United News of Bangladesh

Asad Sattar, Founder and Creative Director of Arka Fashion Week, recently represented Bangladesh for the second consecutive year at the BRICS+ Fashion Summit in Moscow, highlighting the potential of fashion to promote the country’s culture, crafts and creative identity on the global stage. Held from September 28 to 30, the summit brought together discussions on fashion’s role in shaping culture and its potential as a tool of soft power. Speaking at a plenary session, Sattar discussed how Bangladesh, internationally recognised for its garment manufacturing industry, could use fashion to introduce its cultural heritage, craftsmanship and stories to international audiences. “Fashion is a gateway art. It’s the front door for most people, their first art form, because not everyone can paint or play an instrument, but everyone gets dressed in the morning,” he said.

Art Dhaka, a new art fair bringing traditional and contemporary artistic practices into a shared space, will hold its inaugural edition from November 6 to 10, featuring a curated fair alongside exhibitions, installations, performances and other public engagements with art. Founded by Durjoy Rahman, Nahar Khan, Fahd Sattar and Aumia Khundkar, Art Dhaka seeks to create a platform for artists, galleries, collectors, institutions and wider audiences to engage with a diverse range of artistic practices. The four founders bring experience spanning art, culture, business, media and creative practice. Durjoy Rahman is the Founder of Durjoy Bangladesh Foundation; Nahar Khan is the Founder of Solis, and Executive Editor of United News of Bangladesh (UNB); Fahd Sattar is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aloki and the Co-Founder of Dhaka Makers; and Aumia Khundkar is the Managing Editor of ICE Today, ICE Business Times and is associated with Dhaka Makers. The fair’s curatorial direction will be led by Mustafa Zaman, Zihan Karim and Najmun Nahar Keya, who will oversee the artistic vision and selection of participating artists. Rather than focusing on a single period or style, Art Dhaka intends to present traditional, modern and contemporary works alongside one another, bringing different artistic traditions and generations into a shared setting. The organisers aim to strengthen connections between artists and the wider art ecosystem, creating opportunities for exchange among galleries, collectors, institutions and audiences. The fair is also intended to provide established and emerging artists with opportunities to present their work and reach new audiences. Expanding access to art and art collecting is another key objective. The organisers aim to make art more accessible to wider audiences, encouraging more people to discover, engage with and acquire works while supporting artists. The five-day programme will extend beyond the art fair to include exhibitions, installations, performances and other forms of engagement to offer visitors a range of ways to encounter art. Through its inaugural edition, Art Dhaka aims to establish a platform for artistic discovery, exchange and wider public engagement with Bangladesh’s diverse art practices. Art Dhaka will run from November 6 to 10 at Aloki, Dhaka. The fair will be open to visitors from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm daily.  Further information and updates are available on Instagram at artdhaka.fair (https://instagram.com/artdhaka.fair?psln=MXZqbm8wazZoMWdpdQ%3D%3D) and Facebook at (https://www.facebook.com/share/1FxaV4gvV3/?mibextid=wwXIfr).  

