Part of the original iconic Breakers Resort property (now TAVA Waters), Prelude at TAVA Waters is designed to make your new home, your new beginning. Access to the lake, state-of-the-art fitness center, pool, and restaurant make this the ultimate escape from life’s stress, and letting you start each new day revitalized and refreshed. These soon-to-come stylish townhomes with close proximity to Cherry Creek North and Lowry neighborhoods, will feature sleek designs and flexible plans, allowing you to make your home, your own.
Thursday, January 13, 2022
MAP Analysis: How the Freedom to Vote Act Would Improve Democracy in the States
As Congress and states across the nation prepare to battle on voting rights legislation, the Movement Advancement Project’s (MAP) new Democracy Maps initiative released analysis of how the national landscape—across 44 election laws and policies—would change if Congress passed the federal Freedom to Vote Act.
Currently, nearly 60% of Americans live in states with inadequate voting laws, according to the Democracy Maps. If the Freedom to Vote Act—a comprehensive federal bill that would create critical standards for voting rights in all states—passed, state voting policies would shift dramatically to 100% of Americans living in states with at least a medium Democracy Tally.
Today MAP released a new brief, How the Freedom to Vote Act Would Improve Democracy in the States, outlining some of the emerging threats to the independence and integrity of our democracy, and also shows the startling difference in access to voting and democracy by state.
It also emphasizes the impact the Freedom to Vote Act would have for voters nationwide, including: establishing national standards for automatic voter registration and same day voter registration, expanding voting locations and early voting, cutting wait times to vote in person, streamlining voter ID requirements, and protecting election independence and integrity. If Congress passes this legislation, every state would have either a High or Medium Democracy Tally rank.
Currently, nearly 60% of Americans live in states with inadequate voting laws, according to the Democracy Maps. If the Freedom to Vote Act—a comprehensive federal bill that would create critical standards for voting rights in all states—passed, state voting policies would shift dramatically to 100% of Americans living in states with at least a medium Democracy Tally.
Today MAP released a new brief, How the Freedom to Vote Act Would Improve Democracy in the States, outlining some of the emerging threats to the independence and integrity of our democracy, and also shows the startling difference in access to voting and democracy by state.
It also emphasizes the impact the Freedom to Vote Act would have for voters nationwide, including: establishing national standards for automatic voter registration and same day voter registration, expanding voting locations and early voting, cutting wait times to vote in person, streamlining voter ID requirements, and protecting election independence and integrity. If Congress passes this legislation, every state would have either a High or Medium Democracy Tally rank.
International Snow Sculpture Championships Returns to Breckenridge
The 31st annual International Snow Sculpture Championships presented by Toyota will return to Breckenridge from Jan. 24 - Feb. 2, 2022. Teams of sculptors from around the world will descend on Breckenridge to carve 12-foot-tall, 20-ton blocks of man-made snow into intricate works of art.
Breckenridge is delighted to be able to host sculpting teams from around the world, including Ecuador, Germany, Mexico and the USA. The United States teams include Breckenridge, Wisconsin (3), New York and Colorado.
Teams will sculpt around the clock during the carving week from Jan. 24 at 11 a.m. - Jan. 28 at 9 a.m., to create a temporary outdoor art gallery in historic downtown. Sculptors bring their ideas to life using only hand-tools.
Finished sculptures can be enjoyed during the viewing week, Jan. 28 - Feb. 2. Sculptures will be illuminated nightly with an ever-changing lighting display. Spectators can show support for their favorite sculpture with the People’s Choice Vote online at GoBreck.com/vote. People’s Choice Voting will close at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29.
First, second, third, People’s Choice and Artists’ Choice will be presented to the winners at the awards ceremony on Friday, Jan. 28, inside the Riverwalk Center. The ISSC awards ceremony is free and open to the public. All attendees will be required to show proof of vaccination upon entry.
As pandemic precautions continue to evolve, all events are subject to change per Summit County and Colorado Public Health orders. Visitors should review the most up-to-date COVID public health protocols before arrival at GoBreck.com/ISSC.
