MARA Gay is a left-wing member of the New York Times editorial board.
She caused controversy on social media after she reported what she had seen out of Long Island, New York in an interview with MSNBC panelists.
4
Mara GayCredit: MSNBC
Who is Mara Gay?
Gay’s New York Times editorial focus is on New York State and local affairs.
Before coming to The Times in 2018, she was a City Hall reporter at The Wall Street Journal, covering Mayors Bill de Blasio and Michael Bloomberg.
Gay has also worked for the New York Daily News, The Atlantic and The Daily.
4
Mara Gay is a New York Times editorial board memberCredit: MSNBC
She has a degree in political science from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
She is a New York City native and resides in Brooklyn.
Why is Mara Gay trending?
Gay is trending after she said that that she was “disturbed” to see “dozens of American flags” flown by Donald Trump supporters during a weekend trip to Long Island, New York.
She reported that she had also seen trucks with “expletives” against President Biden plastered on their sides.
She described that the flag-flying Trump supporters were sending a clear message: “This is my country … not your country. I own this.”
“The reality is here that we have a large percentage of the American population — I don’t know how big it is, but we have tens of millions of Trump voters who continue to believe that their rights as citizens are under threat by simple virtue of having to share the democracy with others,” Gay told MSNBC host Mika Brzezinski.
4
Mara Gay discusses Trump supporters on MSNBCCredit: MSNBC
“I think that as long as they see Americanness as the same as one with Whiteness, this is going to continue,” Gay said, commenting that “Whiteness” and “Americanness” need to be seperated.
“That is the real concern. Because, you know, the Trump voters who are not going to get onboard with democracy, they’re a minority. You can marginalize them, long-term. But if we don’t take the threat seriously, then I think we’re all in really bad shape,” she said.
What did people say on Twitter about Mara Gay’s comments?
Gay’s comments divided social media, who took to Twitter to share their outlook.
“The people criticizing NYT’s Mara Gay’s comment re: American Flags on Long Island, are the SAME PEOPLE who had no f****** issue w/ their cult leader sending Domestic Terrorists to the Capitol & replacing the American Flag that was flying there, with a MAGA flag,” one wrote.
4
Social media was divided over Mara Gay’s MSNBC commentsCredit: MSNBC
“Like, Mara Gay, when I see a display of hyper-patriotism I have come to associate it with racism. I can’t imagine why!” another said.
Writer Charlotte Clymer agreed with Gay’s sentiments, commenting: “As a military veteran, I completely agree with Mara Gay. It is disturbing. Large American flags on trucks are performative nonsense that are absolutely intended to communicate that America is a conservative, white country. It’s an intentional signal. She’s right.”
DON SLAM
Trump calls Bitcoin a SCAM after viewers think he was wearing pants backward
NARCO QUEEN PLEA
El Chapo’s beauty queen wife ‘to plead GUILTY to helping run drug empire’
MOM BEHIND BARS
Wanted mom arrested after son, 7, found dead on hiking trail near Las Vegas
‘STAND BY MY WORDS’
Psychologist who fantasized about shooting white people won’t back down
HERO DAUGHTER
Girl, 9, dies protecting dad from gunman by using body as human shield
MANHUNT
Who’s Samantha Moreno Rodriguez? Police search for missing mom after son found dead
“I’ve been around much longer than Mara Gay of the New York Times and I’m white, but I have never associated “Americaness” with “whiteness”. In fact, I was taught & experienced just the opposite,” one Tweet disagreed.
“This WAS the only country that embraced the assimilation of all races & beliefs,”
One criticized her, writing: “@MaraGay, you know what’s disturbing? It’s you, and your opinions which you can share in @MSNBC.”
University Health Services honors Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month along with the many contributions and achievements of the LGBTQ+ community at UW–Madison. Pride Month is celebrated in June each year to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan on June 28, 1969. The Stonewall Uprising was a riot led by queer and trans people of color against police harassment and is viewed as a catalyst for the Gay Rights Movement in the United States.
We recognize that those in the LGBTQ+ community continue to be impacted by oppression, prejudice, and inequitable systems of power and privilege. We know that LGBTQ+ people of color disproportionately bear the brunt of violence and oppression. We stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ+ students and colleagues and, in particular, our LGBTQ+ students and colleagues of color. As a health care organization, we are committed to supporting LGBTQ+ students through a variety of services, including our LGBTQ+ and Transgender & Gender-Nonconforming (TGNC) Support & Empowerment groups, our outreach at the Red Gym, our work to match students with in community providers, and our other campus-based programming.
We encourage all students to engage in events and resources that honor Pride Month and LGBTQ+ members of the UW–Madison community.
WESTERVILLE, Ohio (AP) — Wyndham Clark always knew where he wanted to go.
He just didn’t know where he was.
Clark made his first trip to Ohio for U.S. Open qualifying when he was 17 and had just finished his junior year of high school in Colorado. He said that wasn’t even the first time he tried to get into the U.S. Open. But when Clark saw that Columbus offered more spots than any of the other qualifying sites, he liked his odds.
Only when he arrived did he realize why the field was so big.
He saw Vijay Singh. Also at The Lakes and Brookside that year was David Duval. The name on another bag said Charles Howell III.
“I didn’t realize it was the tour stop the first time I came,” Clark said. “I was walking around seeing a bunch of pros and I was like, ‘Holy cow!’ I was 17. I was awestruck.”
Imagine the feeling he had Monday night.
The cold beer in his hand and the soft grin gave Clark away. After more than a decade of trying and failing, the 27-year-old is finally going to the U.S. Open.
“I really want to smile,” Clark said, “but I’m too exhausted.”
These are the stories that play out across the country, and it’s what sets the U.S. Open apart from the other majors.
The British Open also is open, but access now is largely restricted to “qualifying events” that are part of professional tours and events. The U.S. Open, still not back to normal because of COVID-19 travel restrictions, offered 66 of its 156 spots to players who made it through 36 holes of qualifying. In normal years, half of the field has to qualify.
Clark was among 9,069 players who signed up for the U.S. Open and paid a $200 fee. Some of them probably had no chance to get past the first stage of 18-hole qualifying. For some of them, simply having the chance was all that mattered.
Nineteen players had to go through 18-hole and 36-hole qualifying to get into the U.S. Open. One of them was Carson Schaake, four years removed from the University of Iowa and relegated to mini-tours.
He won his local qualifier in Nebraska. On Monday, he was medalist at the other Ohio qualifier against a 55-man field that featured 12 players who have won on the PGA Tour. Schaake has never played a PGA Tour event. His first one will be the U.S. Open.
Clark is in his third year on the PGA Tour and lost in a playoff last fall to Brian Gay in the Bermuda Championship. He is capable of winning next week at Torrey Pines.
But he used to be one of those dreamers.
Clark was still in elementary school, already hooked on golf, when in consecutive years, a pair of 16-year-olds in Colorado made it to the U.S. Open — Derek Tolan in 2002 at Bethpage Black and Tom Glissmeyer in 2003 at Olympia Fields. That was all the motivation he needed.
“I looked up to them as a Colorado kid,” Clark said.
The youngest qualifier was Andy Zhang, who was 14 when he played at Olympic Club in 2012. Then there’s Jeff Brehaut, who was 44 when he made his U.S. Open debut in 2007 at Oakmont.
Clark falls somewhere in between.
He said he has been trying since he was 15, and he guesses he has reached the final stage about a half-dozen times. Clark had little reason to believe this would be the year.
He missed the cut last week at the Memorial. It was his eighth consecutive week playing, and he was fried even during a three-hour rain delay Monday that forced him to finish in near darkness. Playing the tougher Brookside course first, he opened with a 64.
Then, it was a matter of hanging on. That’s the hardest way to play golf, and he was feeling it. Trying to protect a score instead of chasing one made the fairways at The Lakes look a lot more narrow than they really were.
“When you have to put the pedal to the metal, you’re going,” he said. “When you feel like you’re holding on, trying not to give away shots, that was hard. I made a lot of tentative swings. We ended up taking less club so I could hit full shots and make better swings.”
It paid off. He shot 70 to make it with four shots to spare.
Next up is a break, maybe the rest of the week without touching his clubs, before going to San Diego over the weekend to prepare for a major he only dreamed about playing.
Did he dream about winning? As a teenager, no.
“It was more about getting there,” he said. “When I was in high school, winning for me was just getting there. Just that I was there, being on TV, having that accolade, playing the Open with my peers, that would have been the win.”
It’s different now. Clark has played the PGA Championship twice, and he is No. 60 in the FedEx Cup on the PGA Tour. He now feels he’s supposed to be at the U.S. Open, no matter how long it took for him to get there.
___
More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
Chloe Watts, of Suffolk, graduated May 6 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business marketing management with minors in international business and strategic communications from Virginia Tech. Chloe graduated magna cum laude and was recognized for making the Dean’s List each of her eight semesters. She is an alumna of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy.
Watts makes Dean’s List
Aidan Watts, of Suffolk, was recognized for making the Spring 2021 Dean’s List at Wake Forest University. Students making the Dean’s List received a grade point average of 3.4 or higher out of a 4.0 grade scale. Aidan is a junior double majoring in political science and international studies and communications with a history minor. His expected graduation date is May 2023. He is an alumnus of Nansemond-Suffolk Academy.
Packers announce academic team
Smithfield Packers Youth Sports recently announced its Spring 2021 academic teams. Silver Team: Diego Castaneda and Joe Kelly. Gold Team: Landon Auvil, Alice Kelly, Antonio Lance, Landon Pierce, London Pierce, Kylie Reynolds and Joseph Rodman.
Gay graduates from basic training
SPC Sydney Gay graduated from the United States Army Basic Combat Training program at Fort Sill, Okla., on March 19, 2021. After basic training, she was reassigned to Ft. Benning, Ga., where she completed an intense three-week training program at the U.S. Army Airborne School. SPC Gay earned her “Jump Wings” with four successful jumps and was awarded the Army Parachutist Badge on April 22, 2021, and officially is now a paratrooper. SPC Gay will complete her advanced individual training as a parachute rigger at Fort Lee and then will begin training at the Army Ranger School at Ft. Benning, Ga. She is the daughter of Cris and Mary Gay, of Carrollton. SPC Gay is a 2015 graduate of Smithfield High School and a 2019 student-athlete graduate of Longwood University.
A 42-year-old New York man was charged with several offenses including stalking and assault after police say he yelled a homophobic slur at two gay men while following them Saturday in the 100 block of Worth Avenue.
An enhancement was added to the charges because of “evidence of prejudice based on sexual orientation.”
According to the police report, officers responded to a call at about 2 p.m. from the men who said they had pepper-sprayed another man, later identified as Joseph Peter Rivera, on Worth Avenue because “they were assaulted and feared for their safety.”
The men told police Rivera came near them while they were taking pictures of each other and called them a derogatory slur, the report said. After they told him to leave them alone, Rivera followed the men and “charged at them several times” as they walked. When they crossed the street to get away from him, Rivera followed them while yelling out slurs.
One of the men warned Rivera he would use pepper spray if he didn’t back away, the report said. When Rivera again yelled a slur and moved toward the men, he was sprayed in the face.
As the men ran to their car, Rivera once again followed them while yelling out slurs but they were able to get away, police said.
A witness said he heard shouting and saw the two men walking to their car. They told the witness to call police because they had just been attacked. The witness also saw Rivera coming from the same direction as the men “yelling obscenities at them,” the report said.
Rivera reportedly told police he had asked the men for the location of a store and when they didn’t answer, he followed them across the street.
He acknowledged his actions “may have been seen as threatening” because of the way he approached the men. While talking with police, Rivera again used a slur, the report said.
A search of Rivera’s car by police revealed a small bag with 0.4 grams of cocaine inside.
Rivera faces a felony charge of cocaine possession and misdemeanor charges of stalking and simple assault with intention to do violence.
Florida law states that a threat to do harm, either by word or by act, is considered an assault.
As the LGBTQ community revels in the celebration of Pride Month, it goes without saying that this rainbow-drenched month signifies something different for those who were once forced to flee a home that criminalized queer people. Meet Loic Landry, who hails from Cameroon and now calls London his home.
Raised in a large, conservative family, Cameroon — where gay sex is punishable with jail time — proved to be a battleground for a teen coming to terms with his gay sexuality. “I was worried about disappointing my family, and I was afraid that I may get killed or put in jail if anyone ever found out. I then decided to deny that side of me almost entirely,” Loic told GuysLikeU.com.
