text:
Until next time lovely.
With hugs,
Until next time lovely.
With hugs,
I have a question for you: What would your life look like if you had no fear?
Someone once asked me that and I haven't been able to forget about it ever since. It's that powerful.
And I'd highly encourage you to take a moment to take that question in and really think about it.
What would your life look like if you had no fear?
What would you be doing?
What kind of person would you be?
Where would you live?
Where would you work?
What kind of person would you be married to?
What type of a lifestyle would you have?
What clothes would you wear?
Grab a pen and some paper and write down the answers.
Allow yourself to dream. Let your mind wander and be free. Forget about what's "realistic" and write down your wildest dreams.
Do that now.
Go ahead…
(I'll be here. Waiting. No rush.)
How did that feel? What did you write? How does that life look like? How do you look like?
We're never too old to dream. And we're never too adult to believe in those dreams.
Have you ever looked at someone and thought wow, I wish I had her/his life? I wish I were like her/him? What's the next thought that comes to your head preventing you from believing it's possible for you too?
We're not born this way. Most of the things in us and our lives at the moment are learned. We learn to behave in a certain way, to think in a certain way, we even learn to believe in a certain way. Some people learn more beneficial thought and behaviour patterns than others, but we all have the power (and freedom!) to change them as adults.
If there's something you really want in your life, you can have it. You just have to figure out what's stopping you.
Hit reply and ponder about it in an email to me!
Happy dreaming and remember… "Don't (just) dream your life, LIVE your dream!"
With so much love and hugs,
The mothers I know and have photographed all share one thing: worry.
Worry that
That's mother's love. This worry comes from the depth of a mother's love.
I don't have children myself, but every mother, mine included, tells me it's love like they've never experienced before. It's something inexplicable.
When you feel such strong love, when you know you'd do anything for this child, when the child is your world… how can there be anything bigger? How can anything else possibly be better?
Mothers: I'm proud of all of you. It's not an easy job, yet you do it, and make it look easy. You're doing the most important job in the world: raising the next generation. Be proud. Be happy. Encourage and support yourself (and other mothers).
Give yourself time to grow and develop, to relax and restore. You deserve it.
While being a mother is the most important job, it's also important to remember that underneath it all, there's still you.
It's okay to spend time by yourself. It's okay to pamper yourself. It's okay to focus on yourself every now and again. Because when you recharge your batteries, you have so much more to give to your child(ren) and others close to you. It's a gift you give to others when you take care of yourself.
So don't be shy. Don't be too modest.
You deserve pampering.
You deserve relaxation.
You deserve you-time.
Take it. And enjoy it.
Happy Mother's Day!
You make this world a better place. Thank you.
With so much love and appreciation,
In honour of it being May 4th today, I decided to bring on the wisdom of Yoda. If you've never seen any of the Star Wars movies, I'd highly recommend watching at least the first trilogy. And if for nothing else, watch them for the wisdom.
I was never interested in these films until a couple of years ago I was practically forced to watch them. After the first film, I was sold.
So without further ado, here are a couple of reasons, from Yoda himself, why you should watch Star Wars:
Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.
Luke: I can't believe it.
Yoda: That is why you fail.
You must unlearn what you have learned.
Many of the truths that we cling to depend on our point of view.
Do or do not. There is no try.
You will find only what you bring in.
Named must your fear be before banish it you can.
Are you convinced yet?!
If not, I hope that at least some of Yoda's wisdom hit home to you. After all, they're universal truths about life and I hope they will inspire you.
May the 4th (ie. Force…) be with you!
Until next time lovely,
With hugs,
Lotta is a Super Woman.
She's educated, married, has four children and still continues to work – all in the ripe old age of 34. And yet she still experiences inferiority. This is a feeling she doesn't want to pass on to her children which is what's pushing her to seek solutions. And that's how Lotta ended up taking part in the challenge I had with the Finnish women's magazine Me Naiset.
Lotta was bullied at school which left marks in her self-esteem. Although she's had many successes in all areas of her life, they still haven't been strong enough to conquer the underlying feeling of inferiority.
The photoshoot with Lotta was relaxed and pleasant. She's calm, respectful and friendly, and it's easy to be around her. She has gorgeous, sparkly eyes and amazing cheek bones and smile. Lotta is also tall and carries herself beautifully. All in all she's a gorgeous, beautiful woman. And it was a pleasure to photograph her.
Thank you, Lotta for the application and for an opportunity to get to know you. I hope that the experience will keep bringing a smile to your face for a long time to come and that the photographs will function as a reminder of your bravery, determination and inner strength. Because you've got so much more of it than you think.
Bullies rarely understand the pain they've caused since their actions are usually sparked by their own pain. This is when the pain they're causing others functions as a cover for their own pain although in reality it only worsens it.
Basically it's this idea of "if you can't lose weight, make your friends fat."
Unfortunately not all bullies ever wake-up to realize the consequences of their actions nor to regret them. Thus it's pointless to be waiting for an apology that might very well never come.
Forgiveness is something that should be done for your own sake. It no longer has anything to do with the bully. Forgiveness heals you. It helps you to get rid of bitterness and hatred, both of which only work to diminish joy in life.
There's a reason why they say that
resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
A good start for forgiveness is writing a letter. You'll use this letter as a way to write down all of the things this person did to hurt you. After that, you'll write down all of the good things that has followed it. And end it with forgiveness. You won't mail this letter so feel free to destroy it.
Repeat this exercise, if not daily, then every other or third day, until you start to notice that the feelings of bitterness and hatred have begun to diminish and peace has begun to take their place. This is a long process and definitely won't happen over night, so please don't expect that. Stay focused and consistent and you'll start seeing results.
This person no longer has any power over you. They cannot hold onto you anymore. But with bitterness you hold onto them. You've made a choice to give them power. Make a different choice now. Choose freedom. Choose joy. Choose love and peace.
Hit me up with a message by clicking here and let me know what kind of trust issues you're battling with!
Until next time lovely,
With hugs,
DISCLAIMER: This blog post is a result of the questions that arose for myself and my life after having watched an amazing interview (which I've linked at the end of the post).
Do you ever get the feeling that you're failing at life?
Knowing the food you consume isn't really good for you, but you do it anyway, because well, it's too desirable not to?
Knowing that sitting by the computer or tv or any other device for longer periods than you're on your two feet is really bad for you but you do it anyway because well, what else are you supposed to do?
Knowing that you really need more sleep and in appropriate times but that you're always willing to compromise on it first hand?
wondering how you got to where you are now when all you want is to be elsewhere?
Dreaming of all the things you want yet not lifting a finger to achieve them?
Moping around in your home not knowing which way to go, walking aimlessly only to return back to the couch or bed or whatever cushioned surface you have available in your house?
When did we become like this, I ask?
What have I done? What have I accomplished? Where am I going? Am I going anywhere?
Why, but WHY, do I put myself through this hot mess when I know I could fix it?
Why are we so conditioned to behave like robots, just resting on waves, floating, not fighting?
Even though we are in constant fight or flight mode, we do neither, we only live through the constant distress. WHY?
How did our cultural and societal expectations of life become so passive and unsatisfying, not to mention, down-right deadly?
But the most important question is, how can we reverse all of this damage?
How can we change the course of our lives and realise that we have control, that we can change, that we can actually, really, really, really, in all honesty, CHANGE OUR LIVES?
Our bodies are mechanisms, living beings that we treat poorly every single day and then we blame and punish them for acting out, for showing symptoms of poor treatment. And we stuff our bodies with more bull-crap because we're conditioned to believe they are the solution.
Truth is, it's not until we rise up to the challenge, take responsibility, stop the self-pity and START DOING that we will be healed.
This entire blog post is a result of having watched a truly life-altering interview of a Holistic Psychiatrist Kelly Brogan.
I'll add the interview here so you'll get a chance to challenge yourself as well.
It starts now.
Are you ready?
Until next time lovely, let's believe in ourselves, trust ourselves, give ourselves love and care, and trust ourselves, deep down we know what's best for us.
With much love and many hugs,
The fourth woman to be photographed for the Me Naiset project was Päivi.
Päivi is a 44-year-old woman who's always battled with her appearance. Päivi told me she's always had issues with her weight, whether they were imagined or real. She hasn't been able to relate to her appearance in a healthy way and has found it difficult to wear make-up or color her hair.
Päivi avoids being in photos by always having a camera in her hand. This nearly always guarantees her escape from photos. However, at times there are people who also have the same strategy and have managed to catch Päivi in some of their photos. When Päivi sees the photo, her party mood goes down immediately. She'd felt beautiful but seeing the photo tells her otherwise.
Sound familiar?
Päivi hoped to get some new-found insight into herself through this photography experience. She hoped that photos made by a professional could reveal sides of her that she likes and through that grow her self-esteem and self-confidence. These are the very things I hope to be able to resurface.
Because the way we see ourselves is rarely the same way others see us. Of course it's obvious that when we look at the same face and the same body day in and day out that some type of criticism will start to emerge. This is precisely why I feel it to be so crucial to have a second opinion. To have a chance to see ourselves through someone else's eyes.
It gives us the possibility to see the good in us and to focus in them, to learn a more positive and loving approach to ourselves, leaving behind the much too nagging negativity.
In this photoshoot:
You open a door that allows you to see yourself in a new light,
You give the photographer a chance to show you yourself through her eyes,
You give yourself room to love and accept yourself as you are.