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are set to make their first joint public appearances since returning to the United Kingdom, as the couple seek to rebuild their public image in Britain six years after stepping back from royal duties. The couple will visit three charities in Nottingham, a city in central England, on Thursday. They made their first joint public appearance there in 2017 after announcing their engagement. The day's programme has several features associated with royal visits, including the use of their titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and a planned media pool to cover their movements. However, Archewell, their philanthropic organisation that played a prominent role during their time in the United States, has received little attention. King Charles III, Harry's father, has made it clear that the couple remain non-working members of the royal family. They accepted this status when they gave up their royal duties and moved to California. In a letter sent on the king's behalf to senior government officials shortly after Harry and Meghan returned to the UK in September, the palace stressed that they would not use their royal styles of address, His Royal Highness and Her Royal Highness. It also said any charity work they carried out would be done as private citizens. The decision to send the letter and make it public reflected concerns among some palace officials that the couple's celebrity status could allow them to establish a parallel royal presence, competing with the Prince and Princess of Wales and other working royals for media attention and public support. Couple reconnect with familiar charities Thursday's programme includes visits to the Community Recording Studio, which helps young people build confidence and practical skills through music, performance and sports; Himmah, described as central England's largest food bank; and Epic Partners, which provides sports, education and mentoring programmes for disadvantaged young people. Harry has worked with the Community Recording Studio and Epic Partners for more than a decade. Meghan also worked with Himmah on Together: Our Community Cookbook, published in 2018. Although the couple continued to support charities in the UK after leaving the country, their main focus shifted elsewhere. Harry and Meghan gave up their royal duties and moved to California more than six years ago, saying they wanted to become financially independent. They later signed lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify. Relations with other members of the royal family soon deteriorated. The couple accused palace staff of being insensitive to Meghan's mental health and raised allegations of racism and media manipulation against other members of the family. Harry seeks reconciliation with his father Tensions have begun to ease in recent months as Harry has expressed a desire to repair his relationship with the king. He has said he wants his children to have the opportunity to know their 77-year-old grandfather. Charles is receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer diagnosed in 2024. The couple and their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are reportedly living at a private residence in the Cotswolds, a rural area west of Oxford known for its rolling hills, villages and farms. Although Harry and Meghan have expressed happiness about returning to the UK, the move has also sparked controversy. Harry continues to seek publicly funded police protection, which was withdrawn when the couple stepped back from royal duties. The prince has said that he and his family remain under threat because of his royal status. The children have also changed schools just days after the new school year began because of security concerns.

Oitijhya Book Carnival 2026 organised by creative publishing house Oitijhya will begin on Bangla Academy premises in Dhaka on Thursday. The carnival will remain open to visitors daily from 10 am to 9 pm until October 31. Its informal inauguration is scheduled for 10:15 am on October 15. This year's theme is “Stories of a New Day on the Pages of Oitijhya”. The event aims to bring readers, writers, publishers and book lovers closer to literature and creative expression. The 17-day carnival will feature a range of daily programmes, including Writers' Day, Book Influencer Day, children's drawing and storytelling competitions, a children's art exhibition, typography and calligraphy workshops, an open-air podcast, Club Day and Publishers' Day. Other attractions include a tree-identification programme at Bangla Academy, a solo play titled “Shahid Qadri” and musical evenings. New book launches will also be held throughout the event, with 17 new titles, including collected works, scheduled to be unveiled over the 17 days. Book lovers will have the opportunity to purchase books at special discounts. Oitijhya will offer discounts of up to 71 percent on books in stock and up to 60 percent on its collected works. Individual volumes of collected works will be available for Tk 150 to Tk 200. Visitors purchasing books in any quantity will receive a free bookmark. Other participating publishers will also offer special discounts on their publications. Alongside Oitijhya, the participating publishers and brands include Ilham, Kakatuya, Gripper Mark, Nirbachito, Nu Books, Red and Dhrubapad. Nirbachito Pakerghor will serve as the event's food partner. Oitijhya organises the carnival annually as its flagship event, combining book launches and cultural activities with opportunities for readers to discover books and engage with the literary community.

Autumn is a good time to clean up gardens, but removing all dead leaves and cutting back every plant may do more harm than good. While some plants need trimming to prevent diseases and pests, others should be left standing through winter to protect wildlife and prepare for healthy growth in spring. Knowing which plants to keep and which to remove can help gardeners maintain plant health, prevent diseases and encourage better flowering in the next growing season. Plants to leave standing over winter Perennials that produce seed heads should generally be left standing during winter. Their seeds provide food for birds that stay through the colder months, while their stems offer shelter for pollinators and other beneficial insects. These plants include allium, aster, black-eyed Susan, coneflower, goldenrod, milkweed, sneezeweed and rattlesnake master, among others. Most shrubs that bloom in spring develop their flowers on older stems, known as “old wood”. Pruning them in autumn can remove buds that would otherwise bloom next year. Gardeners should avoid cutting back azaleas, rhododendrons, forsythia and hydrangeas at this time. If these shrubs need trimming to maintain their shape or size, it is best to prune them within two weeks after their spring flowers fade. Ornamental grasses should also remain standing until new growth begins in spring. Besides adding beauty to winter gardens, they provide shelter for insects that survive the cold season. Fallen leaves can be spread over garden beds to provide additional protection for these insects. Many of them help control harmful pests when warmer weather returns. Woody or partly woody perennials, including Russian sage and lavender, should also be left uncut during winter. Their stems and leaves help protect the base of each plant, where the stems meet the roots, from frost damage. Plants to cut back during autumn Some plants should be cut down at the end of the growing season to reduce the risk of pests and diseases. Hostas, for example, should be cut back to ground level because their dying leaves can provide hiding places for slugs and other pests during winter. Irises should also be cut back, as their leaves can harbour iris borer eggs. Removing the foliage helps reduce the risk of these pests hatching in spring and damaging the plants. Perennials that are prone to mildew should be cut back even if they showed no signs of infection during the current season. These include herbaceous peonies, bee balm and phlox. Gardeners should also remove plants that suffered from disease during the year. Fallen leaves and other infected plant material should be cleared from the surrounding beds to reduce the chances of diseases spreading to new growth next season. Annual flowers, such as zinnias, which are particularly vulnerable to powdery mildew, should also be removed if infected. Diseased plant material should not be added to compost piles. Instead, it should be disposed of in the rubbish to prevent the spread of infection. Do not ignore damaged branches Regardless of the season, dead, broken or diseased branches on trees and shrubs should be removed when necessary. Leaving damaged branches in place can threaten plant health. They may also break during winter storms, potentially causing injuries or damage to nearby property.  

