(Non-Computable You: What You Do That Artificial Intelligence Never Will (Discovery Institute Press, 2022) by Robert J. Marks is available here.) What follows is an excerpt from Chapter 2.

Selmer Bringsjord, and his colleagues have proposed the Lovelace test as a substitute for the flawed Turing test. The test is named after Ada Lovelace.

Bringsjord defined software creativity as passing the Lovelace test if the program does something that cannot be explained by the programmer or an expert in computer code.2 Computer programs can generate unexpected and surprising results.3 Results from computer programs are often unanticipated. But the question is, does the computer create a result that the programmer, looking back, cannot explain?

When it comes to assessing creativity (and therefore consciousness and humanness), the Lovelace test is a much better test than the Turing test. If AI truly produces something surprising which cannot be explained by the programmers, then the Lovelace test will have been passed and we might in fact be looking at creativity. So far, however, no AI has passed the Lovelace test.4 There have been many cases where a machine looked as if it were creative, but on closer inspection, the appearance of creative content fades.

Here are a couple of examples.

A computer program namedAlphaGo was taught to play GO, the most difficult of all popular board games. AlphaGo was an impressively monumental contribution to machine intelligence. AI already had mastered tic-tac-toe, then the more complicated game of checkers, and then the still more complicated game of chess. Conquest of GO remained an unmet goal of AI until it was finally achieved by AlphaGo.

In a match against (human) world championLee Sedol in 2016, AlphaGo made a surprising move. Those who understood the game described the move as ingenious and unlike anything a human would ever do.

Were we seeing the human attribute of creativity in AlphaGo beyond the intent of the programmers? Does this act pass the Lovelace test?

The programmers of AlphaGo claim that they did not anticipate the unconventional move. This is probably true. But AlphaGo is trained to play GO by the programmers. GO is a board game with fixed rules in a static never-changing arena. And thats what the AI did, and did well. It applied programmed rules within a narrow, rule-bound game. AlphaGo was trained to play GO and thats what it did.

So, no. The Lovelace test was not passed. If the AlphaGo AI were to perform a task not programmed, like beating all comers at the simple game of Parcheesi, the Lovelace test would be passed. But as it stands, Alpha GO is not creative. It can only perform the task it was trained for, namely playing GO. If asked, AlphaGo is unable to even explain the rules of GO.

This said, AI can appear smart when it generates a surprising result. But surprise does not equate to creativity. When a computer program is asked to search through a billion designs to find the best, the result can be a surprise. But that isnt creativity. The computer program has done exactly what it was programmed to do.

Heres another example from my personal experience. The Office of Naval Research contracted Ben Thompson, of Penn States Applied Research Lab, and me and asked us to evolve swarm behavior. As we saw in Chapter 1, simple swarm rules can result in unexpected swarm behavior like stacking Skittles. Given simple rules, finding the corresponding emergent behavior is easy. Just run a simulation. But the inverse design problem is a more difficult one. If you want a swarm to perform some task, what simple rules should the swarm bugs follow? To solve this problem, we applied an evolutionary computing AI. This process ended up looking at thousands of possible rules to find the set that gave the closest solution to the desired performance.

One problem we looked at involved a predatorprey swarm. All action took place in a closed square virtual room. Predators, called bullies, ran around chasing prey called dweebs. Bullies captured dweebs and killed them. We wondered what performance would be if the goal was maximizing the survival time of the dweeb swarm. The swarms survival time was measured up to when the last dweeb was killed.

After running the evolutionary search, we were surprised by the result: The dweebs submitted themselves to self-sacrifice in order to maximize the overall life of the swarm.

Robert J. Marks

This is what we saw: A single dweeb captured the attention of all the bullies, who chased the dweeb in circles around the room. Around and around they went, adding seconds to the overall life of the swarm. During the chase, all the other dweebs huddled in the corner of the room, shaking with what appeared to be fear. Eventually, the pursuing bullies killed the sacrificial dweeb, and pandemonium broke out as the surviving dweebs scattered in fear. Eventually another sacrificial dweeb was identified, and the process repeated. The new sacrificial dweeb kept the bullies running around in circles while the remaining dweebs cowered in a corner.

The sacrificial dweeb result was unexpected, a complete surprise.There was nothing written in the evolutionary computer code explicitly calling for these sacrificial dweebs. Is this an example of AI doing something we had not programmed it to do? Did it pass the Lovelace test?

Absolutely not.

We had programmed the computer to sort through millions of strategies that would maximize the life of the dweeb swarm, and thats what the computer did. It evaluated options and chose the best one. The result was a surprise, but does not pass the Lovelace test for creativity. The program did exactly what it was written to do. And the seemingly frightened dweebs were not, in reality, shaking with fear; humans tend to project human emotions onto non-sentient things. They were rapidly adjusting to stay as far away as possible from the closest bully. They were programmed to do this.

If the sacrificial dweeb action and the unexpected GO move against Lee Sedol do not pass the Lovelace test, what would? The answer is, anything outside of what code was programmed to do.

Heres an example from the predatorprey swarm example. The Lovelace test would be passed if some dweebs became aggressive and started attacking and killing lone bullies a potential action we did not program into the suite of possible strategies. But that didnt happen and, because the ability of a dweeb to kill a bully is not written into the code, it will never happen.

Likewise, without additional programming, AlphaGo will never engage opponent Lee Sedol in trash talk or psychoanalyze Sedol to get a game edge. Either of those things would be sufficiently creative to pass the Lovelace test. But remember: the AlphaGo software as written could not even provide an explanation of its own programmed behavior, the game of GO.

You may also wish to read the earlier excerpts published here:

Why you are not and cannot be computable. A computer science prof explains in a new book that computer intelligence does not hold a candle to human intelligence. In this excerpt from his forthcoming book, Non-Computable You, Robert J. Marks shows why most human experience is not even computable.

The Software of the Gaps: An excerpt from Non-Computable You. In his just-published book, Robert J. Marks takes on claims that consciousness is emerging from AI and that we can upload our brains. He reminds us of the tale of the boy who dug through a pile of manure because he was sure that underneath all that poop, there MUST surely be a pony!

and

Marks: Artificial intelligence is no more creative than a pencil.You can use a pencil but the creativity comes from you. With AI, clever programmers can conceal that fact for a while. In this short excerpt from his new book, Non-Computable You, Robert J. Marks discusses the tricks that make you think chatbots are people.

Notes

1 Selmer Bringsjord, Paul Bello, and David Ferrucci, Creativity, the Turing Test, and the (Better) Lovelace Test, in The Turing Test: The Elusive Standard of Artificial Intelligence, ed. James H. Moor (Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2003), 215239.

2 David Klinghoffer, Robert Marks on the Lovelace Test, Evolution News and Science Today, Discovery Institute, January 24, 2018.

3 Bringsjord, Bello, and Ferrucci, Creativity. The Lovelace test (LT) is more formally stated by Bringsjord and his colleagues. Here is their definition: Artificial agent A, designed by H, passes LT if and only if (1) A outputs o; (2) As outputting o is not the result of a fluke hardware error, but rather the result of processes A can repeat; (3) H (or someone who knows what H knows, and has Hs resources) cannot explain how A produced o. Notice that this differs from Turings surprises which, as he admitted, occurred because he as programmer erred or else forgot what he had done.

4 Selmer Bringsjord, The Turing Test is Dead. Long Live the Lovelace Test, interview by Robert J. Marks in Mind Matters News, podcast, 27:25, April 2, 2020, https://mindmatters.ai/podcast/ep76/.

