Justin Baldoni says he had a ‘near breakdown’ filming this scene of ‘It Ends With Us’

Arts & Culture, Film & TV

Justin Baldoni says he had a “lonely” experience while co-starring and directing “It Ends With Us.”In a recent episode of the “How to Fail With Elizabeth Day” podcast, the actor and director of the film said there were moments when he “would just have to leave” the set. Baldoni not only brought Colleen Hoover’s megahit book to life as director, but he also portrayed the troubled and abusive Ryle, who marries Blake Lively’s character, Lily. The actor told host Elizabeth Day that it took him time to process and leave behind his complicated character after filming ended. “Directing is a very lonely job, I’ll just be very candid. Because you are kind of at the top of this totem pole. In your moments of quiet, everybody has a thousand questions for you and also nobody wants to disturb you,” Baldoni said. “And you don’t really have many people to talk to, and you can’t necessarily share your anxiety or your nervousness about something because you’re also the leader.”Justin Baldoni stars in “It Ends With Us.”Nicole Rivelli / Sony PicturesCalling it “a very strange place to be,” he explained how also portraying a tumultuous character like Ryle affected him. “Let alone directing while trying to play a character who does the things that Ryle does in the movie, so there were moments in the filming of this where I would just have to leave,” he said. “I’d have to remove myself and go shake it out. I mean, I’ve done a lot of somatic therapy so there were times when I was actually just shaking.”Baldoni recalled having a “near breakdown” after filming a scene where Ryle has Lily’s phone and finds a phone number from someone else. While Ryle, he said, is “very jealous,” heartbroken and angry, “he doesn’t harm her, but you can see in his eyes how dangerous he is. After that scene, I had a near breakdown. And I had to leave and just cry and shake because there was so much pain.” Baldoni shared that it was hard to have Ryle’s trauma live in his body, “creating that insecurity and the pain and the feeling that you shouldn’t actually be (feeling).”“That was very hard and that took a few months,” he said of releasing those feelings. “I had dreams as him for a while, and it lived in my body, but I think for the most part, he’s out.”Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively as Ryle and Lily.Nicole Rivelli / Sony PicturesThe release of “It Ends With Us,” which will arrive on Netflix Dec. 9, was met withcriticisms and controversy surrounding what some called the romanticizing of domestic abuse. Some domestic violence survivors told TODAY.com that their criticisms include the lack of a trigger warning and resources as well as promotional content that seemed to depict the film as lighthearted. (Sony Pictures Entertainment, the film’s distributor, declined to comment on the criticism at the time.)In the podcast interview, Baldoni briefly touched on how he wanted to approach the film with caution when it came to the subject matter.“I just didn’t want to re-traumatize the majority of my audience, which is why I was advocating for a trigger warning at the front and things like that,” he said. “But those are certain battles that you can’t always win.”It was also rumored that there was cast drama behind the scenes of the making of “It Ends With Us,” specifically between Baldoni and Lively, who is credited as a producer. The two co-stars didn’t do any press together and didn’t take photos together at the premiere. The “Jane the Virgin” star previously told TODAY.com in an interview published Aug. 9 that directing “It Ends With Us” was an “extreme challenge.”“Every movie is a miracle,” he said at the time. “And then, of course, you’re navigating complex personalities and trying to get everybody on the same page with the same vision. And mistakes are always made, and then you figure out how to move past them.” He later told “Entertainment Tonight“ that Lively should be the one to direct a potential film adaptation of the book’s sequel, “It Starts With Us.” At this time, there’s no official word on if there will be a second film.

Emphasizing the importance of sustainable and regenerative tourism

Travel

Tourism driven solely by economic considerations can sometimes overlook long-term sustainability, which is why sustainable and regenerative tourism is becoming increasingly essential.

Whether in Guatemala or Big Bend National Park, communities must balance economic, environmental and social amenities to build resilient, regenerative tourism. (Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife)

Sustainable tourism seeks to balance economic, environmental and social impacts to benefit both the traveler and host community. Because of this more holistic approach, sustainable or regenerative tourism has become a hot topic for both the hospitality industry and academia alike.

