University Graduation Ceremonies Are Going Virtual During the Pandemic

This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of graduates were left without prom. To support students, YouTube video hosting decided to hold the online graduation under the name of Dear Class of 2020, which will be held June 6 live. The cancellation of an actual event will be offset by the stellar host cast. Former US President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama will be leading the ceremony. Mrs. Obama has been doing quite a lot to spotlight student life since leaving the White House. and has particularly taken advantage of streaming and social media platforms. She teamed up with media company called ATTN: for the series, which follows four college freshmen during their first year at college. The series aims to 'inspire every student in the U.S. to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school, whether at a professional training program, a community college, or a four-year college or university.'

And that is not all! Singer Lady Gaga, former Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates and Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai will come to support the alumni and deliver a solemn speech. The organizers of the event did not forget about the after-party as well. Students will spectate the performances by Alicia Keys, Kelly Rowland, Kerry Washington, Chloe X Halle, Dude Perfect, The Try Guys and other celebrities. The entrance is free, everyone can join this virtual party. “Graduation is a tradition that students and families look forward to and with the current state of the world, YouTube is lending some inspiration in the form of a virtual commencement,” said Susanne Daniels, global head of content for YouTube.

Report: Olha Dzharyha

Met Gala 2020: The Met Gala That Everyone Was Invited To

The 2020 Met Gala was the first of its kind to take place entirely on social media, and it was a shining example of solidarity during such an unprecedented and turbulent time. Reputed for its exalted status and exclusivity, this year's Met Gala’s transition to digital platforms resultantly transformed it into an event in which participation was no longer limited to the rich and famous.

Online fashion enthusiasts, nicknamed “High Fashion Twitter,” invited people from all reaches of the internet to showcase their finest fashions for the big night with the hashtag #HFTMetGala2020. Surely enough, Twitter and Instagram were awash with a myriad of images, collages, illustrations, and mood boards of the outfits people would have worn to the Met Gala in person. The #HFTMetGala2020 was invented by the aerospace engineering student Aria Olson, who also implored participants to donate to the International Medical Corps.

Further bridging the gap between celebrities and everyday fashionistas, the Metropolitan Museum of Art launched the viral #MetGalaChallenge, prompting everyone to recreate their favorite iconic looks from previous Met Gala. While someone of skating star Adam Rippon’s standing would expectedly have the means to wear Rihanna’s yellow Guo Pei cape dress from the 2015 Met Gala, it is rather impressive for the aforementioned creator of the #HFTMetGala2020 to flaunt a look from Thom Browne’s F/W collection. Even Rebeca, an assistant organizer of the online Met Gala, paid homage to modeling legend Twiggy with her display. One standout spectacle was the homemade recreation of Lady Gaga’s 2019 Met Gala gown made from pink bedsheets. Throughout the past decade social media has made the fashion industry’s elite more accessible to wider audiences, and now those very same online platforms are revealing the boundless creativity of those who likely have a future in the fashion industry themselves.

Photo credit: https://time.com/5831987/met-gala-2020/

Report: Nia Hunt

Living Your Truth at Any Age

Growing up we’re told not to do certain things or we’d get into trouble. We’re told not to smoke, drink, do drugs, etc. Then at a certain age, we’re supposed to have the sex talk with our parents and for most parents, this talk has always been supported by a man and a woman because that’s what they knew and for some, it can’t change.

Since most parents grew up in a time when same-sex couples were taboo, that’s what they instill in their children. Now that same-sex and multiple gender identities are more common and accepted now it can be a troubling topic for some, especially with younger children who ask questions. A lot of parents can be thrown off or displeased when these issues occur in their own home to an older child.

Over the years many parents have become displeased to learn their own child identify with a different gender than what they’re born with or have romantic attractions for the same sex.

Television actress Gabrielle Union recently spoke about how she and her husband NBA star Dwayne Wade navigate having a ten-year-old son Zion who now identifies as a girl and goes by Zaya. Union recently went on The View and encouraged parents who have similar stages within their families to love, listen, and accept their child.

“Reject the notion that they’re disposable if they’re not a mini version of you,” said Union.

She then goes on to express what every parent preaches to children of just being a good person and guiding them as best you can.

Every parent wants their children to be better than they were and they think that being gay or transgender means that they have failed their child in that mission.

“Creating more of you in every kind of way isn’t the solution. Allowing them to be who they are and guiding them to be loving, passionate, and open-minded.”

Many people live their lives hidden from who they really are to please others and it doesn’t come out until after they’re gone leaving a family with regret that they didn’t fully accept it.

