Canadian offices going to the dogs as work-from-home ending
 

Michel COMTE
Sun, May 8, 2022
Daisy moseys over to greet visitors, her tail wagging. She's listed as chief morale officer on Tungsten Collaborative's website, and is among the many pets joining their owners returning to Canadian offices after working from home through the pandemic.

The 12-year-old Lab sniffs for treats. Before long, a Basset Hound named Delilah waddles over, offering up her belly for a rub, along with other four-legged colleagues Eevee the Greyhound and German Shepherd puppy Hudson, who lets out a bark.

Daisy's proficiencies include "stress management" and "client engagement," according to her biography, which notes that many of the industrial design studio's "greatest innovations can be traced back to a long walk" with her.

"We encourage people if they have pets to bring them (to work)," Tungsten president Bill Dicke, 47, said in an interview with AFP.

"You develop this relationship being at home with your pet on a day-to-day basis and all of a sudden you go back to work, so now they have to be crated for the day or roam the house alone, it's not fair to them," he opined.

"The tolerance for pets (at work) during the pandemic has increased," he added.

These dogs sleep under desks or in the boardroom throughout the day, chase balls down a hallway or chew squeaky toys. There's a row of water bowls in the office kitchen, if they get thirsty.

The Ottawa company is listed by the Humane Society as dog-friendly, and it's actually helped drum up business, Dicke said, as well as increased staff productivity.

Workers are forced to take regular breaks for dog walks instead of "eating lunch at their desk," for example, and are not fretting about their pet being left alone at home, he explained.

According to a recent Leger survey for PetSafe, 51 percent of Canadians support bringing dogs to the office.

Younger workers were the most supportive, with 18 percent of those aged 18 to 24 years saying they would change jobs if their employer refused to allow them to bring their pet to work.

With an estimated 200,000 Canadians adopting a dog or cat since the start of the pandemic in 2020, bringing the nationwide total to 3.25 million, it could force employers now pressing staff to return to the office to consider this option.

- 'Going to w-o-r-k' -

Johan Van Hulle, 29, joined Tungsten last year. Its dog policy, he said, "was a key part of the decision" to take the job, after working from home with Eevee.

"Allowing dogs is a good indicator" of a company's culture, he said, and the kind of "not too corporate" workplace that appeals to him.

Across town at construction joint venture Chandos Bird, people designing a nuclear research laboratory are visibly smitten by 10-year-old Samson.

His owner Trevor Watt didn't want to leave the Yorkshire Terrier alone after moving into a new house and starting work in a new office in January.

It was supposed to be a temporary arrangement until Samson got used to his new surroundings, but he endeared himself with colleagues and staff in neighboring offices, who take turns walking him.

"He loves going to work," Watt said. "When I say I'm going to w-o-r-k, he's ready to jump in the car."

Watt likes it, too. "I don't have to worry about him."

"Dogs in new environments get very anxious, when left alone," he explained. "I think a lot of new owners know that now that they've had their puppies through Covid."

If Samson needs to go out, he just puts a paw on Watt's leg. He has toys and a bed at the office, and wanders from desk to desk.

Petting him is a great way to "decompress after a tough meeting," commented Watt's boss Byron Williams.

Dogs in the workplace, however, can also create challenges, he said, such as "if somebody is scared of dogs" or allergic to dander.

One of Watt's coworkers is terrified of dogs. It was agreed with her that Samson would be leashed the days she comes to the office.

At other offices, workers surveyed by AFP lamented carpet stains, disruptive barking and pet hair or drool on clothes -- not a great look for impressing clients.

Downtown, many stores and cafes have water bowls for dogs, and several shopkeepers such as Emma Inns of the Adorit fashion boutique bring their dogs to work.

"If they're home alone, they get into trouble," she said of Rosie, Oscar and Camilla.

As store mascots, however, they're great for business.