“As we look to the future of tourism, it is clear we need to develop a model focused on balancing economics with long-term sustainability to offer destinations a long-term path for community development and resource preservation and restoration,” said Brian King, Ph.D., head of the Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

King said sustainable and regenerative tourism offers a more forward-thinking approach — one that prioritizes not just economic gain but also the preservation and restoration of resources and as the empowerment of local communities.

“This approach ensures that tourism can continue to thrive without compromising the very things that make destinations worth visiting,” he said.

King explained that this understanding of sustainability is increasingly important for the department’s students as they prepare to become the next generation of leaders. They will need to balance the often-competing demands of delivering memorable travel experiences with the responsibility of preserving the very environments and cultures that make those experiences possible.

To improve its scholarly efforts on sustainable tourism, the department hired Connor Clark, Ph.D., in 2023 to share his expertise on resilient and thriving communities as well as international hospitality and tourism.

Clark explores destination development

Clark has devoted much of his career to researching and spreading the word about the many advantages of sustainable or regenerative tourism.

Connor Clark, Ph.D., was hired by the Texas A&M Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism, to conduct research and provide his expertise on sustainable or regenerative tourism as well as international hospitality and tourism. (Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife)

His travel and cross-cultural exchange during college study abroad trips were transformative experiences that led him to develop a deeper understanding of hospitality, as well as cultural and agricultural tourism. These experiences set the stage for a career dedicated to sustainable tourism.

Much of Clark’s research on sustainable tourism has focused on Latin America, where he has explored what kind of natural and cultural resources give tourism destinations a competitive advantage over others.

His fieldwork and research through visits to places like Refúgio Ecológico Caiman in the southern Pantanal of Brazil as well as several cities in the province of Corrientes, Argentina, have helped him understand the delicate balance between resource management, community resilience and tourism development.   “My research has evolved to focus on sustainable destination development, especially in rural areas,” he said. “This research focus considers different aspects of tourism development and regenerative tourism, such as managing natural and cultural resources, community resilience and building the capacity of local business owners and other stakeholders.”

When the nearest interstate is 100 miles away, communities must be creative in effectively engaging tourism to make it sustainable. (Michael Miller/Texas A&M AgriLife)

Bridging global and local challenges in sustainable tourism

Clark’s international research also highlights some striking similarities in the sustainability challenges destinations face in both Latin America and Texas, particularly in rural and border communities.

“For instance, Big Bend National Park –100 miles from the nearest interstate — is hard to visit for most people due to the distance,” he said. “This same accessibility challenge is present in the Brazilian Pantanal, where tourists must pay a substantial amount of money to travel there from the nearest major airport.”

Another similar challenge is inadequate training and resources for local communities to host and engage tourists effectively.

“Like some rural areas in Latin America, small rural and border towns in Texas need to work on their welcoming image and ensure their residents are equipped to deliver quality service in hospitality sectors like hotels, restaurants, parks, attractions and other locations that support tourism,” he said.

Moreover, he explained how rural communities that heavily depend on the land and its resources for their livelihood face the delicate task of ensuring tourism does not exacerbate other challenges.

“To sustain tourism in the long term, it is necessary for those nature-based destinations to maintain and, if necessary, revitalize their landscape to give visitors more opportunities to interact with nature and wildlife,” Clark said.

Agritourism: A major opportunity for Texas

Looking toward the future, Clark said he sees agritourism as a major opportunity to promote sustainable tourism and hospitality in Texas.

“While hunting tourism is already well-established in the state, Texas has an opportunity for a lot of growth in ‘non-consumptive’ types of tourism well suited for the Texas landscapes,” he said. “Activities like hiking, birding, wildlife viewing and horseback riding align perfectly with the resources many Texas ranches already offer. People are hungry to connect with nature and more traditional types of living, and agritourism is a fantastic way to satisfy this hunger.”

