Elias Grau, the Singbird Designer Known for His Distinctive Style and Approach to Branding

The rise of platforms such as TikTok and Instagram has highlighted how following the trends allows people to draw audiences and gain a following. However, this almost always comes at the expense of their individuality and lumps them together with countless other names in today’s saturated cyberspace. Elias Grau, an award-winning designer and creative director, understands the appeal of hopping on board what’s being hyped up. But, despite the pressure, the well-respected professional has always stayed true to his vision, carving his own path to renown while helping brands connect with their customers. 

Intimately privy to the challenges that come along with trying to stand out in a dynamic industry inundated with talented go-getters, Elias barreled past every barrier that was standing in his way to emerge as one of the most promising branding and product designers. Right now, he serves as a partner and creative director at tipsyControl Technology, a company that designs and develops technologies for several high-profile ventures in Germany.

The heights that Elias has managed to reach can be credited not only to his impressive work ethic, passion, and dedication. More than anything else, it is his eye for design and distinctive take on branding that has allowed this German creative to rise through the ranks. 

“I approach designing company brand identities in ways that excite people to be part of a brand’s mission,” said Elias. “More so than ever before, customers use branding as a way to decipher whether or not a company is trustworthy, interesting, and worth supporting. So, I focus on designing timeless elements that speak to a brand’s mission, vision, and value statements.”

Given his attitude toward branding, it is not surprising that Elias has succeeded in gaining traction in the industry and is considered an example for aspiring designers to follow. Furthermore, with his experience and in-depth understanding of the rigorous process involved in branding, product, and UX/UI designing, he is also a go-to source of advice for his peers. 

When asked about a critical aspect of designing to remember, he readily shared, “What is important to learn as a designer, especially if you are designing user interfaces, is that creating design systems that other people need to navigate requires thinking on behalf of someone you have never met and comparing your work to what is already standard in the industry.”

So far, Elias has bagged numerous accomplishments under his belt, including multiple recognitions from different award-winning bodies. His portfolio is also peppered with successful projects, such as designing Singbird’s entire branding system and user interface. As the lead designer and creative director of this New York City startup, he was also in charge of directing its campaigns and videography. 

In the years to come, Elias is expected to remain on the roster of trusted designers and creative directors in the industry. As he continues to work with brands hoping to reach their target customers, he also plans to leave his mark on more culturally meaningful projects for companies and organizations. 

Mav Kang: An Emerging Musician

Mav Kang, aka Maverick Kang, is full of passion and determination, with his mind set on becoming a benchmark for other emerging artists in the field of music. This rising artist produces amazing songs that have earned him an exceptional reputation in this field. As a kid, he always wanted to be a musician and perform on a stage with thousands of fans. But instead, he became a stunt actor and kept it alongside, and he shifted towards making his music.

Entering the music industry can take a lot of courage. It’s important to know that the spotlight, pressure, and fame can be difficult to handle once you make it somewhere in your music career. Most artists have a hard time overcoming this in the beginning. However, none of this is as complex as the journey they’ve had to make it to the top. They work extremely hard to achieve what they’ve been able to attain.

One of these passionate influencers and rappers is Mav Kang. He has worked immensely hard to establish himself in the industry and has been quite successful. He plans to motivate others through his journey of hustling, making a name for himself, and managing to make a living through his rap music.

He dreamt of making his legacy. Now that he has thousands of followers, fans and supporters, he believes that he owes his success to how he was brought up, to staying true to his culture and roots.

He wanted to create music that could be authentic and different. It could story told in a way the listener can relate to. His singles like HEAT SENSOR and TO THE WORLD’S END are two examples of his success as a musician. If this is not enough proof, the singles have been smashing the streaming game for a long time.

2022 seems to be Kang’s year. His fans are waiting for all the amazing stuff he has up his sleeve and sees what he releases next! 

Fans or people in the industry can get a sense of authenticity and poise. People gravitate to real and raw artists; precisely the vibe Mav Kang has been giving off during his success thus far. Continuing his journey, we look forward to seeing his phenomenal growth and the impacts he builds.

Moreover, Mav Kang’s Instagram content is also interesting, and he has built a solid community of supporters and fans. He has thousands of followers and continues to increase. 