"Everyone knows their names," Inns said. "Some people come just to see them, but then buy something."

amc/to

Adorit owner Emma Inns says her three dogs, including Oscar, bring in customers to her boutique (AFP/Dave Chan)

Fear reigns in Brazil favela a year after bloody raid




One year after 28 people were killed in the bloodiest police raid in Rio de Janeiro history, the tension is still palpable in the Jacarezinho slum, where Brazilian authorities have deployed a massive law enforcement operation 

(AFP/ANDRE BORGES)

Louis GENOT
Sun, May 8, 2022

One year after 28 people were killed in the bloodiest police raid in Rio de Janeiro history, the tension is still palpable in the Jacarezinho slum, where authorities have deployed a massive law enforcement operation.

Brazil marked the first anniversary Friday of the early-morning raid against alleged drug traffickers that turned the impoverished favela into a battlefield, with explosions and heavy gunfire that left streets strewn with bodies.

Residents of Jacarezinho, a slum of brick and tin-roof houses on Rio's north side that is home to 80,000 people, have accused the police of killing innocent victims in cold blood.

Seeking to calm an explosive situation, the state government in January launched a program called "Cidade Integrada" (Integrated City), aiming to "reclaim the territory" dominated by drug traffickers and to set up social projects to improve life in the favela.

But many residents say the heavy police presence only makes them more afraid.

"Everyone's scared. Having the police here all the time doesn't make us feel safer -- on the contrary," said "Vera," a 31-year-old shopkeeper who was afraid to provide her real name.

Two armored police vehicles were posted near her shop.

Heavily armed officers regularly patrol the slum's tangled maze of narrow streets, and passersby typically avoid making eye contact.

"Since 'Integrated City' started, shootouts are an almost daily occurrence, with no warning," said Pedro Paulo da Silva of local community organization LabJaca.

"Police see (the favelas) as enemy territory," he said. "Everyone is a potential target."

- 'Anxiety attacks' -

The tension erupted into the open the night of April 25, when police shot and killed an 18-year-old man, the father of a four-month-old baby.

His mother called the killing a "summary execution."

Residents poured into the streets in protest, lighting fires to block entrances to the favela.

Police say they have opened an internal investigation.

Many residents say just seeing officers on patrol brings back dark memories of May 6, 2021 and the terrifying raid that left one policeman and 27 alleged suspects dead.

Scores of protesters on Friday marked the anniversary, marching to the favela's memorial to the dead, a small blue wall with plaques bearing their names.

"Police are murderers!" they chanted as two heavily armed officers watched.

"There's a feeling of sadness, but above all of injustice. A lot of others have died since. And it's not going to stop," said 19-year-old Taciana Barbosa, who had two childhood friends killed in the raid.

Despite international calls for an independent inquiry, including from the United Nations, just two officers have been indicted and two more were placed under investigation for the Jacarezinho killings.

"As long as no one is brought to justice, people's contact with law enforcement agents will still be very affected by that trauma," said Guilherme Pimentel, the ombudsman for the Rio public defender's office.

There have been glaring reports of abuses by police stationed in the favela, including invading residents' homes and stealing from them.

"I came home one day and found my door open. They turned the whole place upside down. They must have had dogs, because I found poop on the floor. They come looking to steal our valuables. I didn't have any," said 39-year-old resident Thiago Baia, who heads a local cultural association.

"I've been afraid ever since. I get anxiety attacks when I try to sleep."

- ID cards and Zumba -

The state government says it has inaugurated several social projects as part of Integrated City, including a job training program for mothers that has 1,400 participants.

The authorities have also started gymnastics and Zumba classes, and opened a public registrar's office that has allowed many residents to obtain "their first-ever ID cards," according to Governor Claudio Castro.

Not everyone is convinced.

"The job-training courses have started, but we haven't seen any of the rest," said Da Silva.

"It's the same problem every time they launch a new program: they never actually talk with the people who live here."

lg/jhb/bbk

CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M 
U.N. agency head resigns amid investments probe

May 8 (UPI) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday accepted the resignation of the head of a U.N. agency under investigation for potentially losing millions of dollars in bad investments.

Grete Faremo, the executive director of the U.N. Office for Project Services, submitted her resignation Sunday after The New York Times published an article detailing how the little-known agency may lose up to $25 million meant for aid to developing countries.

