Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to catch Lavendra, a show by Philadelphia visual artist E. Jane. The solo exhibition turned a Brooklyn gallery space into an immersive, purple-tinted sanctuary in which to honor black women. On the walls hung lovingly crafted collages of R&B stars, including Aaliyah and Whitney Houston, while the floors were dotted with screens showing videos of the artist in fantastical digital environments. It felt like stepping inside a music video mood-board, and in a way it was, for E. Jane's alter-ego is Mhysa, and electronic artist and one-half of SCRAAATCH.

This July 21, Mhysa will release her debut album fantasii on Rabit's label Halcyon Veil, and today you can hear a brand new track from it called "Bb." Produced by lawd knows, Mhysa's partner in SCRAAATCH, "Bb" is an aural rendering of Lavendra, all swathes of silken synths and tactile percussion. The spacious sonics center sensual vocals: "Touch me/ And kiss me/ Love me/ Still love me," she sings over drums that don't so much beat, but lounge. A whisper over six minutes long, it's less of a ballad and more like a meditation on the healing power of R&B.

"With 'Bb,' I wanted to make a full-on RnB song," Mhysa told The FADER over email. "I wrote the lyrics and did the arrangement and lawd knows produced the beat. Being a Black American woman from the American south, I wanted to draw on my roots and my history and engage the genre that feeds me so much. This is the only RnB song on the album and it's special to me because it allowed me to be vulnerable in a way I'm usually not in my music."

"I'm used to being vulnerable about my feelings on Black death but not my feelings about wanting to be desired, longing things that I and many other Black women and femmes still think about and need," she continued. "I'm not letting go of my rage, but I also need joy, desire really to experience the full range of emotions because I am human and those feelings are inside of me, as they are inside of all of us. We are still living even as we mourn, and some of us don't have the time to even mourn because capitalism keeps us so burdened with alienated labor."

Listen below, and check out some beautiful images from photographer Naima Green's fantasii album cover shoot.

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Mhysa's Bb Is A Sensual Meditation On The Healing Power Of R&B - The FADER

BJP national president petting a cow at the Arunachalaswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai on Tuesday. Minister of State Pon Radhakrishnan, BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan, Minister Sevur S Ramachandran and others are also seen | Express

TIRUVANNAMALAI, VILLUPURAM: Amid tight security, BJP national president Amit Shah offered worship at Arunachalaswarar temple in Tiruvannamalai on Tuesday. Around 10:20 am, Shahs helicopter landed at a temporary helipad set up at Tiruvannamalai Government Arts College in Tiruvnanamalai. He was received by AIADMK MLAs representing three factions and BJP cadres.

Representing Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswamy, HR and CE Minister Sevur S Ramachandran, while on behalf of TTV Dhinakaran, AIADMK MLAs Panneer Selvam, Thoosi MLA Mohan and other office-bearers welcomed him.

Tiruvannamalai MP Vanasaroja, who said to be O Panneerselvams supporter was denied permission to enter into the helipad as her name was not listed in the visitors list inside the college campus. Later, she was allowed after she picked up a quarrel with the police. Union Minister of State Pon Radhakrishnan and BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan were also present.

Later, Amit Shah went to Ramana Maharshi Ashram located on Girivalam path. There he spent some time in mediation. After about 40 minutes, he left to the Arunachalaswarar temple for worship. He was given Poorana-Kumba respect in the temple by the priests. He entered into the temple through Ammani Amman tower and worshiped at Arunachalaswarar temple.

Earlier, Tamilisai Soundararajan tried to conduct a two-wheeler rally from Ramana Maharishi ashram to Arunachalaswarar temple marking a grand welcome for him. However, police denied permission citing security reasons. Over this issue, Tamilisai picked up a quarrel with the Superintendent of Police, R Ponni, and raised slogans demanding the police to allow them to take out a bike rally. Later, Amit Shah left to Delhi by 11:30 am.

Interaction with cadre BJP national president Amit Shah, who visited Puducherry on Monday as a part of his nation-wide tour to strengthen his party base, also paid a visit to the world famous Matrimandir Meditation Chamber in Auroville on Tuesday. Despite the venue being temporarily closed from June 5 to July 5 for renovation work, special arrangements were made for the BJP leader to meditate inside the chamber.

Upon reaching the meditation chamber at 8:50 am, Shah was accorded welcome by president of Auroville Foundation Mohan Varghese IAS. According to sources, Amit Shah also discussed with the chamber authorities, matters regarding the preparatory works for Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the Matrimadir next year. Following his mediation at Matrimandir, Shah held discussion with his functionaries from both Puducherry and Villupuram.

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Amit Shah visits ashram, meditates and worships at temple- The ... - The New Indian Express

GANDHINAGAR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is scheduled to visit the Sabarmati Ashram on June 30 to take part in the centenary of the ashram established by Mahatma Gandhi, is likely to announce a Rs 287 crore 'Revitalization Plan for the Gandhi Ashram Area'. Modi, as the chief minister of Gujarat, had demanded funds for the project from the Manmohan Singh government. According to sources familiar with the plan, Modi is likely to announce an allocation of Rs 40 crore for the first phase of the redevelopment of the ashram. The Gujarat government, which restored the historic Dandi Bridge after a high court order, had submitted the revitalization plan for the ashram area in July 2009 to the Union tourism ministry. The plan was not approved by the UPA government. Gujarat had re-submitted the plan to the Government India after Modi took over as the Prime Minister. The Gujarat government had demanded Rs 287 crore. The Centre, even with Modi at the helm, showed little interest and Gujarat took no further steps either. But now, the Centre has agreed to allocate the funds. A key official said: "We have received communication from the Government of India that PM Modi will announce the launch of the revitalization project." The plan was prepared by CEPT University under the direction of B V Doshi, the famed architect. Under this project, Gujarat plans to declare the Sabarmati Ashram area a silent zone. At present, the ashram is surrounded by heavily congested and polluted roads and commercial and residential areas. The plan will tackle problems such as the disuse of the heritage structure and infrastructure deficiencies.

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Gandhi Ashram Area: PM Narendra Modi, to announce revitalization ... - Times of India

New Delhi, June 28: The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will be visiting Gujarat from June 29, 2017 to June 30, 2017.

In a series of tweets from his twitter account Prime Minister said:

Will be in Gujarat for a two day visit starting tomorrow. I will join programmes in Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Modasa and Gandhinagar.

My first two programmes will be in Sabarmati Ashram. I am looking forward to taking part in the centenary celebrations of Sabarmati Ashram.

The 2nd programme at Sabarmati Ashram is a programme to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Shrimad Rajchandraji, a Guru to Mahatma Gandhi.

I will then travel to Rajkot, where I will join the Samajik Adhikarita Shivir and interact with my Divyang sisters and brothers.

I shall attend a programme at the Aji Dam, where there will be irrigation & water related initiatives that will be dedicated to the nation.

On 30th morning, there would be the dedication of water supply schemes based on Vatrak, Mazum and Meswo Dams at Modasa.

Government of India is undertaking several initiatives to support the textiles sector, which is a source of employment for several Indians.

On 30th evening, I shall inaugurate the integrated sports & entertainment Arena Project.

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PM Modi to visit Gujarat on June 29, will take part in centenary celebrations of Sabarmati Ashram - India.com

Vegan burgers

18 servings

7 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large onions, chopped (4 cups)

2 pounds white or cremini mushrooms

4 cups cooked black (preferably) or brown rice (use vegetable broth homemade or store-bought, not water)

1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup tomato paste

1/4 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons white miso

1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

3 to 3 cups vital wheat gluten (see tips)

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add 4 tablespoons of the oil. Once the oil shimmers, add the onions and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and well browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the onions to a large mixing bowl. Wipe out the skillet but no need to wash it; youll be using it again soon.

Rinse the mushrooms and use dish towels to dry them thoroughly. Trim and coarsely chop them, then transfer to a food processor. Puree, working in batches, and add them to the onions as you work.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the rice, soy sauce, tomato paste, ketchup, white miso, dried basil, pepper, thyme and liquid smoke to the mixing bowl, blending them in thoroughly with your clean hands. Sprinkle the wheat gluten evenly over the mix. Immediately and vigorously work in the gluten, again using your hands. (Gluten starts to set up almost instantly when it comes into contact with moisture, so work as fast and as thoroughly as you can.) The mixture will very quickly change texture and become stretchy. If the mixture seems too wet and not stretchy enough, sprinkle on a more wheat gluten, 1/4 cup at a time, and knead it in until the desired texture is achieved.

Use a heaping 1/2 cup of the mixture to form patties about 1/2 inch thick, arranging them on baking sheets as you work. Bake until they firm up slightly, about 20 minutes (see tips).