The weekend of viewing, Friday, Jan. 28 – Sunday, Jan. 30, is historically the most-popular time for sculpture viewing. To help ensure the best environment for social distancing while viewing the sculptures, pedestrian walkways will be one-way, and timed entry reservations will be required only on Saturday, Jan. 29. There is no cost for a timed entry, but availability is limited. Spectators can sign up for a Saturday sculpture viewing at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. or 2 p.m. online at GoBreck.com/ISSC
Wednesday, January 12, 2022
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To Address National Blood Crisis, Human Rights Campaign Calls for End to Discriminatory Restrictions on Gay and Bisexual Men Donating Blood
“We are facing a national blood shortage. This is a crisis that can in part be addressed by modernizing the Food and Drug Administration’s discriminatory policy that bans men who have sex with men from donating blood ” said Joni Madison, Interim President of the Human Rights Campaign. “The current policy is outdated, does not reflect the state of the science, and continues to unfairly stigmatize one segment of society.”
HRC has strongly encouraged the FDA to revise the history questionnaire used to screen potential donors to one based on an individual risk assessment of sexual behaviors upon which all donors are evaluated equally, without regard to sexual orientation or gender identity.
New GPAHE Reports Reveal Anti-LGBTQ Conversion Therapy Disinformation Thriving Online, Especially in non-English Languages
The new GPAHE reports show that, despite the well-documented physical and mental harms to LGBTQ+ people, conversion therapy organizations and related anti-LGBTQ+ materials and conspiracy theories are distressingly easy to find online on multiple platforms through simple searches. Languages other than English return less authoritative material.
“Tech companies say they have taken steps to ban harmful content related to conversion therapy, but they have to do more, especially in non-English languages,” said Wendy Via, president and co-founder of Global Project Against Hate and Extremism and co-author of the report. “Until online searches lead people to only authoritative information about the dangers of conversion therapy, tech companies are complicit in spreading anti-LGBTQ+ hate and disinformation that causes mental and physical harm for individuals, and furthers societal harm.”
GPAHE’s first report, Conversion Therapy Online: The Ecosystem, finds that the internet is filled with disinformation, especially in languages other than English. The research was conducted in English and Spanish in the U.S., English in Ireland and Australia, German in Germany, Spanish in Colombia, and English and Swahili in Kenya.
The exact findings by search term, language, and country varied considerably, as detailed in the report, but general patterns emerged.
- Google, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and to some extent YouTube, have taken steps to curtail conversion therapy information. The search term “conversion therapy” returns generally authoritative results in all languages except Swahili. The results vary by country for other terms such as “reparative therapy” and are dismal for the widely-used “same-sex attraction” and “reintegrative therapy.”
- In Kenya, the difference in results between English and Swahili is highly problematic. English leads to a mix of authoritative information, while in Swahili, the results lead to material and propaganda that disparage and mock LGBTQ+ people, and treat conversion therapy as reputable. Even the Wikipedia page in Swahili in Kenya is filled with hateful disinformation.
- Microsoft’s Bing and Amazon’s Silk and Alexa search results are significantly less authoritative in all languages and countries. These companies are rarely, if ever, challenged on their search algorithms despite serving hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
- Searches in German lead to mostly authoritative material, likely because of the national ban on conversion therapy and strict hate speech laws. The exception was “reintegrative therapie.” Bing leads to less authoritative information, including problematic YouTube videos.
- The recommendation algorithms on Facebook and Twitter lead users down a dangerous conversion therapy rabbit hole once they land on a provider, however the initial search mechanisms generally don’t lead a user to providers.
- In general, Facebook’s search mechanism is more authoritative than Twitter’s. YouTube’s search mechanism returns disinformation and propaganda more frequently than Facebook or Twitter, and the platform is rife with pro-conversion therapy material.
The reports document how, in response to the global push for conversion therapy bans, conversion therapy proponents and providers are moving aggressively to challenge these bans and LGBTQ+ rights, and strategically rebrand themselves and their services with terms like “reintegrative therapy” and “unwanted same-sex attraction.” That rebranding has been successful online: as search results show, the terms “reintegrative therapy,” which claims that sexuality change is not the goal - but the happy result - of trauma treatment, and “same-sex attraction,” which supposes being LGBTQ+ is a curable condition, lead almost exclusively to unauthoritative and harmful disinformation. Other proponents hide behind a so-called religious imperative or under the guise of protecting children.
