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Black Joy is revolutionary, and it shows up in all these small, simple but emphatic ways-like dance. Whether it's a shoulder bop or a fully choreographed routine, the joy in dance is about freely owning your movements, and it's an integral part of the Black experience. Black dances are always evolving. Across the country, each region has its own signature style, but each style stays true to the instinctual need to be expressive and jubilant. This Black History Month, If Cities Could Dance celebrates a few dance traditions and styles of the Black diaspora in this mixtape video (embedded above). From the bateys in Puerto Rico to train cars in the Bay Area, if the spirit moves, Black dance happens anywhere and everywhere.

We also created this If Cities Could Dance Black History playlist with videos from four seasons of the award-winning series. Below are a few of our fans' favorite episodes.

A tight-knit, intergenerational community revives Philly's soulful and inclusive house scene.

The international dance icon brought dances from the African diaspora to stages around the world, then made a home in East St. Louis.

Today's jam skaters draw from a community built over generations at Venice Beach and rinks across the city.

The Dance Champz of Atlanta are evolving this dance beyond its roots in HBCUs and LGBTQ+ club battles.

Waves of migration brought southwest Louisiana's Creole culture to Houston's Frenchtown, where zydeco now draws crowds of dancers young and old.

Originators of the 1970s art form are passing its funk-driven, freestyle moves to a new generation.

A new generation of dancers are bringing Beat Ya Feet back to the streets of D.C. in celebration of the city's rich black history. Now streaming on PBS Voices.

Once marginalized and near-forgotten, bomba is experiencing a resurgence in popularity and relevance with younger dancers.

Watch jookin legends and emerging stars in the scene slide, ankle break and spin through their city. Now streaming on PBS Voices.

Meet some of Chicago's footworkers who challenge the city's legacy of segregation.

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A Dance Through Black History Across the African Diaspora | KQED

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Black Joy is revolutionary, and it shows up in all these small, simple but emphatic ways-like dance. Whether it's a shoulder bop or a fully choreographed routine, the joy in dance is about freely owning your movements, and it's an integral part of the Black experience. Black dances are always evolving.

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Lord Grant Me the SERENITY to understand I cannot slap everyone who needs to be slapped. The COURAGE to slap those who need to be slapped, and the FAITH to trust that others will slap those I can't get to. written by the black imagination liberation sisters

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EPIC THUNDER & RAIN | Rainstorm Sounds For Relaxing, Focus or Sleep | White Noise 10 Hours

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Janelle Monáe - Turntables [Emotion Picture]

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Presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) defended his longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, on Tuesday, even as he repudiated some of the pastor's inflammatory sermons. But Wright's comments likely come as no surprise to those familiar with black liberation theology, a religious philosophy that emerged during the 1960s.

Black liberation theology originated on July 31, 1966, when 51 black pastors bought a full page ad in the New York Times and demanded a more aggressive approach to eradicating racism. They echoed the demands of the black power movement, but the new crusade found its source of inspiration in the Bible.

"God's presence in the world is best depicted through God's involvement in the struggle for justice," says Anthony Pinn, who teaches philosophy and religion at Rice University in Houston. "God is so intimately connected to the community that suffers, that God becomes a part of that community."
Freedom and Liberation
Dwight Hopkins, a professor at the University of Chicago Divinity School, says black liberation theology often portrays Jesus as a brown-skinned revolutionary. He cites the words of Mary in the Magnificat - also known as the "Song of Mary" - in which she says God intends to bring down the mighty and raise the lowly. Hopkins also notes that in the book of Matthew, Jesus says the path to heaven is to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and the prisoners. And the central text for black liberation theology can be found in Chapter 4 of Luke's gospel, where Jesus outlines the purpose of his ministry.

"Jesus says my mission is to eradicate poverty and to bring about freedom and liberation for the oppressed," Hopkins says. "And most Christian pastors in America skip over that part of the book."

Hopkins attends Trinity United Church of Christ, where Rev. Wright just retired as pastor. In the now-famous sermon from 2003, Wright said black people's troubles are a result of racism that still exists in America, crying out, "No, no, no, not God bless America! God damn America - that's in the Bible - for killing innocent people."

According to Hopkins, that was theological wordplay - because the word "damn" is straight out of the Bible and has a specific meaning in the original Hebrew.

