Monday, October 31, 2016

She's Jewish. Her BFF is Muslim. And their costumes just won Halloween.

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Last year, best friends Casey Pearlman and Yasmin Idris were chatting about what their two religions have in common during a car ride.

Casey is Jewish, and Yasmin is Muslim, and a spectacular new word was born: Juslim.

The term — coined by Casey's dad, Jeff — was a perfect descriptor for any ideas or values that the two faiths share.

Yasmin Idris (left) and Casey Pearlman (right). Photo courtesy of Catherine Pearlman, used with permission.

Fast forward to Halloween 2016, and the two 13-year-olds from California may have just won the holiday by turning the term into an original costume creation.

Internet, meet the Juslims: an intolerance-fighting superhero team for the ages.

Photo courtesy of Catherine Pearlman, used with permission.

"The delightful thing about their costume is that it was thoughtless," Casey's mom, Catherine, said. "It was so authentic to the nature of who they are and their friendship."

Jeff shared a photo of his daughter and Yasmin as the Juslims online.

And even for him — a best-selling author with thousands of Twitter followers — the photo took off, going viral overnight.

Reactions to the photo have been "absolutely amazing and mind-blowing," Catharine said, garnering attention from places like Egypt and the U.K. — even landing a coveted retweet from author J.K. Rowling.  

"If you’re a kid and you make a fun costume with your friend, and you don’t think anything of it," she said. "And then there’s people all over the world who are responding to your homemade superhero costume, it’s pretty special."

Twitter users began chiming in on what the costumes meant to them using the #Juslims hashtag.

What's truly remarkable to Catherine, however, is that her daughter's friendship with Yasmin couldn't be more ... unremarkable.

And that's probably a reassuring breath of fresh air to many people who've been discouraged by a divisive election season.

Photo courtesy of Catherine Pearlman, used with permission.

"To me, their biggest statement is that it wasn’t a statement to them," Catherine said. "They don’t feel different to each other. They feel like eighth-grade girls."

Their superpower — watching each other's backs — is another reason why the pair totally owned Halloween 2016.

"We’re a super team," Yasmin told BuzzFeed. "Like, friends forever."

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An education for the guys I overheard talking about their 'teacher friend.'

If you think teaching is easy, you're wrong.

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Dear guys on the train,

I must apologize for starters. It’s all my fault. I was eavesdropping. I tend to do that on the Red Line. Unlike most folks who keep their earbuds in and their music up loud, I don’t want to miss anything. I’m a chronic people-watcher. And lately, I’ve found that paying attention can be a ministry in itself. So, that’s really all I was trying to do.

Anyway, enough about me. Let’s talk about you guys.

Image via iStock.

I heard you, the one with your tie loosened and wearing a Rolex, talking to your other friend in the nice suit. Talking about your other friend Josh.

Your conversation went a little something like this:

“Dude, he never goes out anymore. Ever. He’s like a hermit.”

“I know, bro. He acts like he’s so busy. He teaches f**king third grade. His day ends at, like, 3, haha.”

“God, I wish he knew what it was like in the real world for a day. He thinks his job is so hard.”

*Awkwardly long laughter*

“Yeah, and he’s been a cheapskate ever since we left Ann Arbor.”

“Seriously. Try living with him. But he can’t expect to make as much as we do when we work our asses off year-round. It’s only October and, I mean, he’s got fall break coming up and he’ll be off for Thanksgiving and he gets several weeks off at Christmas time, yet he thinks he’s got it rough.”

“If only he knew…”

“Ha.” *Checks phone* “Wanna grab a beer? Taylor just texted me and said they’re going out.”

“Hell yeah, man. I’m down.”

Then you guys got off at the stop before mine and left me thinking. The more I thought about it and replayed your conversation in my mind, I knew I had to write you.

Image via iStock.

I don’t know your other friend Josh, but he’s clearly not as cool as you guys, going out on a Wednesday night at 10 for beers with Taylor.

From what I gathered, you guys are sick of your teacher friend. You’re annoyed at how frugal he is, how early he goes to sleep, and how much time off he gets.

The thing is, I wanted to speak up so badly, but I suppressed my inner thoughts, which were bursting at the seams, and withheld from butting into your conversation.

Until now.

You see, I wanted to inform you I was a public school teacher for several years. I taught high school, sixth grade, and first grade. I resigned after this past school year ended because I couldn’t take it anymore. I wasn’t cut out for it.

I wanted to ask you if you’ve ever had to run on a treadmill for eight hours straight on a speed that’s just a tad too fast. That's the only way I could describe the physical exhaustion of being a teacher.

I wanted to correct your assumption that Josh’s workday ends at 3 p.m.

