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Brazilian Artist Honors Environmental Disaster's 'Forgotten Victims'

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The Fundão dam in Brazil's Minas Gerais state collapsed on Nov. 5, 2015, releasing a deluge of mining waste that submerged rural villages, killing 19 people and displacing hundreds more on its way to the Doce River. 


Once in the river's stream -- which travels through two states and 228 municipalities -- an estimated 60 million cubic meters of mud and waste wiped out ecosystems and killed fish, turtles and other aquatic species, crippling the livelihoods of thousands of people who live and work around the river. Shortly after the dam's collapse and the mining operator Samarco's assurances that the spillage did not contain toxic elements, the The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights announced that there had been “high levels of toxic heavy metals and other toxic chemicals” in the residue.


Analysts have blamed Samarco, which the Anglo-Australian giant BHP Billiton co-owns with the Brazilian company Vale, for failing to keep the dam up to code and exhibiting dubious business practices. "A dam doesn't break by chance... There is repeated, continual negligence in the actions of a company owned by Vale and BHP,” a Brazilian prosecutor told the Australian broadcaster ABC. Brazil’s Federal Police have indicted seven company executives and engineers of environmental crimes following the disaster.


The event highlighted many issues currently plaguing the South American company. Allegations of poor oversight by state and federal agencies in the mining sector along with close ties among decision-makers and mining companies have struck a nerve in a country whose political system is currently engulfed in charges of corruption connected to the Operation Car Wash investigations. 


Residents of the impacted area are still suffering the social and economic consequences of the Fundão dam disaster, according to Greenpeace Brazil.


With aims to refocus the public's attention back on the human and environmental cost behind this tragedy, Brazilian artist Marcelo Tolentino has decided to cast a light on the villagers who lost their homes and livelihoods to the disaster. Through portraiture, “Art Never Forgets,” the Sao Paulo-based artist's project explores the ongoing struggling of the disaster’s unheard or forgotten victims.





In preparation for this project, which was created in partnership with the Panamericana School of Art and Design and the AlmapBBDO advertising agency, Tolentino visited the affected subdistrict of Bento Rodrigues and spoke to locals about their grievances. Along with stories, he collected mud to use for his project.


“It’s very sad to walk among the affected areas. It is like walking through post-war rubble. Villages are still completely buried,” Tolentino told HuffPost Brazil.


The artist was particularly struck by the personal objects he spotted among the wreckage. “Finding personal belongings along the way was very intense. It was really shocking,” he said.


Painted in thick, brown mud that calls to mind the sludge that submerged villages in the disaster, Tolentino’s portraits give a human face to the tragedy.



“When you get there and meet residents who were forced to leave all their memories behind, and you hear the stories of each, it becomes clear that the best representation for the feeling of loss would be the expression on each of their faces,” he told HuffPost Brazil.


Among the people he decided to paint is Zezinho Teiriro, an 86-year-old retired tiller whose house was destroyed. Also rendered in viscous mud is Neuza Da Silva Santos, a 40-year-old farmer, who lost her house and the dogs, chicken, duck, goose and quail she raised.



Tolentino has placed his portraits on billboards in the vicinity of the National Congress of Brazil building in Brasilia, the capital.


He is also making the artworks available on the project’s website, and invites Brazilians to send the images to their local politicians.



This post was adapted from an earlier version on HuffPost Brazil.



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Unpublished Photos Of Amy Winehouse Show A Side Of Her Few Have Seen

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"The first time I met Amy Winehouse was the day I shot her album cover," photographer Charles Moriarty recalled in a video featured on Kickstarter. The year was 2003 and Winehouse was about to release her debut album "Frank." 


To capture the image, Moriarty and Winehouse wandered through back alleys and city streets, a bottle of white wine in hand while they snapped photos and apparently borrowed a passerby's dogs. The image that would immortalize Winehouse's first record shows her smiling obliviously in a pink, see-through T-shirt, walking a little black puppy on a leash. She looks young, silly, relaxed. Her signature black winged eyeliner is in its infant stages, peeking out from her upper lids.



The intimate photos provide a stark contrast to the paparazzi images that later defined the singer, snapped intrusively and cruelly, framing the star's spiraling destruction like the latest juicy gossip. Here, on the cusp of fame, Winehouse is not frightened by the camera and its consequences. She meets its gaze head on, flirtatiously pulling the viewer under her spell. 


"[The photos] are an important part of her life where she's transforming from a young girl to a recording artist," Moriarty told The Huffington Post. "She's just about to release her first album. She's experiencing brand new things for the first time. This small photographic moment captures that. I think it's important. I think everyone should see it. I think everyone should be able to smile and remember Amy the way that I do."



When Winehouse passed away in 2011, Moriarty wasn't sure what to do with the photos, many of which had never been published. "When Amy died I was approached by people to do various things, but to be honest it was a little too close to the bone and I was pretty upset at the time," he recalled. "I really didn't want them to be used commercially. It felt like an invasion of a private moment we'd had when we were younger, all of the sudden being brought out into the open just because this awful thing had happened. I didn't want them to come to light that way so I held onto them."


Things changed when the photographer watched Asif Kapadia's heartbreaking documentary "Amy," pieced together from home video footage, live recordings and photos of Amy's all too public life and death. The film captured dimensions of Amy not often publicized by the mainstream media -- her sassy sense of humor, her immense compassion, her fanatical love of music, her fearlessness, moxie and self-doubt. 


After seeing the film, Moriarty explained, "It was clear to me this side of Amy needed to be shown, that I needed to get them out into the open, and that a book would be the best way to do this."



Moriarty collaborated with book designer Sybren Kuiper to compile Winehouse's photographs into a single volume, titled Before FRANK. "Kuiper allowed me to see the images outside of my own constructs. After many years, a fresh eye on the work was really a delight to see."


Appropriately, "Amy" director Kapadia wrote the book's foreword. It begins: "Over the years I have seen thousands of images of Amy, by brilliant photographers from all over the world, but Charles Moriarty's photos stood out."


The photographer, with the help of agency Just Friends, is currently raising funds to publish the book on Kickstarter. They've already surpassed their $21,249 goal, but Winehouse fans have until May 19 to donate to the cause. 