“Too much harmful misinformation is slipping through, especially in non-English languages,” said Via. “And as conversion therapy providers constantly rebrand their malicious efforts and introduce new terms, tech companies need to keep up to protect their users.”
GPAHE’s second report, Conversion Therapy Online: The Players, profiles 25 conversion therapy providers around the world, many of which have a sophisticated and extensive online presence, driving individuals to websites that condemn being LGBTQ+ and where “therapy” is offered. (This is not a comprehensive list of all conversion therapy providers, but instead details those most often surfaced through the course of GPAHE’s online research.) GPAHE hopes that the report will help tech platforms flag or ban harmful material and serve as an additional authoritative resource for those who search for these organizations or conversion therapy information in general.
The report shows how the organizations are interconnected and are essentially composed of three major networks. The first is organized around the Alliance for Therapeutic Choice and Scientific Integrity and Joseph Nicolosi, Sr. This network is largely made up of American practitioners, though they practice their “therapy” in other countries and collaborate abroad. The second network is primarily European and centered around the Northern Ireland organization, Core Issues Trust, which has several partners in the UK and throughout Europe. The third network is connected to Exodus Global Alliance, which has allies around the world and offices in the U.S., Mexico, and Brazil.
“We hope these reports help tech companies clean up their platforms when it comes to anti-LGBTQ+ conversion therapy material,” said Heidi Beirich, report co-author and co-founder of GPAHE. “Getting rid of this harmful material online is an important step toward creating a society where LGBTQ+ people are accepted and loved and nobody feels like they want or need to change who they are,” said Beirich. “No more hate. That’s the overall goal.”
Recommendations
To protect their users, tech companies must:
- Deplatform providers and other anti-LGBTQ+ material in accordance with community standards and hate speech policies.
- Surface more authoritative material generally on searches related to conversion therapy in all languages and countries, and de-rank disinformation.
- Incorporate the terms “same-sex attraction” and “reintegrative therapy” into the algorithms to increase authoritative results.
- Partner with experts so that the algorithms are always incorporating current terminology.
- Improve content moderation in non-English languages and devote more resources to language and cultural competencies worldwide.
- Retool the recommended content algorithms to recommend reliable information.
- Disallow payment processing platforms.
- Ensure that no conversion therapy content is monetized with ads.
In addition:
- Bing and Silk should create search algorithms that surface authoritative information.
- Amazon should remove conversion therapy providers from the Amazon Smile program.
- App stores should remove conversion therapy providers
GPAHE has sent the report to all of the tech companies and will follow up with each company over the coming months. The tech companies must take appropriate steps to protect their users, especially teenagers and young people, from health disinformation, hate speech, and conspiracy theories, as they have pledged to do.
Equality and Fairness for All Americans Coalition Launches to Advance Federal Protections for LGBTQ Americans
The Coalition, led by ONE Community and Equality Arizona, aims to end the partisan gridlock that has stalled equality efforts in Congress utilizing core tenets and language of the Equality and Fairness for All Acts. The Coalition’s goal is to gain bipartisan support for federal legislation that can unite all Americans around our nation’s core values of freedom, fairness, and opportunity to make lasting and impactful change. The nationwide coalition is composed of bipartisan and diverse stakeholders from the LGBTQ, faith and business communities including Georgia Equality, Wyoming Equality, Fairness West Virginia, Equality North Carolina, Local First Arizona, Glendale Chamber of Commerce, Arizona Coyotes, Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Rising, The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation, Upward Projects, the Bishops of the Desert Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church & the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona, and the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Phoenix.
Support for LGBTQ non-discrimination protections has continued to grow in recent years across religious and political affiliations. Over 94% of Fortune 500 companies have non-discrimination policies that include gender identity and/or sexual orientation. Additionally, a 2020 poll from the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute found that seventy-six percent of Americans favor laws that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and public accommodations.[1]
“We believe there is a path forward for equality and fairness for all Americans. We have a once in a generation opportunity to pass landmark legislation within the next six months to bring federal protections and opportunity to millions of Americans,” said Angela Hughey, President of ONE Community and Coalition co-founder.
