Forty red dresses hang outside of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, a short distance from the U.S. Capitol.

They’re strategically placed near trees and waterfalls alongside the Riverwalk located in the museum’s Native landscape.

They’re present 24 hours a day, in all weather, to draw attention to the plight of missing and murdered indigenous women who experience violence at a much higher rate than non-indigenous women.

On this day, they snap furiously in a wicked wind, commanding attention.

The powerful installation is the creative brainchild of visual artist Jaime Black, whose goal is to raise awareness about the high rate of violence against native women.

“What I do is I put up empty red dresses in public spaces so that people can connect to the absence of these women, but also to the power and presence of the women through the red dress,” she says.

The color red

Her choice of the color red was deliberate.

“It’s our sacred life blood, it’s where vitality comes from, and our energy, and our power as human beings, but it’s also an allusion to the violence and the loss of that sacred life blood through violence,” she says.

Paying homage

On this freezing day outside the museum, Black honors the women the dresses represent — with a special performance.

As a Native American elder beats on a drum, the artist, barefoot and all in black except for a red silk scarf around her neck, kneels and rubs clay on the ground near the entrance to the museum. It’s been raining hard all morning. But it stops as Black starts her performance.

Spectators gather round as she clutches her pot of clay and walks slowly toward the dresses. She winds her way around the ledge of a curved pool and wades into the cool water, smearing some of the dresses with the mudlike substance.

“I really wanted to use my talents and my gifts to further the voices of a lot of people who are silenced,” she says, “and indigenous women are really facing this epidemic of silence.”

While Black’s work has focused mostly on Canadian women so far, she’s brought her project to the U.S. for the first time, to address an issue that spans the entire Western hemisphere.

REDress project

She calls her installation “The REDress Project,” or “The re-dress project.”

“Redress is a word that means to put right a wrong, and indigenous women have been facing injustice in North America for hundreds of years,” she says. “Ever since settlers came to North America, there’s been a violent relationship between settlers and indigenous people and I feel like that violent relationship carries on still today.”

She calls that systemic discrimination, The Colonial Project.

“The Colonial Project is basically interested in erasing certain voices in favor of a certain system,” she explains. “So the legal frameworks, the political frameworks, these things were built by non-indigenous people to silence indigenous people, and so all of these systems have created a space where indigenous women are erased.”

But more and more Native women are refusing to be silenced and are becoming proactive, leading movements, participating in protests and petitioning their governments for more recognition.

“I think in these ways and these movements, like Standing Rock and Idle No More movement, we see the strength of indigenous women to really maintain culture in the face of such colonial violence,” Black says.

Hope for change

Black — and other supporters, including Machel Monenerkit, deputy director of the museum — are also encouraged by the presence of two Native American women in Congress now; Debra Anne Haaland, serving as the U.S. Representative for New Mexico’s 1st congressional district, and Sharice Lynnette Davids, serving as the U.S. Representative for Kansas’s 3rd congressional district.

“I think the 2019 Congress for women was exceptional in the numbers that we now have in Congress, but for Native people having two indigenous women represent Kansas and New Mexico is obviously something we’ve not seen before, and hopefully we’ll be able to bring attention to Native issues,” Monenerkit says.

In the meantime, Black hopes the red dresses, all of which are donated, will have an impact on all who get to see them.

“What I think that the artwork and creativity can really do is really hit people in the heart, “she says. “People who walk by those dresses … they can’t unsee that. That’s going to sit in their memory for a very long time, and I think it has a really emotional impact on people even before they know what the dresses are even there for.”
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Forty red dresses hang outside of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington. They’re present 24 hours a day, in all weather, to draw attention to the plight of missing and murdered indigenous women who experience violence at a much higher rate than non-indigenous women. The dresses are part of an exhibit being presented in the U.S. for the first time. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more.
…

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Forty red dresses hang outside of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington. They’re present 24 hours a day, in all weather, to draw attention to the plight of missing and murdered indigenous women who experience violence at a much higher rate than non-indigenous women. The dresses are part of an exhibit being presented in the U.S. for the first time. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more.
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The U.S. Constitution says every person has the right to exercise their religion, even prison inmates. Opportunities for religious assemblies and services are offered in U.S. prisons. One detention facility in Arlington County, Virginia, is working with the Islamic Circle of North America to provide Muslim prisoners a way to gather for Friday prayers and other religious activities. VOA’s Nilofar Mughal visited the facility and has this report narrated by Bezhan Hamdard.
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The cherry blossoms that bloom every spring on the Tidal Basin in Washington are world famous, but thousands of visitors also come to a nearby Maryland suburb to enjoy the pink and white flowers that usually bloom about a week later.

In Chevy Chase, Maryland, a small neighborhood called Kenwood also goes into full bloom with 1,200 Yoshino cherry trees that put on quite a show.

“It’s so romantic and they’re pink, which is one of my favorite colors,” said Mara Cai, a local resident who moved to the United States from China several years ago.

The delicate blossoms help showcase the manicured upscale homes, creating a pretty picture. Visitors stroll down the streets, enjoying the sea of flowers.

“It’s like walking through a fairyland,” Patrica Eng said. “There’s this incredible feeling of peace, and oneness with nature. I feel incredibly happy and content.”

First planted in 1920s

The first cherry trees in Kenwood were planted in the 1920s to promote the new neighborhood. As the area grew, so did the trees, with many more planted in the 1950s. Homeowners are responsible for the upkeep of the trees on their property.

When they bloom, a steady stream of tourists comes to Kenwood, which is considered one of the best places in the Washington area to enjoy the cherry blossoms.

