A TRIBE CALLED QUEST, ROBERTO TAPIA, NE-YO, PRINCE ROYCE – all at Univision’s H20 this August 17!‏

Festival to take place on August 17 at the Los Angeles State Historic Park

LOS ANGELES –  Univision Communications Inc., the leading media company serving Hispanic America, today announced details for the 2013 H2O Music Festival. The festival will take place on Saturday, August 17 at the Los Angeles State Historic Park. General admission and VIP tickets are on sale now.

“This year’s H2O Music Festival lineup truly acknowledges our audience’s vast array of musical tastes,” said Evan Harrison, executive vice president of Content & Entertainment, Univision Radio. “From Regional Mexican to R&B & Pop — from Hip Hop innovators to emerging pop stars, August 17 will solidify our music series as a unique and one-of-a-kind event for Hispanic America.”

A TRIBE CALLED QUEST will serve as co-headliners of the H2O Music Festival and confirmed artists include ROBERTO TAPIA, NE-YO, PRINCE ROYCE, LA SANTA CECILIA and FRANKIE J. The second co-headliner as well as additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

Formed in the late 1980s, A TRIBE CALLED QUEST (ATCQ) is one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop groups of the century. The group consists of four members: Q-tip, Phife Dog, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi. ATCQ are noted for their classic records including “Bonita Applebum” and “Can I Kick It?” as well as “Scenario,” recognized by Time Magazineas one of the ALL-TIME Top 100 Songs.

ROBERTO TAPIA is one of today’s most popular Regional Mexican artists. His recent uplifting and inspirational tracks have attracted a younger and more alternative audience than other traditional artists in his genre. Tapia’s album “El Muchacho” most recently reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Latin Albums and his single, “Mirando Al Cielo,” held strong as the No. 1 Hit Single on Billboard’s Hot Latin Tracks for more than 10 weeks.

Award-winning singer, composer, producer, and actor NE-YO (born Shaffer C. Smith) is a talent sought by many artists. With more than 10 million albums sold worldwide, NE-YO has also written and produced hits for a string of stars including Rihanna, Beyonce, Jennifer Hudson, Usher, Carrie Underwood and Celine Dion among others. His latest album “R.E.D.,” an acronym for Realizing Every Dream, was released to critical acclaim spawning hits such as lead single “Let Me Love You” and the latest “Should Be You.”

PRINCE ROYCE is “the most successful new Latin act in recent years” according to Billboard Magazine. His self-titled debut album has been certified triple platinum in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and quadruple platinum in Chile. The twenty-four year old has recorded hit songs with superstars Maná, Daddy Yankee and Thalia, and toured the U.S. with Enrique Iglesias and Pitbull. Prince Royce is a three-time Latin GRAMMY nominee and has won 12 Latin Billboard awards, 13 Premio Lo Nuestro awards and 12 Premios Juventud awards. With 10 nominations, he is currently the top artist nominated for the 2013 Premios Juventud Awards Show. Royce garnered the Latin Billboard’s Songwriter of the Year Award in 2012, becoming the youngest person to receive the recognition and was recently awarded BMI’s Songwriter of the Year Award.

Latin GRAMMY nominated, alternative band LA SANTA CECILIA takes their name from the patron saint of music and is the epitome of our new bi-cultural generation — fully immersed in the modern music and art of the country many have called home since their youngest days, while adventurously fusing together a new sound that also pays homage to the rich traditions of their Mexican heritage. La Santa Cecilia consists of accordionist and requintero Jose Carlos, bassist Alex Bendana, percussionist Miguel Ramirez, and lead vocalist La Marisoul, whose captivating voice sings about love, loss and heartbreak.

Multi-platinum recording artist FRANKIE J returns to the charts with his top 10 hit “No Quiero Ver Con Él” and early single “Tienes Que Creer En Mi” from his forthcoming album “Faith, Hope y Amor.” After selling more than 5 million albums and singles worldwide, Frankie’s return includes a successful tour with Jennifer Lopez & Enrique Iglesias.

The H2O Music Series celebrates Hispanics who live in a bilingual, bicultural world and includes a collection of Private Concerts and the H2O Music Festival in Los Angeles. Artists whom have participated in the Private Concert series include Carlos Vives and Enrique Iglesias with opening acts Leslie Grace, and Jessica Sanchez, respectively.

General admission tickets, as well as VIP packages, are on sale now for $39.50 and $95.00, respectively. Tickets can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, by visiting Ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone by calling 800-745-3000.

