Ronald S. Lauder Joins Zero Discrimination Movement Led by First Lady Lorena Castillo de Varela of Panama

Ronald S. Lauder Joins Zero Discrimination Movement Led by First Lady Lorena Castillo de Varela of Panama ((Photo Credit: Noa Grayevsky)

The American philanthropist, businessman and owner of JCS International Ronald S. Lauder joined the Zero Discrimination movement, led on a global level by First Lady of the Republic of Panama and UNAIDS Special Ambassador for Latin America Lorena Castillo de Varela.

The Zero Discrimination movement seeks to raise awareness about the harmful effects of discrimination and promote the rights everyone has to a full, dignified and productive life.

"The First Lady Valera is a powerful advocate for the rights of children and it's a privilege to join her Zero Discrimination movement," said Ambassador Ronald S. Lauder. "I look forward to many years of collaboration, particularly on the JCS International Young Creatives Award, which I am proud to sponsor."

Lauder has served as President of the World Jewish Congress for over a decade. He is also a UN Women for Peace Association "Ambassador of Peace"; First Lady Valera was honored at UNWFPA's 2018 International Women's Day luncheon with the group's prestigious Leadership Award. Lauder joined the Zero Discrimination movement after learning about the First Lady's global work to guarantee human rights.

The Zero Discrimination movement goes hand-in-hand with Panama's historic calling to promote dialogue, consensus, peace and human rights.

During a private dinner in New York, Lauder learned about the efforts of the Laureados y Líderes Por Los Niños organization to fully protect children's human rights. 

The event was also attended by the leadership of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, including Board Member and JCS International President Michal Grayevsky, who launched the JCS International Young Creatives Award with the International Academy. The award's 2018 theme is "Stand Up for Peace."

Lauder expressed interest in the statement delivered to United Nations General Secretary António Guterres, which called on the international community and the UN to double down on their efforts to preserve the rights of children -- particularly those who are workers and children -- and safeguard their access to education, nutrition, protection and physical and mental health. 

Ronald S. Lauder Joins Zero Discrimination Movement Led by First Lady Lorena Castillo de Varela of Panama ((Photo Credit: Noa Grayevsky)

SOURCE: JCS International

Women's Rights Organisations Speak Out in Defence of Sexual Assault Survivors

#WhyIDidntReport

The following is a press release from Equality Now:

"International women's rights organization Equality Now has joined forces with 80 leading women and human's right groups* to place a full page advert in The Washington Post expressing collective concern about attacks on Dr. Christine Blasey Ford since her story of sexual assault was shared.

It takes great courage for survivors of sexual assault to come forward, especially in public circumstances, and we must recognize the high cost that women pay for speaking out about their experiences.

As an organization working for women's and girls' rights in the US and globally, Equality Now understands how difficult it is for victims, given that they are often shamed and blamedby society and sometimes by the legal system itself.

Such difficulties have been highlighted by the many thousands who have given their own deeply personal accounts using the hashtag #WhyIDidntReport.

There are numerous reasons why someone doesn't report a sexual assault, including fear of not being believed, of retaliation, or mistrust of authority. Victims frequently face blame and interrogation for what they were wearing, what they were drinking, or how they did or didn't behave.

All too often, when a victim does find the strength to confide in someone they are told not to pursue things any further.

And then there is the knowledge that justice is rarely served as the vast majority of perpetrators do not go to prison.
In the wake of #MeToo, this is a landmark moment for how accusations of sexual assault are handled.

There can never be equality in a culture that normalizes or trivializes sexual assault and sexual harassment.

Dr. Blasey Ford is sharing the experience of a 15-year-old adolescent girl that was subjected to a sexual assault. We must think about what message we are sending to girls and boys across the country about whether or not they too would be heard or believed.

This is not a partisan issue. We all have a responsibility not to silence survivors, to guarantee that laws and legal systems are based on equality, and that victims have access to justice.

In addition, we need to ensure that schools, communities and organizations do not promote or tolerate a culture where such behaviour is normalized or trivialized.

By giving survivors the space to be heard we can change the status quo. We remain committed to achieving equality in laws, policies and legal processes and to supporting survivors of sexual assault and harassment.

