Playing a so-called sugar baby on the SXSW film "The New Romantic" made actress Jessica Barden second guess what defines a healthy relationship.
“Lots of things in regular relationships do mirror parts of transactional relationships,” the actress told Cheddar in an interview. “There’s usually always going to be one person who’s providing more.”
The movie, which premiered at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Tex., follows Barden’s Blake, an aspiring journalist whose love column gets cancelled. In hopes of redemption, she takes on a relationship with an older man and chronicles her experience.
In taking on the role, Barden learned that while power dynamics exist in all types of relationships, society tends to cast judgement on the ones where there’s a significant age difference.
“Even if you’re not a sugar baby, there will at least be one person that has an opinion,” she said.
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/exploring-a-different-kind-of-relationship-in-the-new-romantic).
Members of the Kappa League mentoring program at Wyandanch Memorial High School in Long Island, NY are preparing for an educational trip to Ghana. Principal Paul Sibblies is on a mission to enrich his students' lives to put some of them in touch with their roots. "When you invest in young people, then it's the greatest investment you can make," he said.
A group of 15 students recently graduated from SANYS U., a six-week program held by the Self Advocacy Association of New York State. The course helps people with disabilities to advocate on their own behalf, learning more about their rights, legislation and issues that matter most.
