Wynwood, the colorful and happening district in Miami, has become one of the most well-known creative spots in Miami even around the international art scene. This once warehouse district has transformed itself into an urban unpretentious art center. It currently is home to a multitude of art galleries, retail stores, antique shops, vibrant bars, restaurants, and open-air street art. In order to keep Wynwood at the center stage in the art world, a range of improvements has been drafted, financed, and approved. Miami Living takes a closer look at Wynwood's "Master Plan" for beautification, improvement, and integration. Wynwood Business Improvement District (BID) In 2013, the city took into account the increasing popularity of the area and created the Wynwood Business Improvement District (BID) Board of Directors. The board's mission is "to build upon Wynwood's roles as a globally recognized center for arts, innovation, and culture," while improving security, sanitation, and advocating for the quality of life of the residents, area employees, and visitors. Streetscape master plan During their September meeting, BID endorsed and recommended the approval of a new plan for the district. In collaboration with the Planning and Zoning Department, the BID has gone forward with establishing the City of Miami's first Neighborhood Revitalization District (NRD) in Wynwood. The "Streetscape Master Plan" was proposed by ArquitectonicaGEO, a Miami-based architectural firm that focuses on urban planning and landscape. Currently, the NRD-1 plan consists of multiple parts, and "it's not just beautification," as Alberta Garcia, the chair of the Wynwood BID stated. Of the many improvements that will be made, there are certain measures that have been prioritized including interconnectivity of the neighboring districts, safety and mobility, and climate change. Social Connectivity In order to inter-connect and cross-connect Wynwood with the surrounding districts, the Wynwood Walks initiative consists "of three Woonerfs, several linear parkways, street-end parks (play streets), bicycle corridors, edge parks, and wellness loops." Typically the streets in the United States are designed for the sole use of motor vehicles giving pedestrians little space for mobility. To combat this issue in the 50-block arts district, living streets known as Woonerfs will be installed. Woonerfs are designed to be available for activities with the main interest of pedestrians and cyclists in mind. Safety and Mobility The Arts District brings in millions of visitors each year. From work, to play, to living in the area, these community members are a large part of why BID is improving upon the area. To ensure safety and mobility, the plan is structured to introduce: 600 ft or longer cross-walks Widened sidewalks Protected bike paths Visible cycle tracks Expanded curbs at intersections Resiliency The city of Miami finds itself with major flooding problems due to the proximity of the coastline and the city's low elevation. As the Florida weather and unpredictable Hurricane season is among us, the city has found that it is vital to protect the vulnerable streets of Wynwood. Typically, draining infrastructure moves the stormwater at a fast rate not giving it time to filter. To utilize the surge, the upgraded method will capture the stormwater runoff allowing it to absorb into landscape elements that will include native plant species, trees, and more. Recognition Wynwood’s revitalization plan has received national coverage from the American Planners Association due to its forward-thinking, extensive details, and involvement with community members. So far, Wywnwood's continuing revitalization efforts have resulted in: 7,500 new jobs 5 million annual visitors $1.5 Billion local investments & spending The design process was largely influenced by public input. ArqGEO held dozens of public hearings, community workshops, and board meetings to reaffirm that they addressed all the issues and challenges in the district while protecting Wynwood's character. To learn more details on Wynwood's Streetscape Master Plan, click here. Words by Brooke Klaiman, thebrookealexa.com, Story by Wynwood Improvement District, Photo Credits: Wynwood BID, ArcGEO

In one of his many letters decrying modern art, Lionel Lindsay, my favourite aesthetic reactionary, wrote, “Pauvre Vincent – but he had his idea!” Vincent van Gogh, who changed forever our ways of seeing, was indeed an artist of ideas. Because of the intensity of his life – his poverty, his sense of both the glory and judgement of God, the way he died – more than any other artist, he seems to embody the abject. It was only after his death that van Gogh became one of the most famous artists of all time. As most of his works are now in public collections, the art market has in the past behaved shamelessly when a van Gogh painting is made available for sale. Still, such is the power of van Gogh’s art that the beauty of his small, intensely painted works easily overcome the tawdry machinations of the art market. Vincent van Gogh Irises (1889): small, intensely painted work. Wikimedia Commons The efforts of the entrepreneurs behind Van Gogh Alive are another matter. This is described in its publicity material as: “The world’s most acclaimed and visited multi-sensory, COVID-aware experience celebrating one of the most feted artists of all time”. The name “van Gogh” is the hook. The reality is that after reading a bland, sanitised account of van Gogh’s life in the waiting area, visitors are ushered in to a large area where for 45 minutes a series of animated images based on blow-ups of the artist’s work are projected onto giant screens with “cinema-quality surround sound”. I am still trying to work out the connection, if any, between a blasting of Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Little Swans from Swan Lake and pixillated flowers. That at least is less heavy-handed than introducing the segment of the last years of the artist’s life with Saint-Saën’s Danse Macabre. Giant wilting sunflowers outside the exhibition space. Author provided As well as projecting photographic reproductions of van Gogh’s work on a scale designed to overwhelm the viewer, some images are animated so that leaves and flowers change their relationship, while crows fly over golden wheat. The exhibition even includes a range of scents so visitors are “surrounded by a vibrant symphony of light, colour and fragrance”. There is no doubt Van Gogh Alive is a technical achievement and, as the publicist made great pains to point out at the media preview, a COVID-safe event in this age of pandemics. So why was my reaction one of disgust rather than pleasure? Grande Exhibitions, the company that has toured this event to over 50 cities around the world, claims to create “a fresh and safe approach to art and culture”, as though they are both stale