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In a historic moment that marks a significant milestone in the intersection of music and outer space, the Lunaprise Museum proudly announced the successful lunar landing of Brayden Pierce’s "Capture the Moon (MOOON.PARTY Mix)." Not long ago, all of Brayden Pierce’s music recordings were destroyed in one fatal rainstorm. He thought music was over for him, but the moon had different plans: On February 22, 2024, Brayden Pierce and his song “Capture the Moon (MOOON.PARTY Mix)" made history as the first music artist with an electronic dance song on the moon as part of Space Blue’s curated archive on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, coinciding with NASA's monumental return to the moon after over 50 years. This groundbreaking initiative, a time capsule of humanity’s creativity and innovation, sets Brayden Pierce alongside 222 legendary artists like Jimi Hendrix, Bob Marley, and Elvis Presley, whose digitized recordings were also placed in the Lunaprise Museum. The digital museum is designed to withstand the test of time on the moon for a billion years, ensuring "Capture the Moon" will resonate forever. 

About Artist/Entrepreneur Brayden Pierce

As a lifelong music artist, Brayden is a true polymath, excelling in singing, multiple instruments, DJing, songwriting, producing, and mixing. Despite his impressive achievements, including sold-out shows in Los Angeles, songs with millions of plays, and performances at major festivals, Brayden has remained largely under the radar. In response to the challenges of navigating the digital music landscape, Brayden took an entrepreneurial approach and created Soundromeda, a revolutionary music entertainment platform. More than two years deep in Soundromeda’s development, Brayden’s platform evolves the traditional music listening experience by transforming songs into dynamic songworlds infused with magical game design, providing artists with a fresh canvas to showcase their creativity and be discovered in a crowded digital space. Through Soundromeda, Brayden seeks to unlock new value for music and empower artists to connect with audiences in innovative ways, bridging the gap between technology and creativity for a more immersive future of music consumption.

Capturing the Moon

Brayden kissed being a music artist goodbye in 2022 when his laptop and hard drives were destroyed in one fatal rainstorm, taking all of his music with it. That is, until he teamed up with designer and artist Kelly Max a year later. Brayden made a special Modernist edition of his song “Capture the Moon” for Kelly’s Modernist art series (a collection now archived on the moon).

Brayden originally wrote “Capture the Moon” in 2011 as an ode to the old Latin saying carpe diem ("seize the day"), encouraging the listener to live life to the fullest in each moment and achieve your dreams before our time on this planet is up. The song reincarnated at least six times in all of Brayden’s music projects, ending with Kelly’s urge for a more dance floor-ready version: the MOOON.PARTY Mix. 

MOOON.PARTY: A Festival Fusion of Music, Art, and Space 

Electrified by their collaboration, Brayden Pierce and Kelly Max co-founded MOOON.PARTY, a powerful entertainment venture aimed at redefining the festival experience. This innovative brand seamlessly merges art, music, and space exploration, offering audiences an unparalleled immersive experience with exclusive space content. MOOON.PARTY sets a new standard in global festivals, inviting attendees to engage with art and music in a new way. Brayden says, "Where humans go, art is there to define us. Embracing the moon's view offers a beacon of hope for humankind to see past our differences and open our eyes into compassion and kindness. MOOON.PARTY is more than a celebration. It symbolizes a new chapter for human culture existing beyond Earth.”

Capture the Moon (MOOON.PARTY Mix): A Historic Release Inspiring Generations to Dream Beyond

The Lunaprise Museum, curated by Dallas Santana (Founder of Space Blue), handpicked Brayden Pierce’s transcendent track, "Capture the Moon," in early 2023, cementing his status among 222 artists chosen to be archived on the moon for a billion years. The Lunaprise Museum landing not only signifies the establishment of the first museum beyond Earth, but also serves as a beacon of human creativity and ingenuity. Leveraging patented technologies and blockchain authentication, Lunaprise pioneers a historic disruption in space tech, offering collectors rare, verified assets linked to twin digital files stored in the lunar museum.

As Brayden Pierce's "Capture the Moon" becomes a moon anthem, Soundromeda pioneers a new era of  space-themed music entertainment and MOOON.PARTY redefines the global festival scene, Brayden Pierce will forever be the first-ever EDM artist to land on the moon with his music and immortalize his artistic voice in the cosmos. Reflecting on this monumental project, Brayden expresses profound gratitude, stating, "To have 'Capture the Moon' play among the stars is a dream realized."

Click here to listen to "Capture the Moon (MOOON.PARTY Mix)"

#CaptureTheMoon #BraydenPierce #MOOONPARTY #Soundromeda #Lunaprise 

Media Contact

Claudia Safavi

+1 305-864-3434

claudia@taraink.com

DSP and social media links to "Capture the Moon":

https://hypeddit.com/braydenpierce/capturethemoon

https://www.instagram.com/braydenpierce

http://youtube.com/c/kingdoms

https://www.twitter.com/braydenpierce

https://soundcloud.com/braydenpierce

https://www.tiktok.com/@braydenpierce_

https://www.facebook.com/braydenpiercemusic

https://www.bandsintown.com/a/14375859-brayden-pierce

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6zjHf8TW9Hg6dCTYZzgjdW?si=ZyNPJt84QmWayKO4HSmYhg

To learn more about the Lunaprise Museum and its curation by Space Blue, click here.

To learn more future of music, visit Soundromeda here.

The Lunaprise Moon Museum proudly unveils a historic lunar landing, a testament to human creativity that transcends earthly bounds. This momentous occasion features the pioneering digital artworks of designer/artist Kelly Max, the imaginative creations of artist Samy Halim, and the captivating music of producer/artist Brayden Pierce, heralding a new era for art, music, and space exploration.

A Tale of Resilience and Inspiration

This event marks more than a milestone in technological achievement; it celebrates the enduring spirit of its contributors. Faced with potential extinction in 2022, the Modernist project, under the stewardship of Kelly Max and Samy Halim, not only survived but thrived, emerging as one of the most celebrated art collections both on Earth and now, uniquely, in space. Their journey from near dissolution to achieving a place among the stars highlights the resilience and unity that the endeavor inspired. This remarkable story of overcoming adversity underscores the transformative power of art and belief to foster hope and bring people together across the universe.

In 2022, Brayden Pierce, a multi-talented singer/producer/DJ, lost all of his recorded music to a fatal rainstorm. Introduced to the Lunaprise Museum mission by Kelly a year later, Brayden's artistic contributions have now carved a unique niche in the annals of space history with the song "Capture the Moon."

The Modernist Artworks: A Legacy Encased in Moon Dust

The digital "Modernist Art" collection, a collaborative effort between Kelly Max and Samy Halim, features the MoonRider piece, a digital tapestry carrying 180 names pivotal to their journey. This collection also comprises 420 Modernist originals and 9,724 generative Modernist genesis artworks. Selected for lunar preservation, these pieces embody human creativity and the collective spirit of innovation, expected to last over a billion years on the lunar surface.

Brayden Pierce: A Sound Pioneer

Brayden Pierce's contribution, the soul-stirring "Capture the Moon", becomes the first electronic dance song to grace the lunar landscape. Available in two versions: The Modernist Edition and the MOOON.PARTY Mix, Pierce's work symbolizes a bridge between worlds, echoing humanity's aspirations and dreams among the stars. Pierce states:

"Being part of this lunar legacy is an honor that transcends words, to have 'Capture the Moon' play among the stars is a dream realized."

MOOON.PARTY: Uniting Through Art and Music

The newest venture in the creative pack, MOOON.PARTY, co-founded by Kelly Max and Brayden Pierce, represents a groundbreaking fusion of art, music, and space, aimed at forging a global community that celebrates human achievement and connectivity. "Our work is a testament to what humanity can accomplish when we unite in creativity and purpose," says Kelly Max. "MOOON.PARTY is more than an event; it's a movement towards a unified, inspired future."

