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Yo-Yo Ma played a surprise concert during his post-vaccination observation period

Yo-Yo Ma played a surprise concert during his post-vaccination observation period
via Berkshire Community College / Facebook

Internationally-acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma had 15 minutes to kill last Saturday after getting his COVID-19 vaccination at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, so he treated everyone to an impromptu concert.

Ma is a part-time Berkshires resident and was receiving his second COVID-19 shot at the vaccination site.

Richard Hall of the Berkshire COVID-19 Vaccine Collaborative told local paper the Berkshire Eagle said that Ma brought his cello because he simply wanted "to give back." So he treated healthcare workers and the recently- and soon-to-be vaccinated people to a performance of selections by Bach and Schubert.



Yo-Yo Ma plays for fellow vaccine recipientswww.youtube.com


Medical staff says that a hush fell over the clinic as Ma began to play. "It was so weird how peaceful the whole building became, just having a little bit of music in the background," said Leslie Drager, the lead clinical manager for the vaccination site, according to The Washington Post.

The music probably provided some much-needed comfort for those who were nervous to get the vaccine.

Ma was waiting at the vaccination site after getting the jab because most people are asked to sit through a 15-minute observation period in case they experience an allergic reaction. Those who are more prone to allergic reactions are often asked to wait for 30 minutes.

People who experience mild reactions are usually given a dose of Benadryl and then sent on their way.

Yo-Yo Ma at the White House in 1987.via Wikimedia Commons

It must have been an incredible experience for people to be able to hear the well-respected cellist play in such a small, impromptu setting. Ma has recorded more than 90 albums and received 18 Grammy Awards. He has been a United Nations Messenger of Peace since 2006 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011

He's famous for being an eclectic musician having played on recordings of classical music, bluegrass, traditional Chinese melodies, the tangos of Argentinian composer Ástor Piazzolla, and the works of minimalist composer Phillip Glass.

He's also known for his affable, down-to-earth personality.

The mini-concert comes an exact year after he first shared recordings of himself at the beginning of the outbreak under #SongsOfComfort. He shared the recordings to help quell the stress and anxiety caused by the onset of the pandemic.

"In these days of anxiety," he wrote on Twitter on March 13, 2020, "I wanted to find a way to continue to share some of the music that gives me comfort. The first of my #SongsOfComfort: Dvorák – 'Going Home'"

At a time when good memories are hard to create, Ma did a wonderful job at lending his talents to spread a little joy in a stressful time. Let's hope that soon he will be able to return to larger venues and can once again spread that joy to thousands of people a night.





Identity

Celebrate International Women's Day with these stunning photos of female leaders changing the world

The portraits, taken by acclaimed photographer Nigel Barker, are part of CARE's "She Leads the World" campaign.

Images provided by CARE

Kadiatu (left), Zainab (right)

True

Women are breaking down barriers every day. They are transforming the world into a more equitable place with every scientific discovery, athletic feat, social justice reform, artistic endeavor, leadership role, and community outreach project.

And while these breakthroughs are happening all the time, International Women’s Day (Mar 8) is when we can all take time to acknowledge the collective progress, and celebrate how “She Leads the World.

This year, CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to empowering women and girls, is celebrating International Women’s Day through the power of portraiture. CARE partnered with high-profile photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” to capture breathtaking images of seven remarkable women who have prevailed over countless obstacles to become leaders within their communities.

“Mabinty, Isatu, Adama, and Kadiatu represent so many women around the world overcoming incredible obstacles to lead their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA.

Barker’s bold portraits, as part of CARE’s “She Leads The World” campaign, not only elevate each woman’s story, but also shine a spotlight on how CARE programs helped them get to where they are today.

About the women:

Mabinty

international womens day, care.org

Mabinty is a businesswoman and a member of a CARE savings circle along with a group of other women. She buys and sells groundnuts, rice, and fuel. She and her husband have created such a successful enterprise that Mabinty volunteers her time as a teacher in the local school. She was the first woman to teach there, prompting a second woman to do so. Her fellow teachers and students look up to Mabinty as the leader and educator she is.

Kadiatu

international womens day, care.org

Kadiatu supports herself through a small business selling food. She also volunteers at a health clinic in the neighboring village where she is a nursing student. She tests for malaria, works with infants, and joins her fellow staff in dancing and singing with the women who visit the clinic. She aspires to become a full-time nurse so she can treat and cure people. Today, she leads by example and with ambition.

Isatu

international womens day, care.org

When Isatu was three months pregnant, her husband left her, seeking his fortune in the gold mines. Now Isatu makes her own way, buying and selling food to support her four children. It is a struggle, but Isatu is determined to be a part of her community and a provider for her kids. A single mother of four is nothing if not a leader.

Zainab

international womens day, care.org

Zainab is the Nurse in Charge at the Maternal Child Health Outpost in her community. She is the only nurse in the surrounding area, and so she is responsible for the pre-natal health of the community’s mothers-to-be and for the safe delivery of their babies. In a country with one of the world’s worst maternal death rates, Zainab has not lost a single mother. The community rallies around Zainab and the work she does. She describes the women who visit the clinic as sisters. That feeling is clearly mutual.

Adama

international womens day, care.org

Adama is something few women are - a kehkeh driver. A kehkeh is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi, known elsewhere as a tuktuk. Working in the Kissy neighborhood of Freetown, Adama is the primary breadwinner for her family, including her son. She keeps her riders safe in other ways, too, by selling condoms. With HIV threatening to increase its spread, this is a vital service to the community.

Ya Yaebo

international womens day, care.org

“Ya” is a term of respect for older, accomplished women. Ya Yaebo has earned that title as head of her local farmers group. But there is much more than that. She started as a Village Savings and Loan Association member and began putting money into her business. There is the groundnut farm, her team buys and sells rice, and own their own oil processing machine. They even supply seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture. She has used her success to the benefit of people in need in her community and is a vocal advocate for educating girls, not having gone beyond grade seven herself.

On Monday, March 4, CARE will host an exhibition of photography in New York City featuring these portraits, kicking off the multi-day “She Leads the World Campaign.

Learn more, view the portraits, and join CARE’s International Women's Day "She Leads the World" celebration at CARE.org/sheleads.


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Elya/Wikimedia Commons

Should you hang the toilet paper roll over or under?



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