My political views are mine and only mine. I want to share them occasionally via my platforms because I know I have a platform that will ultimately inspire you to share your views too in an attempt to better the world we live in.
Growing up, my mom used to force me to go to Church. I remember sitting with my sister while both of us would cringe about the idea of having to go to Church. I don’t know why we were so against the idea but I think it was partially due to the fact that we didn’t really feel like we had a say in whether or not we would go. For most of my childhood it was just my mom and I, my sister is 16 years older than me so when she was able to move out and go to college, let’s say she didn’t hesitate with the thought. I used to think of Church as this place I was being forced to conform and go to, when in reality my mom was just trying to create a sense of community for me since I was somewhat anti-social and didn’t have a lot of friends.
I occasionally go to church, but not because I want to be religious. I go because I think there is something that happens after your life ends. My dad is Jewish, so I want to start going to Shabbat too. Point of the matter is that you can have different views and nothing else matters because they are your views.
I don’t usually openly share my opinion on politics or gun rights because if you get me talking about either topic, I will not shut up. I realize that people have their own views, some more opinionated than other’s, and some people’s views I think are so outside of the box I can’t even fathom where there views come from. But I believe in being more safe with my words on the internet than not, which is why I’m not actively trying to call out Tomi Lahren on Twitter when she tweets something that makes me want to throw up. That being said, she’s also a human who has rights and a freedom to free speech. Let it beeeee.
This week I can’t stand back and not say anything about the terrible laws being passed in 3 states. I know many people who have made their own decisions, who have called me crying, who have openly told me about their experiences to which I fully support ANY decision they made. Do you know why I support their decision? Because it’s not my decision. I don’t need to say it, but if I was in that position I’d make the exact same decision. I think it’s so important that we educate young kids about being safe in all aspects of their life, and also give them resources to call when things don’t go as planned. Women are paid less, women are spoken down to and expected to be in the kitchen instead of the office still to this day, and these disgusting bills that are trying to be passed only bring us back to the 1950s. I’d like to think as a society that we are moving forward, but it doesn’t seem to ever be that way. We seem to make 3 steps in the right direction to move 10 steps back.
Every women has an equal right to make their own decisions. To be fearless with whatever they pursue, whether that’s going to college, not going to college, ending a relationship, switching jobs…no one should be involved in any decision any MAN or WOMAN has to make besides that one person. Men & women should have equal rights, can we leave it at that?
I wish I listened to my mom when she told me to stop comparing myself to people. I remember when a girl who I met through blogging who was featured in this Teen Vogue Snapshot article, and I had been so badly wanting the spot she got. I came to find out she was best friends with the editor, which could’ve assisted in her landing the spot. I wish I had realized early on that everything happens for a reason. It took me some time to believe that. The people who aren’t authentic are the ones who won’t survive in the long run.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Alexa Curtis. Alexa is a young adult influencer and CEO of Life Unfiltered with Alexa, the lifestyle site for teens and parents. Curtis also founded the nonprofit Media Impact and Navigation for Teens, along with the Be Fearless Summit. She is a sought-out speaker by many colleges and conferences, and runs her show Fearless Everyday on Radio Disney along with her weekly podcast This is Life Unfiltered. @alexa_curtis
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
I started a blog called A Life in the Fashion Lane in 2011 when I was 12-years-old. I come from a small, sheltered town in Eastern Connecticut and never fit in- I was always the “weird kid”. I initially started the blog as an outlet for me to overcome my insecurities and the bullying I was enduring, with no intention of it becoming a full-time career! I’m 21-years-old now, and I run Life Unfiltered with Alexa (I switched the site to solely focus on social media and mental health) full-time along with the show I recently secured on Radio Disney called Fearless Everyday. I speak at colleges across the country educating young people about how to get out of their comfort zone and find their purpose. In this day and age everyone wants to become so successful and wealthy overnight, and I like to remind people that if I had ever intended of becoming successful by simply starting this blog back in the day, I don’t think I’d be where I am. Follow your passion first, the rest will come if it’s meant to.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this career?
