My livestreaming thing and the music thats come from it have really helped me to stay sane through this whole thing, Mike Shinoda tells NME of how passing time on Twitch in lockdown led to his latest ambitious solo album, Dropped Frames Vol. 1.

Having taken suggestions and feedback on the direction of the music from fans who tuned into his Twitch livestreams, the Linkin Park musician ended up creating a project based on pure collaboration. Its a piece of work thats just as much about the live channel as it is about the album. After originally asking fans to guide him through the best way to finish off some demos on Instagram, he soon found himself asking them to submit vocals for the track Open Door, before taking to Twitch each and every morning to work with his followers on a constant flow of music.

There are a number of different things that I get out of it, says Shinoda. Its a nice anchor for my day and my week in that I can tell what time and what day it is, which isnt easy in lockdown! I can make so much cool stuff.

We were about to say that it beats wasting hours on Animal Crossing, but even that made its way into the record somehow. To celebrate the release of Dropped Frames Vol. 1 this week, we Facetimed Shinoda for a quick chat about people power, listening habits, the upcoming 20th anniversary of Linkin Parks seminal debut Hybrid Theory, and the recent release from Chester Benningtons former band Grey Daze.

We came up with a way to do fan recommendations where they challenge me. They earn points through watching the channel, then they can redeem them with things like choosing the style of the song from what we call The Bowl Of Destiny. Ill pick out more than one style, like mashing up a Red Hot Chili Peppers-style song, a Prince/Morris Day And The Time-style song, and the sound of a wombat. Or something crazy like Final Fantasy style video game music, mixed with horror hip-hop, Mariachi and N-Sync early 00s pop.

Some days Ill be at odds with what the fans want to do. Sometimes theres a friction, and sometimes that makes it worse and sometimes that makes it better. Its OK that some of these experiments fail. The last song on this album is a joke. Its called Booty Down and it has these vocal samples in it. The fans challenged me to make a song in the style of Panic! At The Disco. I tried, I hated it, it was boring, it was stupid, so I basically said, This is a failed experiment and we need to do something else to clear our palette. I started jokingly picking through these vocal samples called Booty Up and Booty Down, so I made a Miami bass dance track out of it.

Mike Shinoda (Picture: Press)

Its spontaneous. A lot of the time with music I feel like I channel whats happening in the moment. This stuff sonically comes from when its being created. We archived all of the Twitch episodes on Youtube so you can go back and see where it came from. Iknow that when the Black Lives Matter protests were starting, the track we made that day was sombre and soulful. It was sonically appropriate for the kind of day that it was. That track didnt make it onto this album, but it will be on a future volume.

Maybe! When I was in college I listened to a lot of instrumental music like DJ Shadows first couple of albums, Aphex Twin, UNKLE, Massive Attack. I love records by J Dilla, Flume and Flying Lotus. Theres a poetry to putting music out with no words. I like that, Ive never done that with my whole focus. Its a lot of fun.

Yeah, I love that. Once in a while on my stream, Ill play Animal Crossing. Its relaxing, like meditation. The fans and I named my turtle, it was nice. The mayor of your island on Animal Crossing is a guy called Tom Nook. All the voices are very similar and weird, and I found a plug-in on my keyboard where it will play Tom Nook vocal sounds. The fans still ask for it every day.

I was working on really random stuff. I still am, because Im a little slower in quarantine. Theres a song for myself here, a song for someone else there. Im still experimenting and trying to figure out what Im trying to do next. I feel like Im going down 20 different roads at once. If theres ever anything to talk about, Ill talk about it on my stream.

Its really fun to work with new artists because of the variety that it brings into the creative situation. Shes super young, but knows what shes doing with her music. This would be the moment where she throws in a self-deprecating comment, but my instinct is that shes got a tonne of raw talent and Id love to see where she takes that. The biggest challenge for any artist in her position is to really unlock her voice and a unique way to communicate their intention. Ive been listening to her a lot.

No, I havent. For every record Ive done, there are tracks in varying degrees of completion with vocals on them. Releasing them isnt on the schedule.

Linkin Park perform live. CREDIT: Getty

Were all aware that this year is the 20th anniversary of Hybrid Theory, so were planning to do something for that. I dont want to give anything away, so Ill just leave it there.

