Louisiana Legends: Bryson ‘Cupid’ Bernard Created A Timeless Classic

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Louisiana Legends: Bryson ‘Cupid’ Bernard Created A Timeless Classic

By Percy Lovell Crawford

When Bryson “Cupid” Bernard created the “Cupid Shuffle” in 2007, he didn’t realize the lasting impact it would have on a wide-ranging audience. A timeless classic that appeals to every culture, the shuffle has shown the ability to unite the divided. During these tumultuous times, you can still find several videos of cops and civilians side by side, doing the popular line dance.

So, when 17,000 people lined up in Atlanta, Georgia, in 2007 to follow the directions of the dance from Bernard, setting the Guinness World Record for largest line dance, he knew he had created something special. This Louisiana Legend has sold 4 million records, while providing the world with a soundtrack that’s guaranteed to get you dancing.

This interview is part of the Louisiana Legends series, featuring talks with individuals from the Pelican State who have carved out a legacy for themselves.

Percy Crawford interviewed Bryson “Cupid” Bernard for Zenger.

Zenger: What part of Louisiana are you from?

Percy Crawford interviewed Bryson “Cupid” Bernard for Zenger. (Heidi Malone/Zenger)

Cupid: Lafayette, my man!

Zenger: What would you say Lafayette is most known for?

Cupid: To be honest, me, [MMA stars] Dustin Poirier and Daniel Cormier all went to the same high school. And I actually played ball with Daniel, but unfortunately Salmen eliminated us from the playoffs our senior year. But it’s all love. The high school that I went to is looked at as the Eastside High of Lafayette, but we got so many success stories coming out of Northside High School in Lafayette. We have other really cool stars, Mondo [Duplantis], a gold medalist pole vaulter in the Olympics this year. So many people that’s doing well. It’s a small town, but we have so many strong points in it.

Zenger: What do you feel has been your biggest contribution to Lafayette and Louisiana as a whole?

Cupid: To be honest, musically where I’m from, there really wasn’t any African American that had been successful. You had Da Entourage with the song “Bunny Hop.” They came out around 2001. They had some success. That’s actually some of my boys. But I think I was probably the first person to put Lafayette on the map from a hip hop and R&B perspective. Although to this day, don’t nobody know how to classify the “Cupid Shuffle.” It was so big that it literally put Lafayette on the map as something that took over the world and was genre-less.

Zenger: That is a powerful track. During some of the most divided times this country has witnessed, whether it was cultural divisiveness, political divisiveness, or the divide between civilians and police officers, “Cupid Shuffle” would come on and we would watch civilians and cops dancing together. How did that make you feel?

Cupid: Over time I started to accept what it is. I’ve accepted the purpose of that song. Why it was the song, of all the songs that I had been recording the past seven years before I got signed, was that. It was because I was always trying to make music to please everybody at the same time. And that’s not easy to do. With “Shuffle,” it was like, watching people doing it, it’s an ode to my personality. I’m just a chill dude, man. People come up to me and they forget that I sold four million records. I’ve always carried myself like that. So, I think having that humbleness and familiarity combined with a good record.

Zenger: Give me that moment where you knew you had something special?

Cupid: The moment was when me and Steve Harvey got cool, and he asked me if I wanted to try to break the Guinness World Record for the largest line dance. We did it in 2007, in Cascade Park in Atlanta, Georgia. It was 17,000 people, and Steve was the host for the Ebony Black Family Reunion. When I got on that stage, I got how they couldn’t categorize [the song].

When I signed with Atlantic [Records], the best part was them not being able to tell what my song was; it didn’t have a face. You couldn’t call it hip hop, so it wasn’t a black-person song, you couldn’t call it pop, so it wasn’t a white-person song, you couldn’t call it Zydeco, so it wasn’t a Creole-person song. Because it had no face, it touched everybody. Trust and believe, I had no idea it was going to do that. Don’t ever think that was in the plan. I was just recording music, dog.

“Cupid” will release “Capricorn 2” later this year. (Courtesy of Bryson “Cupid” Bernard)

Zenger: You definitely come off as a “regular” guy.

Cupid: Regular is cool. It’s all good.

Zenger: OK, being that you are such a low-key guy, have you ever been somewhere, and they play “Cupid Shuffle,” and they don’t even know that you’re in the building?

Cupid: All the time, dog. We went on vacation to D.C., and we were at Six Flags, and they hit it and the ladies started dancing. Of course, April [Sams/Bernard] my wife started dancing, and she was like, “Oh look”’ and the lady… it took her a couple of seconds. She looked at me, she was like, “Wait a minute.” And then she realized it was me.

It happens all the time. I’ve been places where cover bands will start playing it, and I’m sitting down eating and I’m like, “Wow, this is crazy.” It’s cool though. It allows me to be able to raise my family and enjoy my friends without all the crazy stuff. I have been around cats who are really super famous in the media’s eyes, and that’s not a super-good life all the time.