Eight endangered orangutans have been released into a protected forest in Indonesian Borneo after wildfires destroyed large areas of their habitat, a conservation group said. The orangutans, including three mothers with their infants and two adolescent males, were rescued from fire-ravaged areas in Ketapang and North Kayong regencies between August and September. They were relocated to Batu Nyambu protected forest in West Kalimantan province on October 8, said Heribertus Suciadi, a spokesperson for the Indonesian Nature Rehabilitation Initiative Foundation, or YIARI. The wildfires destroyed habitat corridors and reduced access to food, forcing the orangutans into plantations inhabited by people in search of food and shelter, where they became stranded, Suciadi told The Associated Press on Monday. "They had no burns, open wounds, broken bones or other life-threatening injuries, but appeared to be suffering from malnutrition and dehydration," Suciadi said. Among those rescued were a female orangutan known as Mama Man and her infant, Man, which had been monitored for months in a small patch of forest surrounded by plantations. Expanding fires and heavy smoke left them with no safe route to larger forests before they were evacuated in early September, Suciadi said. Two other mother-and-infant pairs and two juvenile males were found in similar conditions after fires swept through forests near villages in Ketapang and North Kayong. The orangutans underwent veterinary examinations and observation at a rehabilitation centre operated by YIARI to ensure they were healthy enough to return to the wild. YIARI Operational Director Argitoe Ranting said Batu Nyambu was selected as the release site because much of the forest remains intact despite the wildfires and provides abundant food, water, nesting trees and connections to neighbouring forests. "We want to ensure that rescued orangutans are not simply moved from one place to another, but actually have a chance to survive in their natural habitat," he said, adding that protected forests capable of accommodating displaced orangutans are becoming increasingly scarce as fires spread. Forest and land fires in Indonesia have worsened this year as El Niño intensifies a prolonged dry season. Other contributing factors include land clearance through burning in Indonesian Borneo and parts of Sumatra, as well as water shortages that have hampered firefighters. Japan has provided assistance to Indonesian firefighting efforts. In a separate incident, a male orangutan named Sampurna, believed to be around 20 years old, was found struggling to breathe by residents in early September at a palm oil plantation in Ketapang district of West Kalimantan, an area affected by wildfires. He died hours after being rescued, Indonesia's Forestry Ministry said. As of Saturday, more than 270 wild animals in the Indonesian part of Borneo had been rescued, rehabilitated or guided to safer habitats, including 46 orangutans rescued by YIARI, according to the ministry. YIARI Chief Executive Officer Karmele Llano Sanchez said the relocation was a last resort after the animals' original habitat became unsafe. "These orangutans have been traumatized and other impacts by wildfires that devastated their habitat, leaving them displaced," she said. "Rescuing them is one of the best ways we can help them survive."