Shelby Quast, Equality Now's Americas Director, says: "We all have to work together to ensure those who have experience sexual assault and harassment are supported, protected and given access to fair legal process. Never should they be subjected to further attack, irrespective of whether or not the perpetrator is a public figure or in a position of power."

Now more than ever we must all work together to build a more equal world in which women and girls can be safe, fearless and free."

*Click here for details of signatories

Sexual violence takes many forms (Via Equality Now)

Imagine Exhibitions Unleashes Dinosaurs Around The World

The exhibition features 13 advanced animatronic dinosaurs, educational activities, a touchable fossil, authentic casts and more...

From Dresden, Germany to West Palm Beach, Florida, dinosaurs will once again be roaming the planet this fall, thanks to Imagine Exhibitions...

Having already broken attendance records at several venues in the U.S., Dinosaurs Around the World will soon be entertaining and educating visitors to museums, science centers and non-traditional venues in Europe.  

Dinosaurs Around the World: XTREME (showing as DINO WORLD) opens this weekend at ZEITENSTRÖMUNG in Dresden, Germany, and features 13 animatronic dinosaurs, educational activities, a touchable fossil, authentic casts and more.

Dinosaurs Around the World: The Great Outdoors (showing as Dinosaur Invasion) opens at the South Florida Science Center and Aquarium on Saturday, Oct. 13th. It will be the largest exhibition ever hosted by the venue, encompassing both indoor and outdoor space. 

With a scale unmatched in animatronic dinosaur exhibitions, this show features some of the world's most unique and recently discovered dinosaurs. 

Guests will visit every continent in order to discover what dinosaurs lived there and for how long.  

Visitors will also be able to see how they measure up against the life-sized animatronic Triceratops, Velociraptor, Tyrannosaurus Rex, and even the giant Spinosaurus.

Dynamic, Real-life Exhibitions Take Visitors on A Trip Through Time (Image via Imagine Exhibitions)

"Faces light up as soon as visitors come through the doors of our dinosaur exhibitions," said Tom Zaller, CEO of Imagine Exhibitions. "I've yet to see a child or an adult who isn't mesmerized as soon as they see the life-like creatures in motion. It's a really special experience," said Zaller. 

"This will be our second dinosaur collaboration with Imagine Exhibitions," said Kate Arrizza, Chief Executive Officer of South Florida Science Center and Aquarium. "The first show set an all-time attendance record and we think it's going to be a very busy season here in South Florida thanks to Dinosaur Invasion."

⏩ Imagine Exhibitions will be showcasing its dinosaur exhibitions at the ASTC Annual Conference starting September 29th in Hartford, CT and already has confirmed bookings for its dinosaur shows into 2021.

SOURCE: Imagine Exhibitions, Inc.

PORTER Magazine's Fourth Annual Incredible Women List Celebrates The Women Who Have Empowered And Inspired Us This Year

Meryl Streep (photographed by Nicolas Guerin)

The starting point for the 2018 Incredible Women list was the #MeToo movement that erupted last October, when sexual-misconduct revelations in the film, fashion and other industries broke. This was an extraordinary catalyst for change. 

"We are looking at a fast-changing world, where women are not only less afraid to speak out and challenge the status quo, but are also effecting real change both in the workplace and society as a whole," says PORTER Magazine editor-in-chief Lucy Yeomans.

Protestors at the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. (Via PORTER Magazine)

This sense of bravery, strength and purpose inspired this list's theme "One Year Stronger", which champions the women who have taken action and spoken out – whether about sexual abuse, gender equality, gun control or equal pay – in an unprecedented show of force and intent.  

The list opens with a special nod to the 300 women behind Time's Up, including Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Chastain and Ashley Judd. Other leading global heroines featured include: Michelle Obama, Meghan Markle, Frances McDormand, Oprah Winfrey and journalists Megan Twohey and Jodi Kantor, who broke the Harvey Weinstein story in The New York Times.

PORTER Magazine also commissioned four Incredible Women to write open letters, including Meryl Streep, who pens why we need journalists now more than ever: 

"We need to protect, defend and thank the current crop of journalists around the world, because they, their scruples and their principles are the front-line defense of free and informed people.