Clark said that not only do Texas ranches and farms have much to gain from sustainable tourism, but neighboring communities and their shops, restaurants, cafes and hotels also stand to benefit.

“My sincere hope is that my research can contribute to the sustainability of rural landscapes and communities,” Clark said. “By better understanding how we can protect our resources and utilize them for sustainable tourism, we can create resilient communities in a drastically changing world.”

PM Ngirente Tasks Mining Sector To Stop Doing Business as Usual

Business News

PM Ngirente (middle) inspects some of the mineral processed in Rwanda
The Prime Minister, Dr. Édouard Ngirente has tasked the mining sector in Rwanda to meet the country’s 2nd National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) goals of raising $2.17billion by the year 2029.
Ngirente made the call during the official launch of the seventh edition of Rwanda mining week 2024 that kicked off from December 4- 6 2024 and activities aimed at promoting best practices in the sector under the theme: “Mining for Community Development”
The week also mark’s Rwanda’s participation in the International Mining Day 2024, which will be an occasion for all stakeholders in the mining sector to engage in productive discussions, share experiences and network on available opportunities for investments in the mining sector.
Mining contributes about 3% to Rwanda’s GDP and with vast minerals in the country, the sector has seen growth of investor appetite and increase in revenues, local production and export of certified processed products.
The sector also allocated Rwf2 billion to eight mining host-districts, which has led to social and economic transformation with tangible impact on Rwandan communities around mines.

Rwanda is one of the largest producers of 3Ts (tin, tantalum and tungsten) and high volume of precious gemstones (ruby, 4 sapphire, amethyst, tourmaline, aquamarine), precious stones (gold), and other minerals such as lithium, but also home to rare earth elements as well as beryl.
In this regard, the Rwanda government has set a target to increase mineral export earnings from $1.1 billion to $2.17 billion by 2029 under the NST2 (2024-2029).

“We cannot achieve this target if we continue doing business as usual. We must intensify our efforts to adopt environmentally friendly mining practices and advanced mineral exploration techniques. It is equally important that we develop our processing capacity and add value to our key minerals,” Ngirente said as he opened the week’s activities.
Following several cases of mining accidents in the recent months, Ngirente urged mining operators to only participate in legal mining activities and follow the rules and regulations in place.
“We ask you to follow the rules of the new mining and quarry operations law.  Second, the Government will continue collaborating with strategic investors in mineral exploration activities, mineral value addition, as well as mineral trading,” Ngirente said.
Awareness campaign in a mining company from Rwamagana, Eastern Province
Some of the current challenges in the sector (including safety and health, lack of financing, practical skills and use of proper equipment), illegal mining and low uptake of safety and health measures among mine owners.
However, this year has left the mining sector with structural reforms aimed at the sector’s professionalization and competitiveness, introduction of a new law governing mining and quarry operations passed mid-July is poised to stamp out illegal mining and illicit mineral trade, a newly passed mineral tax law came to streamline mineral taxation, and the labor ministry stepping up measures to improve safety and health measures.

“I want to assure you that the Government is mindful of the remaining challenges the mining sector is facing. I am confident that with our collective efforts, we will find sustainable solutions to address them,” Ngirente stated.
According to the Rwanda Mining Association (RMA) new chairman. Leonidas Simpenzwe, the sector has grown but needs to do more to address these gaps.
“We have to change the way mining is done in Rwanda. We must recognize the challenges miners face and which require sacrifice and determination as miners are at the heart of our development,” Simpenzwe said, noting that they will advocate for the interest of miners to unlock potential of all stakeholders.
Francis Kamanzi
Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board (RMB) CEO- Francis Kamanzi stated that the mining industry is capitalizing on professionalization and mechanization to boost national and local entrepreneurship, enhance livelihoods, and promote integrated rural social and economic development.
“Drawing on the extractive industry’s ability to significantly boost our economy, we are developing an industry aligned with the African Mining Vision and Agenda 2063, with an emphasis on essential minerals for the local industrialization and green energy transition,” Kamanzi said.
Kamanzi also noted that since mineral export earnings have kept an upward trend in 2024 drawing us close to the NST2 target, there are chances that the mining sector will make a substantial contribution to Rwanda’s foreign exchange reserves, and the target is to double the sector’s revenues and GDP contribution in the next five years.