How to File a New York State Worker’s Compensation Claim

New York State’s Worker’s Compensation claim system has many social benefits, but can be difficult to navigate, particularly for Hispanics, the Latino population, and other groups whose first language is not English. Many workers in New York State, particularly those in immigrant populations or those who speak English as a second language, are unaware of the rights they have as workers. The following is an overview of how to file for Worker’s Compensation in New York and the benefits of doing so.

Social Benefits of Filing a Worker’s Compensation Claim

Workers in New York may not know that they are entitled to wage replacement benefits if they are sickened or injured while at work. This means that workers will receive pay even if they are unable to work due to a workplace illness or injury.

The state will also pay for any healthcare costs related to workplace sickness or injury, as well as any travel costs going to and from healthcare centers for appointments and care. All workers in New York receive full coverage for all healthcare and travel costs, and they get a cash benefit worth two-thirds of their average weekly wage, up to a maximum. Receiving these benefits helps keeping households afloat while one of their primary breadwinners recovers from a work-related sickness or accident.

Are You Eligible?
All workers in New York state, even some employees of non-profit organizations, are eligible for Worker’s Compensation. There are no residency requirements, which means workers only must work in New York State, regardless of where they live, to be eligible.

If you are injured at work, first seek treatment as quickly as you can. There is no need to wait to notify your employer or file a claim. Health and treatment take priority. As soon as you are able, notify your employer of the injury or sickness and explain how it happened. Finally, file a C-3 form with the New York State Worker’s Compensation Board. The quickest way to file a claim is to use the NY State portal.

How to File a Worker’s Compensation Claim in New York State
Filing a claim has been simplified recently to help non-English speaking populations such as Hispanics take advantage of this program.

You don’t need to create an account with the New York Worker’s Compensation Board to file a claim. Fill out all sections of the form with as much detail as you can and either submit online or by going to the Worker’s Compensation Board office. You won’t be required to submit any other documentation with your claim form, such as doctor’s records or pay stubs, to make a successful claim.

The best way to prepare to submit a speedy claim is to gather all information required in the claim form. The information you will need is:

– Employer information, including the address of your place of work, supervisor, and hire date.

– Your personal information, including home address, social security number (not required but helpful), phone number, and crucially for many members of the Spanish-speaking population, whether or not you will need a translator at a board hearing if one is necessary.

– Information describing your duties at work and your pay.

– Injury or illness information–how you were injured and to what extent.

– Whether you have already sought medical treatment.

– Once you file a claim with this information, you will be contacted with the next steps.

Hispanics Get the Same Social Benefits as Everyone Else
New York’s Worker’s Compensation laws allow all workers in the state to be entitled to social benefits including wage replacement funds and medical treatment following an on-the-job accident. Be sure to use this if you need it.

What Is Bougie? Meaning, Definition & Origin

It’s time to get over the word “Bougie”

Bougie is an old French word and has a lot of meanings depending on the way you use it, but most people use it to describe someone who tends to show off by putting on fancy clothes just so they can look better than everyone else or walk around with a sense of pride. The person who shows off by using fancy clothing and showing off is called bougie.

In the African American culture, the meaning of bougie is a little different. The African American culture uses the word bougie to refer to the high-class people that do not like to associate with certain types of people. The people that are considered bougie are the ones that could care less about you as a person and only care about you if you can serve them some type of purpose.

The people who are considered to be bougie in the African American culture, might be the ones who give off an attitude or pretend to be better than other people because they have money or live in a better part of town. These bougie individuals are the ones who look down on lower-class people and feel as if they are better than all the other people that surround them. The bougie people tend to show off to the other people in their surrounding and usually want to be in the center of attention. These are the things that make someone a bougie person in the African American culture.

How did people start using the word Bougie?

The word Bougie has a lot of possible origins, but most people believe that it originates from the French word Bougete which means to dress up. That is the most common origin for the word Bougie, Other possible origins include how the word was formed, in the French language, with a common french phrase “Bu jeune fille bonne”.

Another possible explanation could be that back in the olden times some poor people had very poor clothing, and they would wear colored cloths as to make themselves look better.

