The movie starts in the black-and-white humdrum existence of Kansas and soon switches to glorious technicolor when our intrepid heroine Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland) gets carried away in a tornado, ending up in the magical Land of Oz. Even now with the advent of high definition screens more than eight decades later, The Wizard of Oz and its incredible effects are just as vibrant as they were back then. In fact, maybe even more so, as digital retouching has allowed for the films radiant color palette to shine even brighter.

The Wizard of Oz follows young Dorothy in Kansas where her biggest problems are boredom and the nasty woman Miss Gulch (Margaret Hamilton), who is at war with Dorothys dog Toto. After Toto attacks Miss Gulch one more time, Gulch goes to the police and gets permission to seize the dog, who she plans on euthanizing herself, with gusto. Toto escapes, and, thinking she has no other way to save his life, Dorothy packs a suitcase and runs away from home. But while shes on her journey, a huge tornado makes its way toward her aunt and uncles house. In her efforts to find them, Dorothy, Toto, and the house get swept off into the skies to land with a solid thump in an entirely new world.

In Oz, Dorothy learns she accidentally killed the Wicked Witch of the East by dropping her house on her. Big oops. Vowing revenge, the Wicked Witch of the West (also played by Margaret Hamilton) tries to kill Dorothy, but cannot because the Good Witch Glinda (Billie Burke) has bestowed upon Dorothy the enchanted ruby slippers once worn by the Witch of the East. Dorothy must make the arduous journey through hallucinatory Oz in order to ask its highest ruler, the Wizard (Frank Morgan), to get her home. Because as marvelous as Oz might be, Dorothy cannot stop missing the Kansas she once wanted to escape so badly.

On her way down the Yellow Brick Road, she collects a strange coterie of friends: the Scarecrow (Ray Bolger), the Tin Man (Jack Haley), and the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), who also have requests from the Wizard. After more wild hijinks that include Dorothy killing the Witch of the East, she discovers that the power to get back to Kansas was with her all along. Theres no place like home, Dorothy Gale says once she finally returns home after a whirlwind adventure to the Land of Oz. Im not going to leave here ever again! Dorothy promises her family and friends.

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While The Wizard of Oz closes with a message of personal empowerment and realizing how much power we have in ourselves if we would access it, it also includes a disturbing nativist lesson of not straying too far from your own back yard a concept that resonates with the MAGA America First crowd which also continues to hold strong eight decades later. In these years, and in particular, since 2016, we have seen the US government exit historic international treaties such as the Paris Agreement, NAFTA, UN Human Rights Council, UNESCO, NATO, and even the G7 in the guise of making America stronger, but this withdrawal has only painfully damaged Americas participation in global politics as well as necessary international oversight, especially with regards to issues of human rights violations and climate change. This nativism has led to increased attacks on immigrants of color where the racist phrase Go home to your country is used against even generations of American-born immigrants. For many of those, the only home they have known is the United States. And with these assaults, the idea of there is no place like home takes on an even more disturbing spin.

But with the current COVID19 global pandemic 81 years later, The Wizard of Ozs notion of theres no place like home has certainly taken on a new meaning as quarantine and stay-at-home orders dominate our lives in the battle to stop the exponential contagion of this viral pathogen. For some, the idea of no other place like home in the midst of a global crisis is a positive one that signifies protection, health, and safety. For many others, though, home has become a new prison as domestic violence reports have spiked dramatically since the first stay-at-home orders were announced.

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Theres also a tragic irony in the message of no place like home today: We have thousands of homeless folks who have no place to shelter. Thanks to the toxic capitalism that drives America, they remain homeless and at risk. The city of Las Vegas drew social distancing markers in an empty parking lot as temporary shelters where homeless folks can sleep instead of opening even one of their now-empty hotels for this vulnerable segment of American society. And, just as horrifying, in America 2020 we have concentration camps at the southern border where asylum seekers and refugees are being held with no home to go back or forward to, who are also particularly at risk for coronavirus infection thanks to the degrading conditions theyve been left in. Theres no place like home indeed.

Home isnt just a place, as Dorothy finds out in The Wizard of Oz. It is also the social networks that keep that place thriving and supporting everyone who lives in it. Home is also where we feel we belong, whether that be a country, community, or something else entirely that gives us a sense of connection and can even contribute to our identity. At the same time, the physical shelter of a home, literally speaking, is also vital to our survival and good health. For segments of vulnerable Americans across the spectrum of economics, race, gender, and immigration status, unfortunately, the idea of having no place like home has become a messy notion steeped in many levels of uncertainty. Eighty-one years after The Wizard of Oz first enchanted audiences with its escapist fantasy, theres no place like home has become a multilayered statement for our current times.

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The 'The Wizard of Oz' is Fit for a Pandemic 81 Years Later - Black Girl Nerds

Art historian Andrew Stewart Mackay.

Our bonds to the past and to our ancestors can be a powerful driving force in our lives.

And not only can these links be fascinating, they can also provide sense and context to our present and future paths.

This sense of wonder for times gone by comes through particularly strongly when talking to art history expert and writer Andy Stewart MacKay.

A globetrotter for almost two decades, he studied art history at St Andrews where one of his fellow students was Prince William and went on to work, teach and write while living in cities such as London, Venice, Paris and Berlin (just to mention a few), as well as New York and Dallas, eventually qualifying and working as a cataloguer at the British Library in London and becoming a family constellations practitioner.

At 40 years old, he took a step towards his own ancestral roots and made Inverness his home.

My family is from the Highlands, and I have always wanted to return and live here so, when my partner was offered a job at Eden Court, we jumped at the chance and moved in here last autumn, he said.

I love Inverness and its a great place where I can write.

My studio is nice and quiet, but I also like the energy here, which is perfect for creative writing, and there is a great community of writers here, with many people doing interesting things. I am glad to be part of it.

His latest work, The Story of Pop Art, was published in January and explores a variety of aspects of the first post-modern cultural movement and its impact on our culture today.

