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https://www.blackenterprise.com/universal-basic-income-republicans-disapprove/
In recent years, more cities have experimented with guaranteed universal basic income (UBI), and those who have received funds said the programs have given them peace of mind.
As Business Insider reports, Ingrid Sullivan, a 48-year-old grandmother, is among the latest voices joining that refrain after San Antonio created a guaranteed basic income program in 2020.
Sullivan told the outlet, “My life was always just a couple hundred dollars short. For the first time, I can breathe.”
She continued, “It wasn’t like, ‘Oh, this is extra money.’ This was money that filled a hole that wasn’t there.”
Universal Basic Income policy was first seriously proposed to answer the holes in the social safety net during Lyndon B. Johnson’s War on Poverty in the 1960s. According to Karl Widerquist, the author of Universal Basic Income, several Canadian studies in the 1970s painted a positive picture of the program. In America, the Earned Income Tax Credit, food stamps, and the Child Tax Credit bear some resemblance to UBI. Widerquist notes in his book that the central difference between those programs and UBI is that they have requirements and UBI does not. The lack of requirements is the part of the UBI pilot programs that most appeals to Sullivan and others who have received payments.
The current wave of UBI policies is coming from a more leftist position, so Republicans are less charitable about supporting programs they characterize as “socialist” and “insane.”
In Texas, cities like San Antonio, Austin, and Houston have been experimenting with the idea of UBI, and research has indicated that the programs can benefit low-income families. Rachel Kimbro, the Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences and dean of the School of Social Sciences at Rice University, co-authored a study examining the use of school-based food distribution by Black low-income mothers.
According to the study’s conclusion, “Respondents favored the flexibility and practicality of cash assistance. As the women in our study were already experts in stretching food resources, direct cash assistance amplified existing strategies while food distributions introduced new complications.”
The Republican argument against UBI is similar to the arguments they have made against welfare programs in the past. Arizona Rep. John Gillette told Business Insider that he believed the programs would make people lazy. “Is money a birthright now? Do we just get born and get money from the government? Because I think the Founding Fathers would say that is very contrary to our capitalist system and encouraging people to work.”
Gillette continued, “You get out, you get a job, you make money, you pay taxes, you live the American dream,” Gillette said. “We were never designed to have the federal government supply a salary.”
Sarah Cowan, an associate professor of sociology and the executive director of the Cash Transfer Lab at New York University, told Houston Landing that UBI programs are not about a lack of work ethic but freedom of choice.
“The idea behind guaranteed income is that it’s simpler for everyone involved, and then it gives families more autonomy to solve their unique problems with their unique set of resources,” Cowan said. “It’s trusting families to know what they need in order to thrive.”
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By Rivea Ruff ·Updated April 1, 2024
Only one weekend into her COWBOY CARTER era, Beyoncé has broken ground and multiple records on the charts.
Music streaming giant Spotify announced on Friday that the album had officially crossed the threshold as the most-streamed album of 2024 thus far, mere hours into its release. The album also smashed records for Amazon Music streaming, breaking ground as the most-first-day-streamed Country album from a female artist in the DSP’s streaming history, via Billboard.
This comes on top of the accolades its lead single, “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” garnered even before the full album release, landing on the charts across nine genres and propelling Beyoncé to become the first Black female artist to reach the top slot on the Hot Country Songs chart. She also now holds the position of first Black woman to land a number onw on the Hot 100 Chart with a Country song.
Beyoncé has leaned fully into her new role as the reigning queen of Country, recently posing for W Magazine‘s first-ever digital cover in a western-themed shoot reminiscent of her 2011 ESSENCE Magazine cover where she first planted her aesthetic seeds in Country soil.
Photo: Pamela Hanson “I feel honored to be the first Black woman with the number one single on the Hot Country Songs chart,” the songstress wrote to fans ahead of her album’s release. “That would not have happened without the outpouring of support from each and every one of you. My hope is that years from now, the mention of an artist’s race, as it relates to releasing genres of music, will be irrelevant.”
It seems Bey’s hopes are already coming to fruition, as there has been an exponential uptick in streaming for the Black Country artists she featured on her project, via The Hollywood Reporter. Spotify reports that songstress Tiera Kennedy experienced a 40,000 percent increase in catalog listens and 110% uptick in first-time streams. Similarly, both social media Country darling Tanner Adell’s and Nashville crooner Reyna Roberts’ first-time streams each have shot up 125%.
Brittney Spencer‘s first-time spins shot up 170%, with her overall streams increasing by 37,220 percent. Interest in Willie Jones and Shaboozey spiked with 75% and 70% in first-time streams, respectively.
With the songstress having taken over five years to carefully craft her Country masterpiece, Beyoncé’s process has shaped the cultural zeitgeist over the past three years. “I recorded probably 100 songs,” Beyoncé said in a statement. “It’s been really great to have the time and the grace to be able to take my time with it.”
Photo: Pamela Hanson. “I was initially going to put COWBOY CARTER out first, but with the pandemic, there was too much heaviness in the world. We wanted to dance. We deserved to dance. But I had to trust God’s timing.”
