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Tiffany & Co. is storied brand beloved by many, including Hollywood starlets who are constantly seen wearing Tiffany designs on the red carpet. 77th Golden Globe Awards Charlize Theron, Michelle Williams, and Billy Porter shined in sustainably sourced Tiffany & Co. diamonds at the 77th Golden Globe Awards. Best Actress in a Drama nominee Charlize Theron appeared on the red carpet in an exquisite Tiffany & Co. High Jewelry Collection Fall 2020 necklace. Actor Billy Porter wearing a Tiffany & Co. pendant in platinum with a pear-shaped diamond of over 11 carats, a Tiffany diamond dragonfly brooch, and Tiffany rings at the 77th Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles. Donning Tiffany & Co. Schlumberger® Ribbon Fan earrings, nominee for The Morning Show Reese Witherspoon complemented her look with a bracelet inspired by the waning pattern of the lunar cycle, in which Tiffany artisans deconstructed the heart and star motifs and re-created them with baguette and round brilliant diamonds. Actress Reese Witherspoon wearing Tiffany & Co. diamonds and gold cuff at the 77th Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles. Nominated for her performance in Knives Out, actress Ana de Armas’ red carpet look featured a striking necklace with 19 pear-shaped sapphires of over 101 total carats and princess-cut diamonds of over 6 total carats. She complemented her look with mesmerizing pear-shaped diamond earrings of over 24 total carats, paired with Tiffany diamond stud earrings, and a tanzanite ring of over 18 carats. Actress Ana de Armas shined in Tiffany & Co. diamond earrings and a sapphire necklace of over 101 total carats the 77th Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles. Pose nominee Billy Porter dominated the red carpet in a scintillating Tiffany diamond pendant featuring a significant pear-shaped diamond of over 11 carats and round brilliant diamonds of over 31 total carats. Porter completed his look with a Tiffany dragonfly brooch and a selection of Tiffany T rings. 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Bombshell Female Leading Actor nominee Charlize Theron was joined by Big Little Lies nominees Laura Dern and Zoë Kravitz in Tiffany & Co. on the 26th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® red carpet. Charlize Theron dazzled in $4 million worth of Tiffany diamonds, including stunning Tiffany diamond earrings of over 11 carats paired with exquisite Tiffany diamond bracelets and rings, with a Tiffany Victoria® bracelet in her hair. 73rd British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards (BAFTA Awards) Leading actress nominee Charlize Theron stunned at the BAFTA® Awards red carpet in a dazzling high jewelry choker from Tiffany & Co.’s new Tiffany T1 collection, launching April 2020. Theron complemented the choker with a selection of Tiffany earrings and rings. Leading Actress nominee Charlize Theron debuts a diamond choker from Tiffany & Co.’s new Tiffany T1 collection, launching in April 2020, at the 2020 BAFTA® Awards in London, UK. After stunning on the BAFTA® Awards red carpet in Tiffany & Co.’s new Tiffany T1 collection, Charlize Theron kept the dazzling Tiffany T1 high jewelry choker on as she headed to the British Vogue and Tiffany & Co. celebration of fashion and film party at Annabel’s. Irina Shayk sparkled in Tiffany & Co. diamonds. Co-host Irina Shayk at the Vogue and Tiffany & Co. Fashion and Film party at Annabel’s in London, UK. 92nd Annual Academy Awards Best Actress nominee Charlize Theron walked the 92nd Academy Awards red carpet in a stunning Tiffany High Jewelry Collection Fall 2020 necklace, featuring a mesmerizing D color, internally flawless marquise diamond of over 21 carats. Theron’s necklace is valued at over $5,000,000 and includes an astounding 165 dazzling Tiffany diamonds in total. She completed her look with Tiffany diamond studs and band rings. Presenter Gal Gadot exuded glamour in the Tiffany Clara necklace, featuring over 76 total carats of Tiffany diamonds and valued at over $2,000,000. Gadot’s necklace took Tiffany’s master artisans almost two years to create and culminates in a sensational oval diamond of over 11 carats. Gadot complemented her look with radiant Tiffany diamond earrings and a Tiffany diamond ring of over 9 carats. Model and actress Camila Morrone dazzled in over 46 total carats of Tiffany & Co. diamonds at the 92nd Academy Awards®. Morrone arrived on the red carpet wearing a platinum necklace from the Extraordinary Tiffany High Jewelry Collection Spring 2020. Model and actress Camila Morrone dazzled in Tiffany diamonds on the 92nd Academy Awards® red carpet. Tiffany & Co. is located at Miami Design District Address: 114 NE 39th St, Miami, FL 33137 Phone:(305) 428-1390 By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

Thrive Philanthropy is showcasing its 2020 Connect Summit, a two day virtual event called Thrive Philanthropy's Connect Summit in order to explore the key interconnected drivers of change, the various ways of giving and the impact that technology has on philanthropy. The virtual Connect Summit will be held on June 23-24 and is designed as a platform where questions raised will help organizations make more informed decisions about the future. The event will feature the who’s who in the non-profit and philanthropy circuit, including keynote speakers who include Matthew McConaughey, Stephen and Ayesha Curry, George and Amal Clooney, Ashton Kutcher, Charlize Theron, Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Camilla Alves, and Julie Cordua, and are joined by industry panelists including Cotopaxi’s Annie Agle, Walt Disney Company’s Elissa Margolis, Patagonia’s Cara Chacon, Ben & Jerry’s Dave Raport, Hilton Foundation’s Shaheen Kassim Lakha, UN Foundation’s Kathy Calvin, MacArthur Foundation’s Dana Rice, Obama Foundation’s David Simas, Novo Foundation’s Jennifer and Peter Buffett, CMA Foundation’s Tiffany Kerns and The Rockefeller Foundation’s Dr. Rajiv J. Shah. KEY TOPICS Why Nonprofits Will Matter In America’s Next Chapter More Than Ever What the future of giving back will look like The future of sustainable and impact investing ( pre-recorded panel with the heads of sustainable and impact investing for Glenmede, Morgan Stanley, Boston Consulting Group and Lazard Asset management) How to lead a business with purpose How philanthropists and ultra high net worth individuals can drive innovation with new avenues for social good The two-day Connect Summit is Thrive Philanthropy’s virtual conference uniting humanitarians, advocates and visionaries to educate, enlighten, and engage on the most crucial and urgent global issues.  Attendees will have access to influential innovators in philanthropy virtually and learn how they can implement unique strategies to drive more impactful programming, fundraising strategies and advocacy. Those interested in attending can learn more by visiting: connectsummit