He said: I feel like the purpose of this book was to be as inclusive as possible and include as many women artists as possible in a movement that is so often very male-dominated.

Mr MacKay has already started to get involved in the local community through various activities, including giving a lecture on Pop Art as Queer Art to University of the Highlands and Islands students as part of the Winter Pride programme in FebruaryHe also interviewed local artist Jim Mooney in a talk surrounding his recent exhibition at Inverness Museum and Art Gallery.

However, his most recent work digs into a more personal perspective of the past; Mr MacKay is in fact a qualified family constellation practitioner, the latter being a form of systemic therapy that focuses on healing ancestral trauma to treat issues affecting people in the present.

As a historian and an archivist, and working all over Europe surrounded by ancient buildings, I have always been fascinated by the past and my own family history, he said.

Constellations therapy considers the individual not as an island but as part of system; the foundational system being that of the family.

Out of deep love and loyalty we, as individuals, can unconsciously repeat the traumatic experiences of our ancestors in surprisingly varied ways, and in ways that can adversely affect all aspects of our lives.

In a constellation session my clients have the opportunity to see their systemic blindspots and can acknowledge and honour their ancestors experiences, and very respectfully leave those experiences where they properly belong.

In this way the client both lovingly dignifies their ancestors, peacefully freeing themselves, and those that come after them in the family order, to live their own lives well.

I approach the past and in a sense the future too in two complementary ways: intellectually through the study of art history and emotionally or spiritually through the practise of constellations.

Despite their often well-founded elitist or niche reputations, for me art history and constellations are both about and should be about personal and collective empowerment, and making art history and constellations more accessible is something I want to do in Inverness.

I am offering a free constellation session to anyone in the Highlands who identifies as queer because, as a queer man, I know that life can be difficult.

I would also like to start working with charities who work with homeless people as I believe constellations could be beneficial to them.

I do sessions online too, and I think this is really important to reach people who live in very remote areas, which is often the case in the Highlands.

n To contact Mr MacKay or for more information on his work, visit http://www.andystewartmackay.com

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Feature: Therapy can take you back to the future Feature - Inverness Courier

The speed at which Covid-19 has spread across the world has sent shockwaves through financial markets sending investors scrambling to liquidate their investments for cash. Even traditional safe haven assets, such as gold, have fallen into negative territory in the past couple of weeks as investors liquidate whatever they can to cover margin calls. But nowhere will the economic impact of Covid-19 be more keenly felt than in South East Asia where, out of a total population of 650m people, 15% live below the poverty line [1].

The economic toll on these developing nations is already beginning to show. For example, in Vietnam, the countrys tourism industry is expected to lose between $5.97.0 billion as international flights are cancelled and tourist bookings fall by 60%. A survey conducted by the Vietnam Tourism Advisory Council showed that hotel bookings and occupancy rates are down by around 35% compared to the same period last year. The stock market too has taken a hit, shedding 18% of its value in the last 2 weeks alone. Its a similarly bleak picture in other ASEAN countries. In Manila, Philippines, a 4 week government imposed enhanced community quarantine came into effect on 15th March, directly impacting over 12 million people, many of whom live below the poverty line. A further 3 million informal workers who commute from outside Metro Manila to find casual day labour are also affected by these draconian measures as only those who can show letters of employment are allowed to travel into the Metros borders.

Unlike in Western countries where there are more developed social security infrastructure and welfare systems, the vast majority of the urban working poor in Manila eke out a meagre income with little or no personal savings and no social security infrastructure to act as a safety net in times of emergency. For those who are lucky enough to be employed, for example in low paid jobs such as construction or security, a minimum wage of 540 pesos, around $10, is all their hard days work affords them. No wonder, then, families in impoverished Manila neighbourhoods like San Roque are confused and nervous about what the immediate future may bring.

The reaction by the central government has been somewhat predictable, albeit tinged with an element of inevitability: military and police control of the streets rather than targeted healthcare intervention such as testing and protective equipment for healthcare workers. History, rather ominously, has shown that governments have used crises to significantly increase their power. Of course, we are told at the time that these extended powers are only meant to last during the time of the crisis, but somehow they end up never being removed. Covid-19 is already starting to leave its mark on nations and its economies for years to come.

It is in times of acute crisis and uncertainty that ARCC can have a significant impact on the lives of millions of people. ARCC proposes a decentralized approach for the inclusive economic development for the urban working poor. By providing the urban poor with a new economic development model based on the power that cryptocurrencies have for financial inclusiveness and empowerment, millions of people can benefit from an inclusive economic framework for long-term capital gain and entrepreneurial investment. By participating in a range of socio-economic surveys as well as reporting on points of malfeasance, such as incorrect Covid-19 testing kits or inadequate protective gear for healthcare workers, this data, after being verified by other users in the network, can then be used to scope and map out the extent of governmental shortcomings and corruption. The collected data is recognised as a grassroots public mandate for government from the most prevalent but least recognized group of society. Users are incentivised to report on instances of corruption and to complete the surveys by being issued with ARCC. ARCC is crucially structured as a macro crypto-reserve currency and is positioned as a long-term regional microasset, in other words as an accessible store of value that can be used for entrepreneurial capital investment and business development. Not being reliant on centralized systems, such as the value of cash, provides a level of financial independence that is empowering and humanising.

Crises often bring out the best and worst in humanity. It is our sincere belief that the current pandemic and the days afterward represent a unique opportunity to adopt an alternative approach to economic development. By partaking in a bottom-up decentralized approach that provides radical social transparency and fair inclusive access to assets which can be used for entrepreneurial investment, the lives of millions of urban working poor are not in the hands of a centralised system which, at best, has priorities that are not always totally aligned with the economic betterment and advancement of the urban working poor.

The time for a new approach has arrived. It is time for ARCC. This is our moment and as we ramp up development, we hope to create equality in both economic and humanitarian priorities.

Author: Cyrus Afkhami

Head of Research of IBMR.io & ARCC

Editors: Eric Tao, Head of Media IBMR.io & Sinjin Jung, Managing Director IBMR.io.