The official lifeline for up-to-date H2O Music Festival announcements and artist confirmations is available at H2OMusicFestival.com, on Facebook via Fb.com/H2OMusicFestival and on Twitter via @H2OMusicFest using the hashtags #h2omusicfest and #wespeakmusic.

About Univision Communications Inc.:
Univision Communications Inc., UCI is the leading media company serving Hispanic America. Its assets include Univision Network, one of the top five networks in the U.S. regardless of language and the most-watched Spanish-language broadcast television network in the country reaching 96% of U.S. Hispanic households; UniMás, a leading Spanish-language broadcast television network reaching 89% of U.S. Hispanic households; Univision Cable Networks, including Galavisión, the country’s leading Spanish-language cable network, as well as Univision tlnovelas, a 24-hour cable network dedicated to novelas, Univision Deportes Network, a 24-hour cable network dedicated to sports, ForoTV, a 24-hour Spanish-language cable network dedicated to news, and an additional  suite of six cable offerings – De Película, De Película Clásico, Bandamax, Ritmoson, Telehit and Distrito Comedia; UVideos, the first bilingual digital network serving Hispanic America; Univision Studios, which produces and co-produces reality shows, dramatic series and other programming formats for the Company’s platforms; Univision Television Group, which owns and/or operates 62 television stations in major U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Radio, the leading Hispanic radio group which owns and/or operates 69 radio stations in 16 of the top 25 U.S. Hispanic markets and Puerto Rico; Univision Interactive, a network of products and offerings including Univision.com, which continues to be the No. 1 most-visited Spanish-language website among U.S. online Hispanics, Univision Móvil, a longstanding industry-leader with unique, relevant mobile products and services, and Univision Partner Group, a specialized advertising and publisher network. Headquartered in New York City, UCI has television network operations in Miami and television and radio stations and sales offices in major cities throughout the United States. For more information, please visit Univision.net.

Congratulations Letter from LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to Lizaso House of Barong and Style’s 5th Annual Kayamanan ng Bayan at CBS Studio Center

June 1, 2013
Dear Friends:
On behalf of the City of Los Angeles, it is my pleasure to welcome members and guests attending Lizaso House of Barong and Style’s 5th Annual Kayamanan ng Bayan “A Philippine Independence Day-Week of Celebration” 115th Anniversary.
The Lizaso House of Barong and Style is a model of dedication to building bridges between diverse communities and cultures. I commend their contribution to the Filipino-American community in pursuit of raising awareness in our great city. Your philanthropic and humanitarian contributions to not only the Filipino community, but also to the greater Los Angeles area are truly inspirational.
I would like to congratulate all of tonight’s honorees for their efforts in furthering the Lizaso House of Barong and Style’s mission of humanitarian services.
It is always a pleasure to recognize organizations and individuals dedicated to promoting diversity and spreading hope through their commitment to community outreach.
I extend my best wishes for a memorable celebration and future success.
Very truly yours,

ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA
Mayor

Editor’s Note: This letter was supposed to be printed on the event program but when arrive it was too late for printing. However we are happy to share it here with all our readers including the nominees and award recipients of Lizaso House of Barong and Style’s 5th Annual Kayamanan ng Bayan “A Philippine Independence Day-Week of Celebration” 115th Anniversary.

Mollywood Hollywood Nominated for Lizaso Stylefest 2013 Panama Awards U.S.A. and 5th Annual “Kayamanan ng Bayan”

Hollywood, CA — Wednesday, May 29, 2013 Diversity News Publications publisher of Diversity News Magazine is proud to announce that they have nominated Mulyawati McLain (Mollywood Hollywood) for Lizaso Stylefest 2013 Panama Awards U.S.A. and 5th Annual “Kayamanan ng Bayan”.

Lizaso Stylefest 2013 Panama Awards U.S.A. & 5th Annual “Kayamanan ng Bayan” (a Philippines independence day – Week of celebration’s 115th Anniversary) is set for June 1, 2013 at CBS Studios at 4024 Radford Avenue Studio City, CA 91604 from 5:00 pm to 12:00 am.

This is Lizaso’s 30th Anniversary and it will be featuring red carpet at 5:00 pm, a gala dinner at 6:00 pm, dance and awards ceremony. During the 2013 Panama Awards U.S.A. they will be honoring legends of fashion and beauty. Also there will feature the grand parade of dignitaries, beauty queens, celebrities and community leaders.
Guests will be dining on a street of New York City, a very unique “Open Air” setting in a studio sound-stage lot.