I havent heard it. They did it on their own. I cant listen to it. I dont want to hear his voice. Its hard enough for me to listen to Linkin Park albums. It has to be on the right day. I did watch some of his son Jaimes video, though. I got through two minutes of it before it became a little too much for me.

Everything! Griselda, Hayley Williams, Joji, Denzel Curry, Caribou, Jay Electronica, Renforshort, Jessie Reyez, RAC, 99 Neighbors, the new Jack Garratt, Run The Jewels, that Trash Talk record that Kenny Beats produced. Theres so much good new music.

Mike Shinoda releases Dropped Frames Vol. 1 on Friday July 10.

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Mike Shinoda on writing an album on Twitch, 20 years of Hybrid Theory and Chester Benningtons voice - NME

Try these tricks on your Amazon Echo today.

You rely on your Amazon Echo to play your favorite songs and playlists, but there are so many more music commands you can give Alexa when listening to Amazon Music on your smart speaker.

For example, you can ask Alexa to start announcing each song it's going to play with the hidden Song ID feature. You can also tell Alexa which songs you like so that it can get a better idea of what you want to listen to, and request music for specific activities.

Here's how to start using these Alexa music tipswe found for your Amazon Echo.

Our weekly newsletter puts the best Amazon smart speaker tips right in your inbox.

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When you're listening to a new song you've never heard, it can be annoying to interrupt the song by asking Alexa what it's called or who sings it. However, with a feature called Song ID, Alexa will announce the artist and name of the track before playing the song. To enable, say, "Alexa, turn on Song ID."

Make your mornings more exciting by setting your alarms by mood, lyric, song title, playlist or genre. As an Amazon Music subscriber, you can ask Alexa to set a song as your alarm by saying a few lyrics from the song or by genre. For example, you can say, "Alexa, set an alarm at 7 a.m. to We Are the Champions" or, "Alexa, wake me up with relaxing music at 7 a.m."

Set music alarms on your Echo speaker.

If you're not sure what you want to listen to, ask Alexa for help by saying, "Alexa, help me find a playlist." Alexa will ask questions about genre, occasion, mood and tempo and will offer a preview of selected playlists. You can let the voice assistant know what you do and don't like by saying, "Alexa, I like this song" or, "Alexa, I don't like this." This will help the voice assistant to better understand your music preferences.

If you're subscribed to Amazon Music Unlimited (three months free and then $8 per month after), you can ask Alexa to play the song of the day. This feature includes Alexa giving facts about the song before playing it, and when the song is finished you'll get suggestions for what to listen to next.

If you're performing a specific activity, like meditating, sleeping, doing a home workout or eating, you can request to hear a specific playlist that Amazon has curated for your activity. Try, "Alexa, play peaceful music for sleeping," "Alexa, play pop music for running" or, "Alexa, play classical music for cooking."

For more tips to get the most out of your smart speaker, here's how to simultaneously stream music across all your Amazon Echo devices, how to turn your Echo speaker into a free TV speaker and four top Amazon Echo features to perfect and improve now.

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See the article here:

5 surprising music hacks to try with your Amazon Echo - CNET

6 July 2020, 13:04 | Updated: 6 July 2020, 13:09

The best programmes and music weve got coming up on Classic FM this week...

Let the warming company of Tim Lihoreau and his selection of joyous classical pieces help you wake every weekday morning.

Tim has just the right rise and shine music to accompany the start of your day, as well as his Breakfast Serial at 7.25am and the Home School Run at 8.15am.

Listen from 6am and get in touch with Tim on 61812 or via the Classic FM website here hed love to hear from you.

Read more: Only diehard classical music fans can pass this quiz >

John Brunning is here every weekday to provide the most relaxing classical pieces as you head into the evening.

From 4pm to 7pm, John has three hours of old favourites and new discoveries including his Discovery of the Week at 6.20pm (find out this weeks album at the bottom of this article).

Then from 7pm, theres an hour of music chosen specially to help you unwind at the end of the day.

Read more: The most relaxing pieces of classical music >

Every weekend on Classic FM, theres a selection of fantastic programmes lined up to keep you company. And we feel Sundays and Classic FM go particularly well together.

Whether its enjoying that crucial first cup of coffee in the company of Aled Jones (7am-10am) or Bill Turnbull (depending on how much of a lie-ins person you are...), or enjoying a traditional Sunday lunch while Catherine Bott (1pm-3pm) plays worlds greatest music in the background.

