Latest news with #TheRoot
Vancouver Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
'Do it over': New statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. unveiled in Florida city faces backlash
A Florida city got a surprise last week when a new statue of Martin Luther King Jr. was unveiled. The responses have ranged from polite to outright dismissive. 'It doesn't look like him,' Winter Park resident Nora Koenecke told NBC News. It was unveiled during the annual Heritage Unity Festival and the backlash has flooded social media, reports The Root , with residents saying the statue has a cartoonish vibe, awkward proportions, and a face that looks nothing like Dr. King. 'A Florida community is outraged after an unflattering statue of Martin Luther King Jr was unveiled in their city,' reads an Instagram post made on Tuesday. A post shared by The Neighborhood Talk (@theneighborhoodtalk) 'It looks awkward. It just didn't look up to the standards that Winter Park is so well known for,' Jonathan Blount, co-founder of Essence magazine, told Florida TV station, WESH 2 News . Blount underscored local dissatisfaction, saying the statue appeared to be more of a caricature of Dr. King than a proper depiction of the iconic civil rights leader. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The artist who created the controversial piece is Andrew Luy of Huntsville, Alabama. He was selected by a committee of members from the city's arts and parks communities. The design was approved by the King family prior to its installation, he said in his defence. 'The feedback I got from the committee and also the majority, actually all of the attendees that came to the unveiling, was greatly positive,' Luy told People Magazine . 'I didn't have direct contact with the King estate, but from what I heard, they were very happy with the representation of the sculpture of Dr. King.' 'Do it over,' insisted Blount. 'I mean, it just isn't good enough for a permanent lifelong representation of someone who is so important to our history,' he said, even suggesting he would help raise money for a redo. Winter Park's mayor, Sheila DeCiccio, has acknowledged the concerned feedback from residents and also highlighted the funds that have already been spent. 'Maybe it just didn't come out the way everybody had hoped it would,' she said. 'I don't know that there's anything we can do about it at this point, because it was a very big investment.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Calgary Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
'Do it over': New statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. unveiled in Florida city faces backlash
A Florida city got a surprise last week when a new statue of Martin Luther King Jr. was unveiled. Article content The responses have ranged from polite to outright dismissive. 'It doesn't look like him,' Winter Park resident Nora Koenecke told NBC News. Article content Article content It was unveiled during the annual Heritage Unity Festival and the backlash has flooded social media, reports The Root, with residents saying the statue has a cartoonish vibe, awkward proportions, and a face that looks nothing like Dr. King. Article content Article content View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Neighborhood Talk (@theneighborhoodtalk) Article content 'It looks awkward. It just didn't look up to the standards that Winter Park is so well known for,' Jonathan Blount, co-founder of Essence magazine, told Florida TV station, WESH 2 News. Blount underscored local dissatisfaction, saying the statue appeared to be more of a caricature of Dr. King than a proper depiction of the iconic civil rights leader. Article content Article content The artist who created the controversial piece is Andrew Luy of Huntsville, Alabama. He was selected by a committee of members from the city's arts and parks communities. The design was approved by the King family prior to its installation, he said in his defence. Article content 'The feedback I got from the committee and also the majority, actually all of the attendees that came to the unveiling, was greatly positive,' Luy told People Magazine. 'I didn't have direct contact with the King estate, but from what I heard, they were very happy with the representation of the sculpture of Dr. King.' Article content Article content 'Do it over,' insisted Blount. 'I mean, it just isn't good enough for a permanent lifelong representation of someone who is so important to our history,' he said, even suggesting he would help raise money for a redo. Article content Article content Winter Park's mayor, Sheila DeCiccio, has acknowledged the concerned feedback from residents and also highlighted the funds that have already been spent. Article content 'Maybe it just didn't come out the way everybody had hoped it would,' she said. 'I don't know that there's anything we can do about it at this point, because it was a very big investment.' Article content
Edmonton Journal
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edmonton Journal
'Do it over': New statue of Martin Luther King, Jr. unveiled in Florida city faces backlash