"It means a sacred condemnation by God to a wayward nation who has strayed from issues of justice, strayed from issues of peace, strayed from issues of reconciliation," Hopkins says.
A Loud, Passionate, Physical Affair
Anthony Pinn of Rice University acknowledges that black liberation preaching often sounds angry. But he says the anger does not advocate violence but is instead channeled into constructive routes. Trinity UCC, he notes, has 70 ministries that help the poor, the unemployed, those with AIDS or those in prison. Pinn says the words can be jarring to the untrained ear, but they're still valid.

"Folks, including myself, may be taken aback by the inflammatory nature of the rhetoric, but I don't think very many of us would deny that there is a fundamental truth: Racism is a problem in the United States," Pinn says.

Black liberation preaching can be a loud, passionate, physical affair. Linda Thomas, who teaches at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, says the whole point of it is to challenge the powerful and to raise questions for society to think about. Thomas says if white people are surprised by the rhetoric, it's because most have never visited a black church.

"I think that many black people would know what white worship is like," Thomas says. "Why is it that white people don't know what black worship is about? And I think that is because there is this centrality with white culture that says we don't have to know about that."

Obama presents himself as uniquely situated to bridge those two cultures because of his biracial heritage. In his speech on race Tuesday, the presidential hopeful said he could no more disown his controversial pastor than he could disown his white grandmother.

"These people are a part of me. And they are part of America, this country that I love," Obama said.

He denounced the harshness of Wright's words - not because they were false, he said, but because they did not acknowledge the strides that the U.S. has made in the fight against racism. Obama said his own candidacy shows how far the country has come.

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Black Liberation Theology, in its Founder's Words

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The Rev. James H. Cone founded black liberation theology, which has roots in 1960s civil-rights activism. In an interview with Terry Gross, he explains the movement - and comments on controversial sermons by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's longtime minister and a black liberation theology proponent.

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Black Joy Parade Party 2020-We Love Soca Choreography-Diaspora Dance

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The Notre-Dame de Paris fire broke out on 15 April 2019, just before 18:20 CEST, beneath the roof of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris. By the time the structure fire was extinguished, the building's spire had collapsed and most of its roof had been destroyed and its upper walls were severely damaged. Extensive damage to the interior was prevented by its stone vaulted ceiling, which largely contained the burning roof as it collapsed. Many works of art and religious relics were moved to safety early in the emergency, but others suffered smoke damage, and some of the exterior art was damaged or destroyed. The cathedral's altar, two pipe organs, and its three 13th-century rose windows, suffered little or no damage. Three emergency workers were injured. Contamination of the site and the nearby environment resulted.

French president Emmanuel Macron said that the cathedral would be restored by 2024, and launched a fundraising campaign which brought in pledges of over €1billion as of 22 April 2019. A complete restoration could require twenty years or more.[citation needed ]

On 25 December 2019, the cathedral did not host Christmas services for the first time since 1803.

The Catholic cathedral of Notre-Dame de Paris ("Our Lady of Paris"), part of the "Paris, Banks of the Seine" UNESCO World Heritage Site, was begun in the 12th century. Its walls and interior vaulted ceiling are of stone; its roof and flèche (spire) were of wood (much of it 13th-century oak), sheathed in lead to exclude water. The spire was rebuilt several times, most recently in the 19th century.

The cathedral's stonework has been severely eroded by years of weather and pollution, and the spire had extensively rotted because fissures in its lead sheathing were admitting water. The roof timbers were dry, spongy and powdery with age. In 2014, the Ministry of Culture estimated needed renovations at €150million, and in 2016 the Archdiocese of Paris launched an appeal to raise €100million over the following five to ten years. At the time of the fire, the spire was undergoing restoration and scaffolding was being erected over the transept.

Extensive attention had been given to the risk of fire at the cathedral. The Paris Fire Brigade drilled regularly to prepare for emergencies there, including on-site exercises in 2018; a firefighter was posted to the cathedral each day; and fire wardens checked conditions beneath the roof three times daily.

Fire broke out in the attic beneath the cathedral's roof at 18:18. At 18:20 the fire alarm sounded and guards evacuated the cathedral; a guard was sent to investigate, but to the wrong location - the attic of the adjoining sacristy - where he found no fire. About fifteen minutes later the error was discovered, but by the time guards had climbed the three hundred steps to the cathedral attic the fire was well advanced. The alarm system was not designed to automatically notify the fire brigade, which was summoned at 18:51 after the guards had returned. Firefighters arrived within ten minutes.

More than 400 firefighters were engaged; another hundred government workers[clarification needed ] worked to move precious objects to safety via a human chain also including police and municipal workers.