Born of a revolutionary bloodline to activist filmmaker, Melvin Van Peebles, you could say that Mario Van Peebles was born to make films that nudge our social consciousness and encourage us to answer questions we hadn’t thought to ask. An actor, director and writer, Mario Van Peebles’ first foray into acting was playing a younger version of his father Melvin’s character, Sweetback, in the senior Van Peebles’ most notable film, 1971’s Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song. Baadasssss Song pioneered a new era of African-American cinema throughout the 1970s. It was this small role in his father’s groundbreaking film that set the stage for Mario’s life and career. He would continue to be driven to add to his father’s earlier legacy with films that push audiences out of their comfort zone and question social and societal boundaries. One theme that run through much of Mario Van Peebles’ work is the assertion that we all have the right to be fully recognized human beings, but more provocatively, how do we react when we feel that right has been infringed upon? Some might call Van Peebles an iconoclast, coming for long cherished, yet often potentially destructive social norms and institutions, while remaining inherently likeable to his fans. The secret, he says, is in the characters he writes, directs and sometimes portrays; they are complex portraits that make us look at the gray areas of life while being entertained. As a filmmaker, he has an endless fascination with American culture, with all of its bumps and bruises. And as he states, "America is often referred to as ‘the melting pot.’ If you take immigrants from all over the world with different beliefs and bring them together you get conflict and sparks, but from that cultural [suffuse], you also get great music and art.” In his latest independent film, Armed, written, directed and starring Van Peebles, he plays a former U.S. Marshall who has fallen on hard times after he led his team of under-cover agents on a raid that went horribly wrong. Now, suffering from PTSD and other mental health issues, as well as a somewhat warped sense of reality, he must navigate life as a civilian while desperately trying to regain some former glory and recognition. Armed aims to portray the complexities of human nature and questions the publicly floated theory that “a good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun.” Van Peebles’ character, Chief, was one of the good guys in his career as a U.S. Marshall. Still armed with a collection of guns, he now struggles with mental illness; a potentially combustible combination. The questions that this film asks are topical and obvious, but the conclusions are not, which is what makes Armed an interesting watch. Interview and words by Allison Kugel Allison Kugel: I’m going to lead with a comment that your character, Chief, makes at the end of your new film, Armed; “We’re all born into this world looking for love, and sometimes we settle for attention.” That statement is profound and ties into our culture’s current obsession with social media. What’s your take on that? Mario Van Peebles: It’s understanding the ego and its need to experience itself. The ego doesn’t like being invisible. It can’t handle that, and so we need recognition on some level. Also, as pack animals we need recognition, because we need to have a designation within the pack or we don’t survive. A great white shark doesn’t need recognition, it just needs to eat (laughs). But a wolf… is it the beta wolf, is it the alpha wolf? It needs to know what its role is within the pack. Social norms and structure play a big part when you’re a pack animal. For example, if a kid can’t get recognized for being an A student, he’ll settle for being recognized as a disruptor, or the class clown, or the athlete, or even as the cutter. The bigger thing, of course, is to be loved. That’s the ultimate high. But when we can’t get that, we settle for some sort of attention. Now, with social media, people are creating these faux-lifestyle commercials that are not really them. There’s a Drake lyric where he says, “I know a girl happily married ‘til she puts down her phone.” The pictures you take, those Snapchats you take, are capturing these created or staged moments. Allison Kugel: How do you connect that statement to the mass shootings that are happening with increased frequency? Mario Van Peebles: The people that seem to commit them are often referred to as loners, and people that didn’t fit in; people who wanted a sense of importance that they didn’t feel. Part of it, I think, is that we have evolved rather quickly, socially speaking. I’m in New York right now, and I’m on the eighth floor. Someone above me is on the ninth floor, and someone below me is on the seventh floor. We’re not really designed to live like this, where we’re stacked up on top of each other. Cities are these artificial social constructs. Our bodies are pretty much the same as when we were in Egypt, or maybe when we were in chains. But socially we’ve evolved very quickly. As pack animals, as hunter gatherers, we do well in groups of maybe fifty, or even a hundred. Beyond that, we divide into sub-groups. We want to be in groups where everyone knows our name, where we are not nameless. When you live in a city and you suddenly are around whole groups of people who don’t know your name, you can be surrounded by folks and yet have feel very lonely and disassociated. Allison Kugel: You’ve come up with a catch phrase, “Make America Think Again,” an obvious retort to Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again.” What inspired it? Mario Van Peebles: Even before [Trump] put that slogan out there, I wanted to make films that made people think. There are three loves in life: love what you do, love and enjoy the people you do it with, and love what you say with what you do. If I can make people think while they consume art, maybe they’ll think when they’re ordering their food, or when they’re picking out what car to drive, or maybe, even when they’re voting. I’m intrigued by the relationship between the art we watch and how we vote. My film will hopefully make people discern, “Oh wow! We all have some good guy and some bad guy within us.” “A good guy with a gun stops a bad guy with a gun,” is a very reductive way of looking at the world. The reality of human beings is much more complex. I’ve always wanted to make films that make people think, so it was just natural to say, “Let’s Make America Think Again.” Allison Kugel: Human beings are very complex. Personally speaking, I am the first to say that I’m not a good candidate to be a gun owner. I’m a very passionate person, an emotionally driven person, and I had a temper in my past. I think those of us that are in the arts tend to experience some high highs and low lows; it’s how we are able to create. But I know that because I feel things so deeply, there have been times I may not have been in the best state of mind. So, I have always said that I never want to own a gun. Mario Van Peebles: I have never ever heard anyone say that. That is awesome that you’re aware of it, and that says a lot about where you are in your life, emotionally. But you’re able to make a good living doing what you love, as am I. To some degree, the system works for us. It’s much easier when the system works for you, to be in that emotional state to even analyze yourself on that level. Allison Kugel: It requires having the luxury of time to get to know yourself, and to develop that consciousness… Mario Van Peebles: And perspective, correct. You’re not just hustling hand-to-mouth, trying to feed your baby, buy pampers, and figure out how to avoid the drug dealer down the street. Allison Kugel: I’ve heard so many people say that putting your own money into a film is the worst investment one could make. You even wrote in your director’s statement, “The golden rule is he who has the gold makes the rule. The other [golden] rule is he who uses his own gold to finance a film is a knuckle head or has the last name Van Peebles.” (Laughs) Are you in it simply for the social impact, or is this film also a business venture for you? Mario Van Peebles: It is for me, as well as one of my sons (Mandela Van Peebles). He took the money he made from Roots, and that’s why his name is [in the credits] as Executive Producer. He liked the idea of Armed, and I think