John Humphrys (3pm-5pm) and David Mellor (5pm-7pm) bring their passion for, and expertise in, music all afternoon before Smooth Classics at Seven with Charlotte Hawkins. Charlotte plays the most relaxing music to wind down any week right, and also introduces an inspiring Young Classical Star every week.

And at 10pm, let Myleene Klass help you drift off with Smooth Classics...

Chart-topping mezzo Katherine Jenkins presents a collection of unforgettable songs from some of the worlds best loved movie moments including Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffanys and Tonight from West Side Story, featuring fellow Welsh star, Luke Evans.

The album title is taken from Ennio Morricones song from the soundtrack to the 1988 Italian film of the same name. And, poignantly, Jenkins album comes out on the same day as the great composers death at 91.

Full track listing from Katherine Jenkins Cinema Paradiso:

1. When You Wish Upon A Star from Pinocchio 2. Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence (Somewhere Far Away) from Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence 3. Cinema Paradiso featuring Alberto Urso from Cinema Paradiso 4. Never Love Again from A Star Is Born 5. Moon River from Breakfast At Tiffanys 6. Singin In The Rain from Singin In The Rain 7. West Side Story Somewhere/Tonight featuring Luke Evans from West Side Story 8. O Danny Boy from Memphis Belle 9. Schindlers List from Schindlers List 10. The Rose from The Rose 11. May It Be from Lord Of The Rings 12. Heres To The Heroes from Dances With Wolves

Click here to find out more about this weeks Album of the Week.

Alexander Armstrongplays a track from his featured Album of the Week at 10.15am every weekday.

Conductor Edusei and the superlative Munich Symphony are back for their next instalment of Symphonies from great Romantic composer Schubert.

Edusei has been widely praised for bringing drama and tension to orchestral works, and champions German music from the early Romantic period and early 20th century particularly.

Schubert is known so well for his songs (lied), but was a prolific composer of orchestral music, including the nine symphonies (one unfinished, the eighth) that he wrote.

Click here to find out more about this weeks Discovery.

John Brunningplays a track from his featured Discovery of the Week at 6.20pm every weekday.

More here:

This weeks on-air highlights including Album of the Week and Discovery - Classic FM

Elizabeth Liz DiCarlo has been advocating for people on multiple fronts for more than 40 years. That statement of fact recently put DiCarlo in a special category of women from Massachusetts she was named as a Commonwealth Heroine by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women.

Her name was advanced by State Representative Antonio Cabral of the 13thBristol District.

Noted in DiCarlos biography posted on Mass.gov, Cabral gave a long list of her service achievements such as working with populations from Central America, HIV/AIDS education for at-risk people, affordable-housing issues, and efforts to mitigate discrimination faced by LGBTQ people. She is without a doubt the ultimate people-person.

WhenThe Wanderercaught up with DiCarlo, she softly said of all the recognition she has been receiving, its a little embarrassing. Yet DiCarlo speaks strongly and very clearly when it comes to the issues she believes in fighting for, namely helping those who may be the last to receive services. And while she claims to be retired, it was quite clear her work is far from over.

Im working with the Democratic Town Committee, she said of her ongoing work on voter registration so that, people can vote for those who represent them and their interests.

After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the 1970s, DiCarlo became a nurse working as a public health sector. She is originally from Newton but moved to the New Bedford area after graduating. Her family built a home in Mattapoisett around 1975. I was very happy about that! she said.

New Bedford became her base from which she began work organizing labor-union groups and immersing herself in multi-cultural neighborhoods. I love the richness, the diversity of cultures, she said. New Bedford has people from Cape Verde, the Caribbean, Latin America, Ireland, France there have been waves of immigration through the centuries. She said her work over the years has focused on identifying where need exists and then finding the ways and means to serve the people.

One need that DiCarlo identified as growing in urgency is affordable housing. The next generation cant afford to live in Mattapoisett, she stated and explained that the rising cost of owning or even renting properties is impacting young and old alike. Our seniors want to downsize and live in Mattapoisett, but where?