Zenger: There are different variations of the song on YouTube. Some workout videos of it, remakes, but the official video has 68 million views. How humbling is that?

Cupid: It’s very humbling. I had no idea. You know what’s even funnier, every generation of kids, it becomes brand new. Every wave of kids at 2 or 3 years old, learn the “Shuffle.” It’s brand new to them and then it goes on and on and on. To be overseas and as soon as I start saying, “They got a brand-new dance…” people just start going berserk.

It’s really a “Wow” situation. It’s a beautiful reality. It’s a blessing. It’s the golden ticket. There is not a place in this world where I can’t go and grab the microphone and perform, and that is just a blessing to have. Some people have a bunch of records, they have a huge catalog, and then some people have something that’s timeless. So, for me, until the end of time, I’m etched in our black culture and American culture, really, and that’s a good feeling.

Zenger: Do you have any regrets?

Cupid: To be honest, no. There was a time when I was at Atlantic where the “Shuffle” had just got out there. Sometimes I wish I would’ve wished I worked a little harder in the studio to create more music at that peak time, because a lot of my other music gets overshadowed by the shuffle on a national scale. However, you gotta think, I was 27 years old, I had been working since I was 20 to get a record deal. So, when I got it, I enjoyed every bit of it. I made it.

At the end of the day, I made so many good moves. I took a small advance. Now I get 100 percent on all the sales of the song. I made some really good moves. When you’re a kid and they say, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It’s always, I want to make a lot of money, have a house and a car. I was able to do that through music. So, for me, I don’t have any regrets other than possibly creating a catalog while the label was behind me.

“Cupid” describes his song and related shuffle as his “golden ticket.” (Courtesy of Bryson “Cupid” Bernard) 

Zenger: What makes Louisiana special?

Cupid: Man… we don’t care about nothing (laughing). You got [Big] Freedia, you got [Lil] Boosie who really could care less what he say. You got me, Zydeco, jazz. So much stuff that we don’t really care what be going on in other states. One thing about Louisiana that I love the most, when we go to another state, we take over. No matter where I go, I get on that microphone and I’m Lafayette, Louisiana, it’s going to be about 50 people out there that’s going to scream. They might not be from Louisiana, but they got some kinfolk or something from there.

When I start dropping these songs, and they start doing these dances, some that don’t know them just look at them. And they will tell them, “Yeah, we’re from Louisiana, what you know about that? Fall back.” It’s a crazy representation. Since [Hurricane] Katrina, we have been out here teaching the world what we do. We don’t do what they do.

Zenger: How does it feel to be called a legend?

Cupid: It’s humbling. Sometimes I still think I’m 25 in my mind, so when I hear legends and OGs, it makes me feel kind of old, but it also makes me feel accomplished. I’ve done a lot independently. I pushed hard because my ultimate goal was to be able to do music for the rest of my life. It wasn’t a dollar amount, an album sale amount. I pushed hard and lost some friends because of it. To be recognized like that just lets me know that all the hard work, the blood, sweat and tears, the L’s I took all come back to be something successful.

Zenger: What are you up to these days?

Cupid: I’m good, man. Working on my new project. It’s going to be out Dec. 22, which is also my birthday. It’s called “Capricorn 2.” I dropped “Capricorn” about 4 years ago, so this will be part 2. I’m working on that album. I got a new song and line dance called “Flex” that’s killing TikTok right now. I can’t keep up with the videos. I’ve got another swing out song called “I Love Chocolate.”

Beyond that, just chillin’. Just got married, and just making sure my circle is locked in tight so that I can focus on doing music.

Edited by Matthew B. Hall and Judith Isacoff



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Maccabee Task Force Aims To Build Bridge Between Black And Jewish Communities

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Maccabee Task Force Aims To Build Bridge Between Black And Jewish Communities

By Jacob Smith

The relationship between black and Jewish communities is complicated.

In some areas of the United States, it has ranged from cordial to hostile.

During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s-1960s, the two communities worked together to combat and denounce racism and anti-Semitism. While the two groups came together on issues of discrimination, their relationship began to splinter in more recent times, with accusations of bigotry on both sides.

An organization founded in 2015 to combat anti-Semitism on college campuses is now working to rebuild trust between Jewish and African American groups.

David Brog, the executive director of the Maccabee Task Force, says it is an “urgent necessity” to reestablish peace and cooperation between communities.

The Maccabee Task Force invited students from diverse campuses to its first Black Students Summit focused on rebuilding relationships between Jewish and black communities. (Christopher François)

“Racism and anti-Semitism have not disappeared, they’ve merely changed their focus and expression. So rebuilding the black-Jewish alliance isn’t merely an act of nostalgia. When we stand together against hate, we are far stronger,” he said.

