Latest news with #Herrera
Refinery29
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Refinery29
Why Love Island USA Watch Parties Feel Like A '90s Throwback
An audience of 130 people cheered infectiously at the big screen as they enjoyed cocktails, bar food and conversation with strangers at 275Park in Brooklyn, a venue typically used as a comedy club. This may sound like the scene from fans watching the NBA Finals, but instead, the crowd was locked in for a Love Island USA watch party thrown by Peak and Pace on Monday night as the highly anticipated Casa Amor episodes began. 'It's usually just me screaming at the TV, but doing it with other people just made it,' said Morenda Jebo, 31, who has been watching Love Island for the past three years. 'I'm not the only one who feels this way.' Since Season 7 premiered in early June, Love Island USA has become appointment TV, racking up more than 1 billion minutes viewed. According to Deadline, about 39% of viewers are new to the franchise. Night after night, conversations flood timelines, FYPs, and group chats with real-time reactions and recaps of the drama that ensued in Fiji, where the show is filmed. On social media alone, the show has generated 54 million interactions across Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube. As a result, Love Island watch parties have been in high demand and are popping up in cities across the country. 'It's basically watching sports, but for reality TV,' attendee David Gilstrap said, an attendee who'd never seen the show before last Friday when his homegirls convinced him to start watching all of the reality show drama. He enjoyed it so much that he ended up binging the latest season over the weekend and pulled up to the party alone, ready to watch, holler at the screen with strangers and make new friends. That's music to Peak and Pacer founder Owen Akhibi Herrera's ears. Herrera started Peak and Pace as a run/walk club to bring people together in a healthy way after his first year moving to New York. Over time, it evolved into a community dedicated to trying new things together, including skiing, hiking, and, now, watching Love Island USA together. ' The parties are a great example of how pop culture moments still drive real-world connection. ' 'It's a cultural moment, and it gave us an opportunity to bring our community together in a fun and unexpected way,' the founder said in a Zoom interview. '[The show] sparked so many different conversations online, and we saw the opportunity to take that digital energy into a real-life thing.' Peak and Pace announced the watch party just 24 hours before the event and packed the venue to a max capacity of 130. Herrera said they will host watch parties at 275Park every Monday for the rest of the season. Meanwhile, on Friday evening, Tyra McAdam also hosted a Love Island USA watch party at RumBar, a Black woman-owned bar in Brooklyn, where she works. Tired of watching the show on her phone behind the bar, she surveyed her TikTok followers to see if they'd be interested in joining a watch party. After receiving more than 26,000 views, 2,700 likes and hundreds of eager comments, that was enough for her boss to sign off on approval for McAdam to start creating Love Island -inspired cocktails for the event. ' Love Island is just the catalyst, but what they're really after is that authentic connection that only happens when you're actually in the same room, fully present with each other. ' 'The girls were like, 'I want it to be where the boys are watching sports games watching Love Island,'' she said. 'It's such a community, and it's such a girly thing. It's so feminine.' She credits the show's real-time reactions and the audience's ability to vote and influence what happens in the villa, making it perfect to watch in a sports bar setting. 'I like that it comes on every day, and we all have to watch it at the same time,' McAdam said. 'It's not like on Netflix, and you watch something before someone else. It's almost like back in the days in the '90s, we all had to watch the show at the same time.' On Eventbrite, hundreds of Love Island watch parties have been listed. Roseli Ilano, the platform's head of community and trends, said in a statement the parties are a great example of how pop culture moments still drive real-world connection. "Young people are craving shared experiences where they can have those immediate reactions together—the gasps, the debates, the collective investment in something happening right now,' Ilano said. 'Love Island is just the catalyst, but what they're really after is that authentic connection that only happens when you're actually in the same room, fully present with each other." A common thread between Herrera and McAdam's parties: They're building welcoming, inclusive and intentional spaces that prioritize joy and connection for Black audiences who can come out and have a great time near their own neighborhoods. Though Gilstrap admits the show stresses him out and the cast makes awful decisions, he's having more fun watching Love Island USA than he did watching the NBA Finals. He's already considering attending another watch party before the season ends. 'The fact that you get to hang out with your friends and then talk about it, that's what makes it fun,' he said. 'That's what keeps me watching every night. It's purely not like the content of the show. It's because I get to hang [out] with my friends and kiki with my homies. That's what keeps me coming every single time.'