This new venture has already gained traction, not only with its inaugural event at 2023 Miami Art Week 2023 but also by programming and co-producing the Lunaprise Rocket Launch Gala at Kennedy Space Center on February 14, 2024, together with Space Blue. By blending art, music, space, and space content recording, MOOON.PARTY is set to redefine immersive entertainment experiences. Leveraging the backdrop of space, it aims to inspire and captivate audiences worldwide.

Kelly Max reflects on what makes this journey so unique:

"What's truly special about our work and this historic moment is our passion for sharing this incredible journey with the world, to foster unity, belief, and mutual respect. Through the Modernist collection's inclusive art, the MoonRider's celebration of collective contributions, and Capture the Moon's musical bridge to space, we aim to cultivate a sense of global connection. MOOON.PARTY transcends mere events—it's about crafting a lasting community, inviting all to embrace this new viewpoint. Our vision of Earth from the moon inspires us to dream bigger and offer a unifying perspective for humanity. The Moonview."

A Cosmic Canvas for Humanity's Best

The Lunaprise Museum, curated by Dallas Santana (founder of Space Blue), not only marks the establishment of the first extraterrestrial museum but also showcases the limitless potential of artistic expression. Through the preservation and authentication of digital assets using blockchain, this initiative promises to keep the essence of human creativity alive for eons, inspiring future generations to explore the unknown.

Dive into the Artistic Cosmos

Join us on a journey beyond the stars and immerse yourself in the Lunaprise Museum's extraordinary collection. Discover the stories behind the Modernist Artworks, experience "Capture the Moon" by Brayden Pierce, and be part of a community that's redefining the boundaries of art and music.

For more information about the Lunaprise Moon Museum, its curation by SpaceBlue, and the historic contributions of Kelly Max, Samy Halim, and Brayden Pierce, please visit https://spaceblue.club/projects/lunaprise-mission.

For information about Modernist, please visit https://www.modernistxyz.com.

To listen to "Capture the Moon (MOOON.PARTY Mix)," please visit https://hypeddit.com/braydenpierce/capturethemoon.

Media Contact

Claudia Safavi

claudia@taraink.com

Park Slope Cleaning, a M/WBE-certified company specializing in commercial cleaning and janitorial services for establishments in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, today announced that it has been awarded certification as a women-owned business enterprise (WBE) by the New York State Department of Economic Development, Division of Minority and Women's Business Development (DMWBD). This certification confirms that Park Slope Cleaning meets the eligibility requirements set forth by New York State Executive Law.

This certification is a significant milestone for Park Slope Cleaning as it demonstrates the company's commitment to promoting diversity and supporting women-owned businesses in the commercial cleaning industry. By obtaining WBE certification, Park Slope Cleaning is now positioned to further expand its reach and serve a wider range of clients in the New York State area.

As a leading provider of commercial cleaning and janitorial services in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, Park Slope Cleaning's M/WBE and WBE certifications set it apart from competitors and showcases its dedication to excellence and inclusivity. Clients can trust that Park Slope Cleaning not only delivers top-notch cleaning services but also upholds the values of diversity and empowerment in the business community.

According to Diana Ciechorska, General Manager of Park Slope Cleaning, "We are thrilled to receive WBE certification from the state of New York. This recognition validates our ongoing efforts to provide exceptional cleaning services while championing women-owned businesses in the industry."

Looking ahead, Park Slope Cleaning plans to leverage its WBE certification to forge new partnerships, expand its client base, and continue delivering superior cleaning solutions to businesses across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens.

For more information about Park Slope Cleaning and its services, visit https://www.parkslopecleaning.com.

About Park Slope Cleaning

Park Slope Cleaning is a leading M/WBE and WBE-certified commercial cleaning company based in New York City. Renowned for its commitment to excellence and client satisfaction, Park Slope Cleaning provides a comprehensive range of cleaning services tailored to meet the unique needs of businesses in the New York City area.

Media Contact

Diana Ciechorska

info@parkslopecleaning.com

The Global Kratom Coalition (GKC) announced today their support of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as they undertake clinical research on kratom. Clinical research is necessary to expand understanding of kratom consumer safety, guide regulatory decision-making, and impact global health. The GKC is expressing support for an efficient research timeline that produces findings for real-life applications.

The GKC also applauded the FDA for the appointment of James “Jim” Jones, the first-ever Deputy Commissioner of the Human Foods Program. Jones comes to the FDA with intimate knowledge of the food program having served on the Reagan-Udall Foundation’s Expert Panel that reviewed and made recommendations for the program in 2022.

"The FDA is in a position to produce robust scientific data that evaluates the efficacy and safety of kratom, which can help guide regulatory oversight," said Matthew Lowe, Executive Director of the GKC. "When this research is made public, it will bring much greater certainty to the question marks that the FDA has had in relation to kratom's risk profile. These findings could be an industry and consumer game changer." 

In a positive demonstration of its commitment to risk-prioritization strategy and policy, the FDA last year appointed Jones. He will oversee areas involving human foods for the FDA. Overall, according to food and beverage market trade Food Navigator, the FDA will "pursue access to accurate information that is easy to understand and transparency into how FDA evaluates food safety." The February 2024 article also quoted Kimberlee Trzeciak, FDA Commissioner for Policy, Legislation and International Affairs: "FDA are doing as much as we can to be more transparent and to provide sufficient assurance that the decisions we are making are science-based."

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia, where its leaves have long been used as a mood booster and energy enhancer. Despite being used traditionally in Southeast Asia in global form for centuries, kratom's regulatory status and safety are debated in countries around the world, including the U.S., where it is now available in various forms such as ground leaf, extracts, and isolates.

As noted at the recent 3rd Kratom Symposium, the scientific community strongly encourages further research on the various forms of kratom to help firmly establish, clarify, or dispel inaccuracies. The FDA’s recent leaf kratom Single Ascending Dose (SAD) study and upcoming Human Abuse Potential (HAP) are critical components of the clinical research needed in this space.

The SAD study aims to learn about the safety, pharmacokinetics (what the body does to the substance), and pharmacodynamics (what the substance does to the body) of leaf Kratom.1 This SAD research will help determine the optimal dose range for further clinical development by identifying the maximum tolerated serving and assessing kratom's effect at various serving levels. Additionally, the single ascending dose data will provide valuable data on leaf kratom’s safety profiles, guiding subsequent dose selection for further clinical trials and public statements on kratom. Initial SAD results are expected to be released in late 2024.

The FDA has also released a request for proposal for Human Abuse Potential (HAP) research. The HAP research will evaluate kratom through controlled laboratory studies and observational research, which can provide critical insights into its addictive properties and abuse liability, informing regulatory decisions on how kratom should be adequately regulated in the U.S.

"By conducting robust research in these areas, the FDA can contribute to a more evidence-based understanding of the various forms of kratom's risks and benefits," said Lowe. "Altogether, clinical data will facilitate informed policymaking and regulatory oversight, which we believe will benefit kratom consumers across the country."

About the Global Kratom Coalition

The Global Kratom Coalition (GKC) exists to protect and expand access to leaf-based kratom around the world. The organization represents the interests of advocates committed to positive change benefiting consumers. The organization supports education and the development of kratom science, which is central to the GKC’s mission—to empower individuals worldwide with access to safe and responsibly sourced kratom products by advancing scientific research and sensible regulation.

The GKC operates on five key values:

• Access: The belief that individuals should have a choice as to how they look after their health, informed by the latest unbiased information available.
• Education: Providing accurate, evidence-based information about kratom (including on our website), allowing consumers to make informed decisions.
• Advocacy: Serving as a united voice for kratom consumers worldwide, seeking fair and sensible regulations that prioritize consumer safety, freedom of information, and good sourcing and manufacturing practices.
• Community: Fostering a global group of enthusiasts, experts, vendors, and advocates to promote the benefits of kratom and fight for informed and responsible use.
• Responsibility: Promoting the responsible use of kratom and encouraging vendors to adhere to strict quality and safety standards so that consumers have access to products that are safe, well-manufactured, and appropriately labeled.