“Congratulations to my real cool friend and very hard working professional lady Ms. Mollywood Hollywood (Mulyawati McLain). She is very honest and caring lady. We need more people like her in this world that helps and gives. Mollywood Hollywood thank you for making a big difference in our world. I ask GOD to always bless you and your family.” said Steven Escobar, Executive Editor-In-Chief of Diversity News Magazine, Producer, Director of Diversity News TV, host of Diversity News Radio, on Air with Steven Escobar and President of Diversity News Publications.


Some of last year’s Community and Humanitarian Services award recipients were: Gloria Calagday, Doctor Ronald Rigor, Sandra Aubuchon, Evelyn Andamo, Nic Arriola, Benny Uy, Angelo Quintas, Jun Tuason, Esteban Steven Escobar, Andy Edralin and Freddie Leogardo.

The requested attire is strictly formal Filipiniana and/or Barong Tagalog. Tickets requested prepaid by May 10, 2013. For more information and tickets contact Boy Lizaso at 213-700-3787.

This event will benefit ABS CBN Foundation International Adopt-A-School, and L.A. Maharlika Lions Club district 4-L3. The event is sponsored by Santa Clarita School of Performing Arts, Infinity Skin and Beauty Care by Dr. Lydia A. Cruz, Scripted In Heaven by Lourdes Duque Baron, The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce Los Angeles, Alab Ng Puso Foundation, Diversity News Publications, Hemolife, Ascent Business Development and many more.

About Mulyawati McLain aka Mollywood Hollywood:
Is the only female Indonesia journalist & celebrity photographer in Hollywood, CA. U.S.A.

Mollywood Hollywood’s humanitarian attributes cannot be quantified by monetary contributions but by the time and energy she shares to whoever needs them. She is a Celebrity Photographer who is loved and treasured for the impact she delivers to those around her.Mollywood Hollywood (Mulyawati McLain) hails from exotic country of Indonesia. She’s a Photographer and Journalist from Indonesian Megazine and photographer contributor for Diversity News Magazine. 

Mollywood Hollywood is a is a role model for young women, and fellow photo-journalists. Her work is highly sought after She visits thousands events. Mollywood is not only a member of an elite sect of media professionals, but she is also a well-loved. She makes a difference with her well shot and well lit photographic and civil Diversity and accuracy. She captures time, places and things. She makes people, places and “improper nouns” live forever in her photo time capsules. For more information visit her IMDB at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4970427

About ABS-CBN Foundation International:
ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc. (AFI) is a committed advocate for public service in strategic sector of Philippine society. AFI aims to awaken hope in the Filipino through implementing projects via multi-sectoral partnerships in the spirit of bayanihan. These are in child care and protection, education, environment, disaster management and community development. It is the public service arm of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, one of Asia’s biggest media conglomerates. It draws on the relationship to tap into the creativity and reach of media for its various programs. AFI serves with the highest standards of excellence, professionalism, integrity and accountability. For more information visit http://www.abs-cbnfoundation.com/

Sources: Examiner.com, CNN

Editor’s Note: On behalf of the entire team at Diversity News Magazine published by Diversity News Publications from The Diversity News Publications Family of Companies we want to congratulate our friend, photographer and contributor Mollywood Hollywood (Mulyawati McLain). We wish her the best and hope she wins the award and more success to her in the entertainment industry here in the USA.

Congratulations Eric Garcetti Is Elected Mayor City of Los Angeles

Eric Michael Garcetti (born February 4, 1971) is the mayor-elect of Los Angeles and an outgoing member of the Los Angeles City Council, representing the 13th District.^[1] He served as Council President from 2006 to 2012.^[2]

Garcetti is the son of the former Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti. A member of the Democratic Party, Garcetti won in a nonpartisan election for Mayor on May 21, 2013, defeating city Controller Wendy Greuel;^[3] Garcetti is the city’s first elected Jewish mayor and its youngest in more than a century.

On May 21, 2013 Eric Garcetti was elected Mayor of Los Angeles with 53.9% of votes. His term will begin in July 2013.

“Thank you Los Angeles–the hard work begins but I am honored to lead this city for the next four years. Let’s make this a great city again.” twitted Mayor elect Eric Garcetti.

“You can’t look to the stars until you’ve fixed the cracks in the sidewalk,” Los Angeles City Councilmember Eric Garcetti often says. As the third-term councilmember serving the 13th Council District, Garcetti has shown that a commitment to the street-level health of the community is a necessary first step in creating positive change. His unique combination of pothole politics and vision has won measurable results in the 13th District, showing how local solutions can show the way to make our city safer, create transportation solutions, and ease the city’s housing crisis.