Business leaders to raise vital funds for COPE Galway, as local homeless crisis intensifies

Business News

Tomorrow night, over 480 adults and children will be spending another evening in emergency homeless accommodation in Galway, while 44 Galway Business Leaders are preparing their sleeping bags to raise funds for COPE Galway’s Homeless Services.With homelessness intensifying across the country, the local charity has described this winter as being especially challenging in Galway. ‘The homelessness crisis is not letting up unfortunately,’ said Sinead Carey, COPE Galway’s Head of Homeless Service.
“This is most starkly illustrated by our accommodation services being consistently full and a more than doubling of the numbers of people availing of our day centre and outreach services. We are providing approximately 50 people with food and other essential supports daily.’
Tomorrow Friday, December 6, COPE Galway Business Leaders’ Sleep Out participants will spend 12 hours on the streets of Galway City. The aim is to draw attention to the issue of homelessness in Galway, to generate an understanding of what it is to sleep out on the streets in winter and to raise essential funds to make sure the charity can continue to respond to these challenges and offer vital supports for people who find themselves affected by homelessness.
Last year, funds raised helped COPE Galway’s professional teams to offer comprehensive support to 1,278 people in Galway of all ages and backgrounds.
‘Our ‘Helping Kids First’ team works to meet the specific needs of children whose emotional, mental, physical and educational development are impacted by long stays in emergency accommodation,’ Sinead continued. ‘Thanks to funds raised, we have developed homework clubs and can offer children opportunities to have fun and do ‘normal things’ like go to the cinema and attend activity camps. The children we work with just want to have normal experiences, the same as their peers and the support of the Galway community allows us to help provide these.’
‘Small changes can transform lives,’ added Martin, another team member, who highlighted the impact of funds used to enhance the outdoor space at COPE Galway’s Family Hub. ‘Having a beautiful garden like this, where the children can play and adults can relax, has therapeutic benefits and goes a long way to making things homely.’
Sharon Fitzpatrick, Head of Development at COPE Galway, commends the Galway Business Leaders who have taken on the challenge: ‘Forty-four business people from diverse sectors across Galway have put themselves forward to help COPE Galway address such a challenging and pervasive problem. I am hugely appreciative of each business leader and the support they have garnered. Without doubt, we are stronger when we work together and the COPE Galway Business Leaders’ Sleep Out is a great example of this.”
Participant, Tim Jones, CEO of SymPhysis Medical agrees. “This night is about remembering how vital, basic human needs – safety, warmth, shelter – are to us all.
“Spending a night without the comfort of my home is a small gesture, but it serves as a powerful reminder of the resilience required to endure these challenges every day. By joining this event, I want to help COPE Galway continue its vital work, bring more visibility to homelessness, and encourage others to think about how they can make a difference, too.”
“Homelessness creates stress and uncertainty, and is a traumatic experience for anyone living through it,” Sinead Carey added. “Last Friday, we learned that, shockingly, almost 15,000 people are homeless in Ireland. The housing crisis makes it very hard for anyone to break loose from the cycle of homelessness. With the help of the funds raised by these Business Leaders and the support of the community, we are doing all we can to make the situation more bearable for every person we work with.”
If you know one of the Business Leaders who will Sleep Out over 12 hours in Galway City for the 13thannual COPE Galway Business Leaders’ Sleep Out, please support them.Find their page to donate at copegalwaysleepout.ie