“It’s a good time to spend with the family,” said Javier Ventura, who was in a little park admiring the flowers with his wife and baby girl. “The view is really nice.”

Cathy Searby stopped by for a nostalgic visit.

“I think it’s gorgeous,” she said. “I lived here 45 years ago for a couple of years, and I just moved back to Chevy Chase again, and I can’t remember ever seeing the cherry blossoms here look like this.”

Visitors from near and far

A number of the visitors are from different countries, especially Japan and China. Jill Fitzpatrick came from England to see the cherry blossoms for the first time.

“I just think it’s magnificent and I only wish I could live here,” she said and smiled.

The cherry blossoms only last up to a couple of weeks, and each day more petals fall to the ground. But for those who miss it, there’s always next year to see another spectacular display.
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The cherry blossoms that bloom every spring on the Tidal Basin in Washington are world famous, but thousands of visitors also come to a nearby Maryland suburb to enjoy the pink and white flowers that usually bloom about a week later.

In Chevy Chase, Maryland, a small neighborhood called Kenwood also goes into full bloom with 1,200 Yoshino cherry trees that put on quite a show.

“It’s so romantic and they’re pink, which is one of my favorite colors,” said Mara Cai, a local resident who moved to the United States from China several years ago.

The delicate blossoms help showcase the manicured upscale homes, creating a pretty picture. Visitors stroll down the streets, enjoying the sea of flowers.

“It’s like walking through a fairyland,” Patrica Eng said. “There’s this incredible feeling of peace, and oneness with nature. I feel incredibly happy and content.”

First planted in 1920s

The first cherry trees in Kenwood were planted in the 1920s to promote the new neighborhood. As the area grew, so did the trees, with many more planted in the 1950s. Homeowners are responsible for the upkeep of the trees on their property.

When they bloom, a steady stream of tourists comes to Kenwood, which is considered one of the best places in the Washington area to enjoy the cherry blossoms.

“It’s a good time to spend with the family,” said Javier Ventura, who was in a little park admiring the flowers with his wife and baby girl. “The view is really nice.”

Cathy Searby stopped by for a nostalgic visit.

“I think it’s gorgeous,” she said. “I lived here 45 years ago for a couple of years, and I just moved back to Chevy Chase again, and I can’t remember ever seeing the cherry blossoms here look like this.”

Visitors from near and far

A number of the visitors are from different countries, especially Japan and China. Jill Fitzpatrick came from England to see the cherry blossoms for the first time.

“I just think it’s magnificent and I only wish I could live here,” she said and smiled.

The cherry blossoms only last up to a couple of weeks, and each day more petals fall to the ground. But for those who miss it, there’s always next year to see another spectacular display.
…

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The famous cherry blossoms on the Tidal Basin in Washington are passing their peak, but others in the area are still blooming. VOA’s Deborah Block takes us to a neighborhood in a Maryland suburb where about 1,000 blossoming trees put on quite a show.
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The famous cherry blossoms on the Tidal Basin in Washington are passing their peak, but others in the area are still blooming. VOA’s Deborah Block takes us to a neighborhood in a Maryland suburb where about 1,000 blossoming trees put on quite a show.
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Thousands flocked to remember the life of Nipsey Hussle at a packed memorial service Thursday that provided mourners with a deeper appreciation of Ermias Asghedom, the man behind the up-and-coming hip-hop persona.

Some of people who knew Hussle best, from his actress-fiancee Lauren London, dear friend Snoop Dogg and his mother shared their most personal stories about the rapper during the three-hour service in Los Angeles’ Staples Center. The 21,000-seat venue hosted its first celebrity funeral since Michael Jackson’s in 2009, ending with a montage of videos of the rapper set to his song, “Dedication.”

Hussle’s casket, draped in the flag of his father’s native country, Eritrea in East Africa, then embarked on a 25-mile tour of the city, drawing thousands to the streets to catch a glimpse of the recently anointed hometown hero.

Police kept an eye on the crowd, which appeared largely peaceful. At one point, people sat atop a police car spray-painted with the words: “Nips in Paradise.”

​Family, friends share memories

London shared a text message sent she sent the rapper in January calling him “my turn up and my church.” She spoke about learning so much from being in his presence as her provider and protector, but turned sad at the thought of their son being unable to remember his dad.

“My pain is for my 2-year-old,” she said.

After the service, she revealed a fresh tattoo of Hussle on her forearm, writing in an Instagram post that “Real Love Never Dies” and that from now on “When you see me, you will always see him.”

Hussle’s mother, Angelique Smith, spoke calmly about her being in “perfect peace” and “happy and complete” despite her son’s death. She declared: “Ermias was a legacy.”

She called him a “superhero” who wasn’t afraid to lead, recounting a story about Ermias at age 9 running down the middle of the street to flag down a firetruck to extinguish her car’s engine that went under flames. Miraculously, the car still ran.

“We’re burning but not destroyed,” Smith said. 

Snoop Dogg talked candidly about Hussle being a visionary and meeting him for the first time.

“Most rappers when they push up on Snoop Dogg with a mixtape, this is their line: ‘Ahh, dawg, listen to my music. I can make you a million dollars,’” Dogg said. “Nipsey’s line was, ‘Hey homie, listen to my music. Just give it a listen.’ That’s it? No record deal? You don’t want to get put on? So to me, he had vision to know and understand that I don’t want to be handed out nothing. I’m going to come and get mine.”

​Killed in his neighborhood

Hussle was shot to death March 31 while standing outside The Marathon, his South Los Angeles clothing store, not far from where the rapper grew up.