As a former teacher, I can’t help but offer you a mini-lesson: Teachers arrive before school begins and stay long after it ends. They spend countless hours in the evenings, on weekends, and especially during their “long breaks” completing lesson plans, grading assignments, filling out behavior charts, calling parents, scheduling meetings, updating individualized education programs, preparing for standardized tests, writing out goals, changing the theme on the bulletin board, buying supplies for a science experiment (in an effort to make learning fun in hopes that the kids will love it), coaching sports, tutoring, entering grades, cleaning the classroom, filing paperwork, communicating with necessary colleagues about specific student needs, etc. I guess it’s not a mini-lesson after all. Oops.

Image via iStock.

I wanted to challenge you to work all day without using the restroom once, to eat your brown-bagged lunch in less than seven minutes, and to stay patient when you have 20-something students in desperate need for your attention and you just want to reply to an email.

I wanted to break it down for you so you could better understand why Josh is frugal — why, aside from being utterly exhausted, he doesn’t go out as much anymore. For pennies each hour per student, he’s busting his butt to ensure they are not only educated but taught to be kind and courageous, and are safe and loved.

I wanted to reminisce on my time in the classroom and share with you about the students whose home lives kept me up at night and the emotional toll this took on me and my marriage.

I wanted to make you ponder the differences between your jobs and his, but I’m afraid we would’ve run out of time. I’ll just throw this one out there: You can probably get away with being tired (or even hungover), whereas Josh has to be on from the minute those kids arrive in the morning.

I wanted to tell you that, in case you weren’t aware, teachers don’t fill out expense reports at the end of each week. It all comes out of their pocket. And only a guy like Josh would be cool enough to sacrifice a beer in order to buy scissors for his third-graders.

Image via iStock.

I wanted to give you a hundred ideas for how you could be supportive of Josh and the selfless job he’s chosen.

I wanted to acknowledge your jobs are probably hard, too, but gently remind you that you’re probably at least respected and compensated. Teachers can’t earn bonuses or raises. The incentive to be the best boils down to the heart and a strong dose of integrity.

Look, I know I don't know you. And I can't possibly know the whole context of your conversation. But I used to be a teacher, and I know how your friend Josh might be feeling. I know what it's like to have friends who don't get that feeling. I couldn't say these things to them at the time, but hearing your conversation reminded me of the things I wish I had.

I wanted to let you know I now work in “the real world” and it’s only reaffirmed my once-biased belief that teachers have one of the hardest, most important, undervalued, and underpaid jobs in the world.

Sincerely,

The ex-teacher on the train (and an advocate for all the Joshes in this world)

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This post first appeared on the author’s blog and is reprinted here with permission.



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In 2008, this city decided to embrace street art. It was a beautiful decision.

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In the heart of Glasgow, Scotland, you'll find a tiger, a few swimmers, a giant woman, and a pair of break-dancing puppets.

No, this isn't some sort of lucid fever dream. It's street art. And in Glasgow, it's given the city center an eye-catching face-lift.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

While street art is now a common occurrence in Glasgow, that wasn't always the case.

Graffiti and urban blight began to creep into the city center during the 2008 economic downturn. The city council stepped in to promote public art as not only a way to clean up the city, but also an opportunity for local artists.

“The reason we promote murals is to brighten up drab and dark areas in the city, gable lanes, and other parts of buildings and also to deal with graffiti hotspots," said the Glasgow City Council group manager, Jane Laiolo, in a video about the project. "And it’s also an opportunity to develop artists from former graffiti artists in many cases to becoming small businesses in their own right.”

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

That's because local grants and scholarships help fund these large scale, dynamic projects that turn once dreary street corners, alleys, and walls into imaginative, delightful works of contemporary art.

"I try to do things that are fun and interesting,” said Smug, the artist behind many of the murals. “ I’m aiming for kids ‘cause everybody loves 'Toy Story'… Everybody loves 'The Simpsons.' It’s stuff that the kids like. It’s stuff that adults like. And not that I’m trying to be a people pleaser, but it’s stuff that I like as well.”

Artist Rogue-one brightened up a popular but drab pedestrian underpass with shadow puppets.  Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.  

To make it easy for locals and tourists alike to experience the murals, the Glasgow tourism department put together a walking tour.

Tourists and locals can pick up detailed maps and follow the short route to see more than a dozen murals. It's a great way to experience the city and interact with many of the local shops, eateries, and residents at the same time.

