Latest news with #Veksler
Sky News AU
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Victims of antisemitism speak out on discrimination as 'October 8 film' delves into growth of anti-Israel sentiment in US
Two prominent campaigners against antisemitism have spoken out on their fight against discrimination as they reflected on the release of the film October 8. The film was directed by Wendy Sachs and co-produced with Will and Grace star Debra Messing - who comes from a Jewish family. It delves into incidents of antisemitism on college campuses and social media in the United States which erupted in the wake of the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The documentary, which was released on March 14, 2025, has received mainly positive reviews and now Talia Khan and Tessa Veksler are continuing the fight to educate others and ward off antisemitism and hate speech. Ms Khan, a graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), delivered a testimony to Congress in December 2023 to bring to their attention the "extremely toxic atmosphere" that had developed at the college and to advocate for the safety of Jewish students. On Wednesday, she and Ms Veksler, fellow campaigner for Jewish people, joined Sky News' Chris Kenny to discuss the film and the alarming levels of discrimination they had been subjected to. "I think that one of the biggest benefits of this film and the way that the story was told is that it shows very clearly that the things that were happening on campus that happened to Tessa, that happened me, and all the other Jewish students on campus... it wasn't about politics or policy, it wasn't about whether or not you agree with (Israeli PM Benjamin) Netanyahu or not," Ms Khan told Kenny. "It was really just bullying and hatred and support for terror." She also said she would make an effort to speak with people who took part in pro-Palestine encampments on campus, but that she would be turned away due to them having a "non-conversation policy with Zionists". "They're not even allowed to talk to us. Many of them wouldn't look us in the eye. So it was very clear that it wasn't about having an environment of intellectual curiosity or rigorous debate about the policy issues. It was just about hatred and promotion of terror," she said. Ms Veksler, who survived a recall vote to remain head of the student body at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said one of the biggest challenges had been people who she thought she was close to turning on her. "I think that was a really painful thing that people who you thought were your allies were so quick to change their minds... and there are these striking similarities between what we went through on our campuses and what's happening here in Australia and on university campuses, and so it's pretty universal from what I'm seeing," she said. When asked about how the world could overturn hatred and ignorance, Ms Veksler said it had to start with people agreeing "what this is about". "First and foremost, this is a fight for Western values and for humanity against hatred of all kinds. The thing that people really don't understand is that it starts with the Jews, it never ends with us," she said. "So if we care about the free world and we can all agree on that, it will help us unite against this form of hatred." Ms Khan agreed, describing Jews as "the canary in the coal mine". "This is a battle against Western values, against democracy, against women's rights, et cetera," she said. "We need to make that not just Jews are standing up and speaking out against us, that we have allies who are also standing up and speaking up against this kind of hate and this kind, you know, revelling in terror."
Sky News AU
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News AU
‘Striking parallel': Rise of antisemitic behaviours in Australian universities
Content Creator Tessa Veksler says there is a 'striking parallel' between antisemitic behaviours in Australian and US universities. 'So many of my peers … who really knew my character, knew the various accomplishments that I had already had with different student groups, they were some of the people that turned against me,' Ms Veksler told Sky News host Chris Kenny. 'So, I think that was a really painful thing, that people who you thought were your allies were so quick to change their minds. 'It's kind of a striking parallel that we're seeing … there are these, you know, striking similarities between what we went through on our campuses and what's happening here in Australia.'
Forbes
23-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Now You Can Shop Universal Standard In 20 Nordstrom Stores
Now shoppers can try on and purchase a curated assortment of the brand's beloved wardrobe staples in sizes 12 through 32 from coast to coast. Locations include The Mall of America in Minneapolis, Michigan Avenue in Chicago, Houston Galleria in Houston and Brea Mall near Los Angeles. The partnership comes on the heels of the brand reporting consistent profitability and over 30% year over year growth. As many fashion companies have quietly scaled back or shuttered their inclusive-sizing and plus-size offerings both online and in stores, Universal Standard maintains its commitment to championing size inclusivity in fashion. The partnership with Nordstrom will launch online and in stores with one of the most comprehensive size ranges from a singular women's apparel brand. 'We're excited to be growing our partnership with Universal Standard," says Emily Crandall, Senior Vice President and Head of Women's Apparel at Nordstrom. 'We're committed to making sure we can deliver great styles across the size spectrum that make customers look good and feel their best. Our partnership with Universal Standard is enabling us to make more progress in this space.' This is good news for plus-size shoppers in particular. Even though most American women are in the plus-size category, trying on garments in-store can be difficult to come by if you're outside the standard extra-small to extra-large size range. Even at the height of fashion inclusivity, many brick-and-mortar fashion brands only offered extended sizing options online. This reality requires plus-size customers to bring the experience of the fitting room to their home through having items shipped. This means more planning, longer waits, bigger spends and decreased access to the immediacy and spontaneity that straight-size shoppers are typically guaranteed. For a hypothetical plus-size shopper who's been invited to a special event and wants to wear something new, her options for shopping in-person are limited. If she has room in her budget, she can purchase multiple identical items in different sizes online, hope something fits, and return the things that don't. If her budget isn't as flexible, she may opt to purchase one item and risk the garment not fitting, which means she's starting from zero again. If the event is time-sensitive, it's easy to imagine that the experience becomes more stressful. At the time, Nordstrom was the only retailer willing to partner with the brand. It was 2017, and Veksler was traveling the country hosting size-inclusive styling pop-ups at Nordstrom locations. Today, this more integrated partnership is the first iteration of a more significant strategic wholesale push from Universal Standard, which is now set to launch with Anthropologie, Macy's, Wantables, nearly 50 boutiques across the country this year. 'I could not be more thrilled to partner with Nordstrom, one of the world's most well-established retailers, to expand our mission and make exceptional fashion accessible to more shoppers than ever before,' says Veksler. Since its inception in 2017, Universal Standard has had a strong vision for what the future of fashion should look like. This has included initiatives like developing a size chart that reflects the reality of American consumers' sizing and launching 'See It In Your Size,' a first-of-its-kind website functionality that allows customers to view core products on models of every size 00 through 40. The brand has consulted and partnered with global brands about how to be more inclusive, and introduced 'Fit Liberty,' an exchange program that allows a customer to replace pieces when their size changes. Tk Universal Standard Here's a list of locations where customers can shop in-store for Universal Standard staples:
