Actress Jennifer Sears on Social Activism & Black Mental Health

Combining her pre-law degree with her love for acting and social activism, Jennifer Sears is a voice of passion and authenticity. Ever since her big break in Tyler Perry’s Madea Family Reunion (2006), Jennifer has continued to work with worked alongside some of the industry’s most astounding talent and production teams, with roles in the award-winning and Golden Globe-nominated film “Bessie” alongside Queen Latifah and Mo’Nique, The Best of Enemies starring Taraji P. Henson, VH1’s Daytime Divas alongside Tichina Arnold, Bounce’s Saints and Sinners and FOX’s Star, to name a few. We speak to Jennifer about her most recent role on OWN’s Greenleaf as it enters its fifth and final season. We also discuss how Jennifer is using her platform to raise awareness for causes that are close to her heart. She frequently works with the Atlanta Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and consistently works to share resources about Black Mental Health. Please read our interview with Jennifer Sears below.

Belle Scar is Transcendent

Belle Scar is a music project of multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, artist and producer Geeta . A Canadian now living in the UK, Belle Scar is creating art that can’t be confined to conventions of genre or fit into categorical expectations. For Belle Scar, music is not only a passion, it’s her way to survive in a strange and chaotic world, she works hard at creating something real, beautiful, sad, intense…an emotional journey, especially during our contemporary moment. We get a peek into the mind of the artist’s music, discussing the new EP’s “Mementos” and “The Eeriness” (both of which have a sound that is truly unique to Belle Scar) and her perspective on how to best support artists and musicians at this time. Please read below for our interview with Belle Scar.

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 26Forrest JohnsonNovember 20, 2020music, musician, belle scar, pop, folke, artist, cinema, producer, music production, video, Give backComment

Natasha Behnam - Flipping the Script in American Pie: Girls' Rules

As a young actress, writer, and director, Natasha Behnam enjoys balancing human connection and empathy with a generous dose of awareness and fun in her creative pursuits. Natasha stars in Netflix’s new movie American Pie: Girls’ Rules, a gender-flipped new reimagining of the 1999 cult classic, American Pie. Playing the role of Michelle, an empowered young feminist, Natasha gives us all the details about this new woman-led sex comedy and her future within the genre. Alongside her Hollywood career, Natasha is passionate about supporting a variety of causes close to her heart, including body positivity, the Black Lives Matter movement, and immigrant and refugee rights, and frequently volunteers with South LA Cafe to help her local community. Please read our interview with Natasha to get a full slice of her thoughts on American Pie: Girls’ Rules and how she is spreading positivity on and off-screen.

Black LGBTQ+ Political Analyst Drexel Heard Gives Us A Sane Look On Politics On Election Day

Drexel Heard provides a unique voice as a member of the LGBTQ+ community and the youngest Black Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party. Drexel formerly worked on President Obama’s Presidential campaign, and throughout the 2020 Presidential Election, he has been sharing commentary as a Political Analyst for NPR, BBC and BBC Radio. His knowledge of the government system, keen sense of domestic and international policy, and love of Washington News naturally created his strong political voice, which he happily utilizes through social media and many other outlets to lead the generation through any political climate. We spoke with Drexel about the current state of United States politics — from Black Lives Matter, to COVID-19, to the 2020 election. Please read our interview with Drexel Heard below. And then, if you haven’t already, please go vote!

Archer's Amber Nash - Playing a Blonde Bisexual Bombshell

“Holy Shit Snacks!” is the catchphrase of Archer’s Pam Poovey, a blonde bisexual bombshell who is making waves in pop-culture. When we got the chance to sit down with Amber Nash, the voice-over artist responsible for bringing the beloved character to life, we couldn’t help but think “Holy Shit Snacks” ourselves. In our interview with Amber, she tells us about her experience playing Pam throughout Archer’s 11 seasons and her new venture of acting on screen. We also got to speak to her about her role as a board member with Project Chimps, an organization that gives retired lab chimps a forever home on a secluded sanctuary. Bringing her passion to her work and philanthropic efforts, Amber Nash is a voice of wit and passion. Read our exclusive interview with Amber below.

Mermaid, Beach Babe, Musician, AND Surfer- Gedina

Gedina is making waves for MermaidPop, a genre that is the essence of bubbly, feel good music. As the CEO of 4th Door Records, Inc., Gedina has big dreams for creating new and transformational spaces in music, starting with MermaidPop, of course. In August, Gedina released her new single, “Messy,” which celebrates the beauty found in the no-make-up, messy-bun days that are all the more frequent during shelter in place. Alongside her love for music, she has a passion for surfing. She frequently volunteers with organizations like Best Day Foundation and Ride-A-Wave, which give children with special needs the opportunity to learn to surf. We spoke with Gedina about writing “Messy”, the connection between music and surfing, and the impactful memories of her volunteer work. Dive into our exclusive interview with Gedina below.

SWAC: Influencer, zIssue 26Forrest JohnsonOctober 26, 2020mermaid, surfer, musician, music, oceans, water, kids, singer song writer, feminist, down syndrome, special needs, surf, fitness, #fitComment

Hallmark Movie Star Jessy Schram Is Helping The Homeless Crisis In L.A.

Jessy Schram lives a busy life. You may know her from her starring lead roles in Hallmark films such as A Royal New Year’s Eve, The Birthday Wish, Road to Christmas, and Harvest Moon; or perhaps you have seen her in Season Five of NBC’s Chicago Med, where Jessy plays a complex OB-GYN surgeon, Dr. Hannah Asher. The star has a passion for music that she was able to share with viewers in her most recent Hallmark Channel Movie, Country at Heart. Jessy loves entertaining and storytelling, and we were also able to discuss another thing that is close to her heart: helping those in need. Jessy has a demonstrated history of working with philanthropies like Corazon De Vida and Red Eye to help people of all ages secure basic human needs. Her work with the homeless population in L.A. with Dineoneonone is her most recent way of helping her community, as her team works together to distribute plant-based meals during COVID-19. How does one balance a career with philanthropic work, as well as stay positive during COVID-19? Read our interview below for Jessy’s insights.