While nothing beats the real thing, you can take a virtual walking tour through the Glasgow city center and check out 15 photos of the stunning pieces:

1. Never smile at "Crocodile Glesga" in Charring Cross.

Artist Klingatron took advantage of the environment and incorporated existing brickwork into the scales and used an area missing a brick for the eye.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

2. Beard + Bird = One amazing mural.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

3. Take off into the great unknown with Glasgow's "Space Man."

This colorful piece on Argyle Street is by Ali Wyllie and Recoat.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

4. Or hitch a ride on the "World's Most Economical Taxi."

Muralist Rogue-one is the man behind this popular, charming mural. Those bricks behind the car? They were painted on an existing brick wall.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

5. Sea creatures have a space in city center too. Be they tentacled....

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

6. Or speedo-ed, like these swimmers by artist Sam Bates (aka Smug) to celebrate the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

7. Smug also painted these murals that show off Glasgow's flora and fauna in all four seasons.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

8. And don't worry about the giant woman in his "Honey I Shrunk the Kids." She promises to set you back down.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

9. With some of the murals, it's hard to tell what's real and what's not.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

10. But if you're lucky enough to see a zebra with a martini ... that's probably a work of delightful fiction. Probably.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

11. Students of past and present dot the mural at the University of Strathclyde.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

12. And this campus mural, dubbed "The Wonderwall" is a tribute to some of the school's great thinkers and incorporates three seven-story gables.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

13. This gentleman is one of the "five faces" in a series of portraits done on pillars.

That gauge must have taken a long time to work up to. Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

14. Ever seen a giant panda on an urban street corner? Now you have.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

15. And what's street art without a street musician or two?

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

The street art of Glasgow inspires and enchants.

This project has brightened up the city and bolstered the artists in the best way.

“I think the general perception of all these murals is very positive," said muralist Rogue-one in a video about the project. "I think a lot of people are quite positive now. They come and say hello to me.  Taxi drivers ... say they love them and there should be more of them."

And since some of the works are temporary, new art appears all the time. It's the perfect blend of surprise and delight ... and tigers. Can't forget tigers.

Photo by Jeff Mitchell/Getty Images.

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Want to see more? This video made by the Glasgow City Council features some of the artists in action.



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11 amazing forgotten history artifacts from an exhibit about queer Latino history.

Personal mementos are being unearthed to celebrate the history of the queer Latinx family.

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There's a fair amount of LGBTQ history, but it's predominantly white. Which is why a couple of Latino queer curators got to work building a first-of-its-kind LGBTQ exhibit.

Juliana Delgado Lopera and Ángel Rafael "Ralph" Vázquez-Concepción's new seminal show "Noche de Ambiente" will pay tribute to the Latino LGBTQ movement.

The word "ambiente" means atmosphere or environment in Spanish. It's also a term proudly adopted by the Latino LGBTQ community.

Recently, the term has become a way to celebrate everything that makes the Latino LGBTQ community culturally unique. The word also honors a spirit of resistance against adversity, as Latino culture has traditionally been quite homophobic.

The show shines a spotlight on Latino drag performance and LGBTQ and AIDS activism in San Francisco from the 1970s to the 1990s.

Right now, the exhibit is at the GLBT History Museum in San Francisco. It runs from Oct. 28, 2016, through February 2017. Members of the museum can experience the exhibit for free, while non-members pay $5.

Lopera, a queer woman, decided to launch this show because she wanted to pay tribute to people who played a crucial role in nurturing the queer Latinx community.

"This is my history, my community. The Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Colombians that paved the way for me to exist fully in my queer Latinidad," she says.

Latino queers have not had a place (or a voice) in our history until very recently, and watching that change has been amazing.

The "Ambiente" collection showcases everything from documents to photographs to flyers and certificates. Here are 13 of the most intriguing photographs and documents on display:

1. The exhibit celebrates Cuban transgender activist Adela Vázquez.

Trans performer and activist Adela Vázquez (bottom), Tamara Ching (middle), and a friend in the 1990s. Photo courtesy of Adela Vázquez and Juliana Delgado Lopera.

2. It highlights comedy on the "queer Latino tip" like "Full Frontal Rudity."

Poster for "Full Frontal Rudity" shown at Theatre Rhinoceros in the 1990s. Courtesy of Lito Sandoval.

3. It includes priceless photos like this one taken on New Year's 1994...

New Year's 1994 at Esta Noche by Jim Jess. Courtesy of Augie Robles.

4. ...and a letter from the mayor to gay rights activist George Raya.

A handwritten letter of thanks from San Francisco Mayor-Elect George Moscone to George Raya in 1975. Courtesy of George Raya Papers, GLBT Historical Society.

5. There's also an amazing moment of liberation captured in time.

New Year's 1994 at Esta Noche by Jim Jess. Courtesy of Augie Robles.

6. And "exclusively for Chicana-Latina butches." Why have we never seen these?

A poster from the 1990s of a project to combat AIDS. Courtesy of Adela Vázquez and Juliana Delgado Lopera.

7. This show finally gives queer Latinos a spotlight.

1994 New Year's at Esta Noche. Image by Jim Jess. Courtesy of Augie Robles.

8. You'll also see a flyer for a project to fight AIDS called "Porno, Polaroids & God." Catchy name.

A 1990s poster for "Proyecto Contra SIDA Por Vida's" (Project against AIDS) Porno, Polaroids & God Workshop. Courtesy of Jesse James Johnson.