"Having ended up being photographed by Erika was a chance. I went through all the thoughts in my head which I shouldnt: 'Even the countryside fences will laugh at me if I'll be photographed and the photos end up in a magazine. It's ridiculous that a woman of this size, appearance and age will have photos made of herself, wouldn't it be better to just hide in the corner and pull a blanket over my head. This will stigmatize me.' I looked at the photos Erika had made of women who're afraid of the camera and I felt infinite inadequacy: they're all beautiful, I'm not.
On the day of the photoshoot I rapidly forgot about self-criticism. I didn't even get a chance to be nervous. I also didn't think of my appearance. Erika and I walked and talked and photography came on the side. A photographer's job is really demanding. In order to be good, it's not enough to know how to use the camera. It's much more important to be able to really see the person you're photographing. I felt like I was with a friend and friends never want to harm each other. The photoshoot was very natural – actually it wasn't even a photoshoot, but instead a meeting between two people, two women.
I was nervous to see the photos, because deep down inside I had the same old thought: how can anyone make beautiful photos of me when I'm not beautiful. I had planned to look through the photos, compliment them and then forget all about them. But when I saw the photos, I suddenly found myself thinking these photos are good. These photos feature a beautiful woman. I've looked at the photos many times and thought of myself and my appearance. When I look in the mirror, I see my weight and other flaws. When I look at the photos I see a sweet, laughing, attractive woman. And yet, the same woman is in both the mirror and the pictures, she is me.
One photo sessions of course isn't enough to entirely fix a skewed way of thinking formed by years, or even a lifetime, but it has opened up a door to a different way of thinking. I'm a relatively level-headed person despite everything and I have recognized that the way I think isn't right, yet I haven't managed to get over it. Now that I've been looking at the photos Erika made of me, I've dared to think that I can be beautiful even if I have flaws. The camera doesn't lie, or at least Erika's doesn't. So why wouldn't I believe it?
The photoshoot, the photos, the entire process has helped me. It's wise to face your fears. You won't become beautiful by standing in front of the mirror and speaking to yourself nastily. It won't make you lose weight or become prettier. It's worth it to look for the good and beautiful in everything, but especially of the one thing you'll be living with for your entire life = yourself! I've always admired women who carry themselves beautifully. I want to be one and these photos has helped me in it."
Photographing Päivi and spending time with her was easy-going and fun. Päivi is a really heartfelt, beautiful and warm person. Her gorgeous eyes sparkle and her smile lights up her entire face. Päivi is intelligent and kind, who has a lot to say and to give.
Thank you Päivi for applying for this project and thank you for giving me a chance to get to know you! I hope these photos will continue to remind you of the importance of kindness, love and appreciation towards yourself. You've faced a fear, and exceeded your own expectations, that is a reason to celebrate!
Did Päivi's thoughts feel familiar? Why do you avoid being in front of the camera? Send me a private, confidential message to me here – I'd love to hear from you!
With a lot of love and hugs,
Salla is a 26-year-old burlesque dancing mother who used to be bullied.
She feels good in her own skin as long as she doesn't have to see any photographs. Because in the photographs she only sees "a bouncy backside, a jelly belly striped by pregnancy and thighs full of cellulite". Her acne scars make her not want to go out without make-up and selfies are always very controlled and photoshopped.
Because of beauty ideals (which I just recently wrote about here) we have expectations as to what we should look like in order to be considered beautiful. One thing on this impossible list is a smooth, nearly porcelain skin.
The scars from her acne as well as from having been bullied have followed Salla to this day, both figuratively and literally. When she was younger, Salla suffered from acne which has left scars on her skin. She is ashamed of them and always wears make-up in an attempt to cover them.
But would Salla be Salla is she didn't have the scars?
Just as our emotional scars shaped us to the person we are today, so do the physical ones. They tell a story of her experiences which have made her this emphatic, loving, kind and living being. The scars on Salla's face work only to strengthen her unique beauty.
And that she has a lot of.
She's absolutely gorgeous.
"I felt critical about the close-up photos, but Erika made me believe in my beauty by saying that even the scars are a part of me. I cried when I realized how cruel I am to myself."
Nowadays Salla dares to get on stage in revealing clothes as a burlesque dancer and feels attractive and sexy. When she's on stage, Salla becomes another person – she's more confident, daring, even audacious. On stage Salla feels she can let go of the stress and self-esteem problems and feel free.
She's grateful to burlesque for lifting her self-esteem. Now that she's been dancing for a couple of years, she notices how much her self-esteem has grown during this time, despite the fact that she still has trouble looking at photos of her shows. All she can see in them are "problem areas".
But clearly something in Salla's soul is so much stronger than those problem areas to make her go back to the stage time after time.
As I was photographing Salla, I asked her to make some movements that she would during a performance. As soon as she began, she became confident Salla. It was incredible to see. There was an immediate shift in her eyes and in her entire body.
Our self-esteem always comes from within even though it's visible on the outside. It's not about what we wear or how we look like, but how we carry ourselves.
When we start to pay attention to our inner well-being and speaking strength to ourselves, it starts to show on the outside: we walk differently, we're able to look at strangers in the eye longer and smile at them. It's so much easier for us to be when we understand that all of us are equal. No one is better than us, nor are we better than anyone else.
We are all enough, loved and important just as we are.
Did you find connection points to your own feelings/thoughts/fears? Have you felt that you'd like to change them? Use this form to send me a confidential message and let me know what types of emotions you go through. Together we can figure out solutions for building a better, and happier, future. Because it's possible for you just as it is for anyone else.
If you're not ready to contact me directly yet, that's completely fine: You can order my newsletter which comes to your inbox once a month. This way you'll stay up-to-date with what's going on with Studio Metsä (and you'll probably see some inspiring text as well ;)). You can order the newsletter from the bottom of the page.
Thanks to the lovely Salla, thanks Me Naiset. And now to you, my lovely reader, thank you for reading.
I wish a wonderful Sunday!
Until next time lovely,
With warm hugs of strength,
P.S. Remember that you're exactly who you tell yourself. So make sure those words are loving and positive!
Today I wanted to talk to you about beauty ideals and to start things off, I'll tell you a little story:
One summer when I was 14, I was spending time with a friend of mine who lived in another town.
She was friends with a girl that both of us thought was really beautiful and we'd always admired her.
One day when she was surrounded by a group of people, we looked at her and wondered what it would feel like to be beautiful.
It was the type of genuine curiosity that would have shown anyone nearby how little we thought of ourselves.
We, just like Päivi, simply believed we were not in her category. Nor would we ever be.
It just wasn't in the cards for us.
Now, let's stop and take a second to think about this.
What's wrong with this type of thinking?
There is a common misconception that someone we think is beautiful (and may I remind you that beauty is in the eye of the beholder) would have it all – confidence, health, love and happiness.
A friend in Canada put it aptly when he said that a gorgeous person has simply "won the genetic lottery". But so what? If they don't have the personality to match, what good is their gorgeousness?
Who we are, how we are and how we feel, starts from the inside.
We may try to find confidence, love and happiness from external sources but on that road we will always fall short. If we rely on external sources for validation, permission, acceptance, we will never find peace or happiness because we aren't in control of it.
External validation can't and won't last. It exhausts the people around us, it exhausts our relationships and it will never build us a sustainable life. We will always feel empty and lacking.
And WE ARE! when we expect others to tell us our worth.
The only person we can rely on to do that, to validate us, to believe in us, to build us up when we fall, is ourself.
Only we are in control of what we think, say and do. We aren't able to control others, nor should we. When we take responsibility for ourselves and for our own happiness, we have a chance at building a healthy life for ourselves and for those around us.
"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony." -Gandhi
To give you some perspective, I've attached below a great talk by a model about the realities around our beauty industries.
And remember, you choose if you tell yourself you're beautiful or ugly. And you choose whether you believe it or not.
Be gentle and loving with yourself and you're well on your way to making this world a better place.[ted id=1647]
Until next time lovely,
xoxo Erika
More than 80 women applied for the project with Me Naiset magazine. For many of the women their stumbling block was their appearance and even more specifically their size. All we need to do is take a look at the most recent covers of women's magazines to see how common women's weight issues really are. Everybody always wants what they don't have.
Nina has always been small and has grown sick of hearing people comment on it. Of course usually people don't mean any harm and I'm sure many say it admiringly. But when you want to be something other than what you are, comments on those qualities start to take their toll. Nina has always wanted to be taller and more curvaceous.
Until next time lovelies! Wishing you all a relaxing Palm Sunday!
With hugs of strength,
A couple of weeks back I spoke with YLE Perjantai (A Finnish Broadcasting company's Friday show) about my business, the concept and challenges that many women face. One of them was the chatterbox which some of you may be familiar with. It's that on-going chatter in your head that speaks to you in all circumstances, most of which is not very encouraging, some of it downright degrading and mean.
My chatterbox used to be really mean. It was hard to listen to it even though it had become my "trusted" companion.
As a teenager I used to stand in front of the mirror and point out all the things I hated about myself. They always included my acne-filled face, small breasts, stretch marks, bowlegs, ugly toes, the works!
It was self-pity at its best – the chatterbox getting away with murder.
What made all of this mean chatterbox-ing even more problematic was the fact that most of the things I disliked about myself were things I had no control over. Or if I did (ie. plastic surgery), I wouldn't. So I was putting myself down for things I could do nothing about.