and inherently dangerous. In a recorded speech, the company’s founder Bruce Peterson said he had previously had the unfortunate experience of being accompanied by discontented children when visiting actual exhibitions of art. He felt sound and light shows loosely based on great art were the solution. However, I strongly advise any parent against bringing a small child to this event, where there is no escape. A still from the exhibition in Rome. Grande Exhibitions Time and attention Great works of art reveal their secrets after a long gaze. They need the viewer’s time and attention. That is why return visits to much-loved art are so rewarding. Each visit gives something more. The blasting of giant reproductions with surround sound is an experience that has little to do with the art it purports to honour. Grande Exhibitions are able to create this “tribute” for only one reason. Vincent van Gogh died in 1890. His art is therefore out of copyright, as is the musical accompaniment. This means anyone can reproduce or modify his work. Van Gogh has influenced many fine artists. Martin Sharp was so inspired by his dream of a Yellow House where artists would live and work together that he initiated Sydney’s Yellow House in Kings Cross. More recently, the youngest Yellow House participant, George Gittoes, established another Yellow House with his performing troupe in Jalalabad in Afghanistan. Gordon Bennett’s 1988 painting Outsider incorporates elements of both Starry Night and Bedroom at Arles to make a profound statement on how his sense of self had been colonised by European culture. While paying tribute to van Gogh, none of these artists claim their works represent him. By the time the trustees of art galleries in Australia came to appreciate van Gogh’s work, his art was beyond their budget capacity. For many years the National Gallery of Victoria believed a painting in its collection, Head of a Man, was by van Gogh, but in 2007 finally agreed with expert opinion that it was a fake. In 1990, the Art Gallery of New South Wales purchased Head of a peasant, one of many studies he made of the poor and honourable. However larger Australian galleries do have extensive holdings of artists influenced by van Gogh, including John Russell, the Australian who befriended him. Next year the National Gallery of Australia will exhibit Botticelli to Van Gogh, an exhibition from the National Gallery, London. This will include one of the real, the small, the marvellous paintings of Sunflowers painted by van Gogh. Viewers can see the intensity of his colour, the controlled vigour of his brush strokes, and experience the pleasure of the gaze instead of the nausea of the blow-up. By Joanna Mendelssohn. Principal Fellow (Hon), Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne. Editor in Chief, Design and Art of Australia Online, University of Melbourne. By Karen Bella & William Butler. Special thanks to The Conversation for this story and images. You can support the independent network which provides news by donating today.

Today Bill Hansen Catering (BHC) announces the acquisition of Catering by Lovables and the renaming of the beloved brand to Lovables Catering + Kitchen. The merger marries two South Florida catering brands, adding a new dimension to Bill Hansen Catering’s 40-year culinary journey by offering expanded culinary offerings for budget-conscious clientele. Hansen and Lovables founder Elizabeth Silverman will now collaborate together under one roof at Hansen’s 8,000-sq. ft. Commissary Kitchen in Opa Locka, FL. To celebrate this fruitful partnership, Lovables Catering + Kitchen is offering 20% Off Lovables Corporate Delivery Menu from Oct 20 through Nov 20. To view the menu and order visit lovablescatering.com. Lovables Catering + Kitchen has served South Florida for 35 years, offering wholesome meals through sustainable practices. The brand provides meals for weddings, corporate and social events at venues across the region. Silverman collaborated with Hansen throughout the years and looked to him for advice as they grew the Lovables brand. In August 2019, Hansen purchased the company for an undisclosed amount and rebranded it to Lovables Catering + Kitchen. Both brands will continue to operate as usual, servicing event venues from Palm Beach to the Florida Keys, however the culinary components at both companies will receive modern touches, including new menus for home delivery services. Bill Hansen Catering’s menus will continue to be created and curated by corporate executive and culinary mastermind chef Dewey Losasso. Both brands will utilize the commissary’s fleet of temperature-controlled vans to offer residential and corporate delivery services for catering throughout South Florida. By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Bill Hansen Catering

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Miami Design District is pleased to host a series of five events taking place throughout the neighborhood, including its fifth annual Fashion Strikes Cancer benefit, in support of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Fashion Strikes Cancer was founded and led by fashion visionary, stylist and breast cancer survivor, Angeles Almuna, to commemorate her battle with cancer and to give hope to all those who are suffering, have suffered, or have lost a loved one to cancer. This year, in celebration of the fifth anniversary of Fashion Strikes Cancer, the neighborhood is proud to host a series of five events set to take place throughout the month of October in support of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The series of events kicked off with a stellar Sunset Yoga class which took place on October 1st in Palm Court led by Ahana Yoga founder, Dawn Feinberg, alongside Angeles where guests enjoyed a special performance by Jahzel Dotel with ticket proceeds benefiting the BCRF. In addition, the neighborhood’s iconic Buckminster Fuller’s Fly’s Eye Dome, has been and will continue to be illuminated in pink each night for the entire month. In solidarity with Breast Cancer research, the neighborhood is also turning its Styling Suite pink, showcasing pink items donated by various participating retailers throughout the Miami Design District. Moreover, on Sunday, October 18th, the Miami Design District in conjunction with Rapha Racing, hosted an MDD x Rapha “Braking Cancer” Bike Ride at 6:30AM in Jungle Plaza. All riders received a satin pink ribbon along with gift packages with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the BCRF. Coming up this week on Saturday, October 24th, Miami Design District and Rapha will join forces once again to host a Fashion Strikes Cancer 5K Run/Walk. Taking place at 6:30AM in Jungle Plaza, tickets are available for $5 each with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the BCRF. To RSVP, please visit the link HERE. Lastly, Miami Design District closes out Breast Cancer Awareness Month on Thursday, October 29th at 7PM with its 5th Annual Fashion Strikes Cancer Benefit, which will take place in Palm Court. If you wish to help support the cause in raising funds throughout the month, please visit the link HERE. By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Miami Design District