I have so many stories, it’s hard to pick just one! When I forced my mom to let me transfer to online high school my junior year (because I was still planning on attending college and frankly was failing out of high school) I had a terrible conversation with my guidance counselor who was so against the idea and tried to deter me from transferring. Within 1 hour after leaving the appointment, I got a phone call from Rachael Ray who had found my blog and wanted me to appear on the show the following week. I’ll never forget it.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
I still make mistakes every day. To learn and grow as an entrepreneur, you have to constantly be pushing yourself which means getting out of your comfort zone! I had a few TV segments in the beginning of my career. I didn’t know I had to return the clothing to the brands I was using for TV. Needless to say, by age of 16 I knew everything anyone should know about cease and desist letters and not being able to be sued when you’re underage, as well as a variety of ways to keep your company safe even when you’re not able to legally drink! One of the experiences I faced with a brand is actually the opening of the first episode of the show my team has been pitching to different production companies! Who would’ve known all of that stress may just pay off!
Ok super. Let’s now jump to the core focus of our interview. Can you describe to our readers how you are using your platform to make a significant social impact?
What sets me apart from other people is my absolute transparency and authenticity when it comes to social media. Maybe that’s because I started blogging when I was so young, or maybe I’m just such an honest person in general that I don’t see why I wouldn’t share the highs and the lows of me pursuing this path.
If Instagram wasn’t around, I’m lucky that I’d still be able to make a living through the other parts of my company like site and podcast. That being said, I think social media is crucial in constructing your core demographic and engaging with your fans. I’m so incredibly vocal about the rejection I face, from boys to book deals because I want other young adults out there to know that they are not alone in the process of finding their purpose. Sure, I knew what I wanted to do at a young age but that doesn’t mean I know everything that’s going to happen to me in the future. I’m still experimenting and learning about myself everyday. I always wanted to be the model person I didn’t have to look up to when I was younger.
Wow! Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by this cause?
I get so many messages a day from kids and parents whose story sticks out to me. Whenever I present talks on social media or mental health, I’m always flooded by kids who are suffering with anxiety, cutting, bullying, and finally feel like it’s okay to say they’re not okay. I recently put on an entire summit at Drexel University called the Be Fearless Summit, and after the summit a few girls told me that they took away more from the summit than they did at a women’s conference they each paid $500 + to attend. When I hear comments like that, that’s when I know I’m on to something. I know I’m filling the void out there, slowly but surely.
Was there a tipping point the made you decide to focus on this particular area? Can you share a story about that?
From ages 14 to 16, I suffered with an eating disorder called orthorexia. At the time, I was still solely blogging about fashion but feeling more and more like I was being asked to speak on topics I didn’t feel were making a difference in the world (fashion surely impacted my life, but it wasn’t helping others that much). I ended up publishing an article called Role Model vs. Runway Model, an honest letter on my eating disorder that went viral. It wasn’t until girls from my high school started messaging me telling me about their eating disorders that I had this light bulb moment: I found my purpose. Shortly after that I was flown to NYC to speak on a panel on social media and mental health with a few older advocates and CEOs, and I decided to launch Media Impact and Navigation for Teens. Sometime later, I decided I had no interest in fashion and wanted to speak and share my personal life experiences openly and honestly. I figured if I could continue to make a career out of my honesty, I’d be doing good in the world.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
I might answer this question differently than others, but something that I think is crucial is parents educating themselves about social media. Parents should know about Instagram and Snapchat so that when their child addresses them about something they see online, they aren’t clueless.
I love Michelle Obama’s Better Make Room initiative, and I think that schools (high schools and colleges in particular) should be teaching life skills. Why don’t we leave school knowing about taxes, about finding freelance work, or how to not screw up our lives!? That’s why I launched the Be Fearless Summit, because I knew that young adults knew how to start Instagram pages, but didn’t necessarily know the difference between W9s + W2s.
Society in general could be more open about following nontraditional paths. I’m often asked and questioned about why I decided not to go to college, and I have the same answer every time I’m asked. At the end of the day, as long as you are willing to experiment and try new opportunities you will eventually find your purpose. Let’s encourage everyone to get out of their comfort zone and try something new!
What specific strategies have you been using to promote and advance this cause? Can you recommend any good tips for people who want to follow your lead and use their social platform for a social good?