I kept hearing this chatterbox for many years to come, in different times and in different volumes. The chatterbox was also very chatty in moments when I screwed up, but instead of going after my physical appearance, it attacked me internally: "oh I'm so dumb! How could I have been so stupid!?".
It wasn't until the summer of 2009 when I was living in Canada that I started to finally get rid of it.
Of course I'm no ice queen with zero insecurities and I don't think there's a person in the world who doesn't battle with some type of insecurity. The difference to before is that I no longer feed it nor do I allow myself to stay in the state of self-pity. If I screw up, I feel bad, but instead of telling myself I'm stupid, I think about what I could do differently next time.
I still have bowlegs, small breasts and I'm still not entirely infatuated with my toes, my skin is still prone to acne, BUT, I no longer hate these parts of myself nor do I call myself ugly names. The only other way I could have fixed these things were with plastic surgery or Photoshop.
I found neither appealing.
I couldn't keep fighting against who and what I am for the rest of my life. If I'll always stay discontent with myself, and my life, I'll miss all the things in life that bring joy and I can no longer cultivate more.
A healthy approach to taking care of oneself brings with it happiness and peace. We all know the basics: eating, sleeping, exercise and water intake. They're talked of a lot, we all know about them, however it's far too easy to forget about them. It's easier, and perhaps more appealing, to find new and more exciting (and passive) ways of creating happiness. But whatever it is that we want, we have to work for them.
At the end of the day, there are many things in life that we can change but also those that we can do nothing about. So, I wanted to add this beautiful serenity prayer that we can all remember in our own way when our minds take control of us:
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
If there's anything you'll take with you from this blog post, take this: you can, you're able, capable, you've got choices and they're up to you. It's not whether you fall but whether you rise. Children don't start walking perfectly when they take their first step, but have you ever met a child that gives up altogether?
Until next time lovelies, with many hugs,
Päivi was the first of the five women I was meant to photograph for the my collaboration with the Finnish women's magazine Me Naiset. (To read the introduction to this series click here)
We met on a cloudy Friday morning in front of the main railway station in Helsinki. As we began walking towards our photo location, the clouds decided to provide us with some light rain. Despite the weather, the mood was light and happy, though perhaps a tad nervous but that's all part of the process ;).
From the first moment on, it was easy to be with Päivi. She met me with a big smile and friendly words. You'd never guess this out-going woman would have a negative self-image.
Päivi is the youngest of a large group of siblings and has always looked up to her big sisters' beauty, never quite able to reach it. She's formed a very strong identity as the ugly stepsister in the Cinderella story – as if beauty was always something unattainable to her, spending her life watching on the sidelines as others succeeded.
This impression has always followed Päivi: she wasn't dealt the "beauty cards" and because of that she's not that special, and this is simply her "role" in this society. As she's grown older, the meaning of this "role" has diminished as she's had her own family and career. By the age of 59, Päivi has simply given up on the pursuit of beauty and come to terms with the fact that it isn't in the cards for her.
In fact, in Päivi's world, people are divided into "beautiful" and "ugly" (she's always belonged to the latter). For her, belonging in the "ugly" group has meant that she can fail, she can be imperfect and human, she can make mistakes and even be a little dumb because the "ugly" are forgiven these things much easier than the "beautiful". On the other hand, the "beautiful" receive more compassion and they're more easily considered better people than the "ugly".
When asked, Päivi says she likes her smile, liveliness and brightness. These are the very things you noticed about her right away and these are precisely the things we need to pay attention to – the aspects of ourselves we really like. Why do we always want something we don't have? Why do we wish we were something we're not?
For instance, have you ever admired someone's clothing only to try them on and realized oh dear goodness gracious they do not fit at all?! I'm sure you have as have I! But in here lies the true beauty of our individualism. We are all different, we all have different bodies and personalities, and this is what our clothing reflects.
We should focus on who we are and what fits us – not trying to be something or someone else, because we'll always lose that game. Always.
Besides, how much fun would it be if we all looked exactly the same?
Photographing Päivi was fun and natural, you'd never know by just looking at her how much it meant for her to be photographed. And this is something important to remember – it's not always about how we feel about something but that we do it anyway. Because if we let our fears and insecurities guide us, we'd never do anything. None of us would ever do anything because we all experience fear.
Just recently I had a chat with a colleague about our misguided ideas of the bravery of others and the cowardice of ourselves. We always think that others can but for an unknown reason we can't. Always someone else is capable, someone else has more to give, just not us.
Even though the truth is that the difference between us and others is solely in what we decide to do. People don't succeed or get to do amazing things in their lives just out of pure luck. People succeed and move forward because they work for it. Just as we can work for what we want.
A Finnish rapper, Elastinen, raps in his song Eteen ja Ylös about this:
if it was easy, everyone'd be doing it
Damn straight!
That's about as true as it gets. If we want a better self-esteem, we need to work for it. We've all got learned patterns that we have to fight hard to get rid of. But the gift of life is that we can make a new decision every day, every moment to change ourselves and through that the course of our lives. Every decision we make forms us and our lives. There's a lot of power in it!
We have a lot of power in ourselves!
That is all I have for you fine folks on this cloudy Sunday evening. So tell me, what steps are you going to take this spring? How are you going to treat yourself better? What are your best qualities? How can you enforce them?
Until next time lovelies,
My business relies heavily on honest and open communication between my client and I. Trust needs to be built or other wise I cannot help her.
I ask deeply personal questions in order to provide my client with a platform to talk about her fears and insecurities in. That conversation builds a bond between us, so you might say that it's absolutely crucial to be able to create an atmosphere of trust.
But how does it get created?
Trust develops when we know something about the other person, when we open up and share our innermost thoughts and feelings. Correct?
The problem is, I have realized:
When I have one-on-one conversations with people, I open up and people know they can trust me.
But if I don't do the same online, how can I expect you to develop enough trust in me that you feel comfortable enough to contact me at all?
So that's what I'm here starting today. I'm challenging myself to bare those raw and vulnerable sides of myself in order to show you that yes, I, too, have insecurities and fears.
And I'm going to start today by analyzing why it might be that I don't have the guts to be more open online.
The most obvious reason must be the fear of rejection and ridicule.
"Oh, but what will they think of me?"
"What if I make a complete a** of my self?"
"Why would people care about what I have to say?"
"What if I appear too self-centered?"
And what lies underneath that fear? Insecurity.
Insecurity about not being good enough, smart enough, funny enough etc. Just not enough. And I know exactly where this comes from. It comes from the time I was bullied in elementary school by a frenemy (on good days my "best friend", on bad days my worst enemy). She used to tell me "but why would anyone want you, when they could have me?".
Even though I've worked hard to build my self-esteem from the ground up, remnants of words spoken and feelings felt exist. And I think they'll always be there, because as human beings we'll always experience fear and insecurity, no matter how secure we are on most days. What matters is what we do with them.
Which is why today I'm saying hello to this raw and vulnerable blog series and waving goodbye to the power of fear! Because whatever comes my way, I'll handle it! (As said by the amazing fear expert Dr. Susan Jeffers)
So how about we do this together, huh?? If any of this resonates with you, I'd like to challenge you: start showing up, start showing your tender sides and start doing it with pride. What's your stumbling block? What are you afraid to show people? Comment below! Or better yet, write a blog post about it and link it in the comments below! I'd love to have a read and support you on your journey.
Sending you so much love and warm hugs,
*photos from my exchange semester in the Netherlands, 2011
Earlier this year I did a collaboration with the Finnish women's magazine, Me Naiset. We were looking for women who think they're not photogenic and therefore don't enjoy being in front of the camera.
We received more than 80 applications. Amazing women one after another, we could've picked each and every one of them. However, for this reportage we only had room for five women and together with the journalist Emmi, we made some tough choices. We aimed to choose women of a variety of ages and backgrounds in order to provide as many connection points as possible.
The women we chose vary between 26 and 59. Each of them have created a beautiful life with many people around who love and care for them, activities and hobbies they enjoy. As an outsider looking in, you'd never guess they'd be battling with self-esteem issues.
They're people you see everyday, sitting next to you on the train, sitting across from you in a meeting, standing behind you in the grocery store line – it's all of us in one way or another.
The heavily photoshopped photographs we see everywhere are constantly creating an unattainable image and illusion which is meant to inspire us but in the end (even without noticing it ourselves) stores itself in our brain as a goal to aspire to. A goal we can never reach.
As such, Studio Metsä has a very strict NO policy to photoshopping. I don't clean out the skin, I don't remove wrinkles, I don't enlarge breasts or minimize the waist, I don't make the hair puffier or change its color – in other words, I don't turn the person into something they're not (nor should be). I want to celebrate the authentic beauty of the person. I want to remind people of what authentic and genuine people look like and how glorious they are. How glorious you are.
In the next few weeks I'll be publishing a separate blog post of each of the women I photographed for this project. I'll be sharing their stories, photoshoot experiences and photographs.
Before finishing off this post, I'd like to share with you a great talk by a model who is breaking apart the illusion that us girls and women look up to and way too often compare ourselves against. In the end, no one in this world is immune to the pressure to look good. (I'm sure I've shared this before, but it's just so good, you've got to see it again)
If you find yourself in a situation where you feel you'd really like to be photographed even if it's scary and you fear they're just not going to turn out well at all — take a risk. Try it out. Jump into the unknown (I'll be with you!). Contact me for talk, ask all the questions you'd like. I'd love to answer all of them!
But now, it's sunny out and it's time to go enjoy it! How about today, you take a moment and look up at the skies, and be grateful for being alive. We don't do it enough!
Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika
"I'm so nervous!"
That's the most common phrase I hear at the start of every photoshoot.
My response is always some variation of:
"I'm so glad!"
Because nervousness is an indication that what's about to happen really means something. In other words, if you didn't care, you wouldn't be nervous.
When we look at it like this, nervousness can be a great indicator for where to head next. If you ever find yourself confused or unsure about which direction to take, follow that which makes you nervous, that which scares you (nothing that involves physical danger though!). Because in that place is where we're going to grow and develop as a person, through which we're going to find a lot of happiness, feelings of aliveness and joy!
This is what this gorgeous girl, Hanna, did.
Do you feel uncomfortable or afraid when you have to be in front of a camera? Have you thought about how you'd love to try out being photographed but are scared to do so? Read more here about why I think this is important to do so.
Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika
One of the biggest perks in my work is that I get to meet and know the most incredible people.
And this woman is no exception.
She's an amazing combination of determination, intelligence, femininity, confidence and sensitivity.
She's a CFO, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend and a yogi.
She's all in one.
Kristiina is a woman I admire.
She's worked hard, achieved a lot in her career, takes care of herself and looks about 10 years younger than she really is.
For the past 15 years, she has been practicing yoga and meditation, both of which she credits for her success and peace of mind.
Yoga and meditation have helped her get in touch with her intuition, which has always guided her in the right direction.
In fact, the decision to say yes to this photoshoot was in large due to her intuition. She visited my website, read more about my concept and felt a strong pull towards it – her intuition said a big, fat yes.
And her intuition was spot on once again. It was clear from the beginning that we were going to get along just fine.
The first time we spoke on the phone about the arrangements and other practical aspects of the photoshoot, I knew we would have no trouble connecting. There was something about her voice and the way she spoke that made me sure of it.
Since the photoshoot was to take place in her new hometown of Lugano, Switzerland, the entire process went about a little bit differently. We decided to jump start getting to know each other so I sent her an initial set of questions via email.
They're no ordinary questions either, as they dive directly into the depths of your soul.
She had absolutely no trouble answering them. I was really pleased that she opened up and answered the questions so honestly. It showed me that this person is serious about the process and wants to make the most of it. That she's willing to open herself up so vulnerably to someone she's never met, in order to have the possibility of gaining something in return.
I was excited to begin this journey with her.
One of the answers she gave me stuck with me the most. She told me the one thing she disliked about herself was her criticism – towards herself and others. While it has played a big role in her career success, it has also become a source of irritation.
When we strive for perfection, we're never satisfied, there's always something to fix, something to be made better, something be made perfect. However, the problem with perfection is, it's only an illusion.
This is something familiar to me, something I've also had to learn to deal with. The wonderful Marie Forleo always says: "Progress, not perfection" and when I start to get pulled back into perfectionism, I try to remind myself of this quote. We can sometimes get so stuck in the idea of what something should be like, that we end up getting lost and never arrive anywhere.
Sometimes the aspects of ourselves that are the most prominent, ones that we've always considered 'us', might just be habits formed early on in our childhood. We've grown so accustomed to them that we've made them a part of who we are. We've learned to define ourselves through these habits.
The strive for perfection was something Kristiina always thought was in her character. It wasn't until we had our initial conversation face-to-face that she discovered, it was probably just something she learned.
This gave her a whole new perspective on the possibilities of who she is, who she could be and what she could feel.
Kristiina's husband, the one who gifted her with the photoshoot, was largely in charge of logistics and had picked me up from the airport, shown me around so I could choose the photoshoot location, and was now giving me a ride there.
He told me in the car that Kristiina had already started getting nervous about the photoshoot the evening before. This was great news to me – it proved, yet again, that this meant a lot to her. There are so many non-verbal signs that tell us much more than we can sometimes even articulate.
I was excited to see her and work with her.
That day, we spent a great deal of time together. Walking, photographing, talking, laughing, eating, drinking tea and photographing some more.
Kristiina told me that she'd always wanted to have nice photographs of herself but has a hard time relaxing in front of the camera. She feels like she's not able to smile and doesn't like to see herself laugh in photos.
This is a very common issue – seeing ourselves laughing. I've come to the conclusion that it's because of how we're used to seeing ourselves. Our primary source is the mirror. How often do we stand in front of the mirror laughing? I sure rarely do! So we are most comfortable with the "poker face".
I made a note about it to myself that I need to find a way to 1. relax her and 2. to make her laugh. Luckily those two usually go hand in hand!
Kristiina is an amazing woman. I was constantly blown away by her. In the bloopers section you'll notice how she was jumping around, moving her body, and at times she did this directly in front of people. She couldn't care less about what they thought.
How much more free and happy would we feel if we did what we felt like doing without concern about how others may perceive it?
Life would look quite different, I'm sure.
So next time you feel like doing something, do it, regardless of the place or the time. Follow your intuition, follow your heart and set it free. The right people will love you for it. Remember this:
Be who you are because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. -Dr.Seuss
Thank you, Pasi, for finding me and for knowing your wife so well. Thank you, Kristiina, for opening yourself to me without limitations and for being so open and willing to try anything. It was an absolute pleasure, and privilege, to get to know you and to photograph you.
Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika
Time for a bedtime story! (Lue suomeksi täällä)
Once upon a time there was a girl, who time and time again felt disappointed when looking in the mirror – her wishes still hadn't been answered, she still looked the same. Her legs were nowhere near the same as the model's, her face still had the same flaws and her hair hadn't changed one bit either. "When is it my turn to be beautiful?", she thought.
Days went by and turned into weeks, months, years – and before she knew it, the girl had become a woman and the disappointment had become a monster.
Every day that same monster would appear in front of the mirror and belittle the woman. The only difference was that it wasn't as painful as before because it had turned into a habit. The monster had relocated itself to live inside the woman and was now a part of her.
The monster had also successfully convinced the woman that this was part of a normal life and you can't, nor should you, live without it. It also often plays the solidarity card, reminding the woman of how every woman has their own monster (apparently they have an annual strategical planning convention, where they determine how they go more effectively below the belt in the upcoming year) and she couldn't possibly be the only one without one.
And so she decides to keep going and the vicious circle keeps going.
This monster can also be found in this woman – Lois. You probably wouldn't think that she battles with just about anything, let alone with the way she looks.
Upon meeting her, she told me how uncomfortable she is in front of the camera. This included all cameras, all lenses, every time. Even when she's with her husband or close friends. So yes, also selfies, including silly ones.
She also dislikes the photographs that are the result of those uncomfortable situations.
So she avoids being photographed. At all cost.
This is directly related to how she feels about herself.
And we all also know it has nothing to do with reality.
When we criticise ourselves, nothing in our appearance can ever be right or enough. Because the criticism comes from pain, learned habits, distorted self-image and sense of reality. And when we decide to look at the world, and ourselves, through those lenses, through the eyes of the monster, our concept of reality changes accordingly.
But it doesn't have to be so.
And so decided Lois.
I've gotta tell you, it took some time before we managed to set a date for the photoshoot. Lois told me after the photoshoot part of the reason was her nervousness about the photoshoot.
But the photoshoot went really well and after the initial discomfort, Lois turned out to be a natural! It was a pleasure to witness and such an honour to photograph.
Taking this type of a step, being photographed when it's clearly outside of her comfort zone, shows courage and determination. Lois decided that she wants to challenge herself and change those old thought patterns. And that she did!
Lois turned her experience into a glorious piece of writing which she allowed me to share with you fine folks today.
"When I first looked at the pictures I had two thoughts.
First I thought "yes, this is me": I was recognising the body I've known so well for almost 30 years, the face, the expressions, my hair, my eyes. A second later I thought "I wish I could look at myself like this everyday": not even a minute had passed and I was confronted with the fact that on a daily basis I fail to look at myself in a fair way.
I met Erika last spring. We had a fairly long conversation over a tea, one of those magic moments of connection between women where you open up almost immediately and talk about every thing imaginable. She contacted me afterwards for doing a photo shoot and we finally met again a couple of weeks ago. We spent two hours in the park; it was fantastic. My cheeks hurt from laughing, we didn't stop talking the whole time, and it took only five minutes for me to be completely comfortable. Not only that but also, I had a blast, I was at peace, at ease, with someone photographing me. I was enjoying it so much.
For many, many of us, looking at ourselves in the mirror can be an act of violence towards our bodies and faces. For many of us, looking at the mirror means scrutinising what we call "flaws" until exhaustion, comparing our bodies to ridiculous standards. Many of us look at the mirror not see what we are, but to see what we are not, what we are missing, what we still need to achieve in order to be something we never were in the first place. For many of us, the trivial act of looking in the mirror before leaving the house in the morning is the act that sets the agenda for the rest of the day, the act that keeps our chin down, reminding us of something we insist calling "imperfections".
Having these pictures taken was an act of defiance; looking at them afterwards was an act of nurturing; doing this with a woman photographer was an unforgettable act of sisterhood. I know my body so well, I know my face and my smile and my serious expressions so well, I know the way my hair makes these mischievous waves when there's wind, I know every single one of the tiny dots I have on my skin. I needed to find again the voice that loves every single detail of my body. I didn't need to create that voice, because it does exist, I needed to give it the space to talk loud when I look at myself in the mirror. Hearing this nurturing loving voice is a journey that has started already few years ago and that still has a few kilometres to travel. On the way, there was this amazing woman who takes pictures of other woman, in the revolutionary act of confronting them with their own beauty, a visual encounter with my own self I will always be grateful for.