Set your skillet over medium-high heat, then add the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil shimmers, use a spatula to gently transfer three or four patties to the pan (working in batches, as needed) and cook until the undersides are dark brown and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip them carefully and repeat.

Note: Vital wheat gluten, by companies such as Bobs Red Mill and Arrowhead Mills, can be found in natural foods stores and some Whole Foods Markets, or online.

Tips: In testing, we found that the burgers held better together when baked first, then pan-fried, but you can skip the pan-frying step for the burgers you want to make immediately, then bake the remainder before refrigerating or freezing for another time.

Make ahead: The uncooked burger mixture can be refrigerated for up to 1 week. The formed, baked patties can be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 1 year; reheat them in the microwave or pan-fry them.

Nutrition per burger: 260 calories, 18 g protein, 33 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 350 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 4 g sugar

Adapted from Vegan Food for the Rest of Us Recipes Even You Will Love, by Ann Hodgman

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The reluctant vegan - Marin Independent Journal

It seems increasingly obvious that thefuture of foodisplant-based, and many consumers are making a switch toplant-based dietsfor bothhealthand ethical concerns. Businesses are catching on to thegrowing demand for vegan options, and even severalfast food restaurantshave added plant-based alternatives to their menus. Restaurants with entirely plant-based menus, like the hugely popular California chain,Veggie Grill, have also been sprouting up like wildflowers, providing healthy options for the 30 percent of Americans who are trying to leave meat off the menu more frequently.

Now, the restaurant chain,BurgerFi, is joining the trend by adding the world-famous Beyond Burger, the vegan burger that bleeds, to eight of their locations, including in Malibu, Philadelphia, and New York City. BurgerFi already carries aveggie burger, but theBeyond Burgeris no ordinary veggie burger it sizzles on the grill and changes from a light pink color to a crispy brown when cooked. Those who have tried itsayit is like biting into a beef burger, in both texture and flavor.

The new Beyond Burger option will be available at BurgerFi beginningJuly 3, 2017, and the chain is planning to add it to all of its locations by the end of summer.Corey Winograd, chief executive of BurgerFi, explainedto the NY Times why they chose to make this addition, stating, Ive now come to understand that theres a growing number of semi-vegetarian people who want a primarily plant-based diet, and since we want to appeal to 100 percent of consumers out there, we have to have something for them.

We are thrilled to see a large burger chain add a vegan option to their menu that will appeal to a broad array of consumers. With delicious meat-alternatives like the Beyond Burger (and the rest of theBeyond Meatproducts and other brands like Gardein) readily available to consumers, its quickly becoming clear that meat doesnt have to be made with animals.

If youre looking to cut back on your meat consumption for the benefit of the planet, animals, and your own health check out One Green Planets #EatForThePlanet campaign.

Image Source: Beyond Meat/Facebook

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The Vegan Burger That Cooks Like Meat is Coming to NYC and Philadelphia Restaurants This Summer - One Green Planet

Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at 12:42 p.m.

Kids use buttercream to decorate their cupcakes.

Bunnie Studios

In February 2013, Mariana Cortez opened Miamis first vegan bakery, Bunnie Cakes. Now she continues her love of dairy-free sweets with the debut of Bunnie Cakes Studio, where customers can design their own desserts.

The studio, located behind the bakery in Wynwood, is a whimsical place where guests decorate cakes and cupcakes to their hearts' content. They can design their own creations or receive instruction on how to make classic Bunnie designs such as the unicorn cake in VIP decorating sessions. "We provide everything you need to make your own masterpiece, including the icing, rolling pin, and all sorts of decorations," Cortez says.

Sticking to her vegan baking philosophy, Cortez assures that everything in the studio is kosher and vegan. Gluten-free options are also available.

Customers decorate cupcakes.

Bunnie Studios

The classes are mainly geared toward children but are also open to anyone who's a kid at heart. "I have four kids, and this is a great way to keep them occupied and allow them to get creative, Cortez says.

The one-hour sessions vary in price. Decorating six large vegan cupcakes costs $25; add $3 for the gluten-free option.Decorating a five-inch triple-layer cake runs $34 if vegan and $38 if also gluten-free. There's an additional $10 studio fee for either option and a maximum of two guests per package.

In July, the studio will also begin to hold birthday parties, where hosts can choose from ten themes. "Kids will be able to come in with up to 20 friends, and we will teach them how to decorate their cakes as well as provide the food and decorations for the party,"Cortez says. Bunnie Cakes Studio will also offer a full catering menu for the in-house events.

Cupcake design in progress.

