2024 Election Drama, Fashion Statements, and Revolutionary Performers
From Politics to Fashion to Music: Inside This Week's Edition
Today’s Newsletter
In this edition, we explore surprising developments in the 2024 Presidential Election, Cate Blanchett's potential political statement at Cannes, and Ana Tijoux's recent Tiny Desk concert. We also feature Ms. Rachel's initiative to support children in Gaza through personalized Cameo videos.
Plus, find out how to join Operation Olive Branch's efforts for relief in Palestine. And of course, don't miss out on my pro-Palestine Spotify playlist.
Election Season Kicks Off Early
Biden and Trump are kicking off the 2024 campaign with early debates on June 27 and September 10, hosted by CNN and ABC, respectively. Biden withdrew from the traditional fall debates, opting for earlier ones due to cited changes in election structure. Trump proposed four debates in total. The CNN debate in Atlanta will be audience-free and moderated by Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, while ABC's will be moderated by David Muir and Linsey Davis.
Cardi B on Trump and Biden: “I don’t fuck with both of y’all”
Cardi B told Rolling Stone this week that she won’t be voting in this year’s elections. I covered her reasons for withdrawing support for Biden specifically, who she did endorse in in 2020, in this video.
A day after her interview with Rolling Stone, on May 17, Cardi elaborated on X Spaces, saying: "I just can't support that. My heart can't support that. I can't see children under rubble. I’m not with that. I hate that. It disgusts me. My heart hates it."
Amber Rose Endorses Donald Trump
In a surprising turn of events, model and TV personality Amber Rose endorsed Donald Trump for the 2024 presidential election. Sharing a photo with Trump and Melania on Instagram captioned "Trump 2024" with American flag emojis, Rose faced immediate backlash. This endorsement, juxtaposed with her previous criticisms of Trump and her activism for women's rights, has left many puzzled.
Cate Blanchett at Cannes
At the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, actress Cate Blanchett made headlines with her dress, which resembled the Palestinian flag. While the back appeared light pink in photos, the combination of black and green colors with the red carpet sparked speculation as to whether or not she was making an intentional statement of solidarity with the Palestinian cause. About 3 weeks ago I posted a video about her past support for Palestine, which you can watch here.
Ana Tijoux Sports Kuffiyeh at Tiny Desk Concert
In her recent Tiny Desk concert, Ana Tijoux, the French-born Chilean rapper, showcased her distinctive protest music, spanning three decades. Performing tracks rich in cultural and political commentary, including her latest album "Vida," Tijoux's music embodies danceable beats intertwined with passionate lyrics. Notably, she performed wearing a kuffiyeh.
Tijoux's has long been a supporter of Palestine, as is evident by her collaboration with Palestinian rapper Shadia Mansour on the 2014 song "Somos Sur.”
Ms. Rachel Cameo Videos for Children in Gaza
Rachel Accurso, widely known as Ms. Rachel, is a YouTube sensation famous for her educational videos for toddlers. Recently, she initiated "Messages of Love To Children, For Children,”a fundraising initiative supporting children in conflict zones like Gaza, Sudan, Congo, and Ukraine through personalized Cameo videos, with proceeds going to Save the Children's Emergency Fund.
Ms. Rachel faced backlash, particularly from Jewish and Israeli fans, for not including Israeli children in her efforts. She responded emotionally on her socials, affirming her care for all children, regardless of nationality or religion.
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In the face of relentless bullying, she raised $50,000 within hours and pledged to create 500 videos. The campaign is currently paused as she films the first 500 videos, but I signed up here to be notified if she decides to make more. My son would absolutely lose his shit and I’d be glad to participate in the initiative!
In Case You Missed It
Wallace Shawn had stronger words for Israel in 2008 than most celebrities can muster today. Watch the video below from my “Celebrities Supporting Palestine” TikTok playlist to see what he had to say about Palestine and Israel then and now.
As promised, I added a video on Amira Jazeera to my “Iconic Palestinians playlist.” If you missed last week’s newsletter, check it out to read more about Amira.
Just a reminder, I’ve started a couple of additional series on TikTok: “Pro-Palestine Activists” and “Historical Icons for Palestine.” Both of these series delve into the lives and legacies of remarkable individuals who have left a lasting mark on the Palestinian cause. And be sure to follow me on X/Twitter!
Take Action: Operation Olive Branch - New Features
I first posted about Operation Olive Branch in my March 27 post when I was announcing my newsletter. OOB provides crucial funds for Palestinians trying to evacuate Gaza. The OOB spreadsheet, currently with over 800 GoFundMe campaigns listed, is continuously updated.
In the last couple months Operation Olive Branch has made their spreadsheet even better, improving the organization and highlighting accounts that need “heating,” meaning they have received considerably less donations than some of the others. They’ve also added a section on Donation Partners and one on Giveaways and Raffles. You can download fliers, donate to mutual aid funds, and buy eSIMS for Gaza. They are also looking for translators and social media creators to help!
Thank You
Let me know what you think by commenting below, and don't forget to share this newsletter with your friends and hit the like button. Together, we can tip the cultural scales in support of a Free Palestine. Thank you for being part of this community!
In Solidarity,
illesha magdalena
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