Lance Alexander's Start As A Young Comedian

Meet Lance Alexander, a fourteen-year-old comedian who is living his dream by bringing smiles to others as an actor and volunteer. The rising star got his start in comedy when discovered at the age of 12. Moving from West Chester Ohio to Los Angeles as a young teen, Lance’s humorous personality and dedication to his craft helped in land roles on Raven’s Home and Teachers. Now, Lance plays Elvis Maybury, a lovable teen with a big heart on Netflix’s award-winning comedy, Family Reunion — his biggest role yet. When he isn’t preparing for behind-the-camera work, Lance spends time at Best Buddies, the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical, and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We speak to Lance about his role on Family Reunion, his work at Best Buddies, and comedy’s place in our current social reality. Read our interview with Lance to learn just how fluent in comedy this teen-wonder really is and where he’s going next.

Save The Duck Is Raising The Bar For Sustainable Fashion

Save the Duck has a direct mission that you can probably guess from their company name. That’s right: save the duck. Their products are 100% animal free and cruelty free. Turning away from the typical down coat for winter wear, the Italian company provides sustainable and cozy alternatives to help you survive the winter. Their platform is devoted to not only keeping their customers safe from the cold, but to maintaining a respect for the environment and animals throughout every level of garment production. In 2019 Save The Duck was PETA’S ‘Company of the Year’ and were the first Italian fashion brand to obtain B Corp Certification, a certification reserved for the best performers in social and sustainability issues. From its origins until today, Save The Duck has always built bonds and collaborations with successful companies committed to making our planet a better place. In partnership with ACBC, Save The Duck just developed a new eco-friendly sneaker for everyday wear. Like their clothing, the sneakers encourage respect for the space around us and are a reminder of the intentional steps (both figurative and literal) that fashion brands and consumers can take to preserve our environment. We asked Save The Duck to give us an in-depth explanation of their unique approach to sustainable fashion and the technology they are using to create a more sustainable world. Please dive into our full exclusive interview here.

LYRE Producer Alina Smith Talks Sexism in the Industry and Going Digital

With 1 in every 47 music producers being female, how did Alina Smith go against the odds to become a premier producer in today’s pop scene? Like many artists and creatives, Smith had the vision to make a “room of her own” in the music industry. She and her best friend, Elli Moore, founded an independent digital production business, LYRE, with the goal to carve out a safe-space for women in a male-dominated field. Now, LYRE is an unstoppable force and working with names you may recognize from Top 40 pop music: Gabbie Hanna, Kenzie Ziegler, Nikita Dragun, and Niki and Gabi (to name a few). Alongside her role as a producer, Alina also is a musician, artist, novelist, and podcast host. Her new single, “Girl That Was Perfect,” is the first track she has released of her own voice in the past 10 years and served as an important moment of self-reflection for Alina. In our interview with Alina, she gives us her insights to navigating the barriers of the industry, her return to singing-songwriting, and where her multi-hyphenate creative pursuits will take her next.

Amy White - Mediumship In The Modern Age

The ability to help others in times of personal crisis or intense grief is a valuable and deeply human skillset, and it’s one that Amy White has turned into her career. As an intuitive medium, Amy uses her innate gifts of interpreting energies and reaching out into the unseen to help others through their lowest points and to find peace in the midst of loss. Her family’s journey with her son’s suicide attempt prompted Amy to write her new book, Closer to Paradise: A Mother's Journey through Crisis and Healing, which sheds light on navigating mental health crises to help others who are going through similar trauma. Amy shares her outlook on how modern mediums can help others not only to survive but to thrive, in times of crisis. Read our interview with Amy to find out more about how she has opened herself up to the Universe on her path to mediumship and how she has used her gifts to help others along the way.

Important Conversations And Love Letters To NYC At NYFW 2020

In true NYC fashion, the program of NYFW told a story of adaptability, a sense of intentional change fueled by creators and storytellers that is beyond what is “on-trend.” Piece by piece and show by show, NYFW of September 2020 demonstrated the fashion industry’s potential to tell a powerful story through the collective modes of words, visuals, and action. What happened in this year’s digital programming is a reflection of several aspects of the beloved “City of Dreams” and how both individuals and communities are dreaming and enacting a better future through pertinent conversations and inspiring messages.

Katie Sands Is Giving Back In Style

Katie Sands, aspiring Broadway actor turned successful digital content creator, is a contemporary powerhouse. Katie gave us an inside look at her life as a content creator and the responsibility it holds in times of social injustice. Alongside sharing beauty and fashion tips on her blog, Katie also dedicates her time to supporting causes and organizations that she cares about. She is currently the youngest board member at “Make A Wish Foundation” and is using her platform to raise awareness for mental health, which is close to her since being on her own mental health journey. We talk to Katie about her collaboration with Phat Buddha, an activewear brand, and how she is dedicating all proceeds to support the JED Foundation, a foundation dedicated to mental health awareness. Inspired? We are too. Read our interview here to get the details of Katie’s creative and philanthropic outlook.

Trending at New York Fashion Week: Women’s Power Suit Meets Whimsy and Comfort

In an era of working from home, the legacy of the women’s power suit lives on at New York Fashion Week as designers showcase their Spring 2021 Collections. Trending on several runways, live and virtual, whimsical suits are bringing play and hope to the future of the fashion industry.