Eric R. Holder Jr., who has been charged with killing Hussle, has pleaded not guilty. Police have said Holder and Hussle had several interactions the day of the shooting and have described it as being the result of a personal dispute.

At least one of the rapper’s wishes came true Thursday. In his 2016 song “Ocean Views,” he rapped about having a Stevie Wonder song played at his funeral. The legendary singer took the stage to perform “Rocket Song,” one of Hussle’s favorites.

Earlier in the ceremony, a montage of photos featuring the rapper from infancy, childhood and adulthood, with fellow rappers, his family and London, were shown to the crowd, set to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”

Hussle’s children also appeared onstage to pay tribute. London’s son with rapper Lil Wayne, Cameron Carter, said days after Hussle died, he had a dream in which he saw the rapper.

“I realized Ermias told me what heaven was like. He told me it was paradise,” Cameron said.

Cameron then told the audience that Hussle would look at him through the window at times and say “respect.” Cameron then asked the crowd to say “respect” in unison, and the crowd sent the word booming through the arena.

 

​Mixtapes sold out

For a decade, Hussle released much sought-after mixtapes that he sold out of the trunk of his car, helping him create a buzz and gain respect from rap purists and his peers. His said his stage name, a play on the 1960s and ’70s rhyming standup comic Nipsey Russell, was given to him as a teen by an older friend because he was such a go-getter — always hustling.

He charged $100 for his 2013 mixtape “Crenshaw,” scoring a cash and publicity coup when Jay-Z bought 100 copies for $10,000.

Last year, Hussle hit new heights with “Victory Lap,” his critically acclaimed major-label debut album on Atlantic Records that made several critics’ best-of lists. The album debuted at No. 4 on Billboard’s 200 albums charts and earned him a Grammy nomination.

But the rapper was also a beloved figure for his philanthropic work that went well beyond the usual celebrity “giving back” ethos. Following his death, political and community leaders were quick and effusive in their praise.

Hussle recently purchased the strip mall where The Marathon is located and planned to redevelop it, part of Hussle’s broader ambitions to remake the neighborhood where he grew up and attempt to break the cycle of gang life that lured him in when he was younger.

Hussle’s brother, Samiel Asghedom, talked about how Hussle would assemble parts to build his first computer, but became emotional about his brother leaving his “heart and soul” on the popular intersection of Crenshaw and Slauson Avenue.

“Bro, you made the world proud,” he said.
…

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Thousands flocked to remember the life of Nipsey Hussle at a packed memorial service Thursday that provided mourners with a deeper appreciation of Ermias Asghedom, the man behind the up-and-coming hip-hop persona.

Some of people who knew Hussle best, from his actress-fiancee Lauren London, dear friend Snoop Dogg and his mother shared their most personal stories about the rapper during the three-hour service in Los Angeles’ Staples Center. The 21,000-seat venue hosted its first celebrity funeral since Michael Jackson’s in 2009, ending with a montage of videos of the rapper set to his song, “Dedication.”

Hussle’s casket, draped in the flag of his father’s native country, Eritrea in East Africa, then embarked on a 25-mile tour of the city, drawing thousands to the streets to catch a glimpse of the recently anointed hometown hero.

Police kept an eye on the crowd, which appeared largely peaceful. At one point, people sat atop a police car spray-painted with the words: “Nips in Paradise.”

​Family, friends share memories

London shared a text message sent she sent the rapper in January calling him “my turn up and my church.” She spoke about learning so much from being in his presence as her provider and protector, but turned sad at the thought of their son being unable to remember his dad.

“My pain is for my 2-year-old,” she said.

After the service, she revealed a fresh tattoo of Hussle on her forearm, writing in an Instagram post that “Real Love Never Dies” and that from now on “When you see me, you will always see him.”

Hussle’s mother, Angelique Smith, spoke calmly about her being in “perfect peace” and “happy and complete” despite her son’s death. She declared: “Ermias was a legacy.”

She called him a “superhero” who wasn’t afraid to lead, recounting a story about Ermias at age 9 running down the middle of the street to flag down a firetruck to extinguish her car’s engine that went under flames. Miraculously, the car still ran.

“We’re burning but not destroyed,” Smith said. 

Snoop Dogg talked candidly about Hussle being a visionary and meeting him for the first time.

“Most rappers when they push up on Snoop Dogg with a mixtape, this is their line: ‘Ahh, dawg, listen to my music. I can make you a million dollars,’” Dogg said. “Nipsey’s line was, ‘Hey homie, listen to my music. Just give it a listen.’ That’s it? No record deal? You don’t want to get put on? So to me, he had vision to know and understand that I don’t want to be handed out nothing. I’m going to come and get mine.”

​Killed in his neighborhood

Hussle was shot to death March 31 while standing outside The Marathon, his South Los Angeles clothing store, not far from where the rapper grew up.

Eric R. Holder Jr., who has been charged with killing Hussle, has pleaded not guilty. Police have said Holder and Hussle had several interactions the day of the shooting and have described it as being the result of a personal dispute.

At least one of the rapper’s wishes came true Thursday. In his 2016 song “Ocean Views,” he rapped about having a Stevie Wonder song played at his funeral. The legendary singer took the stage to perform “Rocket Song,” one of Hussle’s favorites.

Earlier in the ceremony, a montage of photos featuring the rapper from infancy, childhood and adulthood, with fellow rappers, his family and London, were shown to the crowd, set to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.”