Please follow us at:

Website: https://globalkratomcoalition.org

Twitter: @kratomcoalition 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/globalkratomcoalition

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalkratomcoalition

Media Contact

Matthew Lowe

mlowe@globalkratomcoalition.org

Space Blue, a company that specializes in space exploration and innovation, today announced that the beloved Arctic pup character Marshmello has hitched a ride on a SpaceX Falcon 9 and will now be immortalized on the moon thanks to the Lunaprise Moon Museum and Time Capsule. This groundbreaking project marks a significant milestone in the intersection of art, technology, and space exploration, catapulting a piece of digital art linked to the adorable Earth-based Arctic pet, Marshmello, into lunar history.

The Lunaprise Moon Mission, which successfully landed Marshmello's artwork on the moon on February 22, 2024, utilizes cutting-edge nickel and nano technologies to preserve her 1,111 art pieces for over a billion years. This collaboration between SpaceX, private lunar lander companies, space contractors, and the Arch Mission Foundation, introduces Marshmello as the first pet animal character art project curated and archived in the lunar archive, dubbed Lunagrams.

The Pet project also makes history as the first Bitcoin and Bitcoin ordinal project to land on the moon. Discover the uniqueness of Bitcoin ordinals and Marshmello's collection: https://gamma.io/ordinals/collections/marshmello

As the first Bitcoin art project to reach the moon, Marshmello's collection employs Bitcoin Ordinals to ensure authenticity and provenance, connecting collectors on Earth with their counterparts on the Lunaprise. This innovative approach not only celebrates the bond between humans and pets but also pioneers a new era of digital art collection and preservation.

Perhaps thousands or millions of years from now, future archeologist will unearth the archive on the moon to discover that indeed someone on Earth loved their pet. At the entrance to the archive on Lunaprise upper layers of discs, before you get to see Michelangelo or Leonardo da Vinci paintings inscribed like cave drawings on nickel materials, you will find the modern-era Sphinx guarding the Great Pyramid, this time it is Marshmello, the beloved dog who lived on planet Earth and witnessed the space program connecting and meeting its many astronauts and scientists and who witnessed the actual launch of her artwork on the Space X Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Center on February 15, 2024.

The project is the brainchild of the real human pet owner, Space Blue curator Dallas Santana, who travels everywhere with the real-life Marshmello, a tiny white Artic fox-type Pomeranian that many in the space and arts community have come to adore.

Dallas Santana, Space Blue curator and the visionary behind this project, emphasizes the importance of including a symbol of humanity's best friend in this lunar endeavor. His aim is to foster a connection between families, children, and the Artemis vision, highlighting the urgent need for off-Earth storage of our cultural, scientific, and biological heritage and even preservation of our animal's DNA in case something happens bad on the Earth.

The mission, a part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS), showcases a diverse array of human creativity and ingenuity. From ancient Sumerian civilizations to the Renaissance and the modern digital era, Santana has curated a collection that spans the breadth of human expression, underscoring the significance of preserving our legacy beyond our planet.

"The moment I got appointed to oversee the curation of this project, I had my mind set that we would include a dog, a symbol of humanity's best friend and companion on planet Earth and a great way for families and children to connect and understand the Artemis vision and urgent need for specific storage off-Earth of a backup of our culture art, science, animal and biological DNA, digital files and the stories of human connection with animals pets," said Santana, curator of the Space Blue arts program.

Meanwhile on Earth, Marshmello the Arctic pup artwork will be auctioned off by Space Blue and 100% donated towards impactful projects for humanity. Through a space impact foundation called SI Fund each digital art piece that goes to the Lunaprise Moon Museum will have Earth-based twin files that are authenticated through blockchain technology. The sale of these helps to funnel proceeds to help humanity in various areas of need. Marshmello is well-known to social media stars. NBC’s "Deal or No Deal" star Olga Safari introduced Marshmello to Logan Paul for a video series about his dog Kong. In this series, Kong is looking for a date and discovers the new love of his life, a tiny teacup arctic fox Pomeranian he then dubbed “wifey." The video series with the romance completed with the episode “Smash Love Pad,'' resulting in over 50 million views. Marshmello was also spotted snuggling with models from "America’s Next Top Model." Also, she was featured on ABC’s "The Bachelor" television promotion with her cryptopreneur "Daddy Dog.” Marshmello most recently appeared in a Web 3.0 post-apocalyptic movie The 9th Raider. This is just one of many of Marshmello’s media feats managed by the team at Space Blue. 

Marshmello's journey from social media stardom to becoming a lunar pioneer captivates the imagination, bridging the gap between art, science, and exploration. Her digital collectibles, now valued at staggering amounts, contribute to impactful earth-based projects, demonstrating the potential of art to effect real-world change.

This historic mission, facilitated by space contractors and collaborators and the art curation team at Space Blue supported by a massive growing global community, celebrates our cosmic companions and the enduring human spirit of exploration and innovation. As Marshmello's artwork takes its place among the stars, it serves as a beacon of hope and a reminder of our shared destiny in the cosmos.

Space Blue: Honoring Our Cosmic Companions for Eternity

Discover more about this unprecedented mission and how Marshmello's art is making history on Space Blue's official website and Marshmello's digital collectibles website.

Media Contact

Curator's Office

curator@spaceblue.club

Leela AI, a provider of visual intelligence solutions for improving productivity and safety in manufacturing, today announced it has joined NVIDIA Metropolis, a partner program, application framework, and set of developer tools focused on bringing to market a new generation of vision AI applications. NVIDIA Metropolis nurtures a rich ecosystem and offers powerful developer tools to supercharge vision AI applications that are designed to make the world’s most important spaces and operations safer and more efficient.

Leela AI’s Leela Platform, powered by NVIDIA L4 Tensor Core GPUs, uses visual AI to deliver continuous time and motion studies of manufacturing activities. Its visual intelligence software measures and analyzes the complex interactions between people, tools, machinery, robots, parts, and products, and compares productivity across shifts and stations. To help achieve the fast, accurate analytics that manufacturers demand, the SaaS cloud platform uses NVIDIA accelerated computing solutions such as CV-CUDA, pretrained models, and NVIDIA Triton Inference Server, which are available with the NVIDIA AI Enterprise software platform.

NVIDIA Metropolis makes it easier and more cost-effective for enterprises, governments, and integration partners to leverage world-class, AI-enabled solutions to improve critical operational efficiency and safety problems. The NVIDIA Metropolis ecosystem contains a large and growing breadth of members who are investing in the most advanced AI techniques and most efficient deployment platforms and using an enterprise-class approach to their solutions. Its members can gain early access to NVIDIA platform updates to further enhance and accelerate their AI application development efforts. Further, the program offers the opportunity for members to collaborate with industry-leading experts and other AI-driven organizations.

“Everyone knows that if you are serious about delivering enterprise-class AI, you should be looking to use NVIDIA technology,” said Cyrus Shaoul, CEO, Leela AI. “By joining NVIDIA Metropolis, we can best achieve maximum value from NVIDIA’s industry-leading AI tools and services.”

About Leela AI

Leela AI is helping manufacturers achieve greater visibility into their operations and drive continuous improvement. Developed by a team from the MIT AI Lab, Google and AMD, Leela’s privacy-enabled visual intelligence software identifies and times every step in the manufacturing process to spotlight bottlenecks and best practices. Leela Platform helps improve productivity by comparing performance across shifts and locations and can spot safety violations and optimize staff redeployment.

Media Contact

Eric Brown

eric@leela-ai.com

The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts will host BIPOC Pop 2024, a three-day event, March 7–9, that will create an extraordinary space for BIPOC creators, scholars, students, teachers, librarians, and industry innovators to explore and share as well as to build and solidify BIPOC alliances and strengthen community through the sharing of cutting-edge, creative, critical knowledge-making practices in the graphic storytelling arts. Awards will be given for Best Student Essay, Best Emerging Creator, Best Animated Short, Best Animated Doc., and Best Student Animated Short.

Workshops and panels will focus on topics such as Chicanofuturism, stories for youth empowerment, performing pop culture, history telling through zines, life tales, shaping new K–12 learning spaces, and more.