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Iowa football pledge announces commitment to new Big Ten school
Former Iowa quarterback commit Cash Herrera announced his new destination on Monday. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound quarterback announced his commitment to coach Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers. Herrera had originally committed to the Hawkeyes on Oct. 3, 2024, but the The Bishop's School signal-caller decommitted from Iowa last week. The Cali product chose Iowa then over offers from schools such as UCLA, Minnesota, Washington State, Virginia Tech, Colorado State, San Diego State and Appalachian State. Now, he elects to stay in the Big Ten and with Cignetti and the Hoosiers who authored an 11-2 (8-1 Big Ten) season that began with 10 straight wins and that included a trip to the College Football Playoff. Herrera visited Bloomington over the weekend. 'Just learning about coach Cig and their winning culture they are building showed me a lot on the visit. Learning about the offense and school was big too. Meeting the coaches and players and playing mini golf at coach Cig's house were other highlights," Herrera told On3. Herrera expanded upon why Indiana is the right spot for him. "They run an offense that showcases my talents and they have a head coach who wins. The culture is great too. It is a great academic school for business as well. "The staff is all about ball and winning. I got close with the QB coach, Chandler Whitmer. I like him and how the atmosphere is competitive and that there is a high standard there," Herrera said. Herrera passed for 2,033 yards and 24 touchdowns while completing 62.4% of his passes last season at The Bishop's School. He also rushed for 334 yards and eight more scores. According to 247Sports, Herrera is a three-star commit for Indiana, the No. 31 quarterback and the No. 55 player from California in the 2026 class. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF
Indianapolis Star
5 days ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana football flips 3-star quarterback from Big Ten rival after official visit
BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football landed a verbal commitment from 3-star quarterback Cash Herrera on Monday afternoon. Herrera, who decommitted from Iowa before visiting Bloomington over the weekend, made the announcement on social media. The 6-foot-3, 207-pounder was the 47th ranked quarterback and 816th overall prospect in the 2026 recruiting class, per 247 Sports composite rankings. He had 13 scholarship offers including ones from Arizona, California, Minnesota, UCLA and Virginia Tech. Herrera threw for 2,033 yards and 24 touchdowns as a junior for The Bishop's School in La Jolla, California. Indiana was heavily involved in recruiting fellow California quarterback prospect Luke Fahey, the highest-ranked uncommitted player at their position in the 2026 class, but he received an offer from Ohio State while taking an official visit to the school last weekend. The Hoosiers moved quickly to lock up Herrera to give them a quarterback commitment for a 2026 recruiting class that's up to 19 verbal commitments. Get IndyStar's IU coverage sent directly to your inbox with our IU Insider newsletter.
The Hill
20-06-2025
- Health
- The Hill
The hidden casualties of Medicaid cuts: America's family caregivers
In Arroyo Seco, N.M., Vanessa Herrera routinely inserts a needle into her 6-year-old son's chest, administering life-saving medication for his rare bleeding disorder. This weekly ritual, made possible by Medicaid, represents the thin line between health and catastrophe for millions of American families. For Herrera, a single working mother of three, the math is brutally simple: 'Without Medicaid, we would not be able to afford it,' she says. 'We are scared to lose it, because I don't want to lose my son.' Across America, more than 53 million people are family caregivers like Herrera's — parents supporting children with rare diseases, adult children assisting aging parents, spouses tending to partners with chronic illnesses. And more than 4 million family caregivers rely on Medicaid for their own health care coverage. This invisible workforce forms the foundation of our nation's long-term care system. Now, with the House passing a budget bill that slashes more than $1 trillion from Medicaid and the Senate Finance Committee advancing similar devastating cuts, these essential caregivers fear for the already-fragile support system that enables their critical work. As a governor managing the frontline impacts of health care policy on American families, and as someone who has also been a family caregiver, I have deep concerns about how these proposed cuts would unravel the already fragile support system that makes caregiving possible for millions of families. This isn't merely a budgetary abstraction. It is a looming humanitarian crisis with faces and names attached. Take New Mexico, where approximately 40 percent of residents rely on Medicaid — the highest per-capita coverage in the nation. The proposed cuts would eliminate up to $2.8 billion in federal funding in the first year alone. New Mexico isn't alone. In 15 states, at least one-fifth of working-age adults in rural areas depend on Medicaid. Tellingly, eight of these 15 highly vulnerable states went for President Trump in the last election — a stark reminder that health care security transcends partisan divides. For family caregivers, Medicaid often represents the only meaningful support available. As the primary funder of home and community-based services, it helps 4.5 million people with complex needs remain in their homes rather than face costlier institutional care. These services include respite care that gives exhausted caregivers essential breaks, training programs that teach specialized caregiving