Hussle’s children also appeared onstage to pay tribute. London’s son with rapper Lil Wayne, Cameron Carter, said days after Hussle died, he had a dream in which he saw the rapper.

“I realized Ermias told me what heaven was like. He told me it was paradise,” Cameron said.

Cameron then told the audience that Hussle would look at him through the window at times and say “respect.” Cameron then asked the crowd to say “respect” in unison, and the crowd sent the word booming through the arena.

 

​Mixtapes sold out

For a decade, Hussle released much sought-after mixtapes that he sold out of the trunk of his car, helping him create a buzz and gain respect from rap purists and his peers. His said his stage name, a play on the 1960s and ’70s rhyming standup comic Nipsey Russell, was given to him as a teen by an older friend because he was such a go-getter — always hustling.

He charged $100 for his 2013 mixtape “Crenshaw,” scoring a cash and publicity coup when Jay-Z bought 100 copies for $10,000.

Last year, Hussle hit new heights with “Victory Lap,” his critically acclaimed major-label debut album on Atlantic Records that made several critics’ best-of lists. The album debuted at No. 4 on Billboard’s 200 albums charts and earned him a Grammy nomination.

But the rapper was also a beloved figure for his philanthropic work that went well beyond the usual celebrity “giving back” ethos. Following his death, political and community leaders were quick and effusive in their praise.

Hussle recently purchased the strip mall where The Marathon is located and planned to redevelop it, part of Hussle’s broader ambitions to remake the neighborhood where he grew up and attempt to break the cycle of gang life that lured him in when he was younger.

Hussle’s brother, Samiel Asghedom, talked about how Hussle would assemble parts to build his first computer, but became emotional about his brother leaving his “heart and soul” on the popular intersection of Crenshaw and Slauson Avenue.

“Bro, you made the world proud,” he said.
…

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Author Charles Van Doren, who will forever be associated with one of the biggest scandals in U.S. history, has died of natural causes at 93.

Van Doren was an obscure college professor in 1956 when he became a contestant on the television quiz show Twenty-One. The show offered big cash prizes for answering very difficult multipart questions.

During 14 weeks on Twenty-One, Van Doren defeated opponent after opponent, winning $129,000 before finally losing.

Tall, handsome and self-effacing, Van Doren became a national hero, appearing on magazine covers, television shows and radio programs, and receiving huge amounts of fan mail and even marriage proposals.

Rigged show

But what the audience did not know was that Twenty-One was a rigged show. Van Doren and nearly every other contestant were given the questions and answers ahead of each broadcast and coached on how to give answers in a hesitant and entertaining manner to build suspense and tension.

When the cheating was revealed in 1958, Van Doren strongly denied his appearances were scripted until he confessed all in a dramatic appearance before Congress, which was investigating the matter.

The humiliated and ashamed Van Doren was fired from his teaching job, dropped by the television networks, and became the punch line of jokes.

Van Doren and dozens of other contestants and producers were convicted of lying before a grand jury and were given suspended sentences.

Private life

Van Doren returned to private life, living in a small New England village, writing books and articles for the Encyclopedia Britannica, and refusing all interviews and big money to tell his story.

He never publicly talked about the scandal until the 1994 film Quiz Show put him back in an unwanted spotlight.

Van Doren finally broke his silence in a 2008 New Yorker magazine article, calling his participation in the TV fraud “foolish, naive, prideful and avaricious.”
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Felicity Huffman will appear in Boston’s federal court next month to plead guilty in the college admissions bribery scam.

The “Desperate Housewives” star’s plea hearing has been rescheduled for May 21. It had initially been set for May 24.

Federal prosecutors announced Monday that Huffman will plead guilty to paying an admissions consultant $15,000 to rig her daughter’s SAT score.

Prosecutors have said they will seek a prison sentence on the low end of a range of four to 10 months.

In her first public comments since her arrest last month, Huffman on Monday took responsibility for her actions and said she would accept the consequences.

Netflix officials also said Monday that a film starring Huffman, “Otherhood,” will not be released as planned on April 26 and that a new date will be determined. 
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Amid a stunning vista of desert mountains, a Bedouin woman, Umm Yasser, paused to point out a local plant, and she began to explain how it was used in medicine to the group of foreign tourists she was guiding.

Umm Yasser is breaking new ground among the deeply conservative Bedouin of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. Women among the Bedouin almost never work outside the home, and even more rarely do they interact with outsiders. But Umm Yasser is one of four women from the community who for the first time are working as tour guides.

“It is against our culture, but women need jobs,” the 47-year-old Umm Yasser said. “People will make fun of us, but I don’t care. I’m a strong woman.”

They are part of Sinai Trail, a unique project in which local Bedouin tribes came together aiming to develop their own tourism. Founded in 2015, the project has set up a 550-kilometer (330-mile) trail through the remote mountains of the peninsula, a42-day trek through the lands of eight different tribes, each of which contributes guides. The project has been successful in bringing some income to the tribes, who often complain of being left out of the major tourism development of the southern Sinai, home to beach resorts and desert safaris.

Until now, all the project’s guides were men. Ben Hoffler, the British co-founder of the Sinai Trail, felt it was not enough. “How can we be credible calling this the ‘Sinai Trail’ if the women aren’t involved?”

But even after years of trying by Hoffler, almost all the tribes still reject women guides. Only one of the smallest, oldest and poorest tribes, the Hamada, accepted the idea.

There are some conditions. The tourists can only be women, and the tours can’t go overnight. Each day before the sun sets, the group returns to the Hamada’s home village in Wadi Sahu, a narrow desert valley. The organizers also urge the tourists to photograph the guides only when they are wearing a full veil over the face that covers even the eyes with mesh.