"It has been my great privilege to lead UNOPS," Faremo said in a statement. "I continue to be proud of UNOPS' achievements and unprecedented growth over these last eight years."

The office of Guterres said the U.N. head had accepted Faremo's resignation, effective immediately, and appointed Denmark's Jens Mandel to active executive director of UNOPs starting Monday.

"The secretary-general is grateful for Ms. Faremo's commitment and dedicated service to the organization," the statement said.

The U.N. watchdog Office of Internal Oversight Services has been investigating possible misconduct at UNOPS concerning its Sustainable Infrastructure Investments and Innovation initiative that is designed to help address the two issues of financing and innovation in connection to achieving the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals.

In December, Faremo had placed Vitaly Vanshelboim, the chief executive of S3I and her deputy, on administrative leave amid the U.N. watchdog's investigation.

The Times reported that UNOPS had given tens of millions of dollars to a British man whose businesses have defaulted on more than $22 million in loans.

In a statement from mid-April, UNOPS said it "accepts there are challenges with" its initiative and that "funds are at risk" but none to date have been lost.

"UNOPS will pursue all available legal remedies to protect its operations and assets, including the recovery of outstanding payments owed to UNOPS," it said. "UNOPS is committed to a rigorous and comprehensive process to address any possible misconduct and maladministration claims and will hold all persons responsible to account."

Faremo, who had announced in March that she was to retire in September, said Sunday that while they still don't know all the facts about what occurred, "they occurred on my watch and I acknowledge my responsibility and have decided to step down."

"I hope my decision will allow UNOPS to focus on its vital work uplifting the lives of vulnerable people around the world," she said.

Chris Lu, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations for Management Reform, called on the U.N. to immediately release the complete investigation report into the possible wrongdoing.

"At a minimum, we believe that UNOPS leadership missed clear warning signals, failed to provide necessary oversight and took unacceptable risks with funds," he said on Twitter.

"There needs to be a comprehensive review of UNOPS' business model, governance structure and personnel," Lu added in a second comment. "The new UNOPS leader also needs to demonstrate a strong commitment to reform."

US companies break long silence on abortion rights

Abortion rights activists gather outside the US Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles on May 3, 2022

New York (AFP) - After carefully avoiding the taboo topic for decades, more and more US companies are taking a stand on the right to abortion, a sign of a new generation with growing influence and very different expectations than their predecessors.

Mere hours after the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion indicating the national right to abortion would be overturned, a variety of American businesses began to react publicly.

"Given what is at stake, business leaders need to make their voices heard and act to protect the health and well-being of our employees," Levi Strauss said in a statement. "That means protecting reproductive rights."

Like the iconic denim brand, Apple has also pledged to cover costs for employees who have to travel to another state to get an abortion.

Revoking the nationwide right to abortion "will jeopardize the human rights of millions of women," the review platform Yelp told AFP, saying it would have "a seismic impact on our society and economy" and urging other companies to "step up to safeguard their employees."

Since Texas in September implemented a law banning abortion after six weeks -- before many women even know they are pregnant, and with no exceptions for rape or incest -- the stigma on speaking out has started to break.

Amazon, Uber and even the bank Citigroup have all announced they will cover the additional costs that the Texas legislation might cause for their employees.

"We're in a very unusual political time where this issue's come back up as a pressing political issue, and it will force companies to take a stand," said Maurice Schweitzer, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton business school.

"Businesses that are located in states that might overturn (abortion access), they have to make a decision one way or the other: Are they going to offer that benefit in terms of travel to a location where those services could be accessed? Or are they not?" said Neeru Paharia, a professor at the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business.

"It kind of forces a lot of these (companies) to take a stand on this issue."

According to The New York Times, Tesla, which moved its headquarters from California to Texas, has also pledged to cover its employees' abortion-related expenses.
'New generational thing'

The newfound boldness of US businesses is also tied to the fact that "in this country, people who are pro-choice are larger in number than people who are anti-abortion," said Paharia.