Last year’s historic Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County Georgia brought federal civil rights protections to LGBTQ Americans in employment for businesses over fifteen employees. However, LGBTQ Americans do not have federal civil rights protections in housing or public accommodations, meaning it is not illegal to deny someone service or housing based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. Currently fewer than half the states in the country and less than 2% of cities and counties have non-discrimination laws that include civil rights protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity, leaving millions of Americans vulnerable to harassment and discrimination.
The genesis of the Equality and Fairness for All Coalition comes from the historic efforts in Arizona to successfully pass an LGBTQ-inclusive non-discrimination ordinance in Mesa, Arizona in employment, housing and public accommodations. The Mesa ordinance had broad support from diverse and bipartisan stakeholders such as Republican Mayor John Giles, Senator Kyrsten Sinema, the business community, and the faith community, including The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“With the success of our efforts in Mesa, Arizona we feel we have a template that can be successful on a national level, bringing immediate relief to millions of Americans who live in fear of discrimination and have no legal recourse. We believe non-discrimination laws should and can protect both religious and LGBTQ rights. Many people of faith are also LGBTQ and many LGBTQ people are people of faith,” said Michael Soto, Executive Director of Equality Arizona and Coalition co-founder.
“We are all God’s children, and we need to treat others, as we want to be treated ourselves. Religion is meant to include not exclude, and we all deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, without exception. We believe there is a path forward that can provide fair protections for all Americans regardless of who you are, who you love or what you believe,” said Rev. Marian Edmonds-Allen, Executive Director of Parity.
“Equality and fairness are not red or blue issues – they’re American values. All hard-working people, including those who are LGBTQ, want to do their jobs and provide for their families. LGBTQ people want the same thing as everyone else -- the freedom to work hard, access basic services, and take care of themselves and their loved ones without fear of discrimination. It’s time to advance federal protections that guarantee these rights,” said Tyler Deaton, Senior Advisor of American Unity Fund.
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
4th Annual Winter PrideFest descends on Oregon's Mt. Bachelor, March 3-6, in Bend, Ore.
“Winter PrideFest was conceived as a way to bring the LGBTQ+ community together over a shared passion for outdoor recreation and winter sports, and to do so in a way that is inclusive, social, educational, and above all, fun,” said Jamie Nesbitt, president of OUT Central Oregon, which organizes the annual event. “What started as a local grassroots effort in year one has quickly evolved into an event with regional and national cache, and we think there’s no better venue to celebrate diversity and inclusivity in the outdoors than Mt. Bachelor and Bend.”
At Mt. Bachelor, Winter PrideFest will feature daily Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. In town, attendees can take part in a Welcome Snocial, Wigs Ice Skating at Seventh Mountain Resort, a panel discussion on inclusivity in the outdoors, a downtown Apres Ski Party, a Dance Party, and much more.
“We have seen attendance at Winter PrideFest increase exponentially from 150 attendees in year one, to over 700 attendees in year three, and we estimate that more than 1,000 people will be at this year’s event,” said Nesbitt. “With two-thirds of those attendees coming from outside of Central Oregon, there’s no question that Winter PrideFest has quickly established itself as a marquee winter event for the LGBTQ+ community and our allies to rally around.”
Most Winter PrideFest events are free to attend, though space is limited for certain events and activities, and advance registration is encouraged. For more information or to register for Winter PrideFest, March 3-6, 2022 at Mt. Bachelor in Bend, Ore., visit www.outcentraloregon.com/winter-pridefest/ or the Winter PrideFest Facebook Event page.
Pride Journey: Iceland
By Joey Amato
The only way to describe Iceland is...magical. It truly is. Iceland is like no other place I’ve visited in the world. It’s topography, climate, people, culture, history, and nightlife blended together make Iceland a surreal adventure that everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime. In my case, this is my second visit to the country, and probably not my last.
The first time I set foot on the island, I was on a mission to see the elusive northern lights. While they evaded me during that visit, this time was different. I didn’t see Aurora dancing through the sky, but I did see a hint of the lights, enough to make me stop and stare in awe of their beauty.
One of Iceland’s many strengths is its people. I met an incredible group of people who helped make this visit extremely memorable, including openly gay Icelandic pop star Friðrik Ómar, who invited me to his Christmas concert. Although most of the concert was in sung in Icelandic, many of the songs were recognizable, including a fabulous version of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas”. Friðrik was a former contestant on Eurovision, and it was easy to see why. His vocals and stage presence were extraordinary, reminiscent of George Michael.
Book your stay at the Reykjavik Konsulat hotel located in the heart of the downtown Reykjavik, just a short walk from all of the city’s main attractions including Harpa concert hall, Sun Voyager and the iconic Hallgrimskirkja cathedral, the largest church in the country which and towers over the center of Reykjavik. Its 240-foot-high tower provides a wonderful 360° view of the city. Visitors can either walk up the stairs to the top or pay a small fee to use the elevator.
Our spacious room at Reykjavik Konsulat included a walk-in shower, king bed with ultra-luxurious linens as well as a seating area. Every day the hotel offers a complimentary happy hour as well a delicious breakfast buffet, featuring a variety of local specialties including smoked salmon. The hotel also offers a nice fitness center as well as bath house complete with sauna and hot tub. Don’t get too excited, bath house means something completely different in Iceland than it does in the United States.
Going to Iceland in the winter is an adventure. It definitely isn’t a relaxing trip; more like a journey to the most extraordinary ends of the earth you will ever discover. With that in mind, book a full day private excursion to the South Coast with Friend In Iceland. Our wonderful guide Gunnar picked us up from our hotel in a Mercedes mini-bus and we were off to explore a part of the country I hadn’t been to on my prior visit.
The nearly 9-hour tour took us to Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls where we had the opportunity to stand at the base and feel the power of these natural wonders. Next, we journeyed up to the top of a cliff which provided views of the ocean as well as a rock formation jutting out into the sea which connects to Reynisfjara black sand beach. Words can’t describe how beautiful this moment was. I’m almost in tears again just thinking about it. The waves crashing on the beach coupled with a clear sky and mesmerizing sunrise made for an absolutely majestic view.
Gunnar then brought us to a cute restaurant where we had lunch which consisted of pizza and a sandwich, not typical Icelandic cuisine, but it was delicious non the less.
Reykjavik is home to one gay bar, called Kiki. Although it was closed during this visit due to COVID-19 restrictions, we did happen to meet the owner who invited us back to the country this summer for their pride celebration. 2022 marks the 23rd annual Reykjavik Pride, which is held in early August. The festival attracts over 100,000 people to the city for a week-long celebration including a festival, parade, and numerous parties.
Wake up early the next morning and get ready for your next Icelandic adventure in the Golden Circle. Although this region is easily drivable from Reykjavik in the summer, I wouldn’t recommend venturing on your own during the winter months as many of the roads are icy and the weather can be quite spontaneous. One moment it will be sunny and then 30-minutes later you can find yourself in a winter storm with 40-mile per hour wind gusts.
Begin your Golden Circle tour with a trip to Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO heritage site and home to Gullfoss, also known as the 'Golden Waterfall', one of the most beautiful and powerful waterfalls in Iceland. I recommend descended the stairs to the lower viewing area to really comprehend the size and scope of this natural treasure. Not too far away is Geysir, Iceland’s version of Old Faithful. The geyser erupts about every 7 minutes, so keep your camera ready.
Finally, end your tour with a snowmobile ride on the Langjökull glacier. This is also something I didn’t experience on my first visit, and I can honestly say it was one of the coolest (literally) experiences of my life. We had to jump off our luxurious tour bus and board a souped-up monster truck looking bus which transports you to the glacier where a team is ready to outfit you with protective gear and teach you how to use the snowmobiles. The hour tour of the glacier will make you feel like you were on another planet. There are points where the sky and the glacier meet, and you can’t tell them apart. I was fooled by a few optical illusions a few times.
Iceland can be inexpensive to get to, but then very expensive while you are there, so please plan accordingly. Food and alcohol can add up really quickly, so pace yourself when visiting the bars. One of my favorite restaurants we visited in Reykjavik was Noodle Station. Guests can order soup three ways: with chicken, beef, or just vegetables. It is the perfect way to end a long day spent playing in the ice and snow and quite affordable. Do your research before visiting to find some of the city’s hidden gems and cheap eats.