he’s going to get a pretty good return. I’ve done it before, and it is a risk, but it’s a calculated risk. I can’t think of anything better to do with it other than paying for education and travel. I don’t want more clothes. I have one hybrid car and the air conditioner is broken (laughs). I’m laughing, but I’m serious. I will eventually get another car. But what do I want to look back on when I’m an old fart? I want to do the movies I want to do. And like I said in my director’s statement, you can’t make Supersize Me if you’re going to take McDonald’s money. All the movies lately with casts of color, and there are some wonderful movies out now, but they’re all race-centric. My movie, Armed, is not race-centric; it has nothing to do with race, and yet it’s a multiracial cast. Click to view larger image > Allison Kugel: I’ve noticed that you tend to sway more societal than racial with your messaging. Mario Van Peebles: If you look at my film Baadasssss!, the same day that Baadasssss! came out, the movie Soul Plane came out. Baadasssss! is about my dad and his film, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (1971). The LA Times wrote that these two movies came out on the same day; Soul Plane was made for $16 million by a big studio with a predominantly African American cast, and the premise was that black people running an airline is laughable. It’s a message of disempowerment. Baadasssss!, made for $1 million in 18 days by an independent filmmaker, says that the idea of people of all colors coming together and making a hit movie that changed the complexion of Hollywood is a possibility, and it’s a fact, and it’s a real story and a message of empowerment across color lines. I couldn’t have made that impact within the system. Allison Kugel: You have to value your own soul to make those kinds of decisions; that has to be worth something to you. It’s hard to find sometimes in certain industries, but I have no doubt that it does exist. I’m talking to it right now. Mario Van Peebles: Sometimes you find it in people who don’t look like you. They don’t have the same beliefs as you; they’re white, they’re black, they’re gay, straight, male, female, all of it. If you’re open to that smorgasbord of humanity and you make it a welcoming place, then you learn. And boy do you learn quickly when you’re working with people. Allison Kugel: The first time I became aware of you was in the early nineties, with the film New Jack City, in 1991. New Jack City was a social and political commentary on the crack epidemic, and it was a very profitable film. Throughout your career, the roles you’ve played in front of the camera, and the films you’ve made, have all had social and societal messages, beyond their entertainment value. Do you ever like to take on a role or become involved with a project just for entertainment’s sake? Mario Van Peebles: I could probably talk myself into it by saying, “Well, I could do this slant on this character, which would make it interesting.” I was in Jaws: The Revenge (1987), and I found a way to have fun with that. Part of the fun is finding other ways to enlarge the story or the experience. So, absolutely! But I find ways of making it work for myself and enriching it. That’s a lot of fun to do. Allison Kugel: With this film, Armed, do you fear the echo chamber effect, where people that are on the left and proponents of gun control laws are going to be responsive, while people on the right who are very pro-Second Amendment aren’t going to be interested at all? Mario Van Peebles: I think if you are absolutely committed to a position, then you will be committed to it with or without this film. If I make a documentary about [guns], then yes, that absolutely is the case. We don’t tend to learn informationally; we learn behaviorally. If you make something entertaining and you play against type it tends to grab people’s attention. People are used to seeing me playing a character that is heroic. In Armed I’m playing against type. With this character, you’re kind of waiting for him to get it together, and you’re rooting for this guy. You’re in this guy’s skin, and then when it goes sideways, you’re still right there with him. It makes you feel like, “I enjoyed being there and still wanted him to win, but I was super conflicted.” The moral of this film is, can I put myself into the skin of someone who is kind of a ticking timebomb? Good film takes you in, just like good religion takes you in. Bad religion is exclusionary and says, “You can’t come in because you’re different. You mentioned New Jack City. It’s the same thing with Chris Rock’s character in New Jack City. How many gangster films make the crime seem victimless? In New Jack City, it’s not just the good cops and the villains or gangsters. You also have Chris Rock, who’s a victim of the crack epidemic. When audiences watched “the victim” in that film, I had kids in the first screening of New Jack City stand up and yell at the screen, “Just Say No Motherf*cker!” When you get kids to react against drugs in a gangster movie, wow! With this new film, Armed, I can try to get people inside the head of a guy who loves to be recognized, who would settle for attention, and who realizes he might not be a good candidate to be a gun owner. Allison Kugel: What do you think you are on this earth to learn, and what are you here to teach? Mario Van Peebles: That’s a great question. For my birthday, I had my kids record answers to some questions I asked them. I gave them six questions and that was one of them. I guess I want to stay old enough to be a great teacher and remain young enough to be a badass dude. I always want to be okay with saying, “I don’t know.” If you fill a glass with water, you can’t put milk in it because it’s already filled up with water. You’ve got to be willing to not be full to take new things in. Allison Kugel: Which goes back to our earlier conversation about remaining open to information that may not fit your current narrative… Mario Van Peebles: That’s why I always want to remain open to learning new things. If the world needed green, I think I would try to find a way to bring in some green. If the world needed more yellow, then I would try to find that. Each of my kids is different and it has made me be a different dad to each one of them. It’s been interesting to learn that parenting is not one size fits all. Right now, the world needs an elevated consciousness and a sense of the we. My kids recently asked me, “You mean if all the kids all over the world refused to fight, there would be no more war? And if they listened to us there’d be no more prejudice? It would stop in one generation?” Sometimes what I’m here to learn, I learn through my kids. The basis of all of this is to just be kind. Be kind to the planet, be kind to yourself, be kind to your neighbor. It sounds corny, but that’s at the essence of it all. Photo Credits: Mario Van Peebles, GVN Releasing, MVP Armed, written, directed by and starring Mario Van Peebles, is out in theaters, on digital platforms and VOD. Allison Kugel is a syndicated entertainment columnist, and author of the book, Journaling Fame: A memoir of a life unhinged and on the record. Follow her on Instagram @theallisonkugel and at AllisonKugel.com. For more info visit https://natu-real.com