Esteemed presenters, workshop leaders, expo guests, and facilitators include high-profile players in the industry such as Chispa/Scout Comics publisher, Veronique Medrano, publisher; White House consultant and CEO of Ad Astra Media, José Morey, M.D.; award winning filmmaker and CEO of L21 Consulting, Ben Lopez; Marvel creator Kevin Garcia; award winning author, Harvard professor, and member of the Cherokee Nation, Daniel Justice; and, Angélique Roché, producer of Marvel’s Voices; among many others.

The event is the brainchild of Professor Frederick Luis Aldama, the Jacob & Frances Sanger Mossiker Chair in the Humanities at UT Austin, who is also widely known as Professor Latinx. Aldama is a prolific writer, documentary filmmaker, and founder and director of UT Austin’s Latinx Pop Lab as well as the Latinx Pop Magazine.

BIPOC Pop came as a natural strategic move to put UT Austin on the map for the creating, teaching, and studying of Latinx/BIPOC comics, gaming, animation, and multimedia storytelling arts.

Dr. Aldama describes the impact of this trailblazing event: “We have lots of big cons across the country, but nothing that brings creatives, scholars, teachers, librarians, and industry leaders under one roof—and certainly nothing that puts BIPOC pop culture front and center. BIPOC POP shouts from rooftops that our stories matter. That we are vital shapers of culture at large!”

The symposium will take place March 7–9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Patton Hall Glickman Conference Center on the UT Austin Campus at 305 E. 23rd St. Partners include Ad Astra Media, UT’s Latino Studies, Project Males, University of North Texas, Texas Orange Jackets.

For more information on the event schedule and how to attend, visit the event website at www.bipocpop.com.

About the University of Texas at Austin College Liberal Arts

The University of Texas at Austin College of Liberal Arts is dedicated to promoting cutting-edge research that helps people better understand human history, society, and culture. With over forty majors, it is committed to creating and maintaining a diverse and inclusive academic community in which all members are equally respected and valued.

Media Contact

Frederick Luis Aldama

+1 510-367-9112

aldama@utexas.edu

Vinat, a startup making wine approachable for women, announced today the launch of their first line of wines, Valevino Skinny Dip Prosecco, Cha Cha Cha Red Blend, and Out of Office White Blend. The wines are available on www.drinkvinat.com in time for Women's History Month. The wines are produced in Italy and Slovenia and are priced between $20 and $24 per bottle.

The founders, Sarah and Emily Mack, are sisters who were fed up with how unapproachable and confusing wine can be. Emily Mack, co-founder and COO, says, "Every time I would tell a friend I was starting a wine company, they would apologize to me for not knowing enough about wine. To me, this was crazy! People who drink beer don't feel the need to know where the hops come from—why should wine be any different? We've become really determined to change this mindset. It's a high goal, but we'll start small and work our way there. Anyone can enjoy good wine; you don't have to be an expert."

Vinat works with vineyards to sell high-quality European wines directly to the customer. By doing this, the company can cut out middlemen and offer great wines (with super cheeky labels) at fair prices. Vinat's website also suggests easy pairings such as popcorn with its Skinny Dip Prosecco and unconventional wine pairings that include books and bingeable TV shows.

A recent Forbes article quotes the work of Dr. Christina Chi, a professor at the School of Hospitality Business Management at Washington State University. The article ("What Clues On A Wine Label Influence Women’s Perception Of How It Will Taste?") states Dr. Chi's findings that "a 'more feminine' wine label alters the female drinker's sensory expectation and the taste of the wine, ultimately swaying their buying intention." The article also highlights that although women represent 59% of wine consumers in the U.S., they are underrepresented in the wine industry as a whole—from label design to wine production.

Vinat has completed stints at IESE Business School's Summer Entrepreneurship Experience in Barcelona in 2022 and Cincinnati-based Aviatra Accelerator's virtual accelerator program in October 2022. In October 2023, Vinat was awarded Texas Woman University's StartHER Grant.

Media Contact

Sarah Mack

hello@drinkvinat.com

PerVista, a company dedicated to addressing the increasing issue of mass shootings in the United States, today announced that Dan Simons, co-founder and co-owner of Founding Farmers and Farmers Restaurant Group, is investing in PerVista's Wefunder campaign.

Investment from experienced founders like Dan Simons is further validation that PerVista's technology and team is well positioned to be a leader in digital security. In the first week alone, PerVista successfully raised more than 50% of their targeted goal of their Wefunder campaign.

"We are delighted to welcome Dan Simons to the PerVista family as an investor," said Vennard Wright, founder of PerVista. "His background in building and scaling Farmers Restaurant Group will be incredibly valuable as we ensure public spaces across DC, Maryland, and Virginia are protected. Given we have both spent the majority of our careers working locally in this community, this is a mission we share."

Today, PerVista's cutting-edge solutions have been deployed by the Baltimore Orioles, Prince George's County, and schools across Maryland, monitoring the safety and security of everyone entering these spaces each day. Funds from the Wefunder campaign will be used to further expand the company's operations and product, which are designed to be the most cutting edge solutions in the detection space. 

"Our missions are more aligned than they may seem at first glance. Safety and wellness go hand in hand —a healthy lifestyle means nothing if our children and our neighbors are not safe," said Dan Simons, founder of Founding Farmers. "I am proud to participate in this Wefunder campaign to take PerVista to the next level."

For more information about PerVista and its mission to combat school shootings, please visit https://pervista.com and https://wefunder.com/pervista.

About PerVista

Located in the Washington, DC region, PerVista is a company dedicated to preventing school shootings through innovative technology and comprehensive solutions. By leveraging data analytics, artificial intelligence, and proactive intervention strategies, PerVista aims to create a safer environment for students and educators. The company also provides training programs and resources to educate schools and communities on early detection, crisis management, and intervention strategies. For more information, visit https://pervista.com.

Media Contact

Vennard Wright

vwright@pervista.com

Fast-growing UK hair brand Glaze—a subsidiary of parent company Waldencast UK Limited—expands its presence in North America with its first U.S. physical retail partner, launching with Target starting today into 354 brick and mortar stores nationwide and on target.com.

Founded in 2021, Glaze creates accessible, easy-to-use, high-performance hair products that deliver confidence boosting, salon-worthy, glossy hair all day, every day. The brand is PETA-Certified Vegan & Cruelty-Free making it well positioned to capture the hearts of Zillennial, and the Target shopper. The brand first launched with a category game-changing semi-permanent color conditioning gloss with its distinctive, easy-to-use squeezy round bottle. They have since expanded the range into Care with GlaziPlex 4-IN-1 Super Bond Repair Treatment in September 2023 with new innovation to come being announced Spring 2024.

Rolling out into Target, and supported with a nationwide U.S. influencer campaign will be:

• SuperGloss Conditioning Gloss ($18.00 RRP): like a tinted moisturizer for the hair, SuperGloss is powered by KINDColor Technology to condition, care, hydrate and repair the hair as it colors for healthier, glossier, more vibrant hair in 10 minutes. In 16 shades, from a universal gloss to specific shades for highlights along with blondes, brunettes and redheads. Five of the brand’s best-selling shades will be available in-store—universal Sheer Glow, Brilliant Bronde, Glaze Cherry, Sleek Espresso and Luminous Liquorice.

• GlaziPlex 4-IN-1 Super Bond Repair Treatment ($22 RRP): infused with our QuadBond Technology, this conditioning treatment transforms damage to shine in just four minutes. It protects, strengthens, protects and glazes, and designed to treat all four types of damage from styling and color to chemical and heat.

Waldencast Brands' Chief Business Officer, Dani Viloria says, “At Glaze we are all about providing accessible, easy-to-use, high-performance products with head-turning hair results. We are so excited to be launching with Target, a retail partner who shares our vision to help U.S. consumers nationwide achieve salon-worthy results right from their own shower.“

About Glaze

Founded in 2021, Glaze creates accessible, easy-to-use, high-performance hair products across color, care and styling that deliver confidence boosting, salon-worthy, glossy hair all day, every day. With care at their core, they are PETA-Certified Vegan & Cruelty-Free and have no parabens, no sulfates and no ammonia in any of their products. Available in the U.S. on Amazon and Glazehair.co and in the UK on Amazon and in Superdrug.