The days before Durga Puja have always carried a special kind of excitement. Families would visit crowded markets for new clothes, while children often kept their Puja outfits hidden until the celebrations began. That anticipation remains, even though the way people shop has changed. Today, alongside traditional market visits, online shopping has become another part of festive preparation. Daraz’s confirmed order data offers a glimpse into what people are choosing this Puja and familiar traditions are clearly holding their ground. Women’s fashion leads the festive basket, accounting for around 77% of confirmed Puja fashion orders among the selected products, compared with approximately 15% for men and 7% for boys. Sarees remain at the center, but there is no single style defining the season. Half-silk, semi-muslin embroidery, Jamdani, Tant, Soft Katan and Soft Silk Katan all feature among the choices. Among them, half-silk printed sarees stand out, contributing around 32% of confirmed women’s fashion orders. At the same time, the traditional Lal Shada look remains strongly connected with Puja, with a red-and-white saree combo accounting for around 17% of women confirmed orders. But shoppers are not stopping at the saree itself. Around 31% of confirmed women’s fashion orders came from saree combo and gift sets featuring items such as bangles, necklaces, Gajra and mirrors. The pattern suggests that for many, Puja shopping is increasingly about putting together the complete festive look rather than buying one item at a time. For men, the story is much more focused on Panjabis remain the defining festive choice. A premium white Panjabi represented around 61% of confirmed orders within the selected men’s range, while a father-and-son matching Panjabi contributed another 27%. Together, the two accounted for nearly 89% of men confirmed orders, showed the appeal of both classic festive dressing and coordinated family looks. Children’s choices follow the same traditional direction. The selected boys’ range is built around Panjabi and Kurta sets, including more festive options paired with Koti, keeping younger family members firmly within the traditional Puja wardrobe. The festive basket, however, goes beyond clothing. Within Daraz’s selected beauty assortment, 33% of products are eye-make-up items such as kajal, eyeliner and eyeshadow. Mehendi and henna make up 22%, lip products another 22%, while Alta contributes 11%, a mix that brings traditional festive rituals together with contemporary makeup. Puja preparation is also reaching the home. Among the selected home and lifestyle products, 40% are furniture, while another 20% fall under décor and organization, including dining tables, tea tables, chairs, cupboards, cushions, and shoe racks. The selection reflects another familiar part of the festival on getting the home ready for family, guests and celebration. The way people shop may be changing, but the things that make Puja special remain familiar. Sarees, Panjabis, matching family outfits, Mehedi, makeup and a home prepared for guests are still at the heart of the celebration. Only now, more of that festive basket can also come together online.

A group exhibition titled ‘Unbroken Line’ (Apromeyo Rekha), featuring drawings by 42 established, mid-career and emerging artists spanning seven decades of artistic practice, is underway at Bengal Shilpalay in the capital. Organised by Bengal Foundation, the exhibition opened on October 9 and will continue until October 30 at the Kamrul Hasan Exhibition Room on Level 1 of Bengal Shilpalay in Dhanmondi. Prominent art critic and writer Moinuddin Khaled and Professor Shishir Bhattacharjee, dean of the Faculty of Design and Technology at Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology, jointly inaugurated the exhibition. Professor A K M Moinul Islam of the Department of Ceramics and Sculpture at Rajshahi University and artist Soma Surovi Jannat also attended the opening as special guests. The exhibition brings together works by pioneers of modern art in Bangladesh and the wider region, including Zainul Abedin, Quamrul Hassan and Safiuddin Ahmed, alongside artists from subsequent generations. The participating artists include Aminul Islam, Anjay Kumar, Bipul Shahriar, Bipasha Hayat, Dhali Al Mamoon, Farah Naz Moon, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Hritendra Kumar Sharma, Imam Hossain Sumon, Ismail, Ismat Azim, Israt Jahan Tanni, Jannatun Noor Saymum, Jogen Chowdhury, Kalidas Karmakar, Kazi Abdul Baset, Lalu Prasad Shaw, Mainul Islam Pal, Md Arman Chowdhury, Md Munem Shahriar, Md Saifullah Abir, Mishkatul Abir, Murtaja Baseer, Mustafa Zaman, Nasir Ahmed, Nazneen Ahmed, Noor-e-Amena, Paritosh Sen, Qayyum Chowdhury, Rafiqun Nabi, Rikel Chakma, Sanat Kumar, Sanjoy Kumar Sutradhar, Shahabuddin Ahmed, Liton Chandra Sarkar, Cynthia Akter Shanta, SM Sultan, Syed Zakir Emon and Tayeba Begum Lipi, among others. Through a diverse range of works, ‘Unbroken Line’ traces how drawing in Bangladesh has evolved beyond its traditional roles in academic art education and social and political documentation to emerge as an independent and multilayered medium of contemporary artistic expression. The exhibition also highlights the diversity of approaches to drawing across generations, bringing together established masters and emerging practitioners. The inclusion of works representing both Dhaka-based and regional art institutions offers an opportunity to explore varied artistic perspectives and experimental practices. By presenting works from different periods and artistic backgrounds, the exhibition reflects the changing language of drawing and its continuing relevance to contemporary art, according to the organizers. The exhibition is open to all and can be visited daily from 4 to 8 pm until October 30 at Bengal Shilpalay, House 42, Road 27 (new Road 16), Dhanmondi, Dhaka-1209.