As the Miami Design District (MDD) has officially reopened on Wednesday, May 20th, exciting art programs are debuting in the neighborhood. During the past few months, MDD ensured to maintain its connection with the arts through virtual offerings and panel discussions. To continue celebrating and supporting its longstanding relationship with the arts, the neighborhood will enhance its artistic programing, bringing local and international arts and artists to our local community. The latest art program and series of installations debut under the direction of the Miami Design District’s new curator Claire Breukel, who helms from such prestigious organizations as Locust Projects and sports lifestyle brand PUMA. Claire has previously curated, co-produced, and ran a number of high-profile art programs, exhibitions, and auctions, such as Unscripted for Bal Harbour Village, the (RED) Design Auction at Sotheby’s New York and also the one at the MDD. She has also written for leading art publications, such as Harvard’s Revista, Whitewall, and Hyperallergic as well as co-edited the publication Y.ES Collect Contemporary El Salvador, and was a co-founder for the organization YES, where she still serves as a council member today. Situated in unique spaces throughout the neighborhood, the new art installations feature artwork from a range of artists both domestic and abroad, which will serve to continue inspiring and connecting guests with the arts. Conceptual artist and Miami local Tom Scicluna unveiled his latest anticipated piece titled "3060 sq. ft.” on May 15th. The Piero Atchugarry Gallery will showcase sculptors from Latin America, expanding his program from Uruguay and the USA beginning Monday, May 25th. PLACE Miami Preview Edition is focused on bringing local artists and designers together beginning Monday, May 29th. Artist Pepe Mar will highlight his work at a pop-up exhibit in the neighborhood starting on Friday, June 5th.  Finally, art lovers missing the Peréz Art Museum Miami (PAMM), which is closed until September, can get a taste of its beloved museum’s gift and book shop that will be temporarily popping up at the Miami Design District, beginning Monday, June 22nd. TOM SCICLUNA "3060 sq. ft.” is a site-based intervention comprising a large 36 x 85 feet vinyl billboard advertisement that activates the Miami Design District property. Sourced and shipped directly via an online used billboard website, "3060 sq. ft." physically makes real and sculptural a two-dimensional image; with content that was unknown until its arrival and installation within the Paradise Plaza space. One of Miami’s most celebrated conceptual artists, represented by Nina Johnson Gallery, Tom Scicluna questions ideas of artistic control, display, the function of the image and distance that exists between viewer and image, idea and reality. Location: Paradise Plaza 133 Date: May 15, 2020 - June 27, 2020 PIERO ATCHUGARRY GALLERY Piero Atchugarry Gallery’s (t, x, y, z) exhibition, presents the work of contemporary Latin American sculptors Verónica Vázquez, Pablo Rasgado, Artur Lescher and Túlio Pinto in the Miami Design District. Each artist has a signature sculptural practice that redefines our understanding of time, space and gravity. (t, x, y, z) subjects human association to the rules of space and time as laid out by the autonomous sculpture. Location: Palm Court 102/202 Date: May 25, 2020 - June 27, 2020 PLACE MIAMI - PREVIEW EDITION PLACE Miami is a collaborative, curated artist grouping focusing on local artists as we embrace the re-opening of Miami. Assembling work of art+design, PLACE Miami will showcase furniture design by Vivian Carbonell, sculpture and wall pieces by Gavin Perry, textile works from Tawnie Silva and video pieces by Hush Fell. Location: Paradise Plaza 127 Date: May 29, 2020 - June 27, 2020 PEPE MAR POP-UP Miami-based artist Pepe Mar is joining Miami Design District’s cultural happenings with an exhibition of dynamic assemblage work made in studio. Pepe’s art practice is inspired by fashion, pop culture, sub cultural history, and more, which results in colorful and psychedelic mixed media collages, sculptures and installations. Represented by David Castillo Gallery, Pepe's recent solo exhibition “DragonFruit'' at the Mattress Factory in Pittsburgh received critical acclaim. As a fashion icon himself, you can visit Pepe Mar "in studio” at NE 40th Street’s 104, opposite OTL, from June 5, 2020. Location: MO104 Dates: June 5, 2020 – July 31, 2020 PEREZ ART MUSEUM MIAMI POP-UP Art lovers missing the Peréz Art Museum Miami’s (PAMM) much-loved gift and book shop, don’t have to fret much longer, as it is popping up at the Miami Design District, bringing visitors a selection of art books, limited editions, designer accessories, and the perfect ideas for those quarantine birthday gifts. Open from June 22nd through August 22nd on the corner of 41st Street and Jade Alley, the PAMM Shop will continue to offer creative retail therapy to its fans before the museum reopens in September. Location: MR108 Dates: June 22, 2020 - August 22, 2020

In an effort to uplift Latino-owned small businesses in Miami and across the United States, Pitbull joined forces with Jeff Hoffman, the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), and founders Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore of Hello Alice to launch the Hispanic Small Business Center to help business owners through COVID-19. In addition to offering invaluable resources, mentorship and step-by-step guides, they are also actively fundraising and deploying $10,000 emergency grants to Latino entrepreneurs. Owners can apply for emergency grants HERE, and chosen applicants are awarded grants on a rolling basis as funds are raised. "It's an honor to partner with Jeff Hoffman, The Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and Elizabeth Gore and Carolyn Rodz from Hello Alice to support grants to Latino Small Business owners across the United States," said Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull). "We are here to help those who need it the most. We're not here to talk about it, we're here to be about it." The global pandemic has upended and ravaged corporations worldwide. However, its damage, disruption, and decimation of Latino entrepreneurship borders on irrevocable and irreversible. Of the 5,337 Latino business owners who have already applied for help at Hello Alice, 93% are asking for emergency cash assistance. 76% cite declining sales due to social distancing. Even with the recent extension of government PPP loans, the Center for Responsible Lending predicts that 90% of all applicants will or have faced rejection. Given this widespread rejection, statistics show only 9% of Latino small business owners could possibly receive PPP stimulus money. Since the beginning of COVID-19, one-in-four American small businesses have already shuttered and projections predict the closure of another 40% within the next month. Unfortunately, the Latin community's companies are closing faster than that of any other demographic. "As a Latina entrepreneur, I know success in business is a direct result of the social capital, financial support and mentorship that amplify our hard work," says Carolyn Rodz, Co-Founder of Hello Alice. "This is why I am so committed to ensuring that every Latino-led business has the resources they need to give their businesses a fighting chance. Time after time, Hispanic entrepreneurs have proven they can do more with less, but we need to step in and offer them the resources they've long deserved." Alongside GEN and Hello Alice, a consortium of organizations have come together under the umbrella of the COVID-19 Business Resource Center to provide specific resources, mentorship and guides for support through the Hispanic Small Business Center. To further uplift the Latino community and raise awareness for the Hispanic Business Center's resources and emergency grants, GEN Chairman Jeff Hoffman and Pitbull created a PSA that reinforces the shared sentiment that together, we will win. View the PSA HERE.