The Anti-Defamation League, an organization committed to monitoring and identifying anti-Semitism around the world, reports a dramatic increase in anti-Semitic crimes — especially on college campuses — since it began recording such incidents in 2013. In 2020, the ADL tabulated 2,024 reported anti-Semitic incidents throughout the United States, a significant rise since 2019.

Meanwhile, the FBI’s most recent annual report shows a nearly 40 percent rise in anti-black hate crimes in 2020, compared to 2019.

Jews were the most targeted religious group in the U.S. last year  — 60 percent — according to the FBI’s annual report on hate crimes. Yet they make up less than 2 percent of the population.

To explore solutions to the problem, the Maccabee Task Force recently held a Black Student Leadership Summit in Atlanta. The task force invited nearly 100 black students from historically black colleges and other universities to hear black speakers tell their stories and talk about working with Israel on a personal and professional level.

“We are trying to rebuild what was a real thriving coalition back in the Civil Rights Movement — the Jewish-black coalition,” said Brog. “This is our first step at trying to rebuild that coalition and reconnect black students with the Jewish community and reconnect them with Israel.”

Speakers Omar Al Busaidy, author of the self-help book “Just Read It,” talked to the students about the changing landscape of business and entrepreneurship in the modern Middle East, with improved relationships between Israel with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Entrepreneur Johnathan Quarles. from Flint, Michigan, talked about his journey from a rough upbringing to becoming a self-made businessman with his company, The BTL Group. Quarles said he has “four businesses in Israel that work to [help] underdeveloped communities.”

Quarles teamed with the U.S. State department to form Entrepreneurs Investing in Change to encourage investment in marginalized populations in American and Israel with the aim of improving the quality of life for black and Jewish communities.

Another speaker, Darryl Coulon, works as a community organizer for the activist Zioness Movement, to bridge the gap between Zionism and progressive values. 

“As a black man who is Jewish and gay, I have experienced racism and colorism from my community. I reject the notion that one has to renounce Zionism in order to be in line with progressive values.”

Some speakers had a more personal passion for repairing the relationship between blacks and Jews.

Ethiopian-Jewish activist Rebecca Avera tells students about her fight to advance the culture of Ethiopian Jews in Israel. (Christopher François)

Ethiopian-Jewish activist Rebecca Avera talked about her situation when she lived in Israel.

“At one point, I was embarrassed by my culture because I tried to integrate,” she said. “But then when I was older, I felt that I knew more Ethiopians, and realized my culture is very important to me.”

Avera is an Israel Fellow at Stanford University in California. She builds connections with Jewish and African-American students by collaborating on events with the campus associations representing students of color.

In the United States, Brog said, “We’ve let the relationship [with blacks] fall apart. We’ve grown distant from one another. And bad actors are taking advantage of this distance to turn us against one another.

“But when we reconnect, as we did during the conference, it’s like seeing a long-lost friend. The connection is instant and deep. No one can stop this alliance once we set our minds to rebuilding it.”

Reaching out to young black people is a key part of the takes force’s plan for reconciliation.

Marvel Joseph, a coalition coordinator for the task force, said: “This is an idea we started back in 2019; this is our second drop in the bucket. We have done virtual events, but now that the world has opened up, how can we get more students involved, how can we get them together to learn about a topic that is so important to us?”

Brog said the plan is to make the summit an annual event.

“Between each summit, we will be conducting leadership trips to Israel for our top students,” he said. “We’ll also be conducting extensive on-campus activities to bring the message of the summit directly to the historically black colleges and universities campuses.”

Edited by Judith Isacoff and Fern Siegel



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VIDEO: Coast Guard Helicopter Rescues 4 From Yacht That Ran Aground

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VIDEO: Coast Guard Helicopter Rescues 4 From Yacht That Ran Aground

By Joseph Golder

A crew from Iceland’s Coast Guard hoisted three Englishmen and an Icelander to safety after their yacht ran aground in shallow water at Æðey in Ísafjarðardjúpur.

Video shows a rescuer being winched down from the helicopter to the stranded sailors. It is pitch black and the coast guard crew is able to do their work only by artificial light. The four sailors are safely brought aboard the helicopter sometime after 2 a.m. Oct. 5.

The Icelandic Coast Guard posted images on Facebook.

“The Coast Guard’s control center received a report of the beach being vacated after midnight,” the Coast Guard said. “The crew of TF-GRO, the Coast Guard’s helicopter, was immediately called out, as were the sea rescue teams of the Landsbjörg Accident Prevention Association in the Westfjords.

“Gæslan’s command center also requested that the crew of the research ship Bjarni Sæmundsson stay in the area, which took place in Ísafjarðardjúpur. No leaks came to the ship by the shore, the weather was not good but the four crew members did well while waiting for help.

“The research ship Bjarni Sæmundsson and the rescue ship Kobbi Laki were first on the scene but could not reach the ship due to darkness, weather and shallow water. For that reason, it was decided to hoist the four crew members on board a Coast Guard helicopter that arrived at the scene before two o’clock last night. There was a considerable wind in Ísafjarðardjúpur and the mast of the schooner made the hoisting demanding as well.