"I would like people to see the book, and experience my own memories of Amy," Moriarty concluded, "to see the young girl, just before things really started to lift off the ground for her. I think the work is special because it captures that moment of youth, raw talent on the edge of stardom, and I also think the book promotes such a great image of Amy, healthy and happy. Too many people are only familiar with her latter years."


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New York Songwriters Reveal What It Takes To Be A Gay 'Wingman'

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New York theater composers Drew Brody and Lance Horne have teamed up for a five-song EP, "A Little Single," and The Huffington Post got a first listen to one of the pair's brand-new tracks. 


The writers say "Wingman," which can be heard below, is a new and quirky "twist on the curious and caring nature of the gay community." The lyrics are sung from the perspective of a platonic friend who wants to help a gay pal score with Mr. Right (or Mr. Right Now) during a woozy night on the town.  





"It's my wingman, I'll be at your side, I'll help you land the hottie you identified," Brody and Horne croon on the song's catchy chorus. "Let me do the talking/Drop your resume/I'll buy a round a shots, and then I'll slip away, and he'll never suspect a thing." 


Brody ("Grind," "Cutman: A Boxing Musical") told The Huffington Post that the song is, in some ways, indicative of his own relationship with Horne. 


"We wanted to underline that not only are we fans of each other's work, but we're also friends who support each other in our careers and personal lives," he said. "So I wanted to do a song about friendship, but we needed a unique angle, and we were trying not to be too sentimental." 


Horne, who has collaborated with the likes of Jake Shears, Liza Minnelli and Alan Cumming, said the song includes some "pointed differences between a wingman in the straight bro sense and a wingman in the queer New York sense." 


The full-length "Little Single" EP is a departure for the team, as they're writing directly from their own experiences rather than through the perspective of a character in a musical. It's safe to say that "Wingman" won't be the only tune on the EP to touch on a queer theme, as another track is cheekily titled "The Grindr Song." 


"The songs are drawing on insights and emotions from our own lives and presented from our own point of view," Horne said. "Drew and I encouraged each other to be vulnerable in the honesty of the songs on this record. I'm proud that we achieved that, letting down our defenses and risking feeling exposed by the frankness of the emotional content." 


The pair will present "A Little Single," which hits retailers May 11, with a special release concert featuring Tony-nominated "Fun Home" star, Beth Malone, at New York's Feinstein's/54 Below that same evening. Head here for more details. 


 

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Rob Zombie Just Shut Down Trolls Hating On Girl Group Babymetal

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Don't question Babymetal's power to rock. 


Babymetal is a badass teen Japanese girl group made up of trio Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal," Yui Mizuno as "Yuimetal" and Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal." Their music is influenced by pop and heavy metal, and their last album went gold. (But, seriously, if you haven't seen any of Babymetal's music videos, look them up right now because these girls go hard.) The band recently met heavy metal legend Rob Zombie at the Carolina Rebellion music festival, where they were performing.


On Monday, Rob Zombie shared a photo of the encounter on his Facebook page. 





Of course, because this is the internet, shortly after Zombie posted the photo, misogynist trolls began to question how hardcore the Babymetal girls actually are. Rob Zombie had no time for the doubters, and shut it down, as BuzzFeed first reported.


"They roll harder than you," Zombie responded to one dude who felt to the need to comment about how "awful" and "lame" Babymetal is. Boom. 






Commenters then began offering their respect to Babymetal, who released their debut album in 2014 and a follow-up this year, as part of the metalhead community. 


"There are people who say 'true metalheads will never hear Babymetal' now we see all the big guys in the Metal scene show their respect to Babymetal," one person wrote on Babymetal's photo with Rob Zombie. "It's awesome keep on rockin' girls, cause all the haters are no metalheads. 'Cause in my opinion metal stands for friendship and tolerance."





Rock on, ladies. 

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'Hamilton' Star: 'There's Huge Profit In Seeing Powerful Women's Stories Told'

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You may not know the name Renée Elise Goldsberry, but unless you've been living under a rock for the past year, you probably know of "Hamilton."


The musical about "founding father with a father" Alexander Hamilton has rapidly become one of the most critically-acclaimed (and profitable) shows in Broadway history. It won the Pulitzer prize for drama, was nominated for a record-breaking 16 Tony nominations, and counts POTUS and FLOTUS among its biggest fans. It also happens to be one long love letter to hip-hop. Goldsberry, 45, plays Angelica Schuyler, the eldest daughter of Revolutionary War general Phillip Schuyler and the sister of Hamilton's wife, Eliza. Schuyler is one of the key characters in Hamilton's life story -- and the musical.


At the SheKnows Media digital newfronts on Monday, The Huffington Post got a chance to chat with Goldsberry about "Hamilton," diversity in storytelling and why we need to learn about our country's "founding mothers."


Did you know anything about your character in "Hamilton," Angelica Schuyler, before you took the role? 


Before I auditioned for the show, I didn't know that she existed. 


Were you surprised by anything that you learned about her? 


Yes, I think one of the things that's really wonderful about "Hamilton" is not only what we learn about the founding fathers, but that we actually have founding mothers! And they were really instrumental in the country that we have now, and the democracy that we have and our culture.


It's a beautiful thing to discover everything that Eliza Hamilton did, and everything that Angelica Schuyler did on this coast and in London. It's beautiful to have spoken with a lot of politicians and people who are really grateful, because most of us didn't know Angelica's story. It's interesting to see how impactful our culture now can be on [our perception of] history, because we're uncovering things about Angelica that will live forever now. I was just down at Trinity Grace Church where we believe she's buried, and they're going to erect a memorial [to her] now because so many classes and so many kids are learning about her. 



What do you hope young women who see "Hamilton" take away, both from the show as a whole, but specifically from the performances of the Schuyler sisters?


The thing that moves us [Goldsberry and her two co-stars, Phillipa Soo and Jasmine Cephas Jones] the most is how optimistic the Schuyler sisters were about the times they lived in. I don't necessarily think that we look back and imagine women at that time feeling that empowered and excited; but these women were like, "Look around, we're so lucky to be alive right now at this moment." I think we should feel that way always as women. We should always see -- in spite of anything -- what our possibilities are. 


We're at sort of an interesting time for that right now, given everything that has been going on politically in this country. 