See the rest here:

Machines with Minds? The Lovelace Test vs. the Turing Test - Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence

Photo credit: Micha L. Rieser, via Wikimedia Commons.

Editors note: We are delighted to present an excerpt from Chapter 2 of the new bookNon-Computable You: What You Do that Artificial Intelligence Never Will, by computer engineer Robert J. Marks, director of Discovery Institutes Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence.

Selmer Bringsjord and his colleagues have proposed theLovelace testas a substitute for the flawed Turing test. The test is named after Lady Ada Lovelace (1815-1852).

Bringsjord defined software creativity as passing the Lovelace test if the program does somethingthat cannot be explained by the programmeror an expert in computer code. Computer programs can generate unexpected and surprising results. Results from computer programs are often unanticipated. But the question is, does the computer create a result that the programmer, looking back, cannot explain?

When it comes to assessing creativity (and therefore consciousness and humanness), the Lovelace test is a much better test than the Turing test. If AI truly produces something surprising which cannot be explained by the programmers, then the Lovelace test will have been passed and we might in fact be looking at creativity. So far, however, no AI has passed the Lovelace test. There have been many cases where a machine looks as if it were creative, but on closer inspection, the appearance of creative content fades.

Here are a couple of examples.

A computer program named AlphaGo was taught to play GO, the most difficult of all popular board games. AlphaGo was an impressively monumental contribution to machine intelligence. AI already had mastered tic-tac-toe, then the more complicated game of checkers, and then the still more complicated game of chess. Conquest of GO remained an unmet goal of AI until it was finally achieved by AlphaGo.

In a match against (human) world champion Lee Sedol in 2016, AlphaGo made a surprising move. Those who understood the game described the move as ingenious and unlike anything a human would ever do.

Were we seeing the human attribute of creativity in AlphaGo beyond the intent of the programmers? Does this act pass the Lovelace test?

The programmers of AlphaGo claim that they did not anticipate the unconventional move. This is probably true. But AlphaGo is trained to play GO by the programmers. GO is a board game with fixed rules in a static never-changing arena. And thats what the AI did, and did well. It applied programmed rules within a narrow, rule-bound game. AlphaGo was trained to play GO and thats what it did.

So, no. The Lovelace test was not passed. If the AlphaGo AI were to perform a task not programmed, like beating all comers at the simple game ofParcheesi(pictured above), the Lovelace test would be passed. But as it stands, AlphaGo is not creative. It can only perform the task it was trained for, namely playing GO. If asked, AlphaGo is unable to even explain the rules of GO.

This said, AI can appear smart when it generates a surprising result. But surprise does not equate to creativity. When a computer program is asked to search through a billion designs to find the best, the result can be a surprise. But that isnt creativity. The computer program has done exactly what it was programmed to do.

Heres another example from my personal experience. The Office of Naval Research contracted Ben Thompson, of Penn States Applied Research Lab, and me and asked us to evolve swarm behavior. Simple swarm rules can result in unexpected swarm behavior like stacking Skittles. Given simple rules, finding the corresponding emergent behavior is easy. Just run a simulation. But the inverse design problem is a more difficult one. If you want a swarm to perform some task, what simple rules should the swarm bugs follow? To solve this problem, we applied an evolutionary computing AI. This process ended up looking at thousands of possible rules to find the set that gave the closest solution to the desired performance.

One problem we looked at involved a predator-prey swarm. All action took place in a closed square virtual room. Predators, called bullies, ran around chasing prey called dweebs. Bullies captured dweebs and killed them. We wondered what performance would be if the goal was maximizing the survival time of the dweeb swarm. The swarms survival time was measured up to when the last dweeb was killed.

After running the evolutionary search, we were surprised by the result: The dweebs submitted themselves to self-sacrifice in order to maximize the overall life of the swarm.

This is what we saw: A single dweeb captured the attention of all the bullies, who chased the dweeb in circles around the room. Around and around they went, adding seconds to the overall life of the swarm. During the chase, all the other dweebs huddled in the corner of the room, shaking with what appeared to be fear. Eventually, the pursuing bullies killed the sacrificial dweeb, and pandemonium broke out as the surviving dweebs scattered in fear. Eventually another sacrificial dweeb was identified, and the process repeated. The new sacrificial dweeb kept the bullies running around in circles while the remaining dweebs cowered in a corner.

The sacrificial dweeb result was unexpected, a complete surprise. There was nothing written in the evolutionary computer code explicitly calling for these sacrificial dweebs. Is this an example of AI doing something we had not programmed it to do? Did it pass the Lovelace test?

We had programmed the computer to sort through millions of strategies that would maximize the life of the dweeb swarm, and thats what the computer did. It evaluated options and chose the best one. The result was a surprise, but does not pass the Lovelace test for creativity. The program did exactly what it was written to do. And the seemingly frightened dweebs were not, in reality, shaking with fear; humans tend to project human emotions onto non-sentient things. They were rapidly adjusting to stay as far away as possible from the closest bully. They were programmed to do this.

If the sacrificial dweeb action and the unexpected GO move against Lee Sedol do not pass the Lovelace test, what would? The answer is, anything outside of what code was programmed to do.

Heres an example from the predator-prey swarm example. The Lovelace test would be passed if some dweebs became aggressive and started attacking and killing lone bullies a potential action we did not program into the suite of possible strategies. But that didnt happen and, because the ability of a dweeb to kill a bully is not written into the code, it will never happen.

Likewise, without additional programming AlphaGo will never engage opponent Lee Sedol in trash talk or psychoanalyze Sedol to get a game edge. Either of those things would be sufficiently creative to pass the Lovelace test. But remember: the AlphaGo software as written could not even provide an explanation of its own programmed behavior, the game of GO.

Read more from the original source:

For AI to Be Creative, Here's What It Would Take - Discovery Institute

WHAT WE HAVE ON THIS PAGE

In recent years, edge computing has been gaining popularity to provide IoT (Internet of Things) devices and AI (Artificial Intelligence) applications with valuable sensor information in a fast and efficient manner. But, to effectively implement these innovational technologies at scale, integrated circuit manufacturers and researchers must first build new, specialized chips that can support their computationally-heavy demands.

The Chinese startup Reexen Technology was established in 2018 by Dr. Hongjie LIU, an ETH Zurich graduate. It has now risen to prominence as a worldwide leader in the field of edge-AI ASICs (Application-Specific Integrated Circuits) for medical, industrial, and consumer markets.

Although they have a significant impact on our daily lives, it can be challenging to navigate the vast array of terminology used to describe the latest technical trends, like edge-AI Application-Specific Integrated Circuits or embedded DNN functionalities in low-power internet of things (IoT) sensors. This article includes two primary goals to solve this problem. The first aim is to give a brief overview of the key concepts related to the emerging field of AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things), which encompasses many of the terms listed above. The second aim is to provide practical examples of how these technologies are implemented in the real world, using Reexens work.

IoT has emerged as one of the most promising new paradigms during the last decade. Broadly defined, it is simply a network of intelligent objects that can automatically organize and share information, resources, and data. They also can make decisions and respond to changes in the environment. This widely publicized idea promises to bring everything in our world together under a single infrastructure, allowing us to communicate and connect with anyone from anywhere around the globe. This has led to the proliferation and development of numerous smart devices for many sectors, including energy, industrial manufacturing, urban planning, healthcare, etc.

Although there are many definitions for what makes an object smart, the most important aspects include their ability to gather information about their environment through embedded sensors. This information must be analyzed promptly. However, large datasets can be quickly generated, especially when many sensor devices are connected within an IoT network. This brings up the question of what type of computing is most suitable for the job.