The announcements by several leading companies are part of a "general trend" that has been developing for the past decade and "picked up steam" under former US president Donald Trump, she said.

Immigration, LGBT rights, gun regulations, the Black Lives Matter movement, voting rights -- hot-button issues keep coming up, in a climate of heightened polarization, and many companies have been pressured to respond by their employees.

"This is a new generational thing," explained Mark Hass, a journalism and communication professor at Arizona State University. "The millennial generation, Gen Z are... increasingly concerned about who they work for, the values of those companies."

"Companies like Apple, companies like Amazon, companies like Uber... rely on having the best employees," he said. "So their employees are sort of their North Star," or guiding force.

Paharia agreed: "It's a tight labor market, and certain kinds of job skills are hard to come by."

In a country where public confidence in elected officials has been eroding for many years, employees are also expecting more from their employers, she said.

Schweitzer made a distinction between the new economy's flagship companies, whose employees are better educated than average and often able to work anywhere, and more traditional companies, which are sometimes located in more conservative regions of the United States.

The latter often have less mobile and less skilled workers, with a more limited influence on their employer.

"That's going to be a big part of why tech companies, for example, are going to react more strongly to this than other companies who would rather stay out of it," he said.

Unlike before, firms that have taken sides publicly have generally avoided backlash, calls for boycotts or smear campaigns.

Republican Senator Marco Rubio did introduce a bill Tuesday that would prevent companies from receiving tax breaks on expenses tied to covering abortion-related travel, but the bill is unlikely to pass.

However, "the groups that are interested in restricting abortion access, they're a minority. And they seem to be winning on this issue right now," said Schweitzer. "So I'm not surprised that they're being a little bit quiet."

2022/5/7 
© Agence France-Presse

US groups call for abortion rights marches on May 14

Protesters on both sides of the abortion rights issue rally in front of the Supreme Court, where temporary security fences have been erected, on May 5, 2022

Washington (AFP) - Multiple US organizations that support abortion rights called Thursday for nationwide protests on May 14, after a leaked draft opinion showed the Supreme Court poised to overturn its landmark Roe v. Wade decision.

"We don't have the luxury to waste any time," said Kelley Robinson, executive director of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund -- the political arm of the reproductive health care provider Planned Parenthood -- during a joint press call on Thursday.

Robinson, along with the leaders of three other national progressive organizations, called for a "massive day of action" on May 14, and announced four "anchor marches" in New York, Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles, as well as "hundreds of events all across the country."

"Nationwide we are going to be expressing our outrage," said Robinson.

The groups are also urging more mobilization throughout the summer, when the final Supreme Court decision is set to be issued.

"It's no exaggeration to say that for the women of this country, this will be a summer of rage," said Rachel Carmona, head of the group Women's March, which was founded by organizers of the first national opposition rally to former president Donald Trump in 2017.

Protests already erupted around the country starting on Monday night, when the news outlet Politico published a draft Supreme Court opinion that said the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision enshrining the national right to abortion was "egregiously wrong from the start."

"We hold that Roe and Casey (another case affirming the right to abortion) must be overruled," wrote conservative Justice Samuel Alito in the 98-page draft.

On Tuesday, more than a thousand protesters on both sides of the hotly debated issue gathered outside the Supreme Court's headquarters in Washington.

Law enforcement in the nation's capital, still on edge after the right-wing riot on January 6, 2021, have already set up temporary fencing around the court.
'See you at the ballot box'

The leaked ruling has also thrust the issue of abortion to the center of the November congressional midterm elections, potentially opening a path for beleaguered Democrats to stem expected losses.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday said "it will fall on voters to elect" officials who back abortion rights, and vowed to work to pass legislation in Congress that codifies Roe v. Wade.

"We are seeing an energy that we haven't seen before," said Rahna Epting, executive director of MoveOn, during the joint press call Thursday.

"Our message to Republicans is clear," she said.

"We will see you on the streets in May. We will see you on the streets in June and we sure as hell will see you at the ballot box in November."