Umm Yasser was the first to join. She said she started hiking when she was a child and knows the mountains and the valley by heart. She convinced the families of three other women to allow them to work as guides.

Their tribe is a poor one, living in small concrete houses strung along the Wadi Sahu. Electricity runs no more than five hours a night and there is no running water. It is isolated deep in the mountains of south Sinai, far from the tourism centers in Sinai along the Red Sea coast or near the famed Saint Catherine’s Monastery. The men often leave the village to find work, either at resorts or in mines further south.

“We need money to help support our families for basic necessities,” Umm Yasser said. “We need blankets, clothes for the children, washing machines, fridges, books for school.”

The Sinai Trail came together in some of the hardest years for tourism. It was launched as an Islamic State group-linked insurgency intensified in the northern part of Sinai and a year after a Russian passenger plane crashed, killing all 224 passengers on board in a likely militant bombing. The violence has stayed far from southern Sinai, where tourist resorts are located — but the industry has had to push hard to win tourists back.

On a recent tour joined by the Associated Press, 16 female tourists — from Korea, New Zealand, Europe, Lebanon and Egypt — were led by Umm Yasser and the other three women guides, Umm Soliman, Aicha, and Selima, through the rugged landscape in and around Wadi Sahu.

“I think south Sinai is safe especially when you are in the care of Bedouins. … This is where I feel at home. Every corner there is scenery and another beautiful view,” said Marion Salwegter, a 68-year-old Dutch woman who travels to southern Sinai every year alone to escape the winters in Holland.

During the two-day tour, the group hiked across an endlessly broad landscape of mountain peaks and valleys of dry riverbeds. While male Bedouin guides range far from home, the women tend to move closer, with an exceptionally rich knowledge of the surrounding mountains. The guides talked about the local plants and herbs, the history and legends of the area and pointed out the borders of the area’s tribes.

In the evening, the group returned to the Hamada tribe’s village. The women sat on the floor of Umm Yasser’s home and the tourists asked the guide about life in the village, marriage and divorce.

Umm Yasser is skeptical other Bedouin women will join her as a guide or in working in general any time soon. But, she said, “There is no shame in working. This is what I believe in, and it makes me strong.”

Some attitudes are changing. Mohammed Salman, an elderly man from the Aligat tribe, said he thought the guides project was a great step for women. “If a woman wants to work, she should be able to have the right to,” he said. “Many men say no, a woman’s place is at home. But I’m sick of this ideology. She’s a human being.”

Younger Bedouin girls tagged along with the group and talked about wanting to be female guides in the future.

“This trip is going down in history and will be talked about,” said Julie Paterson, a facilitator for Sinai Trail who often works with Bedouin women. “It might also go into Bedouin oral history.”

 
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Small, independent bookstores in neighborhoods across the United States are places to discover new books and make new friendships. But about 20 years ago they were rapidly closing because of competition from big box chain bookstores and on-line book sales. Then about 10 years ago something remarkable happened as indie bookstores came back to life, many thriving and growing every year.

At One More Page Books in Arlington, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, DC, customer Cheryl Moore likes the personalized service that she does not get at large corporate-owned bookstores.

“I think they pay attention to the kinds of books people like to read. They have book clubs, so I don’t think it’s a place where people just buy books, but make friends here.”

Kate Oberdorfer browses through the unusual assortment of books that range from mystery novels and cookbooks, to biographies of famous people.

“It’s a great hole in the wall store where you can find independent titles,” she said.

Oberdorfer chats about a couple of books with Lelia Nebeker, the book buyer for the store that opened eight years ago in the upscale neighborhood.

“I do think it’s a special place for people to come,” said Nebeker, who lives nearby. “When people come in and share their experiences about a book or an author, it can foster a sense of community where people can meet other people who share their interests,” she explained.

After almost withering away, indie bookstores grew by 35 percent between 2009 and 2015. And according to the American Booksellers Association, sales at the more than 2,400 bookstores in the United States rose about 5 percent over the past year. Among them is Hooray for Books, a children’s bookstore that started 11 years ago in Alexandria, Virginia. Owner Ellen Klein thinks part of her success has been providing a wide variety of books to the diverse neighborhood.

“In this community we have a lot of mixed race families,” she said, “and so we’re trying to serve them as well, and it’s wonderful seeing more books with mixed race characters.” 

As customer Sarah Reidl scans the shelves of children’s books she said, “You just can’t really browse on the Internet. I like to be able to browse and look for things in person that catch my eye.”

For people who are passionate about reading, independent bookstores sometimes become a home away from home.

Kristen Maier from Missouri often comes to Hooray for Books when she is in the Washington area for work. She doesn’t think electronic books can replace the feeling of physically holding a book.

“If you don’t have a nice book to pass down to your grandkids or their grandkids, you just kind of lose that sense of history and tradition for your family.”

But to survive, today’s indie bookstores know they have to sell more than books. One More Page also draws in customers with bottles of wine and chocolate they can take home along with a book.

“We are a place where you can come for events, you can meet authors, get books signed, and buy books you might not necessarily stumble upon on your own,” said Nebeker.

Including by local author Ed Aymar, who is talking before a packed house about his latest thriller The Unrepentant. A singer also performs songs that relate to the story. 

“Usually, authors are just reading out loud,” he said. “Something like this gives a different perspective and provides more entertainment for the audience.”

Angie Kim, another local author, came to support Aymar.

“I’ve been here for 5 events just in the last couple of months,” she said. “I think it’s just a wonderful way to show the bookstore that we care about spaces like this and that we want them to continue.”