The fire was primarily fought from inside the structure, which was more dangerous for personnel but reduced potential damage to the cathedral; applying water from outside risked deflecting flames and hot gases (at temperatures up to 800°C or 1500°F) inwards. Deluge guns were used at lower-than-usual pressures to minimise damage to the cathedral and its contents. Water was supplied by pump-boat from the Seine.

Aerial firefighting was not used because water dropped from heights could have caused structural damage, and heated stone can crack if suddenly cooled. Helicopters were not used because of dangerous updrafts but drones were used for visual and thermal imaging, and robots for visual imaging and directing water streams. Molten lead falling from the roof posed a special hazard for firefighters.

By 18:52, smoke was visible from outside; flames appeared in the next ten minutes, as firefighters arrived. The spire of the cathedral collapsed at 19:50, creating a draft that slammed all the doors and sent a fireball through the attic. Firefighters then retreated from within the attic. Shortly before the spire fell, the fire had spread to the wooden framework inside the north tower, which supported eight very large bells. Had the bells fallen, it was thought that the damage done as they fell could have collapsed the towers, and with them the entire cathedral. At 20:30, firefighters abandoned attempts to extinguish the roof and concentrated on saving the towers, fighting from within and between the towers. By 21:45 the fire was under control.

Adjacent apartment buildings were evacuated due to concern about possible collapse, but on 19 April the fire brigade ruled out that risk. One firefighter and two police officers were injured.

Most of the wood/metal roof and the spire of the cathedral was destroyed, with about one third of the roof remaining. The remnants of the roof and spire fell atop the stone vault underneath, which forms the ceiling of the cathedral's interior. Some sections of this vaulting collapsed in turn, allowing debris from the burning roof to fall to the marble floor below, but most sections remained intact due to the use of rib vaulting, greatly reducing damage to the cathedral's interior and objects within.

The cathedral contained a large number of artworks, religious relics, and other irreplaceable treasures, including a crown of thorns said to be the one Jesus wore at his crucifixion, a purported piece of the cross on which Jesus was crucified, the Tunic of St. Louis, a much-rebuilt pipe organ by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll, and the 14th-century Virgin of Paris statue.

Some artwork had been removed in preparation for the renovations, and most of the cathedral's sacred relics were held in the adjoining sacristy, which the fire did not reach; all the cathedral's relics survived. Some contents were moved by a human chain of emergency workers and civil servants. Many valuables that were not removed also survived, but the state of many others remained unknown as of 16 April.[needs update ]

Lead joints in some of the 19th-century stained-glass windows melted, but the three major rose windows, dating to the 13th century, were undamaged. One weakened window may need to be dismantled for safekeeping.[needs update ] Several pews were destroyed and the vaulted arches were blackened by smoke, though the church's main cross and altar survived, along with the statues surrounding it.

Some paintings, apparently only smoke-damaged, are expected to be transported to the Louvre for restoration. A number of statues, including those of the twelve Apostles at the base of the spire, had been removed in preparation for renovations. The rooster-shaped reliquary atop the spire was found damaged but intact among the debris. The three pipe organs were not significantly damaged. The largest of the cathedral's bells, the bourdon, was not damaged. The liturgical treasury of the cathedral and the "grands Mays" paintings were moved to safety.

Environmental damage

Airparif said winds rapidly dispersed the smoke, carrying it away aloft along the Seine corridor. It did not find elevated levels of particulate air pollution at monitoring stations nearby. The Paris police have stated that there was no danger from breathing the air around the fire.

The burned-down roof had been covered with over 400 metric tons of lead. Settling dust substantially raised surface lead levels in some places nearby, notably the cordoned-off area and places left open during the fire. Wet cleaning for surfaces and blood tests for children and pregnant women were recommended in the immediate area. People working on the cathedral after the fire did not initially take the lead precautions required for their own protection; materials leaving the site were decontaminated, but some clothing was not, and some precautions were not correctly followed; as a result, the worksite failed some inspections and was temporarily shut down. There was also more widespread contamination; testing, cleanup, and public health advisories were delayed for months, and the neighbourhood was not decontaminated for four months, prompting widespread criticism.

Average lead levels in Paris streets are normally five times the indoor legal limit (1,000 micrograms per square metre (0.0014 gr/sq ft)) due to historic uses of lead, principally from runoff from intact roofs. The Health Ministry rules that children should not be exposed to more than 70 micrograms/m ² indoors. There is no legal limit for outdoor lead levels, which are often very heterogeneous; the L'Agence régionale de santé (ARS) d'Ile-de-France is not certain if some of the elevated levels being measured are connected to the fire. This lack of clarity and threshold-linked mandatory measures may have delayed action. In mid-July, regional health officials raised their outdoor guideline from 1000 micrograms/m ² to 5000. Rain can redistribute the lead dust.

Macron, postponing a speech to address the yellow vests movement planned for that evening, went to Notre Dame and gave a brief address there. Numerous world religious and government leaders extended condolences.

Through the night of the fire and into the next day, people gathered along the Seine to hold vigils, sing and pray.

The following Sunday at Saint-Eustache Church, the Archbishop of Paris, Michel Aupetit, honoured the firefighters with the presentation of a book of scriptures saved from the fire.

On 16 April, the Paris prosecutor said there was no evidence of a deliberate act.

The fire has been compared to the similar 1992 Windsor Castle fire and the Uppark fire, among others, and has raised old questions about the safety of similar structures and the techniques used to restore them. Renovation works increase fire risk, and a police source reported they are looking into whether such work had caused this incident.

The renovations presented a fire risk from sparks, short-circuits, and heat from welding (roof repairs involved cutting, and welding lead sheets resting on timber). Normally, no electrical installations were allowed in the roof space due to the extreme fire risk. The roof framing was of very dry timber, often powdery with age. After the fire the architect responsible for fire safety at the cathedral acknowledged that the rate at which fire might spread had been underestimated, and experts said it was well known that a fire in the roof would be almost impossible to control.

Of the firms working on the restoration, a Europe Echafaudage team was the only one working there on the day of the fire; the company said no soldering or welding was underway before the fire. The scaffolding was receiving electrical supply for temporary elevators and lighting. The roofers, Le Bras Frères, said it had followed procedure and that none of its personnel were on site when the fire broke out. Time-lapse images taken by a camera installed by them showed smoke first rising from the base of the spire.

On 25 April, the structure was considered safe enough for entry of investigators, who unofficially stated that they were considering theories involving malfunction of electric bell-ringing apparatus, and cigarette butts discovered on the renovation scaffolding. Le Bras Frères confirmed its workers had smoked cigarettes, contrary to regulations, but denied that a cigarette butt could have started the fire. The Paris prosecutor's office announced on 26 June that no evidence had been found to suggest a criminal motive.

The security employee monitoring the alarm system was new on the job, and was on a second eight-hour shift that day because his relief had not arrived. Additionally, the fire security system used confusing terminology in its referencing parts of the cathedral, which contributed to the initial confusion as to the location of the fire.

As of September, five months after the fire, investigators thought the cause of the fire was more likely an electrical fault than a cigarette. Determining the exact place in which the fire started was expected to take a great deal more time and work. By 15 April 2020, investigators believed "the fire to have been started by either a cigarette or a short circuit in the electrical system".

On the night of the fire Macron said that the cathedral, which is owned by the state, would be rebuilt, and launched an international fundraising campaign. France's cathedrals have been owned by the state since 1905, and are not privately insured.

The heritage conservation organisation Fondation du Patrimoine estimated the damage in the hundreds of millions of euros; but, according to President Robert Leblanc, losses from the fire are not expected to substantially impact the private insurance industry. European art insurers stated the cost would be similar to ongoing renovations of the Palace of Westminster in London, which currently is estimated around €7billion. This cost does not include damage to any of the artwork or artefacts within the cathedral; art insurers said any pieces on loan from other museums would have been insured, but the works owned by the cathedral would not have been insurable.

While Macron hoped the cathedral could be restored in time for the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, architects expect the work could take from twenty to forty years, as any new structure would need to balance restoring the look of the original building, using wood and stone sourced from the same regions used in the original construction, with the structural reinforcement required for preventing a similar disaster in the future.

There is discussion of whether to reconstruct the cathedral in modified form. Rebuilding the roof with titanium sheets and steel trusses has been suggested; other options include rebuilding in the original lead and wood, rebuilding with modern materials not visible from the outside (like the reinforced concrete trusses at Reims Cathedral), or a combination of restored old elements and newly designed ones.