Little Palm Island Resort & Spa reopens spring of 2020. The island has been completely rebuilt following damage from Hurricane Irma.  Located off the Florida Keys and accessible only by seaplane or boat, this remote island oasis offers the choice of blissful relaxation or leisurely adventures. Bungalow suites feature new interiors with modern British Colonial flair.  Authentic thatched roofs and vaulted ceilings bring the Caribbean feel to the spaces, and airy mosquito netting surrounds the four poster beds.  Ocean views from all suites are standard, many with decadent outdoor copper soaking tubs.  Private outdoor showers complete the retreat from reality. The iconic Dining Room features an array of ever-evolving delicacies.  Sourcing seafood, produce and spices from the islands, the chef serves a masterful menu fit for any guests’ escape to paradise.  Intimate indoor and outdoor seating is available, along with dreamy beachside tables.  In-room dining is an option for those desiring a private experience. Click below to view larger image > The resort pool offers secluded relaxation with views of the Atlantic Ocean, boasting private cabanas and the quintessential Palapa Bar.  SpaTerre offers exotic Four Hands Massage and Thai body rituals that are custom designed to replace the weight of the world with the feeling of utter relaxation. The healing properties of flowers and spices are used liberally to enhance each spa experience. Leave feeling relaxed and renewed with the one you love after indulging in our Heart Chakra Ritual together. Take to the water from the private marina and experience backcountry fishing, a yacht cruise, or scuba diving at the Looe Key Reef. Tour the waters via helicopter or seaplane for a once-in-a-lifetime thrill. Discover the diverse bird and marine life on an eco-tour. Suite have no telephones or televisions, so disconnecting from the rest of the world is possible, and encouraged. Reservations are being accepted for visits beginning on April 1, 2020.  Call their personal escape planners at 800-3GET-LOST or visit www.littlepalmisland.com. Little Palm Island Resort & Spa is located at 28500 Overseas Hwy., Little Torch Key, FL 33042.

There's something about an action-packed storyline with science fiction flare and brilliantly executed martial arts work that never fails to capture an audiences' imagination. The new Netflix series, Wu Assassins, delivers on all fronts and ushers in a true renaissance for martial arts as the centerpiece of a television show. Born from the legacy of the late Wing Chun, Kung Fu master turned movie star, Bruce Lee, Hollywood has been capitalizing on this phenomenon for five decades and counting. After Lee introduced the west to martial arts as entertainment, much of the culture was broken up and pilfered in bits and pieces, both, prior to and after Lee's untimely death in 1973. As with the appropriation of any culture, the originators lose some ownership, while beneficiaries make great gains financially, physically, and even spiritually. On the flipside, this cross pollination of cultural traditions, has paid humanity large dividends in the form of intercultural and interracial familiarity, greater tolerance for different cultures and a stronger sense of globalism around the world. In many ways, the global melting pot effect has been worth its weight in gold. In a new era where artists are gaining more autonomy and creative freedom, shows like Dear White People, Black-ish, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and now Wu Assassins are allowing those that produce such content to spread the wealth while taking back power and ownership of their own cultures, and directing the narratives they want the world to see. I had the pleasure of sitting down with two of the stars of Wu Assassins, Byron Mann and Tzi Ma, both born in Hong Kong, and both gifted actors and martial artists. Throughout our conversation, we discussed how Netflix's most action-packed new series came together. Allison Kugel: What do you guys see as the connection between the martial arts and Hollywood? Tzi Ma: Martial arts and Hollywood have a long history. Because the martial arts are so fascinating and so spectacular, Hollywood has always taken an interest in martial arts. It's just that they couldn't always re-produce the kind of martial arts that I believe Hong Kong cinema has presented to the world. Once they figured out how to do that, they really continue to try to adopt it. I think the fight sequences in American cinema and television, prior to the introduction of Hong Kong martial arts, I don't want to say it's not good, but it wasn't as spectacular as what Hong Kong Cinema had to offer. Byron Mann - I call it the Bruce Lee Effect, which was in the late 1960s and 1970s. I think Bruce Lee was probably one of the main catalysts in the last sixty years to bring Chinese culture and martial arts to the forefront of Hollywood in a big way. We're still feeling the effect of Bruce Lee, today. If you're an Asian male actor, chances are you will be cast, or they will ask to see if you can do some kind of martial arts in your role. I've certainly experienced that. I’m sure Tzi has experienced that as well. Allison Kugel – What are your feelings about that? Do you feel honored by that legacy, or do you feel typecast by it? Byron Mann: I have dual feelings about it. When I first started out in my career, all the roles were martial arts roles. Suddenly, I was the guy that does martial arts. He could be a lawyer, but he still did martial arts. He could be a doctor, and suddenly he is doing martial arts. At first, I didn't mind because I thought it was fun. Then I got to a point where I thought, "Come on guys," and I had to push back on it and say, There is no reason why this [character] should be doing martial arts. Now I'm reaching a third stage, where I am studying martial arts in my own life and appreciating that it came from thousands of years ago in China. In learning Chinese martial arts, I'm actually learning about my own culture. Tzi Ma: My journey is kind of inverted from Byron's. I began studying martial arts when I was ten years old. I had stopped studying it because I wanted to focus on acting. I felt that if I was going to be a martial artist then I'm should be a martial artist, and If I'm going to be an actor then I'm should pursue acting as opposed to pursuing a career where I'm going to fight. So, I avoided it like the plague, particularly when martial artists at one time in Hollywood were mainly villains. For a long time, the way scripts were written, the hero was always white, and the victim was always an Asian woman. I made three rules for myself early on in my career. One: if you want me to be the bad guy, then the heroes must be Asian or Asian Americans; Two: there's no Asian or Asian-American woman being victimized; and Three: there's a balance of good and evil distributed evenly by race. Allison Kugel: When did you see the tide turning in your favor? Tzi Ma: When I saw the movie Rapid Fire, in which Brandon Lee was the hero, I felt that finally we had an opportunity for the Asian hero to come in and save the day, and where all the victims were organized crime figures. And there was no Asian or Asian American woman victimized. A lot of times the scenario back in the day was that the Asian woman was somehow sexually or physically violated and then you have the white hero who comes in and saves the day, and she goes to bed with him. I can't buy that scenario and it's offensive to me. Allison Kugel: Why do you think Netflix has decided to take a chance on the martial arts/sci-fi genre at this time, with Wu Assassins? Tzi Ma: Action/Adventure is very easy to sell because there is no explanation necessary; a fight is a fight and a car chase is a car chase. It's easy for the audience. The martial arts of late have experienced some recent changes, stylistically. I think that the fights are a lot more realistic given all the popularity with MMA and with UFC. All those things have re-sparked an interest in the martial arts genre. Netflix, at this point, their subscription