“A tree is best measured when it is down,” the poet Carl Sandburg once observed, “and so it is with people.” The recent death of Harry Belafonte at the age of 96 has prompted many assessments of what this pioneering singer-actor-activist accomplished in a long and fruitful life.
Belafonte’s career as a ground-breaking entertainer brought him substantial wealth and fame; according to Playbill magazine, “By 1959, he was the highest paid Black entertainer in the industry, appearing in raucously successful engagements in Las Vegas, New York, and Los Angeles.” He scored on Broadway, winning a 1954 Tony for Best Featured Actor in a Musical – John Murray Anderson's Almanac. Belafonte was the first Black person to win the prestigious award. A 1960 television special, “Tonight with Belafonte,” brought him an Emmy for Outstanding Performance in a Variety or Musical Program or Series, making him the first Black person to win that award. He found equal success in the recording studio, bringing Calypso music to the masses via such hits as “Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)” and “Jamaica Farewell.”
Harry Belafonte - Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) (Live)www.youtube.com
Belafonte’s blockbuster stardom is all the more remarkable for happening in a world plagued by virulent systemic racism. Though he never stopped performing, by the early 1960s he’d shifted his energies to the nascent Civil Right movement. He was a friend and adviser to the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and, as the New York Times stated, Belafonte “put up much of the seed money to help start the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and was one of the principal fund-raisers for that organization and Dr. King’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference.”
The Southern Poverty Law Center notes that “he helped launch one of Mississippi’s first voter registration drives and provided funding for the Freedom Riders. His activism extended beyond the U.S. as he fought against apartheid alongside Nelson Mandela and Miriam Makeba, campaigned for Mandela’s release from prison, and advocated for famine relief in Africa.” And in 1987, he received an appointment to UNICEF as a goodwill ambassador.
Over a career spanning more than seventy years, Belafonte brought joy to millions of people. He also did something that is, perhaps, even greater: he fostered the hope that a better world for all could be created. And, by his example, demonstrated how we might go about bringing that world into existence.
How Sustain Natural Makes My Period Suck A Lot Less
Ladies, it's that time of month again when Mother Nature sends Aunt Flo your way to let you know you're not pregnant. While this may be good news for some of you, actually having our period can suck. Why does it suck so much? Here's what we got:
- Cramps.. Painful.. Never ending cramps
- Your cute underwear is ruined
- Your skin breaks out
- You're overly tired
- Your boobs are swollen and tender
- Bloating
- You crave food that makes you feel more bloated (chicken nuggets ftw)
- You might even get horny as f*** and can't do anything about it
So you think to yourself, why does it have to be sooo bloody? Why can't it just be glitter and fairy dust? While Sustain Natural can't make that happen, it can make your period less miserable. Here's how:
You can customize your flow
With their period quiz, you can determine exactly how much of which item you need. Sustain has your back if your flow is irregular or you want to switch things up. You can mix & match tampons, pads and liners, plus you can choose your absorbencies so that you always have enough for your light days, heavy days and everything in between.
Sustain keeps it natural (pun intended)
Made with 100% Certified Organic cotton, their period products are free of synthetic ingredients, rayon, or fragrances, so you know exactly what you're putting in your body. Other tampons have all kinds of crap in them, and sometimes even have a chemical film to hold the cotton together. On average, you spend 6 years of your life with a tampon inside of you, so what goes in there really matters.
They make sure you're always stocked
With the subscription, you get a fresh supply every two months so you'll never run out. Plus you can pause, change, or cancel at any time.
They're doing great things for women
Sustain has a team of "vagina confidantes" who'll answer any questions you have about your period, and pretty much anything vagina-related. No topic is off limits or taboo. I love knowing that my period products are coming from an open and honest brand.
Since I started Sustain, my period sucks a lot less. I'm happy that I get the exact quantity that I want, and since they deliver my organic goods straight to my door, I'm always prepared for Shark Week.
First-Time Users: Follow This Link To Get 50% Off Your Period Kit At Checkout With Code: COOCHIE