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Cosmopolitan UK features Munroe Bergdorf as first ever trans woman on cover

Munroe Bergdorf has become the [...]

Megan Jayne Crabbe

Megan Jayne Crabbe on how to stop dieting, make peace with your body and live

Megan Jayne Crabbe is an [...]

Tommy Jessop breaking down barriers for actors with Down’s syndrome

Actor, Tommy Jessop, has been [...]

Kimbra releases uplifting protest song for girls’ education

Grammy award-winning artist Kimbra has [...]

Who We Are: Chronicle of Racism in America

Who We Are: Chronicle of [...]

Janet Jackson talks about loving herself and her body

Janet Jackson is an icon [...]

Idris Elba Speaks Out Against Knife Crime With Arsenal’s ‘No More Red’ Campaign

Idris Elba has said no [...]

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez becomes the first trans actress to win a Golden Globe

Michaela Jae Rodriguez, also known [...]

Sidney Poitier: The actor who broke down Hollywood’s racial barriers

Sidney Poitier, who has died [...]

2022 visionary honours

Imagine

Read All About It 2020 Visionary Honours

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Social Causes We Amplify

visionaryartsuk

Our annual awards celebrate social impact in culture, media & entertainment
Date - 1st March 2022
Venue - BAFTA 195 Piccadilly
Host - Sir Lenny Henry

Munroe Bergdorf has become the first transgender w

Munroe Bergdorf has become the first transgender woman to be featured on the front of Cosmopolitan UK in its 50-year history.

Bergdorf was named as the publication's Changemaker Of The Year, and graces the cover of its 50th anniversary issue.

Writing on Instagram, Bergdorf said she was "beyond excited", thanking Cosmopolitan for her inclusion.

"I'm also the first transgender woman to ever feature on the cover in those 50 years of publication. Huge thank you to the Cosmo UK team for asking me to be part of this moment."

Describing Bergdorf as a "trailblazer", the magazine's editor-in-chief, Claire Hodgson, said: "No one encapsulates what it means to be a Cosmopolitan cover star more than Munroe Bergdorf, and I'm thrilled we're celebrating Cosmopolitan UK's 50th anniversary with such an important trailblazer on our cover.

"Whether it be finding a fulfilling career that pays fairly, developing happy and healthy relationships, or fighting for equality and respect, the topics Cosmopolitan has long championed are just as important now as they were in 1972.

"Whatever their sexuality, gender identity or background, Cosmopolitan will continue to empower our audience to demand more from the world around them, challenge the status quo and advocate for a diverse and inclusive world, free from prejudice."

Bergdorf has received a number of awards for her activism and campaigns, including bagging the influencer prize at last year's Glamour Awards.

On her development Bergdorf said, “I think when you understand who you are, the path you’re on becomes a lot clearer. The path I’m on now is a result of me focusing on trying to understand myself on a deep level and trying to live my life in a purposeful way.”

She reunited with L'Oreal Paris in 2020 - almost three years after being let go by the cosmetics giant after a Facebook post she wrote about the racism of white people.

The 50th anniversary issue of Cosmopolitan is out now.

#createchange #munroebergdorf #transgender #cosmopolitanmagazine #lgbtqia #changemakers #transwoman #trans

Nominations for the 2022 Visionary Honours will be

Nominations for the 2022 Visionary Honours will be announced this coming Monday, 24th January at 12pm GMT.

The Visionary Honours are the UK’s only awards show dedicated to celebrating social impact through popular culture and the arts, including celebrities, influencers and community workers who have inspired change.

From diversity and inclusion, to mental health awareness and the climate crisis, the Visionary Honours showcases that people can create a positive change through film, television, music, literature, podcasts, theatre and their social media platforms.

Nominations have been selected by leading authors, journalists, critics, writers, editors, producers and activists. From Monday the public will be able to vote for their favourites in 9 different categories, until the 6th February.

The award ceremony will take place on the 1st March at BAFTA Piccadilly.