French prime minister Édouard Philippe announced an architectural design competition for a new spire "adapted to the techniques and the challenges of our era." The spire replacement project has gathered a variety of designs and some controversy, particularly its legal exemption from environmental and heritage rules. After the design competition was announced, the French senate amended the government's restoration bill to require the roof to be restored to how it was before the fire. This amendment awaits approval by the National Assembly of France.[needs update ] On 16 July, 95 days after the fire that destroyed the cathedral's roof and central spire, the law that will govern the restoration of the cathedral was finally approved by the French parliament. It recognises its UNESCO World Heritage Site status and the need to respect existing international charters and practices, to "preserve the historic, artistic and architectural history of the monument", and to limit any derogations to the existing heritage, planning, environmental and construction codes to a minimum.

On 15 April 2020, Germany offered to restore "some of the large clerestory windows located far above eye level" with three expert tradesmen who specialize in rebuilding cathedrals. Monika Grütters, Germany's Commissioner for Culture was quoted as saying "her country would shoulder the costs".

As of 30 November all of the tangled scaffolding was removed from the spire area. It is no longer a threat to the building.

As of 22 April 2019, donations of over €1billion have been pledged for the cathedral's reconstruction, at least €880million of that in less than a day after Macron's appeal. Pledges €10M and over include:

There have been many additional pledges for smaller, or undisclosed, amounts. A proposal by former minister Jean-Jacques Aillagon that corporate donations for Notre-Dame should get a 90% tax deduction (rather than the standard 60%) was retracted after public outcry. Some donors have said they will not seek tax deductions. Those who do not pay income tax (more than half of French taxpayers, including many working- and middle-class donors) are not eligible for tax deductions.

As of 14 June 2019, only €80million had been collected. The minister in charge of national museums and monuments, Franck Riester, predicted that further donations would materialise as reconstruction work progressed, though it was reported that some who made pledges have renounced them because fundraising has been so successful. One year after the fire, from an estimated 320,000 contributors, close to €1 billion had been received.

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The Notre-Dame de Paris fire broke out on 15 April 2019, just before 18:20 CEST, beneath the roof of Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris. By the time the structure fire was extinguished, the building's spire had collapsed and most of its roof had been destroyed and its upper walls were severely damaged.

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It Starts Today*!
Young People Investing in a Future Free of Racism
A Resource Generation Campaign to Support Black-Led Organizing for Black Liberation

We did it! The RG community collectively gave $1.4 million to over 100 Black-led organizing groups around the U.S. We are so proud of the RG community for showing up the way we have in the past 10 months. As is evident, this is just the beginning (on the shoulders of a long history and legacy) of our work to support the end of white supremacy, anti-Black racism, and state-sanctioned violence.
The content and guides we collectively worked to create for this campaign have been moved to our resource section.
Resource Generation envisions a world in which all communities are powerful, healthy, and living in alignment with the planet. A world that is racially and economically just in which wealth, land and power are shared.

*This is a play on "It stops today," a statement made by Eric Garner, moments before his death that has since become a hashtag and rallying cry across the United States. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/12/03/us/2014-12-03-garner-video.html?_r=0

As RG, we are responding to the call to action by young Black leaders who are leading the Movement for Black Lives**.

We know that race is deeply intertwined with class and wealth, and that the history of wealth inequality and accumulation is a history of institutionalized racism. We recognize white supremacy as a tool of social control used for centuries by the ruling elite, to keep wealth in the hands of a few. To make positive changes to our economic system, we need to work for racial justice and end racism.

At this moment of incredible movement organizing to end anti-Black racism and state violence, we are calling on our community to stretch, to give above and beyond what we already do to support this spark to spread.

Please see the Resource Section for the archive of the webpages from this campaign.

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It Starts Today*! Young People Investing in a Future Free of Racism A Resource Generation Campaign to Support Black-Led Organizing for Black Liberation We did it! The RG community collectively gave $1.4 million to over 100 Black-led organizing groups around the U.S. We are so proud of the RG community for showing up the way [...]

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Self care-Maia

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Ready to welcome the New Year with happiness and positive energy? We’ve chosen 27 songs featuring female artists that instantly lift the spirit.

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You don't have to fly to Seoul, South Korea to find out why the "Jimjilbangs" or Korean bathhouses might just be the next big thing. Luckily for us there are several such spas right here in the Bay Area. Let's explore what happens in theses bathhouses and why they can be a healthy and therapeutic addition to one's wellness and beauty rituals.

The origins of the "Jimjilbang" traditions may be linked to the natural hot springs that have been in use for over a thousand years in South Korea. They became popular at the time of Japanese rule and have since become part of a weekly ritual in Korean culture. The primary goal is to cleanse and detoxify the body through hot and cold hydrotherapy, various therapeutic saunas, massage and the infamous and intense full body scrub called "Seshin."