But there are people who believe that it might have come from the Greek word Bougos which means a person who is skinny and vain. This isn’t the most popular origin for the word Bougie, but it is not uncommon to come across people that believe in this origin.

Why would people use this word?

The word Bougie is used to describe the people that tend to show off by dressing up in clothing just so they can look better than everyone else or because that is what they are comfortable doing. There are different types of Bougies depending on where you live, but most people tend to use it as a negative word. The African American culture uses the word bougie from time to time to refer to the high-class individuals who do not associate with lower-class people. The people who are considered to be bougies are the ones that could care less about you as a person and only care about you if you can serve them some type of purpose.

Is Bougie a nagetive word?

Most people would not use the word Bougie if they were not a bougie person, but there are some people who will use the word Bougie loosely to describe themselves as a whole. At times it could be used in a sarcastic way, but most of the time it is used to describe someone you do not really like. It is very hard to tell if this type of person is being serious or if they are just being sarcastic.

It is hard to explain the use of Bougie in a short amount of time, but hopefully these definitions will help you understand it a little better. In the African American culture it is commonly used as a negative word to describe someone who does not associate with lower class people.

Conclusion

In the end, it is just a word, no more than that. But I hope that after reading about its history you will stop and think before you use it and know that it is not just a word to describe something or someone as being “expensive” but instead it reflects the attitude of an individual or what they have been taught and raised to believe in their own community.

Please share your comments below and tell me what you think about using the word Bougie in our African American culture. Let’s talk about it!

check out some of our other posts on Nyweekly.com

The Plight of the Pakistani Youth

Compiled By Tanweer Ahmed

Pakistan currently has the highest number of youth in the world according to the UNDP. Pakistan is the fifth-largest young country in the world. Around 63 percent population of the country comprises youth aged between 15 and 33.

Where a greater proportion of young people is considered to be a major economic driver for growth and progress. But, sadly there aren’t enough avenues for the youth to deploy and upskill themselves and benefit the country. The question is, are they well-equipped with knowledge, good health and skills, along with rights and choices, to translate their demographic power into substantial social progress? Statistics provide a grim tell-all tale of how this youth bulge comes with a downside in a country like Pakistan where youth unemployment rate stood at 8.5% – one of the highest in the region.

Recently in the Olympics people like Nooh Butt were a prime example of the scarcity of resources and the potential that the youth holds by winning a gold medal for his country. If one scrolls through these news pieces and digs a little deeper, you’ll come across a myriad of such stories where the Pakistani youth secured wins for the country without any training resources given to them.

Growing up, the youth is fresh with ideas and zest to go out in the world and prove themselves but sadly as they do they find themselves with empty hands resulting in a staggering number of young ‘unemployable’ people that have laid bare the deep gaps within the socio-political edifice of the country.

This ‘unemployable’ lot then indulges in other ends of the spectrum by joining and wasting their talents by joining political parties and such.

But the problem does not just call for an economic reckoning – usually phrased in obscure jargon – which puts the blame squarely on crippled social programs, which inevitably fall short of achieving the tasks. Social norms and cultural taboos equally pose obstacles to any attempt to find a solution.

The solution lies in creating an ecosystem for the youth where they can build upon their skill sets and expand themselves professionally. We seriously lack field specialists. It is imperative that we put this [young] population in a meaningful way by promoting entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The private and government sectors both can work to cresting opportunities that prohibits people from joining dangerous acts or companies that might misuse them in fraudulent cases and such.

There should be a recruitment pipeline that should be open to all potential candidates so people can make the most of their skills. Both the private and government sectors can work on such an initiative.

The private sector lags desperately behind in their Corporate Social Responsibility efforts. Where the private sector is busy in expansion and mergers a mere glance at giving some of it back to the community will go a long way.

Pakistan has had a massive IT blowout in the recent years. These IT companies can also shoulder their load by providing diploma courses that can help the aspiring youth to engage themselves in something productive instead of going the other route.

If even one of these solutions is applied, the crime rate will decrease and utility and growth will increase.

Be it sports, entrepreneurial skills, IT sector, private sector or the government itself, they all need to coalesce since in the next 10 years the youth populace will continue to increase.