[1] ASEAN Statistical Leaflet 2017. https://www.aseanstats.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/ASEAN-Statistical-Leaflet-2017_Final.pdf

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How ARCC can be applied in pandemic to improve the lives of millions of urban poor - Elemental

As the world grapples with dwindling supply of Covid-19 preventive gears, Kitui County Textile Centre (KICOTEC) is plugging in the gap producing 30, 000 face masks daily.

KICOTEC is also making Personal Preventive Equipment (PPE) as the country stares at empty shelves and those who need them most feel the effects.

KICOTEC is among local companies identified by the government to ease the shortage of the preventive gears in the country.

These local companies have started making face masks and other preventive gears as the government heightens measures to fight the rising number of Covid-19 infections.

Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu said this move stamps the countrys manufacturing sector as a crucial component in spurring the fledgling economy against the ravages of Covid-19.

Fear and panic are causing members of the public to purchase and stockpile masks and other PPE supplies and people are paying dearly for them.

The PPE is used every day by healthcare personnel to protect themselves, patients and others when providing care, and by depleting supplies, those in the front line will be at risk and could contribute to the spread of coronavirus.

The humble beginnings of the textile centre started off as a simple embroidery outfit stitching uniforms before inking a lucrative deal in 2019 to tailor over 6, 000 uniforms for chiefs and their assistants countrywide.

Ngilu thanked President Uhuru Kenyatta for making it possible for the county to tailor the government uniforms adding that the move was in tandem with the Big Four Agenda and her vision on wealth creation.

We have employed over 350 young people. We will continue to offer capacity building through skill improvement amongst the youth to enable them create job opportunities not only for themselves but open avenues for others, said Governor Ngilu. She said that the county was no longer relying on consumerism but is now turning tables with regard to the countys fortunes through the construction of similar textile outfits in Mutomo and Mwingi.

Can anything good come from Kitui? We have the capacity to create our local export processing zones in the county to ensure the manufacturing pillar in the Big Four Agenda is fully realized, she added.

KICOTEC is now offering a paradigm shift for the countrys textile industry by ensuring a ready market for cotton framers locally and beyond. The re-opening of RIVATEX will address the gap of material shortage locally rather than importing, she said.

Similarly, the outbreak of coronavirus has opened opportunities for KICOTEC to play in the league of big boys who have been manufacturing PPE and masks for export worldwide.

The big industry players could not meet the global demand for face masks and preventive gears to combat the threat posed by Covid-19 pandemic.

Local outfits are plugging in the gap and becoming innovative as PPE shortages in the country pose tremendous challenges to the weak healthcare system in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

Kitui County Commissioner John Ondego said that the countys vision on wealth creation was clearly aligned with the Big Four Agenda touching on manufacturing.

This textile factory is an enabler in Kitui to create wealth and address unemployment among the youth, women and people living with disabilities, said Ondego.

The County Commissioner said that skill empowerment among the youth is a milestone on creation of employment opportunities, This move will help the county emerge victoriously out of the shackles of poverty, he said.

By Yobesh Onwonga

Link:
Covid-19: Kitui Textile plugs in supply of preventive gears - Kenya News Agency

The NPP parliamentary candidate for Ningo Prampram constituency, Alexander Martey has charged the people of the area especially the youth to always make it a point to choose the right person in the upcoming general elections who will not only lead them in parliament but into total development of the area.

Mr. Martey, a stiff contender to Sam George, the sitting Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ningo Prampram Constituency is of the view that choosing the right person to bring development to the area does not mean voting according to political colors but on basis of someone who demonstrates qualities of high moral values, competency and selfless leadership as well as the person with the proper connection to power. A great negotiator and a good lobbyist.

In an exclusive interview with the news editor of Newsghana24.com during wee hours of last Thursday, Mr Martey said: Lets all forget about all the political colors we belong to in Ningo Prampram and look at the person or personality who will represent us, make us proud and help us to get the necessary development that we need in our environment.

The Ningo-Prampram constituency has been under the tutelage of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) since 1993 up till date but lacks the needed development.

Aside the underdevelopment nature of the area, youth unemployment, lack of capacity building and employment opportunities for the inhabitants coupled with bad roads are major challenges the constituents are faced with.

Lamenting woes of the people, Hon. Alexander Martey revealed that all the numerous challenges faced by the citizens of the area will be amicably resolved when given the mandate to lead in the constituency in the upcoming general elections.

He promised jobs, capacity building opportunities (both in informal and formal ways) for the youth and government support to help fix up the unmotorable roads in the area which the Afienya-Dahwenya road is part to alleviate the plight of the folks.

According to him, he is embarking on a rescue mission with his campaign project which hinges on 3 areas; unity, empowerment and self-less leadership to rescue the constituency from the conundrum it has found itself as a result of its current representation in parliament.

Mr Alex Martey who doubles as a presidential staffer with the Operations Directorate at the Jubilee House says he is the best bet for the Ningo Prampram and that he has already gotten approval from the majority of the people based on merit.

When asked how managed to enter into the race?, the 45-year-old Management Consultant said: I didnt just got up to say Im going to contest for any position in Ningo Prampram but from 2017-2018, Ive been able to push some of our youth into government establishments so that motivated them and they say if we have this man here and he has the heart to help us, then why dont we push him, support him to rather be our MP.

He advised all Ghanaians to respect the WHO protocols as well as governments directives on the partial lockdown and adhere to the basic protective measures such as practicing of social distancing, regularly washing of hands, maintaining personal hygiene always and staying at home among others to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus in order to stay safe.

Source: Joseph Kobla Wemakor

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Let's vote for the 'right person' to bring us the development we need-Alex Martey - News Ghana

Last month, the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities wrote to the states and Union Territories to follow guidelines in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. The state governments were asked to take measures for the safety and protection of the differently-abled during the lockdown period.