9. Two words: Simply. Fabulous. This photo is amazing!

Adela Vázquez and Acasio Leon, aka "Tina." Courtesy of Adela Vázquez.

10. This certificate is a hidden gem of inclusivity we're seeing for the first time.

Certificate of Honor given to AGUILAS in 1995 by city Supervisor Susan Leal for the fifth annual Latino Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Visual Arts Show. Courtesy of Juan Alberto Tam.

11. The word "celebration" comes to mind with this photo. And deservedly so, thanks to the "Noche de Ambiente" exhibit.

1994 New Year's at Esta Noche. Image by Jim Jess. Courtesy of Augie Robles.

Most of the items in the exhibit are personal mementos. They were saved in photo albums and boxes by people who played a crucial role in building the LGBTQ community between 1970 and 1990. The curators began collecting them five years ago in preparation for the exhibit.

Lopera says she hopes to shine a light on folks like Adela Vázquez in this exhibit.

Vázquez, a transgender Cuban activist, took Lopera under her wing and introduced her to all things Latinx upon moving to San Francisco.

Lopera says, "Listening to Adela, her friends and people in my chosen family retell their stories of the '70s, '80s, and '90s while, at the same time, seeing no representation of their voices in mainstream queer history, awaken[ed] something in me."

Vázquez-Concepción, the exhibit's other curator, says he is keenly interested in how art exhibitions are apparatuses for brokering identities.

This exhibit helped him find a place in the conversation about queer Latinx visual and performance artists in San Francisco over the last 30 years.

He tells LGBT Weekly he heard the word "ambiente" a lot when he was a kid in the ’80s. "Later I came to understand the shielding effect it has. Like a spell, it turns the space it refers to into Latinx queer domain."

This powerful exhibit is a piece of forgotten history, helping all of us learn about the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans AIDS organizations that paved the way for incredible activism today.

"Latinos are an afterthought in all U.S. history, including queer history," Lopera says. "Here, in this exhibit, we're at the center. Our stories are the focal point. And, really, it's past overdue."

Couldn't have said it better myself.

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The exhibit runs from Oct. 28, 2016, through February 2017 at the GLBT History Museum in San Francisco.



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13 stunning photos of animals now protected by the world's largest marine reserve.

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Lewis Pugh is the patron of the oceans, and he's super pumped.

First of all, can I comment on how cool that job title is? He got it from the United Nations. It sounds like it should be from Greek mythology.

He's pumped because we just turned Antarctica's Ross Sea into the world's largest marine sanctuary.

24 countries plus the European Union came together on Friday to declare a new marine reserve twice the size of Texas off the coast of Antarctica.

This designation, which will come into effect in December, will turn 70% of the area into a no-fishing zone.

16,000 species of life are estimated to live in or visit the Ross Sea, turning it into a polar Garden of Eden.

That's what the United Nations Environment Programme called it, anyway. And Pugh is pretty happy about that.

"The Ross Sea is one of the most magnificent places on Earth," he said. "It is one of our last great wilderness areas. This is a dream come true."

This new designation will protect a huge range of creatures. Creatures like:

1. Entire colonies of emperor penguins.

Photo via iStock.

2. Humpback whales!

Photo via iStock.

3. This lovely pelagic snow petrel.

Photo via iStock.

4. And their less-snowy but still pretty cousin, the Antarctic petrel.

Photo via iStock.

5. This kind of adorable krill! Run, krill! Don't you know there are whales around here?!

Photo via iStock.

6. We're not done with the penguins, by the way. These chinstrap penguins are now protected!

Photo by Eitan Abramovich/AFP/Getty Images.

They're more common elsewhere, but there's at least one breeding colony in the Ross Sea.

7. From birds that never fly to birds that almost never land – the albatross!

Photo via iStock.

8. Oh wait, you thought we were done with whales? Nope! Here's a sperm whale.

Photo via iStock.

9. And an orca whale! Whales! Whales for everybody!

Photo via iStock.

10. I know, little crabeater seal, it's a whale extravaganza.

Photo via iStock.

11. How 'bout some birds? Like these skuas, which are like seagulls crossed with bikers.

Photo via iStock.

12. Or this leopard seal, which is like a regular seal crossed with, well, a leopard.

Photo via iStock.

Listen, sometimes animal names are pretty apt, OK?

13. Or how about this bizarre icefish, which is like a cod crossed with a bucket of antifreeze.

Icefish have natural antifreeze chemicals in their blood.

This is a big step in protecting our natural places.

Watching the news, it's easy to get depressed when we hear that we've crossed climate change benchmarks or that a significant portion of wildlife is in danger of disappearing. And these are things we should be concerned about.

But there are still a lot of things that we as a planet can do too. And I know of at least 13 species that might be breathing a little easier today.

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