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‘Seeking Mavis Beacon’: Why Informed Consent Matters with AI – Essence

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Courtesy of Neon

raises questions on AI, ethical storytelling, and the importance of informed consent. Directed by Jazmine Jones and co-produced by Olivia McKayla Ross, the film explores the true Black woman behind the avatar who helped a generation learn to type on a QWERTY keyboard.

The duo explores the story of Renée L’Espérance, who was the face of the software. She was paid as a model, but her warmth and sweetness helped her construct a fortune. Her powerful presence caused an enormous Mandela event, which made people imagine Mason Beacon was an actual person. Jones and Ross open up about their feelings about L’Espérance being almost completely erased from her contribution to culture.

“I love being uncomfortable and trying to find a way to deal with that discomfort,” Jones tells ESSENCE. “That’s something I was trained to do as a film student. But I also think that being uncomfortable can often have ethical consequences, and sometimes filmmakers sacrifice ethical integrity.”

“It was through collective organizing that I learned all about the work of heart-centered care,” Jones added. “I came from the school of thought that if you’re a filmmaker, put yourself into the work.”

‘Seeking Mavis Beacon’ Reminds Us Why Informed Consent Matters When It Comes to AI
Courtesy of Neon

Jones and McKay interact with Renée L’Espérance’s character with a caring presence in her absence that black women don’t all the time get in a virtual world rife with digital blackface. Ross feels comfortable “choosing to abandon the objective voice” that other documentarians present as gospel. “I think it’s important to give audiences people who need to be held accountable, because you so rarely get that in the media,” she explains. The film argues that “truth is actually fluid as hell.”

Behind L’Espérance’s radiant face is a trio of tech entrepreneurs. It’s unclear whether she understood what she was agreeing to when she agreed to a photograph shoot for the quilt of a software box. Their collaboration got young black kids excited concerning the web. But was it ethical? Was it fair?

“We can compare it to Aunt Jemimas and Uncle Bens. There are countless examples of how this has affected black people,” Jones says. The ambiguity reflects the confusion within the contracts of lots of the apps we are able to’t live without today. It looks as if we’ve got a alternative, but will we? Did L’Espérance have one?

“Our consent was fabricated for us,” Ross says.

The hidden details of the creative process affect many sorts of people. It identifies intersectionality within the shadows. It examines what gets neglected of a story when it’s told by a hoodie-wearing tech-bro or a wise suit. It doesn’t demonize the boys behind the software. It illuminates how narratives can puncture holes. L’Espérance wasn’t asked to look on talk shows or give TED talks.

According to Jones, the main focus is on “the struggles and erasure that black women experience,” but “there are also parallels and reflections of how the glass ceiling of Silicon Valley affects all women.”

At one point, a former partner of one in every of the executives behind the software has the chance to set the record straight, not only about L’Espérance but about himself. “Everyone sees the erasure of Renee, but I think it’s very rare that we get to talk about Sandra Blake’s contribution, and she didn’t get any compensation for her involvement,” Jones says.

‘Seeking Mavis Beacon’ Reminds Us Why Informed Consent Matters When It Comes to AI
Courtesy of Neon

McKay sees the digital landscape as the ultimate frontier of capitalist-inspired colonialism, and she or he told the audience that she plans to assist Jones clean up her digital footprint throughout the screening, organized by Stop Six Stories.

“This is the final frontier; we’re running out of land, we’re running out of resources, at least renewable resources,” Jones tells ESSENCE. “They can’t imprison people fast enough to use their bodies, so they’re kind of creating these systems, these behavior modification systems, to hypnotize you through social media and other apps and things that we use to give them things that are really valuable for free.”

Jones commented on her complicated connection to the fertile battlefield. “I really appreciate that work,” she says. “They really shaped the landscape of educational software that I grew up with.” As she fondly remembers their work, she grapples with the way it ended up on and off the screen.