“I think people are going to be surprised because I don’t think this music is what everyone expects,” Beyoncé said upon the album’s release. “But, it’s the best music I’ve ever made.”
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TOPICS: beyoncé Beyonce black cowboy country music Cowboy CarterThe post ‘COWBOY CARTER’ Breaks Single-Day Streaming Record In Just 24 Hours appeared first on Essence.
WWD via Getty Images By Robyn Mowatt ·Updated April 1, 2024
Beyoncé’s COWBOY CARTER is a moment in which the generational icon embraces her roots in a way that we’ve never seen before. She is unafraid to unleash what directly links her to the past generations of her family, her Southern lineage. These depths she dives deep into allow her to reclaim her heritage uniquely. The rollout of her latest compilation was injected with nods to Western culture, emphasizing cowboy hats, oversized buckled belts in assorted tones, and the use of the American flag. On the album cover, the striking horse points to the importance of equestrian culture not just out West but also in major Southern cities like Houston, Texas.
High fashion elements are also included as a part of this cowgirl era–this arrived in the form of fitted leather chaps also seen on the album cover which accentuated her curves. In a separate image, a white tank top also took on a new meaning when paired with denim chaps from Louis Vuitton’s newest menswear collection by Pharrell Williams. This distinct rollout shot fused a laidback item with a significant piece signaling this might be the icon’s most fashionable era yet.
Below, we’re keying in on five standout tracks from COWBOY CARTER and pairing them with looks from designers we love.
“TEXAS HOLD EM“
Model on the runway at Louis Vuitton Men’s Fall 2024 as part of Paris Men’s Fashion Week held at Jardin d’Acclimatation on January 16, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Giovanni Giannoni/WWD via Getty Images) “TEXAS HOLD EM” is a cutesy and energetic bop that got fans invested in COWBOY CARTER when it was first revealed. It also presents Bey’s experimentation within the Americana music market. Pharrell Williams took the cowboy aesthetic for a spin in his Fall/Winter 2024 collection. One look in particular aligns with this single–a tan suede collared button-up and dark brown leather trousers. The gold-tone buckle belt was a killer addition to this outfit.
“LEVII’S JEANS“
PARIS, FRANCE – FEBRUARY 29: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY – For Non-Editorial use please seek approval from Fashion House) A model walks the runway during the Schiaparelli Womenswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on February 29, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Estrop/Getty Images) This laidback track in which Bey croons about her affinity for her life partner and husband Jay-Z, featuring Post Malone, is deserving of a look that feels not too flashy. Schiaparelli’s Fall/Winter 2024 presentation by Daniel Goldberry included a nearly all-denim outfit. The spin on the Canadian tuxedo featured a denim jacket with golden buttons and a matching midi skirt. Grey shades, a light blue boxy handbag, and chic maroon pumps were the finishing touches on this outfit.
“JOLENE“
PARIS, FRANCE – FEBRUARY 29: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY – For Non-Editorial use please seek approval from Fashion House) A model walks the runway during the Schiaparelli Womenswear Fall/Winter 2024-2025 show as part of Paris Fashion Week on February 29, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Estrop/Getty Images) Since “JOLENE,” a standout off of the album, ethers into a bit of dark energy, an all-black outfit is most fitting. Within Schiaparelli’s latest runway show, there was a look that spoke to this track. The outfit consisted of a semi-transparent floral top, oversized satin trousers, and a sleek belt. Cowboy-inspired pointed-toe shoes are a striking accessory that adds a hint of minimalism.
“RIIVERDANCE“
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – FEBRUARY 12: A model walks the runway at the Laquan Smith fashion show during New York Fashion Week: The Shows on February 12, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by John Lamparski/Getty Images) This would have been an off-kilter single, but sadly it wasn’t chosen. “RIIVERDANCE” is sultry, eloquent and well-produced. There are some soul and funk elements all over this track moreso than country elements–with that being said the ‘70s are calling us. In LaQuan Smith’s most recent collection, which was presented at NYFW in February, there is a sequined mini frock that speaks profoundly to the flow of this staple on the album.
“SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN“
NEW YORK, USA – FEBRUARY 12: A model walks the runway during the Sergio Hudson Ready to Wear Fall/Winter 2024-2024 fashion show as part of the New York Fashion Week on February 12, 2024 in New York. (Photo by Victor VIRGILE/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images) Once “SWEET HONEY BUCKIIN” cranks on the album is nearly done. This track has some hints of the bass-heavy beats that derived in the Southern states. Since Sergio Hudson has roots in the South, Ridgeway, South Carolina to be exact, a bustier-centric look from his last collection is most fitting. Bey loves showcasing her décolletage so I immediately thought of Hudson’s February ready-to-wear line. The crisp leather bustier is the center of the look and it’s paired with a brown lengthy dress. Brown suede boots top off this classic ensemble.
TOPICS: beyoncé laquan smith Louis Vuitton Schiaparelli sergio hudsonThe post 5 Songs On Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” And The Runway Looks Each Embodies appeared first on Essence.