skills, and self-directed services that allow Medicaid enrollees to hire family members as caregivers. The proposed cuts would unravel this safety net in important ways. As federal funding disappears, states will be forced into impossible decisions about services critical to caregiving. History shows that when forced to cut spending, states typically target home and community-based services first — the very programs that help people maintain independence and provide critical support to family caregivers. Essential services like respite care, caregiver training and self-directed care options would be reclassified from 'life-sustaining' to 'optional' in state budgets. Compounding these challenges, the proposed work requirements for Medicaid fail to recognize economic reality. Many recipients who can work already do. And those who serve as full-time caregivers for family members with medical needs are already working — just without a paycheck. The math is straightforward: a family caregiver providing round-the-clock care to elderly parent costs our Medicaid system virtually nothing, whereas institutional settings such as nursing homes or board-and-care facilities can cost taxpayers $100,000 per year per patient. Work requirement proposals create bureaucratic hurdles for people already stretched thin, potentially forcing more into expensive institutional care — dramatically increasing costs while reducing quality of life for the most vulnerable. The House-passed bill included an exemption from work requirements for 'the parent, guardian, or caretaker relative of a disabled individual or a dependent child,' but it notably fails to address those caring for seniors or individuals with serious health conditions like cancer. Even with these limited exemptions, strict work requirements create an excessive administrative burden for family caregivers already navigating the complexities of daily care. Additionally, families must verify their eligibility twice yearly, adding yet another layer of bureaucracy to their already demanding caregiving responsibilities. As the Senate considers the House-passed bill, we call on all senators to recognize the care crisis unfolding in states across America and reject these devastating cuts. Our nation must come together to strengthen Medicaid's support for family caregivers, acknowledging their indispensable role in health care delivery. Investing in family caregivers through Medicaid isn't just compassionate policy; it's fiscal common sense. By enabling care at home, we prevent costly institutional care, reduce emergency room visits, and address workforce shortages in long-term care. There are millions of family caregivers like Vanessa Herrera filling critical gaps in our nation's health care system every day. If we fail to protect Medicaid, we fail them — and ultimately, we fail ourselves. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, is governor of New Mexico. Jason Resendez is president and CEO of the National Alliance for Caregiving.
Daily Mirror
19-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Ex-Man Utd star given four-match ban after fight with security at Club World Cup
Boca Juniors' clash with Benfica turned ugly on Monday as three players were sent off - including former Manchester United star Ander Herrera - who has been banned for four games after fighting with a security guard Former Manchester United star Ander Herrera has been handed a four-match ban after he was sent off for fighting with a security guard in Boca Juniors' Club World Cup opener against Benfica. The 2-2 draw on Monday was a tense affair as three players were dismissed in total, with Jorge Figal joining Herrera in receiving an early bath, while Andrea Belotti was sent off for Benfica. Herrera was given his marching orders just before half-time after attempting to barge his way through to speak to the referee while he was in the middle of a VAR review. The former Spain international had to be held back by security officials and referee Cesar Arturo Ramos reached for his back pocket and issued the red card after being informed of the player's conduct. Herrera had already been substituted at the time after hobbling off in the 20th minute due to an injury. The Argentine club confirmed that Herrera and Figal - who was sent off in the 88th minute for a foul on Florentino Luis - have both been banned for four games, pouring doubt on whether they will appear in the competition again. However, Boca Juniors said they would appeal against the length of the bans, with Ole reporting that the club have questioned why Belotti was only given a two-match ban for a high boot on Ayrton Costa. The South American side hope they can at least have Figal back for the knockout stages, should they reach it, if his ban is reduced. As it stands, neither player would be allowed to return until the semi-finals. Herrera's red card comes as the latest set-back to the 35-year-old midfielder, who spent five seasons at Old Trafford and played 189 times. Since joining Boca earlier this year, he has been plagued by injury issues. His injury setback against Benfica came just a month after he was forced off against Independiente in the Argentinian league and was left in tears. It was the last of three injury problems in consecutive games, having suffered a hamstring on his debut in January. He was then unable to continue after being brought on in the next game against Newell's. Herrera was a popular figure during his time at Manchester United as he helped the club win the FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League during his stint at Old Trafford - after joining from Athletic Bilbao for around £30m. He later joined PSG in 2019, spending two seasons in Paris before returning to boyhood club Athletic Bilbao for another three years. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