It is not uncommon for family members of all generations, both men and women to congregate at the "Jimjilbang" for an entire day of services, socializing and relaxation and many partake weekly as is tradition. Some bathhouses host a variety of other amenities including restaurants, nail salons and even a golf course. It is not at all uncommon to spend the night at the Jimjilbang should one be so inclined. Men and women have separate bathing facilities and are most often treated by a member of their own sex.

Luckily, the American adaptations of a Korean bathhouse still boast many of the same treatments and health benefits but are mostly run like the day spas we are accustomed to.

What to Expect

Upon arrival you will be given a robe and sandals and most likely escorted to your locker in the changing rooms. Keep your robe and towel handy if you are not comfortable being naked as these bathhouse are clothing free.

You will be encouraged to partake in the bathing ritual, which is at a minimum, a thirty-minute process. The idea is to moisten and soften the skin to the point of "pruning." This will help your skin release the outermost layers during "Seshin" or the full body scrub. Start by sitting on a traditional bathing stool. Pump a little soap into your bowl and then cleanse your entire body thoroughly. Once you have rinsed you may enter either a steam room or a Jacuzzi to start the ritual. Alternate between hot and cold hydrotherapy options. I have been told anywhere from five to ten minutes of a warm treatment followed by a three minute cold plunge should suffice. Repeat these steps for at least thirty minutes then wrap up in your robe and towel and relax until you are called for your treatment.

The "Seshin" Ritual

This is one intense full body scrub. The practitioner who will no doubt be wearing a black bikini ushers you onto a plastic wrapped, padded table to begin the process of exfoliating your skin. They use hand mitts, which are made of an Italian nylon and feel like a loofa or quite honestly the equivalent of sand paper. You will be scrubbed thoroughly from head to toe for approximately twenty to thirty minutes. They will not miss a spot but just go with it!

This has been called," the scrub of a lifetime" by many. Once your scrub is complete you will be rinsed with warm water and milk to soften and hydrate the skin. You may end your treatment there in which case oil will most likely be applied to your body to maintain moisture.

Adding a massage is highly recommended and to many considered a non-negotiable next step. The oil massage is usually light to medium in pressure and preformed with a rapid but fluid movement that feels relaxing and invigorating all at the same time. This is followed by a facemask, scalp massage and shampoo.

Once you have completed your "seshin" and massage you are free to lounge around in the relaxation room, sip some tea and rest or you may partake in any of the therapeutic saunas. I usually rotate between them depending of what they offer and what I feel my body needs at the time. The health benefits of each room are usually displayed on a sign outside the door but can range from detoxification of the body to deep muscle relaxation. According to a study in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, a peer reviewed journal, saunas help to rid the body of heavy metals and chemical xenobiotics. Far-infrared rooms in particular penetrate deep into the body releasing toxins that are stored in the fat tissue which can help to normalize blood pressure, relieve chronic pain and promote weight loss.
O ther possible health benefits of Korean bath rituals:
Scrubs - Cleanses and deeply exfoliates skin
Improves blood and oxygen circulation
Stimulates the lymph system
Releases toxin build up in the body
Promotes reduction of cortisol levels
Generates relaxation
Detoxifies the body
Boosts energy and endorphin production
Reduces inflammation
Strengthens immune system

Once completed, the Korean bathhouse ritual will leave your skin soft and smooth and you will feel remarkably relaxed and simultaneously invigorated! I certainly hope this trend is here to stay. See below for a list of where to go in San Francisco to get your Korean Spa experience.

Hours 8:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Range $60-$140
415.771.1114
1875 Geary Blvd.
This article originally appeared in Marin Magazine's print edition under the headline: "Are Korean Spas the Next Global Trend?" Allison Quistgard Scherer is a freelance writer and blogger that specializes in wellness, travel and beauty. She is a former expert consultant for Space NK Apothecary, London. She had been featured on Marin T.V.'s "Healing from the ground up" as a Board-certified skin care expert. She is a freelance writer for Marin Magazine in California and was a contributing writer for the book "Project You". Allison is the Founder of Sprig and Glow, a blog dedicated to a healthy lifestyle.
Hours 10:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m.
Range $75-$190
415.922.6005
1750 Geary Blvd.