Every person no matter what age should be allowed to be who they are no matter what sexuality or gender identity and let it lead them to be a good person and doing more good.

Be the parent you needed at your child’s age, embrace them for who they are when they open up to you. Have open dialogue and build a stronger bond.

Report: Josephine Coiscou

White Women, We Need to Talk. Yes, Again...

If you’ve been following any beauty influencer on social media in the last few weeks, you’ve probably seen the fox eye trend. It’s a technique where you use eyeliner to elongate the eye both on the outer and inner corners, often accompanied by a shaved then redrawn eyebrow tail to further emphasize the slanted eye look. Cute, right? Totally not racist, right? Wrong.

Now, before I go wagging a finger at beauty gurus, I want to establish that yes, I am a white woman and I recognize that I am speaking from a place of privilege, but I believe in using that privilege to speak up against unjust situations.

Back to the issue at hand. The fox eye trend is meant to emulate an over exaggerated version of an eye shape deemed to be an “Asian feature.” An eye shape that Asian people have been constantly mocked and bullied for. The eyeliner is typically coupled with a pose with fingers at the edge of the eye, which looks like you’re pulling at your eye to make it appear slanted. But, since it’s (mostly) white influencers wearing the look, it’s suddenly trendy and cute.

This is an issue for several reasons. For one, it directly takes a pose typically used to mock Asian people for their heritage and makes it vogue. This isn’t cute; it’s Asian-face (like blackface. The trend exaggerates features to emulate Asian people’s faces. Features that are so often imitated to spew hatred. And finally, it also assumes that the look is only attractive on white women, and that only furthers the notion of a white-centric beauty standard. For years, white women have been appropriating looks, like boxer braids and dreadlocks, and making what other cultures have been mocked and harassed for into an Instagram trend. What was once considered ugly becomes fashionable because it’s on a white woman.

To top it all off, the trend was popularized by supermodel Bella Hadid, whose sister Gigi came under fire a few years back for making a racist gesture against Asian people on video. At the time, Chloe Bennet of “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” fame came out against Gigi’s supposed “joke” on Instagram. Her letter explains why Gigi’s actions were so hurtful to herself and the Asian community.

So, white women, please stop this trend. It doesn’t make you look cute; it makes you look racist.

Photo credits: Twitter user @sprogn

Report: Erica Kay

Chris Meloni Set to Return to Law and Order: Special Victims Unit for the Season 22 Premiere

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit just finished it’s 21st season lead by star Mariska Hargitay who's been a part of the show from the beginning. This season broke the record for TV’s longest-running prime time live-action series. For the first 12 seasons Olivia Benson, played by Mariska Hargitay starred alongside Elliot Stabler, played by Chris Meloni. However, at the end of season 12 Chris’s character, Elliot, was in a controversial shooting which led to his sudden departure from the squad. Leaving Olivia Benson confused and heartbroken because he didn’t even reach out to her about his leaving.

Recently, news came out that Chris Meloni will be reprising his role as Elliot Stabler in a new Law and Order spinoff show dealing with organized crime. Production was halted before it could start due to the coronavirus, but the current thought is that once SVU starts shooting for season 22, Chris’s new show will also begin.

This past Friday SVU showrunner, Warren Leight confirmed through the SVU official podcast that Elliot Stabler will be making an appearance in the season 22 SVU premiere. SVU’s season was cut short due to the pandemic, but Leight explained that the plan had been to bring back Elliot Stabler’s family, most likely son and wife for the SVU finale to segway into Elliot’s returning in season 22. Since that was not able to happen, there is much speculation about how Elliot will be brought back and how they will explain his 10 year disappearance.

There are mixed reactions among fans about Elliot’s return. Some people are excited and hope to see a lot of Elliot Stabler on SVU, and crossovers with his new show. Others hope for a romance between him and Olivia, one that some have been hoping for since season 1. Some are upset because he betrayed Olivia by disappearing without a trace even though he claimed that she was his best friend. In addition, they cite the immense character growth in Olivia since Elliot left.

Although there are varying opinions one thing is certain, Elliot Stabler's return to SVU will definitely shake things up for the squad. We look forward to Chris’s new show and to Mariska led SVU season 22 as well as any crossovers and interaction between the two shows.

Report: Rebecca Vanderkooi

Beyond Us

Extraterrestrial life has been a circling theory within our society for many decades. This past week, The Pentagon shared three videos to the public that appear to be flying UFOs. The footage was recorded by two U.S Navy Pilots who were shocked with how advanced these anonymous objects were, reaching high speeds and moving in ways we can’t. Whether you're skeptical of other life or not, the footage is difficult to explain, therefore causing a lot of controversy. My question is why release this footage during a worldwide pandemic? Sue Gough, The Pentagon's spokesperson, explains that they released the footage to clear up any misconceptions by the public on whether or not the footage circulating was real, or if there’s more where it came from. He proceeded to explain that the aerial phenomena observed in the videos remain characterized as 'unidentified.'