Don’t start an Instagram page for fame or money. If you want to pursue the entertainment industry, realize that 1% of people make it in this world. This might not be for you, and that’s okay. Working a 9–5 job does not make you “normal” or boring, it’s quite the contrary. I advise you not to compare yourself to anyone else. If you don’t yet know what you want to do for a career, that’s okay. Sit down with a notebook and a pen and write down where you’d like to see yourself in 5 years. Maybe that’s in a huge office, or maybe that’s with a smile on your face eating a cupcake! Many of us forget the bigger picture in life, and to make an impact in the world you have to find yourself first.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1. I wish I listened to my mom when she told me to stop comparing myself to people. I remember when a girl who I met through blogging who was featured in this Teen Vogue Snapshot article, and I had been so badly wanting the spot she got. I came to find out she was best friends with the editor, which could’ve assisted in her landing the spot. I wish I had realized early on that everything happens for a reason. It took me some time to believe that. The people who aren’t authentic are the ones who won’t survive in the long run.
2. I certainly wish there had been a book on how to not get screwed over in the business world. Time after time, prior to me having a team and lawyer, I got screwed over by not reading through contracts thoroughly enough. The business world is very cutthroat, and it’s truly survival of the fittest.
3. When I was 18, I spent 6 months trying to launch this bra finder app. I even tried to get investors for it, and I eventually just couldn’t do it. I felt crappy, like I had settled because I couldn’t figure out how to make this app happen. Many times during your entrepreneurial journey you may find yourself feeling lost, and that’s totally normal. To find yourself you have to get lost! Embrace every bump in the road and realize that failures aren’t failures unless you’ve failed yourself.
4. People may think you’re nuts when you start out. To this day people question me, tell me I’m not good enough, I don’t have millions of followers yet so to them I’m doing nothing…and I’ve realized that the kind of success I’m looking for in life isn’t calculated by a number on a social media page. We each have our own idea of success, and numbers eventually won’t give you the value that knowing you’re following your passion and making a difference will.
5. Be a nerd! I wish I spent more time studying in middle school. Seriously!
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I’d love to see more people putting on their own after school events or summits (it doesn’t have to be on the level mine was) to encourage everyone to find their purpose. By getting a group of people together, girls or boys, you will all have so many ideas and certainly walk away feeling motivated and inspired!
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
I don’t even think I have to explain why this quote means so much to me. I dropped out of high school, I couldn’t even get a higher grade than a C in math. I spent so much time beating myself up over not being able to succeed at school. But I realized it’s okay because I succeeded at something else in my life.
“If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardized test, I wouldn’t be here. I guarantee you that.” Michelle Obama
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
YES! Michelle Obama, Halsey or Hoda Kotb. I’ve got millions more names if you want me to list them all!
How can our readers follow you on social media?
You can follow me at @alexa_curtis and the summit is @befearlesssummit, and my podcast is @thisislifepodcast.
So many of you reach out asking about how I found my purpose at the age I did. Before I go into detail about that, I want to make it clear that I don’t think I found my purpose when I started my blog. It took me years of self-discovery to find my purpose in this world, and I still find myself constantly striving for more. To find your purpose you have to be willing to experiment, try new things and get out of your comfort zone. Finding your purpose is one of the many reasons I started this fearless movement, because I wanted young people to find their purpose earlier on in life. It’s so normal to not find your purpose until later in life, but what if we could create a society where we are all exposed to more opportunities at a young age and therefore have an idea earlier on about what we want to do later in life?
Listen to more of my advice and tips for finding your purpose during episode 73 of This is Life Unfiltered, available below and on all podcast streaming platforms.
About Women Crush Wednesday: I love having the chance to interview different people on both of my shows, from up and coming entrepreneurs to kids across the world doing amazing things for the world. I frequently come across people that I’d love to interview but don’t necessarily have the time to interview, or we can’t match up our schedules, so I wanted to start a new weekly profile on Life Unfiltered to bring attention to even more people in the world making an impact.