Cloud computing is the most popular option. It outsources the task of managing, processing, and storing data to a network of remote servers located on the Internet rather than a personal computer or a local server. However, while this strategy is suited for specific IoT sectors, it also has several disadvantages, including decreased bandwidth, increased latency, privacy concerns, and the possibility of data loss.

Therefore, Edge computing emerged as a promising option for time-sensitive applications in which data is analyzed and processed by small computing devices that are located near the data source-i.e., the sensors. These edge devices can open up a wide range of applications that use AI, which has resulted in the development of a new field known as AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things). This might be a game-changer since industry experts and researchers predict that Artificial Intelligence of Things systems will soon be able to not only identify failures and events but also gather necessary information and make correct decisions based on that data all without the need for human intervention.

Despite significant advances in this area, several IoT sensor devices still use traditional processor chips. These chips are not well-suited for implementing many of todays computationally intensive algorithmic programs that sensors need to run on the edge. For example, these include DNNs (deep neural networks) and cutting-edge machine learning algorithms responsible for many recent artificial intelligence breakthroughs like DeepMinds AlphaGo. As a result, significant efforts are currently being made to build new ASICs, which, as their names suggest, are mainly designed for a specific application or task. This is where companies like Reexen Technology are attempting to build creative solutions for deploying cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology at scale.

As explained by Dr. Hongjie Liu, Reexen Company is involved in neuromorphic engineering- sometimes known as neuromorphic computing. This technique aims to imitate the neural operations and structure of the human brain with hardware and software. Reexens goal is to mimic the brains functioning, eye, and cochlea in our ears. This is also called neuromorphic processing and sensing they are currently developing mixed sign in- inference sensing or memory computing solutions.

Furthermore, mixed-signal in-memory computing circuits solve latency and energy consumption issues in A/D (analog-to-digital) conversion and data-intensive DSPs (digital signal processors) in two ways. First, unlike the traditional CPUs (Central Processing Units) or GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), which can only process data in the computer-readable field, mixed-signal computing circuits can process sensory signals directly in both the analog and digital domains. Second, by now integrating computational cells into memory cells, processing-in-memory solutions can solve the shortcomings of the von Neumann architecture of traditional computers, which expand significant energy and time to transfer data from memory to the central processing unit for computation.

On the other hand, inference sensing means that inputs generated from the physical world are processed and transformed on the side of the sensors rather than on a large computer or in the cloud, which is beneficial for a variety of applications, including earphones, smartwatches, smart IoT gadgets, etc.

In this case, Reexen Company collaborated with the leading micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) microphone manufacturer to put its innovative audio-processing chip inside the MEMS sensor itself, allowing the microphone to use keyword detection. This is crucial for many speech recognition applications, including Hey Alexa, Okay Google, or Hey Siri. These words enable digital assistants to respond to users queries. Reexen technology is currently working on a vision-processing chip mainly used in AR/VR glasses or smartphones.

To summarize, Edge-based computing has proven an appealing solution for IoT devices that provide high-quality and actionable sensor information. It can also save time and reduce energy.

However, industry leaders and researchers have been working together to create new chips that can complete more demanding machine learning tasks on devices in real time-either totally or using a hybrid strategy.

Reexen Technology is a Chinese startup that develops mixed signal in-memory computing and inference sensing solutions. These solutions aim to mimic the neural operation and structure of the human brain. For example, this has led to the creation of an innovative audio-processing chip used to construct MEMS microphones with integrated keyword spot functions. It is also being used to develop a vision processing chip for AR/VR glasses and smartphones

More here:

How will Edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) Chips Take IoT Devices to the Next Level - Enterprise Apps Today

I used to view abortion as something I hoped I would never need but wanted access to just in case. Then I became a Christian and my views on abortion quickly shifted. I knew my belief in a Creator Godwho knows us intimately (Ps. 139:1318) and makes us in his image (Gen. 1:27)meant Id never have an abortion.

But I still identified as pro-choice. Although my personal views had changed, I didnt think it was right to push those views on other women. Id make my choice. Theyd make theirs.

Then my English professor assigned Frederick Douglasss memoir, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. In it, Douglass shared that some of the most frustrating people to him were those living in the border states who personally thought slavery was wrong but refused to resist the institution of slavery to the South. Theyd even return escaped slaves to their slaveowners because it was the law.

Their reasoning: I believe slaves are people, but my neighbor believes theyre his property. I would never own a slave, but who am I to push my beliefs on others?

It hit me: I was like the abolitionist who valued the slave owners legal right over the life of the enslaved.

In that moment, I moved from pro-choice to fervently pro-life.

I know many smart, compassionate women who are mourning the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade because theyre outraged by what they genuinely perceive as an attack on women.

But Ive got to be honestas a woman, I find the idea that abortion is a good thing for women deeply offensive. Here are three reasons why legalized abortion is harmful to women.

Our society is shaped by men. Most of our institutions were established by men and therefore default to a male perspective. The fight for female empowerment in the U.S. has focused on women having all the same things that men have, which is a helpful standard when it comes to legal protection, enfranchisement, and access to the workforce. But focusing only on getting what men have perpetuates a society structured in reference to men, downplays the value of women embracing what they uniquely have, and undermines their ability to shape society.

When we as women use a mans point of view to define whats good, successful, and lovely, we end up overlooking and devaluing those things that are uniquely feminine.

When we as women use a mans point of view to define whats good, successful, and lovely, we end up overlooking and devaluing those things that are uniquely feminine.

In a world where women believe they must be like men in order to thrive, where the best option for an unplanned pregnancy is to cut and run, abortion can seem like a good thing. If men can easily escape the situation of unplanned parenthood, why cant women? Abortion can also seem like a good thing in a world that makes us feel as though childbearing is not worth the social, professional, and economic sacrifices it might incur.

But Im not content with this. Im not content with a world where women are convinced that, to be as valuable, successful, or happy as men, they must fight for a mans ability to abandon his child beforeor afterhe or she is born. Im not content with a world where women see fertility and motherhood not as God-given gifts but as liabilities and challenges to overcome on the path to becoming more like men.

I hate that world. I mourn that world. And I want to fight to make it better.

One common pro-choice argument is that abortion opponents are really pro unborn life. In the case of an unwanted pregnancy, youre either on the moms side or the babys side. Not only does this either-or framing put a huge burden on the pregnant mother, essentially forcing her to choose herself or the unborn life, but its also a false dichotomy.

Mom vs. baby is an unnatural warping of a miraculous relationship. Far from an oppositional relationship, a mother and her child represent one of creations most beautiful bonds. Lets get some perspective: for nine months (at most), these two beings are inseparable. After that, both have a lifetime to grow and struggle and thrive as individual lives.

Pregnancy isnt a zero-sum game. Except in very rare, very sad situations, its not a choice between one life or the other. We can care about both a mom and her baby, but not if we kill the latter before he or she even has a chance to live outside the womb.

Roughly half of all babies are female. This means at least half of the babies destroyed in abortions are little girls who would have grown up to be women. How is the killing of millions of girls each year an empowerment for women? And because of the disparity in how men and women are valued around the worldand the availability of sex-selective abortionsthe global rate of girls killed in abortions is likely much greater than 50 percent.

How is the killing of millions of girls each year an empowerment for women?