Galway Chamber Business Awards honours local excellence

Business News

The Galway Chamber Business Awards 2024, held in partnership with The Shannon Airport Group, brought together 300 attendees at the Galway Bay Hotel on Friday evening for a night of inspiration and celebration. This year’s theme, “Celebration of Place – Mórtas Áite”, honoured the businesses and organisations that shape Galway’s economic, social, and cultural landscape.The gala event recognised excellence across eight competitive award categories, highlighting innovation, sustainability, and the outstanding contributions of local businesses to the community.
Category Winners and SponsorsExcellence in Innovation Award Sponsored by PwCWinner: Buymedia
Buymedia’s AI-driven advertising platform empowers small and medium businesses to maximise their advertising spend. Judges praised their innovative technology, passion, and growth trajectory, which positions them as disruptors in the advertising sector.
Marketing Excellence Award Sponsored by Galway City CouncilWinner: Platform94
Platform94 stood out for their exceptional creativity and strategic campaigns, delivering measurable growth while engaging their target audiences effectively.
Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion Award Sponsored by Galway City CouncilWinner: Galway Simon Community
Galway Simon Community was recognised for embedding accessibility and diversity into their organisational culture and services. Their efforts to foster inclusivity made a profound impact on Galway’s community.
Scale-Up/Growing Business Award Sponsored by WestBIC and Platform94Winner: Nibbed
Starting as a home-based business in 2021, Nibbed grew by over 100% year-on-year, showcasing exceptional success in scaling sustainably while staying true to their values.
Culture and Creativity Award Sponsored by Galway Culture CompanyWinner: Branar
Branar’s contributions to Galway’s cultural landscape included working with over 70 schools, supporting artists, and taking the first Irish language show to Broadway, elevating Galway’s global cultural reputation.
Best SME Award Sponsored by AIBWinner: Lorg Media
Lorg Media impressed judges with their innovative use of technology and AI, adapting to the fast-paced social media landscape while diversifying their services across industries.
Sustainability Initiative Award Sponsored by Shannon AirportWinner: The City Bin Co.
Through their “Sort It” campaign, which reached over 55,000 households and 4,000 businesses, and redevelopment of the Oranmore recycling facility, The City Bin Co. achieved significant reductions in landfill waste.
Best Customer Service in an SME Award Sponsored by PTSBWinner: Chipright
Chipright’s comprehensive 21-step feedback process demonstrated their commitment to exceptional customer care, creating strong relationships with customers and team members alike.
Galway Chamber Business of the Year 2024The evening concluded with the announcement of the Galway Chamber Business of the Year 2024, which was awarded to Platform94 for their unparalleled creativity, impactful marketing initiatives, and contributions to Galway’s vibrant business community.
Speaking at the event, Galway Chamber President Cait Noone said:
“Tonight, we celebrate not only the success of individual businesses but also Galway as a thriving hub for innovation, creativity, and community spirit. These awards reflect the incredible talent and determination of our local businesses that make Galway a truly special place to live, work, and thrive.”
Galway Chamber President’s Award 2024: Nuala KavanaghThe prestigious President’s Award 2024, sponsored by Atlantic Technological University, was awarded to Nuala Kavanagh, originally from Newcastle Park, Galway, now residing in Libertyville, Illinois.
Nuala’s exceptional contributions span decades, focusing on community-building, innovation, and fostering partnerships between Galway and Chicago. As co-chair of Chicago Sister Cities International, she has prioritised mental health, social services, education, and business development, creating lasting impacts across both sides of the Atlantic.
Her commitment to connecting communities and driving positive change embodies the very spirit of this award. Congratulations, Nuala!
The awards night was a collaborative effort made possible by the support of sponsors: PwC, Galway City Council, The Shannon Airport Group, AIB, PTSB, WestBIC, Platform94, and Galway Culture Company. Special thanks go to the Galway Bay Hotel for hosting the event, Hiya Events for captivating performances throughout the night, and Sound to Light for creating an unforgettable atmosphere. Thank you to the media partners, The Galway Advertiser.
Congratulations to all winners, finalists, and participants for their remarkable achievements. Together, they exemplify the best of Galway’s business community.

Stephen Feinberg has an impressive business record and deep industry ties.