“At 2:15 all the crew, three Englishmen and one Icelander had boarded the TF-GRO. They were flown to Ísafjörður for treatment. The survey vessel Baldur was called out to help bring the boat back to the surface, but it was during measurements in the vicinity.

“By the time the boat arrived this morning, it was back afloat. It now runs on its own engine power and sails to Ísafjörður accompanied by the surveying ship Baldur and the rescue ship Kobbi Laki,” the Coast Guard said.

Icelandic Coast Guard crew members get ready to be winched down from a helicopter to rescue the four stranded sailors whose yacht ran aground. (Icelandic Coast Guard/Zenger)

Neither the four sailors nor their rescuers were named. Their condition is also unclear, as is the reason why they became beached in shallow waters. The make and model of the vessel is also not known.

The Icelandic Coast Guard‘s operations “are based on gathering, analyzing and distributing information in close cooperation with neighboring countries to create a surface picture as accurate as possible at any given moment to ensure maritime safety and security,” its website says.

Iceland, which meets the Greenland Sea on the north, the Norwegian Sea on the east, the Atlantic Ocean on the south and west, and the Denmark Strait separating it from Greenland, has a coastline of more than 3,000 miles.

Edited by Judith Isacoff and Kristen Butler



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Black Women, Elected to State Legislatures, Descend on Memphis

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Black Women, Elected to State Legislatures, Descend on Memphis

MEMPHIS — More than 40 Black women who have been elected to public office are headed to Bluff City this week for a national conference focused on policies that empower Black women to lead and serve their communities.

The National Organization of Black Elected Legislative Women, also known as NOBEL Women, will host Black elected leaders from Tennessee, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, Florida, New York, Minnesota, Louisiana, New Mexico, Wisconsin, and Alabama.

With the theme, “NOBEL Women Answering the Call: Breaking Glass Ceilings While Taking Our Seat at the Table,” organizers have also invited women in leadership at large companies and nonprofit organizations as well. The group will meet at the Hyatt Centric downtown.

Established in 1985 to increase the presence of Black women in state governments, NOBEL Women is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization primarily composed of Black women who are serving or have previously served in public office.

In celebrating its 36th annual legislative conference, the organization’s leaders have an eye on the future. Conference programming this year centers around expanding representation in leadership in public and private sectors, according to NOBEL Women President Karen Camper (D-Memphis), who also serves as the minority leader in the Tennessee House of Representatives.

“From the boardroom to Capitol Hill, we are unapologetic in advocating for the Black women who are driving change and innovation across the country,” Camper said. “Because we had to cancel our conference in 2020, there’s a lot of excitement and energy leading up to this year’s gathering.”

Tennessee Senator Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis), a NOBEL Women officer who is also serving as the national conference chairwoman, says she is eager to showcase her hometown and some of the community’s inspiring leaders.

“NOBEL Women has always been a group that lifts up and seeks to inspire its members,” Akbari said. “I cannot wait for our members to experience the connectivity, passion, and creativity growing throughout our city, with so much of it being driven by Black women.”

The NOBEL Women conference begins Thursday, Oct. 7 with programming through Sunday, Oct. 10. Sessions will cover COVID-19, workforce and small business development, healthcare, marijuana reform, and digital literacy.

Terri Jackson, the executive director of the WNBA Players Association, will address conference attendees on Friday night. The Women’s National Basketball Players Association works to protect the rights of players and assist them in achieving their full potential on and off the court.

On Saturday, NOBEL Women will present the organization’s Shining Star Award to Jotaka Eaddy, who founded the #WinWithBlackWomen social movement in 2020 and co-hosts the award-winning OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network Television series Speak Sis!, and Pastor Earle Fisher, the founder of #UPTheVote901 and the senior pastor at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Memphi

VIDEO: Whale Done: Two Beached Humpbacks Saved By Volunteers

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VIDEO: Whale Done: Two Beached Humpbacks Saved By Volunteers

By Joseph Golder

Two beached humpback whales have been rescued in Argentina by volunteers over a 48-hour period amid concerns of a growing trend of stranded marine animals in the country and in neighboring Brazil.

The beached whales were found in the coastal area of La Costa Partido in the eastern Argentine province of Buenos Aires on the morning of Oct. 3 and the evening of Oct. 4.

Volunteers with the Mundo Marino Foundation carried out the rescue operations with the assistance of the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development.

Thirty people took part in the successful rescue of the first humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).

Mundo Marino Foundation biologist Sergio Rodriguez Heredia said the whale was a young female measuring over 32 feet (9.8 meters) in length and weighing approximately eight tons.

“Upon arriving at the scene to verify the animal’s situation, the primary support tasks were immediately carried out, [which] are to ensure the correct position of the specimen, so it can breathe, and to keep the pectoral fins underwater to facilitate the stabilization of its body temperature as much as possible.