Picture #1

The president contemplated whether the videos were real or not, and was seemingly astonished by the footage seen. This past Wednesday, President Trump spoke on his thoughts with CNN news, describing the clips to be “one hell of a video”, and wondered if they could be real. Back this past summer Trump also discussed the pneumonias with ABC news, stating"they do say, and I've seen, and I've read, and I've heard, and I did have one very brief meeting on it. But people are saying they're seeing UFOs.”

Picture #2

The excitement with the unknown never goes away in my opinion, the UFO phenomenon is perhaps one of the most compelling pieces of evidence we have. This associates skepticism about worlds beyond us to conspiracy theories about government and primarily the US government.

Report: Emily Andrews

BET Airs One Night Special To Raise Funds for Those Impacted by COVID-19

In an effort to provide support for racial disparities during the COVID-19 pandemic cable channel BET launched it’s BET COVID-19 Relief Effort. In partnership with NAACP, United World Wide, and numerous African American activists and businesses, BET hopes to provide crucial financial, educational, and emotional support needed by communities of color during this time. According to an updated preliminary report released by the CDC, African Americans make up approximately 30 percent of the total cases, even though only making up 13 percent of the US population. Specifically in NYC, according to a report made by NYC Health African Americans are being infected, hospitalized, and dying of the virus at a significantly higher rate than their white peers, making up 38 percent of the death as of April 18th, 2020, despite only making up approximately 24 percent of the city’s population.

As a part of these initiatives to further generate relief, BET aired their “Saving Our Selves: A BET COVID-19 Relief” one- night special. Hosted by actors Anthony Anderson and Regina King, TV personality Terrence J, and singer Kelly Rowland. The special aired April 22nd featuring various special appearances and musical performances made by some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. This special is like no other that BET has ever aired because it was all recorded virtually from the celebrities’ homes.

The special opened with a beautiful rendition of “I Smile”, performed by Kirk Franklin, Kelly Price, Fantasia, Jonathan McReynolds, Tyrese, Le’Andria Johnson, Melvin Crispell III, and more. Streaming from their homes comedians, singers, and actors try to spread what BET’s EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy Connie Orlando calls the “healing power of music, comedy, and entertainment” in order to educate viewers about what is happening to their community during these unprecedented times.

The donations made to the BET COVID-19 Relief Fund will allow United Way to provide resources to local organizations in New York, Atlanta, Chicago, New Orleans, and Detroit, where communities have been struck hardest by the pandemic.

For more details, or to contribute to the fund, visit BET.com/COVID19.

ALL PHOTO CREDS: @BET on Instagram

Report: Lauren Tucker

Evan Rachel Wood a Bright Spot in Unspectacular "Westworld" Season Finale

Evan Rachel Wood’s character, Dolores Abernathy, from “Westworld” has undergone as much change throughout the show’s three seasons as the show itself. When the series first aired Dolores was an innocent, sweet hearted, farmer’s daughter in a wild west style amusement park. By the start of the third season Dolores had become a ruthless, violent, one-woman army in neo-Los Angeles set in the year 2058. The far venture from its original premise and the loss of subtlety in the plot throughout the third season has drew much criticism from fans. And while the season three finale is added fuel to those same critics’ fire, it did show that the philosophical musings about free will that have been a part of the show from the beginning are still there.

This season finale differs from the two that came before it. While the season one and two finales left us with dozens of unanswered questions, the season three finale answered every question that persisted throughout the season, although where exactly the fourth season will pick up is a mystery. It reinforces the criticism that the plot became much more straightforward in the third season, and some parts of the story and character development do feel rushed compared to the first two seasons. The shortened season, eight episodes from the previous norm of 10, may have something to do with that.

But a bright spot from the season finale is Wood, who still manages to come off as heroic and whose motives seem justified despite all of the mayhem we have seen Dolores cause over the season. We also see a return of the young, naïve Dolores that we were first introduced to. It’s a testament to Wood that she is able to pull off the completely different natures of old Dolores and new Dolores in the same episode. Which Dolores we will see moving forward is anyone’s guess.