“It’s also hard not to look at photos of employees and not notice that there isn’t a single black person in them.”

n is in select theaters now. Watch the trailer below.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Celebrity Coverage

How Glam connects with the concert tour of the singer Adi Oasis – Esencja

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Courtesy of Marvin Parisi

Adi Oasis not only is it making a splash on the funk and R&B music scene. The singer performed, amongst others, KAMAUU’s hit “MANGO”, creates a wave of admiration with his distinctive, soulful sound and magnetic stage presence.

Regardless of whether she recently appeared in your channel – or on stage in… hotel bathrobe or her star KOLORYxSTUDIOS performance – the French-born Caribbean-born singer and bassist has been performing for over a decade.

As a brand new mom navigating motherhood while touring Brazil, Adi assures that self-care is non-negotiable and her beauty treatments are essential to make sure her confidence on stage.

How the Glam tour connects with the Adi Oasis singer's tour

Adi’s pre-show preparation begins with an intensive morning program specializing in hydration, nutrition and rest. “I stay hydrated, eat a well-balanced breakfast and get as much sleep as possible,” she says. While the latter is usually a challenge on the road as a brand new mom, she starts her day with a mild cleansing in the shower after which applying Derma-E Serum with vitamin C and hyaluronic acid to maintain the skin brilliant and moisturized. The most vital part of her routine is moisturizing her face with oil. “I take advantage of it IN GROOV Every Mood facial oil it also hybrids as a cleansing oil that I can use to remove makeup after a show. The scent and texture are perfect, and in the morning I feel like I’m in a mini spa.”

Before applying makeup for the show, Adi sometimes refreshes her skin with one other cleanse and application of facial oil, so “my skin stays vibrant and dewy all night long,” she says.

When it involves makeup, adopting a “less is more” philosophy is an ode to her minimalist French roots. “I generally don’t follow makeup trends; I walk quite casually,” explains Adi, who considers Grace Jones to be her greatest muse of style and beauty. The first step in her makeup routine: Eyebrows! “I like them in a particular way and I am unable to live without eyebrow pencil,” she says.

Her favorite place is MAC eyebrow pencil in Spikedthat he collects during his travels. Because skincare is a vital part of her every day routine, whether she’s traveling or at home in Brooklyn — she opts for a skinny layer MAC Studio Fix liquid foundation just to enhance its appearance after which uses it Bronzer Mineralize Skinfinish by MAC in “Gold Deposit” for a warm glow. To come full circle, she applies a fairly, semi-daring lip, and recently discovered a berry-brown lip color called L’Avenue by MERIT It became “a staple in my kit,” he says.

How the Glam tour connects with the Adi Oasis singer's tour

Balancing self-care with motherhood and touring is usually a difficult task. Adi used to meditate every morning, but now that she has a baby, it’s harder for her. Instead, sneaking briefly training sessions when possible was a self-care practice. “When I’m on the road, I still find time for calisthenics training,” she says, noting that even training in a hotel gives her energy.

Adi also often does things like having a shower in the dark, all to be sure the baby sleeps. “Sometimes I accidentally use body shampoo to avoid waking up,” she says. “But hey, cleanliness was a comfort,” he laughs. Even though her priorities modified, her superpower was learning to adapt to latest expectations. “As long as my baby and I are in good health, the rest is just a bonus.”

With her glowing skin and soulful sound, she is undoubtedly an independent artist value watching. Next, Adi says she dreams of sharing the stage with artists like HER, whose work resonates deeply with hers. Until then, for those who’re in Brazil, you could find her live at Attention Blu in Rio De Janeiro on November 15 and Factory Down Everyday people in Sao Paulo on November 16.

How the Glam tour connects with the Adi Oasis singer's tour


This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Fenty Beauty celebrates its expansion into the Caribbean with the launch event of Barbados – Essence

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Courtesy of Kristopher Streeks

It was a special homecoming season for Rihanna. This week, the makeup artist and popular culture icon officially celebrated the launch of Fenty Beauty in the Caribbean with a launch event in her home country of Barbados!