“This became difficult as the whale, with the force of the waves, turned and had its blowhole underwater for a moment, being exposed to water entering its lungs. Thanks to the quick action and technical ability of the rescue team, they were able to quickly straighten it out,” Heredia said.

The juvenile female humpback whale was successfully rescued on Oct. 3 in Argentina. (Mundo Marino/Zenger)

Using floats and special slings placed under the whale’s body, the rescuers managed to assist it back to open sea.

“Shortly afterwards, the animal began to swim under its own steam and managed to get away from the coast,” the Mundo Marino Foundation said in a statement.

The Foundation’s vice president, Andrea Cabrera, said the rescue operation was “carried out in less than an hour [which] makes us very happy.”

On Monday evening, another humpback whale, a young male around 28 feet (8.5 meters) in length and weighing around seven tons, was found beached, and Foundation members arrived on the scene to monitor the animal’s situation.

The second of the two whales rescued after being stranded on the Buenos Aires coast was a male humpback whale measuring 28 feet in length and weighing approximately seven tons. He appeared on Monday night, Oct. 4, in La Lucila del Mar in Argentina. (Mundo Marino/Zenger)

Experts decided it was better to carry out the rescue operation at 6 a.m. the following morning when the team could work with better visibility.

The whale was in a stable condition, and Foundation members monitored the situation until the rescue was successfully carried out early the next day.

“Unfortunately, these events are not isolated cases and simply add [up] to a worrying trend of stranded marine animals being found in Argentina and Brazil in recent months,” Foundation officials said.

Edited by Siân Speakman and Kristen Butler



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Kenyan Women Organize For Safety And Respect On Public Transport

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Kenyan Women Organize For Safety And Respect On Public Transport

By Tina Muthoni

NAIROBI, Kenya — While studying at the United States International University in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi in 2008, Naomi Mwaura witnessed something that changed her life.

As Mwaura and three of her friends traveled near their campus on a matatu — privately owned minibuses that provide public transport — they watched a crew assaulted a young woman over what they described as “improper” dressing.

“My friends and I were perturbed and realized it could easily have been one of us, and wondered how we can avert such situations in the future,” she told Zenger.

Minibuses park near the Streets of Nairobi City Center waiting to drop off passengers to their destinations amidst the government’s ban on all public service transportation, during a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic on March 28. (Donwilson Odhiambo/Getty Images)

Kenya’s matatus are famous for their unruly behavior — disobeying traffic rules at will, and often bringing the city roads to a standstill. Their crews also often harass passengers, especially women, for perceived failures to dress appropriately.

As a male-dominated sector, the few women who venture into the business often complain of harassment from male colleagues, and even from police officers.

After the 2008 incident, Mwaura and her friends partnered with Ujamaa Africa, a Nairobi-based organization advocating for women’s empowerment, to help equip women with self-defense tactics.

In 2013, that became the Flone Initiative.

The organization encourages women to take up decision-making positions in the transport industry and to professionalize the industry. They run training programs that equip the crew with skills that include customer service and navigating an intense work schedule from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“It is an industry that is close to my heart, having seen my uncle run a successful matatu business, which employed many of my relatives as touts and drivers,” Mwaura said. “My perception of the industry was different until I joined campus and realized everyone looked down on matatu staff, but I’m optimistic we can redeem this image.”

Besides unruly male crews, women who venture into the industry often have to deal with police who do not officially book some cases, and at times even assault them.

Naomi Ngugi, a former conductor with Umoinner Sacco, one of the biggest matatu groups plying the Eastlands part of Nairobi, still remembers the assault she endured at the hands of police in March 2020 enforcing the Covid-19 containment measures.

“There was a slight delay in closing down that particular evening, but I had to wait for my day’s dues since it was the only money I was relying on to feed my child,” she told Zenger. “I was just about to leave for home around 9.15 p.m. when two police officers approached and started hitting me from the back.”

“They then lifted me and threw me at the back of their patrol car.”

Her crime was being out after 9 p.m., the official curfew time.

“I begged for mercy in vain. Two other police officers were at the back of the vehicle continued hitting me with batons on my back. I explained to them that I was a conductor and had a valid public service vehicle operator’s badge, but that fell on deaf ears. Eventually, they let me off after taking my day’s earnings of Sh1,200 [ about $10]. I hurriedly walked home, hoping not to bump into other police officers.”

The pain and trauma of the experience registered when she got home. She barely ate for three days, and her hands felt numb.

“I was traumatized and decided to quit the industry. I never renewed my badge again. That was the last time I worked as a matatu tout.”

Naomi Mwaura leads a training workshop with female matatu workers in Nairobi. (Courtesy of Naomi Mwaura)

Harassment in the transport industry extends to female commuters too.