Speaking up, with your name and face on your words, is a daunting prospect. A famous study found that, for a quarter of the American population, fear of public speaking beat their fear of drowning, needles, snakes, heights or clowns. Scarier than clowns!? The study was conducted before the advent of the internet; now, anonymity allows the timid to hurl falsehood and invective as if they were swinging nunchucks, hitting and hurting without fear of attribution (or retribution)… Death threats are the new normal. Armed escorts for the press could be the next new thing..."

⏩ Click here to read the full letter ⏪

SOURCE: PORTER Magazine

Are Millennials Interested in Art? Yes, New Park West Gallery Study Finds

Millennials almost twice as likely to say they know something about or appreciate art as Baby Boomer generation

Millennials are much more interested in art than previous generations, and social media may be driving their attraction to it, according to a new study conducted by Park West Gallery, one of the world's largest private art galleries.

Millennials are almost twice as likely as Baby Boomers to say they both know something about art (63% to 34%), and almost universally agree that they appreciate art, the research found. In fact, four out of five Millennials said that art was important to them, the highest percentage of any age group.

"Some people believe that Millennials are tied to their smartphones, and therefore might be less interested in the fine arts. In fact, just the opposite appears to be true: there's a generational shift in which younger people are more attracted to art than older generations," said Albert Scaglione, founder and CEO of Park West Gallery. "During the auctions we hold around the world, we see more young people every day, and we witness the personal connection that people of all ages have to art. Art was always created to inspire, and people today are craving that inspiration as much as ever."

The study also found that social media is driving additional interest in art among all demographics, especially Millennials, allowing people to find and interact with art in new ways. 

⏩ Some of the other key findings include:

• 53% of people say they have interacted with art on social media
• 55% say that social media plays an important role in discovering new art
• 54% say social media enhances the way they experience art
• 79% of Millennials say social media allows them to interact with art in new and interesting ways, versus 61% and 37% of Gen X and Baby Boomers, respectively
• 65% of Millennials say they buy artwork with the intention of sharing it with others on social media, versus 45% and 25% of Gen X and Baby Boomers, respectively.

The Internet and social media have become powerful tools to learn about and discover art, but when it comes to buying, most Americans (87%) still want to see it in person before purchase. 

While the internet is the most popular method to learn about art, retails stores (33%), street fairs (29%) and art auctions (12%) are still the most popular ways to buy it.

"New tools are giving people exciting new ways to learn about and experience art – collections are no longer just on our walls but in our pockets," said Jason Betteridge, an auctioneer at Park West Gallery. "But while social media is a part of our future, we can't lose the in-person connection."

While the vast majority of Americans (91%) like art, most still view it as a luxury, and economic concerns still prevent some from purchasing. Although most Americans have purchased at least one piece of art, the majority (57%) of Americans would not consider buying artwork that costs more than $500.

79% of Millennials say social media allows them to interact with art in new and interesting ways, versus 61% and 37% of Gen X and Baby Boomers, respectively (PRNewsfoto/Park West Gallery)

Park West Gallery commissioned the survey to understand the state of art among average Americans in our digital age, speaking with 1,000 people from a diverse array of socio-economic backgrounds.

SOURCE: Park West Gallery

President Donald Trump And Attorney General Sessions Lack Support For Breaking Up Tech, New NetChoice Survey Finds

Americans Prefer Ad-Supported Online Services Instead of Paying for Them (Infographic via NetChoice)

Americans overwhelmingly value the contributions of the technology industry and do not support antitrust enforcement, despite aggressive rhetoric from President Trump, a new NetChoice survey of 1,200 U.S. consumers found.

President Trump's draft Executive Order would put tech in the crosshairs of U.S. antitrust authorities. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is also holding a meeting with several State Attorneys General today to discuss accusations of social media bias. 

⏩ But Americans don't support an antitrust crack down on America's most innovative businesses.

New polling shows that only about 5% of Americans (on both sides of the political aisles) say the federal government should focus anti-competitive enforcement on the tech industry. 

Further, just 1 in 5 Americans say the break-up of big tech would most benefit consumers.

No Support for Heavy-Handed Government Intervention on Tech Platforms (Infographic via NetChoice)

The value of tech to consumers and businesses is clear.