Bunnie Studios

Cortez says she hopes to expand the studio by offering workshops to teach baking basics as well as crafts, such as how to make her sought-after piatas. Participants will even be able to earn badges on their aprons as they continue taking classes.

Bunnie Cakes Studio 180 NE 24th St., Miami; 305-364-5082. Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Bunnie Cakes Studio Lets You Decorate Your Own Cupcakes - Miami New Times

More and more studies are showing thatindustrial animal agricultureis one of the largest drivers for some pretty seriousenvironmental issuestoday. Saying nothing about thecruelties of the industryand the disastrous effects these food items can wreak on ourpersonal health, consuming meat in the quantities that we do is impacting the environment on a global scale.

But there is good news. People are waking up to the disastrous effects of the animal agricultural industry. For the past few decades, meat consumption in the U.S. has seen a steady decline. According to recent studies,30 percent of Americans are not only leaving meat off their plates but also seeking out plant-based meat alternatives.

Whats more, according to some estimates, the plant-based meat market is set to reach$5.2 billion by 2020 and could make up one-third of the market by 2050.Not only is the popularity of plant-based meat on the rise, pea protein,a high source of clean, plant-based protein, is emerging as a new contender in the global protein market. And now we have yet another sign that the future of food is plant-based

In 2016, there was a 90 percent increase in the amount of Google searches for the word vegan, so the increase is people choosing to identify as such seems to be rising as well. Sounds like people are eager to learn more about theimpact of meat consumption on the environment,animals, and themselves and more importantly, theyre making a shift in their diets.

The Top Trends report identifiedsix key trends impacting innovation in prepared foods and abstaining from meat was ranked number one. According to the report, this is due to Rising veganism and awareness of the impact of meat consumption are driving demand for meat-free products substitutes. The report also teases that a tech team is promising that cruelty-free cultured chicken will be available by 2022. The fact is people want products that are better for them and better for the environmentand were ecstatically clapping our hands in support!

As the leading organization at the forefront of the conscious consumerism movement, it is One Green Planets view that our food choices have the power to heal our broken food system, give species a fighting chance for survival, and pave the way for a truly sustainable future.

You can start eating for the planet by doing nothing more than choosing a delicious plant-based meal over one laden with animal products. If you look at it from a personal perspective, you can cut your own carbon footprint in half just by leaving meat off your plate for one year. (Plus save a lot of water, redirect grain for people to eat, and help protect endangered species)

1.Moderate: Limit consumption of your favorite meats like beef, lamb, pork, etc.

2.Replace: Try to swap animal-based products in your daily diet with vegan alternatives (milk, butter, mayo, cheese, grilled chicken, beef crumbles, sausages, cold cuts, etc.)

3.Embrace: Add plant-based whole foods (local and organic when possible) to your diet like greens, fresh fruits, and vegetables, whole grains, plant proteins like lentils, nuts/seeds, beans, tofu, etc.

As Nil Zacharias, the co-founder of One Green Planet says, Eat in a way that nourishes you without starving the planet.

We all have the power to create a better future for our children, and the countless animals we share the planet with, by making one easy swap. If youre ready to start doing this in your own life, check out One Green Planets #EatForThePlanet campaign.

Lead image source: jill111/Pixabay

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6 Percent of Americans Now Identify as Vegan Why This Is a Huge Deal for the Planet - One Green Planet

By Alastair Cairns

If youre of the mindset that vegan ice cream is a contradiction in terms, I suppose youve never seen a rainbow-maned unicorn eating ice cream either. Youll meet both on Ives Street at Karen Krinskys Like No Udder. Karen settled down to her brick-and-mortar location just a year ago, leaving her purple truck days behind her and slotting right into the burgeoning food scene in Fox Point. Karens store aims to be an ice cream store for everyone, bringing in omnivores and vegans alike, as well as a fun neighborhood ice cream shop for those who can only look longingly at lactose. We talked community building, Cherry Seinfeld and framed cat portraits. How do you pick the flavors? We do a couple I wouldnt say exotic flavors, but we have Thai Ice Tea and Almond Joyful, which is almond-flavored ice cream with toasted almonds and toasted coconut, but most of our flavors are closer to the mainstream rather than out-there, like Cookies and Cream or Mint Chip. Youve got to have coffee in Rhode Island and always something with chocolate. Sometimes you go to a place that offers just one or two things and they give you strange flavors, like Rosewater Basil. Some people feel excluded by that. It doesnt have to be exotic and vegan; it can be vegan and traditional.