Thank you Erika, not only for the pictures but for the whole experience. We are taught to constantly criticise our bodies and we are taught to keep silent about it. Thank you Erika for creating a space of sisterhood where we speak about these things and throw that criticism to the trash where it belongs. Thanks for helping us in the most important life journey, the journey of loving ourselves."
Her writing, its vulnerability, openness and honesty, makes one go quiet – doesn't it?
Thanks to Lois herself for this courageous jump and openness. These personal stories, experiences and emotions are those that we need to speak of more, because they open up the doors of love between people and within ourselves. They open up the possibility for others to talk about their own challenges and experiences in life. Because we all have those.
Thank you Lois, for being an exceptional human being.
And thank you, for allowing me to photograph you.
How many of you can relate to this? What kind of things do you battle with and what are you going to do about it? Answer in the comments below!
Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika
Do you remember Alice?
Of course you do, how could you forget.
What I didn't tell you about Alice in my previous blog post is the reaction I got from her after I revealed the photos. Also, if you haven't seen them yet, please click on the link above to see them. She's gorgeous and the photos turned out gorgeous. However, at the time, Alice didn't see it quite like that. In fact, as I turned to look at her, she had tears in her eyes..
Alarmed, I asked her what's wrong.
Then she told me something so meaningful and personal to her..
She said, for the better part of her life, she'd struggled with the size of her body. And all she could see when she looked at the photos were her flaws. But the worst of it was, she'd never told anyone about it because she was afraid they wouldn't understand.
And when I say anyone, I mean any. one. No body knew. Not her mom, not her sister, not even her fiancé.
That just didn't seem right so I encouraged her to talk to them about it because I was sure that they would be more understanding than she would think. I also encouraged her to show them the photos as their reactions just might surprise her.
A couple of days later I saw this on Facebook (originally written in Finnish):
"A lucky chance drove us together. Erika was looking for models for her photographs and I decided to spontaneously sign up for it. Because I wanted to go outside of my comfort zone and being photographed would be that at its best. I've more or less hated my body for the past fifteen years. Always some part of my body has been too fat or loose. And because of the current beauty ideals, fat equals ugly, I haven't thought of myself as particularly attractive. I've been ashamed of myself and thought that people wouldn't see anything else in me except my size.
I was still secretly hoping that Erika would manage to make beautiful photographs of me because on the day of the photo shoot we had a super fun time and I felt surprisingly confident. However, later on as I saw the photographs, I yet again felt a knot in my stomach – there they were again, my strong thighs and a million other flaws. I had yet again failed and damn it felt bad. Erika noticed my disappointment and we spoke about the photographs for a long time. She encouraged me to show the photographs to those close to me and watch their reactions: I might even be surprised. Yesterday some of you found these photographs from the Studio Metsä page. I was astounded by the positive comments, thank you for those. After having read them, I looked at the photographs again and hey, they weren't so bad anymore. Actually they were quite amazing!
This morning I decided to stop talking bad about myself. The first step was to show these photographs to you and at the same time let go of the shame that's been living inside of me for years. It won't be easy, but this is the start.
This is me, from head to toe.
{here was the link to my blog post}
P.S. Go ahead and 'like' the Studio Metsä page and admire Erika's ravishing photos! Thank you Erika, this wouldn't have been possible without you."
She got nearly 70 comments. All from people in pure disbelief. Because they all viewed her completely differently.
But clearly this girl is a rock star.
How many people are able to fully realize something they need to do and then go ahead and do it right away?! Not many.
This was a huge step to take and only a couple of days after the blog post was released. Alice is such a brave soul and I admire her so much for taking this step into changing her view on herself, and through that, the rest of her life.
It is the start of a whole new life for her. And I really couldn't be more proud.
Thank you so much, Alice, for trusting me and allowing me to see the real you. She's absolutely breathtaking.
If Alice's story touched you, please share it so that more girls will hear this story. We need to talk about these topics more in order to help others and change the commonly accepted unattainable beauty ideals.
Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika
Have you ever visited Mexico? Not the touristy coastal towns, but the real Mexico?
That's the Mexico I love. And I was lucky enough to visit the beautiful country for the third time in my life.
But it was the first time I made a friend there.
Earlier this year, as I might have mentioned a few times before, I partook in an online business course, called B-School by the fantastic Marie Forleo. Marie has a way about her that she attracts the best kind of people around her. (You get what you give, right?)
And it was in that community that I came across a girl living in Mexico City.
Knowing that I was going to be there later on in the year, I contacted her asking if she would be interested in meeting.
Her reply emanated warmth and peace – she said a heartfelt yes.
This is Emmanuelle and she is fantastic.
She's originally from Germany but through different incidents in her life is now in Mexico City.
From the moment we met, we dove directly into the deep end. We didn't need to talk about the weather or how nice we both looked. No! We dove straight into what matters. Emotions, passions, dreams, plans.
There's a lot that could be said of this girl. She's an actress and a polarity therapy practitioner whose real passion lies in combining the two.
"A Polarity Therapist always deals with the whole person – mentally, emotionally and physically – and gently assists your body to heal itself naturally."
Essentially it's an alternative method to heal your body and mind. The mental blocks or barriers we have create problems in our bodies and usually manifest themselves through pain or illness. I spoke to her about my lower back pain issues and she mentioned a few symptoms I might be experiencing… and yup, I'm familiar with those symptoms. Apparently lower back pain can be an indicator of a dislocation of certain bones which in turn start to cause problems in the reproductive system.
I'll spare you the details, but it's all really fascinating. And I was impressed by how much she knew.
We were brainstorming about her website when she suggested a trade. I'll make a photograph of her for her website and she does her polarity treatment on me.
Obviously I didn't have to think twice about it: DEAL!
We met up a week later to do the trade. It was a glorious sunny day as they most often are in that part of the world.
We eased into it gently, she told me she was nervous and usually didn't like being in front of the camera (could you believe it, though, when you look at this gorgeous woman?!).
But here's the interesting story: I've had recurring lower back problems for about a decade now. It once got so bad that the only option was a muscle relaxant injection.. the only thing doctors have ever told me is to strengthen my muscles.
Once Emmanuelle brought up the emotional connection though, my brain went to work. Obviously throughout a person's life many painful experiences greet us, but which ones could have been so bad that they're still stuck in body?
I laid down on my stomach on the massage table and she began the work.
The pain… was excruciating.
She said my muscles were extremely tense and stiff. She encouraged me to let go of the pain and breathe into it. As I did, the pain became more tolerable.
Gradually the pain subsided and I drifted into glorious bliss.
During and after the treatment, she told me a few things about me. Things I hadn't told her, but things she'd found out while treating my lower back.
They were all very personal to me.
They were the pain stored in my lower back.
I haven't been able to stop thinking about it ever since.
This woman has a gift.
She went through the dealing powers of polarity therapy herself which is why she has sought out the training. She wants to help people the way she was helped.
If you're ever in Mexico City, please contact her. She will work wonders with you. Her website isn't up yet, but as soon as it is, I will link it here. If you'd like to see her before, contact me and I'll give you her details.
And as you can see, she's so approachable, friendly, accommodating and welcoming. You'll feel right at home with her.
Until next time lovelies,
xoxo Erika
Here's a girl who will go onto doing big things in her life. In addition to her external beauty, Alice has a heart of gold and an intelligence to match – she's really the perfect package.
And we had so much fun! Not only is Alice extremely photogenic and an all-around awesome person, she was also willing to lie down in the busy Hesperia park sidewalk, sit in the middle of thick vegetation and even getting herself wet in the Töölö Bay (which we ended up deciding to leave until next time ;)).
Right at the beginning of the photoshoot, Alice asked me a really good question – do I go check out exact locations to use before each photoshoot?
I answered 'no'.
The reasons are quite simple:
I always choose the starting point for the photoshoot with the subject in mind. It depends on who I'm photographing and if the photographs have a specific target in mind. The location also needs to be one that is surrounded by photo opportunities because I rarely stick to just one location.
Weather-wise, I hope for sun, or at the very least overcast weather. I use a sun calculator which shows you where the sun will be at any given time. This helps me to plan better for where the light will fall at the time we are photographing.
Truth is, though, that there aren't very many places you couldn't photograph in and make beautiful photographs. Inspiration is everywhere and so are photo opportunities. In fact I tend to see a bit too many opportunities as I'm photographing someone that I physically have to stop myself or other wise neither of us would be going anywhere before the sun has set!
There is so much beauty around us, especially the unexpected kind. The way light penetrates through different elements brings me endless inspiration.
Nothing beats the dance of light and shadow!
This photoshoot was so enjoyable, inspiring and overall really fun. I enjoyed the entire process, Alice and the photographs themselves! A big thank you to Alice herself who was magnificent in the photos. It was a joy and an honour to photograph her.
Until next time, lovelies!
With hugs,


text:
High school students and parents will soon find it even easier to apply to the University of Iowa, and faster to receive an admission decision.
Beginning in August, first-year/freshmen applicants to the UI will self-report their high school course work, test scores, grade point average, and class rank when they apply for admission. Freshmen applicants will no longer need to submit an official high school transcript or official ACT and/or SAT test scores for an admission decision to be made.
This change will not only reduce the application processing time and the amount of paper the UI Office of Admissions receives; it will also decrease the amount of paper, envelopes, and postage spent from high schools across Iowa and around the U.S.