base is saturated in the United States and they need to expand globally. I think this genre is a good opportunity for them to use as a vehicle to introduce the world audience to Netflix. Byron Mann: I had a conversation with Chris Regina, an executive at Netflix who was instrumental in getting our series made, and he said that prior to Wu Assassins there hadn't been any shows on Netflix that predominantly featured martial arts. And it's true that action is the easiest genre to sell around the world. John Wirth, our showrunner, wanted to create more than just a martial arts show. He wanted to create a show that represents Asian-Americans, in general, and a show about family. It's these three things all mixed into one. Allison Kugel: There's a spiritual aspect to the show because you have the five elements of earth represented, and Byron, your character's superpower is fire. Can you speak to the spiritual and moral aspects of the show and how these five elements come into play? Byron Mann: It was a good entry point into this world that the show brings you into. The five elements are prominently featured in Chinese mythology. And in terms of the morality and spirituality, my character, Uncle Six, his morality started and ended with his adopted son, Kai Jin, who is played by Iko Uwais. His son was his morality. His son was what caused him to go from the dark to the light. And he didn't quite want to. I think his love for his son caught him by surprise. Tzi Ma: John Wirth is really a special individual and Byron and I know that because we also experienced it with him in Hell on Wheels. Here is an individual who really pays attention to what your point of view is, because he doesn't look at us from his point of view. He is trying to look at the world through our point of view; through our eyes. The five elements are really important in Chinese culture. Chinese medicine is based on these five elements. John hired Asian American writers in the writer’s room. The show goes a lot deeper than just martial arts as Byron pointed out. Not only do you have the sci-fi Supernatural aspect, but you also have the balance of this kind of reality about the people who make their living in San Francisco's Chinatown. Eventually or subconsciously the audience is going to be able to absorb some of these things without being hit over the head with a representation of Asian-Americans within a television series. Allison Kugel: Let's talk about the fight scenes. How much of it is you doing the actual fighting, how is it all choreographed and what type of martial arts are you using? Byron Mann: The form of martial arts that was predominantly featured in Wu Assasins is called Silat; an Indonesian martial art. It has a lot of grappling and the moves are fast, less flowery, and more straight-forward. Iko Uwais brought his team of choreographers from Indonesia to choreograph the fights. They worked in conjunction with two very good fight choreographers and stunt coordinators, Dan Rizzuto and Kimani Ray Smith. We had rehearsal times, and they varied depending on the schedule. Sometimes we had a week to rehearse the scene, sometimes we had two days, and sometimes we did it on the day that we rehearsed it. Allison Kugel: Are they shot as one continuous sequence or are you stopping a lot? Byron Mann: Generally, action is shot in parts. It's boom boom boom and cut; then boom boom boom and cut. They do this so they can feature some close-ups and inserts. Secondly, not a lot of people can do continuous action well. You really need someone with very strong martial arts skills who can do those fight sequences continually for minutes at a time. Interestingly, in episode four, when Uncle Six fights with Kai Jin, it's a big moment in the series where we go head-to-head, father and son. So for that particular scene, I lobbied that they show us fighting in a continuous sequence and that there would be no cuts. If you look at the episode four, you will see it. For that scene, I wanted the audience to know that we were not cheating them and not cutting things out. Tzi Ma: You also have a cast who are really good at what they do, and Byron is no stranger to martial arts. You also have Lewis Tan who is a brilliant martial artist and of amazing pedigree; his father Philip Tan is an action director and stuntman. Then you have JuJu Chan who represented Hong Kong is Taekwondo in the Olympics and Katheryn Winnick, who is a taekwondo martial artist and black belt. So, you have a core group of people who really live up to the demands [of this show] and who can bring the goods. The fight sequences on our show, I would dare to say, are the best fights on TV today. Allison Kugel: Both of you are originally from Hong Kong. What are your thoughts on how we live in the West in terms of things like health and wellness, and the way we live our lives in general? Byron Mann: The place with the greatest longevity in the world is Hong Kong. My take on it is that when you get older in life in Hong Kong, people there have a general tradition where every Sunday you get together with your family for lunch, or dim sum, or for dinner. I’ve lived in China, in Canada and in the United States. You see less of that happening in other places. In Hong Kong, as people get older they are surrounded by their family, their children, their grandchildren and their friends any day of the week. It keeps them going emotionally. In Hong Kong, no one buys or eats processed food. Everybody goes down to the marketplace and buys fresh fish, chicken, beef, fruits and vegetables. That leads to longevity. You see a lot less of that in the west. Tzi Ma: I did not grow up in Hong Kong. I was born in Hong Kong, but I was brought up in New York City. So, my experience is similar to yours, but I'm learning from Byron. Maybe I should move back to Hong Kong since it has such benefits! Allison Kugel: What do you hope audiences will gain from watching Wu Assassins? Byron Mann: Usually the audience's reaction catches me by surprise. There is a scene in episode seven where Uncle Six (played by Mann) and Kai Jin (played by Iko Uwais) are eating in a very rural neighborhood and there's a big interaction with a waitress who has racist views. In that scene, I give her a long speech about the history of Chinese people in America, and how they were discriminated against systematically. When I read the scene I just thought, "People are going to be so bored with this because it's like a history lesson. Who wants to see that in an entertainment show?" I just did the scene to the best of my ability and left it at that. Since the show has come out, people have gravitated towards that scene, and not just Asian people; all types of people have mentioned that scene to me over and over again. That totally caught me by surprise. In that respect, I hope the show can galvanize good, positive conversations that will help this country, or help the world today. We need more of these positive energies to unite people, not to divide people. Tzi Ma: Byron really hit the nail on the head. Any show that allows the world audience to at least have an opportunity to correct the perception of who we really are is important. I think Wu Assassins offers that without giving you a lecture about it. Martial arts and supernatural are very popular genres in entertainment, so for me it is like a delivery system to [introduce who we are] to the world. What we try to deliver is something for the world audience to understand who we are as Asians and as Asian-Americans; as a community and as a people. Photos courtesy of Netflix; Transcription and Typesetting: Carolyn Strum. The first season of Wu Assassins is available on Netflix. Follow Byron Mann on Twitter @ByronMann and on Instagram at @ByronMann1. Follow Tzi Ma on Facebook @Official.TziMa and on Instagram @TziMa8. Interview and words by Allison Kugel. Allison Kugel is a syndicated entertainment columnist, author of the memoir, Journaling Fame: A memoir of a life unhinged and on the record, and owner of communications firm, Full Scale Media. Follow her on Instagram @theallisonkugel and at AllisonKugel.com.