A fourth-generation Angeleno, Eric Garcetti was born at Good Samaritan Hospital and grew up in Los Angeles.  He won a hotly-contested election to the Los Angeles City Council in 2001, becoming one of the youngest city councilmembers in the city’s history. Over 100 languages are spoken on the streets of his district, from Hollywood to Downtown and across the Los Angeles River.  The neighborhoods he represents constitute the beating heart of Los Angeles.

Garcetti was unanimously elected as Council President in December 2005 and unanimously re-elected in July 2007 and July 2009.  During his tenure as president, he modernized the council’s legislative assignments, making the council’s committees more reflective of the issues that face Los Angeles.

During his first term in office, Garcetti emerged as an effective local problem-solver and as a strong advocate on citywide and national issues. He led the effort to fund the nation’s largest Affordable Housing Trust Fund, oversaw the economic and cultural revitalization of Hollywood, wrote and championed Proposition O to clean up our local water, won passage of a plan that eliminated the city’s business tax for 60% of all businesses, and helped bring thousands of new high wage jobs to Los Angeles and his district.  In his district, he tackled neighborhoods’ most intractable problems, nearly tripled the number of parks, ensuring the availability of an after-school program in every school in the district, and reducing graffiti by more than 60 percent.

Councilmember Garcetti’s work has been recognized in dozens of awards, including the John F. Kennedy New Frontier Award for Americans under 40 who are changing their communities with a commitment to public service; the Green Cross Millennium Award from former President Mikhail Gorbachev, for environmental leadership; a “Tiger Award” from the Valley Industry and Commerce Association, for his work on business tax reform; the New Democrat of the Week recognition from the Democratic Leadership Council, for his work on safety in commercial office buildings and security officers’ working conditions; and the first Olson Award from Human Rights Watch for his human rights activism.

The Los Angeles Times writes that Garcetti is “smart” and “imaginative” and offers the city “refreshing idealism.” He was featured in LA Weekly’s Best of Los Angeles issue and the Los Angeles Alternative Press readers named him “L.A.’s Favorite Elected Official” of 2003. In 2004, The Los Angeles Business Journal named him one of the 25 Angelenos who stand out for their potential to shape lives in Los Angeles.  A profile in Los Angeles magazine in 2006 called him “a rising star”.

Prior to his election, Garcetti taught public policy, diplomacy and world affairs at Occidental College and the University of Southern California. In 1998, the Rockefeller Foundation selected him as a Next Generation Leadership Fellow. Eric Garcetti was raised in the San Fernando Valley. He studied urban planning and political science at Columbia University, where he received his B.A. and M.A. in International Relations. He studied as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University and the London School of Economics. He is an avid photographer, jazz pianist and composer. He lives in Silver Lake with his wife, Amy Elaine Wakeland.

Sources: Wikipedia, http://cd13.com, http://www.ericgarcetti.com

United 4 Wrestling at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena sponsored by Semnani Family Foundation

A strong field loaded with elite wrestlers from the United states , Russia , and Canada  took the mat for an exciting day of competition at “United 4 Wrestling ” at Los Angeles Sports Arena 3939 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90037, held on Sunday, May 19, 2013 at 2:00 p.m.

The United States, Russia and Canada competed Sunday, with Canada a late replacement after Iran pulled out Friday. The Iranian Freestyle team supposed to join the other teams in LA competition but they couldn’t make it for some reason and they returned to their country after the defeat USA team  6 -1 on May 15 at Vanderbilt Hall in New York’s Grand Central Terminal.

The lack of an Iranian team seemed  too disappointing to the few thousand spectators specially to the Iranian ones. They believed that Iran wrestling team is one of most powerful teams in the world.

Sponsoring the “United 4 Wrestling” event in Los Angeles was the Semnani Family Foundation, an international humanitarian organization based in Salt Lake City and founded by Khosrow Semnani, a prominent Iranian-American philanthropist. “For hundreds of thousands of Iranian-Americans – in L.A. and beyond – the `United 4 Wrestling’ event offers a chance to celebrate and defend wrestling as an Olympic sport and tradition,” Semnani said. “Beyond wrestling, these athletes, American and Iranian, embody standards of excellence and a code of sportsmanship that unites us around a culture of fair play. They remind us of the deeper ways in which the Olympic Games bind Iran and America, our ancestral and adopted homelands, as one. Whether it is in philanthropy, sports, medicine, business, culture or education, we Iranian-Americans are more than willing to do our part so that instead of growing up as strangers, future generations of Iranians and Americans can benefit from more of these people-to-people exchanges. “

USA wrestling team has won more Olympic medals in wrestling than any more other nation. 2012 Olympic champion and 2011 World champion Jordan Burroughs leads a powerful and seasoned U.S freestyle team.