"Students and families will benefit from a quicker turn-around on their application and can begin their planning for college sooner with this approach. It's a win/win for everyone," saysMichael Barron, UI assistant provost for enrollment management and executive director of admissions.
A new online application for admission will be available in mid-August for students applying for summer or fall 2013 and beyond.
Freshmen applicants will receive one of three decisions, usually within 48 hours of submitting their application: admitted, not admitted, or deferred. Deferred applicants will have the opportunity to submit a personal statement and an official transcript for a second review. Those who submit additional information will be notified of their new admission decision (admitted, not admitted, or wait-listed) on one of the following dates: Dec. 10, Feb. 1, March 1, and April 1.
Admitted students will need to submit their final official transcript and test scores as soon as possible upon graduation from high school and no later than July 1.
This change is applicable for first-year/freshmen applicants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Transfer and international applicants will continue to submit official transcripts and test scores to receive an admission decision.
The UI receives more than 20,000 freshmen applications and more than 42,000 total applications each year.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Centered on lower step is then Private Herbert
Landers, Company Cook
The other three soldiers are unidentified.
Photo believed taken at Fort Rucker, Alabama, circa August 1942
Image cropped and enhanced from a scanned copy of original photo
Source: Herbert's Grandson Bob Landers (photographer unknown)
Created July 5, 2004. Last updated March 8, 2009.
|14th Home Page
|1943 Timeline
|Unit Roster
|People Images


text:
Churches Rebuild After Burnings
On a country road in western Alabama, Henry Carter stands in front of the site where generations of his family attended Sunday services and chokes up. The red-brick church - Little Zion Baptist - burned to the ground last January. Though it has taken an emotional toll on Mr. Carter, what touches him now are the donations and letters that are coming in from around the world.
"One lady wrote and said, 'I heard about your situation, and it just worries me. I have only $100, but use it in the Lord's name,' " Carter says. "When I read that, it just penetrated right through me."
Little Zion was one of three black churches torched last winter in Boligee, a town of 300 in Alabama's rural "black belt" - named for its rich soil. While much of the nation's attention has focused on the church burnings themselves, blacks and whites of all faiths have quietly been coming together to rebuild these charred sanctuaries. Volunteers from as far away as Canada are making the pilgrimage to communities across the South to wield hammers and saws, and thousands of dollars in donations and reward money have been raised.
For many townspeople, the rebuilding represents as much a spiritual process of renewal as a physical one. It also sends, intended or not, an indelible message: That the communities won't be bowed by the apparent racist motives behind the burnings.
Amid the ashes
The rebuilding effort is in high gear in Boligee, where the sound of hammers, drills, and workers punctuate the stillness of a steamy June afternoon.
Here at Little Zion Baptist Church, which has about 65 members, parishioners and a handful of Quakers from Washington, D.C., are constructing a new church on top of the ashes of the old site. A wooden frame and roof are already up, and members plan to have it ready for services in late August.
Several miles away, along desolate roads lined with Queen Anne's lace, a group of Mennonites from Canada and the Midwest have set up mobile homes and a work site where Mount Zoar Baptist Church once stood. The workers are part of the Mennonite Disaster Service. They will work through the summer. So far, they've poured a concrete foundation. Work is also about to begin nearby on the third church - Mount Zion Baptist Church.
The fires, like many others at churches across the South, happened in the darkness of night. At Little Zion, a man saw orange flames piercing the black sky as he was heading home, says the Rev. Woodson Lewis, who has been pastor here since 1950. "Nobody was up here, no one knew about it" until it was too late, Mr. Lewis says.
Authorities have no suspects in any of the three fires, two of which occurred on the same day. Both black and white residents remain puzzled as well. Race relations are harmonious, many say. And there is no sign of any hate groups. In fact, Greene County where Boligee is located, experienced little of the racial turmoil that seethed close by in parts of Alabama and neighboring Mississippi during the civil-rights era. The Ku Klux Klan was not active, there were few protests or beatings of blacks, and no churches were burned.
Today about 11,000 people live in Greene County, and more than 70 percent are black. The county is the smallest in the state and the second poorest. Most whites reside in Eutaw, the county seat, which is about 10 miles from Boligee. At one time plantations covered the area, and slaves labored in the cotton fields. Some farming of cotton, peanuts, corn, and cattle still goes on, but not to the extent it did.
"Most everyone gets along good," says Marian McGee, a white woman standing on the porch of a pale blue house as foals frolic in her fenced backyard. "A lot of people think some blacks are behind it," she says. "We just don't know. We do wish it would stop. People are sick."
Many blacks suspect someone from outside the county set the fires. But they say whoever it was had to know the locations of the churches because they're so isolated in the rolling countryside.
Community spirit
Despite the speculation, folks here say the community has been working together to rebuild. Three funds have been set up for donations, and so far, about $135,000 have poured in. Local whites have taken up collections in their own Sunday services. Both blacks and whites across the country have sent checks. Some local whites have helped clean up the church sites and volunteered to help with construction. Women of both races bring lunches of homemade ham sandwiches and fried chicken to workers.
The churches that burned have a long history. Little Zion, which sits atop a little hill, is about 200 years old, Lewis says. It was believed to have been started by slaves who worked on the land. The church took several forms - a log cabin, a frame structure, and a brick building.
"My father, mother, grandfather, and great grandmother are all buried over there," says Carter, who points to a small cemetery shaded by oak trees. "This was a church we loved very dearly."
Though the churches have held services elsewhere and will again open their doors, the temporary shutdown has been a great loss to the black community.
"You have to understand the church is the heart and soul of black folks' very existence," says Spiver Gordon, a city councilman in Eutaw and head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in Greene County. "When we're depressed, hungry, tired, we go to our church and pastor. That's where life begins. Sunday is homecoming, and people come from everywhere."
The black church has also been an important political tool for some politicians. "It's been a powerful force in African-American life - so powerful that former Gov. George Wallace ... made a concerted effort to go after the black vote in black churches in the 1982 governor's primary," says Tennant McWilliams, a professor of history at the University of Alabama in Birmingham. "And he carried the black vote."
In a few months, members will again be able to worship at their churches, if construction stays on schedule. In the meantime, some are taking precautions. Little Zion Baptist Church has hired a local man to watch the half-constructed church for $20 a night. "I hope they find out who's done this because it needs to come to an end," Carter says.
Still, he says, the burnings have unified the tiny community: "I sometimes think this [burning] happened because maybe the Lord wants to bring us together and show that people care."


text:
OFCCP Active Case Enforcement Webinar
On May 17th, OFCCP conducted a webinar on their new compliance review procedure, Active Case Enforcement (ACE). They reviewed the prior Active Case Management (ACM) procedure, introduced the new procedure (ACE), compared the two, reviewed the basic principles of ACE, defined key terms, answered commonly asked questions and answered questions submitted during the webinar. InRead More


text:
Each Miles of Smiles 'Zone' is about a 25-30 mile section of New York State Route 28, so attractions in neighboring zones are just a short drive away!
Click on any of the following 'Zones' to find things to do in each region.
Kingston to Phoenicia
This 25 mile stretch of NYS Route 28 begins in Kingston along the Hudson River and travels into Central New York and into the Catskill Mountains.
Towns in Zone 1:
Towns in Zone 1:
- Kingston
- West Hurley
- Shokan
- Boiceville
- Mt. Tremper
- Phoenicia
Shandaken to Margaretville
This 25 mile stretch of NYS Route 28 begins in Phoenicia and travels along the upper edges of the Catskill Mountains.
Towns in Zone 2:
Towns in Zone 2:
- Shandaken
- Big Indian
- Belleayre
- Arkville
- Margaretville
Andes to Oneonta
This 35 mile stretch of NYS Route 28 begins in Andes and travels northwards through Delaware County and into Oneonta in Otsego County.
Towns in Zone 3:
Towns in Zone 3:
- Andes
- Delhi
- Meredith
- North Franklin
- Oneonta
- Eammons
Colliersville to Cooperstown
This 20 mile stretch of NYS Route 28 travels Otsego County from Colliersville and follows the Susquehanna River northwards into the Cooperstown area.
Towns in Zone 4:
Towns in Zone 4:
- Colliersville
- Milford Center
- Portlandville
- Milford
- Hartwick
- Cooperstown
- Fly Creek
Schuyler Lake to Herkimer
This 25 mile stretch of NYS Route 28 begins in Schuyler Lake and continues northwards through the Mohawk Valley and into Herkimer.
Towns in Zone 5:
Towns in Zone 5:
- Schuyler Lake
- Richfield Springs
- Mohawk
- Herkimer
- 1


text:
News concerning Water.
The Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy announced that the construction of Tendaho and Kesem Irrigation Grand Project will be finalized fully and start rendering service next year, FBC reported.
The Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy said it is striving to harness its massive 5.3 million hectares of irrigation potential, WIC reported.
World Vision Ethiopia and the World Agroforestry Centre yesterday launched a 15 million USD Food and Water Security project aimed at improving the livelihood of dry land community, EH reported.
The Ethiopian water sector is soon to see the establishment of the Ethiopian Water Development Engineering Service. This will replace the Federal Water Works Design and Supervision Enterprise (WWDSE), in two months of time, Fortune reported.
Over 21.2 million people across the country have got access to safe drinking water during the first three years of the GTP period, the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy said, ENA reported.