We have an opportunity to celebrate really wonderfully accomplished women that are fighting to change the world not just for women, but for everyone -- and that's not new. That's what's beautiful about seeing "Hamilton." Those women were doing it way back in the day. They were celebrating each other and lifting each other up, and I think as women we need to make sure that we are doing that now with the women that are standing up for us and having a voice and trying to save the world.


"Hamilton" has started a really great conversation about the importance of representation on Broadway. Given its insane success, what do you hope industry gatekeepers take away?


I think they'll know that there's huge profit in telling stories with diverse casts, and I think they'll know there's huge profit in telling true stories about history. I think they'll know there's huge profit in seeing powerful women's stories told. 

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These Blank Instagrams Are Really Stories Hidden In Plain Sight

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How can a story appear in a seemingly empty Instagram post? Easy: Tap these posts from writing nonprofit 826 Valencia, and the words spring up like magic.


The secret? Each word or phrase is a username that's been tagged to the image. When the Instagram post is tapped, the tags appear -- but while usually this just reveals the Instagram handles of your cousin's fishing buddies, or whoever appears in the photo, in these ingenious posts the words in the handles piece together a short and sweet story.


The stories themselves, simple but poignant flash fiction with titles like "Thin Man" and "String Theory," were written by students at 826 Valencia. The San Francisco-based nonprofit, founded by author Dave Eggers, offers disadvantaged young people an enriched setting to build their writing skills and creativity with the help of volunteers. The series was created in collaboration with advertising firm BBDOSF as a volunteer recruitment campaign. (The ad company donated its time for the project.)


Molly Parent, 826 Valencia's Programs & Communications manager, told The Huffington Post in an email that the series "was designed to demonstrate how supporting 826 Valencia helps bring writing to life and amplifies our students' brilliant voices." The clever campaign puts the power with the viewer to make the students' writing visible, a gratifying little analogy for the good one could do by working with talented but under-resourced children. 


In addition to recruiting new volunteers, Parent told HuffPost, the series promoted the nonprofit's Indiegogo campaign for their new writing center in the traditionally underprivileged Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. 


For many, the fun Instagram series caught attention simply with its unconventional approach to storytelling. But what about the users whose handles were tagged, unexpectedly, in a story by a student they'd never met?


"We got messages back from a handful of the users, from all over the world," Parent told HuffPost. "All expressed support for our work and were excited about the use of their username. We're still waiting to see if any show up at our volunteer orientations. Maybe we'll have to add a new option to the 'how have you heard about us?' question on the application!"









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Meet The Cuban Hip-Hop Artist You Probably Don't Know, But Should

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Cuban artist Danay Suárez creates music that defies strict classification and is using her voice to bring awareness to issues that are near and and dear to her heart. 


As one of Cuba's leading female vocalists, Suárez focuses on positive messages of self-empowerment and gender equality. Her music style, which spans the realms of hip-hop, R&B and reggaeton, has garnered her Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu comparisons and placed her atop entertainment must-watch lists. However, her rise hasn't been easy. In a new video interview with The Huffington Post, she explained that creative self-expression has been stifled in her country, making it difficult for artists like herself to share their work with wide audiences. 


"People in the hip-hop movement have had to be very courageous in order to build that genre in Cuba because of the country's political context. Cuba's been a place where there's been no freedom of expression," she said. "Cuban hip-hop doesn't get aired on media outlets. Cuban hip-hop doesn't have a platform."


She is also up against technological barriers. Internet connection in the country is sparse, so oftentimes Suárez takes matters into her own hands, resorting to circulating her music the old-fashioned way. 


"For example, if someone wants to hear my music and they know me, they have to go to my house, to my computer, and I can burn them a disc with my music," she said. "But then, that's essentially music piracy. In Cuba, piracy works." 


Suárez has graced stateside locales like South By Southwest in Austin and has traveled the world to share her talent with global audiences, however Cuba is where her home and heart are. 


"Cuba is a place that works very differently [from] the rest of the world, but for that reason it's a very interesting place," she said. "For example, I live here and I don't want to live anywhere else." 


*Interview has been translated from Spanish. 

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The Beautiful Reasons Why These Women Love Wearing A Hijab

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The New York Times recently published a "guide" to Muslim headscarves. The article intended to illuminate an Islamic concept that promotes modesty, but the associated images showed styles specific to a few countries and all of the silhouettes were faceless. These types of portrayals can contribute to a misperception among some that Muslim women who don the headscarf may lack agency. 


In today's political climate, the headscarf has become more than just a spiritual symbol of modesty. At one point, women working in government positions were not allowed to wear it in Turkey. In France, the niqab -- a version of the headscarf that covers the face -- is banned. In the field of counterterrorism, some view the headscarf as a manifestation of extremism. And as the number of Islamophobic attacks continues to rise in the United States so, too, does the fear among Muslim women, especially those who wear hijab, that they’ll be victims of violence.


In light of this, The Huffington Post asked women from all over the Internet to show just how beautifully diverse the hijab can be using the hashtag #HijabToMe. By showing the many different ways women choose to tie their hijab and the various meanings it takes for them, we hope to offer readers a glimpse into the diversity of Muslim women who don the headscarf. Muslim women were asked to post a picture of themselves along with a brief description of what wearing the hijab means to them.


Check out the compelling images and join the conversation in the comments section below using the hashtag #HijabToMe.  





