Last week we met the founder of ban.do, Jen Gotch. You guys loved her, and I do too. Jen Gotch is a fabulous role model and badass example of someone who is doing so much good in the world. Thanks again Jen for chatting with me!
This week, I wanted to highlight Lacey Henderson. Lacey is an olympic athlete and a Paralympian- she only has one leg. I met her in March during SXSW, and I was so taken aback by her confidence. Lacey is the kind of chick you want your kid to date! When she was 9, her leg was amputated due to cancer. I can’t even begin to fathom the trauma I’d feel if you had an entire body part removed, let alone the experience might deter me from being as active as I currently am.
But Lacey is different. She wasn’t going to let that surgery stop her from becoming an olympic athlete. From presenting TED talks to getting ready to release her own podcast, Lacey is a badass. She’s an inspiration to me everyday and someone who I think every young person should look up to.
Follow Lacey on social media here. If you like fitness, a good time and a lot of inspiration, you’ll love her daily workouts and fun Instagram stories!
On Saturday I was asked to interview some foster families at the Foster Families event at the Getty Center. My flight was scheduled to depart at 1 PM from LA to Boston and I had interviews from 9-11 AM, so I knew I was going to push the time a bit…but I made my flight AND conducted some of my favorite interviews to date. What makes my show on Radio Disney unique is that I get to interview people from all walks of life, whether that be a celebrity, kid in the community or someone out there who is changing the world and isn’t being recognized for it. More times than not you’ll realize that people in every inch of your city are actively working to make change, but only 1% of people are recognized for the change they’re making.
I’ve never interviewed any foster families in the past which is why I jumped at the opportunity to conduct interviews live from the event. Being in a studio is such a unique and fantastic experience every time, but there’s something special about interviewing someone who has overcome so much and is simply sharing their story just to help someone else overcome what they’re dealing with outside of the studio. Many people don’t like being in front of the camera!
I got to talk to 2 kids, Frankie and Chuck, one mom and another young adult close to my age named Miriam. Miriam was the oldest of the bunch and spent most of her life in the foster care system before getting out of the system to start her own journey. Instead of enabling her traumatic childhood experiences to take her down a negative path, she came out on top. She now works for multiple non-profits, attended school in Atlanta before dropping out to pursue her art, and has multiple interviews lined up this week with companies like Marvel who are interested in offering her a job! Miriam is a real role model.
Like I ALWAYS say: it starts with a dream. No one has a “cookie cutter” life you see in movies, and the more confidence you have in yourself, the more you realize you have the power to change the world. You are simply as strong as you think you are (which is pretty strong, I promise).
On Thursday I sent in a tape for a movie role I decided to audition for. It all happened so quickly and it was kinda thrilling to say the least. I love acting and always have. I feel like so much of my “day” job is acting, from interviewing people to memorizing lines for my show or TV segments so I’ve always been intrigued by pursuing acting alongside what I do for a job. After auditioning for the role with my acting coach (she’s intense but genius) I walked out of her house in Studio City realizing that I truly think I thrive off of rejection. I don’t think most people decide to memorize lines and audition for a movie where the main character is literally kidnapped and about to be murdered, but I was in the mood to take a new kind of leap yesterday.
Every time I’m rejected, I feel more passionate about what I’m doing. They haven’t casted me as the character yet, but they also haven’t rejected me yet…so it all comes down to this waiting game. How much time are you willing to spend waiting for someone to say yes to you when you can give that yes to yourself? If there is something you want in life, you usually will have to make the leap for yourself. Otherwise you’ll find that time is flying by while you’re spending too much time feeling afraid of what could happen.
That question is one of the main reasons why I continue to pursue blogging and my Radio Disney show, summit and book: because I don’t like waiting for people to say yes to me. In this case and with acting/ my book, I know that it’s all a waiting game, but in other areas of life many of us wait on the yes we can actually give ourselves. You can make the change you want to see in the world, or you can BE that change.
P.S. Always be the change and change the game, don’t ever let the game change you.