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort plans to start 2021 in style with the opening of the new luxury hotel, Hotel Effie Sandestin. Facing setbacks due to COVID-19 that delayed the 2020 opening, Hotel Effie is now confirmed to open February 1, 2021. Located between the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Choctawhatchee Bay, Hotel Effie was designed to welcome all guests of Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort to an experience that exemplifies genuine southern hospitality and exceptional service wrapped in comfortable luxury. The 250-room hotel features multiple room configurations with thoughtful design and exquisite detail. Taking inspiration from the locale, the fully appointed rooms and suites will welcome guests with a complement of amenities, including an upscale spa, state-of-the-art fitness center, and the only rooftop pool on Florida’s Emerald Coast. Add 20,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, to include a 13,000 sq. ft. ballroom, plus all of the unique offerings of the hotel and resort, and Hotel Effie is the perfect setting for a dream wedding, corporate meetings, memorable events and unforgettable vacations. “Beach to bay accommodations, shopping, dining and championship golf has attracted visitors from all around the globe,” said Sara Becnel, VP of Development and General Manager of the resort. “We are thrilled to pair these resort amenities with the luxurious, yet approachable offerings at Hotel Effie.” Hotel Effie announced earlier this year an exclusive partnership with Georgia native and award-winning chef, Hugh Acheson, a highly acclaimed James Beard award winner. Acheson has conceptualized the following four exciting culinary outlets for the hotel: Ovide, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, will embrace the fresh, forward flavors and local seafood of the Gulf Coast. The menu showcases Acheson’s creativity and passion for distinctive ingredients and cooking techniques by fusing coastal cuisine with a sophisticated French influence. Ara Rooftop Pool & Lounge is both a luxurious pool experience and a stylish rooftop lounge with fine wine, hand-crafted cocktails and original menu by Chef Acheson, where guests can experience the hotel’s vibrant atmosphere and energy. Ara showcases panoramic views, private cabanas, and is the only rooftop pool on Florida's Emerald Coast—truly a unique space for guests and locals alike. The Lobby Bar (TLB) is an ideal gathering place and social hub where guests can unwind over creative libations and signature small plates. Sweetbay Coffee, a coffee marketplace curated by Acheson, offering a menu of gourmet, grab-and-go selections. “We could not be more excited to welcome Chef Acheson as part of the family. His expertise elevates the dining offerings at Hotel Effie to that unlike any other in northwest Florida and is groundbreaking for this area,” said Becnel. By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Hotel Effie.

The Lincoln Eatery, Miami Beach's first modern food hall, announces the opening of Miami’s Vice Canteen. The bar is a new mixology concept that pays homage to Miami Beach in the 1970s and 1980s, offering a price point that takes bargoers back in time. The concept pays tribute to memories of Miami Beach’s past, immersing guests into pop culture during the late 20th century with decor and memorabilia from popular television programs filmed in Miami Beach during the 70s and 80s. As bargoers relax on the tropical-inspired bar stools and lounge seating, they go on an iconic journey to the pre-MTV Spring Break version of South Beach as they sip reasonably-priced cocktails starting at $7. In the late 70s and early 80s, Magic City was referred as the “sun and fun capital of the world” and Miami’s Vice celebrates this era with photography of Ocean Drive and the area’s trademark candy-colored Art Deco architecture, posters of Tony Montana, Lincoln Road and of course, the show that inspired the bar’s name - Miami Vice. Miami’s Vice was created by Miami Beach locals and hospitality veterans at Knock Out Hospitality Group, including Maximiliano Melé, Benjamin Collins, Roberto Fernandez and Andre Chirinos. Miami’s Vice serves a curated menu of classic and contemporary libations with a touch of Miami Beach flair as well as wine, beer and specialty cocktails. “For Miami Beach locals who have lived here for generations, Lincoln Road holds a special place in our hearts,” said Maximiliano Melé, managing partner of Knock Out Hospitality Group. “Enjoying a cocktail at Miami’s Vice will bring guests back to the days where South Beach was home to artists and creatives, there was music in the streets and you could buy a drink at a reasonable price.” Menu highlights include the bar’s classic Miami Vice Cocktail ($9), a mixture of traditional strawberry daiquiri and pina colada, The Classic Mojito ($7), comprised of fresh mint, white rum, sugar cane and lime juice, El Perucho ($11), a mixture of Pisco Quebranta, fresh kiwi, white grapes, citrus syrup and lime juice, and The Java Punch ($11), a flavorful combination of green apple-infused vodka, cilantro ginger citrus syrup, chlorophyll, lime juice and fresh apple slices. The bar will also offer an interactive Highball menu, which will allow the guest to pick their own spirits and mixer. The bar also offers a selection of refreshing caipirinhas. Additionally, Miami’s Vice will serve a selection of fresh seafood at the venue’s raw bar, offering oysters ($1), Key West pink shrimp ($2) and Florida stone crabs ($4). All produce and seafood are locally sourced and based on seasonal availability along with vibrant exotic fruits and housemade infusions. The menu, which will rotate seasonally, is curated by a team of expert mixologists, who have experience at some of Miami Beach’s best bars and restaurants. A perfect addition to the after-work scene, Miami’s Vice hosts daily happy hours from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. offering special prices on bites and drinks. The combination of unlimited food options and great prices make the new concept a top choice for casual work meetings, date nights and friendly get-togethers. Miami’s Vice is open Wednesday through Sunday from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m. Starting at 6 p.m Thursday through Sunday, the bar will have live performances by an esteemed group of local DJs and musicians. For more information visit thelincolneatery.com. By ML Staff. Images courtesy of The Lincoln Eatery.