The event featured appearances by numerous celebrities and Olympic champions in L.A. including actors Billy Baldwin and Tom Arnold appeared at the event along with Mixed Martial Arts stars Randy Couture, Chael Sonnen, Urijah Faber and Daniel Cormier.

Actor Tom Arnold stepped to the center of the Wrestling mats  and announced that the Olympics should not “become ‘Dancing with the Stars.”
Jordan Oliver (USA) defeated Russia’s Magomed Kurbanaliev in the opening match.

The event featured 13 matches. The United States’ male wrestlers went 3-0 against their Canadian counterparts and finished 2-2 against Russia. The Russian team was 2-0 against Canada. Among female competitors, the United States and Canada split their four matches.

UNITED 4 WRESTLING Result
Sunday, May 19, L.A. Sports Arena, Los Angeles, California.
SENIOR FREESTYLE RESULTS

66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Jordan Oliver (USA) dec. Magomed Kurbanliev (Russia), 7-6
60 kg/132 lbs. – Opan Sat (Russia) dec. John Pineda (Canada), 10-0
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Haislan Garcia (Canada) dec. Soslan Ramonov (Russia), 6-3
84 kg/185 lbs. – Jon Reader (USA) dec. Tamerlin Tagziev (Canada), 12-2
55 kg/121 lbs. – Artas Sanaa (Russia) dec. Sam Hazewinkel (USA), 5-2
96 kg/211.5 lbs. – Chris Pendleton (USA) dec. Manjot Sandhu (Canada), 11-0
48 kg/105.5 lbs. – Jasmine Mian (Canada) dec. Victoria Anthony (USA), 4-2
51 kg/112.25 lbs. – Genevieve Haley (Canada) dec. Jessica Medina (USA), 11-5
63 kg/138.75 lbs. – Elena Pirozhkova (USA) dec. Danielle Lappage (Canada), 4-2
72 kg/158.5 lbs. – Brittney Roberts (USA) dec. Justina DiStasio (Canada), 7-2
60 kg/132 lbs. – Opan Sat (Russia) dec. Coleman Scott (USA), 6-2
66 kg/145.5 lbs. – Jordan Oliver (USA) dec. Haislan Garcia (Canada), 5-2
74 kg/163 lbs. – Jordan Burroughs (USA) dec. Saba Khubetzhty (Russia), 14-3

YOUTH MATCHES
60 lbs. – Patricia Arana pinned Viviana Garcia, 4:30
90 lbs. – Cade Olivas pinned Randon Miranda, 2:30
126 lbs. – Zander Wick dec. Jimmy Felix, 11-0
126 lbs. – Jaden Abas dec. Daniel Long, 6-4

About USA Wrestling:
USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. For more information visit http://www.themat.com/usawrestling.org/

Photos credit to: (C) Alireza Kia/Alireza Kia Photography for Diversity News Magazine published by Diversity News Publications.

Winners Announced for 2013 Student Academy Awards‏, comedian Bob Saget to host awards ceremony on Saturday, June 8th

BEVERLY HILLS, CA –May 14, 2013, Thirteen students from nine U.S. colleges and universities as well as three students from foreign universities have been selected as winners in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Student Academy Awards competition. They will be brought to Los Angeles for a week of industry activities that will culminate in the awards ceremony, hosted by 1978 Student Academy Award winner and comedian Bob Saget, on Saturday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills.

This year saw first-time honors go to Elon University, Occidental College and the University of Michigan in the U.S. competition, as well as to Zurich University of the Arts, Switzerland, and RITS School of Arts, Belgium, in the foreign competition. The medal placements – gold, silver and bronze – in each of the award categories will be announced at the June 8 ceremony.