While it’s easy to make the case that the show is beginning to go stale and revert into a run-of-the-mill sci-fi show, there is still hope for it when it continues. The excellent performances of Wood and Emmy-award winner Thandie Newton, who portrays the cunning Maeve Millay, along with the moral questions the show forces you to ask yourself are still there, even if everything else around those strengths have taken a turn for the mundane. We’ve seen other recent shows stray far from the original concept and still find success, most notably NBC’s “The Good Place.” “Westworld” has earned the benefit of the doubt that the third season may just be a bump in the road moving forward.

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Report: Michael Rosen

Netflix's New Series Never Have I Ever is the New Binge Worthy Series

Let’s be honest, now of all times is the best time to binge watch a variety of different shows on Netflix. With that being said, the newest series Never Have I Ever created by Mindy Kaling, explores different aspects of being a young Indian girl in High School after a traumatic year. Devi (played by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) is just trying to live by the American standards of high school while being reminded of her Indian roots. Her and her friends Fabiola (played by Lee Rodriguez), who is trying to hide her sexuality to fit into the standards she thinks her family wants for her and Elanor (played by Ramona Young), who is chasing a dream that was inspired by an absentee mother, are all just trying to make it in high school.

This Netflix series shows in depth of heartache and not just from a romantic standpoint, the struggle of acceptance, living by the standards that society sees fit and trials that test your friendships. While I am not saying everyone’s high school experience is like this, many can relate. There is one thing that makes this show different and that is the exploration of mental health throughout this whole series. Dr. Jamie Ryan (played by Niecy Nash) is trying to help Devi come to terms with the traumatic loss of her father and the world we know as high school. She is trying to guide Devi into understanding that her not dealing with the loss of her father can overlap into the feelings and stress she is taking on at school.

With Devi focused on boys and I mean one boy in particular, Paxton (played by Darren Barnet), Devi uses him as a distraction that ultimately ends up causing many of her problems throughout the series.

This series is one hundred percent a recommended series for you all to binge. You will laugh, cry and find moments that you can relate too. This would be a perfect for the next Netflix Party choice for you and your closest friends.

Never Have I Ever - Netflix

Dr. Ryan - Netflix

Devi and Paxton - fansided.com

Report: Maya Howard

Alicia Keys Halts Album Release and Shines The Light On Essential Workers

The release of Alicia Keys’ 7th studio album, ALICIA, has been uncertain for a while. Like many other projects, the self-titled album has continuously been pushed back due to COVID-19. This pandemic has put a lot of things on standstill and has slowed down music releases. Initially, the album was supposed to complement Keys’ recent book, More Myself. The book is described as both an autobiography and a narrative documentary. More Myself has been promoted by Oprah Winfrey, as the book is being released on Winfrey’s book imprint. More Myself is supposed to capture the journey of self discovery, while the album is supposed to highlight her self discovery. While the book and the album did not release together as planned, Keys has still released some of the music on the album.

The album, Alicia, has four songs that are currently available. Keys’ most recent release, “Good Job”, is a perfect song for this worldwide crisis. “I wrote this for all the people that work so hard and never hear the words Good Job. I believe in us though, I believe in the way we are showing up for each other and caring”, says Alicia Keys. Some artists believe that the attention should be away from the music right now, however songs with positive messages, like “Good Job”, are what helps get people through hard times. “Good Job” shows gratitude, respect, and recognition of the sacrifices being made on a daily basis by essential workers.

Photo Credits: @aliciakeys

Report: Brionna Thompson

Rodman's Flamboyant Personality and Elite Basketball Abilities Discussed in "The Last Dance"

While sports fans have had to make do with no live sports during the coronavirus pandemic, they have been able to take solace in “The Last Dance.” The 10-part miniseries which covers the final season of the Chicago Bulls dynasty was not scheduled to premiere until June, but ESPN moved up its release to give fans something to look forward to. The first two episodes aired on April 19, and they will continue to be released in pairs each Sunday.

The documentary features never-before-seen footage taken by a crew that had all-access permission to film the team during the 1997-98 season, as well as interviews with former players, executives, journalists and celebrities; everyone from Barack Obama to Carmen Electra have made appearances thus far. Each episode blends examining the events of the season in chronological order and the background of a specific member of the team. This emphasizes the numerous differing personalities on the Bulls; the win-at-all-cost aggression of Michael Jordan, the quiet, underpaid and under appreciated Scottie Pippen and the calm, Zen Buddhist philosophy of head coach Phil Jackson who was the subject of one of the episodes released on April 26.

The other episode focused on Dennis Rodman, one of the most bizarre and fascinating athletes of all-time. While he’s best known these days for his controversial befriending of Kim Jong-un, Rodman, who grew up in poverty in Dallas, was a key member of the Bulls dynasty and is considered one of the best rebounding forwards in history. One of the coolest moments of the documentary so far is a montage in which Rodman explained how the ball would bounce differently off the rim depending on who shot the ball. For example, Larry Bird’s shots would spin, and the ball would land in a specific place whenever Jordan shot it.