Studies mapping Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB, the number of males born per every 100 females) demonstrate imbalances that have increased significantly since the 1970s, when prenatal diagnostic tools (such as ultrasounds) and legalized medical abortion became more widely available. The expected SRB falls around 105 males per 100 females. The highest SRBs are in countries in Asia and North Africa, many of which have a strong cultural preference for sons. Here, the ratios are as high as 121 boys per 100 girls, with some regions reaching over 130. Given the large populations of the regions in questionparticularly in China and Indiathese imbalances represent millions of women killed as a result of sex-selective abortion.

We live in a broken world where sacrificing otherseven your own childmight seem like the most expedient way out of a challenging situation. But I refuse to throw up my hands and say, I guess abortions a necessityhow else will women flourish?

Overturning Roe is a good thing for women because it helps us to reject the lie that ending the life of a child in the womb is ever an empowering option.

Overturning Roe is a good thing for women because it helps us to reject the lie that ending the life of a child in the womb is ever an empowering option.

Though now illegal in some states, abortion is still legal in othersand in many places around the world. The legal fights will continue, but Christians must also fight the messaging battles around abortioncommunicating truer, longer-lasting answers to the question of how to promote flourishing for women and their children.

We must fight to shape a world that recognizes, celebrates, and honors women for what we can uniquely offer as women, not as people who are interchangeable with men. This includes rewriting the narrative around child-bearing and rethinking our ideas about what female empowerment means. With time, maybe well get to a place in society where, even if a woman finds herself in an unwanted pregnancy, shell never consider the evil equation that says her life can go on only if her childs life does not. Instead, by Gods grace, shell choose to carry the child even if the circumstances are incredibly hard, not seeing this as a compromise of her God-given power and calling as a woman, but as an embrace of it.

See the article here:
Why Overturning Roe Is Good for Women - The Gospel Coalition

A sincerely raw tale of self-summoning and speaking truth to those who abuse their authority, Canadian singer/songwriter mainstay Rose Rangers new single summons all her pop Power and then some. And arriving fresh from her sixth studio album release, Confessions, theyre both available now.

Power is about justice and finally standing up for oneself; to speak your own truth, Rose shares. Its about how pain can be transformed into power and empowerment from the oppressive forces that want to keep us down and dim our light.

The message is raw and clear-cut, as are some truths that cut people down off their high horses; Power conveys a sense of vulnerability, as Rose Ranger breaks free from a cruel tyrant. Lyrically, the track hits a lot of sore spots while gently soothing open wounds with words of reassurance and empowerment.

Roses vocals add to the symbolism of the lyrics: feeling powerful and ready to break the cycle yet held back, almost anxious to confront such a tremendous task.

My pain is my power / My love is a tower / My truth is gunpowder / My strength is a flower.

As they say, power can be used for good over evil, the Vancouver-based artist muses. It can be used for positive change or misused and abused; this song illustrates both.

I think almost everyone anywhere in the world can relate to being mistreated at some point in their life, she continues. With that, I think this song was living somewhere in my head and heart for about a decade, but I couldnt speak about it.

Hailing from Vancouvers North Shore, Rose Rangers resume consists of multiple singles produced for television and single radio airplay plus a plethora of songwriting awards. Multi-talented, she has studied dance, voice and choir, theatre and film acting, creative writing, psychology, philosophy, womens studies, and neuroscience at The University of British Columbia, Cap U, American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and in private classes.

Within her music, Roses roster of releases continue to deliver lush odes to self-discovery alongside subtle yet profound observations around moments of life.

I just try to write from an honest place, whether the song is autobiographical, about someone else, or entirely fictional she explains of her process. Either way, it has to feel honest.

Its with this sense of transparent songwriting that Power arrives alongside Confessions Roses sixth studio album, and 20 years since her breakthrough debut, 2022s Replies. Weaving themes of resiliency, finding strength in vulnerability, love, and pain, all the way to self-empowerment, and hope, Confessions was produced by Rose Ranger and JUNO Award-winner Ryan Stewart.

For me, I found inspiration in telling it like it is and not candy coating the truth after going through personal and family tragedies she reveals of the deeply personal lens through which she wrote. Writing can be cathartic, with each word offering a glimmer of light at the end of some very dark tunnels.

Metaphorically speaking, the album starts in an alley and ends on the autobahn

Its about being compassionate with both yourself and others because everyone is going through something you probably have no clue about, she continues. Its about finding your inner hero and holding onto that metaphor inside us all.

Hang out with your allies in life; dont waste your life on the people, situations, or environments that try to take you down or drain your life force, Rose Ranger insists. Dont let anyone make you feel like you dont deserve to go for what you want in your life.

Its worth it.

And with that lands real, raw personal Power.

Subscribe to our mailing list and get weekly updates on our latest contests, interviews, and reviews.

Thank you for subscribing.

Something went wrong.

We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously

Follow this link:
Rose Ranger Summons Power in Her Confessions with Release of New Single & Sixth Studio Album - The GATE

Taking on the world with a potent pop vision, Melbourne singer-songwriter Royal Drue has unveiled her debut single Cinderella a lush, fun and nostalgic slice of pop perfection.

Released independently on June 24, Cinderella is as unapologetic as it is utterly enthralling andsymbolises a brand new chapter for Royal Drue, the moniker of established artist Alexandra Smirneos.

Read Melbournes most comprehensive range of features and interviewshere.

Channelling intimate emotion and passionate energy into an addictive, irresistible three-and-a-half-minute upheaval, Cinderella is an anthem surging with absolute confidence.

Packed with the fierce power and catchy flair that youd expect from an empowering pop anthem, Cinderella beats the odds to feel both fresh and exciting upon first listen: Its the combination of Drues impressive vocals, soaring melodies and that unmistakable charisma that helps make this song an intoxicating thrill.

With nods to the likes of Taylor Swift (fans of the Lover album will adore this), Lady Gaga, Beren Olivia, LL and the early works of Katy Perry, the hypnotic pop track showcases Drues songwriting prowess. Weaving a majestic, mesmerizing tapestry of buoyant beats, vibrant verses and wonderful nostalgia, Cinderella encourages listeners to take ownership over their expression, sexuality and identity.

In an inspiring burst of energy, Drue rises to an incredible fever pitch in the songs anthemic chorus and a resounding and catchy statement we will be playing on repeat for years and years to come:

Ill keep crying Im a Princess, Im a Princess Prince Charming

Ill let you love my walk, my talk, and my bullshit stories

Ill even play hard to get when you want my number in your phone babe

Ill keep crying Im a Princess with my blue lips Ill be a darling

And while the track is a roaring anthem of empowerment, as Royal Drue candidly explains, Cinderella started out as a magical accident.

I came up with the chorus melody straight away and then the lyrics fell right into place. I didnt know what it was going to be about until I started the writing process.

After writing the lyrics Ill keep crying Im a princess, Im a princess prince charming I knew I wanted to form the rest of the song around Cinderella references. I loved the idea of making it about sexual role play, so that became the core inspiration for the whole song.

From there I dove in pretty deep and made sure the song had a strong empowering message that you can be whoever you want to be, however you want to be on your own terms.

Working alongside one of Drues closest friends and favourite collaborators, Sean Donehue, and with production taken care of by the talents at MSquared, Cinderella is a super-fun standout pop hit that makes your heart burst. Here Drue expands the scope of her artistry: Sonically, melodically, and lyrically, this track radiates intent.

Equal parts genius and fun, nostalgic, bold and eminently likeable, this debut brings us up-close-and-personal with Drue as a solo artist in her own right; fuelled by passion and an ear for creativity, catchy connection, drawn from her already incredible musical journey so far.