Feeling as if he didn’t belong in Cameroon, Loic left the African continent to study in Moscow, before eventually settling in London in 2010, and where he still resides. Now, as we slowly emerge from a global pandemic and the LGBTQ community begins a return to normality, Hornet has asked Loic to share his thoughts on the meaning and significance of Pride.
“What Pride Means to Me” by Loic Landry
My first Pride was in London in 2011, after I moved from Moscow. I was walking in town, and my eyes could not look away from all the sexy guys dressed and glittered up in rainbow colours. All this, for me, looked and felt surreal to me, especially since I have never seen this before. I did not want that day to end.
In my mind, Pride was a time to watch people parading in extraordinary clothes, but when I went to a Pride parade, I saw it’s much more than that. I have worried and questioned my sexuality for many years, thinking that being gay would never be accepted — until I was around all these people taking me into the community. They welcomed me for who I am, and that for me was a game-changer.
Ever since my longtime civil partner passed away during Pride month — on 18 June 2017 — I think I feel more connected to this month than ever before. I’m hoping the celebrations happen this year, and I am planning to attend every single one of them.
This year and especially the last one have been truly challenging for all of us, and we must always look towards the future and not let the past hold us down. We must be, first of all, thankful and grateful that we are standing right now, wear our biggest smiles, and most of all, enjoy ourselves and be happy.
What do you think of Loic Landry’s story? And what does Pride mean to you?
For the Lehigh Valley, the news of Guzman’s plans came as a relief. When news broke in early May that the Stonewall was under contract to be sold, many feared the Lehigh Valley could lose its last gay nightclub. Stonewall was the third gay nightclub to shut down in the last five years, following the closure of Candida’s Bar in Allentown in 2017 and Bethlehem’s Diamonz Nightclub in 2016. For nearly 50 years, Stonewall was an organizing hub for the LGBTQ community and a safe place for many people to meet.
Support for same-sex marriage in the U.S. has reached a new high of 70%, according to a poll published Tuesday by the analytics and advisory company Gallup. The percentage, which is the highest reported figure in the company’s history of conducting the poll, marks a 10% increase from 2015, when the Supreme Court ruled for same-sex marriages to be recognized across all 50 states.
“As more Americans see and know LGBTQ people and couples, they see our relationships are as loving, as valuable, and as worth protecting as any straight marriage,” Barbara Simon, the head of news and campaigns at the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), said in a statement. “It shows undeniable forward progress for LGBTQ acceptance.”
When Gallup first conducted its survey in 1996, only 27% of Americans said they believed marriages between same-sex couples should be recognized by the law as valid. Support has consistently increased over the years, and in 2011, the majority of Americans for the first time said gay marriage should be legally recognized.
Gallup says the newest rise in support is largely driven by shifting views among Republicans. For the first time ever, Republicans, who have historically been the party group reporting the least amount of support for marriage equality in Gallup’s polls, showed majority favor with 55% in 2021. That’s a nearly 10% increase from last year, when only 44% of Republicans approved of legal recognition for same-sex marriage, the company reported.
Eighty-three percent of Democrats, meanwhile, voiced support, maintaining a level seen in recent years. “This could suggest that support for gay marriage has reached a ceiling for this group, at least for now,” Gallup wrote.
The data, which was calculated through a random sample of phone interviews with about 1,000 adults throughout the country last month, also showed that all age groups are the most supportive they have ever been. Young adults aged 18 to 34 had the highest number of supporters with 84%. Seventy-two percent of middle-aged adults between the ages of 35 and 54 were in favor, and 60% of older adults 55 and older said same-sex marriages should be legally recognized as valid.
“Older U.S. adults, who were once holdouts in support for gay marriage, now come down on the same side of the issue as young adults,” the study stated.
Earlier this year in a routine update from Gallup, 5.6% of U.S. adults reported that they identified as LGBT. Within the community, more than half identified as bisexual, a quarter said they are gay, 11.7% identified as lesbian, and 11.3% identified as transgender. One in every six adults born between 1997 to 2021 considered themselves to not be straight, the company found.
Since the Supreme Court issued its decision in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, legislative challenges to marriage equality have relaxed, but other laws that affect the LGBTQ community have been introduced and passed throughout the country. Lawmakers in 27 states have proposed legislation that would ban transgender athletes from competing in school sports that match their identity, receiving backlash from advocacy groups who say the restrictions are unconstitutional.
This month, the Senate may have a chance to pass the Equality Act, a House-passed bill that would enshrine legal security for LGBTQ Americans, including protections to cover federally funded programs, employment, housing, loan applications, education and public accommodations.
Simon of GLAAD said the country’s latest record-breaking support for marriage equality “should lead to the next obvious step to protect every LGBTQ American from discrimination in other areas of society” which would be enacting the Equality Act.
“Historic support for our families should be a clear signal to every U.S. Senator that the time has come to pass the Equality Act,” Simon said. “The Senate should join the overwhelming majority of Americans in supporting laws that make our families and our country safer and stronger.”
Summer is coming, once again, and this time it feels like a pretty big deal. For the first time in more than a year, we can look forward (fingers crossed) to a return to semi-normalcy, and it’s reasonable to make plans for enjoying at least some of our time outside the socially distanced safety of our living rooms.
That said, the waning of COVID also means that the television and film industry has an embarrassment of accumulated riches ready to offer us – and even if we have binge-watched our way through the past 14 months, we say, “Bring it on!”
There’s so much queer-flavored entertainment on deck in the coming few weeks that it can be a bewildering task to keep track of it all. Fortunately, the Blade is here to help, with our list of the movies and shows that seem likely to represent the cream of the crop.
First, the television:
PRIDE (May 14, FX)
A scene from ‘PRIDE.’ (Screen capture via YouTube)
This six-part documentary series from VICE studios may have already started, but it’s a great kick off to Pride Season – and thanks to “FX on Hulu,” it’s easy to catch up at your leisure. Chronicling the struggle for LGBTQ+ civil rights in America from the 1950s through the 2000s, seven renowned LGBTQ+ directors explore stories of queer experience, from the FBI surveillance of homosexuals during the 1950s “Lavender Scare” to the “Culture Wars” of the 1990s and beyond, exploring the queer legacy of the Civil Rights movement and the battle over marriage equality. Offering profiles of familiar heroes like Bayard Rustin and Christine Jorgensen, as well as of lesser-known figures like Madeleine Tress and Nelson Sullivan, the show charts the evolution of LGBTQ+ rights and identities through interviews and archival footage to provide a valuable perspective on queer history, just in time for Pride month.