Over 70% of Americans say that digital advertising platforms like Google and Facebook are valuable to both small businesses and the national economy. 

Just 13% say that they have had a negative experience with large Internet platforms and 72% say that services like Facebook, Google, and Amazon make it easier for them to connect with people in their community.

Consumers Are Empowered with Social Media Choices (Infographic via NetChoice)

"President Trump's fixation on breaking up tech platforms lacks support from Americans," said Steve DelBianco, president of NetChoice. "Antitrust policy needs to be guided by facts, not emotional outbursts. The government cannot violate the First Amendment by forcing Internet platforms to suppress negative news. Internet platforms are a boon for American consumers, businesses, and, in turn, the U.S. economy. The President should listen to regular Americans and allow U.S. tech companies to continue to thrive and innovate."

Americans Believe Online Platforms Empower Business Advertising and Community Engagement (Infographic via NetChoice)

About the Survey:

From August 6-8, 2018 Zogby Analytics conducted an interactive survey of 1,222 adults focused on consumer attitudes toward Internet platforms and government regulation. 

⏩ The survey, commissioned by NetChoice, has a margin of error of +/- 2.8%.  It is available at NetChoice.org/TechlashPoll

SOURCE: NetChoice

Beauty and the Wheelchair: Mary Settle Releases New Book "The Mansion," A Story of Acceptance

Mary Settle

How many times have you seen somebody who was different and felt afraid?  Maybe he walked different.  Maybe he talked different.  Maybe he could not talk at all.  

In her new book, The Mansion, Mary Settle takes the classic tale of beauty and the Beast, and turns it into a lesson on accepting people with disabilities.

The story starts with a high school student who was assigned to tutor a boy in a wheelchair.  Afraid that the rumors about him being an angry and mean boy are true, she dreads meeting the awful boy in the wheelchair.  

As she gets to know him better, she learns that he is just like everybody else.  

This is an issue that is particularly close to Settle's heart.  She was born with Cerebral Palsy which affects her entire body.  She describes herself as having "a handicap and a disability.   A handicap is something that creates obstacles designed to overcome.  A disability means you're not abled.  My handicap is Cerebral Palsy.  My disability is people who treat me like I'm not abled."

The Mansion - Front Cover (via Amazon)

Her Cerebral Palsy was caused by the umbilical cord getting wrapped around her neck during birth.  

Despite doctors' predictions that she would be a vegetable, unable to think, dream, or feel, she has graduated high school, went to college, and is raising three beautiful daughters.

⏩ The Mansion can be purchased on Amazon 

SOURCE: Mary Settle

Ontario Science Centre Presents STEAM-Powered Stories As Part Of Nuit Blanche Toronto 2018

Ontario Science Centre 2018 Innovation in Mas' Award Winner - The Rise of the Cherry Blossoms (CNW Group/Ontario Science Centre)

Experience the city through the lenses of art and science this Nuit Blanche Toronto at the Ontario Science Centre, where science, technology, engineering, art and math converge to fuel STEAM-Powered Stories. 

For the first time, the Science Centre participates in Nuit Blanche Toronto to offer free art projects and interactive experiences from 7 p.m. on September 29 to 7a.m. on September 30. 

In addition to free shuttles connecting the TTC Scarborough Line (Lawrence East) to the Ontario Science Centre, free shuttles will connect the Ontario Science Centre, Aga Khan Museum and the Royal Ontario Museum.

"Scientific and artistic inquiry are remarkably similar. Both are attempts to make sense of the world around us, and both require a great deal of creativity and imagination," said Maurice Bitran, PhD, CEO and Chief Science Officer, Ontario Science Centre. "Participating in Nuit Blanche Toronto provides a unique opportunity for the Science Centre to foster the creative synergies between science and art, inspire curiosity about our ever-changing world and fuel future innovation."

STEAM-Powered Stories explores the Nuit Blanche Toronto theme "You Are Here" through a variety of hands-on activities, interactive experiences and art installations that blur the lines between science and art. 