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The Best Korean Spas in the Bay Area - Marin Magazine

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You don't have to fly to Seoul, South Korea to find out why the "Jimjilbangs" or Korean bathhouses might just be the next big thing. Luckily for us there are several such spas right here in the Bay Area.

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Easy Link to share for those who desire resources

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Easy Link to share for those who desire resources

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In response to the raised awareness and activism regarding police brutality, Black liberation, and dismantling white supremacy, we have created a directory of resources for those looking to get involved in the movement. Here you will find lists of resources, petitions, readings, bail funds.

We will continue to update this list over the following weeks. If you are aware of a resource we should add, please fill out this form.
PAGE LAST UPDATED ON 05/04/21

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Resources for Black Liberation - QUEER | ART

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In response to the raised awareness and activism regarding police brutality, Black liberation, and dismantling white supremacy, we have created a directory of resources for those looking to get involved in the movement. Here you will find lists of resources, petitions, readings, bail funds. We will continue to update this list over the following weeks.

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Making this brought me joy. -Maia

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Calling Up Justice presents: Gaming4Justice: The Woke Clock

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We feel most powerful when we are aligned with rhythm-- the rhythm of our internal desire, the rhythm of our heartbeat and breath, the rhythm of our community, the rhythm of rest, the rhythm of how we create, the rhythm of belly laughter, the rhythm of connection and cuddles, the rhythm of consistent hydration, and the rhythm of the dance that never leaves us.

When we are standing, living, breathing, exuding the full glory that is our ancestors, we feel our power. When we use every experience we have had to prepare us for what's to come, we feel powerful. When we are wholly ourselves without judgement or doubt, whether external or internal, we are and always will be at our most powerful. remember who the fuck we are.

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Black Imagination project exists to make space- space for intersectionality, nuance, and the full range of humanity that is Blackness. Sites of Power was originally contracted to be shown at NAAM, but was cancelled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Now, from the safety of our devices, anywhere in

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Black Liberation Movements: Then and Now

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Black Liberation Movements: Then and Now

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Black Girls Only: A Playlist of Our Favorite Black Girl Anthems

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Introducing our monthly editorial theme of ‘Black Girls Only’ with a playlist of all the Black girl anthems you need in your life.

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(Re) Defining Resilience: A perspective of 'toughness' in BIPOC communities

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(Re) Defining Resilience: A perspective of 'toughness' in BIPOC communities

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You may have heard the phrase, 'pull yourself up by the bootstraps," when faced with failure, adversity, or disappointment. This phrase is referring to resilience, or "the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress...it can also involve profound personal growth." ( APA, 2020) Resilience has recently become a mainstream, buzz word that is used across fields and settings. Educators, professionals, and books such as Rising Strong (Brown, 2015) often share the message that we face challenges, but the 'bounce back' from the challenges is what defines resilience.

As a gay, Latino, and son of immigrants, I certainly have had my share of resilient moments. Whether it was failing a test in college or being bullied for my identities, I learned quickly that you must keep going, no matter what. I also realized that there are some situations in which this bounce back looks different. It wasn't until I saw Justice Sonia Sotomayor's interview in which she famously said "not everyone can pull themselves up by their bootstraps," that I realized that resilience is a multi-layered and complex concept, particularly for Black, Brown, and Indigenous folks. Justice Sotomayor extended the bootstrap analogy and acknowledged that "no matter how tall the heel on your boot is, the barrier is so high, you need a small lift."

For Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color (BIPOC), generations of trauma, systemic racism, and cultural barriers lead to resilience looking very different than what we have taken it to mean in our society. This is not to say that we should discard resilience. In fact, I would say we should pay more attention to it. While resilience can be developed, we should consider how some have no choice but to be resilient. For BIPOC such as myself, being resilient is an act of resistance and survival, while we also celebrate the joys across and within each community.

With this in mind, we should reconsider how we think, discuss, and implement resilient strategies. When I asked my BIPOC colleagues about their own definition of resilience, it was clear that there is more to resilience than simply acknowledging a set-back, processing, and moving on.