SPECIAL (May 20, Netflix)
Max Jenkins and Ryan O’Connell in ‘Special.’ (Photo courtesy Netflix)
Freshly dropped is the second and final season of this surprise hit series from Ryan O’Connell, a semi-autobiographical comedy about a writer with cerebral palsy (played by O’Connell himself) trying to navigate life in the Los Angeles “scene” as a gay man with a disability. The abbreviated (only four episodes) final arc follows Ryan as he tries to “get his shit together” after the disastrous events of season one – including a fight with his mother Karen (Jessica Hecht) that has left them estranged ever since – that have left him with a nasty case of writer’s block. New relationships are also on the horizon for both Ryan and BFF Kim (Punam Patel), and the journey toward self-discovery and self-actualization takes center stage as this disarmingly charming and refreshingly unsentimental comedy – currently the only show on television to feature a disabled LGBTQ person as its main character – comes to a close. Max Jenkins, Charlie Barnett, Ana Ortiz, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Lauren Weedman, and Leslie Jordan are among those joining the show for season two, alongside returning cast members Marla Mindelle, Gina Hughes, and Patrick Fabian.
MASTER OF NONE (May 23, Netflix)
Naomi Ackie and Lena Waithe in ‘Master of None.’ (Photo courtesy Netflix)
Returning for a much-anticipated season 3 is this acclaimed series, co-created by Aziz Ansari and Emmy-winner Alan Yang. Always strongly “queer-adjacent” thanks largely to the involvement of Lena Waithe, who played the lesbian character of Denise throughout the first two seasons and became the first Black woman to win a writing Emmy for the episode “Thanksgiving,” based partly on her own experience coming out to her mother. In its third installment, the show takes a radical departure from following Ansari’s lead character (struggling actor Dev Shah) and instead focuses all of its five-episode run on the relationship between Denise and partner Alicia (played by BAFTA-winner Naomi Ackie).
Directed by Ansari, who also co-wrote with Waithe, this new season touts itself as “a modern love story that intimately illustrates the ups and downs of marriage, struggles with fertility, and personal growth both together and apart.” Judging from its past excellence, this new installment is likely to be one of the summer’s best bets.
BALLERINA BOYS (June 4, PBS)
“American Masters” presents a portrait of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (“The Trocks”), an all-male ballet company that has captivated audiences for over 45 years with their signature style – classical ballet en pointe and in drag, delivered with a blend of rigorous technique and satire that challenges the rigid gender norms of the art form – while also delivering a message of equality, inclusion and social justice. This profile from director Chana Gazit follows the legendary troupe as they tour the Carolinas, and culminates with their 2019 performance at the Stonewall 50th anniversary concert in NYC. The hour-long doc broadcasts on June 4 (check your local listings), but it will also be available via the PBS video app in honor of Pride Month.
LOVE, VICTOR (June 11, Hulu)
George Sear and Michael Cimino in ‘Love, Victor.’ (Photo courtesy of Hulu)
The popular teen dramedy, inspired by the hit LGBTQ teen romance “Love, Simon,” returns for season two as the newly out Victor (Michael Cimino) enters his junior year at Creekwood High. As his story continues, Victor faces challenges such as a family struggling with his revelation, his heartbroken ex-girlfriend Mia (Rachel Hilson), and the difficulties of being an openly gay star athlete – all while navigating the excitement of his relationship with new boyfriend Benji (George Sear). Odds are good that this continuation will deliver more of the same blend of heart, humor, and diversity that helped the first season become one of last summer’s must-see highlights. Anthony Turpel, Bebe Wood, Mason Gooding, Isabella Ferreira, Mateo Fernandez, James Martinez, and Ana Ortiz also star.
REUNION ROAD TRIP: QUEER EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY (June 17, E! Entertainment)
As part of the network’s special event series, “Reunion Road Trip,” the original “Fab Five” – Thom Filicia, Ted Allen, Kyan Douglas, Carson Kressley and Jai Rodriguez – reassemble in Los Angeles to do a makeover for Jai on his 40th birthday. As the group works their magic, they think back to their most heartfelt, meaningful makeovers and the impact on the LGBTQ community then and now, delivering a satisfying (and long overdue) trip down memory lane for fans of one of the most important and influential queer shows in television history. Airs at 9pm PT/ET.
Now for the movies:
PINK – ALL I KNOW SO FAR (May 21, Amazon Prime) Amazon Studios launches its summer with this intimate documentary about award-winning performer and musician Pink as she embarks on her record-breaking 2019 “Beautiful Trauma” world tour and welcomes audiences to join her chosen family while trying to balance being a mom, a wife, a boss, and a performer. Directed by Michael Gracey (“The Greatest Showman”), this look into the private and public sides of a trailblazing artist – who is also a fierce and vocal advocate for the LGBTQ community, where she has long been a fan favorite – mixes footage from the road with behind-the-scenes interviews and personal material, giving audiences a glimpse behind the curtain of “the circus that she calls life.”
THE SOUND OF IDENTITY (June 1, VOD)
Lucia Lucas in ‘The Sound of Identity.’ (Screen capture via YouTube)
This award-winning documentary from director James Kicklighter profiles international opera star Lucia Lucas as she becomes the first known transgender woman in opera history to perform a principal role. Capturing Lucas on the cusp of international stardom as she prepares for her historic performance at the Tulsa Opera, it showcases the collaborative process between Lucas and her mentor (renowned composer Tobias Picker), as they bring Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” to life – with Lucas, a world-renowned baritone, taking the spotlight and all the pressures that come with it. Along the way, Lucas provides fresh insights into her transition, the professional risk she is taking, and what it means for those who follow. A must-see exploration of the role played by identity in our personal and professional lives, as well as a portrait of an artist at the height of her career.