One of the many suggestions by the department was .. reserving specific opening hours in retail provision stores including supermarkets for persons with disabilities. In Telangana, officials of the Department for Women, Children, Disabled & Senior Citizens said that they have not implemented the suggestion. In other states, too, this suggestion seems to have not been taken seriously. Recently, para-badminton player Manasi Joshi raised the issue because of a bitter experience she had faced in her hometown in Ahmedabad. Along with my brother, I went to a supermarket to buy essentials. There were many people standing in queue as only 3-5 people were being allowed inside at a time. My token no. was 17. And I could not sit on the bench as it can be contaminated. Since, people in my locality know me well they came up to me and took selfies but did not help me to go ahead in the line. I wish people could be more empathetic, said the winner of para-badminton world championship, who trains in Hyderabad.

For Manasi, the episode was also an eye-opener about how the government needs to do more with respect to priority queueing. We are vulnerable. We have some basic rights and we need support to do our work in these conditions. There was no priority queuing in the supermarkets. She said that when differently-abled are given priority in public transport, then why not in places like stores. She said that she also wants to talk about the difficulty in moving around for the differently-abled during the lockdown.

The guidelines also task the state to provide special passes to the differently-abled who have to go out and also provide them with essential items to further help them. On ground, however, differently-abled are facing their own challenges every day despite the guidelines.

Ahmedunnisa is a mother of two who is physically handicapped. She runs a grocery store in Secunderabad. I have to get supplies for my shop daily and also essential items for my house. Before lockdown, I used to travel by auto but I am not able to do that now, said the sole breadwinner of the family. I cannot walk for a long time as my lower body will start paining. In the present circumstances, I cannot go out on my own, so I request one or the other neighbour to get me stock and essential household items.

Ahmedunnisa hoped that the lockdown will be lifted soon as it is increasingly becoming tough to sustain herself financially and also lead a normal life. If I have some emergency, where should I go and how should I go?

One of the guidelines for Person with Disability (PwD) is During quarantine, essential support services, personal assistance, and physical and communication accessibility should be ensured e.g. blind persons, persons with intellectual/ mental disability (psycho-social) are dependent on care giver support. Similarly persons with disabilities may seek assistance for rectification of fault in their wheelchair and other assistive devices.

Though the state governments are focusing on setting up a number of quarantine centres and isolation wards, it is learnt that the administration is yet to make them differently-abled-friendly.

Commissioner, Welfare of Disabled, B. Shailaja said that they have followed the guidelines sent by the Union government. We have created awareness content on COVID-19 in Braille and sign-languages. We have also started a helpline for the disabled. We are trying to help all those who need medicines or treatment. Through our direct officers, and with the help of support groups, we have supplied them with groceries and essential items.

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COVID-19: In Telangana, differently-abled find it tough during lockdown - THE WEEK

The likely extension in Covid-19 lockdown hangs heavy on the boozers in Himachal Pradesh, whose numbers are no less as compared to those in other states of the country.

With all liquor shops, restaurants and hotels closed since 23 March when the state imposed lockdown followed by curfew on 24 March, black marketing of liquor is flourishing in the state withavailable stocks.

The desi liquor is also in much circulation behind the scenes, as claimed by Director General of Police, SR Mardi himself in his address to people on Friday, wherein he told peopleto stay away from localHooch distillation,which can be life threatening for the user.

Sources in the field said certain brands of English liquor are being sold on very high prices to individual customers, but that doesnt dissuade the alcohol consumers in the state from buying their stock, while escaping the eye of Police.

Himachal being a small state, people are using their personal links to buy liquor from closed hotels, shops and restaurants off-the-record, but not all have that access or the money to spend.

Moved by some considerations a few days after imposing the curfew last month end, the Himachal Pradesh government had ordered that liquor vends would also remain open during the curfew relaxation time, along with essential commodities shops. However, within few hours, it withdrew the decision, reportedly owing to criticism on social media.

The state government has been promoting the sale of liquor all through as it is an important source of revenue for a state like Himachal- up to Rs 1500 crores in a year on an average. Even when the Apex Court had given directions to close down the liquor vends from main highways, the government had taken the other route- It has denotified the highways. Then why they are not allowing liquor vends to open now? said some alcohol users on terms of anonymity.

The answer to the questions lies in the fact that alcohol does not come in the essential commodities list in the event of lockdown and curfew.

Even otherwise, the World Health Organisation (WHO) too has advised that drinking too much alcohol can impair immune response to diseases, including Covid-19.

A document by National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi titled Lockdown and Alcohol Withdrawal dated 29 March addresses the issue of unavailability of alcohol and the types of withdrawal systems with advice to different categories of alcohol users.

A lockdown situation which entails non-availability of alcohol may be a blessing in disguise for some people who may utilize this opportunity to quit drinking altogether. However, it is also a significant challenge for certain proportion of people with alcohol dependence, who are at risk of experiencing severe alcohol withdrawal and its consequences, the NDDTC document said.

It even mentioned that there are indications that various health facilities across the country have started getting patients with severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms since the lockdown has been instituted, stressing the need for health services to prepare accordingly to deal with situation, with reference to telemedicine services too, in such circumstances.

The alcohol withdrawal symptoms can sometimes be life threatening as it affects a person physically as well as psychologically. In such a situation, he should be immediately taken to the emergency in hospital in treatment, said Dr Sanjay Pathak, Chief Executive Officer of Himachal Pradesh Mental Health Authority.

According to national survey on Extent and Pattern of Substance Use in India commissioned by Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in 2018-19, nationally 14.6 per cent population (between 10 and 75 yrs of age) uses alcohol, 5.2 per cent of them are problem users and 2.7 percent dependent users.

In Himachal Pradesh, the number of males who use alcohol are 17.6 per cent and the overall per cent age of alcohol users is over 8 per cent in the same age category.The state also has some license holders, who bring out traditional liquor, Angoori, in tribal district of Kinnaur.

