About us...

John “Gungie” Rivera, Founder of the Cristian Rivera Foundation

Tell us about what prompted you to create the foundation.

I started the Cristian Rivera Foundation because no parent should ever have to bury their child, especially due to a devastating disease like Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). After losing my six-year-old son, Cristian, to this rare brain stem tumor in 2009, I made a promise to dedicate my life to finding a cure. Watching Cristian suffer as DIPG slowly took away his ability to walk, talk, eat, and move was heartbreaking. I knew I had to do something to ensure no other family would endure such unimaginable grief.

On December 4, a ceremony was held in New York to light the main Christmas tree near the Rockefeller Center. This tradition, which has the spirit of New Year holidays at its roots, has once again united thousands of citizens and tourists seeking to see the most magical moment. The 11-ton Norwegian fir tree, decorated with thousands of twinkling lights and elegant ornaments, has become a true symbol of the holiday, filling everything around with an atmosphere of warmth and comfort. Under the bright light of many lanterns, the audience was having fun to the sounds of popular Christmas tunes. The unique art installations and performances by the Backstreet Boys made this evening truly unforgettable.

Cinema is a magical world that, like the flow of life, carries within itself many emotions, thoughts and experiences. It is a reflection of the reality that we live in, and at the same time it is a fantasy that can take us far beyond the ordinary.

Today we will talk about cinema with our special guests and real legends of world cinema - actor Jon Voight and director and producer Steven Paul.

New York Comic Con (NYCC) - the main celebration of pop culture has completed its work this weekend. From October 17th to 20th, the event was attended by more than 200,000 people. Fans from all over the country came to Comic Con to see celebrities, get autographs from famous directors and learn the latest news from the world of cinema.

October 7 is a day that has become a symbol of ongoing pain and destruction. The war in Israel continues to devastate lives, and today, a year after the Hamas attack, questions about peace and justice remain unresolved. During this time, the mass of hostages has not yet been released, their fate is shrouded in the darkness of uncertainty.

It's rare to see a person who specializes in every aspect of business, but James Ferrell manages to do it all. From building relationships to working out nitty-gritty logistics to budgeting on a dime, his reach covers everything. Of course, stories like these don't appear out of nowhere. James has worked his entire life to build brands up, establish them, and make sure they create a lasting impact on the world around him. One of his key ventures was Varcity, a streetwear brand. Here James worked as a marketing director, which showed him the ropes of the fashion industry. 

For many years now, The Confessional Showroom has been delighting and surprising its customers not only with the brightest and most original costumes, but also with incredible fashion shows. This year, Johnny S. Cohen, CEO and our editor-in-chief, exceeded all expectations by presenting a fantastic fashion show that definitely had no equal.

In August of this year, New York is again in the spotlight of all the world's media. This time because of the event "Fanatics Fest", organized by entrepreneur Michael Rubin. WWE legends, actors, athletes and other famous people came to the event with one goal in mind - to meet their fans.

Walt Frazier, Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, Kazeem Famuyide, Spike Lee and Ben Stiller

Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images