I am so tired of the monolithic representation of Muslim womyn; these exhausted tropes do nothing to enrich our communities. I often find myself apologizing for not behaving as I am expected to in the spaces I occupy and that is no longer ok. It's so exciting to see @huffingtonpost begin the #hijabtome campaign with the purpose of "illustrating the diversity and vibrancy of Muslim women who wear [the hijab]." ... #Hijabtome means that I have the choice and the freedom to express myself fully, whether I'm dancing it out to Beyonce or being a life long learner and advocate for the populations I seek to serve through medicine. I started wearing hijab as a a sophomore in college primarily because I'm a wear-my-heart-on-my-sleeve kind of person. I have always wanted and still want people to visibly see what I'm all about and for me, hijab was one of the ways to accomplish that. It's definitely not easy to wear it daily; regardless of the setting I'm in, there will always be numerous judgements I need to contend with. Hijab is one way to "twirl on them haters." (Beyonce reference for you all haha) Each womyn who wears the hijab has her own style. I don't have a particular style but it is important for me to wear my hijab in a way that makes me feel comfortable and able to express myself while getting work done. PC: @ahealersheart #hijab #turban #muslim #muslimwomen #huffpost #advocacy #medicine #healthcare #beyonce #formation #beyhive

A photo posted by Sara, MPH (@saramomo6) on






















#HijabToMe • i have been observing hijab since I was 17 years old in 2002. a time before blogs and hashtags and tutorials, when the Internet was still a mostly pure place and a woman would have to buy scarves at the Arabic store (s/o to the one piece sock hijab from Islamic fashion center in Paterson, NJ!). I just turned 30 and in this blink of an eye, hijab has offered me an immeasurable amount of insight about myself and others. Hijab has taught me discipline and self-control in both curbing my vanity (nafs) and keeping me grounded in reality during the most formidable years of my life. I have learned to become my own individual, comfortable in my skin, rather than attach myself to the never ending cycle of fashion and beauty trends. It has asked me time and again to step up to the plate & show people I meet who I am on the inside and what I can offer. Hijab has also acted as a filter for people who can accept that I wear one and still treat me with the respect any human being deserves. Hijab has been by my side for years, and consistantly rates as one of the best choices I have ever made. I truly believe that it has helped me grow into a stronger person socially, emotionally, spiritually & intellectually than if I had not worn it when I did. Hijab has been my protest against those who try to push their values & agendas on to me and other Muslim women, and simultaneously an act of worship to my Creator. I rage against the machine every morning by wearing my hijab before leaving the house. No matter what a woman's relationship with hijab might be, there is no denying the beauty of taking the narrative about it back from men and the media. Peace to the peaceful ✌ ️• #coveredhairdontcare #hijabswag #turbanstyle #hijab #hijabi #circassian #huffpostreligion @huffingtonpost

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New Exhibit Is An Intimate Look At Frida Kahlo And Diego Rivera’s Relationship And Careers

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The legacy of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera’s relationship is defined by controversy. After all, they married twice, and Diego cheated on Frida with her own sister. Frida also had her own affair with Leon Trotsky.


However, a new exhibit at CDMX’s El Museo Casa Estudio Diego Rivera y Frida Kahlo aims to give a more intimate look at their relationship with previously unseen material. Titled Correspondencias… Archivos y fondos del Cenidiap, the idea started with a letter Frida signed with a kiss. The imprint of her lips still looks as fresh as it did decades ago.

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This Dumpster-Diving Artist Is Turning Trash Into Beautiful Art

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Waste sculpture artist Thomas Dambo is on a mission to show the world how to turn trash into beautiful and meaningful artwork. When the artist was growing up in Denmark, he said he didn't have enough money to buy proper materials, so he resorted to digging through the trash. 


Throughout his distinguished career, Dambo has built large-scale art projects, furniture and over 3,500 birdhouses around the world.


Check out his work in the video above. 

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Vintage Photos Give A Glimpse Into Hispanic New Mexican Life In The '80s

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Kevin Bubriski was 26 years old when he arrived in New Mexico in 1981. The Massachusetts native had spent three years in Nepal with the Peace Corps and another year working in a mountain village before moving to Santa Fe to study film.


But once in the American southwest, he found a burgeoning and vivacious culture and people so far from anything he'd ever known, and he spent the next two and a half years of his life documenting their daily lives through his photography. 


"The vitality and beauty of the Hispanic New Mexicans caught my eye, as well as [their] vibrant cultural life," the documentary photographer told The Huffington Post. 


Bubriski recently compiled these images of intimate celebrations, casual car rides, romance and friendships into his new book, "Look into My Eyes: Nuevomexicanos por Vida."



"The photographs allow the viewer to encounter this community of three decades ago, quietly 'look into their eyes,' and ideally find a sense of our shared humanity," Bubriski told HuffPost. "The specific take away for me from the experience was a deep appreciation for the Hispanic culture and history of New Mexico."


Bubriski's subjects often gaze intently into his camera lens, indeed offering a look into their eyes and a brief glimpse into their world, which is accentuated by big hair, bold make-up and all the glamour of the early '80s. He says his photographs are a result of the "mutual respect" between the person behind the camera and those in front of it. 


"As a new person to New Mexico, I felt that Hispanic New Mexicans were in some ways neglected by the other communities of Santa Fe and Albuquerque," Burbriski said. "I was there for a brief two and a half years, so I did not have a personal history with the place and the people. Maybe that is what gave me a freedom to experience the place with a fresh outlook. I had no preconceived notions of who anyone or any community was. I was young and interested in exploring the variety of landscape and people."


The photographer left New Mexico in 1983, and 33 years later he still remembers how "Santa Fe felt very much like a small town with a sense of casual friendliness." The state, he says, has grown immensely since. 


Despite these changes, Bubriski hopes his photographs create a unique connection to that moment in time and to a community strongly rooted in New Mexico that only continues to grow. 


"I feel that photographs can act as bridges or avenues for different people from different places and different periods of time to understand each other," Burbriski said. "The New Mexico portraits perhaps can inspire a sense of connectedness across families, generations and even regions of the US, especially as Hispanic Americans become a much larger part of the American demographic tapestry."


Take a look at some photo excerpts from "Look into My Eyes: Nuevomexicanos por Vida" below. 


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Celebrity Baby Names Are Totally Influencing Parents In The U.S.

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The Social Security Administration's official list of popular baby names in the U.S. has been released, and it's clear that celebrity parents' choices have influenced some of the results. 


Not every celebrity baby name catches on -- Apple and Suri remain rare, as do Saint and North. But from today’s top 10 to the newest names on the rise, it is clear that the picks of celebrity parents have boosted some of our favorites.


Here’s a look at the most popular baby names -- and the celebrities who helped them rise in the ranks.


"Starbaby" Names In The Top 10


Ava


Heather Locklear named her daughter Ava way back in 1997, and Reese Witherspoon welcomed daughter Ava two years later. The name quickly climbed into the U.S. top 100 list, and has been in the top 10 for a decade. It remains a Hollywood go-to, chosen by Hugh Jackman and Jeremy Renner as well. 