Anita Mweni, a clothes’ seller in Nairobi, said she and her friends could not wear short dresses, fearing harassment by touts.

“Last year, my friends and I watched in shock as touts stripped a woman at a matatu stage near my home claiming she was indecently dressed,” Mweni told Zenger. “To avoid such incidences, you either have your boyfriend accompany you when you have to wear something short, or you take a cab.”

In September 2014, thousands of people demonstrated on the streets of Nairobi in support of a young woman who was assaulted and stripped naked at a matatu terminus for “indecent” dressing.

The incident led to a campaign dubbed #MyDressMyChoice.

After the incident, similar videos of different women being assaulted due to their dressing choices emerged. But many more go unreported.

The Flone Initiative’s first-ever job in 2013 was a training session for matatu crew in Nyeri town — about 90 miles north of Nairobi — after a young woman was stripped naked at a bus terminus.  The organization then developed a curriculum in 2014, and the training took shape after that.

“Our talks address gender issues in a non-confrontational way so that we do not lose the men,” Mwaumi said. “To break the ice, we ask non-intrusive questions like, ‘What type of violence have you experienced, and how did it make you feel? What type of violence have you inflicted on others?’”

Flone Initiative has trained 25 women and 800 male operators in Githurai 44, Githurai 45, Kayole areas of Nairobi, and Nakuru town, 93 miles west of the capital.

“We usually go to problematic areas and talk to the men who strip women, for instance. We have professionals who do training. The feedback is encouraging. Some matatu saccos [savings and credit cooperative societies] we trained have developed a grievance system, which receives customer complaints,” Mwaumi said.

“They had also hired more women.”

However, many matatu owners do not want an empowered workforce and feel threatened when their staff are more conscious of their rights.

Flone Initiative has partnered with various organizations like the National Gender and Equality Commission to counsel matatu staff who have gone through traumatic experiences on the road. She said they now plan to extend their reach beyond Kenya.

“We were all set to venture into the East African region last year, were it not for Covid-19 pandemic. However, our short-term goal is to start a school in Kenya to train those in the transport industry.”

Edited by Kipchumba Some and Alex Willemyns



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Zimbabwean Government Tussles With Trade Unions Over Vaccine Mandates

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Zimbabwean Government Tussles With Trade Unions Over Vaccine Mandates

By Kudzanai Abel Gerede

HARARE, Zimbabwe — Spencer Mutsvairo, 44, a cleaner at a small grocery shop in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, got vaccinated against Covid-19 in July after his employer threatened to bar unvaccinated people from entering the workplace.

“It’s one of the most difficult decisions that I had to take,” Mutsvairo told Zenger. “I had to choose between getting injected of something I’m not comfortable with and losing my source of livelihood.”

At the time, Zimbabwe was at the peak of its third wave of the coronavirus.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa receives his first first dose of the Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, on March 24.(Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Images)

The country has recorded 131,205 cases of disease with 4,627 deaths, as of Oct. 4, according to the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

Mutsvairo says he is skeptical of the jabs, having read media reports about certain vaccines causing blood clotting in some people.

“It’s so disturbing to hear that some people react badly to vaccines, so people should do so voluntarily. I got vaccinated because I feared losing my job,” he said.

Many Zimbabweans are skeptical of getting vaccinated despite being among the first African countries to roll out an inoculation program in February.

To date, the government has procured just above 12 million doses of vaccines. By contrast, only 3.1 million people have been fully vaccinated against a target of 10 million to achieve herd immunity by year’s end.

The country’s largest labor body with 35 unions under its umbrella, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, recently filed an urgent court application against the government and six companies over mandatory vaccination of employees.

The union cited the labor minister, attorney-general, ZIMNAT Insurance Company, Zimbabwe National Road Administration, Telone, Windmill, SeedCo Zimbabwe, and Manicaland State University of Applied Sciences as respondents.

However, the next hearing date is yet to be set — High Court Justice Emilia Muchawa ruled on Sept. 13 that the matter was not urgent and “cannot jump the queue.”

“Mandatory vaccination for workers is unlawful,” Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions president, Peter Mutasa, told Zenger.

“There is no law that prescribes that, except for a few sectors such as health, which the government has issued statutory instruments calling for mandatory vaccination. As for the rest of the people, it is being done unlawfully. It’s also unfair and illogical.”

A health worker draws out the Sinopharm vaccine from a tube before vaccinating at Banket District Hospital on Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe, on Feb. 22. (Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Images)

However, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, speaking at a post-cabinet press briefing on Sept. 14, said that the government would stand firm on its stance for non-vaccinated employees to not be allowed to return to work.

“Pursuant to the previous announcement that all civil servants should be vaccinated, Cabinet further resolved that no unvaccinated civil servants will be allowed to come to work,” Mutsvangwa said.

Zimbabwe is not the only country pushing for mandatory vaccination.