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts described the leak as a "betrayal" on Tuesday.

"Court employees have an exemplary and important tradition of respecting the confidentiality of the judicial process and upholding the trust of the Court," Roberts said in a press statement.

"This was a singular and egregious breach of that trust."

The chief justice also announced that an investigation would be launched to find out who leaked the document.

CNN reported Thursday that Roberts, in his first public event since Monday, said the leaker would be "foolish" to believe they could influence the judges' positions, and that "one bad apple" would not alter "people's perception" of the court.

2022/5/5
© Agence France-Presse

After abortion, gay marriage? Fears US court may target other rights

Abortion rights demonstrators outside the US Supreme Court on May 3, 2022

New York (AFP) - After abortion, could gay marriage be next? With America's Supreme Court poised to roll back half a century of abortion rights, activists fear conservatives will set their sights on other constitutional freedoms, starting with same sex unions.

Also under threat could be gay sex or access to contraception, while future rulings could impact new areas such as transgender rights, legal experts say.

"The results of this case, if this opinion is actually the final opinion, will unravel constitutional rights that generations of Americans have taken for granted," said professor Katherine Franke of Columbia University's Center for Gender and Sexuality Law.

"Its limits are hard to anticipate," she added.

The Supreme Court's draft ruling -- leaked Monday -- would overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that enshrined abortion rights across the country if confirmed by the court, which has until end June to decide.

Fears that other rights could next be in the crosshairs of the court's conservative majority stem from Justice Samuel Alito's draft majority opinion, in which he argued that the right to abortion was not protected by the constitution.

Alito wrote that in order for rights to be judicially protected, they must be "deeply rooted in this Nation's history and tradition," which he argued abortion was not.

The 14th amendment does not mention specific rights but has been widely referenced by courts over the years in granting certain fundamental rights, such as contraception in the 1960s and in 2015 when the-then liberal leaning Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage.

"If anything like Alito's opinion turns out to be the final opinion of the court, it does open the door for people who want to attack same-sex marriage or gay sex in new cases," Arthur Leonard, an expert on equality law at New York Law School, told AFP.
'Emboldened' conservatives

Alito, 72, stressed that he was talking about "the constitutional right to abortion and no other right," but that doesn't reassure legal experts like Leonard.

"I don't believe him," said Leonard, adding there would be a "temptation" among the conservative justices to use their 6-3 majority to undo rights that have long vexed the religious right in America.

Leonard said that if Alito applies his opinion elsewhere it is "going to endanger a lot of potential new areas" such as transgender rights.

Around half of US states have laws prohibiting gay marriage. They could be triggered again if the Supreme Court's legalization of same-sex union is repealed. A handful still have laws prohibiting sex between same-sex partners.

Leonard thinks the Supreme Court, which shifted firmly conservative after the appointment of three members by ex-president Donald Trump, would stop short of ruling on gay sex, though.

"Public opinion has changed so sharply on that issue," Leonard notes. "There's a strong majority now in public opinion polls that say just keep their hands off what consenting adults do in private.

"But marriage is a very public thing. Marriage is a status that's recognized in society and entitles you to rights, benefits, etc."

The draft ruling on abortion has activists fearful for the future of same-sex unions, of which there are more than half a million in the United States, according to census figures released in 2019.

"We're definitely worried," Trevon Mayers, senior director at New York City-based LGBTQ advocacy group The Center, told AFP.

"The leaked draft of the court's opinion suggests that conservative members are emboldened by their majority, and may also be prepared to roll back other hard-fought fundamental rights.

"Systems of power, including our courts and elected officials, need to focus on ensuring all people have access to the health care that they need, rather than the opposite," he added.

Republicans have yet to comment publicly on whether they would welcome the Supreme Court looking at gay marriage but Democrats have indicated that threats to other rights will be a key angle of attack for them during Congressional midterms later this year.

President Joe Biden warned the Supreme Court ruling -- if upheld -- would reach far beyond the question of abortion, to "all the decisions related to your private life -- whom you marry, whether or not you decide to conceive a child or not."