A pumpkin grown by a Rhode Island farmer appears to have set a new world record for the heaviest pumpkin, weighing nearly 300 pounds (136 kilograms) more than the current record holder. Ron Wallace of Greene, Rhode Island, weighed his giant pumpkin at a competition in New England on Saturday and is now awaiting confirmation from Guinness World Records. The existing record was set by an English grower about a week earlier. Wallace said he had been in contact with Guinness officials, who indicated that the record was on track for verification. “It’s truly massive, it was a pleasure to grow,” Wallace said by phone on Monday. Guinness World Records currently lists a 2,857-pound (1,296-kilogram) squash grown by Ian Paton of Lymington, England, as the world’s heaviest. Paton set the record on October 3. Guinness officials did not respond to a request for comment. The potential record comes as pumpkin growers worldwide take part in competitions this month, hoping to produce the heaviest pumpkin. In Northern California on Monday, a Minnesota grower won a major annual competition for the fifth consecutive time. Potential record-breaking pumpkin Wallace received $3,500 for winning his local competition. He said other contests had tried to attract him with larger prize money, with some offering as much as $70,000, but he wanted to celebrate the potential record-breaking achievement in his hometown. “I was just ecstatic, the place just exploded,” Wallace said, describing the crowd’s reaction when his pumpkin was weighed. He credited the pumpkin-growing community for freely sharing tips and techniques to help growers produce larger pumpkins. This year, Wallace grew his pumpkins in a greenhouse for the first time, which he said made a significant difference. “The only way you create a 3,000-pound pumpkin is a community working together,” he said. Wallace took up the hobby after starting an online business selling gardening supplies. He said he was proud to be part of the pumpkin-growing community and believed competitions helped establish the credibility of growers. According to Wallace, the agriculture industry has increasingly been seeking advice from pumpkin growers on soil management and other cultivation techniques. California contest in its sixth decade In Northern California, a pumpkin named Rocky won a major annual weighing contest on Monday, tipping the scales at 2,389 pounds (1,083 kilograms), although it fell well short of a potential new world record. Horticulture teacher Travis Gienger transported the pumpkin from Minnesota to win the competition for the fifth consecutive year. He received $21,501 in prize money after beating dozens of other giant-pumpkin growers at the event in Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco. Gienger missed last year’s competition after his pumpkin broke while growing. Hoping to make a comeback, he named this year’s entry “Rocky” after the iconic boxer portrayed by Sylvester Stallone. “Five-time champion, that’s what we came here to do,” Gienger said after the victory. Gienger and his family drove for 35 hours to California, transporting a pumpkin roughly the size of a small car. According to competition organiser Ronan Fowler, Gienger grows his pumpkins in a backyard patch in Anoka, a city on the banks of the Mississippi River north of Minneapolis. This year, Gienger faced temperatures that dropped below freezing. He said he would likely need to start growing pumpkins in a climate-controlled environment, similar to Wallace’s greenhouse, to compete more seriously. “The fact that Travis can weather the elements, like 30-degree weather, and still grow this massive pumpkin is pretty unbelievable,” Fowler said. Hundreds of people attended the 53rd World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off, enjoying food trucks, music and pumpkin-related jokes. Earlier in the day, the crowd cheered as a particularly symmetrical pumpkin named Tinkerbell won the contest for the prettiest pumpkin. The prize money was calculated at $9 per pound, and Gienger’s winning pumpkin will be displayed in a parade through Half Moon Bay this weekend. He missed out on an additional $30,000 prize for breaking the world record. However, these giant pumpkins are cultivated for their size rather than their taste, meaning the festival ended without any giant pumpkin pies.