Thanks Lady Gaga for hosting the One World: Together at Home virtual concert. The telecast included an outstanding roster of Award Winning performers which sang songs to pay tribute to healthcare workers fighting COVID-19. In partnership with the World Health Organization and Global Citizen, the telecast musical event raised over $127M for Covid-19 relief. The two-hour televised event featured performances by Lady Gaga, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Lizzo, Keith Urban, Maluma, Céline Dion, Lang Lang, John Legend, Lady Gaga, and Andrea Bocelli, Jennifer Lopez and many more. Taylor Swift performs "Soon You'll Get Better" Billie Eilish & Finneas perform "Sunny" John Legend & Sam Smith perform "Stand By Me" Elton John performs "I'm Still Standing" Céline Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Lady Gaga, Lang Lang, John Legend, “The Prayer” By Miami Living | Please support the Solidarity Response Fund to help fight COVID-19 by donating to Global Citizens and to the World Health Organization

This year, we traveled to Morocco and uncover Mirleft. This beautiful and diverse country is filled with varied landscape and a rich culture. TRAVEL BASICS The languages spoken in Morocco are standard Arabic and Tamazight. However, if you speak French it will be very easy to get around because it is the second language for many Moroccans. If you are staying in any big city in Morocco, many people will speak English, as well if you stay at a resort. The total flight duration is 9 hours 28 minutes and there is a direct flight from MIA with Royal Air Maroc to Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport. You do not need a visa to visit Morocco if you have a US passport, and you may stay in Morocco for 90 days. In general, most travelers will not need vaccinations. However, the WHO recommends you to have a few vaccinations such as Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Typhoid, Rabies, Meningitis, Polio, and Tetanus, if you don’t already have them. Regarding currency, the official currency of Morocco is the Moroccan Dirham. 1 Dirham is equal to 0.10 United States Dollar and there are many currency exchange offices located around the country. THE SETTING Deep in Southern Morocco, there is a paradise that few people know of called Mirleft. Away from big cities and nestled in the hills, you will find this quaint town. The stretch of coastline that runs along it boasts an ocean with billowing white waves flowing from the turquoise water, with sand that is soft to the touch, and that gently massages your feet as you stroll along the shores. When you drive down the coast, there is a stunning view of the ocean that is always accompanying you. This secluded oasis lets you escape from the stress of the outside world. The beaches stretch far into the sunset and the water seems to be perfectly engineered for the pure act of taking a dip in, after spending a long day in the hot desert sun. Although the beaches are the ideal place to swim, sunbathe, fish, or take walks along the shore - even more than that, they are the perfect place to escape. Escape from stress, and escape from the sometimes overbearing load of technology we are bombarded with every day. Most of the time you will feel as if you are on your own private beach, primarily because most of the time only local fisherman frequent these beaches. In Mirleft you are transported back in time to somewhere that is genuine uncommercial, with the kindest people, that live a simple, but beautiful life. The beaches are one of Morocco’s best kept secrets, not to mention a surfers’ paradise. You are away from the hustle and bustle and instead you are surrounded by smiling faces, and neighbors that are speaking to one another of their days. This hilltop town that lies beside the coast, is filled with only small shops, restaurants, and a market. The food here makes you feel close to the earth, as you buy your fresh meat and produce from the market which sources locally from the surrounding farms. Many Europeans inhabit the town as well, along with the local people, purely because they fell in love with the pure magic that this place offers. WHERE TO SAY Just outside of Mirleft there is a beautiful retreat located steps from the beach called: Mimid Beach Resort and Spa. This resort is open year round with a restaurant, bar, pools, and DJ so, you can enjoy from sunrise until sunset. There is a stunning view of the ocean from the rooms and they are located just beside the pool area. Currently this resort is preparing for a grand reopening within these months, so it is the perfect time to visit. Another option is: Un thé au bout du monde, this beautiful resort features a bar, restaurant, garden, and is located centrally in Mirleft which makes is another excellent choice regarding accommodation. This beautiful destination makes you feel as if this is the type of lifestyle that has somehow been forgotten in our modern world, with stress and schedules dictating most of our days now. It is refreshing to be able to feel every moment of life as they do here and take that feeling with us home, wherever that may be. Words by Emma Flodin Lahsini. Follow Emma travels through the unique country of Morocco on our YouTube channel, The Lahsinizz.  Follow Emma at @thelahsinizz and @lahsinimouad

Some appointments in the calendar cannot be forgotten. Even under the most difficult of circumstances, they cry out to be honoured and transformed into an opportunity, to create something truly unique and memorable. With this in mind on Sunday morning, on the day that the Formula 1 Grand Prix was to take place in the Monaco Principality but suspended due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic (the last time an F1 Grand Prix in Monaco didn’t take place was in 1954) Claude Lelouch will shoot a new short film “Le Grand Rendez-Vous” with Charles Leclerc, inspired by his famous “C’était Un Rendez-Vous” filmed in 1976. The protagonists this time will be the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, the Prancing Horse’s first series production hybrid model, and the Monegasque talent, who will take Ferrari’s new entry on a first breathtaking drive through the Principality’s winding streets and roads. The new short evokes both the atmosphere of the beloved Grand Prix and the roar of the Ferrari 275 GTB that provided the instantly recognisable soundtrack to the 1976 film shot in Paris. On the city circuit the SF90 Stradale will measure its unmatched performance for a Ferrari production car: 1,000 cv, a weight-to-power ratio of 1.57 kg/cv, and 390 kg of downforce at 250 km/h. The car’s name, a reference to the 90th anniversary of Scuderia Ferrari celebrated last year, exemplifies the symbiosis of transferred technology between Ferrari road and track cars, of which this recent model is the maximum expression. This first post lockdown French shoot symbolically will also mark the start of a gradual return to the ‘new normal’ after the pandemic and the restart for the film industry, impacted significantly by recent restrictions. Click to view larger image > Ferrari welcomed partnership in the film as a way of demonstrating support for its tifosi, clients and supporters as an expression of hope that the world will gradually be able to absorb the painful and complex health crisis which has affected everyone, allowing us to begin to look positively towards the future, also in anticipation of the expected restart of the F1 season in July. In the same spirit, over the past months, the Maranello marque has continued to demonstrate its commitment to fighting the Covid-19 crisis through concrete support ranging from fundraisers, to the distribution of healthcare equipment to hospitals, to the production of respiratory conversion valves at the Maranello factory, to  the most recent expression of transfer technology represented in the design of a new pulmonary ventilator, FI5, offered in open source production at global level. By ML Staff, Images courtesy of Ferrari