Do you take requests? I make things that I want to try, or that people have suggested. I did a Lemon Ginger that was very summery and light with a coconut base, and I color it with turmeric so its this bright yellow, and its just delicious. I made a Chocolate Orange and added marshmallows it tastes just like one of those balls that you used to crack and that has almost sold out in two days. Customers have been asking for cherry stuff, so we just added a new flavor called Cherry Seinfeld thats a coconut base with cherry and chocolate bits.

Is selling vegan ice cream an uphill battle? In this day and age, theres no reason to be scared of trying vegan products. Times have definitely changed and our goal is to make delicious treats that just happen to be vegan. Its only happened on a couple of occasions, but weve had adults come to the shop that have this fear in their eyes, and they dont even want to try it. I dont really get that. My hope is that people will give it a chance, because pretty much everyone who tries it loves it. I want people to see that [eating vegan food is] not sacrificing anything; it can be delicious.

Also, a lot of our clientele arent vegan. Some are lactose intolerant and they have either found out as adults that they can no longer experience their local ice cream shop, or they have kids that have never been to an ice cream shop because they worry about cross contamination. Theres no one type of person coming in; its fascinating.

Whats with the cats? Our window tells you what we have: hot and cold drinks, dairy-free and gluten-free options and cat videos. When you come in, you find that its true: We play loops of cat videos, or live streams of cats in other countries or other parts of the country. Really, it just comes down to the fact that my husband and I love cats. We have pictures of our cats on our napkin dispensers, and we have an animatronic cat that the kids love.

Is the framed portrait one of your cats? No, I got that for five dollars on a road trip in St. Louis, and I trucked that back. Its a treasure. Really, though, my and my husbands number-one priority is doing things to benefit animals and people who help animals.

What are you looking forward to this summer? We plan on bringing back our series of charity nights, as well as some social nights where like-minded people (vegans, for example) can meet and we can start building the community more. We definitely see the business as a vessel for fostering that aspect of the community; weve always wanted to be part of its growth in Rhode Island.

Like No Udder 170 Ives Street 288-3880

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We All Scream for (Vegan) Ice Cream - Providence Media

Plastic is one of the most ubiquitous materials of our time. From to-go cups for iced coffee, prepackaged meals, frozen food, packaged grains and more, it seems like plastic is everywhere. While plastic has made our lives convenient, it has had an adverse effect on our planet. Globally, weproduce 300 million tons of plastic each year, but78 percentis never recycled or reclaimed. Instead, the plastic trash that we chuck in the garbage bin ends up in landfills. There, it can leach harmful chemicals that eventually spread into groundwater, but thats not all the bad news. Every year, around 8.8 million tons of plastic is dumped in our oceans, where itwreaks havoc on marine life.Unfortunately, once plastic is made, its here forever. Lets put it this way there is so much plastic in the ocean that in a few years time, there will literally be more of this trash than fish in our waters.

While we can always reduce the amount of plastic we let into our lives by purchasing reusable options for coffee cups, water bottles, and more, cutting all ties with plastic is a feat that not many can accomplish. Thats why its so important for the companies who rely on plastic packaging to take make a commitment to recycle their materials and reduce their waste. Recently, one company, Earth Island (themanufacturer of Follow Your Heart products), achieved something that no other vegan food manufacturing facility in the United States has done: they were awarded the Gold Level Zero Waste certification from Green Business Certification Incorporated.

According to The Vegetarian Resource Group, Earth Islands Gold Level Zero Waste certification means that the manufacturing facility for Follow Your Heart products now diverts 97 percent of its waste from landfills. They do so through strategic purchasing, material reuse, composting, increased recycling, and employee education. Over the past 12 months, the company has diverted nearly 100 tons to recycling, composted 136 tons, and re-purposed 228 tons of materials. How awesome!

We certainly hope that more companies will see this trend and start to incorporate more waste-reduction programs into their own facilities! As individuals, we dont have to wait for this to happen, however, each one of us has the power to stop plastic at the source by choosing to DIY meals or beauty products, using low-cost recycled glass or tin containers to store our goods. For more tips on how you can lead a plastic-free lifestyle from someone who does it themselves, click here.If youre looking for more ideas to get plastic out of the picture, check out One Green Planets #CrushPlastic campaign.

Lead image source: Follow Your Heart

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This Vegan Food Company Has Found a Way to Keep 97 Percent of Its Waste Out of Landfills - One Green Planet