Harper


Harper is the one new name in the top 10 most popular names for girls. It’s a literary pick, influenced by author Harper Lee. But star power has lifted Harper from more obscure to mainstream. Shonda Rhimes and Neil Patrick Harris have Harpers. The same year the Beckhams named their daughter Harper Seven -- citing Victoria’s love of To Kill a Mockingbird -- the name entered the U.S. top 100 list for the first time and has continued to climb steadily since.



Mason 


Kourtney Kardashian chose the trending name Mason for her firstborn in 2009. It leapt into the U.S. top 10 shortly after and has been ranked number three -- right behind Noah and Liam -- ever since. His sister Penelope’s name has also climbed since Kourtney chose it, but so far, her youngest son Reign’s name is not on the list of most popular picks.


Classic Names Making A Comeback


Rose


Rose has become a modern favorite for middle names. But Scarlett Johansson used it for her daughter's first name in 2014, and other parents have followed suit. On this year’s list, Rose came in at number 166, up more than 25 places. A simple, vintage name that regularly charted in the top 20 a century ago, it could return there again.


Frances


Frances was a top 10 classic in the 1910s. Lately it’s come out of hibernation, having moved up 88 places this year to number 514. Amanda Peet was among the first to revive the vintage name, but Jimmy Fallon’s daughter Frances Cole, born in 2014, probably contributed more to the rise. Morena Baccarin of "Gotham" fame also recently welcomed a Frances. 



Silas


Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel welcomed son Silas Randall in April 2015. Americans have long loved Biblical names for boys, and the Timberbaby’s star power makes Silas a name to watch. It climbed to number 129 on this year’s list.


Otis


Jason Sudeikis and Olivia Wilde named their son Otis Alexander in 2014. Otis was a long-time staple name, but had been neglected for decades. Now Otis is back in the top 1000 for the first time in over 20 years. With O-names like Owen and Oliver all the range, Otis could be next. 


Hazel


Julia Roberts named her daughter Hazel in 2004, and more recently Emily Blunt and John Krasinski gave the name to their daughter in early 2014. It returned to the top 100 just a year later (also likely boosted by The Fault in Our Stars character Hazel Grace).



Cool New Celebrity Baby Names


Knox


The Jolie-Pitts are less traditional with their baby name choices, and Vivienne, Maddox, and Shiloh all caught on after the couple chose them for their kids. Knox was almost unheard of before their youngest son’s 2008 birth, but it’s been steadily rising ever since. It’s just outside of the top 250 now. Country music’s Dierks Bentley also has a Knox.


Olive


Olivia has become a top 10 go-to for this generation, but Olive languished in style limbo until Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher used it for their daughter in 2007. Olive then quickly re-entered the top 1000. Drew Barrymore gave the name to her older daughter in 2012, and Olive is now up to number 264.


Frankie


Drew Barrymore could join Brad and Angelina on the list of the most influential baby namers. Not only is Olive up, but she named her younger daughter Frankie in 2014. Now, Frankie has re-entered the girls’ top 1000 for the first time since the 1970s.



Everly


Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan welcomed their daughter Everly in 2013, just as the name was taking off. Nearly unheard of in 2011, Everly soared to number 178 in 2014, and made it to number 138 this year. Could Everly be a new Evelyn and Avery, rolled into one? 


Hank


Move over, Jack! Hank is the newest traditional nickname name for boys. Reality star Kendra Wilkinson named her son Hank Baskett IV in 2009; then tennis star Andy Roddick and actress Brooklyn Decker welcomed their Hank in 2015. The name moved up nearly 70 places to number 534 on this year’s list.


"Starbaby" Names To Watch


Alaia


Adamari Lopez graduated from telenovelas to hosting Telemundo’s "Un Nuevo Día." She added motherhood to her resume, with daughter Alaïa. Now the name is one of the year’s biggest debuts, coming in at number 664. It’s a Basque name meaning "happy," and fits in nicely with names like Mia and Ella.



Apollo


Gwen Stefani’s firstborn, Kingston, put his name on the map -- it’s gone from virtually unheard of to number 142 since Kingston was born in 2006. Now Gwen’s youngest son, Apollo, could be another trendsetting choice. Apollo climbed more than 50 spots to number 751 this year.


Meilani


Hawaiian name Kai has been big for boys, and now "Jersey Shore" alum Jenni “JWoww” Farley has put another Hawaiian name on the map. She welcomed daughter Meilani in 2014. Meilani debuted in the top 1000 at Number 950 this year.



Briar


Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen picked a fairytale name for daughter Briar Rose in October 2014. The name debuted in the top 1000 for both girls and boys this year, making Briar another celebrity baby name to watch.


Bodhi


Megan Fox and Brian Austin Green gave their firstborn son the very popular Noah. But in 2014, they chose something more daring for their second son – Bodhi. Bodhi was already starting to catch on before the couple announced their son’s name. Now it’s cracked the top 500.


What are your favorite celebrity baby names from recent years? Would you drop a name off your list if a celebrity chooses it for their child? Or have you added names to your list after hearing them on celebrity birth announcements?

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Make Your Own Trump At Home!

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Did you ever want to ruin the Republican party at home? NOW YOU CAN! Cook up your very own Donald Trump by following this VERY easy how-to! Thanks to this step-by-step process, you'll have a restaurant quality blowhard-narcissist-GOP-nominee before you can say "MEXICO WILL PAY FOR IT!"


 


FULL RECIPE:


- 2 Gallons Milk


- 3 Quarts Snake Oil


- 1 White Idiot Man


- 64 Ounces Cheeto Dust


- 3 Bricks of Cheese


- 1 Gallon Self-Tanner


- 3 Hams


- 10 Tiny Sausages (fingers)


- 1 Suit, Size XXL


- White Supremacy (1 Dollop)


- Asbestos (hair) 


- More Ham!


This video, written by Paul Gale and John Trowbridge, shows you how to make your very own Trump from scratch. 

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8 Expert-Approved Tips To Looking Fly As Hell In Your Wedding Pics

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Some of us are naturals in front of a camera -- at ease, poised and effortless. And others? Well, not so much.