Gillian Maegan Montalbo had only a few pimples on her forehead and nose during her teenage years. But after entering the workforce, her acne returned and became more severe. Breakouts on her cheeks and chin made the Philippines-based marketer and content creator feel uncomfortable making eye contact with her bosses. “It really took a toll on my self-esteem and my self-confidence,” Montalbo said. Although acne is commonly associated with adolescence, adults can also develop it. Breakouts may appear on the face, chest, shoulders and back. The causes and severity vary from person to person, and acne can leave dark spots and scars that take longer to heal. Dermatologists recommend seeking professional help when breakouts persist or cause changes in skin colour or texture. “We know how to treat acne. We know the cause of it. So don't suffer alone,” said Dr Crystal Aguh, a dermatologist and director of the Ethnic Skin Program at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. What causes adult acne? Teenagers commonly develop acne on their foreheads, noses and cheeks. Adults, particularly women, may experience hormonal acne around the jawline and chin, Aguh said. Steroid use can also trigger breakouts. Acne develops when tiny openings in the skin become clogged with oil, bacteria and dead skin cells. While occasional pimples may disappear within weeks or months, persistent or spreading breakouts may indicate acne, a medical condition. “Essentially, you're not getting a break from a breakout,” Aguh said. Genetics, hormones, environmental factors and diet can all contribute to acne. Consuming excessive amounts of dairy may also play a role. Facial and body acne share similar causes, although skin bacteria can be more influential in body breakouts. Acne can appear as small, painless white bumps or dark spots known as whiteheads and blackheads. More severe cases may involve painful red bumps and deep cysts, a feature of cystic acne. Treatment options range from creams to medication Dermatologists strongly advise against squeezing or picking pimples, as doing so can worsen inflammation, spread acne and increase the risk of scarring. “Everyone wants to pick and squeeze. That will almost always make things worse,” said Dr Lauren Fine, founder of Fine Dermatology in Chicago. Aguh said people with darker skin may be more likely to develop lasting dark marks because their skin can produce extra pigment in response to inflammation. Acne treatments include over-the-counter products and prescription medicines. Treating facial acne can be easier than treating breakouts elsewhere on the body, as applying creams to hard-to-reach areas such as the back can be difficult. For mild facial acne, dermatologists may recommend face washes and creams containing benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid or retinoids such as adapalene. People with frequent breakouts may need stronger treatments, including prescription antibiotics or medicines containing tretinoin. Isotretinoin may be considered for severe cystic acne or cases that do not respond to other treatments. Treatment for hormonal acne in adult women may differ from that used for teenagers. Options can include birth control pills to help regulate hormones or medicines such as spironolactone. Cortisone injections may quickly reduce individual inflamed pimples, but they are not a long-term solution, Fine said. Pimple patches containing hydrocolloid, a gel-like material that absorbs fluid, may help protect some pimples and discourage picking. However, the patches are generally more suitable for mild acne. Aguh said they are not appropriate for every type of breakout, while Fine noted that some of her patients had experienced skin discolouration after using them. Dark spots and scars may take longer to heal Products containing glycolic acid, including exfoliants and face washes, may help fade dark marks. Over-the-counter adapalene products and retinol creams can also improve skin appearance. For more severe scarring, dermatologists may recommend treatments such as lasers that target deeper layers of the skin. Finding the right treatment can take time, and visible improvements may take even longer. Some people also experience an initial increase in breakouts, known as skin purging, when starting certain treatments as clogged pores come to the surface. Montalbo's acne cleared within a year of consulting a dermatologist, but the scars remained. She then had to work on rebuilding her confidence. She said having supportive people around her helped her through the most difficult periods. Her father, who had also struggled with acne, encouraged her to seek medical advice and find suitable products. A close friend also travelled abroad with her for a holiday during her worst breakouts and casually mentioned that she had never even noticed Montalbo's acne. “When you are with the right people, they won't mind how you look,” Montalbo said. “Because to them, what's important is how you treat them.”