DiCarlo said it is time to think about different types of housing stock and shared her hope that Mattapoisetts updated Master Plan, currently under review by the Planning Board and other committees with the assistance of SRPEDD, will help in finding new ways to solve old problems keeping a roof over heads. She expressed concern that if Mattapoisett doesnt take a proactive approach to affordable housing, Someone will come in and do it.

Systems, process analysis, data collection, and assessment are some of the cornerstones of public nursing, and DiCarlo has thrown her talents to all of those through the years.

On Cape Cod, DiCarlo was hired as a consultant to bring together a network of agencies and community centers for a needs assessment of the 15 towns that comprise the peninsula. There are growing Latino, Caribbean, and Brazilian communities on the Cape, she said, the goal being to understand how well the people can access healthcare services. To her surprise, 1,000 households participated, not hesitating to share their data. She had deployed 200 volunteers in the effort. There were four languages to take into consideration, she said, The response was fabulous. The data from the surveys pointed to the need for culturally competent care and interpretation services.

With pride, DiCarlo said that this project inspired the development of dental services for immigrant populations throughout the Cape. We found that there was a major issue for these people in accessing dental care. The development of dental operatories, locations and services made available to those without insurance or the means to pay for services, bloomed. We developed partnerships with Cape Cod Regional Vocational High School in Harwich and Cape Cod Community College to provide oral health services. That program reached out across Buzzards Bay to Marthas Vineyard as well.

More recently, DiCarlos work has focused on getting out the vote. We want people to come out and vote their values. From a regional standpoint, she said a strong effort had been made in networking for social justice including LGBTQ platforms, but that it is important to increase the dialogue and understanding that voting matters. Having an up-to-date voter registration is critical.

DiCarlo has been involved in school-based, voter-registration drives and placing visual reminders around New Bedford and the surrounding area that display dates of elections. We need people to think about what is important to them; in the larger cities, you have to find ways of reaching people But this isnt new stuff, she added with a chuckle. Weve been doing this since the Rainbow Coalition, personal empowerment, and political empowerment.

HIV/AIDS, health education, and the role of public health nursing are also part of DiCarlos early work. We engaged with communities to assess their assets and identify their limitations to come up with opportunities, she said. We had candid discussions about how to be safe; its not just giving out information but in having those explicit conversations about sexual practices and drugs. She said providing health care was also part of the program, so people could get the care that they needed.

Given the current pandemic, DiCarlo believes, Its not enough to give education, systems have to be in place to help the victims. She said the Southcoast region has done a good job reaching businesses to ensure that distancing and face coverings are used in the workplace.

While talking about workers her thoughts turned to their homelives. Lots of family members may live in a small apartment. We need to educate the children, make sure food resources are readily available, and think about how they will care for one another to prevent the spread of COVID, she said. Half of New Bedford is Latino. They live in dense situations. If we are looking at the data, we need to make sure educational opportunities are there.

That whole-systems approach is the hallmark of a public health professional or, as DiCarlo framed it, All things are possible with honest collaboration, dignity and respect.

By Marilou Newell

Read this article:
DiCarlo Shy upon Recognition, Relentless in Her Mission - Wanderer

NEW YORK, July 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Pureology is proud to launch a completely renovated product lineup this summer with a new look and select formula improvements. "Color care without compromise" is the Pureology promise to professional stylists and at-home users who wish to align their beauty product choices with their personal values: sustainable practices, aesthetic performance and emotional empowerment. The new Pureology was introduced in June on Pureology.com and at SalonCentric, and will befullyavailable in August at ULTA and Amazon.com.

In recent years, the rise of beauty products that are ecologically-friendly has grown considerably.Like many brands at the forefront of sustainability, Pureology was created in California. The very first products were sulfate-free and 100% vegan. As the brand enters its 20th year, that eco-commitment has grown to encompass even more sustainable benevolence: The new Pureology boasts a reduction in carbon footprint during sourcing of ingredients and raw materials, increased water conservation through concentrated formulas, and95% post-consumer recycled plastic packaging that is 100% recyclable. Further, Pureology formulas are paraben- and mineral oil- free.

Professional stylists and their followings know that Pureology's environmentally-friendly assortment does not sacrifice product performance. In fact, the high-performance, high-lather formulas, and experiential fragrances are what have set Pureology's Sulfate-Free line apart. The new Pureology consists of more than 30 SKUs - including shampoos, conditioners, treatments and styling products - organized by desired benefit: hydration, strength, smoothing, toning, volume, and texture + hold.