Rihanna announced via Instagram come early October that the brands might be officially available at select retailers in nine different Caribbean territories. This includes Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada and St. Maarten from October 24, 2024.

Fenty Beauty celebrates its expansion into the Caribbean with a launch event in Barbados

“I always felt awkward that my brand wasn’t in my home, so I always wanted to do it,” the Barbadian native told ESSENCE at the launch event. “I always insisted,” she said. “The moment we received permission to come here, we arrived.”

She also said she plans to proceed rolling out Fenty Beauty in the Caribbean. “The Caribbean, I carry it on my back, just like Barbados. Even though we have now launched operations on nine islands, we will continue to open and expand. We intend to cover the entire Caribbean and beyond,” said the superstar.

Fenty Beauty celebrates its expansion into the Caribbean with a launch event in Barbados

Stars prefer it Queen Carterand the Prime Minister of Barbados, Mia Amor Mottley, were present at the launch event. The ceremony took place last Thursday at the idyllic QP Bistro, an oceanfront restaurant overlooking the island’s west coast. Rihanna, who can be one of Barbados’ national heroines, delighted the participants by having fun with the guests and even taking up the DJ’s microphone.

Rihanna also touched on how her Caribbean heritage has influenced the development and trajectory of her brands, stating: “Beauty has all the time been a really honest space. But now I incorporate ingredients from the island into my skincare, my beauty and the reason I even have the only powder that may mattify you at any time, especially when wet!

Fenty Beauty celebrates its expansion into the Caribbean with a launch event in Barbados

“The launch in the Caribbean actually reinforces what we built this brand to be from the starting – which is that it’s inclusive. Everyone found shade, everyone found their soul mate in our gondola,” she said. “I want to keep pushing it. The first person I saw applying foundation was my mother, a black woman. I never knew there was a void. I just did it from the bottom of my heart because that’s what I know.”

For Rihanna, “inclusiveness does not mean being limited to one space. This means insulting everyone. I want to be able to shop at Fenty Beauty, Fenty Skin, Fenty Hair – that’s my goal.”


This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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FIRST LOOK: ‘Harlem’ Season 3 Returns with New Faces – Essence

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Angie (Shoniqua Shandai), Quinn (Grace Byers), Camille (Meagan Good) and Tye (Jerrie Johnson) in HARLEM S3 Photo: Courtesy of Prime © Amazon Content Services LLC

Just when winter begins to fade, the warmth returns as Camille, Tye, Quinn and Angie return to our screens. The Prime Video favorite will eagerly return for a 3rd season on January 23, promising more drama, laughter, and life-changing decisions for our favourite Harlem Four.

The second season’s cliffhanger left everyone wondering what would occur next, and this 12 months guarantees much more twists and turns as the ladies enter latest stages of their often tumultuous lives. Now they’re able to set their priorities and begin a brand new life. Expect mother-daughter dynamics, romantic complications, and profession crossroads like never before.

The excitement doesn’t end there – season three introduces some latest faces which might be sure to cause a stir. Joining the solid are Meagan Good, Grace Byers, Shoniqua Shandai, Jerrie Johnson and Tyler Lepley, Kofi Siriboe as Seth, a captivating MLB player who quickly catches the attention of certainly one of the women. Meanwhile, Logan Browning steps into the role of Portia, Ian’s former love, whose return to Harlem brings back greater than just memories. Gail Bean and Robin Gives also appear, with Bean playing Eva, a passionate enterprise capitalist working alongside Tye, and Gives playing her powerful mother.

From the creative mind of Tracy Oliver, it continues to explore the complexities of black womanhood with humor and heart, making it a novel comedy that captures the wonder and grit of life in New York City. The latest season, produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Universal Television, reaffirms the series’ position as a source of living storytelling – returning just in time to warm up the winter. So mark your calendars and prepare for a New York minute filled with style, surprises and sisterhood.

Here are some First Look photos from the upcoming third season.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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