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COVID-19 lockdown hangs heavy on boozers in Himachal - The Statesman

More than 40 Arlington nonprofits have received a total of over $500,000 in emergency response support from theArlington Community Foundation COVID-19 Prompt Response Fund, with more funds being disbursed daily. [see list of awardees, attached]

The front-line organizations are really in urgent need of funds as they scramble to help our neighbors in crisis, said Arlington Community Foundation CEO and President Jennifer Owens. Thanks to the many generous people in our community, we are providing support on a daily basis. But the needs are immense and there is no end in sight.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak in Arlington, a team of Community Foundation staff, board members, and representatives from both the County and other local funders have met daily to assess grant requests from nonprofit organizations on the front lines with clients, patients, and residents impacted by the health crisis and its economic fallout. This includes organizations focused on emergency food needs, health needs for the uninsured or underinsured, and support for hourly workers displaced from their wage-earning positions.

The Arlington Community Foundations response efforts were bolstered bya grant from Amazon, $350,000 of which was specifically targeted for use in Arlington.. TheWashington Forrest Foundationhas also partnered in the Community Foundations prompt-response effort, including supporting 25 percent of the first $300,000 in awarded grants. The Philip K. Graham Fund and many of the Foundations donor-advised fundholders have also supported the fund, which has secured more than $750,000 to date to fund emergency needs.

We encourage people to directly support their favorite nonprofits if they know where the money is needed most and have those relationships, said Owens. But for businesses and individuals who are looking for a way to provide crucial help to an array of vetted Arlington nonprofits helping with right-now needs, our Prompt Response Fund is an effective way to do that.

To learn more about the Community Foundations Prompt Response Fund, including how to make a gift, please visitwww.arlcf.org.

Arlington Community Foundation

COVID-19 Prompt Response Grantees through 4/6/20

AHC Inc $20,000

AHC develops affordable housing and helps communities thrive in the Northern Virginia, Washington DC, and Baltimore region. The grant willcover Arlington residents emergency needs such as groceries, diapers and other supplies with maximum flexibility.

ALS Association DC/MD/VA Chapter$5,000

The DC/MD/VA Chapter of the ALS Association serves the needs of those living with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and their families throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The grant willsupport technology purchases for online support to Arlington clients who are highly susceptible to COVID-19 because of advanced respiratory issues.

APAH$20,000

APAHis a nonprofit focused on increasing the number of committed affordable apartments in the DC Metro area for our low-income neighbors. The grant willprovide its Arlington residents with financial assistance for rent, food, and other emergency purchases.

Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC)$5,000, $20,000

AFACs mission is to feed our neighbors in need by providing dignified access to nutritious supplemental groceries.Initial first-day emergency grant, and second grant to purchase groceries that will help meet increased COVID-related demand.

Arlington Free Clinic$5,000

The Arlington Free Clinic ensures the medically underserved have access to affordable quality health care.This first-day quick response grant provided flexible support to the Clinic for its initial response to the crisis.

Arlington Neighborhood Village$5,000

Arlington Neighborhood Villageis dedicated to helping older Arlington residents continue living in their own homes. The grant willprovide emergency supplies including food, medicine, and cleaning supplies for low-income seniors.

Arlington Thrive$20,000

Arlington Thriveprovides same-day, emergency financial assistance for Arlington residents facing a hardship. The grant will supportincreased needs for rent and food assistance.

A-SPAN$20,000

A-SPAN strives to end homelessness inArlingtonthrough housing and ongoing case management.The grant will support additional food purchases for increased meal demand, and emergency nursing and medical supplies, including protective gear, thermometers, and hospital grade cleaning supplies.

Bonder and Amanda Johnson Community Development Corporation$10,000

Bonder and Amanda Johnson Community Development Corporation addresses needsin the Green Valley (formerly Nauck) communitythrough education, healthy living, financial empowerment andcommunity involvement.The grant will support neighborhood residents with emergency assistance for rent, food and supply purchases as well as to provide emergency medical transportation services.

Bridges to Independence$10,000

Bridges to Independence offers a continuum of shelter and support for homeless individuals and families, helping them attain financial security and moving forward into self-sufficiency.The grant willprovide families in the shelter and rapid rehousing program with groceries, cleaning and personal supplies as well as food for its pantry, application fees for apartments, and holding fees to landlords.

Capital Caring Health$20,000

Capital Carings Halquist Center in Arlingtonprovides hospice, palliative care, and counseling to patients and their families. The grant will help Capital Caringexpand support to care at home, hospice, and advanced illness programs by deploying telehealth remote patient monitors in homes.

The Church at Clarendon$10,000

This Baptist church in Clarendon is housed in a multi-use building with eight stories of apartments, 60 percent of which are designated as affordable housing for low-income tenants. The grant will help provide food, rent and mortgage assistance to low-income residents during the crisis.

Computer Core $5,000

Computer CORE provides basic computer skills instruction to low-income unemployed and underemployed adults. The grant will provide direct cash assistance to 16 Arlington residents who were enrolled in the program when classes were paused.

Culpepper Gardens$10,000

Culpepper Gardensis an affordable senior living community with two independent senior living facilities comprised of 267 apartments.The grant will cover food and transportation needs of assisted-living residents as well as additional personal protective and technology equipment.

Doorways for Women and Families$20,000

Doorwayscreates pathways out of homelessness, domestic violence, and sexual assault leading to safe, stable, and empowered lives in Arlington.The grant will support crisis-driven increases in housing assistance and basic client needs, including food, cleaning supplies, baby formula, diapers, and clothes for growing children.

Dream Project $10,000

The Dream Project serves promising young immigrant students through mentoring, scholarships, community-building, and advocacy.The grant will provide emergency financial assistance, including rent, utilities, and groceries for Dream Project students from low-income families.

Edu-Futuro$20,000

Edu-Futuro empowers immigrant and underserved youth and families through mentorship, education, leadership development and parent engagement. The grant will supportrent and food relief to Latino and immigrant families in Arlington.

Ethiopian Community Development Council$20,000

ECDC serves the African immigrant and refugee community through a broad spectrum of local and national programs. The grant willprovide rental assistance to Arlington clients in need of immediate help.