For example, some said:

"I have come to know that being resilient is to not have to seek validation from others but to honor and uplift myself despite messaging from the outside world.""Being resilient, for me, in this current moment looks like having the ability to see past my current situation and know that there is a bigger purpose. This is not done without challenges because I'm correcting learned behaviors but there is power on the other side.""I personally have a love/hate relationship with that term. For generations resiliency has been why people of color have survived and thrived. A bi-product of resiliency is the underestimation of need (of an individual or collective) or the creation of a short list of rules that define how a group of people must handle adversity. It is my hope that "we" will make more room for humanity when making reference to that term. I hope we do not allow being "resilient" prevent us from expressing empathy, vulnerability etc. to each other"

When discussing resilience, we must acknowledge and center the narratives and history of BIPOC community members. This can look like listening to BIPOC, learning about the actual history of a community, and reading books by BIPOC. It is critical to understand and take this important context into consideration. The multiple identities that BIPOC hold lead to them to process and apply resilience strategies differently. I encourage BIPOC to not only seek counseling, but also seek counseling from therapists that align and affirm their identities.

When implementing resilience, too, we should be careful in how we tell BIPOC to be resilient. Often, the strengths of BIPOC communities are overlooked. For example, research has shown that in Black communities, despite the risk for negative outcomes, many are able to overcome the negative consequences and experience a positive life (Brown, 2008). Aspects of the different BIPOC communities, such as learning the history of their community or an extended support group, can help overcome failures, challenges, and trauma.

Although this year has presented several challenges, I am reminded again about the strengths of my communities and how I have shown resilience throughout my life. When considering how I "pull myself up by the bootstraps," I also think about taking them off, understand how they were made, and putting them on once I am ready to walk again.
Gustavo A. Molinar, M.A. (he/him/his/él) is currently the Mental Health Literacy Specialist for Mental Health America of Greater Houston. Informed by his identities as a queer Latino man, Gustavo is dedicated to working with and for communities, helping uplift those who have been traditionally marginalized. Originally from Houston, TX, he holds his bachelor degrees from The University of Texas at Austin and his master's degree in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University. He has worked professionally in residence life, student wellness, and multicultural affairs and has taught social justice courses. In his spare time, Gustavo enjoys running, photography, and traveling.
American Psychological Association (2020). Building your resilience. Retrieved from: https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience

Reichard, R. (2017). Justice Sonia Sotomayor keeps it real (again): Not everyone can pull themselves 'Up by the bootstraps.' Retrieved from: http://www.latina.com/lifestyle/politics/sonia-sotomayor-inequality-pulling-up-by-bootstraps

Henderson, N. (2020). Race and resiliency--What does the research say? Retrieved from:
https://www.resiliency.com/race-and-resiliency-what-does-the-research-say/ https://www.apa.org/pi/families/resources/newsletter/2015/08/african-american-youth
americanprogress.org/issues/race/news/2017/12/18/444235/resilient-power-black-community/
https://vakids.org/our-news/blog/whyblackchildrenhavetoberesilient https://theconversation.com/black-americans-may-be-more-resilient-to-stress-than-white-americans-62338 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00438243.2018.1510340?needAccess=true https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00438243.2018.1510340 https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007%2F978-0-387-71799-9_115 https://www.immi.se/intercultural/nr11/gunnestad.htm

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(Re) Defining Resilience: A perspective of 'toughness' in BIPOC communities

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You may have heard the phrase, 'pull yourself up by the bootstraps," when faced with failure, adversity, or disappointment. This phrase is referring to resilience, or "the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant sources of stress...it can also involve profound personal growth."

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We Are BLACKLIBERATIONLAB Co-creating solutions that support Black liberation. About UsDonate VISION Our vision for Black liberation centers on a community of interdependency in which we have authorship of our narratives, lifelong creative freedom, and transformative healing and protection. COMMUNIT…

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Disability plus Pleasure Activism with Alice Wong, Claudia Alick and adrienne maree brown

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Disability plus Pleasure Activism with Alice Wong, Claudia Alick and adrienne maree brown

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ASU Center for Science and the Imagination

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ASU Center for Science and the Imagination

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Arizona State University's Center for Science and the Imagination brings writers, artists and other creative thinkers into collaboration with scientists, engineers and technologists to reignite humanity's grand ambitions for innovation and discovery. The center serves as a network hub for audacious moonshot ideas and a cultural engine for thoughtful optimism. We provide a space for productive collaboration between the humanities and the sciences, bring human narratives to scientific questions, and explore the full social implications of cutting-edge research.

More about our projects Meet our staff

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Center for Science and the Imagination | Center for Science and the Imagination

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Arizona State University's Center for Science and the Imagination brings writers, artists and other creative thinkers into collaboration with scientists, engineers and technologists to reignite humanity's grand ambitions for innovation and discovery. The center serves as a network hub for audacious moonshot ideas and a cultural [...]