But the most memorable moment from Rodman’s episode came at the very end when he recounted a story from that 1997-98 season. Rodman had been struggling on the court and he asked Jackson for a vacation in the middle of the season. Jordan relented, but Jackson eventually granted his future Hall of Famer a 48-hour trip to Las Vegas before he had to rejoin the team. Unsurprisingly, Rodman did not return in time and Jordan had to fly out to Vegas to retrieve him. Rodman showed up to his first practice after his Las Vegas bender in pajamas and sandals, but he began to play well again following his vacation.

The fifth and sixth episodes of “The Last Dance” will air on May 3 at 9 p.m. EDT on ESPN, with a censored version airing at the same time on ESPN2. The episodes are available to stream on ESPN after they air and they are also available the following Monday on Netflix for those living outside the United States.

Photos courtesy of Wikipedia and WikiMedia Commons.

Report: Michael Rosen

Operation Game: Kardashian Edition

With time comes new trends, usually its a new fashion style whether its hair, makeup, accessories, or clothes. For some, it goes deeper than that. Some go through life feeling that all those outer layers no matter how much they try to dress them up won’t change how they feel about their appearance.

There are some people, women, especially those who have certain outer appearances that make them feel less than human. This day in society it has become socially acceptable to seek cosmetic surgery to correct body image issues they’ve had for most of their lives due to a traumatic accident.

The phrase ‘everything in moderation’ is a concept long forgotten unless we’ve somehow gone too far. This is not the case anymore. Today, usually things that are done over dramatically are praised when it’s aesthetically pleasing to the eye. The female body shape has become a deadly game. African American women who have had strong curves in their shape for years are now socially accepted because they embrace their curves and their own skin.

This is something every woman should be doing curves or no curves. However, with the influences of men and social media and reality television, it’s not the case. Today, some of our favorite influencers such as the Kardashian-Jenners have turned it into something else.

Television actress Lisa Raye made a point recently saying “the Kardashians have single-handedly changed the woman’s body shape that is acceptable right now.”

The Kardashians have encouraged other influencers to join the trend of a large butt, this is unhealthy because it teaches young women that unless they have an overly large butt no one wants them. Its come to the point where it doesn’t look natural or appealing and women are going overboard with implants and injections infecting their bodies just to be socially accepted.

“Now it’s all about a small waist, and all this a**, which look like the ankles can’t even hold up all of that. I don’t even want my body to look like that because that’s the body everybody has now. That is making every generation after that feel like that’s what they have to do to secure the bag,” said Raye.

This is an insult to the female body shape because instead of telling women to use their minds to get what they want and embrace the bodies they have, there are some women who go through drastic measures such as an expensive, dangerous cosmetic surgery because they think they’ll never have the right assets in life.

The Kardashians are leading this generation and the ones to come they need to look like them.

The Kardashians have become the walking proof and the definition of cultural appropriation.

Report: Josephine Coiscou

Loss of NYC’s 50th Annual Pride March Hinders Visibility

Source: NY LGBT Sites

Mayor Bill De Blasio announced on April 20 that all permits for June events in New York City would be nullified due to COVID-19 concerns. This decision has caused the first ever cancellation of the city’s annual Pride March since its inception in 1970, hitting during the event’s pivotal 50th anniversary. While some cities are looking to postpone their festivities for a later date in 2020, the co-chair of NYC Pride, Maryanne Roberto Fine, stated that “large scale events such as [the march] are unlikely to happen in the near future” and that they will need to “reimagine NYC Pride events” (via Forbes).

While there is talk about attempting to digitize NYC Pride and host the celebrations online, there is a newfound uncertainty in regards to the future of the LGBTQIA+ community’s public voice. New York City’s Pride March is the largest in the country, consistently drawing in over two million people every year. Since its conception, the event has encapsulated the demand for acceptance and liberty of expression for the LGBTQIA+ community. These demands become significantly less visible in an online space. When the streets of a city are flooded by millions, it is hard to turn a blind eye on the festivities. In the digital world, it simply takes one click.

Source: NY Curbed

For a community that has been systematically erased from history and media, visibility is vital for progress. The NYC Pride March is a symbol of the LGBTQIA+ community’s call to freely be loud and proud; the move to online spaces greatly limits their volume, and thus fosters concern about how this will limit LGBTQIA+ awareness. To combat this, there has been a push to remain visible in the online hemisphere. Hashtags such as #LGBTQuarantine have risen to top trending spots on Twitter because of community members posting selfies decorated with unapologetic rainbows and smiles. Their faces serve as a reminder that in a time of isolation and fear, it is more important than ever to be vocal, open minded, and most importantly, proud.