Featuring live science demonstrations and roving performers, STEAM-Powered Stories includes:

Star Party | 7 p.m. to midnight: 

An opportunity to star gaze in style, visitors celebrate the night sky through telescope observing, smartphone astrophotography, guest speakers and an astronomy-themed musical performance by The Calderons. Telescope observing is weather dependent. 

Presented in collaboration with Royal Astronomical Society of Canada – Toronto Centre.

Science Slam! | between 7 p.m. and midnight: 

An artistic view into the lives of scientists, this poetry slam-style event allows event-goers to dive into scientific experiences in STEAM and observe the natural connections between science and art.

Light Play | 7 p.m. to midnight: 

In this interactive experience, the event goer becomes the artist through light painting, a technique that involves a moving light source and long-exposure photography. Using "light brushes," participants paint a scene with colours, flashes and streaks and receive a digital image of their masterpiece. 

Presented in collaboration with Blinky Lights Toronto.

Wear Your Art on Your Sleeve | between 7 p.m. and midnight: 

In this hands-on workshop, designer Michelle Reyes, recipient of the Ontario Science Centre's 2018 Innovation in Mas' Award, leads participants through a crash course on carnival costume design — from wire bending to beading — to create take-away, wearable art.

Six-Word Scratch | 7 p.m. to 7 a.m: 

Attendees are challenged to tell their personal story on a graffiti wall in six words as it relates to the Nuit Blanche Toronto theme "You Are Here."

Green Screen Magic | 7 p.m. to midnight: 

Choosing from a variety of science-themed backdrops, event goers drop themselves into the thick of science through chroma key compositing technology (a.k.a. green screen) and receive a digital image.

Nuit Bazaar | 7 p.m. to midnight: 

Featuring food vendors and retail stalls, the Nuit Bazaar showcases an impressive cross-section of cuisine and cultures. 

Presented in collaboration with the Thorncliffe Park Women's Committee.

Rise of D Cherry Blossoms | 7 p.m. to 7 a.m: 

A feat of engineering artistry, Rise of D Cherry Blossoms highlights the innovation involved in costume-making for the annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival. Michelle Reyes (Saldenah Mas-K Club), Rise of D Cherry Blossoms designer, received the Ontario Science Centre's 2018 Innovation in Mas' Award for her original and daring design. Installation is weather dependent. 

Presented in collaboration with Peeks Toronto Caribbean Carnival.

This Storm is You (Nuit Blanche Toronto Independent Project) | 7 p.m. to 7 a.m: 

An immersive, multimedia project from Toronto-based photographer and installation artist Zahra Saleki, This Storm is You explores the simultaneous feelings of death and rebirth often associated with immigration. 

The project's visitors experience the challenge of immigrating, surviving and adjusting through dance, light, photography, sound and video. This Storm is You aims to capture a story of becoming and transferring.

COLour Odyssey Vol.II (Nuit Blanche Toronto Independent Project) | 7 p.m. to 7 a.m: 

An aesthetic and intellectual experience, COLour Odyssey Vol. II by Toronto-based artist and designer Yaw Tony comprises colour and storytelling to complicate the theme "You Are Here." 

COLour Odyssey Vol. II, a digital projection, explores three aspects of colour: hue, intensity and value. The project is also packed with hidden statements to compel and challenge viewers to identify what's concealed.

First Nations Storytellers | between 7 p.m. and midnight: 

A meaningful cultural connection, Debajehmujig Theatre Group, a First Nations performing arts group based out of Manitoulin Island, gives a storytelling performance that aims to build bridges between cultures. 

The group travels throughout the country and is the first and only professional theatre company with based on a Reserve in Canada. 

Presented in partnership with the Aga Khan Museum and Culture Days.

Art on the Move | between 7 p.m. and midnight: 

The art follows you in this multicultural expression through movement, sound and style. 

Performers from around the world roam the grounds to expose visitors to creative expression from different spaces and places.

Performers include Tassa drummers, Toronto's only hip-hop brass band T.Dot Bangerz Brass, presented in partnership with the Aga Khan Museum, and performers of classical Indonesian dance, presented in partnership with the Thorncliffe Park Women's Committee.

⏩ STEAM-Powered Stories is a free event. 

⏩ During Nuit Blanche Toronto, select areas of the Ontario Science Centre are open to the public. 