Business News

The Pentagon’s next No. 2 may be a billionaire investor with deep ties to the defense industry that suggest potential conflicts of interest but also a familiarity with the military acquisition system.Numerous media outlets reported on Tuesday that President-elect Trump has said he will nominate Stephen Feinberg, co-founder of Cerberus Capital Management, to be U.S. deputy defense secretary. Feinberg has played a role in building a variety of technology companies that work with the Pentagon and other defense contractors, and observers and watchdogs have raised concerns that Feinberg’s current role presents a serious conflict of interest. But his background may also make him well suited to challenge the notoriously slow and difficult Defense Department acquisition process.At Cerberus, Feinberg directed the firm’s investments toward the defense sector across a range of areas, from armored vehicles to aviation services to undersea cables.He has taken a particular interest in aerospace, through positions in companies like Vivace—a producer of specialty propulsion tanks—and investments in hypersonic missile testing businesses The company’s acquisition of CalSpan led to the creation of a business called North Wind, which aims to “drive the expansion and modernization of our nation’s valuable test infrastructure with a focus on hypersonics,” according to a company release from May.The U.S. military services are also investing in advanced highly-maneuverable hypersonics, though many of those efforts have met with setbacks and delays. A GAO report from July noted, “DOD’s hypersonic weapon development efforts are not fully implementing leading practices for product development, which we have found enable leading commercial companies to deliver products quickly.” The military also lacks testing ranges and facilities for the advanced weapons—another area in which Feinberg could have unique insight. As a successful investor, he may be in a position to conquer bureaucratic and management-practice hurdles that have long slowed acquisition reform.But his experience also includes possible conflicts of interest. In 2017, when Feinberg was nominated to serve on Donald Trump’s Presidential Advisory Board on Intelligence, the Project on Government Oversight noted that military logistics company DynCorp, which Cerberus acquired in 2010, posed a potential ethics problem.“Mr. Feinberg owns a financial stake in a companies with national security-related contracts, notably DynCorp International, which could benefit from Mr. Feinberg’s recommendations and actions. Lobbying disclosures show that defense contracting is a federal legislative and policy priority for Cerberus and DynCorp. The White House can prevent foreseeable ethics scandals,” POGO noted in a letter. Cerberus sold DynCorp off in 2020.Additionally, a person familiar with the nomination told The Washington Post on Tuesday, “Steve’s obviously very aware of the Office of Government Ethics rules, and, of course, he went through the full assessment for his role with the intelligence advisory board. And so he knows exactly what he would need to do and will be prepared to be in full compliance with OGE rules and directions.”

Over US$5bn to be written off by GM’s China business

Business News

Poor performance by General Motors’ (GM) joint ventures in China has led to a US$5 billion charge.Its equity stake was written down between $2.6 billion and $2.9 billion, and restructuring charges totalled $2.7 billion.GM’s Chinese joint ventures, particularly with SAIC General Motors Corp., have been losing money. Between January and September 2024, they lost $347 million compared to a profit of $353 million in 2023.It has been difficult for GM to maintain profitability in China because of increased competition from domestic automakers like BYD and government subsidies.GM’s CEO, Mary Barra, said some domestic brands prioritise production over profitability. While these challenges remain, GM expects a net profit of $10.4 billion to $11.1 billion for the full year.GM is restructuring its business to address these market challenges and to increase profitability. A new pickup truck is being developed, as well as premium vehicles being imported.Paul Jacobson, the company’s CFO, noted that while restructuring hadn’t yet begun, sales were up and inventory levels were down.The announcement caused GM’s share price to drop 3% before the market opened. Although the charges are non-cash, they will reduce GM’s net income but not its adjusted pre-tax earnings.The company remains committed to its long-term strategy in China, with the goal of navigating the competitive landscape and improving its financial performance.“As we have consistently said, we are focused on capital efficiency and cost discipline and have been working with SGM to turn around the business in China in order to be sustainable and profitable in the market. We are close to finalising our restructuring plan with our partner, and we expect our results in China in 2025 to show year-over-year improvement,” GM said in an emailed statement cited by CNBC.