U.S. President Joseph R. Biden Jr. said Sept. 9 that American companies with more than 100 workers would ensure they all are vaccinated or take weekly tests. In China, meanwhile, local authorities have made it mandatory for all 18 year-olds and above to get vaccinated or be turned away at schools, hospitals, and public transport.

Musa Kika, executive director at the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum said mandatory vaccination was allowed in Zimbabwe under the Constitution.

“Both employers and employees have rights,” Kika told Zenger. “Employers have the right to protect their workspaces and a duty to protect their employees, and employees have the right to protect their interests and the right to choose.”

“This is a classic case of balancing between personal interests and limitation of rights, as envisaged under section 86 of the Constitution. A public health emergency is just a case of limitation of rights, provided it is done legally and constitutionally.”

Nevertheless, many government workers, such as the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe have vowed to contest mandatory vaccination laws in court.

“Yes, we agree that vaccination is a game-changer since it will protect our people,” the organization’s president, Obert Masaraure, told Zenger. “However, the government should be educating people around the importance of vaccination so that they willingly present themselves for vaccination.”

“We are strongly against dictatorial tendencies, and to that end, we are approaching the courts to seek protection,” he said.

Edited by Kipchumba Some and Alex Willemyns



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Millions Of Microscopic Thieves Steal Essential Medicine From World-Famous Shedd Aquarium

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Millions Of Microscopic Thieves Steal Essential Medicine From World-Famous Shedd Aquarium

By Martin M Barillas

Scientists at Chicago’s famous Shedd Aquarium were stumped by the disappearance of anti-parasitic medications until they found the sneaky culprits — microbes.

“Shedd Aquarium’s quarantine habitats behind the scenes are a first stop for animals entering the building, allowing us to safely welcome them in a way that ensures outside pathogens are not introduced to the animals that already call Shedd home,” said Bill Van Bonn of Shedd Aquarium.

During the quarantine process, all the animals are bathed in water containing anti-parasitic chloroquine phosphate medication to treat a variety of illnesses. After adding the medication directly to the water, the aquarium staff measure its concentration.

“They need to maintain a certain concentration in the habitats to treat the animals effectively,” said microbiologist Erica Hartmann of Northwestern University. “But they noticed the chloroquine was mysteriously vanishing. They would add the correct amount, then measure it, and the concentration would be much lower than expected — to the point where it wouldn’t work anymore.”

Hartmann and her colleagues worked with Van Bonn to “catch the thief,” publishing a study that appeared recently in the journal Science of the Total Environment.

Together, they conducted microbial and chemical analyses of the saltwater aquarium systems. What they found was not just one thief but millions of microbes that were feasting on the nitrogen suspended in the water.

Scientists at Northwestern University worked with Shedd Aquarium to catch the invisible thief stealing the medicine from the animals’ pharmaceutical baths. Millions of microbes were identified as the culprits. (Testalize.me/Unsplash)

Hartmann, who noted that carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphorous are the building blocks of life, said when the research team looked for the medicine, they found it had been degraded. “The piece of the molecule containing the nitrogen was gone. It would be the equivalent [of] eating only the pickles out of a cheeseburger and leaving the rest behind,” she said.

The team took samples from the water, the sides of the habitats and from pipes leading to and from the habitats. Testing these samples uncovered 754 different microbes. Hartmann pointed out that microbes live in water and on the surfaces of the habitats.

“If you have ever had an aquarium at home, you probably noticed grime growing on the sides. People sometimes add snails or algae-eating fish to help clean the sides. So we wanted to study whatever was in the water and whatever was stuck to the sides of the surfaces,” she said.

During the investigation, the scientists not only determined the microbial basis for the disappearance of the medicine but also identified the responsible microbes. Hartmann’s team cultured the microbes and fed them chloroquine as their only source of carbon, but the results were inconclusive. Next, they conducted a sensitive analytical chemistry study of the degraded chloroquine. “If the chloroquine was being eaten, we were essentially looking at the leftovers,” she said. “That’s when we realized that nitrogen was the key driver.”

Of all the microbes collected, the researchers identified at least 21 different suspects clinging to the inside of the habitats’ outlet pipes. Some of these microbes have never been studied before.

Hartmann said the pipes might need to be scrubbed or replaced to keep the chloroquine from disappearing. Also, regular switching between freshwater and saltwater may be a solution because microbes are typically sensitive to one or the other.

Edited by Siân Speakman and Kristen Butler



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VIDEO: Ray Of Hope: Endangered Stingrays Born In Captivity

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VIDEO: Ray Of Hope: Endangered Stingrays Born In Captivity

By Joseph Golder

Rare endangered stingrays have been born in captivity for the first time in Europe.

The round ribbontail rays’ birth took place at the Wroclaw Zoo, Poland’s oldest zoo.

Zookeepers noticed a new baby ray in one of the tanks on Sept. 16. The newborn was quickly identified as a round ribbontail ray, about 11.8 inches in diameter.