Already at just 24 years of age, Royal Drue has worked with an impressive list of Aussie favourites including Client Liason, Kaiit, Em Rusciano, and Young Divas Emily Williams, as well as sharing the stage with Baker Boy as feature artist at his local shows earlier this year.

Performing since the tender age of five, Drue also performs with the acclaimed Gospel/Techno crossover project Sunshine and the Disco Faith Choir as both lead singer and vocal director who recently signed to Lonely Lands Agency alongside heavy hitters including Tones and I, Tash Sultana and Boy & Bear.

With a wealth of experience, Royal Drue is a project that will see the singer-songwriter dive deeper and dig further than anything shes done before. At the same time, judging solely from her debut and vision, this project promises to be the singer/songwriters most accessible and relatable work to date.

Its always been on the cards but there were plenty of things I needed to do before going out on my own as a solo artist. All of my experiences as a session musician and collaborations with other artists have made me who I am today.

I can and have been impatient lol but Im so glad I got the chance to work with all these incredibly talented creatives because it gave me the chance to figure out who I wanted to be as an artist myself and what story I was going to tell.

Ive tried, failed, changed my mind, failed and tried again so many times. My journey to now has been so important in my development not only as an artist but as a human and I think thats how I know that nows the time to step out and do my own thing.

Sparing no expense in not just owning, but fully embracing being unapologetically herself and encouraging others to do so too Cinderella arrives alongside a sparkling, lively film clip that sees Royal Drue playing multiple characters representing multiple aspects of herself.

From glam to grunge and everything in between, the characters are symbolic versions of a Cinderella that defy the conventions of your typical Disney princess, celebrating the parts of us that make us special, unique, and different.

Its a metaphor. Cinderella shows that you can choose who you want to be. You have the ability to try on different versions of yourself; you can be whoever you want to be, however you want to be, whenever you want to be.

A definitive artist to watch, Royal Drue is one-of-a-kind; a performer at the top of her game, shes accomplished something truly remarkable with her debut release and we cannot wait to see where she goes from here.

Ive always felt ready as a performer and creatively but as a person, I think Im the readiest now than Ive ever been. Its always scary taking the first leap, but the excitement I get out of what I do definitely outweighs the nervous energy!

Ive got tracks lined up and ready for rapid-fire, so again, stay tuned the next one is closer than you think!

Stream Cinderella by Royal Drue here and keep up with the latest via Royal Drues socials.

This article was made in partnership with Royal Drue

Continued here:
Royal Drue redefines what it means to be a princess in empowering pop anthem, 'Cinderella' - Beat Magazine