First list of banned books in Knox County Schools released, schools have until winter break to remove them

Arts & Culture, Books

The list was sent out to teachers and contains 48 books that are scheduled for removal from Knox County public school libraries.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee General Assembly has released a list of banned books that will be removed from Knox County public school libraries after the school district reviewed submitted concerns from parents in the community and decided to pull the materials off shelves.

The released list contains 48 books that it says fail to comply with the Age Appropriate Materials Act, and is the first to be released to the public since new restrictions on library materials went into effect earlier this year. In July 2024, a Tennessee law adding specific restrictions to the Age Appropriate Materials Act was passed by the Tennessee legislature, requiring all Tennessee schools to remove books that did not meet new requirements from the shelves. 

The new law focuses on banning books with sexually explicit content, specifically targeting materials that contain nudity, sexual excitement, sexual conduct or excess violence. It also granted additional powers to parents to determine whether or not a book is inappropriate for their child. 

Conservative organization Moms for Liberty has been an active advocate for the removal of materials from Knox County Schools since the bill was first introduced. Sherri Garrett of Knox County’s Moms for Liberty chapter believes that parents need to be more involved in what their kids are reading at school.

The Southern Poverty Law Center identifies Moms for Liberty as a “far-right organization that engages in anti-student inclusion activities” that opposes LGBTQ+ and racially-inclusive curricula. It has also advocated for book bans and created a list of books it considers explicit.

“Years ago, we would never have allowed children to have content that is that graphic and that explicit, and I don’t know, to be honest, I don’t know what changed,” Garrett said. 

Despite the list of books that have been banned she believes danger may still be on the shelves. 

“We’ve been trying to educate the public because, to be honest, I don’t think most, even most parents, as well as teachers and even librarians, I don’t even think were, they were aware of some of the content,” Garrett said. 

This week, the updated list was shared with Knox County educators to remove from their libraries. 

Here is the complete list of books that will be banned: 

Me, Earl & The Dying Girl by Jessee Andrews The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie Go Ask Alice by AnonymousChopsticks by Jessica Anthony 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher Girls on the Verge by Sharon Biggs Waller There’s Going to Be a Baby by John Burningham Draw Me A Star by Eric Carle Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen ChboskyJust Listen by Sarah DessenA Stolen Life by Jaycee Duggar The Carnival of Bray by JessieAnn Foley In A Glass Grimmly by Adam GimwitzLighter Than My Shadow by Katie Green Water for Elephants by Sara GruenLocke and Key: Alpha and Omega by Joe HillLocke and Key: Clockworks by Joe Hill Locke and Key: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe HillIdentical by Ellen Hopkins Tricks by Ellen Hopkins The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini Attack on Titan Vol. 2 by Hajime Isayama Grown by Tiffany Jackson DUFF by Kody Keplinger The Walking Dead: Book Ten by Robert KirkmanGender Queer by Maia Kobabe Monstress Vol. 2: the Blood by Marjorie Liu Late Night at the Telegraph Club by Malina Lo Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas Tower of Dawn by Sarah J. MaasThe Way We Work by David MacaulayWicked by Gregory Maguire Sold by Patricia MorrisonThe Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison Skin by DonnaJo Napoli Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope PerezForgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick Beautiful by Amy ReedMrs. Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children – Graphic Novel by Ransom RiggsYou: The Owner’s Manual for Teens by Michael RoizenI Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater Blankets by Craig ThompsonSquad by Maggie Tokuda-Hall Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Five of the books were on elementary school shelves, eight were in middle schools and 35 were available on high school shelves.

Knox County Schools said in September, librarians attended an all-day training session to learn about the new law and practiced identifying titles that could be affected. Over the fall semester, a committee also reviewed the titles identified by librarians as possibly being impacted by the state’s law.

“KCS will continue to support librarians throughout the year to incorporate this process into their routine collection management cycle. We will also work as a district team to ensure we maintain a consistent approach across school library collections for additional titles as they are identified,” KCs said in a release.

It also said schools have until winter break to “align their collections” according to the list.

