go go go all the time, not aware of how we feel. Were not aware of our power or how we can change things. We are simply reacting to every moment of our life rather than experiencing, living and embracing it at our own pace. We allow our external environment to dictate our internal world far too much.

Having a practice like meditation helps to make life simple. Life is not complicated, it is actually very simple. However, when were caught in the thick of responsibilities, desires and relationships it feels overwhelming and complicated.

Meditation helps you to live your life from inside the movie theater, fully aware of your emotions. For some that sounds like disassociation but truthfully the less attached you are to every experience youre having the more you can experience that thing fully and still be free.

Meditation creates freedom within your internal world. It doesnt allow the external environment to dictate your internal wellbeing.

What sparked your self-exploration journey and how have you remained on the path of cultivating your highest self?

In order to cultivate your higher self you must commit to yourself. Spiritual practice all the woo woo stuff are the tools that every monk or spiritual guru has used to achieve their higher self. All you need to do is simply love, understand and accept yourself. Tools such as meditation, yoga and breath work all help you to understand, regulate and bring awareness to your thoughts and feelings about how youre experiencing life.

Cultivating your highest self, Ill admit, is a very silly term, but it is simply the love that lives inside of you. Its the same thing thats watching the thoughts and the same thing they gave your body life. My self has brought me to experience very hurtful things from such a beautiful place, cultivating my highest self has removed a lot of prolonged suffering from my life. Im not allowing depression to go on for weeks or days. Im also not allowing my anxiety to control my next actions by addressing it through breathing.

You hold the keys to your own kingdom. Focus less on trying to be happy or enlightened and focus more on trying to understand yourself. Everything else will come from there.

What have you learned about yourself and others since exploring intentionality through meditation?

If I had to pick one, it would be safety. Meditation has helped me see the intention behind my actions throughout my whole life both in the present and especially in my past. We are all seeking safety which is just another word for love, validation or connection. Everyones intention whether it hurts another person or for their own selfish gain, all comes back to desiring that feeling of safety. We seek safety in relationships, friendships, work, travel and every aspect of our life.

All of the past actions I made as a kid were all for validation, acceptance from my parents, partner, fame or money. I did them because I believe they would make me safe, make me feel like, I was enough is another way to put it. Meditation has helped me see the reasons behind my behaviors and others behaviors and their reasons. Clarity within myself and understanding my own actions has helped me develop deep empathy and compassion for other peoples actions whether they hurt me or not. Were all seeking the same thing but we all learned healthy or unhealthy ways to receive that safety and that is why some of us suffer and others are happy.

Theres no greater power than to understand yourself. Meditation has taught me this.

Serqininguak Ketura is a queer, Indigenous Inuk from Greenland who focuses on the importance of living with purpose in their community and strives to normalize mental health conversations in indigenous cultures.

How have you led conversations about destigmatizing mental health in your community and what has the outcome been as a result?

In my community, I have always been open about mental health, especially my own. Talking loud about having bipolar affective disorder, having had a suicide attempt, depression, all of it. In my community, we dont speak out loud about our feelings or mental health, at least not the elder generation. There have been many responses to this, though I will say that many people in my community have gained the courage to speak up and be open about their own mental health.

Why is it important to live with purpose and how has that been displayed in your Indigenous culture?

In our Indigenous culture, everyone always had a purpose in the community. Your strength was your purpose. Due to colonialism, these purposes have been lost and thats how most people feel. Lost. To me, purpose is being who you are, who you truly are. Unfortunately, having been forced to be integrated into the Danish ways of living, we live in a reality where you have to try and be something else, to be like the Danes. To live with purpose is important because it gives you the opportunity to be yourself, to reach your own dreams, to be proud of your Indigeneity and to have a place in the community. Ultimately, to feel like you have a purpose.

What changes do you hope to make in the Indigenous community regarding mental health issues and ways it can positively impact the lives of others?

What Im hoping for the future in my Indigenous community is a place where taboos are being broken, where people are open about their struggles, where not feeling good is normalized and where you can be accepted no matter your struggles.

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Our Era Creatives on Mental Health and Activism - HYPEBAE

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Staten Island students are learning how to code and design apps through a new public-private partnership between Apple and the New York City Department of Education (DOE), Borough President Vito Fossella recently announced.

The pilot training program was created with Staten Island District 31 Superintendent Dr. Marion Wilson and Mark F. Cannizzaro, president of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators.

We wanted to find a way to use the resources available through private businesses such as Apple to offer students diverse opportunities in the world of technology. Coding and app design programs are becoming a main aspect of employment in todays workforce, said Fossella. With the curriculums the company has provided, we can better introduce interested Staten Island students to work that will translate to real-life experiences in this field. The translation of this program results in possible solutions to issues Staten Islanders face throughout the community ...

Borough President Vito Fossella talks with staff members at PS 60, Huguenot, about the Apple program. (Courtesy/Borough Presidents Office)

The program helps prepare students for a technology-driven market found in both academic and career pathways.

It is primarily geared toward project-based learning in coding and app design that will examine the role of strategic, intentional Apple technology, which will drive deeper learning among students.

Partnerships with private businesses can enrich our students lives and provide them with high-quality learning opportunities that will impact them for years to come, said Cannizzaro.