To ensure professional-grade results, Pureology products are madeWITH:

All Pureology products are madeWITHOUT:

"The moment where women feel the most beautiful and confident is in the salon chair after a fresh salon service.That's the power of a professional stylist service," said Candy Gebhart, General Manager, Pureology."It's that moment of feeling undeniably beautiful and confident that Pureology aims to preserve from the inside out, from salon visit to salon visit."

ThePureologymodernization has been in planning stages for over a year, however, distribution was temporarily paused in solidarity with themedicaland racial pandemics currently affecting the global population. While progress on each respective front continues to evolve, stylists and salon-goers can expect that once beauty businesses open up again, the new Pureology will be available to offersocially-conscious products that are committed to people, the planet and causes that advance thebenevolenceof both.

*Based on dollar sales reported in Kline's Kline PRO: Salon Retail Products and Services Database for the year ending December 31, 2019.

SOURCE Pureology

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Pureology, #1 Professional Color Care Brand*, Pioneer In Vegan Haircare, To Unveil New Look And Formulas - PRNewswire

Video games have never ceased to gain popularity among all age groups, except when it's time for work or assignments. So when companies like Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo decided to disrupt old school curriculums to extend the fun, they developed exciting and challenging games that double as educational tools.

Minecraft, the Microsoft-owned game since 2014, is known for its user-driven content, creative use of blocks, and nocturnal creatures. Putting that aside, the prominent video game has also been at the frontline of mainstream games that offer educational content ever since its $2.5-billion acquisition.A version of the game, titled "Minecraft: Education Edition," promotes creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in an immersive digital environment that tackles different subjects.

According to the game's website, 115 countries are currently using this edition across their curriculum. Students learn how body organs, chemical reactions, and important mechanisms work as well as how to formulate algorithms and program them in a visual environment. Meanwhile, teachers can direct the game and watch how materials are perceived.

"When we were studying the work of body organs, I asked the children to divide into teams, choose a body organ and create a 3D model of it in Minecraft. To accomplish this task, they had to read all about the work of the organ, and they no longer saw this as something boring because it looked like an interesting challenge," Peter Pallo, a biology teacher, said in a testimony to Microsoft.

Originally posted here:
'Gamificaiton' of educational content offers a peek into the future of classrooms - StepFeed

Everyone needs to experience joy, perhaps especially as the country navigates a pandemic, political divisiveness and the tumultuous struggle for racial justice. Through dance and philanthropy, the Vermont Dance Alliance and the Black Freedom Fund are working to help people nurture their joy and support racial equality in the Green Mountain State and beyond.

In late June the alliance, a statewide nonprofit that supports dance artists, released the video "TRACES 2020 Virtual Performance." It's the pandemic-era version of the group's annual one-day event. Since 2017, TRACES performers have danced outside in Burlington on sidewalks, alongside public sculptures, on the waterfront where audiences encountered them by design or by chance.

This year, the 11.5-minute video, produced by South Burlington's Extensity Creative, features 31 dancers of all ages performing 30- to 60-second pieces in backyards and woods, on picnic benches and industrial stairs. The pieces are elegantly interwoven and set to music by local musicians. It's the most intriguing and satisfying dance video this viewer has seen in a long time. Clever, energetic and filled with surprises, the video exudes joy and captures normally ephemeral live dance as a forever-accessible gem.

"People need this outlet of movement and connection to community," said Burlington's Hanna Satterlee, founder and executive director of the Vermont Dance Alliance. The group hasn't sponsored in-person events since the pandemic began and won't for a long time, she said. Hungry for interaction, participants enjoyed Zoom rehearsals and collaborating on the video; the alliance is sponsoring more dance video projects as a result. For example, on Monday it launched Dancing Digitally, a five-week interactive series on five local choreographers' new works.

"TRACES 2020" also came at a time when alliance board members "wanted to give back immediately to an organization working for racial and social justice," Satterlee said. After considering numerous national groups, they discovered the Vermont-based Black Freedom Fund, which perfectly fits the alliance's mission of empowerment. Just before the credits at the end of the video, viewers are invited to donate.