For more Information on Glaze:

Website: glazehair.co

Instagram: @glaze_hair

TikTok: @Glaze_Hair

Facebook: @glaze_hair

Pinterest: @glaze_hair

Media Contacts

Amanda Smeal

amanda@amandasmeal.com

Aimee Moss

aimee@aimeemoss.net

Wefunder, a public-benefit corporation with a goal to fund 20,000 more founders by 2029, today announced that on Wednesday, February 28 at 5:30 p.m. at Soho House Chicago, Serg Rodenzuela, Head of Strategic Partnerships at Wefunder, will host a closed-door conversation with Andy Dunn, a $300-million exited founder and best-selling author. This session will kick off the Founder Secrets series, where Serg will interview 15 of the most compelling founders of our generation to share real stories about financing, scaling, and best practices in cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Austin, Boston, Atlanta, Detroit, Boulder, Miami, and Los Angeles.

This event is significant as it provides a platform for experienced founders to share their knowledge and insights with aspiring entrepreneurs, helping them navigate the challenges of starting and growing a business. By connecting successful founders with new entrepreneurs, Wefunder aims to foster a supportive community and provide valuable mentorship opportunities.

Wefunder's mission as a public-benefit corporation, with a goal to fund 20,000 more founders by 2029, aligns perfectly with the Founder Secrets kick-off event. By supporting and empowering founders, Wefunder is driving innovation and economic growth while creating opportunities for diverse and underrepresented entrepreneurs.

According to Rodenzuela, "We are thrilled to kick off the Founder Secrets event series with Andy Dunn. This platform will enable us to inspire and educate the next generation of entrepreneurs, ultimately contributing to a more vibrant and inclusive startup ecosystem."

In the future, Wefunder plans to expand the series to additional cities across the country, providing even more founders with access to valuable insights and mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs.

For more information and to register, visit the event listing on Pie here.

The joint organizers behind the first annual global Sui conference, Sui Basecamp, today announced the initial wave of confirmed speakers for the Parisian event taking place on April 10 and 11, 2024. Sui Basecamp is a celebration of the developers and entrepreneurs building on Sui, the innovative Layer 1 blockchain and smart contract platform, and will feature speakers and thought leaders from all over the world and throughout the greater Web3 ecosystem.

Sui Basecamp’s initial wave of speakers includes:

• Arianna Simpson, General Partner at a16z
• Balaji S. Srinivasan, Angel Investor, Tech Founder and author of The Network State
• Meltem Demirors, Aspiring Cult Leader
• Evan Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Mysten Labs and Original Contributor to Sui
• Nikola Plecas, Global Head of Product GTM and Product Commercialization at Visa Crypto
• Rachel Conlan, Chief Marketing Officer at Binance
• Sam Blackshear, Chief Technology Officer at Mysten Labs and Creator of Move
• Vincent Chok, Chief Executive Officer of First Digital Trust
• Logan Jastremski, Managing Partner at Frictionless Capital
• Adeniyi Abiodun, Chief Product Officer of Mysten Labs
• Benoît Pellevoizin, Head of Marketing and Communications at CoinShares France
• Robert Knight, Features Writer at Cointelegraph
• Greg Siourounis, Managing Director of Sui Foundation

Hosted by Mysten Labs and Sui Foundation, Sui Basecamp will take place at two select venues—the first day and opening night party, Sui Soiree, will be at Pavillon Cambon Capucines, the former headquarters of Crédit Foncier de France, before attendees migrate to Pavillon Vendôme for the second day’s festivities. Both locations are adjacent to Paris Blockchain Week’s main event.

Early bird tickets, at the discounted prices of $99 USD, are available today through March 1. Ticket prices will remain discounted, at $149 USD, from March 2 through 31, then increase to the full price of $299 from April 1 until the event.

Registration is now open at https://sui.io/basecamp.

About Sui

Sui is a first-of-its-kind Layer 1 blockchain and smart contract platform designed from the bottom up to make digital asset ownership fast, private, secure, and accessible to everyone. Its object-centric model, based on the Move programming language, enables parallel execution, sub-second finality, and rich on-chain assets. With horizontally scalable processing and storage, Sui supports a wide range of applications with unrivaled speed at low cost. Sui is a step-function advancement in blockchain and a platform on which creators and developers can build amazing, user-friendly experiences. Learn more: https://sui.io

About Mysten Labs

Mysten Labs is a team of leading distributed systems, programming languages, and cryptography experts whose founders were senior executives and lead architects of pioneering blockchain projects. The mission of Mysten Labs is to create foundational infrastructure for web3. Learn more: https://mystenlabs.com

About the Sui Foundation

The Sui Foundation is an independent organization that is dedicated to the advancement and adoption of Sui. The Sui Foundation supports the Sui community and its projects that enable individuals and creators to have unprecedented ownership over their data and content.

Media Contact

Lexi Wangler

lexi.wangler@mystenlabs.com

Sui Foundation

media@sui.io

Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust (“the Trust”) today posted the estimated Federal income tax information of the Trust’s 2023 earnings to its website. Final information is anticipated to be posted no later than March 30, 2024. The information can be downloaded here.

Nothing contained herein or therein should be construed as tax advice. Consult your tax advisor for more information. Furthermore, you may not rely upon any information herein or therein for the purpose of avoiding any penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code. Certificateholders are encouraged to consult with their own tax advisors as to their specific tax treatment of the Trust’s distributions.

Additional information can be obtained on the Trust’s website.

About Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust

Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust (the “Trust”) was established to acquire 160 retail properties and 6 warehouse distribution centers (the “Properties”) from J.C. Penney as part of its Chapter 11 plan of reorganization. The Trust’s operations consist solely of owning, leasing and selling the Properties. The Trust’s objective is to sell the Properties to third-party purchasers as promptly as practicable. The Trustee of the trust is GLAS Trust Company LLC. The Trust is externally managed by an affiliate of Hilco Real Estate LLC. The Trust is intended to be treated, for tax purposes, as a liquidating trust within the meaning of United States Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-4(d). For more information, please visit https://www.ctltrust.net/.

Forward Looking Statement

This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements”. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “our vision,” “plan,” “potential,” “preliminary,” “predict,” “should,” “will,” or “would” or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology and include, but are not limited to, the Trust’s expectations or beliefs concerning future events and stock price performance. The Trust has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While the Trust believes these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond its control. These factors, including those discussed in the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), may cause its actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to the Trust’s filings with the SEC that are available at www.sec.gov. The Trust cautions you that the list of important factors included in the Trust’s SEC filings may not contain all of the material factors that are important to you. In addition, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the matters referred to in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release may not in fact occur. The Trust undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

Media Contact

Jessica Cummins

+1 847-313-4755

jcummins@hilcoglobal.com

Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust (“the Trust”) today posted amended Federal income tax information of the Trust’s 2022 earnings to its website. The previously posted tax information was amended to provide clarification on Schedule A row 170, Other Trust Income / (Expenses). This clarification does not apply to any of the Trust’s Monthly Report filings or its 2022 10-Q’s or 10-K. The information can be downloaded here.

Nothing contained herein or therein should be construed as tax advice. Consult your tax advisor for more information. Furthermore, you may not rely upon any information herein or therein for the purpose of avoiding any penalties that may be imposed under the Internal Revenue Code. Certificateholders are encouraged to consult with their own tax advisors as to their specific tax treatment of the Trust’s distributions.

Additional information can be obtained on the Trust’s website.

About Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust

Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust (the “Trust”) was established to acquire 160 retail properties and 6 warehouse distribution centers (the “Properties”) from J.C. Penney as part of its Chapter 11 plan of reorganization. The Trust’s operations consist solely of owning, leasing and selling the Properties. The Trust’s objective is to sell the Properties to third-party purchasers as promptly as practicable. The Trustee of the trust is GLAS Trust Company LLC. The Trust is externally managed by an affiliate of Hilco Real Estate LLC. The Trust is intended to be treated, for tax purposes, as a liquidating trust within the meaning of United States Treasury Regulation Section 301.7701-4(d). For more information, please visit https://www.ctltrust.net/.

Forward Looking Statement

This news release contains certain “forward-looking statements”. All statements other than statements of historical fact are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward looking terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “our vision,” “plan,” “potential,” “preliminary,” “predict,” “should,” “will,” or “would” or the negative thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology and include, but are not limited to, the Trust’s expectations or beliefs concerning future events and stock price performance. The Trust has based these forward-looking statements on its current expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections. While the Trust believes these expectations, assumptions, estimates and projections are reasonable, such forward-looking statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond its control. These factors, including those discussed in the Trust’s Registration Statement on Form 10 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), may cause its actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, please refer to the Trust’s filings with the SEC that are available at www.sec.gov. The Trust cautions you that the list of important factors included in the Trust’s SEC filings may not contain all of the material factors that are important to you. In addition, in light of these risks and uncertainties, the matters referred to in the forward-looking statements contained in this news release may not in fact occur. The Trust undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.

Contact Details

Jessica Cummins

+1 847-313-4755

jcummins@hilcoglobal.com

NAFA Fleet Management Association (NAFA), the vehicle fleet industry’s largest membership association, proudly announces its new 2024 Board of Directors, led by Mike Camnetar, CAFM, Fleet Services Manager for General Mills Inc. NAFA’s Board of Directors comprises professionals from many sectors and enterprises, including technology firms, urban municipalities, foodservice enterprises, healthcare entities and more.

“As we dive into the heart of our bylaws and strategic plan this year, it's clear that we're charting a course towards a stronger, more cohesive NAFA,” said Mike Camnetar, CAFM, NAFA Board President. “By embracing inclusivity in our governance and refining our strategic focus, we're not only enhancing the association's vitality but also fostering a more vibrant community for our members. This year's Board of Directors, with its diverse expertise and unwavering commitment, stands ready to spearhead this transformative journey, ensuring that every decision made reflects our dedication to advancing NAFA's mission and serving the needs of our esteemed members.”

The following individuals serving on NAFA’s 13-member 2024 Board of Directors:

• President: Mike Camnetar, CAFM, Fleet Services Manager for General Mills Inc.
• Senior Vice President: Maria Neve, Vice President – eFMC Services for Inspiration Mobility
• Vice President: Kevin Fisher, CAFM, Fleet Professional
• Secretary/Treasurer: Beth Cooley, CAFM, Director for the Commonwealth of Virginia Office of Fleet Management
• Immediate Past President: Raymond Brisby, CAFM, Manager of EMS Fleet Operations for Alberta Health Services
• Sara Burnam, CAFM, Member, Director of Fleet Management for Palm Beach County, FL Fleet Management
• Al Curtis, Member, Fleet Director for Cobb County, GA Fleet Management
• David Hayward, CAFM, Member, Global Fleet Manager for ABM Industries
• Amy McAdams, CAFM, Member, Fleet Manager for Climate Pros
• William McCarty, Member, Chief Operating Officer for Illinois Central Management Services
• Bob Mossing, Member, Manager of Fleet Support and Operations for The Davey Tree Expert Company
• Alexis Reece, CAFM, Member, Fleet Analyst for Ferguson Enterprises
• Steven Saltzgiver, CAFS, Member, Director of Strategic Innovation for RTA Fleet Management Software

NAFA is pleased to welcome these expert fleet professionals and skilled individuals to the 2024 Board of Directors. Their dedication to the fleet and mobility world inspires innovation, creates progress and truly keeps the industry moving. For more information on NAFA, visit: https://www.nafa.org/

About NAFA Fleet Management Association

NAFA Fleet Management Association is the membership organization for professionals who manage the mobility requirements of vehicle fleets that include commercial, public safety, trucks, and buses of all types and sizes; and a wide range of military and off-road equipment for corporations, governments, universities, utility fleets, and law enforcement in North America and across the globe. NAFA’s members are responsible for the specification, acquisition, maintenance, repair, fueling, risk management, and remarketing of more than 4.8 million vehicles that drive an estimated 84 billion miles each year. NAFA’s members control assets and services well above $122 billion each year.For more information, please visit www.nafa.org, and communicate with NAFA on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

Media Contact

Keaveny Hewitt

khewitt@onwrdupwrd.com

919-622-5276

Led by top thought leaders and researchers from around the world, stakeholders gathered in Orlando, February 14–16, 2024, for the 3rd Kratom Symposium to discuss breakthroughs in kratom science and the barriers preventing further progress. The three-day event provided a platform for more than 15 speakers to share scientific research, discuss policy considerations, and emphasize the importance of responsible consumer protection efforts in the evolving landscape of kratom science and regulation.

The conference focused on the natural herbal substance kratom. Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) is a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia, where its leaves have long been used as a mood booster and energy enhancer. Despite being used traditionally in leaf form for centuries, kratom's regulatory status and safety are debated in countries around the world, including the U.S., where it is available in various forms, such as ground leaf, extracts, concentrates and isolates.

The Kratom Symposium aimed to build a more comprehensive understanding in the scientific community and encourage evidence-based decision-making within industry and regulators alike.

Science. Research presented at the event covered kratom's potential therapeutic benefits, including its role in endurance and productivity enhancement. Researchers also described kratom's abuse potential, adverse cognitive effects, and its impact on public health, particularly regarding its interactions with other substances and the extent of possible dangerous habit-forming potential. Presenters expressed a need for further scientific research, standardization of kratom products, better consumer education, and the importance of understanding kratom's pharmacology, safety profile, and potential benefits in clinical trials.

Policy. Policy discussions surrounding kratom focused on country-by-country guidelines and restrictions. Experts also discussed its regulatory status in the U.S. and the need for balanced approaches that ensure consumer safety while preserving access. Experts pointed to the need for comprehensive regulations governing the various forms of kratom sales and distribution, highlighting the importance of monitoring and promoting responsible marketing practices. Experts also described the potential impact of kratom on public health, including its use for endurance and productivity enhancement. Overall, stakeholders emphasized the need for evidence-based policymaking, collaborative efforts between researchers, regulators, and industry stakeholders, and further research to inform decision-making regarding kratom's legal status and regulation on two main fronts:

Processor responsibility. Researchers made it clear that ‘not all kratom is equal’, and as such, manufacturers of kratom extracts should maintain product consistency in line with the composition of native leaf material, minimize contamination risks, and ensure accurate labeling of kratom products in order to enhance consumer confidence and safety. Participants also discussed the need for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) to meet industry standards and regulatory requirements.

Consumer protection. Speakers described the need for clear information about potential risks and benefits and providing access to credible, evidence-based resources for consumers to make informed decisions. Symposium discussions highlighted the importance of implementing regulations, such as the Kratom Consumer Protection Act, to establish quality control standards, product testing requirements, and labeling guidelines to protect consumers from adulterated or mislabeled kratom products. Stakeholders emphasized the need for consumer education initiatives to raise awareness about safe kratom use practices, potential interactions with other substances, and the importance of consulting healthcare professionals before using kratom.

"As kratom grows in popularity around the world, so does scrutiny," said conference organizer Christopher R. McCurdy, PhD, Associate Dean for Faculty Development, University of Florida. "Kratom holds promise in many areas, such as a potential replacement therapy for opioids, and may offer novel avenues for pain management, but comprehensive research is imperative to elucidate its efficacy, safety, and potential risks."

The active compounds found in leaf kratom are called alkaloids. Mitragynine, an indole alkaloid, is the most abundant psychoactive compound. Some of the minor alkaloids are speciociliatine, speciogynine, and paynantheine, among others. These alkaloids interact with receptors in the brain, influencing mood and energy levels. However, Leaf Kratom’s mechanism of action is complex and not fully understood.

In the U.S., kratom is gaining in consumer awareness and acceptance, with an estimated 15 million consumers. Kratom is consumed in various forms, such as leaf powders, extracts, concentrates, and isolates. It is often categorized as an herbal supplement, though its classification varies by region and country.

"The Leaf Kratom Coalition firmly believes that conducting thorough research on all forms of kratom is essential to ensure the well-being of consumers and to provide them with accurate information about its potential benefits and risks, ultimately enhancing the safety and integrity of kratom products available to consumers," said Matthew Lowe, Executive Director of the Leaf Kratom Coalition. "This and future Kratom Symposiums will aid in exchanging knowledge, discussing best practices, and collaboration on the way to a safe and regulated kratom market."

About the Leaf Kratom Coalition 

The Leaf Kratom Coalition (LKC) exists to protect and expand access to leaf-based kratom around the world. The organization represents the interests of advocates committed to positive change benefiting consumers. The organization supports education, and the development of kratom science which is central to the LKC’s mission – to empower individuals worldwide with access to safe and responsibly sourced kratom products by advancing scientific research and sensible regulation.

The LKC operates on five key values:

• Access: The belief that individuals should have a choice as to how they look after their health, informed by the latest unbiased information available.
• Education: Providing accurate, evidence-based information about kratom (including on our website), allowing consumers to make informed decisions.
• Advocacy: Serving as a united voice for kratom consumers worldwide, seeking fair and sensible regulations that prioritize consumer safety, freedom of information, and good sourcing and manufacturing practices.
• Community: Fostering a global group of enthusiasts, experts, vendors, and advocates to promote the benefits of kratom and fight for informed and responsible use.
• Responsibility: Promoting the responsible use of kratom and encouraging vendors to adhere to strict quality and safety standards so that consumers have access to products that are safe, well-manufactured, and appropriately labeled.

Please follow us at:

Website: https://leafkratomcoalition.org/

Twitter: @kratomcoalition

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leafkratomcoalition

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kratom_coalition/

Media Contact

Matthew Lowe

mlowe@leafkratomcoalition.org

Salus GRC (or the “Company”) recently welcomed Jacqueline Hallihan as Chief GRC Officer and member of the Board of Directors. Ms. Hallihan is responsible for spearheading the Company’s global GRC (governance, risk and compliance) strategies, with a focus on maximizing growth opportunities. As a pioneer in the compliance consulting industry, with a proven record as an entrepreneur who founded multiple regulatory compliance and technology companies, she joins Salus GRC’s executive team at an exciting time in its growth and strategic evolution. Salus GRC’s unique strategic vision and rapid growth trajectory are attracting talented, deeply experienced, and highly respected resources across the compliance, regulatory and GRC field, reinventing service excellence in a people-oriented business supported by revolutionized technology processes. To date, Salus GRC has amassed clients with over $200 billion in assets.

Salus GRC provides a comprehensive suite of tech-enabled regulatory support to investment advisers, private fund managers and other SEC- and FINRA-regulated financial services firms. Offerings include regulatory registration and filing services, compliance program development and ongoing support, managed services, regulatory exam assistance, compliance training and education, regulatory due diligence, and cybersecurity solutions. As it continues its ascent to be the employer of choice in the GRC space, the Company is rapidly attracting experienced professionals who bring a singular focus on providing the highest level of client service with tech-enabled risk management and deep regulatory expertise.

Ms. Hallihan brings more than 30 years of experience founding, managing, and growing dominant organizations in the compliance-related industry, including as a founding Partner of Ascendant Compliance Management and founder and CEO of National Regulatory Services. Most recently she served in an Executive Director role at a compliance services organization within a RegTech firm. She is a founder and life-time member of the National Society of Compliance Professionals (NSCP).

“I am thrilled to have Jackie as our Chief GRC Officer, a member of the executive management team, and a strategic partner,” said Bill Mulligan, Salus GRC CEO. “I’ve known Jackie for many years and blending her vast background in growing compliance and regulatory compliance organizations with our unique GRC vision is a winning combination. She has achieved exceptional results over her career, building sustainable and high-profile businesses.” He added, “Jackie is the right strategic leader to join our great team, focusing on growth opportunities at Salus GRC. Her passion for innovation, customer service, and building brand awareness, along with her deep commitment to people, will be invaluable as we continue helping clients maximize our tech-enabled GRC solutions.”

“It’s a true privilege to join this incredible team as we work to build the industry’s leading provider of GRC services. Bringing technology, compliance governance, and risk management together with our team’s focused commitment on innovation and redefining service excellence aligns beautifully with Salus GRC’s strategic vision,” said Ms. Hallihan. “I truly believe we are building something special at Salus GRC, at a time when Chief Compliance Officers and SEC-regulated firms desperately need expertise and support, and I’m honored to be a part of the Company’s next growth chapter.”

About Salus GRC

Launched in the Spring of 2023, in partnership with financial sponsor Charlesbank Capital Partners, Salus GRC provides GRC services to private fund managers, registered investment advisers, CFTC-registered managers, and broker-dealers. Offerings include SEC and other regulatory registration and filing services, compliance program development and ongoing support, regulatory exam assistance, compliance training and education, regulatory due diligence, and cybersecurity solutions. For more information, please visit www.salusgrc.com.

About Charlesbank Capital Partners

Based in Boston and New York, Charlesbank Capital Partners is a middle-market private investment firm with more than $17 billion of capital raised since inception. Charlesbank focuses on management-led buyouts and growth capital financings, and engages in opportunistic credit and technology investments. The firm seeks to build companies with sustainable competitive advantage and excellent prospects for growth. For more information, please visit www.charlesbank.com.

Media Contact

Salus GRC

Monique Stehle

mstehle@salusgrc.com

Charlesbank

Ryan FitzGibbon / Dan Ivers / Peter Gavaris

pro-charlesbank@prosek.com

Small Business Administrator Isabel Guzman and National Economic Council Director Lael Brainard announced at a White House event last Wednesday that the partnership between Stifel North Atlantic (NYSE: SF) and ASTRO America is the first recipient of a “Green Light” to raise private capital for an SBIC Critical Technologies (“SBICCT”) fund.

Officially called the AM Forward Critical Technologies SBIC, the Fund is actively fundraising and moving forward with the final SBA licensing process.

The SBA-DoD SBICCT initiative is the first program under a historic SBA-DoD collaboration, launched by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and SBA Administrator Guzman in December 2022. By pairing private capital with SBA administered leverage, the initiative will support private sector investment in US national security-vital component-level technologies and production processes. The structure will achieve the important mission of bolstering U.S. national security and the Defense Industrial Base without reliance on deficit funding, while supporting American small businesses.

“This new Fund is important to both our national security and American competitiveness,” said ASTRO co-founder and President, Neal Orringer. “Not only will it provide essential financial support to small and medium-sized manufacturers, but it will help modernize key supply chains, helping accelerate adoption of technologies such as metal 3D printing that are increasingly important to America’s defense and aerospace industries.” He continued, “We are grateful for the DoD and SBA’s leadership in developing innovative approaches for catalyzing the injection of private capital into critical defense supply chains, at no cost to the taxpayer.”

ASTRO America leads the White House’s AM Forward initiative, which includes a compact between the Administration and seven iconic American lead system integrators. The AM Forward member companies identified access to capital as a key barrier to eliminating bottlenecks, modernizing and increasing resiliency within their supply chains, particularly in metal castings and forgings. In early 2023, ASTRO selected Stifel North Atlantic as the financial partner to manage the SBIC Fund based on Stifel’s rich history of support for small and middle market companies and extensive experience managing SBIC Funds. ASTRO will lead the Fund’s Technical Advisory Board.

“We are deeply committed to both our unique partnership in the SBICCT fund as well as with the SBA more broadly,” shared Victor Nesi, Stifel Financial Co-President. “The SBA has made remarkable progress in developing innovative ways to reach out, support and nurture the small business ecosystem that is so foundational to our organization. We are also grateful for the thought leadership provided to this project by key AM Forward member Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT).”

Mike Nitka, Managing Director at Stifel North Atlantic offered, “This fund is a rare opportunity to mix purpose and passion. We are advancing the adoption of mission-ready production technology for the US aerospace and defense supply chain while supporting the journey of emerging US small businesses. Through this revolutionary partnership with the SBA, DoD, ASTRO America, and our anchor investors, we have the opportunity to create jobs and build US manufacturing capacity. I applaud all involved as this is a truly unique non-partisan approach to solving for a universal American need—national security.”