The Fenwick Foundation$5,000

The Fenwick Foundation is focused on improving the quality of life and health of older adults, veterans and active military, individuals with special needsand caregivers. The grant willsupport financial assistance to the very low income and vulnerable assisted living and independent living residents in Arlington.

Friends of Guest House$10,000

Friends of Guest Househelps women successfully reenter the community from incarceration. The grant willprovide food and financial assistance, including rent, utilities, and other emergency purchases to clients, as well as cleaning supplies and protective gear for staff and residents.

Fruitful Planet$10,000

Fruitful Planet is dedicatedto bringingfreshfruits andvegetables to all people. The grant willprovide fresh fruit and vegetables to various Arlington partners serving the community during the crisis.

Hope for the Warriors$10,000

Hope for the Warriorsis a nonprofit veteran service organization that provides assistance to combat wounded service members and their families. The grant will assist approximately20 financially vulnerable veterans and their families with rent/mortgage, utility, car payments, and gift cards for food.

HOPE Multiplied$10,000

Hope Multiplied serves at-risk children, their families, and the homeless in the Metro DC region. The grant will provide high quality, nutritious food to children in Arlingtons Green Valley neighborhood in partnership with Drew Elementary.

La Cocina VA $20,000

La Cocina VA is a bilingual culinary training program for low-income individuals in the Washington DC Metro Area. The grant will support rent, medical needs, and food for approximately 26 Arlington graduates working in restaurants and hotels, many of whom have been laid off.

Legal Aid Justice Center$10,000

The Legal Aid Justice Center partners with communities and clients to achieve justice by dismantling systems that create and perpetuate poverty. The grant will provide food assistance and necessary supplies to immigrants and other clients struggling through the crisis.

Meals on Wheels of Northern VA$5,000

Meals on WheelsofNorthern Virginiaoffers home-delivered food service to Arlington County residents who are homebound or unable to procure or preparemealsfor themselves. The grant willsupport a shift to weekly delivery of flash frozen and shelf stable meals to increases in Arlington residents seeking meal assistance.

Neighborhood Health$5,000

Neighborhood Health improveshealth and advances health equity in Northern Virginia by providing high quality primary care regardless of ability to pay. The grant willsupport medical equipment for patients, PPE and cleaning supplies.

New Hope Housing $5,000

Since 1978, New Hope Housing has been providing a comprehensive array of services to homeless families and single adults in Northern Virginia.The grant will support rent for low-income housed Arlington clients, food and emergency supplies for homeless clients, and security deposits for residents leaving the shelter.

Northern Virginia Family Service$10,000

Northern Virginia Family Servicehelps families and individuals in need create stability and self-sufficiency with a wide range of critical services.The grant will provide food, medicine, rent, and other necessities to Arlington individuals and families impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

OAR (Offender Aid and Restoration)$20,000

OAR works with men and women returning to the community from incarceration and offering alternative sentencing options through community service to youth and adults.The grant will help OAR meet the increased need for assistance with rent, medication, food and transportation that program participants returning to Arlington County after incarceration are experiencing because of the health crisis.

Our Lady Queen of Peace Church$10,000

Our Lady Queen of Peace is a Catholic church in Arlington that provides support to vulnerable and in-crisis individuals through its outreach mission. The grant will support the churchs food pantry.

PRS Inc.$10,000

PRSprovides mental health, crisis intervention and suicide prevention services in NorthernVirginiaand Washington, D.C. The grant willprovide personal protective equipment for PRS staff and food, health and financial needs for clients.

Phoenix Houses of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc. $20,000

Phoenix House Mid-Atlantic is an addiction treatment center serving individuals struggling with substance use disorders. The grant will helpcover costs for patients when insurance/personal funds do not completely cover the full course of their prescribed treatment.

Real Food for Kids$10,000

Real Food for Kids collaborates with school communities to improve the quality of school food, and help families make healthy nutritional choices. The grant willsupport their partnership with Bayou Bakery to provide meals to needy families.

Shirlington Employment and Education Center$10,000

SEECis a day labor center facilitating employment and vocational skills of the worker pool. The grant will provide rental assistance and meals purchased from local Latino restaurants to SEECs day laborers.

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church$10,000

St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church servesthe Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and neighborhoods in the heart of Arlington, as well as the George Mason University Arlington Campus.The grant will augment churchs financial assistance program, which helps Arlington residents to pay rent and utilities.

VHC Pediatrics (Arlington Pediatric Center)$5,000

Virginia Hospital Center Pediatrics offers comprehensive, affordable, quality healthcare in aculturally sensitive environment to children, birth through 18 yearsof age, living in Arlington County with family incomes at or below 200% of Federal Poverty Level. This was a first-day grant for initial emergency assistance.

Views at Clarendon$5,000

The Views at Clarendon, amixed-use building including 70 affordable housing units, is a collaboration between Arlington County, the First Baptist Church of Clarendon, and the Arlington Partnership for Affordable Housing. The grant will support rental assistance and emergency support for low-income residents.

YMCA of Metropolitan Washington$10,000

The Y provides opportunities in wellness, aquatics, youth sports, summer camp, and childcare.The grant will support the purchase of food and basic household needs for families at its Arlington branch.

VOICE (Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement)$10,000

VOICE is a non-partisan coalition of almost 50 faith communities and civic organizations in Northern Virginia working together to build power in middle and low-income communities. The grant willprovide cash for groceries, medicine, cleaning products, rent, utilities and transportation to low-income Arlington residents during the COVID crisis.

Volunteers of America Chesapeake Inc$10,000

Volunteers of America Chesapeake operates Arlingtons Residential Program Center detox and substance abuse recovery program for single homeless adults. The grant will support the purchase ofsanitation and cleaning supplies, food, personal protection equipment, over-the-counter medications/medical supplies, and personal hygiene supplies/toiletries for its Arlington residents.