The winners are (listed alphabetically by film title):

Alternative
“Bottled Up,” Rafael Cortina, Occidental College
“The Compositor,” John Mattiuzzi, School of Visual Arts
“Zug,” Perry Janes, University of Michigan

Animation
“Dia de los Muertos,” Lindsey St. Pierre and Ashley Graham, Ringling College of Art and Design
“Peck Pocketed,” Kevin Herron, Ringling College of Art and Design
“Will,” Eusong Lee, California Institute of the Arts

Documentary
“Every Tuesday: A Portrait of The New Yorker Cartoonists,” Rachel Loube, School of Visual Arts
“A Second Chance,” David Aristizabal, University of Southern California
“Win or Lose,” Daniel Koehler, Elon University

Narrative
“Josephine and the Roach,” Jonathan Langager, University of Southern California
“Ol’ Daddy,” Brian Schwarz, University of Texas at Austin
“Un Mundo para Raúl (A World for Raúl),” Mauro Mueller, Columbia University

Foreign Film
“Miss Todd,” Kristina Yee, National Film and Television School, United Kingdom
“Parvaneh,” Talkhon Hamzavi, Zurich University of the Arts, Switzerland
“Tweesprong (Crossroads),” Wouter Bouvijn, RITS School of Arts, Erasmus College Brussels, Belgium

To reach this stage, U.S. students competed in one of three regional competitions. Each region is permitted to send up to three finalists in each of the four categories. The Student Academy Awards Executive Committee screened and voted on the finalists in the Foreign Film category.

The Student Academy Awards were established in 1972 to support and encourage excellence in filmmaking at the collegiate level. Past Student Academy Award® winners have gone on to receive 46 Oscar® nominations and have won or shared eight awards. The roster includes such distinguished filmmakers as John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Robert Zemeckis, Trey Parker and Spike Lee.

The 40th Student Academy Awards ceremony on June 8 is free and open to the public, but advance tickets are required. Tickets are available online at www.oscars.org, in person at the Academy box office, or by mail. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information, call (310) 247-3600.

About The Academy:
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards–in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners–Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies. For more information visit www.oscars.org

Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

The Recording Academy, CBS Announce Dates For 56th And 57th GRAMMY Awards

56th Annual GRAMMY Awards® to Take Place at Los Angeles’ STAPLES Center on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014, Live on CBS and 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards Telecast to Air Live on CBS Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (May 13, 2013) — Music’s Biggest Night^®, the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards^®, returns to Los Angeles’ STAPLES Center on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014, and will be broadcast in high-definition and 5.1 surround sound on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). The eligibility year for the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards is Oct. 1, 2012, to Sept. 30, 2013. Additionally, the 57th Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast will be held on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015.

GRAMMY Week — a weeklong series of cultural events culminating with Music’s Biggest Night — will again feature celebrations of music, education and philanthropy, including GRAMMY Camp — Basic Training, the Entertainment Law Initiative^® luncheon, the Producers & Engineers Wing^® event, the GRAMMY Foundation^®‘s Music Preservation Project, the annual MusiCares^® Person of the Year tribute, the Special Merit Awards Ceremony & Nominees Reception, and Clive Davis and The Recording Academy’s Pre-GRAMMY Gala, among other events.

The GRAMMY Awards telecast is one of television’s major broadcast events, ranking as one of the highest-rated and most-watched specials. Ratings for the GRAMMY Awards have consistently increased over the last several years, with the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards attracting 28.3 million viewers, the second largest GRAMMY audience since 1993. Music’s Biggest Night also grew its social media conversation by 47 percent, generating 24.8 million comments (based on research compiled by Bluefin, PeopleBrowsr, and Mass Relevance), the highest for any awards show.

About The Recording Academy:
Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, songwriters, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com.

16th Century-style Experience at the Renaissance Pleasure Faire

Last week to go see and meet The Queen and the Royal Court for the 51th Season of The Renaissance Faire.

It was a hot day on Mother’s day, but the crowd showed up. Plenty of Moms came to have some fun at the Renaissance Fair with their families and enjoyed what the fair had to offer. Many came from all over Los Angeles. Also some they came as far from San Diego and Ventura County. With plenty of activities, games crafts, music and performances, this event is ideal for adults and kids. The fair will be open thru the weekend of May 18th and 19th.

The Renaissance Pleasure Faire is held at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, 15501 Arrow Highway, Irwindale, CA., from 10:00 am until 7:00 pm.

On Sunday, May 19th should be special day as they will celebrate the last day of the fair and the 51st Anniversary Season carrying on the tradition closing Day Parade.

Tickets for The Renaissance Pleasure Faire are $25 for adults and $15 for children aged 5-12. Children 4 and under are always free. Adult season passes are $125 and a child’s season pass is $60. Tickets can be purchased at the box office or online at www.renfair.com. The sevenweek Faire is open every Saturday and Sunday from 10 in the morn til 7 eventide April 6 – May 19 at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, 15501 Arrow Highway, Irwindale, CA. A Vehicle Entry fee of $10 is charged by Los Angeles County. For more information, visit www.renfair.com.