EPISODE 17 OF THIS IS LIFE UNFILTERED: HOW TO OVERCOME THE FEAR OF REJECTION
About Women Crush Wednesday: I love having the chance to interview different people on both of my shows, from up and coming entrepreneurs to kids across the world doing amazing things for the world. I frequently come across people that I’d love to interview but don’t necessarily have the time to interview, or we can’t match up our schedules, so I wanted to start a new weekly profile on Life Unfiltered to bring attention to even more people in the world making an impact.
This week, I’m highlighting Ban.do founder Jen Gotch. Ban.do is the go-to platform for everything relating to quirky designs, founded by Jen Gotch. In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Jen launched two necklaces called anxiety and depression to bring more attention to mental health. Besides her obvious interest in bringing attention to mental health, Jen’s podcast and social media showcase her authentic and truly down to Earth self. We adore you, Jen! Thanks so much for answering these questions about being fearless.
1. You’re already taking over the world, was this your goal from the beginning?
Oh man, world domination actually sounds pretty daunting…but I’m happy to leave my mark.
2. What’s the most unexpected thing people wouldn’t think about being an entrepreneur?
That success does not come quickly. It does not come without patience and hard work and big sacrifices, personally and professionally. But every road block or failure is a gift and should be viewed that way. Sometimes it takes a little time and distance to be able to do that, but when I look back at things that from most people’s standpoints would be viewed as a “failure,” I feel like they’ve always given me something that’s really valuable. We’re just trained to think of failure to be something to be really afraid of, but I wouldn’t be where I am today if everything had just worked out.
3. You said in another interview that “Knowing I can affect people’s lives just through my phone which is pretty fucking insane.” How do you think social media is positively/negatively affecting young people?
I think social media has its pitfalls, and we should all evaluate how it affects us – and how we can use it in a way that uplifts us and others. But it’s also been such an amazing way for me to openly discuss my mental health issues in an effort to remove the stigmas around them and help others feel less alone.
4. What advice would you give your 16-year-old self?
I would say, “Jen, spend more time getting to know yourself and understanding your emotions and less time worrying about some guy that in the end, won’t make a difference. Learn to be kind and loving towards yourself and work towards self acceptance. Also, everything you think you know, you don’t. Everything you think is important, it’s not. You’re just getting started. So go, do, get out there. Fear is just an idea, it’s not real – unless of course we are talking about being chased by a giant grizzly bear or something, in which case that is very real and, um, RUNNNNNNNN!”
5. For aspiring entrepreneurs out there, what one piece of advice do you have for overcoming the fear of putting their idea out in the world?
For me, it’s all about cultivating your emotional intelligence and resilience – that is the key to personal and professional success. If you have emotional intelligence, then you understand people and situations and yourself. That has been my most useful tool. Being resilient allowed me to get knocked down, pick myself back up, learn from the pain, and move forward.
This is part of a paid partnership with Popcornopolis. All opinions are (of course) my own!
Over the weekend I posted a picture of my latest Fearless Everyday interview with Serinda Swan, actress + founder of Deedly. I was in sweatpants and no makeup during the interview, so I posted why I visibly didn’t look like my normal “interviewer” self at the interview, which was simply because I was so anxious and depressed that day. I had to get up to go to work, but it wasn’t easy. I wanted to thank everyone for their kind messages in response to my story and also encourage you to look through some of the other posts I’ve published on anxiety and depression. I’ve suffered with both for the majority of my life so far and I really hope my writing and experiences can help you overcome whatever you’re dealing with too. We’re on this journey together!
I put a lot of effort into eating very healthy for a variety of reasons, the first being that my mind feels clearer and healthier when I’m eating better food. I love eating chocolate and cookies, but I definitely don’t eat them for every meal because I wouldn’t be as happy in the long run if I was feeding myself sugar all day! That being said, I think treating yourself and being kind to your mind and body is crucial. Recently I’ve been on a popcorn kick, since I’ve been going to events that seem to offer popcorn in goodie bags! I love eating popcorn when I want a snack in the afternoon or the evening. Popcornopolis sent me two huge boxes of popcorn last week, including their variety pack and their unicorn mini cones. I had friends over my place over the weekend and we were taste testing all of the flavors from the “clean” popcorn with coconut oil to the unicorn + kettle corn flavors! For a weekly night snack, I take the popcorn that’s unsweetened and I melt peanut butter and dark chocolate on top of it in the microwave. You can even top it with some sea salt for a perfectly clean + tasty treat.
