Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation is kicking off the month of September with the third annual #BeKind21 campaign, which calls on participants to do good deeds for 21 straight days.
With hundreds of partners and nearly five million people already pledging to "integrate kindness" into their lives, the foundation's goal this year also includes combating trauma caused by COVID-19 and social unrest, Maya Smith, executive director of the Born This Way Foundation, told Cheddar.
"Kindness can do everything from brighten someone's day to save someone's life, so the more of us that can think about how to include kindness in our everyday lives, the better off we'll all be," she said.
For those looking for ideas, the foundation will provide tips, Smith continued, saying there is no such thing as a small act of kindness.
The #BeKind21 challenge also aims to draw attention to mental health, as September is also recognized as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
"These are uncertain and unprecedented times, so make sure you know the resources that support you, the people who you can talk to," Smith noted.
Spearheaded by a group of Channel Kindness reporters, — a Born This Way Foundation digital platform — the foundation is capping off the #BeKind21 campaign with a book release that includes a collection of goodwill stories. According to Smith, those personal stories aim to inspire people as the stresses of today become increasingly challenging.
"As you know [at Cheddar], telling the good stories, telling the stories of kindness and hope that keep you going, really matters," she said. "We wanted to present and offer a platform for young people to tell the stories of kindness in their communities and share their own brave voices."
When Will Smith marched onto the Oscars stage and smacked Chris Rock, the unpredictable moment served as a jarring interruption to Hollywood’s feel-good celebration.
The U.S. market value of the plant-based food industry reached an all-time high last year. According to a new report from the Plant Based Food Association, retail sales of plant-based foods reached $7.4 billion, but questions are arising over whether the industry can sustain the levels of growth it had in the past few years. Julie Emmett, senior director of marketplace development at the Plant Based Food Association, joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Saint Peter's University - a small school in New Jersey school - has skyrocketed to the center of the sports world in a 'Cinderella' story for the record books. The ultimate underdog of the men's March Madness tournament is just the third 15-seed to reach the Sweet 16, after beating Murray State and college basketball powerhouse Kentucky. Throughout the university's historic run, Saint Pete's has reportedly been earning what amounts to millions of dollars in publicity. Amanda Christovich, reporter for Front Office Sports, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Kyte, a company that delivers rental cars to customers on-demand, closed an asset-backed credit financing of up to $200 million from Goldman Sachs and the Ares Global Management Alternative Credit Team to accelerate the company's fleet growth and margin expansion. Kyte and its financing providers will create a more robust trip economy that services a more demanding customer with a shared vision of an electrified, autonomous future. Ludwig Schoenack, co-founder and co-CEO of Kyte, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Volatility continues to be the name of the game when it comes to crypto. Bitcoin, the most valuable digital token, saw a small jump today - one of several small rallies throughout the month of March. Caitlin Cook, vice president of crypto education company Onramp Academy, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Biden says Putin can't remain in power, Will Smith slaps Chris Rock at the Oscars, and a fashion show, just not IRL. Here is all the news you Need2Know for Monday, March 28, 2022.
After scrutiny over the negative impact on the mental health of children, social media apps have begun adding stricter limitations to parental controls. Jim Steyer, CEO of Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization focusing on recommendations for entertainment platforms, joined Cheddar News to talk about the changes, why they might not be enough, and what parents can do to help. "It's almost that the companies — whether they're Snapchat, Instagram, YouTube, or whatever — have to start the process from the beginning of designing the product," he said. "They have to be much more clear about age verification so that a 12-year-old and 11-year-old can't get on there." Steyer also pushed for federal legislation to reign in the issue.
Tenicka Boyd is a digital creator making content that reflects her two passions: activism and style. The TikTok star joined Cheddar News to talk about her platform and new looks this Spring. Boyd admitted that at first she wanted to remain anonymous on the social media platform before finding her passion. "I just joined TikTok hoping that no one would find me, and I started creating colorful content," she said. "I didn't know that you could monetize this and really do it full time, and I just followed my passion because I realized that you can have multiple different lives and do multiple different things."