"A whole range of rights are in question," he said.

2022/5/4 
© Agence France-Presse

Nearly half of LGBTQ youths in US considered suicide last year: study

The Trevor Project, a non-profit that works to prevent suicide among young people in the LGTBQ community, polled nearly 34,000 people aged 13 to 24

Washington (AFP) - Nearly half of LGBTQ youth aged 13 to 24 in America seriously considered committing suicide last year, according to a survey released Wednesday.

The poll of nearly 34,000 people was conducted by The Trevor Project, a non-profit that works to prevent suicide among young people in the LGTBQ community.

This annual survey "demonstrates that rates of suicidal thoughts have trended upward among LGBTQ young people over the last three years," said Amit Paley, the organization's executive director.

The study found that 45 percent of respondents said they seriously considered suicide last year, and that 14 percent tried to take their life.

Among those aged 13 to 17, the share of those who said they seriously considered suicide rose to 50 percent.

Suicide attempts among young Americans rose throughout the population -- especially among teenagers -- during the pandemic's two years of remote school and social isolation.

But a 2019 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already found "a significant difference" between levels of suicidal thoughts among young people, based on their sexual identity.

To wit: 14.5 percent of heterosexuals reported having seriously considered suicide but the figure shot up to 46.8 percent among those who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, the CDC said.

Events in recent years have only reinforced these trends, said The Trevor Project.

It said the proportion of young LGBTQ people in America who seriously considered suicide last year is up two percentage points from 2020 and five points from 2019.

"The Covid-19 pandemic and record wave of anti-transgender legislation continue to negatively impact LGBTQ youth's mental health," the organization said.

Seventy-three percent of people in the community reported feeling anxiety last year and 58 percent experienced symptoms of depression, the poll said.

2022/5/4 
© Agence France-Presse

LGBTQ leaders warn of renewed wave of hostility

More than 600 people representing over 100 countries have gathered in California to discuss LGBTQ rights

Long Beach (United States) (AFP) - The LGBTQ community around the world is facing a wave of attacks, said leaders and activists from more than 100 countries meeting this week in California.

The gathering is the first global get-together for community members since the world shut down for Covid -- and participants warned the environment for queer youth was deteriorating.

Julia Ehrt, director of the International Lesbian, Gay, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA World) said the community has historically faced "enormous levels of violence and discrimination."

But there has been a marked emergence in recent years of anti-gender narratives that are "trying to disenfranchise them from the human rights that they deserve."

Over 600 representatives were attending the week-long ILGA World global conference that began Monday in Long Beach, California, with a focus on young people.

"We've been really fighting for queer rights all across the world, but particularly queer youth rights have been sidelined (and) been invisible," Martin Karadzhov, chair of Ilga World's youth committee, told AFP.

"This conference provides us with the first ever space where we can really center the conversations."

That includes the discussion of "harmful practices such as conversion therapies, which are unethical, unscientific and torturous, yet legal in nearly 180 countries," he said.

The semi-regular conference was put on hold while the world grappled with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Its return this year has been a breath of fresh air for participants.

"Many LGBTQI activists work in conditions of extreme oppression, isolation and violence," said Jessica Stern, the US State Department's special envoy for LGBTQI human rights.

"And if you live and work like that, it takes a toll on your emotional well being."

Brian Wenke, of the Los Angeles-based "It Gets Better" education project, said the gathering came at an important time for queer youth in the United States.

"This year alone, over 300 bills in 36 (US) states were introduced, ranging from restrictive sports participation to 'don't say gay' bills, which are cleverly disguised as parental rights in education," he said.

These legislative efforts are an attempt to rob queer young people of "the experience that they need to grow and thrive and be fully functioning self-aware and competent adults."

The conference, whose participants could select from over 40 different gender identities on the registration form, is for Karadzhov an opportunity to "bust the myth that trans and gender diverse identities didn't exist before, that it's something new."

For the 28-year-old, previous generations faced similar crises and attacks.

"We need to really look at the common experiences and stories that we can connect with."