“We’re going to keep doing what we do well, and hope that our community loves having us around enough to support us,” Nebeker added.
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Twenty-year-old Sana Tajik managed to convince her parents to allow her to follow her childhood dreams and become a singer, but she realizes the dangers of being a woman, let alone a woman entertainer, in tribal northwest Pakistan.

The Pashtun singer grew up in Lower Dir, once a Taliban stronghold of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where performing arts were widely considered to be un-Islamic. She realized early on that violence against female artists was common.

In 2018, five female singers were killed in the northwest and in March this year, a popular Pashtun stage singer and actress was shot and killed near Peshawar, allegedly by her husband.

But two years ago, Tajik’s family moved from their ancestral village to the state capital Peshawar where she managed to convince her parents to allow her to sing.

“At first, there were a lot of objections, from family, as well as people in our village. But now, with the passing of time, and after seeing my videos and songs, things have become normal again,” Tajik told Reuters at her home.

She has released her songs over social media and said she already had a fan following in Pashto-speaking areas of Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan. Her second song, “Halaka Charta Ye,” which means “Oh boy, where are you?,” was a great hit.

“I was extremely happy because so many people were listening to my songs and liked them. My passion for music increased further, and I decided to make more and more songs and videos,” she said.

Despite her success, Tajik says she often feels nervous about security because the Taliban’s influence in the region can still be felt. During the 1996-2001 Taliban regime in Afghanistan, music was considered the handiwork of the devil, particularly if the artist was a woman.

Pakistan’s port city of Karachi is home to an estimated 7 million Pashtuns, the largest urban Pashtun population in the world, including 50,000 registered Afghan refugees. Even though it’s the other end of the country, Sana Tajik’s music is known, though not accepted by all.

“If this lady sang hymns and devotional songs, that would have been better. It would have sent a good message to the Pashtun people,” said resident Iqbal Swati.

“Instead, she is wearing half-sleeved clothes while singing; this is not at all nice. This is not our culture.”

Tajik’s music teacher, Safdar Ali Qalandri, said he often warns her of the dangers ahead.

“One, she is a female. And secondly, this is Peshawar, where, as you know, extreme ‘purdah’ (covering of women) is observed. Taking up singing while living in this society is extremely tough.”
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Small, independent bookstores in neighborhoods in the United States are considered places to discover new books and make new friendships. But about 20 years ago they were rapidly closing due to big box chain bookstores and on-line book sales. Then about 10 years ago, independent bookstores came back to life and are now thriving and growing each year. VOA’s Deborah Block visited two shops in the Washington area where customers are happy to see them in their neighborhoods.
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You might have heard the story by now: That Marsai Martin pitched “Little,” a modern spin on “Big,” to Universal Pictures at age 10. It’s true, she did, but that precocious move was preceded by another, more impressive act of rebellion and a pivotal moment in putting her on the path to becoming the youngest executive producer ever: She fired her agents after the first year of “black-ish.”

 

The ABC show, in which she plays the Johnson’s whip-smart daughter, Diane, was on its first hiatus and Martin and her family wanted to know what opportunities there were.

 

“They were like, ‘You should just stick to “black-ish,” just chill, take a break,'” Martin said.

 

Besides, the agents explained, there weren’t any roles for a young black girl out there. But the Martins persisted and suggested creating something themselves.

 

“They kind of just laughed at us. They didn’t see the vision. But I think they didn’t see it because they saw what I looked like: A little black girl that no one would want to see,” Martin said. “So, we fired them.”

 

Four years later, it’s almost ancient history for the now 14-year-old sitting in the conference room of Genuis Productions, the company she founded, as she prepares for “Little” to hit theaters nationwide Friday.

 

The office space is a projection of Martin herself, with accent walls in her favorite color blue, her and her baby sister’s preferred snacks in the break area (Goldfish crackers, rice crispy treats, etc) and a PS4 in the lobby (as well as her NAACP Image Awards). Her own office is well on its way to having the Alice in Wonderland-feel she wants with “grand plants” and colorful throw pillows. There’s also a very teen-appropriate Polaroid wall, and a perfect view of the Universal sign out the window.

 

“It’s a creative spot for me and a place where I can express how I feel and just get my mind in a cool place where I can just come up with anything I want,” Martin said. “I’m very grateful and doing it with my family is even better.”

 

After the break with the agents, “black-ish” creator Kenya Barris helped nudge Martin in the right direction, securing a meeting with his friend, producer Will Packer, who’s been behind such high-profile hits as “Girls Trip” and “Night School,” to hear her idea.

 

“I didn’t expect much, because, you know, I hear a lot of pitches and most of them aren’t great. I said ‘Listen, I’m sure she’s sweet. I’ll do it as a courtesy,'” Packer said. “And she comes in and she’s got this fully thought out, really coherent, cohesive narrative, with characters and themes. I was like,’She’s how old again?'”

 

Her story would be about bullying and female empowerment.

 

“We wanted it to be as authentic as possible… even though it’s a fantasy, body-swap film,” Martin laughed.

 

She stars as the young Jordan Sanders, a science-obsessed teen who is bullied so much in high school that she grows up to be an insufferable bully herself, as the head of a major tech company. The adult version of Jordan is played by Regina Hall, who Martin had worked with on “black-ish.” Rounding out the cast is “Insecure’s” Issa Rae (“a creator like me”), as Jordan’s undervalued assistant.