⏩ The Ontario Science Centre is located at 770 Don Mills Road. 

⏩ Food and beverages are available for purchase.

SOURCE: Ontario Science Centre

US Senators to Betsy DeVos: Stop Violating Workers' Rights

The union representing nearly 4,000 Department of Education employees nationwide, the American Federation of Government Employees, is echoing a call from three U.S. Senators for the department to return to the bargaining table and negotiate a fair, just, and legal contract

Three U.S. Senators are calling on Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to stop denying workplace rights and protections to nearly 4,000 Department of Education employees who are represented by the American Federation of Government Employees.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, joined with Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts in sending the Sept. 20 letter to Secretary DeVos.

They urge Education to comply with a July finding of a Federal Labor Relations Authority investigation that the department violated federal labor law by failing to bargain in good faith with AFGE and unilaterally imposing its own proposal on 3,900 federal employees represented by AFGE.

"It is in the best interest of the U.S. Department of Education to have a positive and constructive working relationship with its workforce," the senators wrote. "Therefore, we urge you to return to the negotiating table to work in good faith with the employees' union to reach a fair and equitable contract, and to adhere to the 2013 collective bargaining agreement until negotiations are complete."

After months of anti-union proposals and hostile behavior at the bargaining table, Department of Education management told AFGE in March that it would not negotiate and would instead implement its own terms. The so-called "collective bargaining agreement" imposed by management is an illegal management edict that guts employee rights, including those addressing workplace health and safety, telework, and alternative work schedules.

President Trump issued three executive orders in May that largely aimed to expand Education's anti-union proposals governmentwide. In August, however, a federal judge ruled in a lawsuit first brought by AFGE that the administration's actions violated the U.S. Constitution and laws providing checks and balances in the federal government by attempting to deny more than 2 million federal workers their legal right to representation.

"It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that this Administration as a whole does not take seriously its bargaining obligations under the Statute, evidenced by the issuance of the illegal, anti-bargaining Executive Orders together with the growing prevalence of bad faith bargaining behavior across federal agencies," the senators wrote.

AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr. thanked the senators for their leadership and echoed their call for Education to return to the bargaining table.

"Secretary DeVos' anti-worker crusade has not slowed down one bit since the FLRA's ruling and the judge's decision – if anything the department is more resolved than ever to keep denying workers their rights," Cox said. "I urge Secretary DeVos to order her management team back to the table so we can negotiate a fair, just, and legal contract, which all employees deserve."

AFGE logo. (PRNewsFoto/American Federation of Government Employees)

⏩ The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 700,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

SOURCE:  American Federation of Government Employees

Amazon Biopic Of Legendary Argentine Soccer Great Maradona Begins Production

Amazon Biopic Of Legendary Argentine Soccer Great Maradona Begins Production 

Amazon Prime Video will soon share the story of the world's most famous soccer star, Diego Armando Maradona. 

The biopic series will look back at his life from infancy through to his present life and his journey playing for Barcelona, Napoli, Boca and leading his national team as captain for Argentina. 

Co-produced by Dhana Media, BTF Media and Raze, the companies behind the biopic, have announced the actors will each play a different stage in Maradona's life, accounting his adolescence in Villa Fiorito throughout his turbulent time in and off the field. Nicolas Goldschmidt (Farsantes) will interpret Maradona's early years as a footballer; Nazareno Casero (Stories of a Clan) during his rise to fame and Juan Palomino (Truth Consequence) in his darkest days.

"Collaborating with Dhana Media and BTF Media, to tell a story of global interest in a completely international production, represents both an enormous challenge and a great pleasure," said Mari Urdaneta, Chief Content Officer of RAZE, the Latino Digital Media Company backed by Sofia Vergara. "Diego is considered to be the best player in the history of soccer and is world renowned from his many controversies and high-profile life."

The series will begin filming in Argentina, continuing its journey to Uruguay, Mexico, Spain and it will end production in Italy; making this the largest international production about the world's greatest soccer star.  

⏩ The series will be available in more than 200 territories on Amazon Prime Video, and later distributed on linear platforms through Disney Distribution. 

SOURCE:: BTF Media