Icelandair offers direct flights to Reykjavik for relatively low prices from Boston, New York, Chicago, Raleigh-Durham, and a few other U.S. cities, so check their website regularly to catch a great deal.
Enjoy the Journey
Monday, January 10, 2022
Gay Denver, This is Your Open Enrollment Reminder!
- 2022 Transgender Health Insurance Buyer's Guide
- 2022 Hormone Therapy Prescription Coverage Guide
- 2022 PrEP and HIV Prescription Coverage Guide
Don't wait to get covered! Open enrollment for 2022 ends this Saturday, January 15th! Shop online or call 855-PLANS-4-YOU.
10 Most Electric Vehicle Friendly States – Colorado Ranked #8 in ACEEE State EV Scorecard
Most of today’s electric vehicles (EVs) cause significantly fewer emissions overall than their gas-powered counterparts, and many have lower lifetime ownership costs, thanks to low fueling and maintenance expenses. But the higher initial purchase cost and lack of access to vehicle charging remain barriers for many households and fleet owners—obstacles some states are mitigating by offering incentives to buy EVs, adding more charging options, and setting lower electric rates at preferred charging times.
The State Transportation Electrification Scorecard finds that California is far and away the national leader in enabling the use of EVs. It is the only state to set deadlines for electrifying transit buses, heavy trucks, and commercial vehicles. The state is also one of few to offer assistance for lower-income drivers replacing older, high-polluting cars with zero- or near-zero-emissions vehicles, and it plans to deploy chargers in economically distressed and environmental justice communities.
California earned 91 of 100 possible points, followed by New York (63.5 points), Washington, DC (59), Maryland (56), Massachusetts (54.5), Washington (54), Vermont (54), Colorado (48), Oregon (47), and New Jersey (44). In contrast, 20 states earned 15 points or fewer.
While many states have taken promising steps to electrify transportation, all have considerable room to improve their policies. Ultimately, a full shift to affordable and accessible electrified vehicles—powered entirely by zero-carbon energy—will be necessary to bring emissions to zero and support livable communities.
“Transitioning to electric vehicles is vital for the climate and for reducing costs for households and businesses,” said Bryan Howard, state policy director at ACEEE and lead report author. “The leading states are embracing this transition, but many more are just starting, even as the automakers are preparing a burst of new electric models.”
Shruti Vaidyanathan, transportation program director at ACEEE and a fellow report author said, “State policymakers can make a concerted effort to enable an electric vehicle transition that not only reduces pollution, but also helps improve access to electrified transportation and quality of life for everyone. The transition won’t happen soon enough nor equitably without the right policies in place.”
The most common state actions to electrify transportation include planning for more EVs and EV charging options (23 states); incentives such as rebates, tax credits, and grants to buy large electric pickups and delivery trucks (27 states); using federal funds to buy electric transit buses (48 states); utility programs that offer lower electric rates at preferred times for EV (Level 2) charging (36 states); and utility funding to spur EV and EV charging adoption in low-income areas and environmental justice communities (15 states). These actions provide key examples of opportunities for other states that have not yet taken these steps.
The scorecard identifies commendable efforts in each region of the country, including the following:
New York was the second-highest ranking state and the top scorer in the Northeast. It has a strong set of incentives for individuals and fleet owners to purchase EVs, and the state and utilities incentivize installing charging infrastructure. The states’ utilities have also targeted more than one-quarter of the investment in their EV infrastructure program toward lower-socioeconomic and disadvantaged communities.
Washington, DC, ranked third. It is a leader in setting ambitious goals for the deployment of personal EVs, together with strong investment in electric transit buses, producing significant development of charging options.
Colorado earned the highest score in the Southwest; it has adopted a goal of having 940,000 EVs on its roadways by 2030. Lawmakers adopted incentives for EV charging investments and required utilities to file plans for EV charging infrastructure. Regulators recently approved a utility plan to install approximately 20,000 chargers throughout the state.
Minnesota was the top scorer in the Midwest (39.5 points). Regulators issued guidelines on utilities’ investment in charging stations, bringing $23.6 million in funding, with more proposed. The state has signaled its intent to adopt California’s zero-emissions vehicle (ZEV) program for personal vehicles.