These are timeless thoughts, as narrated by the voice of renowned and multi-awarded Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino in the 20-minutes video-documentary that precedes and introduces the Giorgio Armani Spring/Summer 2021 show, and that, through an emotional edit of images, memories and archive interviews spans decades of Armani's dazzlingly consistent style, before making way to the new collection, broadcasted for the first time on television. For the Spring/Summer 2021 collection, silhouettes, for both men and women, are essential, soft, fluid: a blend of pure lines and neutral colors —grey, beige, black, blue— that light up with occasional geometries, swarming with rhythmic patterns, following an idea of ton sur ton that is real but also metaphorical, but never prevails over the rest. What emerges is the personality of a woman and a man who are free from aesthetic constraints, careful instead to express themselves through what they wear. Whether everything is matte or shimmering, it is the sense of measure that keeps asserting itself, overcoming time. Click to view collection > By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Armani

Even though President Donald Trump is back at the White House following his hospitalization for COVID-19, people around the world are watching his health, in addition to that of a number of other politicians who have tested positive for the disease. Infectious disease specialist and physician Kartikeya Cherabuddi, who has treated COVID-19 patients, explains what medical doctors monitor and how they treat patients, from the early days after an infection and the critical days that follow. Early symptoms and when to seek medical help Common early symptoms include those of the upper respiratory tract – sore throat, runny nose, cough – as well musculoskeletal symptoms, such as as muscle aches, joint pain and fatigue, as well as vomiting and additionally the loss of smell or taste. Fever is present in only a few patients. Many patients may have very mild or no symptoms. As the illness progresses, doctors monitor the lungs for symptoms, such as shortness of breath, or other organ-related problems, such as chest pain of cardiac origin. They sometimes observe confusion, extreme fatigue and weakness in the elderly. Difficulty breathing or the sensation of being out of breath, new confusion or the inability to stay awake, chest pressure or pain are reasons for being evaluated and for possible hospitalization. Monitoring body temperature is not as helpful for evaluating whether one needs to be hospitalized but a pulse oximeter, which measures your blood oxygen level, can be quite helpful. The higher your risk for severe disease, the lower the threshold should be for being evaluated. In addition to knowing symptoms, it’s a good idea to have a COVID-19 plan for all members of your family. Here’s how to start: 1. Where and how will you seek care? 2. Who will care for your dependents, including pets? 3. If living alone, who can check on you by phone? Watching for a second wave after the first week Symptoms may worsen initially as they progress from the upper respiratory tract to the lungs. A second wave of worsening symptoms can then happen after the first week (often day 8 to 10) of illness, when the immune response goes into overdrive. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CC BY In high-risk individuals, it is important during this period after the first week to monitor the patient and to avoid a false sense of security. Worsening shortness of breath, rapid breathing, the use of additional muscles to breathe, difficulty in getting sufficient oxygen and the appearance of being unwell are some of the signs practitioners watch for. A breathing rate above 30-per-minute or a low oxygen level with a new requirement for supplemental oxygen is classified as severe COVID-19. Why the immune system response is critical During early onset of infection, a person’s immune system kicks in with a broad, nonspecific response to the virus, which is especially effective in kids. Immune system proteins called interferons appear to control the infection. The immune cells that attack seasonal coronaviruses which cause common colds do not appear to control the infection but may limit disease severity, duration or both. From days 5 to 14 after infection, a person’s adaptive immunity, which is specific and targeted to SARS-COV-2, takes over. It involves three components - antibodies, killer and helper T-cells. This response needs to be coordinated and controlled. This is often not the case in the elderly, and could explain the more severe illness that is seen in older individuals. Antibodies can eliminate, or neutralize, the virus. These immune cells and their products - cytokines, interleukins and interferons – can control infection but in severe cases go out of control. This produces a severe imbalance and causes the cytokine “storm” in adults or the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children. Doctors carefully follow the patient’s symptoms, exam findings and clinical and laboratory parameters, such as blood tests that measure levels of specific proteins to determine if the patient’s immune system is over-reacting. Critical illness due to COVID-19 develops in 5% of all patients but occurs in 1 in 5 individuals requiring hospitalization. Trump stood on the White House balcony after receiving hospital treatment for COVID-19. AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Author provided Levels of treatment – mild to severe For people who test positive for COVID-19 but are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, there is no proven, effective therapy. Getting a good night’s sleep and exercise and limiting anxiety are helpful. It is recommended that you maintain physical separation but stay in touch with family or friends. Taking vitamin D could provide some benefit, and has been shown in one metanalysis of studies to protect against acute respiratory infections. Those with very low vitamin D levels benefited the most. For people with mild to moderate symptoms, monitoring for any symptoms or signs of worsening in addition to pulse oximeter readings is recommended. Blood oxygen levels should be 94% or over in those with no underlying lung disease. If able, you can walk a little and repeat pulse oximetry, gradually increasing to 6 minutes of walking. For people with severe disease who are hospitalized, there are a number of therapies available: Antiviral agents. Remdesivir has been shown to decrease the duration of hospitalization. Immunosuppressive agents. Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone have a broad effect in damping down the immune system and have been shown to reduce the number of deaths from COVID-19 if oxygen is required. Oxygen. It is administered to keep oxygen saturation above 94%. Medications to prevent blood clots. These medications are given for preventing blood clots during hospitalization. Individual risk and mobility is considered by physicians when used post-discharge. Convalescent plasma. Plasma – the liquid portion of blood – from people who have had COVID-19 contains antibodies that can lessen the severity of an infection or prevent a current patient from getting ill. It is primarily available through clinical trials, which are needed to understand it better. Monoclonal antibodies. These laboratory-manufactured antibodies, which are now going through clinical trials, could similarly lessen the severity of the disease or shorten the course of the illness. Lingering effects and ‘long haulers’ Doctors have known that viral infections, including measles, can cause long-term symptoms. Forty percent of survivors of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, which was also caused by a coronavirus, have reported having residual effects even 3.5 years later. Persistent symptoms for COVID-19 sufferers, termed “long haulers,” sometimes occur even in young adults and children with no underlying medical conditions. In a telephone survey of symptomatic adults who were never hospitalized, 1 in 3 people overall and 1 in 5 among those aged 18 to 34 had not returned to their usual health 14 to 21 days after testing. Symptoms that persist include fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste or smell, headache and body aches. Individuals with severe illness requiring hospitalization may take up to six weeks to recover. Blood clots in the lung, brain and other areas have been reported but with a wide variable range of estimates. Sicker patients and those with more underlying risk factors have a higher incidence. These blood clots – in addition to viral and immune damage to the lungs, heart and brain – can lead to prolonged ill health, decreased mobility and mental issues. A practical and useful guide to rehabilitation self-management after COVID-19 related illness is available from the World Health Organization. Long-term mental effects are an area of tremendous concern. Doctor offices should perform follow-up phone calls, establish post-COVID-19 clinics, and make mental health resources available. Patients and family members can monitor breathing, exercise tolerance, swelling of limbs, body weight and mental activity, and be on the lookout for signs of depression. For an individual patient, the course of illness and complications both immediate and long-term are unpredictable. They need to be closely monitored for two weeks following diagnosis for the second wave of worsening and for up to six weeks for recovery if hospitalized with severe illness. By Kartikeya Cherabuddi. Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Florida. Special thanks to The Conversation for this story and images. You can support the independent network which provides news by donating today.

Bal Harbour Shops, the leading luxury shopping destination in the US,  announced Thursday the launch of their app with ACCESS Membership and Rewards Program. ACCESS is Bal Harbour Shops’ first ever membership and rewards program designed to enhance the customer experience and award our loyal members at the premiere shopping destination. With its impressive roster of curated retail and restaurants, Bal Harbour Shops’ ACCESS will feature member rewards for shopping, dining and more. Customers simply download the Bal Harbour Shops App,  join the ACCESS membership and automatically receive a Welcome Gift of a complimentary parking pass. In addition to the Welcome Gift, ACCESS Members will be entitled to their first reward after making five purchases anywhere in Bal Harbour Shops. ACCESS membership also includes monthly benefits featuring Exclusive Store Offers and Experiences, Complimentary Services, Members Only Invites, Gifts with Purchases, Birthday Gifts, and more. “In this unprecedented time, Bal Harbour Shops has pivoted to engage with our customers in an innovative, unique and meaningful way. With an appreciation for the emotional connection with our clientele from around the globe, we continue to champion a relentlessly long-term approach to luxury retail by focusing on both the near and distant future, by celebrating and delighting the customer and by expanding on over 55 years of unprecedented success, “ said Matthew Whitman Lazenby, President & CEO of Bal Harbour Shops. Those who sign up for the ACCESS program in November, have the opportunity to be chosen as one of three lucky ACCESS members and their guest who will be invited to the Ferrari Esperienza in Miami on January 28th-30th, 2021. “The vision of ACCESS is to develop the next generation luxury experience program and to celebrate each customer as they join our Bal Harbour Shops family,” stated Stephanie Sayfie Aagaard, Collaborative Innovator at Bal Harbour Shops and founder of the ACCESS program. The Bal Harbour Shops app is available for download in the App store. For more information, email access@balharbourshops.com or visit the Bal Harbour Shops website. By ML Staff. Image courtesy of Ball Harbour Shops