During the event, in addition to key Biden-Harris Administration officials from the White House, SBA and DoD, Stifel and ASTRO executives also met with leading investors from the financial industry and executives from major aerospace and defense companies.

With committed strategic and financial investors, Stifel North Atlantic and ASTRO expect to complete the final phase of the SBICCT licensing process and execute a first closing on the Fund in the coming months. After the initial closing, the Fund will begin actively investing in small business manufacturers to help strengthen the U.S. aerospace and defense supply chains.

The White House readout of the event can be read here and the SBA overview of the event can be read here.

More information on the SBA-DoD SBICCT initiative can be found here.

About the Applied Science and Technology Research Organization of America (ASTRO America)

The Applied Science and Technology Research Organization of America (ASTRO America) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, non-partisan Research Institute and Think Tank. It was established in 2018 to advance the public interest through manufacturing technology and policy. Led by manufacturing professionals with broad public and private sector experience, ASTRO America supports collaborations by government agencies and companies to address supply chain challenges in highly regulated industries, including aerospace and defense. Find out more: https://www.astroa.org

About Stifel Financial Corp.

Established in 1890, with headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, Stifel is a full-service financial services firm with a distinguished history of providing securities brokerage, investment banking, trading, investment advisory, and related financial services to individual investors, institutions, corporations, and municipalities.

Media Contact

Elizabeth Heaton

+1 202-445-9858

elizabeth@astroa.org

HomeSphere, the leading platform connecting building product manufacturers to mid-market homebuilders, today announced its latest partnership with a homebuilding industry service provider. 

Aterra Designs will offer its high-end residential lighting, electrical, and home automation design services, including Aterra Premium, Luminosity, and I3 Interactive Floor Plans, to HomeSphere’s network of 2,700+ builders who collectively construct more homes than the top five public builders combined.

“Aterra Designs is the ideal partner as we continue to add products and services that greatly benefit the construction industry,” said HomeSphere President and CEO Greg Schwarzer. “This latest partnership demonstrates our commitment to unlock the unprecedented value of HomeSphere’s platform for more key constituents in homebuilding.”

Single-family and multifamily builders use the HomeSphere platform to gain a competitive advantage. Aterra Designs aligns with that goal with a program that streamlines home lighting and electrical planning by connecting the home buyer, contractor and builder. Their proprietary software integrates with any trade or manufacturer, but HomeSphere builders have an exclusive opportunity to increase returns when they pair brands like Leviton Manufacturing and Progress Lighting with Aterra’s services. 

“Historically, our builders have doubled and sometimes even tripled their sales of lighting, electrical and home technologies. All this, along with receiving better documentation which reduces field errors,” said Aterra Designs President Paul Salmonson. “We look forward to extending this opportunity to HomeSphere builders so they can improve their profitability, connect to a new way of lighting their homes, and create a better customer experience.” 

Aterra Designs’ recently revamped Luminosity services offer a virtual electrical design tool with real-time lighting and pricing tied directly into the supply chain. Based on builder options, Luminosity generates orders and trade-specific information for installation, purchase orders, and bills of materials, saving homebuilders additional time and costs while increasing the beauty and efficiency of a new home. 

“We are continually adding valuable partnerships that enable our builders to construct better homes, improve margins and increase customer satisfaction,” said Schwarzer. “Aterra is a new offering, a new category and their services give our builders a new way to attract buyers. It's a win-win-win.” 

About HomeSphere 

Established in 1999, HomeSphere connects local and regional homebuilders to exclusive rebate offerings. HomeSphere’s builder network constructs and closes more than 250,000 new homes and units per year, making it the largest homebuilding group in the country by volume. Using HomeSphere-HQ, HomeSphere’s award-winning rebate management platform, builders capture incentives on completed homes, discover new products for their future projects and develop key relationships with the 80-plus manufacturers in HomeSphere’s preferred partner network. For more information about HomeSphere’s products and solutions for homebuilders and manufacturers, visit www.homesphere.com.

About Aterra Designs 

For 25 years, Aterra Designs has brought home builders, contractors, and home buyers together to achieve a common goal: Creating homes as unique as their owners.  Our residential designers are experts in lighting, electrical, and home automation design. As such, they can provide a range of coordinated options and create customized lighting solutions. Our focus on maximizing efficiency simplifies the building process and saves time, all while mitigating field errors. And, because we partner directly with top manufacturers, our design consultants can offer innovative new products to home buyers, allowing them to create the home that meets their specific needs. For more information on lighting and electrical solutions, visit www.aterradesigns.com.

Media Contact

For HomeSphere:

Tracy Henderson

tracy@centerreachcommunication.com 

For Aterra Designs:

lor Flores

flor.flores@aterradesigns.com

In an effort to spur hope and celebrate community care, ACE Resource Network is launching the Together in Healing campaign today, designed to reach Sacramento individuals and families affected by the lasting effects of childhood trauma and other early adversity. The campaign, which runs through May, is intended to provide information and resources, foster a sense of solidarity and understanding, and highlight community connection as a vital source of ongoing support.

The bilingual initiative addresses the lasting effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), other childhood adversity, and toxic stress using an accessible approach that integrates awareness-building, digital engagement, personal narrative, and resource sharing. Central to the campaign are online landing pages in English (NumberStory.org/together) and Spanish (HistoriaDeTuNumero/juntos), as well as bilingual social media channels (@MyNumberStory on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X), which serve as hubs for information, resources, and virtual community. These platforms offer an array of healing activities, evidence-based strategies for stress reduction, and a collection of Sacramento County and national resources curated for helping empower and support community members.

“The Together in Healing campaign reflects our support for a world where we can be real about the challenges we’re facing, be empowered by understanding the effects of our early life experiences, and be encouraged to show up for ourselves and each other with care,” says Joy Thomas, Director of Communications and Community Engagement for ACE Resource Network, the team behind the campaign. “We heal in relationship, in connection, in community. This campaign celebrates our capacity to create lasting change for ourselves and future generations.”

Early life experiences can affect health and well-being well into adulthood. Without enough support, ACEs or other early adversity can increase the risk of serious physical and mental health conditions, along with other challenges. ACEs and their negative effects can be passed from one generation to the next. To help address this through a lens of hope, Together in Healing leans into individual and collective strengths and strategies for healing and prevention.

Together in Healing is bolstered by support from leading creative and media partners, including HypeSmack, Tribune, iHeart, Amazon, Lamar, Clear Channel Outdoor, Fizzy Labs, Bloggin’ Mamas, and California Bountiful, ensuring the campaign’s messages are delivered across a range of platforms, from digital ads and billboards, to bus shelters and beyond. Widespread visibility helps normalize conversations around childhood trauma and health, emphasizing that healing and prevention are possible, and lifting up the role of community.

To learn more, visit NumberStory.org/together or HistoriaDeTuNumero.org/juntos. Anyone can help spread the word and join this vital movement to help empower and transform lives within their community and beyond.

About ACE Resource Network

ACE Resource Network‘s mission is to reduce childhood adversity and trauma by promoting a greater understanding of childhood trauma and toxic stress; advancing research; and increasing healing spaces and resources. Number Story was launched by ACE Resource Network as the first national public awareness campaign focused on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).

About HypeSmack

HypeSmack, a division of Heather Lopez Enterprises LLC, specializes in targeted marketing strategies and content creation. With a proven track record of success with California and Hispanic-targeted clientele, such as Chicano Hollywood, Creep I.E. Con, Cinco de Mayo LA, Nissan, Bean and Chisme, Georgia Latino Film Festival, Nuestro Stories, and more; HypeSmack excels in connecting brands with diverse audiences through innovative digital and event marketing solutions. Their role in the Together in Healing campaign, in collaboration with ACE Resource Network, underscores their commitment to empowering Hispanic families in Sacramento County with resources to address childhood trauma.

Media Contact

Rosalie Hagel Martin

+1 954-683-0027

rosalie.hagel@bluewhalepr.com