Virginia performed best in the Southeast (36 points), with solid incentives for electric trucks and buses, time-varying electric rates for home and workplace chargers, and steps to decarbonize the electric grid.
“I’m thrilled that California is being recognized with top honors for our leadership efforts, especially at a time when Governor Newsom is doubling down on our commitment to ensuring all Californians can participate in the transition to clean transportation,” said California Energy Commissioner Patty Monahan. “Our experience shows transportation electrification is a win-win: good for the economy and most importantly for the health and well-being of those affected most by air pollution from tailpipe emissions.”
ACEEE identified three policies that are likely to have the greatest impact for spurring adoption of EVs: ZEV mandates and electric vehicle deployment targets, financial incentives for vehicle purchases, and incentives for installing vehicle chargers. The report scored the states on 40 policies in total, identifying where legislatures, executive agencies, and utility regulators in each state can make progress.
Books: Career ReCharge: Five Strategies to Boost Resilience and Beat Burnout
Enter Beth Benatti Kennedy, an internationally-recognized leadership coach and trainer whose new book Career ReCharge: Five Strategies to Boost Resilience and Beat Burnout (Capucia Publishing, October 2018) provides an achievable, authentic, and accessible path to increasing workplace resilience. The book leads readers step by step through her proprietary Benatti Resiliency Model, five key strategies that will enhance their career resilience and ability to recharge. The strategies—Well-being, Self-awareness, Brand, Connection, and Innovation—are unique and easy to implement, even for people with an already full life.
Different from most books on resilience, Career ReCharge doesn’t rely on gimmicks, rather it explores what it truly means to be resilient, guides readers towards career recharge, and lets them experience the impact that results—all in Kennedy’s warm, approachable style. For everyone from established professionals to those just entering the work world, the book is an insightful and uplifting guide, filled with practical exercises at the end of each chapter that tackle a myriad of common issues including:
- Change is the norm in all organizations and resilience is the way to take charge of your career and your life
- Burnout happens even to people who are passionate about their careers because they work hard and forget to recharge
- Why physical, mental, and spiritual well-being is the foundation for resilience
- Knowing your purpose gives you a guide to making important career decisions
- The importance of your personal brand
- Ways that new challenges and interests can recharge you
“I have used this five-strategy model with my clients for more than twenty years and have witnessed the enhanced career confidence and the increased work engagement that results,” says Kennedy. “My coaching clients learn and experience the incredible personal and professional benefits that recharge can have, and now readers of this book will also.”
Batekoo Reveals the Daily Struggles of LGBTQ Brazilians
Red Bull Music unveiled the premiere episode of Season Three of Inspire the Night, a docuseries showcasing the lives of the creatives behind the world’s most exciting and progressive nightlife communities.
With the premiere of Season Three, Batekoo, showcases a collective of individuals, each facing their own daily battles with race and gender politics in modern day Brazil. Together, Wesley, Maurício, Artur, Kiara, Juju and Renata have created an inspiringly prolific event that has carved out a very much needed safe space for not only the Africian and LGBTQ communities within Brazil, but for anyone seeking warmth, love and compassion.
Batekoo is the face of a new generation of activists, creatives and politicians in Brazil who are challenging heritage institutions and providing a palette for others to feel inspired to do the same. Having expanded from their first parties in Salvador, Batekoo now hosts events in São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and for the first time this year, had a huge presence during Carnival called Carnakoo.
As much as things change and move forward, there is still a need for more progress and inclusivity. Batekoo
Moving deeper into the lives of Batekoo Co-Founders Wesley and Maurício’s journey creating an event for the LGBTQ and Africian communities, Producer Artur’s battle with being a gay man and feeling safe walking down the street to work, singer Kiara’s transition from male to female, dancer and Batekoo Queen Juju’s struggle with a fatphobic family and activist Renata’s search for a platform to motivate others the discovery and universality of these struggles is complete: Batekoo’s story IS everyone’s story. This doc uncovers how nightlife creators do more than just build their dream places to party – they build dreams for whole new communities to live in.