During the COVID-19 pandemic, arranging protests and political movements in the streets has proven challenging due to social distancing orders. Campaigns around the world such as the #ClimateStrike movement initiated by Greta Thunberg have moved online through the use of social media. The movement has now turned into #ClimateStrikeOnline, where hundreds of social media posts pour in every week. Artistic posters on Twitter and dance choreography on TikTok have helped increase appeal for the movement among young people around the world and continue it in a more light-hearted way. Students are fighting climate change, one TikTok video at a time. This movement’s sustainability and its ability to captivate audiences suggests these kinds of artistic approaches can be a great medium for activism in the digital space. Arts activism — traditionally performed offline in the pre-social media era — combines the creative and emotional capacity of the arts with the strategic planning of activists to push for meaningful change in society online. These three examples highlight how digital arts can help spark and sustain political engagement as it moves online amid the pandemic. Stirring emotions to build political participation Digital arts activism has the power to help people channel suffering, trauma or their outrage into persuasive messages. Many studies have indicated this can help increase community engagement and political participation — from human rights advocacy to campaigns against discrimination and economic inequality. Twenty-five-year-old Danielle Coke from Atlanta, for instance, is an illustrator who posts digital drawings on Instagram to advocate for important issues such as ending systemic racism. Although she has criticised people for not crediting her appropriately, her work has been cited and shared by many people and to support a number of political movements such as #BlackLivesMatter. For instance, some of the art she created discusses the cases of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd — two African-American citizens killed by local police on separate occasions. These artworks have since been used by thousands of people to voice outrage against institutional racism in America’s law enforcement system. The iconic poster of the “ballerina and the bull” is another example. The artwork, created by Micah White through his anti-consumerist magazine Adbusters, played a significant role helping initiate the Occupy Wall Street movement. The poster contrasted the image of the Wall Street Bull statue — meant to symbolise the dynamics of capitalism — with the “zen stillness” of a ballerina. These details, along with the shrouded figures in the poster’s background helped evoke a sense of fear and shared urgency regarding the country’s state of economic inequality. This helped pushed some to participate in, or at least become aware of, the #OccupyWallStreet movement. The New York Times noted in an article that although the magazine through its poster did not come up with the frustrations felt by the movement’s protesters, it significantly shaped the movement’s aesthetic brand. Sustaining the complexity of theatrical performances The COVID-19 pandemic has caused many artistic movements to migrate into the digital space. One example is “Conexion: Art and Activism in Oaxaca”. Originally planned as a showcase at the Newcomb Art Museum in Louisiana, United States, Conexion Oaxaca is an interactive digital exhibition by Latin American Studies students. The digital exhibition highlights issues such as gender-based violence, access to education, family separation, and economic inequality. The digital Coaxaca exhibition was curated by Tulane University students and faculty staff trough a Zoom meeting. (Screenshot from Conexion Oaxaca) Due to the pandemic, the exhibition has transformed into a fully interactive website that guides viewers throughout its four navigable themes which contain magazines, quilted art and documentary films. However, it wasn’t always this easy. The practice of staging art exhibitions online was once criticised for lacking what German philosopher Walter Benjamin calls an “aura of authenticity” — a sensory experience that results from an artwork being uniquely present in time and space. However, the growth of social media has helped online exhibitions fulfil the basic principles of art; that it should be visible, versatile, suggestive and transmissible. In fact, I argue that the viewing experience is enhanced as now artworks can be played back, examined thoroughly and intensively studied, on demand, by a diverse range of audiences. Universities must teach arts activism to students An effective way way to start making digital arts activism prevalent among students and young people is by incorporating it within higher education. In most developing countries, however, art is currently still a highly specialised program in college. Activist movements, on the other hand, are often only studied only under faculties teaching the social sciences or humanities. In order to complement the scientific methodology used in most natural and social science programs, universities need to incorporate art in each of their department’s curricula as part of the intellectual tradition of higher education. King’s College London, for example, has been developing an interdisciplinary module titled “Art and Activism in the Digital Age” to be implemented across its study programs. The university also collaborates with local artist and provides grants for digital art projects that are accessible even to students outside the Faculty of Humanities. If we want higher education to have impact, students need to learn how to absorb experiences from events happening in their environment and channel them into meaningful initiatives. Digital art activism is a great way to help them do this. By Kandi Aryani Suwito Lecturer at the Department of Communication, Universitas Airlangga and PhD Candidate in Digital Humanities, King's College London . Special thanks to The Conversation. Images courtesy of Unsplash, by JonTyson.