McCormick Place Convention CenterChicago, Illinois

5:12 P.M. CDTTHE VICE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon, NEA! Good afternoon! (Applause.)Oh, what a sight my eyes behold. I am so happy to be with you all this afternoon. I am so happy to be with you. And thank you for everything you do and everything you are. Thank you. (Applause.)And, Becky, thank you for being such an extraordinary leader in extraordinary times. (Applause.) Truly. Ive run into her in different places around the country, and she is always speaking about you and the importance of this organization and the importance of this organization to the future of our country. Thank you, Becky, for that introduction. Thank you. (Applause.)So, before I start with my address to you, I want to just briefly but importantly address the tragedy just miles away in Highland Park.As we all know, yesterday should have been a day to come together with family and friends to celebrate our nations independence. And instead, that community suffered a violent tragedy. Children, parents, grandparents victims to a senseless act of gun violence.And Doug, who is here with me, he and I of course, we mourn, as you do, for those who were killed. And we pray for those who were injured. And we all grieve, I know, for the lives that are forever changed in that community, including, of course, the students and the teachers of that community who have suffered great loss.And I dont need to tell NEA: We need to end this horror. We need to stop this violence. (Applause.)And we must protect our communities from the terror of gun violence. You know, Ive said it before: Enough is enough. (Applause.)I mean, here we are, and our nation is still mourning the loss of those 19 babies and their two teachers in Uvalde. This massacre was the most recent reminder in Uvalde of the risks that our children and our educators face every day.Teachers should not have to practice barricading a classroom. (Applause.) Teachers should not have to know how to treat a gunshot wound. (Applause.) And teachers should not be told that Lives would have been saved if only you had a gun. (Applause.)Now, we have made some progress. For the first time in 30 years, our President, Joe Biden, signed a federal gun safety bill. (Applause.) And it strengthens background checks, and it closes what we call the boyfriend loophole, and it includes funding for mental health services and school security.But we have more to do. We have more to do. (Applause.)And Congress needs to have the courage to act and renew the assault weapons ban. (Applause.)You know, Ill talk in a minute about how you as educators teach the children so much. And you teach the children, among many things, reason.So, lets talk about what an assault weapon is designed to do. An assault weapon is designed to kill a lot of human beings quickly. There is no reason that we have weapons of war on the streets of America. We need reasonable gun safety laws! (Applause.)And we need to have Congress stop protecting those gun manufacturers with the liability shield. Repeal it! Repeal it! (Applause.)So we cannot be deterred. We know we have challenges. We cannot be deterred.And, NEA, we will not give up this fight. We will not tire because I know who you are; that is just not in our nature. (Applause.)And that, NEA, is why I am so honored to be here with you because I do know this room. This is a room of fighters. And I know (applause) how deeply personal this work is to each one of you.As an educator, your work doesnt stop at the end of the day when you walk out of your school. Your work is full-time. (Applause.) I know that.Students come to your classroom before the day starts for help with homework; sometimes with an empty stomach that you feed (applause); or just to have someone they trust to talk with. (Applause.) Your students look to you to tell them everything is going to be okay, even sometimes when you may not be sure.But you continue to show up. And that is why the President and I are honored to partner with the NEA to build our nations leaders. (Applause.)And as a personal point of pride for all of us to have an educator and one of your active members in the White House as First Lady (laughs) (applause) Dr. Jill Biden. Yes. (Applause.)And I can tell you so I sometimes see her in a different situation than you might, and let me just tell you something. I have watched her go from the classroom directly to events at the White House or across the country and around the world, grading papers in between. (Applause.) So, like you, she is a remarkable educator who inspires us all.NEA, who you are and what you do is also personal to me. Ive shared with some of you: My first-grade teacher, Mrs.Frances Wilson God rest her soul attended my law school graduation. (Applause.) And there are many people who have contributed to me to be able to serve as the first woman Vice President of the United States (applause) but Im going to tell you, Mrs. Wilson was one of the earliest. (Applause.)So, you all, you not only shape lives, but you also shape policies.And we heard you when we took office when you told us about the issues that matter most to you and your students.We heard you when you told us about the fear and the uncertainty that you faced during the pandemic and about the extra help children needed once they returned to the classroom. So, with your help, we directed over $120 billion to our nations schools through the American Rescue Plan with your help. (Applause.)And this funding also led to a new initiative, launched just today, to help students who fell behind during the pandemic, which means 250,000 tutors and mentors across the country will be in schools to give students the support they need and to support your work every day. (Applause.)We also heard you when you said your buildings are falling apart that the school buildings are falling apart. (Applause.) We heard you that air conditioners were broken in the summer heat. We heard you when you said too many of our children drink water poisoned with lead and breathe dangerous fumes from their bus ride to school. (Applause.)We heard you when you said your students cannot do their homework because they cannot afford nor do they have access to be able to get online. (Applause.)So we passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and it will repair aging school infrastructure to save schools money. It will replace lead pipes in 400,000 schools and childcare facilities across the country (applause) so that our children can drink clean water. It will electrify our nations school buses so children can have clean air to breathe. (Applause.) It will make high-speed Internet accessible and affordable to every American household.And this will happen because of your support and your leadership. Thank you, NEA. (Applause.)And we still have more to do, and we have so much to do together.NEA, you are extraordinarily effective as a group advocate for change, which is why we know that you have been able to see the success you have achieved. And it is no surprise why, because we know unions know how to organize. (Applause.)I say all over the country: You may not be a member of a union, but you better thank the union for the five-day work week and weekends, paid leave. (Applause.)And I often meet and its I know you do, and many are here I often meet with young organizers from around the country. And whats exciting is that we are seeing in a new, younger generation that they want the benefits and the protections that come from joining a union. (Applause.) They want it. They want it. Because they know what we all know: Unions give workers a voice. (Applause.)And so, this is an historic moment, I think, for the labor movement. Today, unions have their highest approval rating since 1965. (Applause.) About half of all non-union workers say they would join a union if given the chance. That is almost 60 million people. (Applause.) Think about that.But we also know there are obstacles for them to meet that desire. And we know what it is. One is that many people still dont know how to join a union, and so thats part of the work we have ahead is to continue to remind them about how. But even if they do know how, we also know, across our country, folks face barriers that have been built up over the years by corporate interests and anti-union politicians and regressive court cases. (Applause.)Ive fought many of those cases when I was Attorney General of California, so we know the obstacles are there. (Applause.)California is in the house. (Laughs.) (Applause.)And so, our administration, together with you, we are all doing a lot to tear down those barriers.And Ill tell you, Im very proud to lead the White House Task Force on Worker Organizing and Empowerment, along with my good friend our good friend Secretary Marty Walsh. And (applause) from Massachusetts.And our President, Joe Biden, accepted all of our 70 proposals to make it easier for workers to organize. And heres the significance of that: It relates to federal workers, but the federal workforce is actually the federal government is largest employer in the country. And so, when you think about it, as we adopt the recommendations to make it easier for federal workers to organize, you will point to all of that to say, If it can happen there, it can happen here. (Applause.)And there is more to do.So, we are looking at the fact that the President and I are determined to lead not only the most pro-union administration in American history but to move our country forward.We are determined to fight for a future where a teachers wage can provide for a family. (Applause.) Because I know it is still the case that some of you are working two jobs. (Applause.) Some maybe even three. I know that.We are determined to fight for a future where you never again have to spend your own money on school supplies to meet your students needs. (Applause.)We will fight for a future where teachers can educate our children with the resources, with the safety, and the respect that you deserve. (Applause.)Because we are clear: When we do that, we can be sure that every child can reach their God-given potential. (Applause.)So, these are the values that our administration stands for. And I think, when it comes down to it, its basically this: When you know what you stand for, you know what to fight for. (Applause.)And so much of what we just got through talking about is what extremist so-called leaders stand against.Since our administration has started, not one Republican leader in Washington voted to rescue our nation in the middle of a pandemic, including when we proposed resources for our children and our educators.Not one Republican leader in Washington, D.C., voted to extend the Child Tax Credit, which helps the poorest students and their families.Instead, these extremist so-called leaders fought against raising your pay.Instead, these extremist so-called leaders refuse to keep assault weapons off our streets and out of our classrooms and tried to silence your voice through your union.And instead, these so-called leaders have tried to make you pawns of their political agenda.Because while you work hard to inspire the dreams and ambitions of our next generation, they dare question your dedication, your motivation, and your value.While you work hard (applause) while you work hard to teach the principles of liberty and freedom in your classroom, these so-called leaders are taking freedoms away (applause): freedom away from women and the freedom to make decisions over their own bodies (applause); freedom away from a kindergarten-to-third-grade teacher in Florida to love openly and with pride (applause); and away from every American as they intentionally try to make it more difficult for folks to vote. (Applause.)We are 126 days away from an election, and we all know what we need to do. (Applause.) And, you know, I also think Im speaking to a group of educators I also think that these extremist so-called leaders need to attend a civics lesson. (Laughs.) (Applause.)I think I actually think it would benefit us all if they sat in your classroom for a few days to remember how a democracy works (applause); to remember what freedoms stands for; and to remember what jobs they were elected to do. (Applause.)All that to say that, as educators, you know, we all know that history has never been an unbroken line toward progress; that even when we have advances, there will be setbacks. In certain times, those setbacks being more drastic than in others. This is one of those moments, but we will not be deterred.The President and I are counting on you to help us move forward as a nation, just as NEA has done throughout its history. Because I remember that this organization fought to lower the voting age to 18. (Applause.) I remember that this organization fought to protect Black teachers from school districts that defied desegregation orders. (Applause.) I remember that this was the organization that stood with others to fight to pass DACA and ensure undocumented people can learn in our communities. (Applause.)Again and again, you have been champions of social justice. And it is clear: Educators are a central part, then, of moving our nation forward. You are not only essential to our childrens future. Im here to share with you: You, I believe, are essential to the future of our democracy. (Applause.)So, we will do this work together because, NEA, when we look at where we are, we know that NEA has always been a powerful force a powerful force whose members understand the power of unity.So, these may be difficult times. And I know that at the end of this convening, you will each go back to your home district; you will go back and you will spend long evenings and nights preparing for the next day; you will go back and often be in a situation where it feels kind of like you might be the only one who sees what youre seeing and understands whats at stake. (Applause.)But lets remember moments like this. And let us remember that the fight toward progress by its very nature is not linear. Were going to have our ups; were going to have our downs.Lets remember I like to paraphrase all the time what Coretta Scott King said. She said: The fight for justice, the fight for civil rights, the fight for freedom, the fight for equality must be fought and won with each generation. And I think when she said that, she had two points in mind. One is that it is the very nature of what we stand for and, therefore, fight for that whatever gains we make will not be permanent.Theres so much strength in what we achieve, but there is also fragility. So, we must be vigilant. And the second point then being: If we understand thats the nature of it its not going to be permanent; it is fragile, unless we are vigilant its the nature of it, so do not despair. Do not be overwhelmed. Do not throw up our hands when it is a time to roll up our sleeves. (Applause.)Thank you, NEA. God bless you. God bless our education. And God bless the United States of America. Thank you all. (Applause.) END 5:38 P.M. CDT

Originally posted here:
Remarks by Vice President Harris at the National Education Association 2022 Annual Meeting and Representative Assembly - The White House

KANSAS CITY, Mo. As KSHB 41 News wraps up the month of June, we want to leave you with real stories of women who are often pushed to the side during Pride month and throughout the year - transgender women of color.

Statistically, they experience more violence than other members of the LGBTQ+ community, and too often their lives are cut short because of who they are.

With help from local organization Transformations KC, we spoke with three trans women who have endured hard times but transcended society's stereotypes to become leaders in the community.

Kelly Nou says she's gone through a lot in her life to be where she is today, living her truth and setting an example for young women like her.

"I'm still standing and you're still watching," Nou said.

Nou is a survivor, and she says this with a confidence and grit that comes with years of fighting.

"It's a lot of things we had to endure, like being bashed or being bullied and stuff and I'm just grateful to even be here just sitting here sharing my story, because a lot of my sisters in the past have not made it this far," Nou said.

Nou lives her life as visible advocate for her sisters in the trans community and a leader with Transformations KC, a group that works to uplift young trans people, specifically trans women of color.

"It's important because we're getting murdered every day, so it's best to allow us to have that voice," Nou said.

We met with Nou to shine light on her story, parts of which she says people would prefer to stay hidden. It's a story she shares with Treshawn Roberts and Monica DeJesus Anaya.