JULIA SCOTTI: FUNNY THAT WAY (June 1, VOD)
Another documentary profile of a pioneering trans artist, this Susan Sandler-directed film takes audiences on an entertaining but emotional roller coaster as it follows the comeback of Julia Scotti – formerly Rick Scotti, who appeared on bills with Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock – after her transition during “a time when the words gender dysphoria and gender reassignment surgery were rarely heard.” Shot over a period of five years, this inspirational doc tracks Julia’s triumphant comeback, the rough life on the road, and the complex process of reuniting with her children, as her comedy becomes a shared language of identity, healing, and joy.
SUBLET (June 11, VOD)
John Benjamin Hickey in ‘Sublet.’ (Screen capture via YouTube)
Fans of steamy international LGBTQ cinema can look forward to this film from Israeli director Eytan Fox, whose haunting gay military romance “Yossi & Jagger” broke ground in expanding support for LGBTQ movies in Israel when it was released in 2002. In his latest offering, 50-something American writer Michael (John Benjamin Hickey) travels to Tel Aviv on assignment, where he sublets an apartment from local student – and sexual free spirit – Tomer (Niv Nissim). The young man quickly becomes his tour guide, and as the two spend time together, they soon find themselves exploring more than just the city – despite the clash of generational attitudes between them. Slated to debut at the cancelled-due-to-COVID 2020 Tribeca Film Festival, it’s getting the release it deserves, as a reminder that Pride stretches across all borders.
RITA MORENO: JUST A GIRL WHO DECIDED TO GO FOR IT (June 18, in Theaters)
Directed by Mariem Pérez Riera, this documentary profiles its EGOT-winning subject with a look at her 70+ year career, following the beloved performer from her poverty-stricken youth in Puerto Rico, through her time as an all-purpose “ethnic stock player” in Hollywood (even after the triumph of becoming the first Latina actress to win an Oscar for her role in “West Side Story”), and her eventual rise to the iconic status she enjoys today. It also chronicles not only Hollywood’s not-so-hidden history of racism, sexism, and abuse, but Moreno’s personal struggles – including a toxic relationship with Marlon Brando and her own bout with serious depression – before her talent and resilience allowed her to triumph over adversity, break barriers, and forge a path for new generations of artists to come. The film features extensive interviews with Moreno, as well as George Chakiris, Héctor Elizondo, Gloria Estefan, Tom Fontana, Morgan Freeman, Mitzi Gaynor, Whoopi Goldberg, Norman Lear, Eva Longoria, Justina Machado, Terrence McNally, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Karen Olivo.
IN THE HEIGHTS (June 18, HBO Max and in Theaters)
Anthony Ramos and Melissa Barrera in ‘In the Heights.’ (Photo courtesy Warner Brothers Pictures)
Make no mistake, the long-awaited film adaptation of the 2005 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel “Hamilton” Miranda and Quiara Alegria Hughes is sure to be the big-ticket movie of the summer. With charismatic bodega-owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) at its center, this sweeping musical portrait of Manhattan’s Washington Heights – a neighborhood mostly populated by immigrant people of color and their families – showcases a remarkable and diverse cast that also includes Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Stephanie Beatriz, Gregory Diaz IV, Dascha Polanco, Jimmy Smits, Marc Anthony, and Olga Merediz reprising her Broadway role.
The show was a Tony-winning smash onstage for its infectious celebration of community, as well as its uplifting message of following your dreams in the face of adversity. On film, as helmed by “Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon M. Chu, it’s a return to triumphant form for the Hollywood musical, executed with breathtaking cinematic vision and a healthy dose of “magical realism” that does nothing to undercut its streetwise swagger – and it’s probably something you should plan to see on the big screen.
After so many months of isolation, you deserve a special treat.
The FBI and Department of Justice charged a 22-year-old man with wire fraud and identity theft Tuesday, accusing him of impersonating Trump family members on Twitter—and even tricking former President Donald Trump into believing one account was real—in raising more than $7,000 for a fake organization through the alleged scheme.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in Manhattan on May 18, 2021, in New York … [+] City.
GC Images
Key Facts
Joshua Hall was arrested in Pennsylvania Tuesday morning and charged with wire fraud and identity theft, which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years and 2 years, respectively.
Hall allegedly “defrauded hundreds of victims” after amassing hundreds of thousands of followers on Twitter while purporting to be members of the Trump family between September 2019 and December 2020, the FBI and DOJ said in their complaint against him.
Hall is accused of then using those accounts to solicit thousands of dollars in donations for a fictitious political organization that he instead used “on his own living expenses.”
The New York Timesreported in December that Hall created accounts impersonating Trump’s brother Robert Trump, son Barron Trump and sister Elizabeth Trump Grau—now all removed by Twitter—that “[mixed] off-color political commentary with wild conspiracy theories.”
According to the Times, the fictitious political organization named in the complaint was known as “Gay Voices for Trump,” which advertised itself on GoFundMe as a “a grass-roots coalition of LGBT Americans,” which Hall admitted to the Times did not actually exist.
Hall’s impersonation scheme gained attention in November 2020 after Trump shared comments Hall made on the Grau account, mistaking the account as real and tweeting, “Thank you Elizabeth, LOVE!”
Big Number
$7,384. That’s how much Hall allegedly raised for the fake “Gay Voices for Trump” organization, according to the Times, which donors were told was being spent on “field organizing, events and merchandise.” Hall told the Times he “didn’t end up ever really doing anything with the Gay Voices for Trump” and claimed not to have received the funds from it, but GoFundMe told the publication the funds were withdrawn. The FBI complaint notes that Hall’s account on the crowdfunding site is now closed.
Crucial Quote
“Hall led hundreds of people to believe they were donating to an organization that didn’t exist by pretending to be someone he wasn’t, as alleged,” FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said in a statement Tuesday. “As we continue to investigate fraud in all its many forms, we urge the public to remain aware of the prevalence of online scams and exercise due diligence when making donations online.”
Chief Critic
Hall has not yet responded to the charges against him, but told the Times in December there was “no nefarious intention” behind his impersonation scheme. “I was just trying to rally up MAGA supporters and have fun,” Hall said. He also maintained to the Times his accounts were “clear parodies” and Trump should have realized the account claiming to be his sister was fake. “I’m a big Trump supporter, but I’m thinking, ‘He’s got to know that that’s a parody,’” Hall told the Times. “How does he not know?”