Report: Nicolette Schneiderman

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Tee Rico by Lin-Manuel Miranda Partners With BCFA Amidst COVID 19 Relief Efforts

Lin-Manuel Miranda is an amazing Broadway star and composer. Possibly his best known work has been on the beloved musical, Hamilton. In 2016 he opened his own merchandise shop called Tee Rico. A quick peruse through his online shop boasts numerous collections, a wide variety of apparel as well as other fun merch including: stickers, pins, and song lyric sheets. All of the designs have been created by artists that mean a lot to him. In addition, Lin’s family dog, Tobi, is hidden within each design.

Tee Rico is known for giving a portion of its sales back to charity, events, and other programs. Lin has found a way to use Tee Rico to help those being hit the hardest during this global pandemic. That is where the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BCFA) Fundraiser Collection for Theater Workers was born. BCFA started a fund to help those in the entertainment industry who are struggling during the COVID 19 pandemic and Lin decided to launch a new collection on his site with 100% of the proceeds going to this fund. This new collection includes T-shirts with a Lin-Manuel face-time logo as well as other long sleeve and hoodie options.

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit star, Mariska Hargitay, shared a photo of herself wearing one of the hoodies and holding a Lin-Manuel Face-time stress ball to twitter last week, urging people who are able to donate to this important cause.

Amidst the chaos of the world today it’s encouraging to see people banding together (while being socially distant), to support those in need. While production on all films, TV, and theater has temporarily halted some of those in the entertainment industry are very hard hit. That is why it is so important it is for BCFA, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Mariska Hargitay and others to support this cause. I’m grateful this pandemic has brought out the good in many people, it gives us hope for humanity.

Report: Rebecca Vanderkooi

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Rooting For Everybody Black

Source: Instagram (@kerbito)

Rapper Olubowale Victor Akintimehin (better known as Wale) and creative director of Pyer Moss, Kerby Jean-Raymond recently partnered to produce a song entitled, “Sue Me.” The music video, premiering on April 22, 2020, has already received over 500,000 views on YouTube and is one of the most radical depictions of race relations that we’ve seen in recent years.

“Sue Me,” is a song that introduces an alternative society in which white people are a part of the marginalized group and black people are in the majority. Nonetheless, writers Kerby Jean Raymond and Cameron Robert still incorporate real-life instances of the racial profiling and discrimination of black people in the 21st century. It comes as no surprise that a musical artist whose work is as intentional as it is creative, would release something this evocative. Moreover, as a fiercely progressive social justice advocate, Jean-Raymond makes very meticulous artistic choices with regard to the dialogue within the music video as the director.

It’s impossible to watch the video without being reminded of the racial injustices in the U.S. The first reference in the film dates back to the 2018 incident of two black men being denied access to a Starbucks bathroom without making a purchase. Prior to showing the footage of that incident, Jean-Raymond manages to “flip the script” in which a white man is arrested at a Starbucks that’s majority black. That’s a story that hasn’t really been told in mainstream media and can certainly lead you to asking yourself “what if?” What would the world look like if that was the relational dynamic between those races and how would that make us feel?

Source: Complex

Another unforgettable moment introduced is a video of a man, Aaron Campbell, going live from Facebook in prison located in Warren, Ohio. While filming Campbell laments about the government’s perceived lack of empathy toward those in prison during COVID-19. More specifically, he states that inmates are being denied home confinement for the government’s capitalistic agenda. Incorporating both live footages serve a crucial purpose that is difficult to articulate but is definitely felt.  Rage, compassion and a sense of urgency are all emotions that one might feel while watching these videos. 

 The chorus, “Sue me, I’m rooting for everybody that’s black,” refers to a statement made by actress Issa Rae at the 2017 Emmy Awards, “I’m rooting for everybody black.” It’s safe to assume that the overarching message of this song aims to highlight the necessity of justice, equity and representation for black people. Wale unpacks the depth of these issues in multiple layers, fashion being one of them. One of the lyrics in the song reads “Pyer Moss, I dropped ten on my last visit and half that up at Saks, I favor black businesses.,” bringing attention to the practice of black people exercising a form of economic empowerment through monetary supporting each other. The intersectional nature of social issues in 21st century America is multifaceted, and both Wale and Jean-Raymond managed to capture that in a way that forces viewers to imagine while facing reality and potentially reexamine their surroundings.