“Knox County Schools is committed to complying with all state laws related to library collections, and to providing engaging materials that help our students achieve academic success and explore their interests and passions. Our librarians are highly trained educators who make a positive difference for students every day, and we will continue offering the support and training they need to pursue this mission,” the school district also said in the release.

RELATED: Law adding specific restrictions to state’s ‘Age-Appropriate Materials Act’ went into effect on Monday

RELATED: East Tennessee students rally against state book bans

Book Public: ‘Blues in Stereo: The Early Works of Langston Hughes’

Arts & Culture, Books

Perhaps a lot of us first encountered the poems of Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes in a classroom where he numbered among the few writers of color we were assigned to study.Danez Smith, the National Book Award-nominated poet, experienced this lack of exposure to diverse writers first-hand, too. He writes in the introduction of Blues in Stereo: The Early Works of Langston Hughes—a collection he curated—about being in the seventh or eighth grade English class and being “bored.”For Smith, the lack of motivation had come from being assigned “dead poet after dead poet” and having to “approach poetry as a series of right or wrong interpretations, an act of decoding, maneuvering through English that often felt completely alien from what we spoke.” He said that it was not necessarily a “curriculum designed for us to fall in love with poetry.”But he did fall in love—eventually. In that earlier classroom experience, he recalls having read “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” by Langston Hughes. Hughes, he said, “was the only Black poet we studied” and the experience put Smith in the mind of church and Sunday sermons. “That a short, quiet poem, one buried deep in a textbook and placed before me as an uninterested twelve- or thirteen-year-old could send my mind to the music and rapture was new for me,” writes Smith.Beyond this point in his education, Smith continues to encounter the work of Hughes. He is constantly moved by all of the things he noted Hughes did with his poetry, even as a very young teenager.In Blues in Stereo, we see Hughes’ work that spans this early writing from 1921 to 1927—before Hughes was 25 years old. Many earlier drafts of these poems were first penned when Hughes was just a teenager.In this volume, Smith divides Hughes’ work into seven disparate sections.Part 1, says Smith, “offers early works with Hughes so clearly illustrating “that the work of liberation starts always as an act of care, of loving and seeing someone in the full expression of their being.”We see that music, nightlife, jazz and performance are the subjects of the second part of the work.The third part focuses on travel and the ways Hughes broadened the perspectives in his poetry as his own world view widened. He had traveled to Mexico and South America at the young age of 18. The work in this book is informed by this journeying. He had sailed through the Caribbean and even visited Africa.Politics and labor are the subject of Part 4. In Part 5 we see Hughes playing with personas and points of view—this in an effort of building distance from his own story and the stories on the page.Part 6 includes a play that Hughes co-wrote with Duke Ellington. It includes a full score and glorious experimentation with rhythm and structure.The final part that rounds out the work includes the poem, “Formula” —a work Smith says should be taken with a “good dose of irony,” thereby insisting we not be passive in our reading, but that we engage with it and see how “poems can help us change the world” when “we have an active hand in the matter.”The archival material Danez Smith encountered and that the publication keeps in its original form, offers us a look at the thought process of Langston Hughes and his literary genius. We come to appreciate his obsessions, the delight he found in so many quotidian subjects that he celebrated, his insights and frustrations on wrongs that needed to be set right—perhaps still need to be set right.Reading the book is like being able to trace in some kind of real time the development of this master poet who went on to influence numberless writers of all genres and art forms.Danez Smith, another of our great poets living in America today, is a perfect guide for us through this necessary and luminous collection of Langston Hughes’ earliest work.Blues in Stereo portrays a young man coming of age in a changing world. Langston Hughes went on to author and edit more than thirty works of poetry, novels, plays, essays, and children’s books. Hughes was a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance. He was an innovative artist known, too, for his vociferous condemnation of racism and injustice. Blues in Stereo: The Early Works of Langston Hughes is a collection that reveals to us the potential and promise of the great poet that many of us first came to know—if fleetingly—in classrooms in our own youth. But it stands as a collection as important as any other in the oeuvre of the great Langston Hughes, whose work many of us have held dear for decades since that earliest glimmering introduction.