For more information visit -
www.visionaryhonours.com

#createchange #visionaryhonours #visionaryhonours2022 #socialimpact #socialjustice #socialimpactentertainment #lennyhenry #bafta

Megan Jayne Crabbe is an advocate for body positiv

Megan Jayne Crabbe is an advocate for body positivity. Her blog focuses on all things related to loving yourself and your body - from intuitive eating, to bikini body confidence, to fatphobia and size prejudice, and her opinions on the diet industry.

Megan wants to change the way we look at ourselves. She says, “We’ve been convinced that happiness is something that only comes once we hit that goal weight, get those washboard abs, shrink ourselves down and change every part of ourselves. We believe that our bodies are the problem, but the truth is that our bodies are not the problem. How we've been taught to see them is the problem... it's time for us all to stop believing the lies, and take our power back.”

Megan's body image issues began when she was five years old. She spent her childhood chasing thinness, and at fourteen found herself spiralling into anorexia. After recovery she spent years dieting, binging, losing and gaining weight. Then she found body positivity, quit dieting, and finally escaped the cult of thin.

In 2017 she published her book, ‘Body Positive Power’, an inspiring read and powerful call to arms to reach as many people as possible with the truth: that we are all good enough as we are!

In 2019 she co-created and toured a sell-out live show called The Never Say Diet Club, filled with empowering talks, comedy musicals, over-the-top dance numbers and lots of costume changes.

On her colourful and popular Instagram account, she also posts inspirational messages. Her most recent quote read, “I promise you, the everyday acts of kindness add up. Changing the world isn’t always a viral hashtag or people with the biggest platforms shouting. It’s you, and me. And everyone else living in their values every day. Every drop adds to the wave.”

#createchange #meganjaynecrabbe #bodypositivity #selflove

Grammy award-winning artist Kimbra has released an

Grammy award-winning artist Kimbra has released an original song to launch the No Girl Left Behind initiative with the international education nonprofit So They Can.

The track shines a spotlight on the changes Kenyan girls want to see in their communities to stop harmful practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) and aims to raise $75,000 to support girls' education.

A girl with an education will not be stopped... Unless of course, she is one of far too many girls in East Africa who gives birth before her schooling ends or suffers female genital cutting and child marriage before she turns 13. For this girl, any choice around her future is wiped away — she is forced to drop out of school and in most cases, never return.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, as many as 40% of girls married before the age of 18, and the COVID-19 pandemic is putting millions more at risk. Education can make all the difference –– each additional year of secondary school significantly reduces a girl’s risk for child marriage.

Kimbra hopes No Girl Left Behind helps drive home the power of schooling to transform a girls’ life.

Kimbra said, “I would love for the song to create a feeling of community and motivation in people here in America or wherever the song reaches.”

“Music has this power to create a feeling of a transcendent moment in us. When we feel transcendent, we often go, ‘Oh, I want to do more. I want to give more. I can love more.’ If music can make you feel that, then you're driven to be like, ‘Let me buy the song, engage with this organisation, and maybe sponsor a young girl or give directly to the campaign.’ If I could shift people's perception of what they can do, that would be wonderful.”

You can listen to the track and donate at:
https://kimbra.every.org/

#createchange #kimbra #nogirlleftbehind #femalegenitalmutilation #girleducation

Actor, Tommy Jessop, has been announced as the lat

Actor, Tommy Jessop, has been announced as the latest ambassador for Mencap, a UK based charity for people with a learning disability.

Jessop, aged 36, hit the headlines last year playing Terry Boyle in the hit TV show Line of Duty.

Tommy plans to use his new position as Mencap ambassador to get rid of the common perception that people with a learning disability cannot do certain things.

Speaking of his new role, Tommy said: “People with a learning disability should be able to do anything we want, for example getting married or being a role model for people to look up to. I am proud and honoured to be a Mencap ambassador. I hope through this role I can help Mencap keep doing what they do best to carry on their really hard work in the future.”

Edel Harris, Mencap chief executive, said: “It’s incredibly important because representation really does matter and I’m thrilled he’s joined the Mencap family. Having Tommy on board as an ambassador is a great way to de-stigmatise and challenge misconceptions about people who have Down’s syndrome and/or who have a learning disability. He will also help us increase the visibility of people with a learning disability across the media and society to help transform attitudes. Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world to live a happy and healthy life if you have a learning disability and I look forward to working alongside Tommy to make this vision a reality."