“So far, only one birth of this species in the world has been documented — in Australia. Now, Zoo Wroclaw boasts of the offspring of round ribbontail rays,” the zoo said.

“It was easy to guess that if there is one, there are probably others as well, because there may be up to seven in a litter. A diver was sent into the Mozambique Channel tank … and found three more pups,” the zoo said on its website.

“When we caught the little rays and checked their condition, we were overjoyed. We waited six years for our rays to grow up and reproduce,” said Jakub Kordas, aquarium manager at the zoo.

A young round ribbontail ray in the Wroclaw Zoo in Poland. (Wroclaw Zoo/Zenger)

The zoo moved the baby rays to a smaller tank “to keep them safe,” so they can be monitored. Their first two weeks are crucial.

“After this period, we can already speak of success — the rays are doing well, they have adjusted their menu by rejecting shellfish in favor of herring and mackerel, and have even learned to express frustration by ‘blushing’ on the underside,” the zoo said.

Once they get bigger and are able to deal with other stingrays and sharks, the new additions will be available for public viewing. Till then, visitors can see their parents in the Mozambique Channel tank in the Afrykarium, an aquarium devoted to African animals.

Round ribbontail rays can be found in the Pacific Ocean, from Africa to Japan, mainly in coastal waters and coral reefs. An adult ray can reach a width of 9.8 feet and weigh up to 330 lbs.

Newborn round ribbontail rays being fed in the Wroclaw Zoo in Poland. They are usually born in a litter, of up to seven rays. (Wroclaw Zoo/Zenger)

Breeding is difficult in captivity, due to their large adult size and nutritional requirements. They eat sand worms, shrimps, hermit crabs, clams, mussels and small fishes.

The species is listed as vulnerable on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Endangered Species. The organization reports the species has declined by at least 20 percent over the past 20 years.

The main threat to the ribbontail ray’s existence is the fishing industry. Rays are often caught in nets intended to catch other species. Another danger is climate change, as coral reefs, their main habitats, disappear.

Edited by Fern Siegel and Kristen Butler



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VIDEO: Threatened Andean Condor Released Back Into The Wild After Recovering From Gunshot Wounds

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VIDEO: Threatened Andean Condor Released Back Into The Wild After Recovering From Gunshot Wounds

By Joseph Golder

An Andean condor — a threatened species — has been released back into the wild in Ecuador, South America, after recovering from injuries inflicted by poachers using a pellet gun.

“This morning, in the middle of the Andean countryside, south of Otavalo, the ‘Gualabi’ condor was released,” said the Ecuadorian Ministry of the Environment, Water and Ecological Transition in a statement published on its website. “The bird, a victim of illegal hunting, was rescued five months ago and had four pellets in its body, which prevented it from flying normally.”

The Ecuadorian government estimates that only 150 members of the species remain in the country, based on the results of the last national census of the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus) carried out in 2018.

Government officials said the efforts of nature lovers, conservationists and government workers ensured “the specimen received urgent clinical attention, and surgery was performed for the extraction of the pellets and rehabilitation.”

In preparing for the bird’s release, the Andean Condor Foundation team installed a satellite tracker, donated by the Bolivian Birds of Prey Research Program, on the back of the condor. This will allow its behavior to be monitored, contributing information for the conservation of the species.

A condor being released at a high altitude near the Laguna de Cubilche in the Andean countryside in Ecuador on Sept. 29, 2021. (Ministry of the Environment, Water and Ecological Transition of Ecuador/Zenger)

Video of the condor’s release was shared on social media by the ministry, captioning it (in Spanish): “The #Imbabura moors received Gualabi, an adult Andean condor, who was rescued in May after being wounded with 4 pellets in his body. Currently, in #Ecuador, 19 condors that have had rehabilitation and release processes are [being] monitored.”

In the video, conservationists are seen opening the animal carrier containing the wild bird. The condor gingerly exits and carefully gauges its surroundings before taking flight and soaring off into the distance, leaving the cheering team behind.

“The condor is a symbol of our country; it shows strength and courage. The presence of condors gives balance to the ecosystems of this area. I invite everyone to care for and conserve our wildlife,” said Ecuadorian Vice Minister for the Environment Bianca Dager Jervis.

“Without a coordinated [program] involving professionals from different areas and a strong technical and economic effort, this and other releases would not be possible,” said Martin Bustamante, secretary of the National Working Group of the Andean Condor and director of the Zoological Foundation of Ecuador.

In its social media post, the ministry also said those who had rescued the bird were specially recognized as “guardians of this species.”

Andean condors are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. It was first listed as endangered in 1970 on the United States’ Endangered Species List, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

They are most immediately threatened by human encroachment on their habitat. They are particularly at risk because their reproductive rates are relatively low compared to other species.

“From 2019 to this year, three condors have been rescued — approximately one per year,” ministry officials said.

Edited by Siân Speakman and Kristen Butler



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