ባለንበት የበጀት ዓመት በገጠርና በከተማ 15 ሚሊየን ህዝብ የንፁህ መጠጥ ውሃ ተጠቃሚ ለማድረግ እየተሰራ መሆኑን የውሃ መስኖና ኢነርጂ ሚኒስቴር አስታወቀ።
The Tendaho Irrigation Dam is expected to start developing sugarcane on 25,000 hectares of land at the end of this year,Water, Irrigation and Energy State Minister Engineer Wondimu Tekle said.
The construction of Megech Irrigation and Drinking Water Dam Project with an aggregated capital of 2.4 billion Birr allocated by the government has been commenced.
The implementation of the Tendaho Dam and Irrigation Project launched in Afar State is now well in progress as 90 per cent of the required construction materials are fulfilled.
The drinking water coverage of Gambella town, Gambella Regional State, has increased from 40 per cent to 65 per cent, according to the town's water service and sewerage agency.
Lambadi Software Developer P.L.C © 2022 All rights reserved.


text:
Glorious victory for General Bee-klee in the Yuggamat Sector ($24 for an oversized mat on Amazon and it is precisely the right size).
Deep reads, analysis, and talk about small press roleplaying
Suck my space dust, Empire!
Glorious victory for General Bee-klee in the Yuggamat Sector ($24 for an oversized mat on Amazon and it is precisely the right size).
Literally a yoga mat. This one: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007MTWI48?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00
6′ x 3′, the perfect Armada size. Cheap cheap.
It's a very tough ship, yeah. Rolls a lot of dice.
I scraped together a kill with the big Frigate there (and some neat synergies in upgrade cards I totally lucked into; didn't spend much time studying optimal combos or anything) and a lot of harassing fire from the fighters. B-Wings sealed the deal!
I've had good success harassing a Star Destroyer with Corvettes. The key is to take advantage of Speed 4 and the extra turn maneuvers allow to race past and get behind. Not likely to take it out, but the great defensive strength of the SD is the ability to shift shields so hitting the shields from behind will wind up reducing the shields somewhere else. At one point I was literally flying circles around the thing. I think I was on my 3rd orbit before a miscalculation left me square in its front arc at black range and I went poof.
If one of the simplifications was removing obstacles and objectives, then IME that will give advantage to the Empire. The Rebels have superior maneuverability in most Wave 1 ships and I've found that means obstacles are your friend and the location specific objectives are easier to score. Without those the Empire can slow drive the SD through the middle of the board and, yeah…that's tough to take down. But then its an SD.


text:
New Zealand's Māori Centre of Research Excellence
Emeritus Professor Ngahuia te Awekotuku continues to contribute in the arts and creative sector. With degrees in Art History and English, her PhD (1981) was in cultural psychology. She wrote an early (1991) monograph on Maori research ethics. For decades she served in the heritage environment as a governor, curator and activist/advocate. Her scholarly works on culture, gender, heritage and sexuality, and her fiction and poetry, have been published and acclaimed locally and internationally.
We are now 30+ years on from when our children first had the opportunity to attend Kōhanga. They are a part of a fortunate generation, like those who will follow them. And so too are those that are following. But what of those older Māori, their parents and grandparents, some of who do speak te reo but many who do not? What challenges to tikanga, age related roles and relationships do these demographics present? Status, mana, roles, responsibilities, ritual duties and leadership are all age related concepts that, in the Māori world, assume a foundation of learning that leads to experience, competence and accumulated wisdom over time.


text:
24 September, 2014IndustriALL Global Union's Turkish affiliate Petrol-Is keeps campaigning against wild union busting engaged by pharmaceutical manufacturer Deva Holding. The count of the dismissed workers reached 24, sacked simply for signing up with the union.
Deva Holding is a Turkey-based pharmaceutical company, however EastPharma Ltd., established in 2006 and incorporated in Bermuda, is the indirect holding company of Deva. The investment firm GEM (Global Equities Management) owns about 65% of EastPharma while about 15% of the company is publicly traded along with 15% of its Deva Holdings subsidiary.
Such complicated ownership structure has rebounded negatively onto labour relations. As a matter of fact, four years ago, the company management used different tactics to demolish a 40-year-long union existence, contractual labour relations and mature social dialogue with Petrol-Is at Deva Holding plants located in the production facilities located in the provinces of Tekirdağ, Kocaeli and Istanbul.
At that period, Deva management had announced that there would no longer be a collective agreement using the pretext of high production costs and government policies in the pharmaceutical industry. They had exerted pressure on workers to sign individual labour contracts in place of the collective agreement and then dismissed 70 employees because they had refused to sign individual contracts. The local labour courts have ruled that Deva terminated employment contracts of the dismissed workers on unjustified grounds and all of them must be reinstated. However not one sacked worker has been able to return.
Over the years, working conditions for Deva workers have deteriorated with low wages, insufficient social benefits, continuous threat of dismissal, mobbing, unsafe and unhealthy working conditions. In June this year, an overwhelming majority of Deva workers started to re-join Petrol-Is. However the answer from Deva Holding was again harsh with dismissals. The 24 dismissed workers were simply exercising their legitimate fundamental rights to freedom of association, guaranteed by international labour conventions of the ILO, as well as Turkey's Constitution and national trade union legislation.
"We have lost our patience. Don't forget that we are a 50-million power," said Kemal Özkan, Assistant General Secretary of IndustriALL Global Union, in a recent demonstration held in front of the premises of Deva Holding in Istanbul. "Deva cannot stop us in defending our rights. They will sign the collective agreement, otherwise we will challenge them wherever they are".
EastPharma claims that it wants to be the place where east meets west. It also intends to open more plants and obtain FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and European Medicines Agency (EMEA) certification for its manufacturing facilities.
Earlier this year, IndustriALL Global Union approached the CEO of Deva Holdings urging the company to immediately re-instate the eight dismissed union members; withdraw all pressure exerted over the union members; and enter into constructive dialogue with Petrol-Is since the workers have a legitimate and legal right to choose their unions freely. For more information.
As the company is unresponsive, even escalating it's anti-union campaign, IndustriALL Global Union has launched an electronic campaign in cooperation with Labourstart for re-instatement of the dismissed workers and recognition of Petrol-Is. Please join.


text:
This is what a love tap from the world's largest passenger jet looks like. On Monday night, the wing of a taxiing Airbus A380 superjumbo clipped a wee Bombardier CRJ700 commuter jet at New York's JFK airport. As a size comparison, the A380 has a maximum take-off weight of 560 tonnes, the CRJ700's is 32 tonnes. Luckily no one was hurt, but it was a pretty spectacular fender bender.
See Also:
– Photos: Inside the Airbus A380 That Buzzed San Francisco


text:
Proximity readers are a form of security access that does not require swiping or other direct contact with a reader device. An access card contains a microchip that is programmed with information about the person it is assigned to, including what areas of a building they have permission to enter. The card can be read by holding it near the reader device, where it works by radio frequency signals. There are a variety of proximity readers for both commercial and residential use, depending on the distance (strength) and style you need.
Proximity readers systems are popular solutions due to their ease of installation and maintenance, compared to some other keyless access systems. Proximity cards are affordable, secure and, virtually impossible to replicate. If lost or stolen, your system administrator deactivates the card and issues a new one to replace it. This system you select will depend on the range you need to read from, and your Paragon Security certified technician will review these options with you.
Why Choose Paragon Security? Our commitment. We hold every interaction with every customer to the highest standard. We are extremely proud of our repeat business and utmost level of customer satisfaction. We all have the same needs, so you can rest assured that the quality of service Paragon Security provides to you will exceed your expectations.
Contact us to find out how our keyless access system experts will explain the details of proximity readers in comparison to other systems. We will be sure to help you understand and select the right solution for your business or home. Paragon Security proudly serves customers throughout New York, including in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, and elsewhere in NYC.


text:
If you were a fan of the Dodgers in the 80's then you probably remember these sets. Beginning in 1980 the team got together with the police department, the LAPD, to produce special sets featuring the team. The ran for two decades, and remains one of the more popular police/ safety sets ever created. Cards could be gotten directly from officers throughout the southland.
They are not rare at all, and represent one of the better deals to had when collecting the Dodgers from this era. If you pay more than $5 bucks for a set then consider it a rip-off. In fact, you can probably get a lot of 3 to 5 sets from different years at one time for $10 to $20 bucks- or less. Below is what the reverse looks like. Each card has a different Baseball tip on them.Over the next several weeks and months I will scan each one of the sets I have and post them here. Go ahead a click on any of the pics to enlarge.
Friday, October 01, 2010
Dodgers Police: 1980 Set
Labels: Bill Russell, Bob Welch, Collection, Davey Lopes, Dodgers Police, Don Sutton, Dusty Baker, Jerry Reuss, Michey Hatcher, Pedro Guerrero, Reggie Smith, Rick Monday, Ron Cey, Steve Garvey, Steve Yeager
2 comments:
Fantasic! Thanx a milion for sharing and posting scans.ReplyDelete
My father worked for LAPD in the 80's and these cards bring back memories. I have 13 complete sets of the 1980 Dodgers, 2 complete of 1981, 6 complete of 1982, 23 complete sets of 1983, and 13 complete sets of 1984. I'll have to look into selling them . . .ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Writer and director Rensil D'Silva who is best known for his screenplay of Rang De Basanti (2006), tries to borrow the idea of youth trying to take the law in their own hands to teach the corrupt a lesson.
