“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.
Do You Know What This Beauty Brand Is Doing On June 19th?
In the last year, we've fallen head over heels for Thrive Causemetics. This vegan, cruelty-free beauty brand has not only transformed our day-to-day looks but also where we decide to spend our money.
Thrive Causemetics stands out not just for its long-lasting, game-changing products but also for its Bigger Than Beauty™Giving mission. When you purchase from Thrive Causemetics, they donate products and cash to organizations that help women thrive. In the past, sizable donations have also been made to support those impacted by COVID-19 and the California Wildfires.
With June's arrival Thrive Causemetics is gearing up for another big donation on June 19th.
Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when the news of emancipation and the end of the Civil War finally reached Texas, more than two years after Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. Thrive Causemetics will be donating 100% of profits (up to $500,000) that day to nonprofit organizations across the US that are dedicated to racial and social justice and are advancing African-American and Black Communities.
Thrive Causemetics
Makeup & Skincare
100% Vegan + Cruelty-Free
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While we love Thrive Causemetics for their makeup and skincare, we love their commitment to social justice even more. With that in mind if you're already a fan of this brand then June 19th is definitely the day to stock up and know that your money is going to an important cause.
New to Thrive Causemetics? Their products are free of parabens, sulfates, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances while being packed with high-quality formulas and technology. Plus, they even have an amazing subscription option so you'll never run out of your essentials and you get free shipping.
This affordable, award-winning brand has so much to offer from cosmetics to skincare and all made with an inclusive range of shades that work for every skin tone and skin type. Start your journey with Thrive Causemetics on Juneteenth and help others thrive.
Here's what we recommend filling your Thrive Causemetics cart with on June 19th (their best sellers of course):
Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara™
The best-selling mascara that won't flake, smudge, or clump.
A cream-to-powder highlighter that you can use for an instant eye lift or smokey eye.
Buildable Blur CC Cream™ Broad Spectrum SPF 35
Foundation, sunscreen, and moisturizer in one - available in 18 shades.
Defying Gravity Eye Lifting Cream™
Instantly lift, tighten, and brighten the look of skin around your eyes (and hydrate!).
Buildable Blur™ HD Creaseless Concealer
Ultra-lightweight, buildable, waterproof + crease-proof formula - available in 24 shades.
JUST FOR YOU: Our friends at Thrive Causemetics are offering FREE shipping on all orders over $35! Follow this link to shop!
Thrive Causemetics Just Got Better With 2 NEW Products
Our editors have found and fallen in love with a new beauty brand: Thrive Causemetics. They've captured fans with their 100% vegan, cruelty-free products, and with each purchase, they donate to help a woman thrive.
Thrive Causemetics has a wide range of makeup including the award-winning Liquid Lash Extensions Mascara™, but now they have so many other best sellers.
They've taken the beloved Brilliant Eye Brightener™ and added 3 new shades! If you don't know, this Thrive must-have is an amazing cream to powder highlighter that gives you a great instant eye lift look, smokey eye, and just generally opens the eyes up without a ton of work.
Plus, it's powered by ingredients like vitamin E, jojoba oil, and macadamia, meadowfoam, and sunflower seed oil. You'll get skin-balancing hydration and antioxidants to help reduce the look of fine lines.
We already love the Brilliant Eye Brightener™ for its fast application - just apply it to your lids, waterline, the inner & outer corners of your eyes, and blend with your finger or a brush. But now these new shades are taking it to another level.
The Soft Metallic shades include Callie (Greige Taupe), Anise (Warm Bronze), and Pili (Cool Gold) with each one giving just the right amount of shimmer. If you love Thrive Causemetics already, these shades are your next addition, and if you're trying Thrive for the first time this is definitely a great staple to start with.
Now, a completely new addition to Thrive Causemetics' wide range of game-changers is the Buildable Blur HD Creaseless Concealer™. Every woman has their go-to foundation or CC cream to get the coverage they need, but what's missing in so many of those is the ability to target conceal, correct, and brighten.
The Concealer does exactly what it says. Their crease-proof formula gets the coverage you want without the product settling into any wrinkles and fine lines. It comes in 24 shades so you can find your match and also treats your skins to the benefits of super ingredients like snow mushroom extract, vitamin E, and betaine & coconut emollients.
To top it all off, the Blur Effect Technology™ will blur out those pesky pores, fine lines, and imperfections and leave you with a natural skin-like finish. No more caking on tons of foundation thanks to this lightweight formula made for your dark circles, blemishes, and brightening needs. Not to mention those super ingredients are also incredibly hydrating so you can say goodbye to flakey, dry concealers.
You can't go wrong when it comes to Thrive Causemetics. Their formulas are innovative, 100% vegan, and made to tackle your needs. We certainly have been long-time fans and with all these great additions our love for Thrive Causemetics is staying strong.
Try out Thrive's Brilliant Eye Brightener™ and Buildable Blur HD Creaseless Concealer™ - trust us, this brand lives up to the hype!