Wesley Housing Development Corporation $20,000

Wesley Housing provides safe, quality and affordable housing to residents across the Washington DC metropolitan area. The grant will supportsupplemental food and emergency supply needs for its low-income Arlington residents.

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More than $500000 Distributed to Area Nonprofits from Arlington Community Foundation's COVID-19 Prompt Response Fund - ARLnow

Features Tyrell Gittens 18 Hrs Ago Ain Earle, 35, was diagnosed with in 2004 with alopecia, an autoimmune disease which causes hair loss. - Photo Courtesy Ain Earle

Ain Earle is no stranger to putting in the work needed to redefine how beauty is seen. Living with alopecia, an autoimmune condition causing hair loss, Earle slowly lost all the hair on her body in the five years after a 2004 diagnosis.

For the better part of those years, insecurities were unmasked and the lens through which society thought her to see beauty was adjusted.

Emerging focused and with redefined purpose after overcoming the personal obstacles associated with her Alopecia diagnosis, she now applies that fighting spirit to transform local fashion an important part of her identity.

The fashion industry is so much more than clothing. It is an industry of fashion designers, photographers, models and make-up artistes, said Earle, 35, in an interview with WMN about the desire to see greater growth of TTs fashion industry.

With an undergraduate and postgraduate degree in hospitality from the University of the West Indies, she founded Fashion Arch in 2015 and serves as its lead consultant.

The company was birthed after Earle and a few friends hosted Racked, a series of upmarket-inspired sales event exclusively for fashion designers.

Those small local designers could have stood up to other known designers who were selling in stores, she said of the designers at the event.

Starting with small spots of hair loss at the start of her alopecia condition in 2004, Ain Earle lost all her hair in 2009 as the condition became more severe. In 2011 she was finally able to accept her condition and pursue her goals which included helping to develop TT's fashion industry. - Photo Courtesy Ain Earle

While the designs were good, during her concurrent work in the field of marketing at the time of hosting the events she noticed that many designers didnt fully understand the workings of a sustainable and marketable fashion brand.

Under the motto Creating legacies through connectivity, emerging fashion designers are taught topics like branding, social media strategies and developing business strategy, through interactive workshops.

Clients fashion pieces have been given the opportunity to be showcased at fashion events in Barbados, Guyana, St Vincent, Jamaica and the US.

It has been a whirlwind thinking of the initial plan for the Fashion Arch. It was just supposed to be one on one consultations.

I didnt think over the last few years I would have been doing all of the service offerings. At least it has shown what I am offering is needed and people are actually interested in the services.

Playing her part, she is proud to see to overall growth in the local fashion industry. Fashion events have evolved to be a year-round product while support has expanded to include local entertainers and state agencies like FashionTT.

We must push locally towards more collaboration from all fields of the industry in terms of what people are doing.

Yet, more work needs to be done and she is up for the task. Currently, TTs representative to The Collection MoDA, a fashion event series in Jamaica, the work of local designers has been displayed at the event.

Ain Earle's message is simple: women are more than their hair or perceived physical beauty. - Photo Courtesy Ain Earle

In recent years she has secured the support of FashionTT and Caribbean Export to help maintain and increase TTs presence at the event.

They (local designers) dont have to worry about flights and accommodation (to Jamaica).

They just give me the pieces and I help put together a booth area at the event where the pieces are exhibited.

In 2018, she was invited to conduct branding workshops at the Caribbean Style, Culture Awards and Fashion Showcase hosted in Washington DC. Meeting a Guyanese designer at the event, she was invited to Guyana and spoke at a 2019 leadership conference titled Empowering to Lead with Confidence for students in the countrys creative sector.

In August, she is expected to host workshops at this years edition of the event. Her work was recently highlighted and promoted by Rare Bird, a UK-based blog with a focus on marketing.

Fulfilling life-long goals of taking TTs potential to the world through fashion and other avenues, her alopecia condition continues to be championed. This is not done to be defined by the condition but to remind others that what may look like obstacles can be sources of strength.

We put so much pressure and substance into womens hair or how they look. For me, losing my hair felt like I was losing my femininity. Recalling the shame, she felt while losing her hair, she said, I tied my head just trying to stay out of peoples way in terms of questions. Around 2011 was when I was able to accept what was going on.

One day in 2011, I couldnt find a head tie when I was supposed to go somewhere. I decided to just go bald.

Choosing not to be defined the condition, her message is simple women are more than their hair or perceived physical beauty. This message is echoed in Bald Beauty, a group she founded in 2018 with a focus on empowerment, awareness, advocacy and support for those with the condition.

The journey to creating the group started on the day she accepted her bald beauty in 2011. The power in self-acceptance became clearer when a friends teenage daughter with Alopecia saw her posting bald headed pictures on social media and felt empowered. She noted the effect of something that simple which inspired her to create an avenue to help other people with Alopecia overcome self-doubt.

In 2015, Earle founded Fashion Arch to help local fashion designers develop their business models. She has since helped local designers become featured in fashion events in countries like Barbados, Guyana, St Vincent, Jamaica and the US. - Photo Courtesy Ain Earle

The group provides information about the condition and is a safe space to discuss any issues. The groups logo- a lotus flower- represents coming out of the mud and blossoming into something beautiful.

Examples like her success in fashion and recent marriage are used to show others with the condition that losing ones hair is nothing else but another obstacle to overcome.

Asked about being a newlywed and the journey of finding love with the condition, she was elated to share her story. This she says is yet another example to show that beauty has no boundaries, and everyone is beautiful in their own unique way.

If you are looking for someone and they are making it (the alopecia) an issue then that is obviously not the right person for you.

At the end of the day it is just hair and not you. It is a part of you yes, but it doesnt define

you.

Her journey to marriage is a testament to the statement. Her husband would have attended the same secondary school and particularly took notice when she grew dreads.

While he would have witnessed her transition from dreadlocks to hair loss, he was unphased.

We met 17 years ago just before this entire thing (with Alopecia) started.

He was always around. We were friends before anything else, lost touch in between but he was always there.