Key Background
Hall, a food delivery driver from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, also created fake accounts posing as former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, former White House coronavirus response coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx and the father of Vice President Kamala Harris, the Times reports. Before his Trump family scheme, the Times notes Hall had also raised $815 on GoFundMe after asking followers to help him pay for a lawyer after a “a Planned Parenthood loving radical leftist” accused him of harassment, which led to a separate case against him.
Tangent
After Trump mistook Hall’s account for his sister, the actual Grau—who has stayed away from the spotlight and avoided publicly commenting on her brother’s presidency—told VICE News in November that she was “trying to delete” the fake account. “I have no statement,” Grau said. “I’m just annoyed about this whole thing.”
The battle between Chick-fil-A and every other fast-food chain is about more than just the chicken sandwich wars — at least for Burger King.
In a tweet last week, Burger King took a jab at Chick-fil-A, which has faced consistent attacks from the secular world on LGBT issues.
The Miami-based restaurant chain took to social media to mock Chick-fil-A, saying it would donate 40 cents to the leftist Human Rights Campaign for every Ch’King chicken sandwich sold in June, “even on Sundays.”
*6/3-6/30 with every Ch’King sold, BK will contribute 40₵ to the Human Rights Campaign (Max. donation $250k)
Burger King made the announcement days after The Daily Beast published a report that referenced Chick-fil-A, which is closed Sundays, for donating to the National Christian Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit that gives cash to thousands of other groups, like the right-leaning Alliance Defending Freedom, which has opposed the Equality Act, arguing it infringes on Americans’ religious liberties.
Several media outlets immediately picked up on Burger King’s tweet.
“Burger King trolls Chick-fil-A with LGBTQ+ donations,” read a headline from CNN. USA Today reported that Burger King was “tak[ing] aim at Chick-fil-A with plans to donate to LGBTQ group for every chicken sandwich sold.”
The Kansas City Star wrote Burger King was taking a “swipe at Chick-fil-A this LGBTQ Pride month” with its new chicken sandwich.
Nevertheless, it seems Burger King has some very stiff competition.
Chick-fil-A was named Americans’ first pick for fast food in 2020 — marking the sixth year the Atlanta-based eatery has earned the title from the American Consumer Satisfaction Index. Burger King, on the other hand, came in at No. 12.
***As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up for Faithwire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, developed by our parent company, to stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***
New York Times editorial board member Mara Gay faced more backlash Tuesday following her claim that seeing American flags on pickup trucks “disturbed” her, as prominent Black voices felt she played the “race card” when addressing the criticism.
The left-wing MSNBC contributor tweeted she was being “trolled” because of her comment, writing that “trolling a Black journalist with the American flag is not the own some people think it is.”
Fox News contributor Leo Terrell slammed Gay for “playing the race card” but didn’t expect anything different considering her places of employment.
“That’s what liberals and progressives do,” Terell said. “People are responding in outrage, including myself, regarding her attack on the America flag … she doesn’t get a pass because she is Black.”
Terrell, a civil rights attorney for 30 years, said the flag and what it stands for has afforded her the ability to enjoy and express her First Amendment rights.
“However, that right of expression works both ways and she should not hide behind her race,” Terrell said. “When liberals and progressive have no argument they resort to the race card in an effort to turn down the heat.”
Fox News contributor Deroy Murdock was equally peeved and suggested the Gray Lady board member should leave the country if she doesn’t appreciate it.
“Mara Gay is old enough to know the difference between the American flag and the Confederate flag. Tens of thousands of Black patriots have died in battle to defend the Stars and Stripes. What a shame that she does not appreciate this,” Murdock said.
“If the American flag makes her so sick, she should move to another country, where she won’t have to see it,” Murdock continued. “Should she make that decision, I hereby pledge to buy her a one-way plane ticket to whatever nation will make her happier than the United States of America.”
Gay’s comments on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” Tuesday sparked ridicule.
“I was on Long Island this weekend visiting a really dear friend, and I was really disturbed. I saw, you know, dozens and dozens of pickup trucks with explicatives [sic] against Joe Biden on the back of them, Trump flags, and in some cases just dozens of American flags, which is also just disturbing … Essentially the message was clear. This is my country. This is not your country. I own this,” she said.
She went on to blame “Whiteness” for the actions she observed and claimed Americans would continue to observe such behavior until Americans were ready to have a conversation about it.
Conservative radio host Larry Elder also mocked Gay for “whipping out the race card” when faced with criticism over her comment.
“What? A Black New York Times writer whipping out the race card! Say it ain’t so!! Ahh, the race card. Suitable for use as a sword and a shield. Don’t leave home without,” Edler told Fox News via text message.