2022/5/3

© Agence France-Presse

'Doctor Strange' fans 'inspired' as America Chavez brings Latina and LGBTQ representation to the MCU

Kristina Garcia
Sat, May 7, 2022

Marvel executive Victoria Alonso, left, and America Chavez actor Xochitl Gomez, center, speak from the El Capitan stage at the premiere of "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

With her witty humor, charm and fake-it-till-you-make-it confidence, the character of America Chavez in the latest "Doctor Strange" franchise film is already stealing hearts as an LGBTQ and Latinx addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Played by Xochitl Gomez, America tries to defeat an unexpected evil in the new Sam Raimi-directed “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.” At the Thursday premiere at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, fans arrived dressed in Scarlet Witch crowns, magical cloaks, "WandaVision"-inspired cosplay and the occasional Spider-Man suit — but it was America who left the biggest impression.

“I feel empowered and inspired by characters like her," audience member Lance Parilla said, adding that he planned on watching the movie again the next day. "It's not just because of her heritage as a Latina, but also what she represents: She represents not just me, but my fellow LGBTQs.”

People gather outside the El Capitan Theater for the first screening of "Doctor Strange In the Multiverse of Madness." (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Fans watch actor Xochitl Gomez, who plays America Chavez in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," introduce the film. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Fans tour an exhibit of costumes from the film before the first screening. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Many others apparently agree. "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" started the weekend with $90 million in U.S. and Canadian ticket sales by end of day Friday, according to studio estimates, plus $139.3 million internationally. The $90 million was enough to be the seventh biggest domestic opening day in history.

At the Thursday premiere, Gomez appeared on the El Capitan stage, as did Victoria Alonso, president of physical and post-production, visual effects and animation production at Marvel Studios.

“It’s been very well known [that] I don’t like superheroes,” Alonso said sarcastically to the audience. “But what I do love is what they mean to you.”

For Megan Hill, who came to watch as an early 13th birthday gift, a Latina who identifies with the LGBTQ community is the kind of representation she’s been searching for.

“She's a part of the LGBTQ+ community, and a lot of people are hating on her. But I'm a part of that, and I think that's amazing,” Megan said. “For her to be a main character, I think is just great. Because a lot of young girls will definitely look up to her. And I know it's something I've been missing my entire life. And I'm just happy now that I get it.”

Megan Hill, 12. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Saudi Arabia was among the countries that have banned the “Doctor Strange" sequel because of its queer character, and Gomez — whose multiverse-traveling teen sits at the center of the movie — has been harassed on social media.

In the face of that negativity, the premiere drew supporters including John Ramirez, who cosplayed as Doctor Strange and who at the start of the pandemic in 2020 used El Capitan’s marquee to propose to his now-wife.

“It's great that everybody gets representation, because I just think that that's how movies always should be. We should all be included,” Ramirez said. “I did hear about her scene with her parents and stuff on screen and how that was sort of an issue. … I'm glad that it was done really good justice.”

The USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative surveyed 1,300 top box office films from 2007 to 2019, analyzing the inclusion of Hispanic/Latino characters and persons on screen and behind the camera. In 2019, only 7% of films cast a Hispanic/Latino lead or co-lead actor. Across the 13-year span of the survey, the number dropped to 3.5%.

The character of America resists stereotypes — the spicy Latina, the gangster, the housekeeper. El Capitan moviegoers noted America’s authenticity and how her character came off as the typical kid who lives down the block.

Moviegoer Jessie Abarques. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

“I really actually believed she was just a kid off the street,” said moviegoer Jessie Abarques, who added that Gomez had "the whole aura down."

Jazmin Sedano, 18, arrived at the premiere head to toe in her Scarlet Witch costume, accompanied by her mother and her little brother, who dressed as Spider-Man — because Spider-Man was “the one who broke the multiverse,” after all.

Sedano pointed out how America switched languages throughout the film.

“Especially for Marvel, I love how they still put in Mexican culture, so she says some words in Spanish," Sedano said. "And it's like how when we get mad or a little bit anxious, we switch to Spanish. So I feel like that was really cool."