In the years following the bitter Civil War, a former Union general took a holiday originated by former Confederates and helped spread it across the entire country. The holiday was Memorial Day, an annual commemoration was born in the former Confederate States in 1866 and adopted by the United States in 1868. It is a holiday in which the nation honors its military dead. Gen. John A. Logan, who headed the largest Union veterans’ fraternity at that time, the Grand Army of the Republic, is usually credited as being the originator of the holiday. Yet when General Logan established the holiday, he acknowledged its genesis among the Union’s former enemies, saying, “It was not too late for the Union men of the nation to follow the example of the people of the South.” I’m a scholar who has written – with co-author Daniel Bellware – a history of Memorial Day. Cities and towns across America have for more than a century claimed to be the holiday’s birthplace, but we have sifted through the myths and half-truths and uncovered the authentic story of how this holiday came into being. Generous acts bore fruit During 1866, the first year of this annual observance in the South, a feature of the holiday emerged that made awareness, admiration and eventually imitation of it spread quickly to the North. During the inaugural Memorial Day observances which were conceived in Columbus, Georgia, many Southern participants – especially women – decorated graves of Confederate soldiers as well as, unexpectedly, those of their former enemies who fought for the Union. Civil War Union Gen. John A. Logan. Library of Congress Glass negatives Shortly after those first Memorial Day observances all across the South, newspaper coverage in the North was highly favorable to the ex-Confederates. “The action of the ladies on this occasion, in burying whatever animosities or ill-feeling may have been engendered in the late war towards those who fought against them, is worthy of all praise and commendation,” wrote one paper. On May 9, 1866, the Cleveland Daily Leader lauded the Southern women during their first Memorial Day. “The act was as beautiful as it was unselfish, and will be appreciated in the North.” The New York Commercial Advertiser, recognizing the magnanimous deeds of the women of Columbus, Georgia, echoed the sentiment. “Let this incident, touching and beautiful as it is, impart to our Washington authorities a lesson in conciliation.” Power of a poem To be sure, this sentiment was not unanimous. There were many in both parts of the U.S. who had no interest in conciliation. But as a result of one of these news reports, Francis Miles Finch, a Northern judge, academic and poet, wrote a poem titled “The Blue and the Gray.” Finch’s poem quickly became part of the American literary canon. He explained what inspired him to write it: “It struck me that the South was holding out a friendly hand, and that it was our duty, not only as conquerors, but as men and their fellow citizens of the nation, to grasp it.” Finch’s poem seemed to extend a full pardon to the South: “They banish our anger forever when they laurel the graves of our dead” was one of the lines. Not just poems: Sheet music written to commemorate Memorial Day in 1870.Library of Congress Almost immediately, the poem circulated across America in books, magazines and newspapers. By the end of the 19th century, school children everywhere were required to memorize Finch’s poem. The ubiquitous publication of Finch’s rhyme meant that by the end of 1867, the southern Memorial Day holiday was a familiar phenomenon throughout the entire, and recently reunited, country. General Logan was aware of the forgiving sentiments of people like Finch. When Logan’s order establishing Memorial Day was published in various newspapers in May 1868, Finch’s poem was sometimes appended to the order. ‘The blue and the grey’ It was not long before Northerners decided that they would not only adopt the Southern custom of Memorial Day, but also the Southern custom of “burying the hatchet.” A group of Union veterans explained their intentions in a letter to the Philadelphia Evening Telegraph on May 28, 1869: “Wishing to bury forever the harsh feelings engendered by the war, Post 19 has decided not to pass by the graves of the Confederates sleeping in our lines, but divide each year between the blue and the grey the first floral offerings of a common country. We have no powerless foes. Post 19 thinks of the Southern dead only as brave men.” Other reports of reciprocal magnanimity circulated in the North, including the gesture of a 10-year-old who made a wreath of flowers and sent it to the overseer of the holiday, Colonel Leaming, in Lafayette, Indiana, with the following note attached, published in The New Hampshire Patriot on July 15, 1868: “Will you please put this wreath upon some rebel soldier’s grave? My dear papa is buried at Andersonville, (Georgia) and perhaps some little girl will be kind enough to put a few flowers upon his grave.” President Abraham Lincoln’s wish that there be “malice toward none” and “charity for all” was visible in the magnanimous actions of participants on both sides, who extended an olive branch during the Memorial Day observances in those first three years. Although not known by many today, the early evolution of the Memorial Day holiday was a manifestation of Lincoln’s hope for reconciliation between North and South. Words by Richard Gardiner Associate Professor of History Education, Columbus State University. Special thanks to The Conversation for this story. You can support the independent network which provides news by donating today.

If Dad is more of a traditional guy when it comes to colognes, then the new Polo Ultra Blue fragrance from Polo Ralph Lauren is an easy win. This new twist on the long-adored Blue line is lighter and fresher than its predecessors, with a strong hint of citrus. A perfect gift to refresh your dad on Father's Day. The lightness is even portrayed in the bottle design, which maintains Blue’s traditional shape and shiny silver cap, but which is fully transparent on the bottom fading to a more opaque cobalt blue at the shoulders of the bottle. Polo Ultra Blue is a refreshing fragrance that won’t overpower or project more than you want it to. Instantly refreshing, it’s great to wear in the office or throw on after a shower on a hot summer day. The added spice wakes you up and transforms into a salty, mineral scent that will have you yearning for the beach. Ultra Blue is also a great scent to take a break from a stronger, more pungent cologne that may have become an unwitting habit. So if you usually smell Dad before you see him, this is a wonderful way to suggest that he cool the jets a bit and freshen up with a lighter scent for summer. For a new twist on a classic fragrance, check out the brand new Polo Ultra Blue from Ralph Lauren. For more information, visit: www.ralphlauren.com Story by Thomas Bender