A woman wearing a face mask and gloves to protect against coronavirus looks at her cellphone inside the GUM, State Department store in Moscow, Russia, Monday, June 8, 2020.The Russian capital is ending a tight lockdown that has been in place for more than two months, citing a slowdown in the coronavirus outbreak. Moscow’s mayor said that starting Tuesday residents will no longer be required to obtain electronic passes for travel and can walk, use public transport and drive without any restrictions. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
Alexander Zemlianichenko
APTOPIX America Protests Congress
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., center, and other members of Congress, kneel and observe a moment of silence at the Capitol’s Emancipation Hall, Monday, June 8, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington, reading the names of George Floyd and others killed during police interactions. Democrats proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures Monday, an ambitious legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Manuel Balce Ceneta
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Britain
The track is kicked back as runners turn into the back straight at Chelmsford City Racecourse, in Chelmsford, England, Monday June 8, 2020. Horse racing is allowed as the highly contagious coronavirus restrictions are relaxed, although the public are still not allowed entrance, and no track side bookmakers are not allowed, as some restrictions remain. (Alan Crowhurst / PA via AP)
Alan Crowhurst
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Mourners pass by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott passes by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church, Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Mourner Charlene Thompson, of Houston, passes by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Mourners pass by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church in Houston, Monday, June 8, 2020. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Austria
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz walks with a protective mask behind a reflective plexiglass shields at the federal chancellery in Vienna, Austria, Monday, June 8, 2020. The Austrian government has moved to restrict freedom of movement for people, in an effort to slow the onset of the COVID-19 coronavirus. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)
Ronald Zak
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorials
Mourners arrive at a public visitation for George Floyd at the Fountain of Praise Church on Monday, June 8, 2020 in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorials
Mourners arrive at a public visitation for George Floyd on Monday, June 8, 2020 at the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Mourners pass by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Peru
People wearing masks amid the spread of the new coronavirus wait for hours, some for 10 hours, to refill their oxygen cylinders at a shop that sells oxygen in Callao, Peru, Monday, June 8, 2020. Long neglected hospitals in Peru and other parts of Latin America are reporting shortages of oxygen as they confront the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
Martin Mejia
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Mourners pass by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Colombia
Social distancing signs are posted in the men’s room at the Grand Station mall, during a temporary reopening of the shopping center in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, June 8, 2020. Bogota is performing a pilot test for the next eight days, requiring a distance of two meters between people, mandatory face masks, and a maximum mall occupancy of 35 percent. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Fernando Vergara
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Chile
A Peruvian migrant is detained for appearing in a police database as positive for COVID-19, in downtown Santiago, Chile, Monday, June 8, 2020. The police have surrounded the area around the man with police tape to keep people from coming into contact with him. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
Esteban Felix
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Chile
A man wearing a mask as a precaution amid the spread of the new coronavirus poses for a photo after buying groceries at the market in Santiago, Chile, Monday, June 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
Esteban Felix
APTOPIX Trump
President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion with law enforcement officials, Monday, June 8, 2020, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Patrick Semansky
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Bolivia Protests
Musicians play amid the new coronavirus pandemic to protest a proposal by interim President Jeanine Anez to eliminate the Ministry of Culture, in La Paz, Bolivia, Monday, June 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
Juan Karita
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Houston police chief Art Acevedo and Charlene Davis embrace after Davis prayed for him as she stood in line at a public visitation for George Floyd at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston.(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Houston police chief Art Acevedo bumps fists with a guest who is waiting in line at a public visitation for George Floyd at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston.(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Brazil
Leo Freitas runs to take a wave at Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, June 8, 2020. For the 18-year-old skimboard athlete, people need to take appropriate precautions when they go out, amid the new coronavirus pandemic, after the authorities have started to reopen gradually some businesses and easing some protective measures. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Leo Correa
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Kisha Coleman pauses by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX Mexico Protest
A youth tears down a surveillance camera during a march in downtown Mexico City, Monday, June 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Rebecca Blackwell
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Cuba Doctors
A man waves at the doctors, part the first Cuban medical brigade of the Henry Reeve Contingent, after it arrived in Havana, Cuba, Monday, June 8, 2020. The Cuban doctors had gone to Italy on March 22 to help with the COVID-19 emergency in the Lombardy region. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Ramon Espinosa
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Local residents and Alumni of Jack Yates High School take part in a candle light vigil to honor George Floyd in Houston, Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis Police officers on May 25.(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorials
Cecil Munoz, center, and others attend a candlelight vigil honoring George Floyd at Jack Yates High School in Houston on Monday, June 8, 2020. Floyd died May 25 after being restrained by police in Minneapolis. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Ricardo B. Brazziell
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Britain
A London Underground worker, right, hands over a free face mask, gloves and hand sanitizer to a passenger at London’s Baker Street station, Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Wearing a face mask will become compulsory on the London TFL public transport service starting from June 15, 2020, as a safety measure to contrast the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Frank Augstein
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak India
Migrant workers from other states rest on a pavement as they wait for trains to their home states in Hyderabad, India, Tuesday, June 9, 2020. India is reopening its restaurants, shopping malls and religious places in most of its states after a more than 2-month-old lockdown even as the country continues to witness a worrying rise in new coronavirus infections. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Mahesh Kumar A
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Cyprus Flights
Two men wearing face masks are seated on an airport bench a seat apart in line with social distancing rules at Cyprus’ main airport in Larnaca, on Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Cyprus re-opened its airports on Tuesday to a limited number of countries after nearly three months of commercial air traffic as a result of a strict lockdown aimed at staving off the spread of COVID-19. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Petros Karadjias
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Britain
A woman walks past a Wedding dress shop in London, Tuesday, June 9, 2020, where bride dresses pile unused in the shop window. Weddings in the UK have been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and are probably allowed starting in July. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Frank Augstein
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Indonesia
A woman reacts as she is sprayed with disinfectant inside a chamber as a precaution against the new coronavirus before entering a shopping mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 9, 2020. As Indonesia’s overall virus caseload continues to rise, the capital city has moved to restore normalcy by lifting some restrictions this week, saying that the spread of the virus in the city of 11 million has slowed after peaking in mid-April. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Dita Alangkara
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Indonesia
A woman reacts as she is sprayed with disinfectant inside a chamber as a precaution against the new coronavirus outbreak before entering a shopping mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 9, 2020. As Indonesia’s overall virus caseload continues to rise, the capital city has moved to restore normalcy by lifting some restrictions this week, saying that the spread of the virus in the city of 11 million has slowed after peaking in mid-April. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Dita Alangkara
APTOPIX Indonesia Daily life
Baby turtles released into the ocean in Bali, Indonesia on Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Roughly a hundred newly hatched Lekang turtles were released during a campaign to save the endangered sea turtles. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)