That story takes us to Troost Avenue and Manheim Road.

"It brings a lot of memories," Nou said

Nou and Roberts used to work Troost back in the day as sex workers. DeJesus Anaya worked in Chicago.

"Things have changed a lot, but the cars haven't," Nou said. "They're still coming."

As a car drove slowly past the intersection, DeJesus Anaya added, "As you can see right now!"

The girls laughed.

They were young, out trying to navigate a world that rejected them.

"My parents didn't understand trans," Nou said. "I knew I was a different kind of girl and my parents did not understand that."

So, Nou and many other young trans women found safety in each other.

Nou left her parents' house in her teens, seeking guidance from an older trans woman. Nou said there were multiple girls "shacked up" in a one or two bedroom apartment, just trying to get food, pay the rent, and keep the lights on.

At night, when "traffic would come swarming," they would come out to what's called the Hoe Stroll, Nou said.

"It would be 15 girls. It would be a few on each corner," Nou said. "It ranges from 34th & Armour and Troost & 43rd, which was a nail shop. We would work at night and, on the weekends, would go to the nail shop, and the nail shop people knew us."

The work did not come without dangers.

Roberts said they'd come out with crowbars and sledgehammers.

"Yes, baby, we had them hidden in the bushes," Roberts said. "'Because we used to drive and park our cars. So, we always had access because we knew what this was."

Nou said they had to protect themselves and their sisters.

"We'd look out for each other, try to make sure we get the description of the vehicle that our sister would go into," Nou said.

Survival sex work is often a part of the trans experience, rooted in discrimination.

"Jobs were not hiring us," Nou said. "Jobs were discriminating against us."

The National Center for Transgender Equality's most recent survey shows that one in eight trans people have done sex work. When you learn that trans people of color are three times more likely to be living in poverty than anyone else in the country and the unemployment rate for trans people of color is four times higher than the U.S. population - you see that sex work is something many resort to.

"And then when we did get employment, it was minimum wage. Not the minimum wage that we have in 2022, but the minimum wage we had in '98, '99, 2000. So, if you google the minimum wage, you will see why sex work was the next best thing," Roberts said. "I'm not ashamed of it, I'm proud of it."

Nou said one of the milestones in her life was when she decided to go to work in "full geish," which means dressed up in full wardrobe and makeup. Despite feeling liberated and fully herself, Nou said she ended up being fired from her job that day.

Walking the walk fiercely and unapologetically every day, these women say, will help pave the way for the next girl.

"Sharing our stories and our journeys literally keeps us trans women alive," DeJesus Anaya said.

Trans people, especially trans women of color, face violence more than anyone else. The survey shows many folks endured it at school and from their own family.

While the data isn't complete, we know at least 9 trans women and femme men have been murdered in Kansas City over the last 10 years.

Dee Dee Pearson was shot in killed in KCMO in 2011. Dionte Greene was shot and killed in KCMO in 2014. Jasmine Collins was stabbed to death in KCMO in 2015. Tamara Dominguez was killed after a man ran her over multiple times in KCMO in 2015. Ta'Ron "Rio" Carson was shot and killed in KCMO in 2018. Brooklyn Lindsey was shot and killed in KCMO in 2019. JaLeyah Berryman was shot and killed in KCK in 2019. Brianna Hill was shot and killed in KCMO in 2019. Aerrion Burnett was shot and killed in KCMO in 2020.

All of these victims are people of color, who see the highest rates of violence.

More trans women of color have been murdered in areas around Kansas City, including Reesey Walker, killed in Wichita in 2016; Nina Pop, killed in Sikeston, Missouri, in 2020; Dominique Lucious, killed in Springfield, Missouri, in 2021.

According to a study by Transgender Europe, which monitors violence against trans people worldwide, more than 3,600 murders of transgender and gender-expansive people have been reported since 2008. Most of the murders happen in the victim's own home or in the street.

It's very personal for Nou because one of those women, Aerrion Burnett, was her friend.

Burnett had a "heart of gold" and the news of her murder devastated her friends and family. She was shot and found dumped on the side of the road at 13th Street South and South Brookside Avenue.

Nou had the honor of doing Burnett's makeup for her funeral.

"I just felt so empowered to even be in that position because her parents respect her enough to allow me to be in the position to do her makeup to send their daughter off the correct way," Nou said.

Yes, these women have seen hard times. But they're still standing.

"I'm a vet," Roberts said. "I'm a icon, I'm a legend, baby. I have lived to see all the days. The good days, the bad days."

Their work today is to make sure their sisters experience a better Kansas City than the one they were given years ago.

Nou is the vice president of the board at Transformations KC. She's nurtured many young trans women over the years, helping them come into their own.

Roberts has always lived her life boldly, breaking out as a performer when she was 14.

"I would wear my show stuff to school and the kids would be like, 'Okay, who's this b? Now what is she doing?'" Roberts said. "Thigh-high boots, leather catsuits, fur coats. Yeah, and I wanted to be the glamorous girl at all costs."

Roberts, who also goes by Treshawn Seymour, is a seamstress, hairstylist and makeup artist. She's been heavily involved in Kansas City's ballroom scene and holds a title of Queen Mother, which takes on many roles in the trans community, including being a mentor and mother figure.

DeJesus Anaya is a reality star, whose stage persona is Monica Beverly Hillz. She starred in season five of RuPaul's Drag Race and was the first queen to come out on the show as a trans woman.

It's not all trauma. These women have joy, love, sisterhood, and a chosen family in their lives.

"You know, we're not just sex workers," Nou said. "We're human beings and we still can be successful and beautiful at the same time."

The rest is here:
Still standing: Trans women in KC share their story of survival, empowerment - KSHB 41 Kansas City News

The spiking cost of living impacts people with disabilities equally as much as people without, creating a need to seek supplemental income.

Despite this need, people with disabilities experience higher unemployment rates and face barriers to employment which contribute to a significant discrepancy in employment for people with disabilities when compared to those without.

According to the Bureau of Labor, in 2021, 11.9% of all people surveyed had a disability, half were over the age of 65, but only 19.1% of the people with disabilities surveyed were employed. The unemployment rate of people with disabilities seeking work was twice that of individuals without disabilities.

There are many Michigan agencies with work programs to assist individuals with disabilities. However, these agencies are not immune to the staff shortages that plague every industry in todays economy, often causing minimal assistance and delays in aiding people with disabilities seeking employment. Disability Network strives to bridge the gap in employment for people with disabilities.

People with disabilities are often qualified to fill employment positions, yet face barriers to joining the work force, from the initial job-seeking stage through the application and hiring process and continuing throughout the employment period.

Disability Network created a program called Job Club in response to these barriers. Job Club is designed to assist individuals with disabilities who are contemplating employment or preparing to begin new employment. The program is divided into two series which focuses on career assessments, accommodations, skills, applications, mock interviews, resume and cover letters, self-employment and social security benefits planning.

The creation of Job Club has provided an interesting perspective on themodern trends ofobstacles whichprovide challenges in obtaining employment for people with disabilities. One obstacle isrelaying work history and relevant experience on applications and resumes. Gaps in employment or late admission to the workforce are common with disability and can be difficult to explain on a resume.

One Job Club participant needed a lengthy break from paid employment to provide care for her ailing mother for many years. Eventually, the time came to rejoin the work force, but she was concerned about the 10-year gap in her work history. She joined the two series of Job Club to assist her in preparing for employment to create a resume and complete applications in applying her education and experience despite the break in employment history.