If you fall into the second category, you are not alone. On behalf of the photogenically clueless, we asked our network of photographers to share their best tips and tricks for looking lovely and relaxed in your wedding pictures. Learn from their sage advice below: 


1. If you're feeling awkward or nervous, get in touch with your inner kid. 


"Find something to jump off of. Even a picnic bench will do the trick. The tiny bump of adrenaline and the non-posed moment will make you feel awesome. Twirling works too. So much twirling!" -- Maggie Gaudaen of Pop! Wed Co.



2. Come up with a timeline for the day and stick to it. 


"You must plan ahead in order to be ready at the time you and the photographer have agreed upon. You don't want to stress if you end up running behind schedule all because your hair and makeup took longer than expected. Clear communication and hiring stylists and makeup artists well-known for their timeliness will certainly help you have a stress-free day. And that leads to relaxed and enjoyable 'on-time' smiles!" -- Julie Hipkins of Turner Photography Studio


3. Keep the pre-wedding drinking in check; there's plenty of time to party later in the evening. 


"Having a toast before the wedding is great. Enjoy this time with your bridesmaids and groomsmen, but don't over do it! Hungover, drunk or buzzing brides and grooms never look their best." -- Kathleen Atkins of JoPhoto  



4. Get ready in an area with natural light.


"Near a window is great! Nothing is worse than dim hotel room light. If your space is dim, just move key moments (i.e. putting on your dress, final makeup touches, etc.) to a space with lots of natural light." -- Lynnsey Phillips of Lionlady Photography


5. Buy a suit instead of renting one. 


"Rentals often fit horribly even after a fitting. Nothing beats the look of a custom-tailored suit." -- Flavio DeBarros of Flavio D Photography



6. Remember: Feeling good and looking go hand in hand. 


"Get a massage the morning of the wedding; tension will melt away from your body and wedding day smile! Invest in good tailors who will make your attire fit like a glove, even on the dance floor."  -- Maureen Cotton of Maureen Cotton Photography


7. Plan to take the photos you care about the most during sunset hour. 


"The light is glowy, diffused and very flattering. This could be your ceremony or even an intimate session with your photographer." -- Lynnsey Phillips of Lionlady Photography



8. Make a point to make eye contact with your loved ones all day long. 


"Connect with your eyes, look at people, embrace their look and remember the moment. In doing this, your behavior is more natural as you seek a bond and remember the many memories you shared with this person and why you are thankful they are there. This generally results in more photogenic and natural facial expressions." -- Matt Adcock of Del Sol Photography 



*Some responses have been edited/condensed for clarity. 

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Ronan Farrow Proved Why Men Need To Speak Up About Sexual Assault

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Woody Allen is a celebrated filmmaker and actor. He has won four Academy awards, was recently profiled in a cover story for The Hollywood Reporter, has a new movie debuting this week at the Cannes Film Festival, and has worked with outspoken and brilliant actresses like Diane Keaton, Cate Blanchett, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard. He is also a man who has been publicly accused of sexual assault -- for years -- by his daughter, Dylan Farrow. 


On Tuesday, journalist, attorney and commentator Ronan Farrow, who also happens to be Dylan's brother, published a biting op-ed in The Hollywood Reporter. He took the media to task for the ways we fail when covering sexual assault. He also made it clear why it is imperative that men speak up in support of sexual assault survivors. 


As Ronan pointed out, reporters often fail to ask the tough questions of the celebrity men involved in these "scandals," which effectively gives these men power over the narratives of the alleged assaults. This is why, despite Dylan coming forward with these accusations -- and not for the first time -- in a NYTimes op-ed in 2014, Allen's career has remained largely unscathed.


"It sends a message to victims that it's not worth the anguish of coming forward," wrote Ronan. "It sends a message about who we are as a society, what we'll overlook, who we'll ignore, who matters and who doesn't."


We live in a society where women are considered untrustworthy narrators of our own lived experiences. So, when a woman comes forward and says "I was sexually assaulted," many people's first instinct is to look for the holes in her story. Ronan knows this all too well having seen the lopsided media treatment of his sister's story and Allen's subsequent written defense. (Guess whose editorial was given more space in the New York Times?) The overwhelming distrust of women who say they have been sexually assaulted, and the abuse they often take for coming forward, means that they need allies to bolster the strength of their voices. And, unfortunately, male voices are still considered to be more believable than women's.


Just ask Kesha. Or Stoya. Or Jian Ghomeshi's alleged victims. Or Bill Cosby's alleged victims






There are many reasons women feel hesitant to come forward with allegations of sexual assault -- fear of retribution, fear of being called a liar or a slut (or a million other names only Internet trolls can come up with), and an understandable concern that even if they seek justice they may end up without it. When the man you are accusing of assault is famous, those anxieties are amplified.


It doesn't matter that men are more likely to be victims of sexual assault than to be falsely accused of committing it, and that writing an essay about your trauma is a terrible get-rich-quick scheme, and that sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes. For many people, the default will always be, "she's lying."


By using his voice and platform to elevate Dylan's experiences, Ronan has effectively forced the public to reckon with her words, without her having to utter any new ones. He's helping to un-silence her. If you've forgotten about her story, or have chosen to ignore it, it's that much harder to now.


A cursory Twitter search shows that the response to Ronan's op-ed has largely been positive. Not everyone agrees with him, but there is nary a rape threat or death threat in sight. 


This isn't to give Farrow, or any man, a gold star for believing women or speaking out against sexual assault. This should be standard, human behavior. Unfortunately, it's not. It is a sad, sad world we live in where Hannibal Burress' stand-up comedy did more to sway public opinion of Cosby than his alleged victims' own accusations. But given how hostile our society is towards women who come forward with allegations of rape and assault, there is a real need for vocal, supportive male voices -- voices that don't overshadow survivors, but force us all to really, truly listen to them.





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Just Outside Las Vegas, 'Magic Mountains' Brighten Up The Desert Expanse

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After approximately 12 hours, Las Vegas starts to turn on you.


Sure, for the first night, the shimmering lights and their accompanying hiss are thrilling, somewhat hypnotic. And the never-ending stream of food and drink flowing into your body at an alarming pace is a pleasant, if not nauseating, novelty. But before long, the grotesque extravagance -- the glimmering potential of free cash and the overwhelming human desire for escape -- all morph into a colossal, flashing neon beast that engulfs everyone in its wake, spitting them back out as drunken, stale-cigarette-smelling monsters.