A woman wearing a face mask and gloves to protect against coronavirus looks at her cellphone inside the GUM, State Department store in Moscow, Russia, Monday, June 8, 2020.The Russian capital is ending a tight lockdown that has been in place for more than two months, citing a slowdown in the coronavirus outbreak. Moscow’s mayor said that starting Tuesday residents will no longer be required to obtain electronic passes for travel and can walk, use public transport and drive without any restrictions. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko)
Alexander Zemlianichenko
APTOPIX America Protests Congress
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., center, and other members of Congress, kneel and observe a moment of silence at the Capitol’s Emancipation Hall, Monday, June 8, 2020, on Capitol Hill in Washington, reading the names of George Floyd and others killed during police interactions. Democrats proposed a sweeping overhaul of police oversight and procedures Monday, an ambitious legislative response to the mass protests denouncing the deaths of black Americans at the hands of law enforcement. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Manuel Balce Ceneta
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Britain
The track is kicked back as runners turn into the back straight at Chelmsford City Racecourse, in Chelmsford, England, Monday June 8, 2020. Horse racing is allowed as the highly contagious coronavirus restrictions are relaxed, although the public are still not allowed entrance, and no track side bookmakers are not allowed, as some restrictions remain. (Alan Crowhurst / PA via AP)
Alan Crowhurst
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Mourners pass by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott passes by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church, Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Mourner Charlene Thompson, of Houston, passes by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Mourners pass by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church in Houston, Monday, June 8, 2020. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Austria
Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz walks with a protective mask behind a reflective plexiglass shields at the federal chancellery in Vienna, Austria, Monday, June 8, 2020. The Austrian government has moved to restrict freedom of movement for people, in an effort to slow the onset of the COVID-19 coronavirus. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)
Ronald Zak
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorials
Mourners arrive at a public visitation for George Floyd at the Fountain of Praise Church on Monday, June 8, 2020 in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorials
Mourners arrive at a public visitation for George Floyd on Monday, June 8, 2020 at the Fountain of Praise Church in Houston. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Mourners pass by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Peru
People wearing masks amid the spread of the new coronavirus wait for hours, some for 10 hours, to refill their oxygen cylinders at a shop that sells oxygen in Callao, Peru, Monday, June 8, 2020. Long neglected hospitals in Peru and other parts of Latin America are reporting shortages of oxygen as they confront the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)
Martin Mejia
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Mourners pass by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Colombia
Social distancing signs are posted in the men’s room at the Grand Station mall, during a temporary reopening of the shopping center in Bogota, Colombia, Monday, June 8, 2020. Bogota is performing a pilot test for the next eight days, requiring a distance of two meters between people, mandatory face masks, and a maximum mall occupancy of 35 percent. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Fernando Vergara
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Chile
A Peruvian migrant is detained for appearing in a police database as positive for COVID-19, in downtown Santiago, Chile, Monday, June 8, 2020. The police have surrounded the area around the man with police tape to keep people from coming into contact with him. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
Esteban Felix
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Chile
A man wearing a mask as a precaution amid the spread of the new coronavirus poses for a photo after buying groceries at the market in Santiago, Chile, Monday, June 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Esteban Felix)
Esteban Felix
APTOPIX Trump
President Donald Trump speaks during a roundtable discussion with law enforcement officials, Monday, June 8, 2020, at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Patrick Semansky
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Bolivia Protests
Musicians play amid the new coronavirus pandemic to protest a proposal by interim President Jeanine Anez to eliminate the Ministry of Culture, in La Paz, Bolivia, Monday, June 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)
Juan Karita
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Houston police chief Art Acevedo and Charlene Davis embrace after Davis prayed for him as she stood in line at a public visitation for George Floyd at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston.(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Houston police chief Art Acevedo bumps fists with a guest who is waiting in line at a public visitation for George Floyd at The Fountain of Praise church in Houston, Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston.(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Brazil
Leo Freitas runs to take a wave at Ipanema beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, June 8, 2020. For the 18-year-old skimboard athlete, people need to take appropriate precautions when they go out, amid the new coronavirus pandemic, after the authorities have started to reopen gradually some businesses and easing some protective measures. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)
Leo Correa
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Kisha Coleman pauses by the casket of George Floyd during a public visitation for Floyd at the Fountain of Praise church Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, Pool)
David J. Phillip
APTOPIX Mexico Protest
A youth tears down a surveillance camera during a march in downtown Mexico City, Monday, June 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Rebecca Blackwell
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Cuba Doctors
A man waves at the doctors, part the first Cuban medical brigade of the Henry Reeve Contingent, after it arrived in Havana, Cuba, Monday, June 8, 2020. The Cuban doctors had gone to Italy on March 22 to help with the COVID-19 emergency in the Lombardy region. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
Ramon Espinosa
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorial
Local residents and Alumni of Jack Yates High School take part in a candle light vigil to honor George Floyd in Houston, Monday, June 8, 2020, in Houston. Floyd died after being restrained by Minneapolis Police officers on May 25.(AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Eric Gay
APTOPIX George Floyd Memorials
Cecil Munoz, center, and others attend a candlelight vigil honoring George Floyd at Jack Yates High School in Houston on Monday, June 8, 2020. Floyd died May 25 after being restrained by police in Minneapolis. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
Ricardo B. Brazziell
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Britain
A London Underground worker, right, hands over a free face mask, gloves and hand sanitizer to a passenger at London’s Baker Street station, Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Wearing a face mask will become compulsory on the London TFL public transport service starting from June 15, 2020, as a safety measure to contrast the COVID-19 pandemic. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Frank Augstein
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak India
Migrant workers from other states rest on a pavement as they wait for trains to their home states in Hyderabad, India, Tuesday, June 9, 2020. India is reopening its restaurants, shopping malls and religious places in most of its states after a more than 2-month-old lockdown even as the country continues to witness a worrying rise in new coronavirus infections. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Mahesh Kumar A
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Cyprus Flights
Two men wearing face masks are seated on an airport bench a seat apart in line with social distancing rules at Cyprus’ main airport in Larnaca, on Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Cyprus re-opened its airports on Tuesday to a limited number of countries after nearly three months of commercial air traffic as a result of a strict lockdown aimed at staving off the spread of COVID-19. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)
Petros Karadjias
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Britain
A woman walks past a Wedding dress shop in London, Tuesday, June 9, 2020, where bride dresses pile unused in the shop window. Weddings in the UK have been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and are probably allowed starting in July. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)
Frank Augstein
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Indonesia
A woman reacts as she is sprayed with disinfectant inside a chamber as a precaution against the new coronavirus before entering a shopping mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 9, 2020. As Indonesia’s overall virus caseload continues to rise, the capital city has moved to restore normalcy by lifting some restrictions this week, saying that the spread of the virus in the city of 11 million has slowed after peaking in mid-April. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Dita Alangkara
APTOPIX Virus Outbreak Indonesia
A woman reacts as she is sprayed with disinfectant inside a chamber as a precaution against the new coronavirus outbreak before entering a shopping mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, June 9, 2020. As Indonesia’s overall virus caseload continues to rise, the capital city has moved to restore normalcy by lifting some restrictions this week, saying that the spread of the virus in the city of 11 million has slowed after peaking in mid-April. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)
Dita Alangkara
APTOPIX Indonesia Daily life
Baby turtles released into the ocean in Bali, Indonesia on Tuesday, June 9, 2020. Roughly a hundred newly hatched Lekang turtles were released during a campaign to save the endangered sea turtles. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati)
Firdia Lisnawati
With a weekly newsletter looking back at local history.