Martin loved the whole development process and is glad that it took a few years for filming to start, allowing her to mature a little bit into who she is today. And then, this past February, something even bigger came along: Martin got a first-look deal with Universal, too.

 

“It was so exciting, but to be honest, I didn’t even know what it meant at the beginning,” Martin said. “I was like, ‘Oh cool! What is that? Like, OK, this seems very professional. Am I in it now? Like is this some Jordan Peele-type stuff?'”

 

When she realized that it meant the studio gets first dibs on anything she creates, she was thrilled.

 

“I was like, ‘Oh, OK! So I can create whatever I want?’ I thought that was so cool because this mind has a lot of things,” she said. “I can keep creating things that people don’t get to see often.”

 

She knows it’s unusual to be wielding this much creative power in Hollywood at this young age, but she also enjoys catching people off guard.

 

“It’s like, ‘Oh, snap, THIS girl, created this film?’ And it’s kind of shocking,” she laughed.

 

Her life is pretty crazy right now promoting “Little” and developing new films and television projects. She’s home-schooled with a tutor, which she prefers, and she doesn’t have any regrets about missing out on the high school experience.

 

“I used to be the shy kid who would barely raise her hand or speak her mind,” she said.

 

Even now she suffers her own share of self-consciousness.

 

“That’s something that I have to work on: Self-confidence and loving myself,” she said. “Your girl gets a lot of anxiety. It’s OK. It’s a learning process. I feel like a lot of kids my age get it, whether they’re in the industry or not.”

 

When she does have a moment to unwind, she plays “gruesome” video games like “Mortal Combat,” gets facials, massages, cooks and sometimes just watches YouTube. But even then her wheels are spinning about possible collaborations with her favorite YouTubers.

 

Down the line, she wants to direct and write and, basically, do all the things.

 

Packer, for one, is convinced she will.

 

“She’s got a long, strong career ahead of her. And if she chooses to continue in movies and television, you better watch out because she’s going to make a serious mark,” Packer said. “But she’ll make a mark wherever she ends up.”
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The Hungarian State Opera has asked the nearly all-white cast for its production of “Porgy and Bess” to self-identify as African American.

The Hungarian performers were asked to sign a statement declaring that “African-American origin and identity is an inseparable part of my identity” and made being in “Porgy and Bess” “a special joy,” Hungary’s index.hu news site reported.

Hungarian broadcaster ATV reported Tuesday that 15 of 28 cast members signed the statement. One man in the State Opera production is from Guinea-Bissau in west Africa and another’s father is from there. 

The State Opera’s casting of the seminal folk opera set in the American south ran into trouble with George and Ira Gershwin’s estates. The brothers and collaborator DuBose Heyward created “Porgy and Bess” for black performers, and the Gershwin estates say only black performers may appear in it now. 

The Hungarian show “is not permitted in its current form and contradicts the work’s staging requirements,” a statement from the rights holders says on the opera’s website. Asking cast members to identify as African American appears to be the opera’s way around the dispute.

‘No public registry of skin color’

Opera director Szilvester Okovacs told ATV that since Hungary doesn’t record the race of individuals, he preferred to ask the cast.

“There is no public registry of skin color in Hungary … and I can’t really say about the cast if it meets or not the requirement, so I’d rather ask them,” Okovacs said.

The State Opera’s “Porgy and Bess” premiered in January 2018 and is performed in English, with Hungarian and English subtitles. Seven more performances are planned in 2019.

It moves the setting from Charleston, South Carolina, to a refugee camp in an airplane hangar. A commentary for the classicalhive.com website said it was “not ‘Porgy and Bess.”‘

“It is their own narrative set to the music of ‘Porgy and Bess.’ Which is a mess and misses the point completely,” the website said.
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The Hungarian State Opera has asked the nearly all-white cast for its production of “Porgy and Bess” to self-identify as African American.

The Hungarian performers were asked to sign a statement declaring that “African-American origin and identity is an inseparable part of my identity” and made being in “Porgy and Bess” “a special joy,” Hungary’s index.hu news site reported.

Hungarian broadcaster ATV reported Tuesday that 15 of 28 cast members signed the statement. One man in the State Opera production is from Guinea-Bissau in west Africa and another’s father is from there. 

The State Opera’s casting of the seminal folk opera set in the American south ran into trouble with George and Ira Gershwin’s estates. The brothers and collaborator DuBose Heyward created “Porgy and Bess” for black performers, and the Gershwin estates say only black performers may appear in it now. 

The Hungarian show “is not permitted in its current form and contradicts the work’s staging requirements,” a statement from the rights holders says on the opera’s website. Asking cast members to identify as African American appears to be the opera’s way around the dispute.

‘No public registry of skin color’

Opera director Szilvester Okovacs told ATV that since Hungary doesn’t record the race of individuals, he preferred to ask the cast.

“There is no public registry of skin color in Hungary … and I can’t really say about the cast if it meets or not the requirement, so I’d rather ask them,” Okovacs said.

The State Opera’s “Porgy and Bess” premiered in January 2018 and is performed in English, with Hungarian and English subtitles. Seven more performances are planned in 2019.

It moves the setting from Charleston, South Carolina, to a refugee camp in an airplane hangar. A commentary for the classicalhive.com website said it was “not ‘Porgy and Bess.”‘

“It is their own narrative set to the music of ‘Porgy and Bess.’ Which is a mess and misses the point completely,” the website said.
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Pele arrived back in Brazil Tuesday after having surgery for a “severe urinary infection” during a six-day hospital stay in France that revived fears about the three-time World Cup winner’s state of health.