#createchange #tommyjessop #mencap #learningdisabilities #downsyndrome #downsyndromeawareness #actor

Happy Birthday to Martin Luther King, Jr., born on

Happy Birthday to Martin Luther King, Jr., born on this day 15th January, 1929.

Martin Luther King, Jr. believed all men are created equal and should enjoy the same rights and privileges. One of his most poignant lines from his famous I Have a Dream speech was that he hoped his children would be judged by the content of their character, not the colour of their skin.

King also believed that nonviolence was an active rejection of the cruelty and tyranny of an opposing class, not just the avoidance of repercussions. This fundamental belief, born out of the uniquely American experience of civil life after institutional slavery and racism, carried through King's influence all over the world.

King was largely responsible for the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Civil Rights Act banned discrimination in the workforce and public accommodations based on “race, colour, religion, or national origin.” The Voting Rights Act protects African Americans’ right to vote.

Each year on the third Monday of January American’s observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a national holiday which is more than just a day off, but a time to reflect and take action on civil rights issues across the globe and the work that still needs to be done for racial equality.

#createchange #martinlutherking #mlkday

‘Who We Are: Chronicle of Racism in America’ i

‘Who We Are: Chronicle of Racism in America’ is a powerful documentary written by civil rights lawyer Jeffery Robinson and directed by sisters, Emily Kunstler and Sarah Kunstler, the daughters of ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’ attorney William Kunstler.

The filmmakers have spent their lives immersed in the civil rights movement, which inspired them to make documentaries on criminal justice.

The film takes us back over a 400 years, from slavery to the present day and explores America’s white supremacist roots. It features lectures, personal anecdotes and interviews with friends of Robinson who share their experiences with structural racism and how these inequalities affect them and a confederate supporter and protester who denies the violence of slavery.

The film aims to target people who may not consider themselves personally racist but also may not understand the racist system and society in which they live and participate and conveys the message that it is our collective responsibility to overcome it.

Robinson says: ‘America has demonstrated its greatness time and time and time again, and America is one of the most racist countries on the face of this earth…those two things are not mutually exclusive’

The film is released in selected theatres today across the USA.

#createchange #racism #whoweare #jefferyrobinson #equality #racisminamerica

Janet Jackson is an icon in her own right, as she'

Janet Jackson is an icon in her own right, as she's been commemorated for her decades of excellence as a musician and actress. In a recent interview with Allure magazine, however, she also reflects on the efforts that she's made to become a leader in body acceptance, creating a foundation for women learning to fully embrace and love themselves.

With the 1993 release of her self-titled album Janet specifically, Jackson says that she was set on fully embracing and loving herself for who she was.

The cover for the album was a photograph of Janet seemingly topless with her arms above her head, resting on her curls. A Rolling Stone cover that came the same year showed the complete photo, revealing a scantily clad Janet with just a pair of hands covering her breasts. Now, she confirmed that the imagery was an intentional introduction to an era of self-love.

"Embracing me and trying to learn to love me for me, my body, all of that. Trying to feel comfortable in embracing that," Jackson explained. "Throwing myself in the lion’s den. Just going for it, wanting to do something different. It took a lot of work, a lot of work. It was something very tough, very difficult, But I'm glad I walked through it."

The singer-songwriter — who shares son Eissa, 5, with husband Wissam Al Mana — is thrilled to see how the industry has changed in recent years with Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion, Cardi B, Miley Cyrus and more sharing messages of body positivity in their music and on stage.

Janet explained, “(They are)comfortable in their skin, in their size, in being full-figured and I love that, as opposed to back in the day," she said. "You had to always be thin and always look a certain way. And now it's all accepted and it is all beautiful and I absolutely love that."

Allure’s February 2022 issue is available on newsstands from the 18th January.

#createchange #janetjackson #alluremagazine #selflove #bodypositivity

Idris Elba, alongside Adidas and Arsenal FC, have

Idris Elba, alongside Adidas and Arsenal FC, have launched No More Red, a campaign which aims to prevent bloodshed on the streets by providing more safe spaces for young people and working to eradicate causes of violent crime.

There were 30 teenage killings in London in 2021 - passing the previous record of 29, set in 2008 - with most involving knife attacks. Police figures show over 10,000 knife crime offences in the capital between June 2020 and June 2021.

Elba said more people needed to “stand up” and speak out about knife crime to make a difference.

The No More Red campaign was launched with Arsenal wearing a one-off all-white kit in their FA Cup defeat away to Nottingham Forest, with the kit later being donated to organisations supporting the cause.

Elba said: “It is about options. I don’t think any kid is born into a gang or wanting to be a gang member, but if those gang members are giving you more options about who you are or giving you some credibility.

“You are naturally going to go towards that. What do we give these young people? Adidas and Arsenal are working to make sporting facilities more available — that is a practical method of getting kids away from the streets for a couple of hours. It nurtures talent and gives kids an option.”

The No More Red campaign will invest in creating and refurbishing safe spaces for young people to be creative and play sports.

It will also establish a mentorship scheme where youngsters doing positive work in the community will be advised by Elba and others such as Arsenal legend Ian Wright, DJ Emerald Rose Lewis and artist Reuben Dangoor.

#createchange #idriselba #arsenal #adidas #nomorered #knifecrimeawareness #knifecrime #youthviolenceprevention

Michaela Jae Rodriguez, also known as MJ Rodriguez

Michaela Jae Rodriguez, also known as MJ Rodriguez, has made history by being the first transgender actress to win an award at the Golden Globes.

She won the best actress in a TV Drama award for her role in Pose, the series which is centred around New York City’s African-American and Latinx LGBTQ, and non-binary drag scene, during the 1980’s.

Rodriguez has previously spoken on the lack of representation for transgender women in Hollywood and her community’s need for protection.

Congratulations Michaela!

#creatchange #LGBTQ #michaelajaerodriguez #goldenglobes #pose

Film icon, Sidney Poitier has died aged 94. Sidn

Film icon, Sidney Poitier has died aged 94.

Sidney was the first black male winner of the Best Actor Oscar award for his film Lilies of the Field.

In one of his most famous films, ‘Guess Who's Coming to Dinner’, he played the fiancé of a white, middle-class woman, played by Katherine Hepburn and at the time of filming, interracial marriage was still illegal in 17 US states, laws which were only revoked months before the film’s release.

Through his work and activism, Sidney broke down many of Hollywood's, and wider societies, racial taboos and barriers and inspired a generation during the civil rights era.

"I was a pretty good actor and I believed in brotherhood. I hated racism and segregation. And I was a symbol against those things."

#sidneypoitier #createchange #racism #RIP

Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett has made history by b

Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett has made history by becoming the youngest ever Dragon to appear on Dragons Den, at age 29. Steven appeared on his first episode last night alongside fellow Dragons, Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, and Sara Davies.

Steven is the founder and former CEO of social media marketing agency The Social Chain, which he set up from his bedroom in Manchester.

After dropping out of school and Manchester Metropolitan University at 18, he went on to build The Social Chain and Media Chain, taking his company public aged 27, with a current market valuation of more than £300 million.

He left the business after six years to pursue other investment opportunities.

Steven, who was born in Botswana before moving to Plymouth at two years old, released his debut book - ‘Happy Sexy Millionaire’ - in March 2021, and also hosts a podcast titled The Diary Of A CEO.

Recent guests on the podcast have included Molly-Mae Hague, Gym Shark founder Ben Francis, comedian Jimmy Carr, and presenter and radio DJ Reggie Yates and last year it ranked as Europe's most downloaded business podcast.

Bartlett said of his appointment on the investment show, that he felt it was a “tremendous honour” and that he had been watching the show since he was 12 years old.

He added that it had served as his "first window into the real world of business and investing,” and he hopes to represent "a new generation of entrepreneurs, inspiring young and specifically under-represented entrepreneurs to follow in my footsteps."

#createchange #stevenbartlett #dragonsden #happysexymillionaire

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