Christal Brown is an artist, educator, entrepreneur and chair of the dance program at Middlebury College. In early June, she launched the Black Freedom Fund to support Black artists, families and entrepreneurs who are under-resourced due to COVID-19 or other challenges. Through it, she said, she aims not only to provide monetary gifts but also to help create the conditions that support joy.

"Most of the things that we relish in this country that are African American made are from the outgrowth of joy, not pain," Brown said. "The publicity of the pain overshadows the joy of the music, the dancing, the love. It overshadows a lot of the work we've done to be able to be joyful people."

Brown appreciates using "TRACES 2020" as a vehicle to raise funds because the video exemplifies the complexity of bridging different life experiences. Just as performers must understand each person's part, so must we "recognize what goes into each person's reality" to change systems of racism and oppression, Brown said. The collaboration of the alliance and the Black Freedom Fund is "a way of leveraging our realities."

In the Middlebury area, where Brown and her young son are among the few Black residents, her neighbors and allies recently began asking for advice on how to support racial justice.

One day she responded, "'I can do this. I can make something for you. Hold on. Give me a minute,'" she recalled. Almost that quickly, Brown created the Black Freedom Fund under the auspices of her nonprofit company INSPIRIT.

"There's a pain point that's happening right now, and there's a lot of confusion," she said. "When change happens, it has to happen person to person ... in a meaningful way. I wanted to stand in the gap between different communities" by making it easier to give.

In less than a month, the Black Freedom Fund's crowdsourcing campaign surpassed its $10,000 goal and the gifts keep coming. As of Tuesday, 184 people had made donations of $20 to $1,000, totaling $14,457; some businesses had also donated, bringing the total even higher.

Brown put $10,000 in an investment fund and is using the overage to make a gift of about $500 each month. Through professional and personal networks, she identifies recipients around the country for whom that amount would be significant. To date, there's enough to last about 14 months; after that she'll begin drawing from the investment's accruing interest.

A recent gift went to a man with whom Brown grew up in Kinston, S.C. Initially, he got caught up in crime, but after seeing many of his friends die or be drawn into "the prison pipeline of a small town where there's no opportunity," Brown said, "he totally flipped his life around." He's now married, has a son and is a generous force in his community, serving meals to the homeless, doing fund drives and cooking for neighbors, according to Brown. The man recently underwent a leg amputation and cannot work while waiting for the prosthetic. The Black Freedom Fund covered his July rent.

"Black joy is a reservoir," Brown said, that allows people to persevere despite loss, pain and misfortune. Sometimes a gift can help refill it.

Link:
Vermont Dance Alliance and Black Freedom Fund Partner to Empower - Seven Days

As you would expect, Women's Health August cover star, Danai Gurira, is something of a real-life superwoman. The playwright, actress and activistwho is best known for her roles in Black Panther, Avengers and The Walking Deadalso fights the good fight off-screen.

Indeed, as well as opening up about how she views fitness as a form of empowerment, the 42-year-old Hollywood star tells us in a new interview how she's pushing for lasting change against racism. 'Concerning the fight for racial justice, a fight that so many have devoted their lives to over so many years, a fight that has stubbornly refused to be won, Im daring to hope,' she says, shortly after George Floyd's death sparked mass global protests. 'This is a moment that could bring about some real change and honour the labour of those who have come before. I desire to help that change come to pass in any way I can. Thats what inspires me to keep going.'

Speaking about what that progress should look like, Danaiwho is currently working on adapting Chimamanda Ngozi Adichies bestselling novel Americanah into a ten-part series adds: 'We need sustainable reforms. Id like to see anti-racism popularised in our culture, our society, language, commonality and ultimately throughout the system. That would allow for true justice to be the norm and not the exception.

WH's cover star also lets us in on the secrets of her sculpted physique. In addition to following a nutritious pesca-vegan eating regime, she exercises up to four times a week with personal trainer AJ Fisher, focusing on evening out muscle imbalances while improving strength, mobility and cardiovascular function. Their intense sessions include circuit training and moves inspired by Pilates, in which she alternates high-intensity intervals and active rest.

While her workouts might primarily be for moments in front of the camera, they leave her feeling seriously good. [Women] arent encouraged to understand how powerful their bodies can be, Danai explains. I love it when women find their power. I love it when I find a different ability in my body that I didnt know I could find or I could learn I always encourage any young women I speak to to explore that part of yourselfFind the thing you enjoy and it might be lifting weights, it might be boxing. Of course, all the astounding martial arts there are to learn. Its an exciting kind of playground to play in and to find another part of yourself.