A Florida city got a surprise last week when a new statue of Martin Luther King Jr. was unveiled. Article content The responses have ranged from polite to outright dismissive. 'It doesn't look like him,' Winter Park resident Nora Koenecke told NBC News. Article content Article content It was unveiled during the annual Heritage Unity Festival and the backlash has flooded social media, reports The Root, with residents saying the statue has a cartoonish vibe, awkward proportions, and a face that looks nothing like Dr. King. Article content Article content View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Neighborhood Talk (@theneighborhoodtalk) Article content 'It looks awkward. It just didn't look up to the standards that Winter Park is so well known for,' Jonathan Blount, co-founder of Essence magazine, told Florida TV station, WESH 2 News. Blount underscored local dissatisfaction, saying the statue appeared to be more of a caricature of Dr. King than a proper depiction of the iconic civil rights leader. Article content Article content The artist who created the controversial piece is Andrew Luy of Huntsville, Alabama. He was selected by a committee of members from the city's arts and parks communities. The design was approved by the King family prior to its installation, he said in his defence. Article content 'The feedback I got from the committee and also the majority, actually all of the attendees that came to the unveiling, was greatly positive,' Luy told People Magazine. 'I didn't have direct contact with the King estate, but from what I heard, they were very happy with the representation of the sculpture of Dr. King.' Article content Article content 'Do it over,' insisted Blount. 'I mean, it just isn't good enough for a permanent lifelong representation of someone who is so important to our history,' he said, even suggesting he would help raise money for a redo. Article content Article content Winter Park's mayor, Sheila DeCiccio, has acknowledged the concerned feedback from residents and also highlighted the funds that have already been spent. Article content 'Maybe it just didn't come out the way everybody had hoped it would,' she said. 'I don't know that there's anything we can do about it at this point, because it was a very big investment.' Article content
News18
21-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Raising Emotionally Intelligent Boys? Barack Obama Says The Answer May Lie With Queer Friendships
The former US president has long stood as an ally of the LGBTQ+ community. Former US President Barack Obama has recently shared some advice for growing boys, particularly on the importance of developing emotional intelligence. The candid conversation took place during the July 16 episode of the IMO podcast, where Obama sat down with his wife, Michelle Obama, and her brother, Craig Robinson. The trio reflected on how their parents had raised them with limited resources. From there, the conversation naturally shifted to the unique challenges of raising boys and girls. It is no surprise that the former president has long stood as an ally of the LGBTQ+ community. His recent statements on the podcast further affirmed his enduring support for the queer community. In his view, boys should be taught empathy, and one effective way to do that, he suggested, is by encouraging friendships with gay individuals. He believes boys need more male figures in their lives than just their fathers. Obama also took a trip down memory lane, recalling the early days of dating Michelle and visiting her house. Among her male relatives, he observed that each exhibited his own unique form of masculinity. 'And that's one of the things that I think a lot of times boys need — not just exposure to one guy, one dad, no matter how good the dad is. He can't be everything," Obama said. In his view, LGBTQ friends teach kindness and empathy, serving as valuable role models as parents, especially for children who may identify as gay or non-binary. He also emphasised that non-binary individuals help others become more inclusive and better at embracing diversity. Recalling one of his formative experiences, Obama said, 'One of the most valuable things I've learned, as a guy, was I had a gay professor in college — at a time when openly gay folks still were not allowed — who became one of my favourite professors." The former president noted that the way his professor called him out when he acted unfairly or made ignorant remarks helped him grow into a kinder, more empathetic person. Obama's statements have been widely applauded for their inclusive message. However, some criticism has also surfaced. As reported by The Root, one TikTok user said, 'Barack Obama is a disgrace to the Black race." view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New York Times
02-07-2025
- Business
- New York Times
G/O Media Winds Down, Selling Off One of Its Last Sites
G/O Media, the digital media publisher that once owned sites like Jezebel and Deadspin, announced on Wednesday that it is winding down its operations and selling off one of its last properties, the video game website Kotaku. G/O Media, which is owned by the private equity firm Great Hill Partners, once owned a collection of websites that had belonged to the Gawker Media blog universe and The Onion. But it has slowly been shedding its holdings. With the sale of Kotaku, only one website remains: The Root, which covers Black culture and news. G/O Media's chief executive, Jim Spanfeller, said in a statement on Wednesday that 'it became clear to our investors that it was time to move on,' alluding to a series of challenges that have faced the digital media industry in recent years. Publishers have been battling for advertising against tech giants like Google and Meta, while generative A.I. is reshaping the media landscape. Investors don't see a promise of growth in digital publishing in the way they did before the pandemic. Mr. Spanfeller was quick to say that Great Hill had been 'a very good partner' and had 'never weighed in on editorial direction.' 'This is in no way a suggestion that Great Hill was in some way acting like a rapacious private equity firm,' he said. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