What do you have when you’re in the mood for a snack?
In honor of May being mental health awareness month, I wanted to talk about anxiety, depression & everything in between. Most of you know about my nonprofit M.I.N.T. that focuses on educating young people about the effects of social media on your mental health. I started this nonprofit back in 2016, and presenting these talks are certainly one of my favorite parts of my job. As much as I wish I could run my nonprofit full-time, there’s a lot of things I want to do in my lifetime so I can’t attribute as much time to M.I.N.T. as I wish I could. However, I put these talks on when I can. I think educating young people about the negative effects of social media on your mental health is more important than ever right now.
Anxiety and depression feel like second nature in my life. I’m so used to waking up with anxiety or dealing with depression, and I know how to keep both under control most of the time but unfortunately I wouldn’t say that I ever have either under control fully. When I was doing my morning meditation this morning, I was listening to Andy Puddicombe (the voice behind Headspace) say how everyone has anxiety. There is no way to make anxiety disappear- the best you can do is to try and keep yours under control. Some of us have anxiety everyday, and some of us have anxiety whenever we have a test or a questionable situation happen!
The thing we have to realize as a society is everyone is suffering with something, whether that be anxiety, domestic violence, bullying…there really isn’t any way to be the 1% of society that isn’t suffering with something. I don’t think that 1% exists. Because that would simply make life too easy, and whatever you’re dealing with makes you stronger in the end.
When I found out that Instagram was testing removing likes in Canada, I was intrigued by the idea. I think Instagram is one of the most prominent causes of mental health issues (along with a plethora of other causes, I don’t blame Instagram for mental health issues, but I think many young people start to battle more the more they compare themselves to others on social media) and I wish more people would openly talk about this. I love Instagram, but I also know how I feel when I see something I don’t like. The thing is, social media is only a highlight reel. Most people aren’t posting their deepest and darkest secrets for a reason. Whenever you’re scrolling through social media, remind yourself that you are where you are supposed to be in your life. You are doing the best you can, along with me and everyone else!
There’s a few ways that I deal with my anxiety and encourage you guys to…
Meditating (I make a conscious effort to meditate for 10 minutes every morning with Headspace) and I know that if I don’t meditate in the morning, I will have so much anxiety during the day that I’ll feel like I can’t breathe.
Exercise! Exercising has become such a crucial part of my life since I overcame my eating disorder years ago, and I truly find that working out makes me feel so much better. If you want to know how working out affects your mental health, click here.
Keeping your anxiety under control is partially done by knowing your limits. The more I work, the less I have time to myself and the more I push myself to hit unrealistic goals, the more I suffer mentally. I know now what I need to do when I’m feeling burnt out, or what I need to do if I feel like I’m getting so irritated with everyone around me. What do I do? Nothing. I turn off my phone, my laptop, and I eat chocolate and watch Hulu.
I love having the chance to interview different people on both of my shows, from up and coming entrepreneurs to kids across the world doing amazing things for the world. I frequently come across people that I’d love to interview but don’t necessarily have the time to interview, or we can’t match up our schedules, so I wanted to start a new weekly profile on Life Unfiltered to bring attention to even more people in the world making an impact.
This week, I’m highlighting the co-founder of Kheyti, Saumya. I initially read about Kheyti on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list (she’s 28) and became fascinated by this incredible company. She also happens to be the only female on the board of the company. Yea, girl!
According to the site, Kheyti designs, adapts and implements low-cost farming solutions that help small farmers increase yield and predictability of produce. They combine these technologies with end-to-end support to give these farmers a seamless path towards income increase. They’ve developed the first ever “Greenhouse-in-a-box” – an affordable, modular greenhouse bundled with full stack services that uses 90% less water, grows 7 times more food and gives farmers a steady dependable income. Boards of major companies are frequently filled with powerful men, and more women should be highlighted who are in powerful positions too. Unfortunately the ratio of men to women in powerful positions will always out number the amount of women, so as a fearless community we can work to bring more attention to female #girlpower around the world. Thank you for your work Saumya!
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