The 78-year-old, who is widely considered to be the greatest footballer in history, was discharged late Monday from the private American hospital in the Paris suburbs where he had been taken after falling ill following an appearance at a promotional event with France striker Kylian Mbappe.

After arriving at the Sao Paulo-Guarulhos airport in Brazil, Pele was taken through a gaggle of reporters at the terminal in a wheelchair and was driven away in a van.

“Once again, thank God, everything went well. I’m alive. Long live Brazil,” said Pele, a gold cross hanging around his neck, after he arrived in Brazil’s biggest city.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Brazilians and all those who called the hospital, who called me, for my operation, to wish me a rapid recovery,” he added.

He also thanked the hospital for his treatment, saying: “France not only has great footballers, it also has very good doctors.”

After leaving the airport Pele was taken to the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo for further tests. His doctors issued a statement saying the footballer was “in good health.”

Neymar visit

In a statement on Monday on the Globoesporte.com site, Pele said he had required “medical assistance and surgery” for a “severe urinary infection.”

Before he was discharged, current Brazil star Neymar, who plays alongside Mbappe for Paris Saint-Germain, paid him a visit at the hospital.

Neymar posted a photo on his Instagram account Monday of himself next to a smiling Pele in his hospital bed with the two holding hands.

Brazil’s G1 reported that Pele had intended to come out of hospital on Saturday to return to his home country, but had been delayed because he had to undergo further tests.

The urinary tract infection was not serious and was under control, members of Pele’s entourage had said.

Pele, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and perhaps most memorably in Mexico in 1970 when his swashbuckling team re-defined modern football, has had several health scares in recent years.

A similar urinary infection put him in intensive care in November 2014.

In 2016, Pele, who played 1,363 professional matches, scoring 1,281 goals, turned down the chance to light the flame at the Rio Olympics because he had undergone hip surgery earlier that year and was suffering from muscle pains.

In 2017, he appeared at the draw in Moscow for the World Cup in Russia but was in a wheelchair on that occasion too.

In January 2018, he cancelled a trip to London fearing a “stressful” and “tiring” journey.

At the event for a sponsor in Paris, Pele remained sitting throughout his meeting with Mbappe – the two men were the only teenagers to have scored in a World Cup final.

 
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Pele arrived back in Brazil Tuesday after having surgery for a “severe urinary infection” during a six-day hospital stay in France that revived fears about the three-time World Cup winner’s state of health.

The 78-year-old, who is widely considered to be the greatest footballer in history, was discharged late Monday from the private American hospital in the Paris suburbs where he had been taken after falling ill following an appearance at a promotional event with France striker Kylian Mbappe.

After arriving at the Sao Paulo-Guarulhos airport in Brazil, Pele was taken through a gaggle of reporters at the terminal in a wheelchair and was driven away in a van.

“Once again, thank God, everything went well. I’m alive. Long live Brazil,” said Pele, a gold cross hanging around his neck, after he arrived in Brazil’s biggest city.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Brazilians and all those who called the hospital, who called me, for my operation, to wish me a rapid recovery,” he added.

He also thanked the hospital for his treatment, saying: “France not only has great footballers, it also has very good doctors.”

After leaving the airport Pele was taken to the Albert Einstein hospital in Sao Paulo for further tests. His doctors issued a statement saying the footballer was “in good health.”

Neymar visit

In a statement on Monday on the Globoesporte.com site, Pele said he had required “medical assistance and surgery” for a “severe urinary infection.”

Before he was discharged, current Brazil star Neymar, who plays alongside Mbappe for Paris Saint-Germain, paid him a visit at the hospital.

Neymar posted a photo on his Instagram account Monday of himself next to a smiling Pele in his hospital bed with the two holding hands.

Brazil’s G1 reported that Pele had intended to come out of hospital on Saturday to return to his home country, but had been delayed because he had to undergo further tests.

The urinary tract infection was not serious and was under control, members of Pele’s entourage had said.

Pele, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and perhaps most memorably in Mexico in 1970 when his swashbuckling team re-defined modern football, has had several health scares in recent years.

A similar urinary infection put him in intensive care in November 2014.

In 2016, Pele, who played 1,363 professional matches, scoring 1,281 goals, turned down the chance to light the flame at the Rio Olympics because he had undergone hip surgery earlier that year and was suffering from muscle pains.

In 2017, he appeared at the draw in Moscow for the World Cup in Russia but was in a wheelchair on that occasion too.

In January 2018, he cancelled a trip to London fearing a “stressful” and “tiring” journey.

At the event for a sponsor in Paris, Pele remained sitting throughout his meeting with Mbappe – the two men were the only teenagers to have scored in a World Cup final.

 
…

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Pop superstar Madonna will make a guest appearance at the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel next month, her representatives said on Monday.

Concert promoters Live Nation Israel and the singer’s U.S. representatives confirmed reports in Israeli media that Madonna will perform two songs in Tel Aviv during the three-day Eurovision competition in May, which features musicians from more than 40 nations.

Israel was chosen to host the contest after local singer Netta Barzilai won last year in Portugal with “Toy,” propelling her to international stardom. The winning country customarily hosts the following year.

The Israeli venue has already prompted calls for a boycott by pro-Palestinian activists who are campaigning for companies, performers and governments to disengage from Israel.

In January some 50 British celebrities, including singers Roger Waters and Peter Gabriel, wrote a letter calling on the BBC to press for the 2019 Eurovision contest to be relocated.

Madonna took her world tours to Israel in 2009 and 2012 and has been a follower of the mystical form of Judaism called Kabbalah.

She has been working on an untitled new album for the last several months.
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