Report: Julian Randall

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The Alternative Experience

In a time like this it almost feels necessary to talk about the pandemic that we are currently going through all across the world. Whether you’re rich, poor, black, or white, this moment in time is something that we will remember forever. I have struggled in deciding how to approach the opening moments of this editorial without being too cliché. As I sit in quarantine, in solitude, patiently waiting for a positive shift to happen, I can’t help but to reminisce. Around this time last year when I was preparing to attend fashion week in New York, to be amongst the world’s top creators, the eagerness to be etched in a moment of cultural history was something I took pride in. At the time, this wasn’t an experience that I believed would be vital to my growth and existence in this particular space. Boy was I wrong.

Now, back to reality. This moment in time is just as important to not only my personal growth, but also to the growth of our culture as a whole. Leading up to the year 2020, the energy throughout the black community was at an all-time high. I had witnessed success from peers on a personal level and from celebrities on a global scale. From attending Culture Con, where I experienced an outpour of knowledge and felt an abundance of acceptance, to fashion week where I witnessed a young collective make their stamp in the fashion industry. Naturally, when you see people who look like you and share similar experiences as you succeed, your confidence surges. Then, all of a sudden as our community is gearing up for another year to remind the world that the culture doesn’t move without us, everything stops! At least that is what I thought was going to happen.

Many different emotions raced through my mind, as I am sure they did with you as well. Was the ability to collaborate done? Will live events and shows become obsolete? Will I have to give up what I’ve built just to overcome this? These were a few of the questions I posed to myself in hopes to innovate a way to survive as a creator, but to also sustain content to keep my end consumer happy. In this instance of uncertainty, I took time to step back and observe. Doing this reminded me that we are a group of people who persevere and make the best out of every situation we are forced into. The ability to do so is what separates our culture from the rest and allows us to continue to elevate.

It started with DJ D-Nice bringing entertainment to us live and direct to our households via Instagram. Little did he know that what he did would be the beginning of history that we’d never seen before. Since then, Sean “Diddy” Combs held a dance-a-thon that raised over $5 million for Covid-19 relief. If that wasn’t enough for innovation, Swizz Beats and Timbaland have been hosting battles between some of the top musicians in history. Their most recent battle between Baby Face and Teddy Riley literally reached Instagram Live’s capacity, with over a 500,000 viewers. This put things into perspective and made me realize that creators are going to find ways to create no matter what the circumstances are. In the same thought I began to look at this situation for what it could possibly be foreshadowing.

As we sit at home and time elapses, technology continues to evolve. Small businesses and brands are starting to go under. Does this mean that this way of life will become a norm for society? Will attending New York Fashion Week or Culture Con in the future mean opening my app and attending the events virtually? Will these experiences hold the same value or will these just be opportunities that anyone with a phone can attend? The ability we have to adapt to anything has always been great, but this alternative experience could be the downfall of the great experiences we have grown to love in creative industries.

Report: Myles Matthews

Lady Gaga Shifts Focus During COVID-19 Crisis

COVID-19 has delayed a lot of things, one being Lady Gaga’s new album, Chromatica. The album was supposed to come out on April 10, but has now been pushed back until further notice due to the pandemic. Chromatica will be Gaga’s sixth album, which will consist of sixteen songs. So far, “Stupid Love” is the only song available and it’s leaving fans anxious for the album release. Although the album release has temporarily been put on hold, Gaga has managed to keep herself busy during quarantine.

While in quarantine, Lady Gaga had time to work on another project called One World Together at Home. Gaga curated the One World Together at Home album that was released on April 18, which consists of 79 songs by some of music’s biggest artists. This album was organized by Global Citizen and the World Health Organization to raise money for COVID-19 relief. “Thank you with all of my heart... for sharing in a global moment of kindness with each other, and spreading positive and loving intentions”, says Lady Gaga after the One World Together at Home concert that also premiered April 18. The proceeds from the One World Together Album will be donated to Global Citizen to aid in COVID-19 relief.

Photo credits- Norbet Schoerner studio & Global Citizen

Report: Brionna Thompson

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Editor's Note - Noah Love

Noah Love, Senior Editor

I initially wanted to introduce The Access Report with a full story on the evaluation of black owned businesses and the current state of the Fashion world in the midst of COVID-19. However, after a few conversations with colleagues and friends, all of which are dealing with the aftermath of our cities shutting down, it’s clear that analyzing business and strategizing next moves are stressors we did not anticipate at this capacity. 

Instead, I have decided to take this moment to level set with those of us facing the harsh reality of what’s actually happening. Our income has either stopped, paused, or remains in limbo and we have no answers on a clear way forward without easily obtainable capital. Although we want to be optimistic and find the silver lining amongst all of this—how exactly are we to do so with the constant uncertainty of being able to get back to our lives as providers, creators and so much more? 

What I can say is this: It is under pressure that many of us have found our most impactful solutions. I first discovered I wanted to be an entrepreneur when I realized I could be fired at any time (i.e., Termination Without Cause - a clause in most agreements for companies).  After being laid off from my first job due to staffing changes, it was clear to me that job security would be of my own creation. 

COVID-19 laid out a simple truth so many of us often disregard by choice or ignorance—there are no certainties in life. There are no fail-safe systems and we can’t depend on the government nor the economy we contribute to to save us. If I’m being totally straight forward, we can’t guarantee that we can save ourselves. 

What does this all mean?  What does it mean for our careers? Our families? Our communities? 

It means we wake up and we fight. We don’t allow ourselves to become complacent, comfortable or so successful that we forget to pivot with innovation and collaboration in mind.  It means that we begin working together more often and commit to more efforts within our communities. 

During this time it is my suggestion, which has already been taken by my team, to evaluate the table of ideas. Those implemented plans, strategies to scale, projects, partnerships, etc.; revisit these ideas and adjust them. Consider the impact of COVID-19 thus far and how it has isolated you and your business. How can you provide your consumer access and support during this time? Not just right now particularly, but also in the future.  How will you take measures to ensure your consumer is always capable of accessing and benefiting from your products and/or services without diluting the quality or limiting the experience?

These are some of the questions many fashion lovers are facing—specifically during New York’s most coveted time of year, New York Fashion Week. With the dreaded question of if it’ll even happen, designers and production companies (myself included) are struggling to come to terms with this.  That struggle will happen for the foreseeable future as our governor has announced that the stay-at-home order has been extended to the middle of May. Our only option at this very moment is to evaluate and take note of how people are coping—how the world is changing on the outside.  We are also given a moment to recognize that being forced to exercise social distancing has given us the very break some of us so desperately needed. 

It has given mother earth the break she needed. 

My prayer is that you find the good in this. Use this time to heal, find new purpose, learn a new trade, connect with old friends, and start new relationships. 

This doesn’t have to be a negative. It doesn’t have to result in loss nor does it have to be scary. 

Choose to come out of this better. Whatever better looks like for you, come out of this with more than you had when it all started.

Report: Noah Love

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One World: Together At Home

Lady Gaga took social distancing to the next level, by creating a free virtual concert to support frontline healthcare workers and the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO and Gaga partnered with Global Citizen to create a series of stay-at-home concerts, called One World: Together At Home. The event was hosted by 3 of the most popular late-night hosts: Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, and Stephen Colbert, and featured Idris Elba, who was diagnosed with COVID-19, as well as healthcare workers fighting on the front line. Throughout the show, messages displayed from various artists and healthcare workers discussing the importance of staying at home and supporting each other.

Hugh Evans, the co-founder and CEO of Global Citizen said, “Our hope for the special is that everyone will come away believing that we, as a shared humanity, can emerge from this moment forever grateful for the work of doctors, nurses, teachers, grocery store workers, and all those who are the backbone of our communities.” The show aired on April 18th and included 70 artists of different genres such as the Rolling Stones, John Legend, Celine Dion and Lizzo, Shawn Mendes, Camilla Cabello, Stevie Wonder, Lang Lang, Luis Fonsi, Shah Rukh Khan, Sheryl Crow, Jimmy Fallon, Heidi Kum, Hozier, Andrea Bocelli, Usher, Celine Dion, Hussain Al Jasmi, Charlie Puth, Eason Chan, Common, Adam Lambert, and Jennifer Lopez.

Report: Woo Jong Kim

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IG Live Battles and Keeping the Culture Alive

During a time when the world has shut down, social media has been the connection holding the culture together. With Instagram at the forefront, celebrities have banned together to have friendly battles to not only keep us entertained but educated. Instagram live battles between those such Swizz Beatz vs. Timbaland, T-Pain vs. Lil Jon, Babyface vs. Teddy Riley, and many more are putting their catalogs to the test in friendly battles to bring joy and entertainment during a time where there is very little.

These battles are not only connecting friends but are also connecting generations. Younger generations are learning new music from back in the day and the older generation is learning social media and newer aged music. So the biggest gain here is generational bonding. IG live battles are keeping the culture enriched and sane while we are all on lockdown.

Everyone is having friendly competition on which artist will win and who should go next. These battles are keeping our spirits alive and will forever be a part of history. The culture couldn’t thank these artists enough and I don’t know about you guys but I am looking forward to some friendly competitions between some female artists.

Report: Maya Howard

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