Many organizations have prioritized workplace equality and access to high-paying, executive level jobs for minority groups in recent years. Several 2020 presidential candidates are putting forward plans to increase minority executive positions by diversifing corporate boards, punishing companies with poor diversity track records and increasing funding for minority-led business institutions. However, according to our own 2019 analysis, white men still hold the majority of executive positions such as CEOs, management directors and financial officers. As economic and communication scholars, we looked at Equal Employment Opportunity Commission employment data for executives at large and mid-sized companies. Our analysis shows that white men sit in 65.5% of these high-paying boardroom positions while representing only 38% of the U.S. workforce. The dominance of white male executives, however, is by no means evenly distributed across the country. Our report tracks representation among Hispanic executives city by city. Chart: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND Source: JD Swerzenski, University of Massachusetts Amherst Get the data C-suite inequality As of 2019, Hispanics are the largest minority group in the U.S. at 18.3%. Statistics from 2017 show that Hispanics make up 17% of the labor force. However, they occupy only 4.3% of executive positions in the U.S. Hispanic representation is roughly equal to that of black executives and somewhat lower than Asian American executives. The gap between labor force and executive representation is wider among Hispanics than any other group. Executive jobs offer salary – US$155,586 on average – benefits and job security that simply are not available in lower level positions. They also offer the power to drive initiatives, including those focused on diversity. Where do the Hispanic executives work? Pittsburgh is the only large city in the U.S. to nearly reach equity. Hispanics comprise 1.3% of the city’s executive workforce and 1.4% of its overall labor market. That low overall representation is a trend among cities with the best equity. Four out of five American cities with the most equitable representation – Pittsburgh, Detroit, St. Louis and Cincinnati - have Hispanic populations of less than 4%. These findings fall in line with our earlier research showing that minority representation in executive positions is highest in areas with the lowest minority population. The final city in the top five, Miami, stands out for its high representation of Hispanic executives at 24.6% and high percentage of Hispanics in the overall workforce at 44.1%. Miami is also an anomaly among other large cities with Hispanic work forces such as Houston – 43% overall labor force and 10.3% executive representation – and Los Angeles – 34.2% labor force and 8% executive. Driving Miami’s high representation is likely the city’s strong economic connections to Central and South America, which favors Hispanic cultural background and Spanish language capability among top executives. This is especially true with regards to the many media-based companies located in Miami, such as Telemundo, which targets consumers throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Chart: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND Source: JD Swerzenski, University of Massachusetts Amherst Trends at the bottom So how do things look at the other end of the scale? New York City has the largest Hispanic population in the U.S with 2.3 million individuals. They comprise of 22.6% of the city’s total workforce, including 28.7% of its service workers and 40% of its laborer positions. But only 4.5% of New York’s executives are Hispanic. New York matters because of the large number of Hispanics who live there and the relative power of its executive positions. In 2019, 73 of the Fortune 500 companies were headquartered in the city, among them Citibank, Verizon, MetLife and many other major firms. It’s unlikely that there is one key factor behind the lack of Hispanic representation in these jobs. One possibility is an entrenched corporate culture in New York dominated by white male executives. Further, unlike in Miami, Hispanic cultural and linguistic backgrounds are perhaps less valued in these boardrooms. This, however, shouldn’t eliminate the possibility for change. New York’s trade workers – a group once dominated by white men – now includes 21.3% Hispanic workers, one of the highest rates in the country. Efforts to develop Hispanic executive candidates similar to Miami’s youth entrepreneurship program or Pittsburgh’s business incubator program centered in the city’s Hispanic Beechwood neighborhood might lead to greater diversification of New York’s corporate offices. Rounding out the bottom five are San Jose, Salt Lake City, Hartford and Oklahoma City, all cities with at least 10% Hispanic representation in the labor force. Chart: The Conversation, CC-BY-ND Source: JD Swerzenski, University of Massachusetts Amherst Get the data Diversity matters Research indicates that boardroom diversity can positively impact both profitability and job satisfaction within companies, in particular by bridging the divide between company executives and lower level employees. With recent reports showing stagnation in the overall number of Hispanic executives nationwide, it’s particularly important for cities and companies to consider what more can be done to bring more Hispanics into the boardroom. Cities might bolster Hispanic business participation and entrepreneurship by helping build business incubator programs, supporting Hispanic business development groups and promoting educational opportunities at area universities. To make change Hispanic workers need to be employed in positions that feed into to the highest company levels. Currently, 8% of all managerial and 6% of all professional positions in the U.S. are Hispanic, far below their labor market share of 17%. Overriding these discrepancies means acknowledging cultural blindspots that often exclude Hispanic workers, such as non-Latino employers recognizing unconscious biases in their communication styles and providing opportunities to professionally use Hispanic cultural competencies. These efforts are important nationwide. However, they apply critically in cities such as Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and Phoenix, all cities with large and deep-rooted Hispanic populations where representation is lagging. By JD Swerzenski. Ph.D. Candidate in Communication, University of Massachusetts Amherst. | Donald T. Tomaskovic-Devey. Professor of Sociology; Director, Center for Employment Equity, University of Massachusetts Amherst. | Eric Hoyt Research Director of the Center for Employment Equity, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Special thanks to The Conversation for this story and images. You can support the independent network which provides news by donating today.