There are few things one craves in such a situation. Coconut water. Perhaps a little peace and quiet. But I can think of no remedy so enticing as artist Ugo Rondinone's new installation "Seven Magic Mountains." 



Located in the Nevada desert, about a half an hour from downtown Las Vegas, seven Day-Glo rock towers sit in total isolation, their colorful physiques resembling children's toys on a colossal scale. Think the love child of Jeff Koons' "Play-Doh" and Michael Heizer's "Levitated Mass."


The placement of the installation, which has been in the making for five years, is no coincidence. Located in conversation with Sin City, the sculptures exist at the nexus of nature and artifice, art and entertainment, leisure and reverie. "The site is magical," artist Rondinone told The Las Vegas Review Journal. "It’s historical. It’s charged."



The towers, approximately 30 to 35 feet tall, are made from locally-sourced limestone boulders stacked atop each other. The shapes echo the natural formations known as hoodoos or earth pyramids, tall spires of rock commonly found in a drainage basin or badlands. The shapes, however, arose somewhat by chance. Rondinone collected and painted his chosen stones and then began experimenting with how to arrange them, "like you play around with Legos."


The installation provides Vegas visitors the much-appreciated opportunity to balance their dizzying party time with a little meditative art viewing. In the seemingly infinite expanse of the Nevada desert, the towers appear as little more than playthings. The noise and claustrophobia of Vegas is washed over with open space and pure silence. Save for the occasional passing of cars on the I-15 freeway, the desert is a personal sanctuary plopped in plain sight. 



"'Seven Magic Mountains' is an artwork of thresholds and crossings, of seclusion and gathering, of balanced marvels and excessive colors, and the contrary air between the desert and the city lights," the artist explained in a statement. "What centers this amalgam of contradictions is the spiritual aspiration; one that bruises, elevates and transcends."


The work will be on view for two years, so make sure to stop by on your next Vegas trip. And please, don't climb on or vandalize the art


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'Harry Potter' Fan Accidentally Uncovers The Names Of 'American Hogwarts' Houses

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UPDATE: A representative from Pottermore responded to our request for comment, but would not confirm the the authenticity of the names for the four houses. 



"Last January, the name and general location of the wizarding school Ilvermorny was revealed in new writing by J.K. Rowling that was posted on pottermore.com," the statement reads. "Pottermore has not confirmed details about the school since then. We will release and confirm new information about Ilvermorny in the near future."


PREVIOUSLY: A round of Butterbeers on us!



A Potterhead claims he's discovered the names of the four houses of the North American Wizarding School after stumbling upon a source code on J.K. Rowling's Pottermore website.


The code made reference to a soon-to-be-released online sorting hat ceremony for the school better known as Ilvermorny, which Rowling has insinuated will play a role in the upcoming continuation of the "Harry Potter" film franchise, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them." 


The fan in question, Federico Ian Cervantez, shared his findings on Reddit and later explained his approach in a LinkedIn post for the tech savvy among us. Although his discovery has yet to be confirmed by an official sources, Hypable verified the code was indeed found on the Pottermore servers. 


And now (drumroll, please), the alleged names of the four houses of Ilvermorny: Horned Serpent, Wampus, Thunderbird and Pukwudgie







Unlike Hogwarts, the names are derived from magical animals, instead of famous witches and wizards. Harry Potter fan site The Leaky Cauldron also notes that the names have connections to Native American folklore, a topic Rowling problematically tackled on the website earlier this year. After the release of a story about "History of Magic in North America," many believed the author relied on large generalizations and stereotypes of Native American communities.


Read the ever-helpful Wikipedia descriptions of the animals below to better understand what type of student might be sorted into each house. 



The Wampus is “a creature in American folklore, variously described as some kind of fearsome variation of a cougar.”


The Thunderbird is a “legendary creature in certain North American indigenous peoples’ history and culture. It is considered a supernatural bird of power and strength. It is especially important, and frequently depicted, in the art, songs and oral histories of many Pacific Northwest Coast cultures, and is found in various forms among the peoples of the American Southwest, Great Lakes, and Great Plains.”


The Pukwudgie is “a two-to-three-foot-tall (61 to 91 cm) being from the Wampanoag folklore. Pukwudgies’ features resemble those of a human, but with enlarged noses, fingers and ears. Their skin is described as being a smooth grey, and at times has been known to glow.”


The Horned Serpent “appears in the mythologies of many Native Americans. Details vary among tribes, with many of the stories associating the mystical figure with water, rain, lightning and/or thunder. Horned Serpents were major components of the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex of North American prehistory.”



Based on these descriptions, it doesn't seem like Rowling has learned her lesson about cultural appropriation, but we'll just have to wait and see.


We don't know much else about Ilvermorny or its houses, but we do know that many of the characters British wizard Newt Scamander encounters in "Fantastic Beasts And Where to Find Them" will have matriculated from the wizarding school. 





“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” hits theaters Nov. 18, 2016.

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Woodcut Prints Communicate Mythical Tales Of Black Womanhood

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In the woodcut prints of artist Alison Saar, memories turn into mythologies, personal anecdotes become political truths, and fabled stories slip into history. The Los Angeles-born artist builds from her personal experience as a woman of color to transform cultural stereotypes into powerful archetypes that transcend time and space. 


An exhibition titled "Alison Saar In Print" at the National Museum of Women in the Arts will feature 16 of the artist's print works, each attempting to transcend the stereotypes associated with women and African-American realities. 



In a recent piece on Lenny, actress Lupita Nyong'o explained the difference between a trope and an archetype, in reference to the roles she likes taking on. "A trope ... plays into stereotypes and presumed expectations, refusing to embody originality of any thought," Nyong'o wrote. "An archetype is a fundamental human motif that exists in universal myth. I don't mind inhabiting an archetype if it has been given life and interiority. I love the idea of people of color participating in mythical, magical stories, whether that's as a hero, villain, sage, or sorceress." 


This sentiment, of privileging universal truths over lazy generalizations, seems to be at the core of Saar's work as well. 