And while she settles into happily wedded bliss, one can look forward to Earle expanding her fashion vision for TT by hosting more workshops and outdoor events under the Fashion Arch brand. There also plants to work on a West Indian fashion/textile expo and establish a virtual showroom.

More here:
Ain Earle makes her mark on TT's fashion industry - Trinidad News

Prime Minister Modi has repeatedly and rightfully stated that the fight against the CoronaVirus is no less than a war. He invoked the 18 days battle in the epic Mahabharata to posit the dharmayuddha (just war) that can be metaphorically contextualised to justify the inevitable sufferings caused by such a war in the 21st century.

Given the syncretic-civilisational-philosophical bent of the nation, galvanising the morale and spirits of the nation by beseeching popular codes of culturalism, has a leadership function. In his speech after ordering the invasion of Iraq, US President George W Bush found a place for the classic American philosopher and theorist, Thomas Paines quote, These are the times that try men's souls.

War-time leadership is essentially distinct from standard peace-time leadership, not lesser or more, just plain different. The Armed Forces understand the distinction of combat-leadership that does not naturally accrue to seniority or the winning side as, despite the Nazi defeat the Panzer Generals like Rommel, Manstien, Guderian etc. are recognised for their combat brilliance, as indeed, the maverick American General George Patton. In the Indian context, Generals Manekshaw, Harbaksh or the unsung Sagat Singh, who is acknowledged as Indias finest combat commander, are the sort of war-time leaders who may or may not have made it to the top job in service.

However, in political leadership winning is almost everything, as also, ensuring that the ultimate benefits of the war outweigh the price paid by the common citizenry. The complexities, angularities and sensitivities of war-time leadership by the political leaders are of a more asymmetric nature that necessitates the highest level of professional understanding, maturity and statesmanship that is rarely tested in peacetimes.

The means deployed to win the war are also pertinent, as leaders like Joseph Stalin or Mao Zedong may have ended up on the winning side, but their ruthlessness and sheer brutality against their own, made them ignoble examples of war-time leadership.

Even the still popular and two-time US President Barack Obama will find himself struggling with his war-time record, as it had been less than spectacular with the indecisive, lingering and prohibitively expensive legacy that he passed on to his more, less-than-capable successor, Donald Trump.

So, war-time leaders are certainly brewed differently as they require a certain disposition, aura and mannerism that may actually be counter-productive in peacetimes Winston Churchill and Indra Gandhi are shining examples of indisputable war-time leaders who gave their respective nations proverbial finest hours in wars, but were soon rejected by the electorate.

Above all, the leaders who pass muster during war-times are always assessed for their ability to galvanise the entirety of a nation towards the justness of actions required, irrespective of previous political divides and perceptions.

Secondly upholding the cause and concern of all (not just the majority) and accomplishing the end-results, without shifting the goal post becomes imperative.

Third, history always assesses if the leader put the most competent and qualified resources to fight the war, or if the leadership persisted with personally-loyal, politically-non-threatening and underqualified generals on the battle ground.

Fourth, maintaining a peripheral vision and concern for the obvious and unobvious sufferers of the war and the ability to still win, whilst, getting the least bruised and wounded as a society, is critical.

Last and perhaps the least appreciated test of the leaders is their ability to go beyond their previous or peace-time actions to convince the nation at large of their personal intent (or neeyat in Hindustani) that goes beyond their political instinct, urgency and ambitions the test of personal character is at its peak, as even those who opposed him/her earlier look up to the leader for reassurances, and only a true statesman survives this test.

Two aspects of Churchills leadership puts him in the pantheon of great war-time leaders, even if his outlook towards dominions like the Indian sub-continent, was certainly questionable and racist. His first action on becoming the Prime Minister at the outbreak of WW2 was to induct leaders of all parties like Atlee, Sinclair and Chamberlain in to a coalition government (he even took rival Labour leader Atlee with him to the Potsdam Conference). Most importantly, Churchills passion towards winning the war was so resolute and committed that he did so, at the cost of his own partys interest or concerns not for him, was an eye fixated at electoral prospects, at all times.

Another aspect of war-times leaders is their inherent humility and acceptance of the fact that they need to listen to professionals and plan accordingly. Beyond her obvious iron-will, Indira Gandhi showed deference, respect and statecraft when she took the push-back from Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, who sought time, wares and provision, before making the decisive move. War-time leadership is as much about tenacity, as it is about empowerment, equanimity and instilling confidence, in all.

Some war-time political leaders like Woodrow Wilson may have been on the winning side in WW1, but he goes down in the annals of history as the one who crippled the American economy in the bargain, diminished civil liberties and made gargantuan mistakes that were to sow the seeds of unrest, domestically and internationally.

Others like Lyndon Johnson who typified the cowboy tactics of intending to bludgeon the Vietnamese till they cry uncle, was misplaced muscularity and bravado, that sometimes afflicts leaderships in democracies.

Whereas, Nelson Mandela presided over a leadership challenge that had all portents of an imminent war of revenge he wisely chose the more difficult, less-politically attractive path, but the one that led to sustainable peace and progress, thereafter. Mandelas signature Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a model leadership move that ended a sure war prematurely, in a poignant, dignified and reconciliatory way.

Our war against the Covid-19 is both, similar and different, from the previous understandings of war, but is undoubtedly more than a conventional war in terms of potential devastation and price for all. This begs a different level of leadership skills, inclusivity-challenges and the visible showing of the intent (neeyat), then was perhaps required, ever before.

Will we meet those requirements, or will we still play by the previous rules of engagement, only time will tell?

Leaders will have to become statesman this will require a different touch, language and reach-out, hitherto, unseen or ever-deployed. Indeed invoking cultural codes and symbolism are important and required, but history suggests the accompaniment of far more substantive, profound, inclusive and measurable imperatives that go into the making of great war-time leaders.

Lt General Bhopinder Singh (Retd) is former Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands & Puducherry.

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'War-time' Leadership in the Covid 19 Era - The Citizen