Jazmin Sedano, 18, said she liked the inclusion of some Spanish in the new movie. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Scarlet Witch cosplayer Karin Worley was drawn not just to America's personality, character and superpowers, but also to the parallels with the Marvel character of Wanda Maximoff.

“Wanda probably would be in a much different place if someone had actually taken the time to believe in her," Worley said. Every time someone loves Wanda, that person gets taken away, she said. "It's kind of just wild seeing the parallels between the two of them, because in a different world, they could have been each other.”

Moviegoer and cosplayer Karin Worley, 23, at the El Capitan Theatre on Thursday. (Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

RIP
Legendary comic book artist George Perez dies


George Perez, the legendary comic book artist known for helping to reshape the DC universe, has died. He was 67. Photo courtesy George Perez/Facebook


May 7 (UPI) -- George Perez, the legendary comic book artist known for helping to reshape the DC universe, has died. He was 67.

His death, which came after his pancreatic cancer diagnosis, was announced by Constance Eza, a friend of the comic artist who managed his social media accounts.

"Constance here, with the update no one wants to read. George passed away yesterday, peacefully at home with his wife of 490 months and family by his side. He was not in pain and knew he was very, very loved," Eza said.

"We are all very much grieving but, at the same time, we are so incredibly grateful for the joy he brought to our lives. To know George was to love him; and he loved back. Fiercely and with his whole heart. The world is a lot less vibrant today without him in it."

Eza said that Perez loved seeing drawings that his fans had sent him and "was deeply proud to have brought so much joy to so many."

"Everyone knows George's legacy as a creator. His art, characters and stories will be revered for years to come. But, as towering as that legacy is, it pales in comparison to the legacy of the man George was," Eza said.

"George's true legacy is his kindness. It's the love he had for bringing others joy -- and I hope you all carry that with you always."

It was "fitting" that Perez died just before Free Comic Book Day, Eza said, calling the day when comic book stores give a free comic book to fans "a day George absolutely loved."

A memorial service will be held for the public at MEGACON Orlando on May 22.

DC Comics paid tribute to the beloved artist in a message posted to Twitter and said that he "made everything look effortless."

"His contributions were pivotal in both driving and reinventing DC's long and rich history. George's stories were a joy to read, and his work resonated with everyone he met," the company said. "He will be missed by those here at DC and fans worldwide."

Perez had written a lengthy letter to fans in December revealing that he had Stage 3 pancreatic cancer.

"It is surgically inoperable and my estimated life expectancy is between 6 months to a year," Perez said at the time.

The artist said he had been given the option of undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy but had decided not to undergo the treatments.

"I've opted to just let nature take its course and I will enjoy whatever time I have left as fully as possible with my beautiful wife of over 40 years, my family, friends and my fans," he wrote.

Before his death, the artist arranged with an agent to refund money paid for sketches he was unable to finish because of his diagnosis.

Perez was born in the South Bronx in New York City in June 1954 and got his start as a studio assistant at Marvel in his teens.

He published his first comic book work in 1974 and began drawing for Marvel's Avengers in 1975 before working on the Fantastic Four series.

His first collaboration with writer Marv Wolfman came while working on a Fantastic Four Annual published in 1979.

In 1980, Perez began working for Marvel rival DC Comics and is credited with launching the New Teen Titans series with Wolfman. Together, the pair created characters including Cyborg, Raven and Starfire.

Perez and Wolfman then together worked on DC's Crisis on Infinite Earths -- a series which massively restructured the publisher's multiverse and killed off a host of major characters.

He then played a key role in the 1987 reboot of Wonder Woman, which tied the character more closely to Greek mythology.

His work on the Wonder Woman character was credited as an influence for the success of the 2017 film starring Gal Gadot by the director of the blockbuster.

In the 1990s, Perez briefly worked on the six-issue Infinity Gauntlet series for Marvel Comics, which was one of the series adapted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, before returning to the Avengers.

In his career, Perez also worked on several other high-profile properties for Marvel and DC Comics including the characters of Superman and the Green Arrow.