About The Renaissance Pleasure Faire:
Begun in 1963 in Agoura, near Malibu, to create “living history” for schoolchildren and their families, the Original Renaissance Pleasure Faire has grown into an annual interactive playground and gallery for over 200,000 participants and guests. It has given birth to an industry nationwide and this year is more fun and exciting than ever.
This Southern California Faire has traveled a bit since Agoura. The Glen Helen Pavilion provided two different settings in Devore (in San Bernadino County) where the Faire spent many years. Shortly after the turn of the Century, the Faire moved back to Los Angeles County, to its current home at the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, a United States Army Corps of Engineers’ Facility and a unit of County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation System in Irwindale, CA.
Since its inception, more than 5 million people from around the world have visited Southern California’s Renaissance Pleasure Faire, averaging approximately 20,000 each weekend. For more information visit http://www.renfair.com/socal/index.asp

Photos and article by Francois Palais from Francois Palais Photography for Diversity News Magazine.

Editor’s Note: Diversity News Magazine wants to thanks the management and staff at The Renaissance Pleasure Faire for giving our team the great opportunity in covering this year season.

CA Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom and singer Adam Lambert honored at 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco

The San Francisco Giants, Brittney Griner and Kevin McClatchy receive Special Recognition Awards. Frank Ocean, Any Day Now, Ebony.com, Kevin Keller among award recipients at San Francisco event presented locally by Southwest Airlines.

San Francisco, Sunday, May 12, 2013 -GLAAD honored California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom, Grammy-nominated singer Adam Lambert, and the best in entertainment and journalism last night at the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in San Francisco. Mel B, Guillermo Diaz, Tamala Jones, Jinkx Monsoon, Rex Lee and Laverne Cox were among the special guests.

The GLAAD Media Awards recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and the issues that affect their lives. The GLAAD Media Awards also fund GLAAD’s work to amplify stories of LGBT people and issues that build support for equality.

At the ceremony, filmmaker Jennifer Siebel Newsom presented GLAAD’s Golden Gate Award to her husband,Lt. Governor of California Gavin Newsom.

In accepting the award, Newsom said, “There’s one fundamental that defines the best of this city, and the best of this organization, and that is we don’t tolerate our diversity, we truly celebrate our diversity. We highlight all those wonderful and interesting differences, but at the end of the day we unite around our common humanity. As Dr. King so eloquently said, ‘We are all bound together by a web of mutuality.’ We’re all in this together.”

Melanie Brown, a judge on America’s Got Talent and former Spice Girl, presented GLAAD’s Davidson/Valentini Award to out singer Adam Lambert. Speaking of the challenges associated with being an out entertainer, Lambert said, “We are right in the middle of two generations with two different perspectives but one common thread – love. With all the differences of opinion both within the LGBT community and elsewhere, the best we can do is to keep it real and to spread a message of acceptance. If we can inspire even one person to open their mind, or another to be who they want to be, whether they’re gay or straight, old or young, man or woman, black or white then it’s worth being objectified by the sometimes frustrating world of media sensationalism.”

Lambert continued, “Thank you to GLAAD for recognizing my efforts, because I put a lot of effort into this. I think about it a lot (it makes me crazy), but my goal is to try to represent both myself and my community proudly.”

The reigning World Series champion San Francisco Giants received the Corporate Leader Award. The Giants are the first professional sports team honored by GLAAD. They were the first ever professional sports team to host an HIV/AIDS benefit game in 1994, and have generated more than $1.3 million for Bay Area HIV/AIDS education. The Giants were also the first major league sports team to record a video for the It Gets Better project, and this month will hold their 11th Annual LGBT Night Out.

Travis Fine, the writer/director of Any Day Now, accepted the award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release. Writer and artist Dan Parent accepted the award for Outstanding Comic Book for the ongoing comic book series Kevin Keller. Journalist Marc Lamont Hill accepted the award for Outstanding Digital Journalism Article for his piece “Why Aren’t We Fighting for CeCe McDonald?” which appeared on Ebony.com.

GLAAD also presented Special Recognition Awards to Kevin McClatchy, former owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team who came out in a New York Times article last year, and Brittney Griner, an out basketball player and this year’s number one draft pick for the WNBA.

RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon performed for the capacity crowd. Guests included: Tamala Jones (Castle); Guillermo Diaz (Scandal); Jessica Clark (True Blood); Rex Lee (Suburgatory); Teri Polo,Sherri Saum, Peter Paige (The Fosters); Jaymes Vaughn, James Davis (The Amazing Race); Kyle Richards (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills); Jennifer Biesty, Ryan Scott, Josie Smith-Malave (Top Chef); Laverne Cox, E.J. Bonilla (Musical Chairs); Travis Fine, Isaac Leyva (Any Day Now); Dan Parent(writer, artist Kevin Keller); Marc Lamont Hill (HuffPost Live); Prop 8 plaintiffs Jeff Zarrillo, Paul Katami, Kris Perry, Sandra Stier; LGBT advocates Karen and Eric Andresen, Shane Bitney Crone, Jennifer Tyrrell and Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler; former Pittsburgh Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy; number one WNBA draft pick Brittney Griner; GLAAD National Spokespersons Wilson Cruz and Omar Sharif, Jr.

Following is a complete list of GLAAD Media Award recipients announced Saturday in San Francisco. Additional awards were presented in New York on March 16 and in Los Angeles on April 20. For a complete list of nominees and award recipients from the 24th Annual GLAAD Media Awards, please visitglaad.org/mediaawards.

• Golden Gate Award: Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom 
• Davidson/Valentini Award: Adam Lambert 
• Corporate Leader Award: San Francisco Giants 
• Outstanding Film – Limited Release: Any Day Now (Music Box Films)
• Outstanding Music Artist: TIE: Adam Lambert, Trespassing (19 Recordings, RCA Records) andFrank Ocean, Channel Orange (Def Jam)
• Outstanding Comic Book: Kevin Keller (Archie Comics)
• Outstanding Digital Journalism Article: “Why Aren’t We Fighting for CeCe McDonald?” by Marc Lamont Hill (Ebony.com)
• Outstanding Digital Journalism – Multimedia: “Edie Takes on DOMA” In the Life (ITLMedia.org)
• Outstanding Blog: Rod 2.0 (http://rodonline.typepad.com)

SPANISH-LANGUAGE

• Outstanding TV Journalism Segment: “En el cuerpo equivocado” Noticias 19 (KUVS TV-19 [Sacramento, Calif.])

About GLAAD:
GLAAD is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org.

Photos by Judi Price/GLAAD
Source: GLAAD

Strict standards for protecting anonymous online commenters urged by Reporters Committee‏ for Freedom of the Press

Protecting the identity of someone posting an anonymous review on Yelp or any other website is crucial to protecting speakers’ First Amendment rights and the public good, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and several news organizations argued in a friend-of-the-court brief filed in the Virginia Court of Appeals.


The Reporters Committee brief in Hadeed v. Yelp calls for a heightened standard of judicial review before anonymous online commenters are identified, and urges the court to revisit a lower court’s order compelling the disclosure of an anonymous criticism of the services of Hadeed Carpet Cleaning posted on the online review site Yelp.

“By offering only a minimal discussion of First Amendment interests at state, the trial court failed to fully acknowledge the extent to which the First Amendment restricts compulsory identification of anonymous speakers on the Internet,” the brief to the Court of Appeals argued. “When faced with questions of compelled disclosure of anonymous online speakers, this Court must adopt a meaningful standard that requires a heightened showing of evidence of a valid claim and notice to the affected parties.

“This standard is essential to protect the interests in anonymous speech, which often serve the public good and contribute to a better understanding of public issues and controversies,” according to the brief, which was joined by the American Society of Newspaper Editors, Gannett Co. Inc., and The Washington Post.

“Courts around the country have established certain benchmarks that must be satisfied before compelling the disclosure of an anonymous commenter,” said Reporters Committee Executive Director Bruce D. Brown. “First, there ought to be tangible evidence that the comment was false and defamatory and, second, speakers should be notified that an action is pending. To do otherwise would be to inhibit robust debate.”

About the Reporters Committee:
Founded in 1970, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press offers free legal support to thousands of working journalists and media lawyers each year. It is a leader in the fight against persistent efforts by government officials to impede the release of public information, whether by withholding documents or threatening reporters with jail. In addition to its 24/7 Legal Defense Hotline, the Reporters Committee conducts cutting-edge legal research, publishes handbooks and guides on media law issues, files frequent friend-of-the-court legal briefs and offers challenging fellowships and internships for young lawyers and journalists. For more information, go to www.rcfp.org, or follow us on Twitter @rcfp.

Source: RCFP

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