The pilot began in January and is currently implemented in 10 schools throughout Staten Island. They are: PS 21, Port Richmond; PS 29, Castleton Corners; Totten Intermediate School (I.S. 34), Tottenville; PS 56, Rossville; PS 59, Concord; PS 60, Bulls Head; The Eagle Academy for Young Men, Stapleton; Tottenville High School, Huguenot; Ralph R. McKee Career and Technical Education High School, St. George; Staten Island Technical High School, New Dorp.

Donna Bonanno, principal of PS 60, speaks about the program. (Courtesy/Borough Presidents Office)

The coding curriculum provided by this partnership provides teachers with access to two different programs Swift Playgrounds and Develop in Swift.

Swift Playgrounds is an app that teaches coding for kids through a world of interactive puzzles and playful characters geared to introduce coding language used by professional app developers. It is used for elementary and middle school students in the program.

Develop in Swift is a comprehensive coding offering intended for students in ninth grade and above.

The curriculum prepares students for college or a career in app development using the Swift programming language and is complemented with free online professional learning for educators. As students move from this app to more advanced concepts, they will explore designing and building a fully functioning app on their own, and can even earn Advanced Placement (AP) credit or an industry-recognized certification.

Wilson said the programming allows the borough to create a generation of 21st-century learners. And the curriculum, she explained, can adapt to all grades from 3-K to 12th grade.

By exposing coding and project-based learning to students, we can incorporate skills needed for both college and career pathways at an early age, said Wilson. We are thrilled to support this partnership that brings real-life connections to students ... I want to thank Borough President Fossella and Mark Cannizzaro for putting Staten Islands students ahead of the curve in this digital age.

The borough president visited PS 60 in Bulls Head last week to see how students are engaging in the program.

It has also opened up opportunities for teachers to introduce more complicated topics to their students, including financial literacy and civil rights issues.

The biggest benefit of this program is the students impact on the community and helping them identify who their audience is for these projects, said Donna Bonanno, principal of PS 60. This partnership with Apple gives us the ability to teach our students ways to apply skills in a collaborative manner toward issues that they see in their own communities. I want to thank Superintendent Wilson, Borough President Fossella, and Mr. Cannizzaro for initiating this partnership and giving our students an education that amplifies whats already being done in each school across the borough.

Fossella and District 31 Superintendent Dr. Marion Wilson in front of PS 60. (Courtesy/Borough Presidents Office)

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New opportunities for NYC students, as Staten Island schools partner with Apple - SILive.com

In Georgia, we recognize the importance of travel, and thats why we are focused on positioning our brand of travel for an even stronger future by reimagining the industry to become more sustainable, innovative, diverse and globally competitive than ever before.

The future of travel is sustainable. Georgia attracts more than 152 million domestic and international guests each year, including to destinations along the coast such as Jekyll Island. Protecting and restoring our natural wonders, such as state parks, national forests, and beaches, ensures they can be enjoyed for generations to come. Businesses are joining the cause, with sustainable products and practices that both help preserve our environment and attract eco-conscious travelers. Destinations across our state place a priority on sustainability and promote these concepts to travelers. With the right plans in place, travelers can see and experience our state, while also protecting it.

The future of travel is innovative. Cities throughout Georgia are committed to investing in technologies and cutting-edge products and services for both leisure and business travelers. We are improving travel to and within our state through advancements such as electric vehicle (EV) charging stations (Georgia has more than 1,470 public charging stations and over 30,000 EVs on the road), mobile visitor centers in cities like Roswell and Columbus, and more. In Athens, the new Classic Center Arena opening in 2023 will have the ability to transform for any type of event and is expected to generate an estimated $30 million annual economic impact. By investing in travel and tourism innovations, we are stimulating future demand.

The future of travel is diverse. It reflects and incorporates the many people, places and points of view that make our communities so unique. Destinations in Georgia, from Albany to Atlanta, have led the way in championing and celebrating diversity. In our capital city, impactful offerings include the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and new travel guides that amplify underrepresented voices and opportunities. Our states travel industry is uniquely positioned to power a future that is more intentional in incorporating the diversity of our society.

The future of travel is globally competitive. Promoting the United States of America as a premier destination for global travelers has never been more important. The future of travel is connecting with the global community and safely welcoming back international travelers. Destinations like Savannah the Hostess City have lived up to their monikers in welcoming international visitors with Georgias legendary hospitality. Increasing our global competitiveness is key to reviving our economy and ensuring a return to strong, diversified growth.

The future of travel is in person. Business travel and professional meetings and events are irreplaceable and critical to the tourism industrys recovery. State leadership gave the tourism industry license to operate and cities across Georgia led the return to safe, in-person meetings, adapting and expanding their facilities and offerings for groups of all sizes. The personal connections made at meetings and events are evidence that, while sometimes convenient, virtual meetings are no match for how relationships and business have been built and nurtured for decades.

At Explore Georgia, we are focusing on a future where travel is the heartbeat of our communities and businesses, welcoming visitors from around the globe to dive into what can only be experienced here in our state. As we continue to shift our focus forward, Georgia is defining the future of travel today.

Mark Jaronski is deputy commissioner for Tourism, Georgia Department of Economic Development.

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Opinion: Georgias now traveling into its tourism future - The Atlanta Journal Constitution