If you have a toddler, or if you encountered one in the last year, you’ve almost certainly experienced the “Baby Shark” song. Somehow, every kid seems to know this song, but scientists actually know very little about where and when sharks give birth. The origins of these famous baby sharks are still largely a mystery. Many of the large iconic shark species – like great whites, hammerheads, blue sharks and tiger sharks – cross hundreds or thousands of miles of ocean every year. Because they’re so wide-ranging, much of sharks’ lives, including their reproductive habits, remains a secret. Scientists have struggled to figure out precisely where and how often sharks mate, the length of their gestation, and many aspects of the birthing process. I am a Ph.D. student studying shark ecology and reproduction and am on a team of researchers hoping to answer two important questions: Where and when do sharks give birth? In need of innovation Until very recently, the technology to answer these questions did not exist. But marine biologist James Sulikowski, a professor at Arizona State University and my research mentor, changed that. He developed a new satellite tag called the Birth-Tag with the help of the technology company Lotek Wireless. He has no stake in the company. Using this new satellite tag, our team is working to uncover where and when tiger sharks give birth and is demonstrating a proof of concept for how scientists can do the same for other large shark species. The Birth-Tag is a small, egg-shaped device that we insert into the uterus of a pregnant shark where it will remain dormant and hidden among the fetal sharks throughout pregnancy. This kind of tag has never before been used on sharks, but similar implanted tags have been used to figure out the birthing locations of terrestrial mammals, such as deer, for decades with great success. When a tagged mother shark gives birth, the tag will be expelled alongside the babies and float to the sea surface. Once it senses dry air, the tag transmits its location to a passing satellite, which then sends that location and time of transmission back to our lab. As soon as we download this information, we know where and when that shark gave birth. After years of fine-tuning this new technology, we launched the first phase of the study in December of 2019 and began deploying the tags. Once the study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees at both Arizona State University and the University of Miami, as well as the Bahamian government, we set out to find some tiger sharks. To do this, our team of researchers from the Sulikowski Shark and Fish Conservation Lab and the Shark Research and Conservation Program at the University of Miami led by marine biologist Neil Hammerschlag, traveled to the crystal-clear waters of Tiger Beach off Grand Bahama Island to tag tiger sharks. Tiger sharks are large and powerful predators. Getting close enough for a check-up is not easy. Tanya Houppermans Up close with an apex predator Tiger Beach is a hot spot for female tiger sharks of many different life stages, including large pregnant individuals. These pregnant females may be aggregating in the warm, calm waters of Tiger Beach to take refuge and speed up their gestation. The high number of pregnant sharks in this small area makes finding one much easier, but actually catching and bringing a 10-foot-plus shark to the boat is no easy task. We fish for the sharks using drumlines, and it can take several hours to safely catch, pull in by hand, and secure one of these powerful creatures next to the boat. Once we catch a female tiger shark, we first take several length and girth measurements to get an idea of her general health and to see if she is sexually mature. Then we check for bite marks, which are evidence of a recent mating event. After we collect this baseline information, we rotate her upside down to coax her into a trance-like state called tonic immobility. Tonic immobility is a natural reflex in many sharks that induces a state of physical inactivity. This keeps the powerful shark calm and still for the most exciting part of the workup, the part where my experience comes into play: the pregnancy check. A not-so-routine ultrasound. Tanya Houppermans Expecting Just like the ultrasounds used on humans, we use a mobile ultrasound machine to figure out if a shark is expecting. I put on a pair of goggles that allow me to see everything the ultrasound sees, lean over the side of the boat, and place the probe onto the upside down shark’s abdomen. The image is usually fuzzy at first as water splashes over the shark and up onto the boat. The team holds the shark still as I slowly maneuver the probe along her belly. Then, if she’s pregnant, something magical happens. Wriggling baby tiger sharks, up to 40 of them packed tightly together inside their mother’s womb, appear in front of my eyes. The image also appears on a screen held by another team member on the boat, and everyone cheers as they gather around to take a peek into the secret world of unborn sharks. We spy on them as they pump fluid through their still-developing gills, and we watch in awe as they wiggle around, blissfully unaware that anything extraordinary is happening outside in the world. Once we have enough data on the approximate size of the offspring – which gives us an idea of how far along the pregnancy is – it’s time to tag the mama shark. As I hold the probe as still as possible to keep a visual of the shark’s internal anatomy, Dr. Sulikowski takes the Birth-Tag and uses a custom-designed applicator to carefully insert it into the uterus through the urogenital opening. No surgery required, the tagging procedure is complete in a matter of minutes. Once the tag is inside the uterus, we rotate the shark upright to wake her and release her back to the open ocean. I am filled with hope as I watch her swim gracefully away to continue her pregnancy, with a stow-away Birth-Tag hidden among her unborn offspring. These apex predatory sharks are important to ecosystems around the world. Tanya Houppermans Solving the mystery Last December, we deployed the first Birth-Tags on three pregnant tiger sharks. For tiger sharks, pregnancy is thought to last 12-16 months, but researchers have little in the way of hard data. Since these tagged sharks ranged from recently mated to mid-gestation, an added bonus of this study is that it might help refine estimates of the length of pregnancy for this species. Although we work in The Bahamas, a shark sanctuary where it is illegal to kill sharks, tiger sharks migrate extensively. As such, each tagged shark will likely spend time outside of The Bahamas in unprotected waters where she will have to navigate carefully to avoid interaction with fishing gear. Tiger sharks are considered near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and their populations are currently in decline. The data we gain from this first round of tags will give us and policymakers information that could inform future protections for this species. We are currently waiting to receive a notification from our online ARGOS satellite system that will alert us that one of our sharks has given birth. When that happens, we will be the first in the world to know, in close to real time, where and when tiger sharks give birth. Many species of shark are threatened with extinction, and understanding their reproductive cycles is key to the effective conservation of these ecologically important and beautiful creatures. Using the Birth-Tag, we are at the cusp of unlocking this information about tiger sharks and will hopefully show that this can be done for many more species. We are planning future expeditions to deploy many more Birth-Tags, but for now, we’ll just have to keep singing the “Baby Shark” song as we patiently wait for our first glimpse into the private lives of these incredible creatures. By Hannah Verkamp. PhD Student in Marine Biology, Arizona State University. Special thanks to The Conversation for this story and images. 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