As the daughter of beloved assemblage artist Betye Saar and her painter and conservator husband Richard, Alison Saar grew up surrounded by art. Her mother is known for her three-dimensional collages of found objects, recycled and reborn, to create patched together stories of black life in America. Part scavenger, part sorcerer, Betye creates work that shows the multifarious, unique parts that come together to tell a single story or frame a certain point of view. 



Alison Saar's work, on the other hand, are minimalist in style. Yet the symbols embedded in the intensely carved marks are rich with detail and meaning.


For example, the woodcut above, titled "Snake Man," incorporates Afro-Caribbean and Christian symbolism into a single, haunting image of a man holding a red snake in his mouth. His head appears cut off abruptly at the top, giving him a mask-like quality reminiscent of an ancient African bust. A red serpent, alluding to both good and evil, wiggles between the man's teeth. His eyes are pure white, perhaps indicating blindness, maybe alluding to the forces of light and dark writhing inside us at any given moment. 



Most often, however, Saar's stories center around women -- black women. Although she's described such works as autobiographical, the images quickly transcend such a distinction through their mythical veracity. 


In the woodcut "Mirror, Mirror," a girl stands facing away from the viewer, gazing at her reflection in a cast-iron skillet. Perhaps the young woman searches for her sense of self in domestic duties, feeling the pressure to find meaning in the home. Or maybe the darkened pan comments on the whitewashed standards of beauty so many young women of color must fight to overcome, learning to love their reflection despite the prejudiced conventions they've long been exposed to. 



The subject of "Mirror, Mirror" dons a sheer dress, as do many of Saar's female protagonists, if they're not completely nude. Through the repeated inclusion of the black female body Saar highlights the problematic history of the African American nude in art, while transforming the body from an objectified "other" to an embodied subject -- or, even more powerfully, an archetype. 


Explicitly, Saar's work explores her personal experience with black womanhood. Yet on paper, the memories grow into stories which grow into legends, too big and powerful to be confined to details like a name, time or place. The simplicity of Saar's prints speaks to their power to express the lived realities of black women so clear and straightforward yet so widely unseen.


"Alison Saar In Print" will show at the National Museum of Women in the Arts from June 10 until October 2, 2016.



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Eerie Video Project Nails What It Feels Like To Be Sleep Deprived

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Science tells us sleep deprivation has drastic effects on the body, from changing your metabolism to making you more emotional to making you less focused, and over time upping your risk of chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, stroke and some cancers. And not sleeping at all can start wreaking havoc on the body in as little as 24 hours. But McGloughlin's video captures another aspect of extreme over-tiredness.


But what does feeling groggy look like? How can you depict the experience of being really tired look like?


Self-taught artist Kevin McGloughlin decided to try to capture sleep deprivation through a visual art series he called “Cathemeral.” This first piece in the series, called “Tram Stop,” can be watched in the video above.


“I set out to create work that visualized anxiety and sleep deprivation because it is something I can closely relate to,” McGloughlin told The Huffington Post. 



The final video contains two shots, one taken during the day and one taken at night -- but both filmed in the same location by McGlouglin, who was riding on the back of a tram car. The footage was taken on a quiet Sunday in Ponzan, Poland, where McGloughlin said he was visiting his twin brother.


“I wanted to create this expression in order to channel some positivity from an otherwise destructive force -- also in the hope that others can relate to it in a positive way,” McGloughlin said. “Lots of people have anxiety and it's very tricky to talk about.”



Sarah DiGiulio is The Huffington Post’s sleep reporter. You can contact her at sarah.digiulio@huffingtonpost.com.

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Trans Actress Plans To 'Piss In All The Wrong Bathrooms' On NC Tour

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Transgender actress and activist Shakina Nayfack wants to speak out against North Carolina's controversial House Bill 2... by taking a tinkle or two. 


Nayfack is planning to bring her solo musicals, "One-Woman Show”  and "Post-Op," to the Tar Heel State, with performances in Durham, Charlotte and Raleigh, among other cities, as part of her Manifest Pussy tour in June. Along the way, she said she'll take selfies of herself using men's toilets and post them on social media outlets, as she is effectively banned from using women's restrooms under HB 2, which has been widely dubbed the "bathroom bill."


The actress, who is based in New York, told The Huffington Post that she was partly inspired by show business professionals who have nixed performances in North Carolina since Gov. Pat McCrory signed the bill into law on March 23. Oscar-winning composer Stephen Schwartz has said he'll deny the production rights to his musicals, including "Wicked," until HB 2 is rescinded. The rights holders of "West Side Story" and the musical adaptation of "Footloose" followed suit shortly afterward. 


"While I admired the sentiment and the solidarity, it also broke my heart, because theater is an art form that can change hearts and minds through a live experience of storytelling," Nayfack said. Having lived in California during its voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, Prop 8, she added, "What I needed then was a cheerleader, someone to say, 'You're not alone in this, keep fighting the good fight!'" 



The bill, which also restricts cities from passing non-discrimination laws, made Nayfack "want to go down to North Carolina and piss in all the wrong bathrooms," which is exactly what she now plans to do as part of her tour. She didn't specify exactly which restrooms she plans to use, but expects she'll include a "well-hydrated visit" to the state capitol in Raleigh.  


"Other than that, I'm just like any other chick on the road with a band. I'll go where and when I need to go," she quipped. Security, she added, isn't a great concern because she'll spend most of her time at performance venues that are "excited to have me." 


Nayfack said she plans to donate proceeds from her performances to local advocacy groups that are working to challenge HB 2, so she's launched a YouCaring fundraiser to help finance her North Carolina tour, which is slated to run from June 9 through 22. At present, the campaign has raised over $3,500. 


The actress, who will appear opposite Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner on "Difficult People” this year, said she hopes her performances and selfies will inspire others to "challenge hate and ignorance" in their own communities. As for those fans who attend her North Carolina shows, she'd like them to "leave feeling inspired to live their own truth with renewed confidence and faith." 


As to what she'd say to McCrory if given the chance, she noted, "Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets." 


After a pause, she added, "Jesus said it first, but I mean, the guy is just so quotable." 


Check out Shakina Nayfack's Manifest Pussy fundraising campaign here

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