“We see Batekoo as a symbol of freedom. We’re here to resignify things.” -Batekoo Founder Maurício Sacramento
Business and Family: 4 Tips For Finding A Successful Balance
Most entrepreneurs work at least 50 hours a week, and some people like Elon Musk say that working 100 hours a week is doable and will improve the chances for business success.
But what about having a life beyond the business?
“Entrepreneurs really do have to walk a tightrope between their families and their businesses,” says Peter J. Strauss, an attorney, entrepreneur and author of the upcoming book The Accidental Life. “Failure in one of those two aspects usually leads to failure in the other.”
Making matters worse is that when entrepreneurs first launch the business, many are using their homes as an office. This creates family issues when there are no physical barriers between job and family, Strauss says.
He offers tips for entrepreneurs who want to have success in both their business and their home lives:
Set boundaries. Especially if you run the business at home, it is important to set boundaries with your spouse or partner to make sure you are not always talking about business. When you are at work, be at work. And when you are at home, even if your business is in the garage, be at home. Have a separate phone for your business and don’t take business calls when you are on family time unless it is an emergency.
Prioritize work tasks. Determine what is the most difficult task and attack it first. That will help you get out of work on time and go home to your family. If you have a family event in the evening, it is much easier to leave a small task to the morning instead of a large, difficult task.
Take vacations (even small ones). A vacation doesn’t have to be two weeks. Take a day off and take the family on a picnic. It will not only be good for your relationship with your family, it will also be good for your business. You will come back refreshed and better able to tackle the challenges of your business.
Don’t intrude on your family’s space. If you run your business from your home, have a designated workspace. Don’t use the family dining room table for your paperwork. Find someplace where you can focus on your business without family interruptions.
Strauss says entrepreneurs should not underestimate the importance of finding the right balance between business and family.
“If they don’t get it right,” he says, “they risk losing everything.”
Queer|Art announces the 2022 Queer|Art|Mentorship Fellows
Queer|Art is pleased to announce the twelve Fellows accepted for the 2022 Queer|Art|Mentorship program cycle, and the Mentors with whom they will be working:
Jose Abad with Mentor, Will Rawls (Performance)
JL Akagi with Mentor, Torrey Peters (Literature)
Frances Arpaia with Mentor, Angelo Madsen Minax (Film)
Mariam Bazeed with Mentor, Morgan Bassichis (Performance)
Clarissa Brooks with Mentor, Saeed Jones (Literature)
Antonius-Tin Bui with Mentor, Lola Flash (Visual Art)
Kei Kaimana with Mentor, Alexis De Veaux (Literature)
Ute Petit with Mentor, Jeffrey Gibson (Visual Art)
Xoài Pham with Mentor, Tourmaline (Film)
Joie Lou Shakur with Mentor, Silas Howard (Film)
Anh Vo with Mentor, Julie Tolentino (Performance)
Agustine Zegers with Mentor, Constantina Zavitsanos (Visual Art)
Now in its 11th year, the organization’s celebrated year-long creative and professional development program expands nationally for the first time, supporting both remote and in-person participation between early-career and established LGBTQ+ artists from across the country. In expanding nationally, Queer|Art|Mentorship bridges professional and social thresholds that often isolate artists by generation, discipline, and region. The 2022 cohort is made up of Mentors and Fellows participating across ten states: California, Connecticut, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Vermont, and Virginia.
The program supports a year-long exchange between emerging and established LGBTQ+ artists across four distinct fields—Film, Literature, Performance, and Visual Art. Fellows apply with a specific project they would like to work on during the program and meet each month with their Mentors to discuss their progress in the lead-up to this event. Fellows also meet each month as a group to learn from and provide support for one another throughout the year.
For the last decade, Queer|Art|Mentorship has nurtured the creative and professional development of over 179 artists and propelled the careers of a new generation of creators. Alumni of the program include: Camilo Godoy, Ryan J. Haddad, Saeed Jones, Jeanne Vaccaro, Geo Wyeth, April Freely, Tourmaline, Sasha Wortzel, Jess Barbagallo, Morgan Bassichis, Monstah Black, Yve Laris Cohen, Troy Michie, Angelo Madsen Minax, Tommy Pico, Justin Sayre, Eva Reign, Jacolby Satterwhite, Guadalupe Rosales, and Hugh Ryan, among many others.
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