Mirabel shrugs while standing in front of the casita with her family looking out from the windows.

Film Review | Disney’s Encanto

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Encanto is a film five years in the making and it shows in the quality of the animation, songwriting and storytelling throughout its runtime. It is the sort of heartwarming tale you will want to watch again and again, the kind you put on when it’s cold outside and all you want to do is snuggle under a blanket with a loved one and escape somewhere magical. Encanto’s magic will soon be available from the comfort of home, available to stream on Christmas Eve.

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Iona, Scotland: Enchanting Isle of Spirit and Mystery

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The mysterious island if Iona is calling, who will sojourn with us for a time?  The natural and spiritual appeal of this tiny island in the Inner Hebrides off the coast of Scotland has been drawing travelers to it’s shores at least since the 500’s when St. Columba and his companions arrived from Ireland and set up a monastic community there.

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People of Note: Andre Henry – Musician, Author, Activist

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While the events discussed in “All the White Friends I Couldn’t Keep” were playing out, Henry wrote his popular song “Playing Hookey” about his frustrations with White Evangelism. As he’s grown as a community activist — helping lead marches in Pasadena and even carrying a boulder around to represent the burden that Black people face in society — he’s processed through his own beliefs about Christianity and the person of Jesus.

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LACMA | The Obama Portraits Tour & Black American Portraits

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Being a Black man in America many of those stories resonate with me. They make me feel at home when I attend these exhibits. Viewing the pieces also build confidence and pride in being Black. It causes me to celebrate the strength within our culture, how we have persevered through tough times, how we have remained strong throughout our journey here.

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Based in Paris | What! …Paris Cruise Night?

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Notably, Kristin’s photos were profoundly  appreciated by one 2010 ’Hollywood Lowrider Club – émigré.’  Visibly touched, he confided, paraphrasing, “This representation is so different than anything I ever have seen about the lowrider culture. Typically the references exposed are, projected pejoratively, and seemingly the overriding perceptions lean toward gang participation, violent rivalry, sexism and other negative connotations.”

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The mountains can be seen in the background against the bright blue sky filled with clouds as golden plains stretch before the camera.

Hiking Above Denver As The Seasons Change

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That’s the beauty of connecting with nature. It reminds us how small we are in the grand scheme of things. With technology sucking us into an endless scroll of daily tragedies, celebrity gossip and catchy tunes we don’t even really want stuck in our head, it’s invigorating and reviving to clear your head with a fresh mountain hike.

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