Job Club helped her to realize that her volunteer work during the break and the direct caregiving duties she provided for her mother were all relevant experiences that the right employers would be interested in. Furthermore, she disregarded her nursing degree received over 20 years ago because she hadnt worked in the nursing field. Job Club taught her that this was still appropriate to list on her resume and applications. After this individual completes the two segments of Job Club, she will work with Disability Network staff on finding employment.

Another obstacle that many people face in seeking employment when they have a disability is a lack of confidence in presenting employable skills and presenting themselves confidently in an interview. Job Club helps individuals to understand their skills and abilities and how these are valuable in employment settings, allowing participants to become more confident in discussing these with potential employers. One common example is skills with computers, programming and technology. But because these skills are often developed outside of work experience, many individuals overlook this as a skill that employers might find valuable.

A second Job Club participant worked at a large agency as a COVID tester. The position was this individuals first job and he had no further experience in competitive employment. As the COVID rates improved in his county, he was informed that his services as COVID tester would be unlikely to continue much longer. He joined Job Club to assist him in entering competitive employment so that he could look for new work.

Before beginning Job Club, he reported having no employable skills and lacked confidence in his ability to hold any other work. After completing Job Club, he learned that his skills in customer service and volunteer work running another program the agency offered were skills that he could report on applications and resumes. This encouraged him to speak with his employer and the human resources department to inform them he was looking for new work, but wanted to advocate for the creation of another position within the agency because he enjoyed working for them.

He reminded them of his skills, that he had never missed a day of work, that he completed all the work he had been trained to do pursuant to his job description and then took on many additional duties as was asked of him. As a result of his self-advocacy, the agency created a new position to keep him employed with the agency. He would like to continue working with Disability Network to learn more about self-employment to fulfill his life dream of owning and running his own store.

Disability Network encourages employers to remember that people with disabilities are employable, and to be as open to accommodations in the application and interviewing process as you would be during employment. If you need any assistance or are interested in learning more, please visit disabilitynetwork.org.

Alanna Lahey is the associate director for Disability Network of Northern Michigan in Traverse City.Disability Network Northern Michigan is the first stop for people with disabilities and their families in northern Michigan with a mission to promote personal empowerment and positive social change for people with disabilities.

comments

Read the original post:
Job Club: Creating independence in employment for people with disabilities - Traverse City Business News

P&G Philippines president and general manager Raffy Fajardo shares his view on the power that comes from harnessing individual differences

Diversity is a term one hears from many corporations. It is a buzzword in todays labor force as people hope to find a workplace that is perfectly suited to who they are. While creating a work culture built on inclusivity and openness is the goal, many are challenged by it and how to fully integrate it into their system.

The thing is, making an inclusive workplace is something that cannot be done overnight. For some, it takes years to fully have it. A corporation that can attest to that is Procter & Gamble (P&G) Philippines. As a multinational consumer goods corporation with a strong footing in over 180 countries, it has continued to foster an inclusive environment for its employees through the years. With its We See Equal campaign, it has produced numerous policies, practices, and programs that champion not only minority groups but everyone, from its line of managers and leaders down to its teams. This enabled the company to be recognized by the United Nations Women Empowerment and Principles (UN WEPs) as a Champion for Gender Equal Workplace.

We value diversity to a point that everyone is unique, Rafael Arturo Raffy Fajardo, P&G Philippines president and general manager, says. We dont see religion, political views, nationality, gender, any of those. We judge based on merit and contributions. Diversity comes from individual strengths and understanding those strengths. What it is not are stereotypes and judgmentthese have nothing to do with the company.

During a media roundtable discussion, Fajardo details more on how creating inclusive workplaces and unlearning biases benefit all. From seeing beyond ones background and having mutual respect to asking the right questions, heres what we learn from the leader of P&G Philippines in shaping an inclusive work culture.

Working for P&G for 23 years, Fajardo can attest to the companys focus on peoples outcomes, not activities. As a computer science graduate, it is likely that he would end up in a role that is more suited to what he finished in college, but the organization saw potential in him in the field of marketing, which led him to opportunities to work in Singapore and Thailand, and eventually in the Philippines.

Fajardo believes in merit system and so is P&G. Focusing on outcomes means first looking at employees performance and stand-out impact instead of their different work styles and personal circumstances. This way, employees are motivated to perform, help in achieving company goals, and be seen for their abilities regardless of their personalities, sexual orientations, and backgrounds.

Everyone is unique. When we focus solely on a persons outcomes, we level the playing field to provide an equal chance for everyone to achieve their objectives without biases and preconceived judgments, Fajardo says. Then we empower by recognizing the value of individual strengths and capabilities that each person brings.

Organizational status can be one of the many barriers for employees to creating conversations with their heads. Managers and leaders are different in the business world. One is fixed on accomplishing tasks and mentoring his team while the latter tends to inspire people. To be a successful chief, he or she must have both qualities. Managers and leaders should stay curious and humble while keeping their targets in their heads. And the best way to attain that is through their employees, and by listening to them.

In Fajardos case, he learns more about his employees through Cocomos, his nickname for coffee connects with country managers outside the usual workplace meetings. Through it, he discovers more about his team, things about and beyond the workplace, making them feel that they are important and their opinions matter. This ultimately helped him be more aware of biases and barriers and understand what actions or help is needed.

Reaching out to the people who can give you the best insight through curiosity and humility, changes your frame of reference, he says.

Unlearning biases can be hard, and again, takes a lot of time for its product to manifest. In P&Gs journey toward an inclusive work culture, it has built many affinity groups to foster change within its community. First is GABLE (Gay, Ally, Bisexual, Lesbian, and Transgender Employees), where workers can feel safe, have a sense of belonging, and feel free to be themselves. Another is Men as Allies for Real Change, which encourages understanding among male leaders and colleagues to promote gender equality and be true catalysts for change. Theres also the series Women Beyond Boundaries, featuring a variety of women from different functions of the organization and parts of the company.

To fully create a change in the community, the company has launched numerous policies and programs based on its employees needs. One of which is the My Pay, My Way program, where certain benefits are customized according to the priorities and personal preferences of our people. Another is the Share the Care policy, a parental leave program that grants eight weeks of fully paid parental leave. This allows dads to take care of their new child for more than seven days. It also applies to all employees regardless of gender or marital status. Of course, this is on top of the birth or adoptive mothers 105 calendar days of fully paid maternity leave.

Currently, the company is looking to branch its inclusion practices toward people with disabilities. Already in the pipeline for the Philippines is #Limitless, a new global chapter of P&Gs People with Disabilities affinity group.

Fajardo thinks that a common pitfall for people managers is to expect their employees to grow and possibly follow a proven path of someone else, perhaps a role model, instead of helping them become the best version of themselves. To allow employees to reach their fullest potential, he believes that leaders should empower their employees to play to their strengths.

An example of this is the misconception that extroverts are more successful or impactful than introverts because they are able to speak up and be more visible in collaborative and social events. Personalities and styles will always differ so an alternative frame of reference is to focus instead on a persons stand-out impact and contributions to the business and the organization.

At P&G, employees are given meaningful work from Day 1. It aims to create a workplace culture where employees are empowered and enabled to grow, develop and succeed through intentional career planning and equal opportunities.

Allow each employee to set their own level of flexibility, so that they may bring themselves to work every day and make a difference, he says. If everyone comes in feeling included and plays to their strength, we will have a huge impact on the business and culture.

SIGN UP TO DAILY NEWSLETTER

Read the original post:
How creating inclusive workplaces and unlearning biases benefit all - Manila Bulletin