Read the full interview with Danai Gurira in the August 2020 issue of Womens Health on sale now. Pick up an issue OR why not get Women's Health delivered directly to your door. SUBSCRIBE NOW

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Danai Gurira on Empowering Fitness and the Ongoing Fight for Racial Justice - Women's Health

If you want to leave it all and start a community, you should focus on inner work first. If you focus only on action, you risk building yourself another prison. You might just change one form of unhealthy lifestyle and toxic relations for another as a result.

Living in less and less livable cities to attain an unhealthy lifestyle with a toxic job situation makes many wonder, what if they started a community? You may have talked about it with people around you. Congratulations! Seeing what you do not want is the first step out of helplessness and stagnation. Youre so much further than many who just endure unbearable situations. They keep going in the wrong direction by numbing and relativizing. However, the fantasies of moving to a farm and living in a community need to be considered carefully. Boldness is good. It drives potential for change. However, an action needs vision. Otherwise, it may end up as a nightmare as a Japanese proverb warns us.

I am sharing with you some reflections that came into my mind when talking with people who want to create a community and be self-sufficient. One might argue that I have no expertise because I have not done it myself. I have not even tried. The reason why I have not undertaken such a project is not that it is a bad idea. To the contrary, I have met many people who lead a fulfilled life in egalitarian communities. And it has been beneficial for their health. Personally, I prefer to neither live in a community and strive for collective autonomy nor fit the mainstream employment system. This decision is based on knowing my limits and predispositions. I believe that a life that is an expression of ones unique set of gifts when creatively combined brings fulfillment. I have conducted dozens of interviews in communities in Germany and the US. Furthermore, I have met many people who want to leave their mainstream lives and create a community.

First, I would invest in self inquiry before moving anywhere. If you are escaping from something rather than pursuing a project, you may end up reproducing old dissatisfaction. Once you find yourself in a new situation you may start daydreaming about another life as an escape from the discomforts and challenges. So much empowerment comes from knowing your purpose and your capacities. If you have a dream, it is a better investment to put hundred percent into it in order to verify whether it is really what you want instead of moving to a community as an escape from temporary frustration and stagnation.

Second, it is worth spending some time in at least one community. Both egalitarian communities where I have conducted interviews welcome interns and visitors.Twin Oakscommunity has an orientation program, which can give you an overview of things to consider.Paxus Caltaoffers personal coaching to help you find your place in communal world. This can be vacation well spent with a lot of self-knowledge as a result no matter whether you want to join one of the communities or not. By seeing what you like and dislike about the experience you will be better equipped to define your own vision. Living in such settings can give you an idea about things to consider and prepare for in case you still want to create a community. We go to school to be adapted to the system. Similarly, spending some time in a communal setting may be a necessary preparation for unlearning what may prevent flourishing in a group.

After all this time spent on personnel inquiry and experiential learning, you are ready for the third step. This is probably the most difficult one because it goes against all the conditioning that has been skillfully put into our system. If you want to leave the system, you need to start with the inner work of questioning. Replacing the old with a new setting may actually turn out even worse. Imagine you wanted to escape the nonsense of being employed. If you reproduce a similar atmosphere and problems as you experienced in a job you hated, you risk to be in a similar situation and ask yourself what had been all this effort for. Not only this, you may not be able to numb and use the salary to compensate for your suffering.

If we want to live a radically different life, we need to touch upon the beliefs and automatisms that serve the status quo. We need to address the core of who we are. Since we have been inculcated into our beliefs and rationality at the age of unconscious learning, you may find yourself in a group of people who want to live a different life but are emotionally attached to the vices, habits, and influences that are powerful in preventing any success in creating an alternative. There are two questions that you need to ask yourself and deconstruct your conditioning.

What are my true needs?

There are many ways to analyze how you perceive what you really need. For example, you can experiment living in different conditions as I did for myself. You can look at your habits, addictions, rewards that you think you cannot live without understanding deeply their function in your life. What meaning does the system attribute to them? How do they help you cope and prevent you from facing head on potential discomfort?