With Ungli, the director clearly wanted to make a good entertaining film with social awareness, however he fails midway.
Struck by a personal tragedy with no justice from the corrupt system, a group of four friends: a crime reporter, a computer engineer, a medical apprentice and a car mechanic (let's not judge how these people who come from such diverse fields even met each other) decide to form a gang named 'Ungli'. Yes, you guessed the right finger.
The self-appointed vigilantes choose their every corrupt target carefully and teach them a lesson in the dark hours. While it is fun to watch the new schemes and techniques adapted by the gang to expose the corrupt officials, you wish this existed in reality. India needs this badly.
As the Ungli gang creates an impact on society, the police force become restless, perhaps feeling inferior that somebody else is doing their job better and more efficiently.
[easyreview title="UNGLI" cat1title="Story" cat1detail="Four friends who become vigilantes and teach the corrupt a lesson. They call themselves: UNGLI GANG." cat1rating="3″ cat2title="Performances" cat2detail="Good cast but fails to create or leave any impression at all." cat2rating="2.5″ cat3title="Direction" cat3detail="With Ungli, clearly the director wanted to make a good entertaining film with social awareness, however fails midway." cat3rating="2.5″ cat4title="Production" cat4detail="Produced by Dharma, Ungli good camerawork which fails to get noticed due to the sloppy screenplay." cat4rating="2.5″ cat5title="Music" cat5detail="Apart from the song Pakeezah, the music of Ungli is the weakest production by Dharma." cat5rating="2″ summary='Ungli is a not well thought out film which could have been a great entertainer with a good message.' word='AVERAGE']
Soon, the cop ACP Kale (Sanjay Dutt) is assigned to catch the self proclaimed heroes. Kale seeks Nikhil's (Emraan Hashmi) help to catch the gang.
Nikhil himself is the kind of junior police officer who pranks a bomb scare at a women's hostel to get some love making time with his girlfriend.
Hired by Kale, Nikhil plans to gain access into the Ungli gang and once he does, Nikhil understands their motive and cause and starts to empathise with them.
Thanks to the lazy and boring screenplay, the film moves ahead unsurprisingly.
The dialogues of the film are so hackneyed, that you wonder if anybody ever speaks so in real life. If you speak lines like: "Aansoo se sirf whisky dilute hoti hai"? OR "Agar aap Kale hai toh woh bhi dilwale hain," in real life, then this film is for you.
The second half of the film is so predictable and takes you for granted that you give up on the logic behind the story and the events and try to make yourself enjoy the film, for you have paid good earned money for the ticket.
Amongst the cast, Randeep Hooda who was seen in Kick (2014), puts on a good act. One feels very bad for Kangana Ranaut, who entirely carried Queen (2014) on her shoulders, fails to be even visible in this film. She is wasted in the film.
Ungli is a not well thought out film which potentially could have been a great entertainer with a good message. It is no wonder then, that despite Ungli being a Dharma production, it is a disappointment at the box office.


text:
Water - Every Drop Counts
A lack of clean drinking water, not only during the dry season, is a serious issue facing the people of Pemba. The Island has no permanent rivers and surface water supply is from rainfall only. All potable water is provided through the use of wells to access either surface water flows or groundwater. This groundwater is constantly recharged by frequent rainfalls, even in the dry season, however distribution of this water is patchy and often does not reach remote communities, who have to travel vast distances to collect clean water. In addition, overconsumption on a larger scale has threatened local communities long before tourism became a major prospect. According to the gathered data there is a significant overconsumption of water, which the island cannot handle. The estimated shortages are six million litres per year in North Pemba and seven million litres in South Pemba. This is based on a water supply of 17 million litres and 21 million litres in North and South Pemba respectively.
In the past, Pemba has received international support in terms of water provision. In 2005, the Ziwani Ward Development Committee, with help from the UNDP and the Government of Japan, established a water supply project aimed at providing Pemba's population with piped water. In addition, the African Development Fund's Water and Sanitation Project in Zanzibar included the rehabilitation and extension of urban water supply systems in the three townships of Chake Chake, Wete and Mkoani on Pemba Island. It has also seen the construction of school water and sanitation facilities in Unguja and Pemba, as well as rainwater harvesting systems.
Drinking and bathing water on the island is not treated and there is no waste water treatment facility or means of collecting waste water for reuse or recycling - so all used water in the villages is discarded and ultimately seeps back into the surface water flows eventually reaching the groundwater aquifer or the sea. Undoubtedly, the coral rock, upon which Pemba is built, acts as a natural filtration mechanism and is instrumental in reducing the spread of water borne diseases. The exception is a 12 km long sewer system which was constructed in Chake-Chake and funded by the Global Environment Fund (GEF). The network collects wastewater from households, mosques, restaurants and other sites which is piped to an artificially created wetland. It works by anaerobic digestion, which involves microorganisms breaking down the organic matter. This happens in a sub-surface flow constructed wetland treatment system which has no exposed, standing water and therefore eliminates the risk of mosquito breeding. The Chake-Chake system has helped alleviate problems associated with blockages and overflow which previously occurred and lead to severe health risks. However, this has not currently been implemented in the other communities in Pemba who continue to use pit latrines and cesspits.
The Kwanini Foundation wishes to help provide local people with secure, sustainable access to clean water. The issue of water needs to be carefully approached within the framework of a water strategy. We will work with the Zanzibar Water Authority (ZAWA) to ensure that any projects we are involved with fit within the wider picture for the island, that the investments will be maintained and protected, and the villages get the water supply they need. You can learn more about our water projects or donate by following the links below.
Quick Fact
Water Balance
Estimated shortages are six million litres per year in North Pemba and seven million litres in South Pemba
Our Community Projects
- 16th June 2022
- 14th June 2022
- 17th November 2021


text:
For the third straight night, protests erupted in Minneapolis as demonstrators reacted to the shooting death of a man by law enforcement that happened on Thursday afternoon.
Members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force attempted to arrest Winston Boogie Smith, who was wanted on a state arrest warrant for being a felon in possession of a firearm. When law enforcement tried to take Smith into custody on the top level of a parking ramp in the Uptown neighborhood, he allegedly "produced a handgun" and fired shots from inside his vehicle at the officers, according to officials. U.S. Marshals returned fire and struck Smith, 32, who was pronounced dead at the scene. A 27-year-old female passenger in the vehicle was transported to the Hennepin County Medical Center for treatment of glass injuries sustained during the shooting and released.
"Evidence at the scene indicates that the man fired his weapon from inside the vehicle. BCA crime scene personnel recovered a handgun as well as spent cartridge cases from inside the driver's compartment," the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said in a statement.
There is no footage of the fatal shooting because the U.S Marshal Service does not allow the use of body cameras for officers serving on its North Star Fugitive Task Force.
Smith was wanted in neighboring Ramsey County for failing to appear for a sentencing hearing scheduled for May 19 after he pleaded guilty to felony firearm possession, court records show.
Smith was convicted of felony aggravated robbery in 2017 and was on probation, which meant he was prohibited from possessing a firearm. "If he had been nabbed with a firearm by cops Thursday, he could have sent back to prison," according to the New York Post.
Following George Floyd's death, Smith allegedly made life-threatening posts towards police and called for a "war" against law enforcement.
"We got guns and bullet proof vest too or should be able to get em… why not just rush these f***s and start this war they keep asking for!" Smith reportedly wrote on Facebook.
"F*** justice anyway b**** justice is an eye for eye u kill one of mine we need one of yours that's justice! Right or wrong f*** being right cuz they keep doing us wrong," he allegedly posted on social media. "I'm down with the burn everything government not touch s*** else I don't even need to loot I'll buy my s*** just kill them dirty ass cops off we tired of being scared at the red light!"
Protesters took to the streets on Thursday night to demand "justice" in the shooting death of Winston Boogie Smith. Protesters barricaded streets and set fires. The demonstrations escalated at times on Thursday night with storefront glass being destroyed, and there was looting at a T-Mobile store and CVS pharmacy.
A protester celebrated the attack on a Minneapolis police precinct from last summer, "When your precinct burned, America rejoiced. People celebrated seeing your comrades run for their lives!"
There was graffiti on an L.A. Fitness gym that reads: "No trial for us, no trial for them. MPLS still hates cops. Kill cops."
One video features a demonstrator making death threats to police officers.
"It's time for the police to get killed," a man is heard screaming. "One of y'all is gonna die this week."
"I'mma shoot your kids before I shoot y'all, and make you watch," the man yelled at the police. "Y'all better call the National Guard because guess what – y'all gonna need help."
Then fireworks are launched at the police guarding a gas station.
(CAUTION: Explicit language):
There were more protests on Friday night, when there were at least 27 people were arrested, mostly on riot charges, according to police. Agitators set multiple dumpsters on fire in Minneapolis.
On Saturday night, protesters marched through the city chanting anti-police slogans, "I smell b****es! Oink! Oink! Motherf*****!"
The crowd, some of which were flying "Black Lives Matter" flags, were heard chanting, "No good cops in a racist system!" Other chants ring through the streets of Minneapolis, "If Winston don't get it – burn it down! Who shut this down? We shut this down! Who keeps us safe? We keep us safe!"
There was also anti-cop graffiti posted on the street, which depicted police as pigs. Anti-police rhetoric such as "ACAB(All Cops Are Bastards)," F*** 12," "Cops = Terrorists," and "This will continue until the police are abolished." There was a tribute to Winston Smith and "Black Lives Matter" also written on the street.