I once met a man who wanted to start a community. He also seemed to have problem with alcohol. Whatever he was escaping from, I doubt a community would fulfill his needs because he has not addressed the underlying causes of addiction. It is also worth considering the additional work needed to respond to this craving instead of doing the work to heal from it.

It is important to understand what you really cannot live without. There are things that make us flourish. And things that we got used to even though they do not serve our best selves. Whether you do it alone or in a group, it is a great preparation for setting the priorities for your community. Obviously, you dont want to live in a setting that feels like a compromise and deprivation. However, our perception of deprivation may be shaped by the commercial interests. For example, shampoo has been used since 1930s but many of us cannot imagine not using it.

How do I meet my needs?

This second question is about rationality behind the organization of production. We have been imbued with images and stories about efficiency and productivity. They are well adjusted to maintaining the current system. However, if you want a change, you cannot apply the same set of beliefs. Take farming. I was surprised seeing that in many alternative projects, people follow relatively conventional methods of organic farming imposing working in the sun and unnecessary labor. I have heard of cases of burnout, injuries, and exhaustion because of farming. This is quite ironic that people who want to escape the constraints of the capitalist system put themselves in a situation of the type of labor predominating in a system where human life is not valued. Instead of doing farming in a strenuous way, it is worth investing time in understanding how to work with rather than against nature. There are many publications and movies that describe approached to farming with minimal human labor, energy use and tools. The most famous isFukuokas philosophical bookbut there are more practically orientedbooks.

What is the gain of trading a boss who does not care about your wellbeing for the self-exploitation resulting from ignorance and beliefs inculcated by the system that does not want you to be autonomous?

Studying alternative forms of production and meeting basic needs is essential if you want to liberate from the constraints of the system. It requires giving yourself space for creativity and experimenting. The problem with pursuing the beaten yet labor-intensive path is that you may create a lot of sunk costs and emotional investment in the methods that undermine your community in the long run. And then you follow the problems of mainstream institutions and organizations, which you so much disliked. I have heard of a project producing farming tools as a form of liberation. A true liberation would be not to need to rely on tractors and other machinery while bringing satisfying results and making work an enjoyable pastime.

(Help Katarzyna bring her book Imagine a Sane Society to the world and available for free by donating to thecrowdfunding campaign. You are also supporting Cambia and Twin Oaks this way.)

Teaser photo credit: Twin Oaks Community Facebook page.

Katarzyna Gajewska, PhD, is an author and educator. You can contribute to her crowdfunding campaigns to help publishing the feminine utopia Imagine a Sane Society or other forthcoming Creative Commons books. She has brought out many articles on egalitarian communities based on in-depth interviews. For updates onmypublications:Katarzyna Gajewska Independent Scholar My publication list (selection):...

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So You Want to Leave it All and Create a Community? - Resilience

On Tuesday, July 7, in an economic protest dubbed Blackout Day, Black shoppers, people of color, and allies are being encouraged not to spend any money, and if they must purchase something, to buy only from Black-owned businesses.

The goal is to highlight the economic power of Black Americans. According to Nielsen, Black buying power reached $1.3 trillion in 2018, up from $320 billion in 1990.

Activist Calvin Martyr, creator of The Blackout Coalition, posted a video calling for Blackout Day back on May 8.

"Although this movement is exclusively targeted at empowering and uplifting black people all over the world, we welcome ALL people of color to stand with us in solidarity," a blurb on the informational website for Blackout Day reads.

"Black people alone account for an estimated 1.2 trillion dollars or more of spending in the economy annually. Together we have 3.9 trillion dollars in economic spending power. While we welcome allies who choose to stand with us, we make absolutely no apology for the fact this movement is FOR US & BY US."

Cisco tweeted that it would be postponing a planned security summit to Wednesday in order to support the Blackout Day cause. Soap and personal care brand Dr. Bronner's tweeted in support of the economic protest and said it would shut down its website, though the site was still functional as of Tuesday morning.

"This is only the beginning of a lifelong pursuit of economic empowerment as a reality for ALL BLACK PEOPLE," The Blackout Day site continued.

"United, we are an unstoppable force. We are a nation of people within this nation that at any time can demand our liberation by withholding our dollars. If we can do it for a day, we can do it for a week, a month, a quarter, a year and one day we will look up and it will be a way of life."

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Blackout Day is July 7, calls for boycott of non-Black-owned business - Business Insider - Business Insider