5 Things / Bonding

I was paddling my kayak on vacation in a remote area when my friends bailed.

I found myself unexpectedly 1:1 with my kayak guide, Mark. We kept paddling while he asked me what I do for work, then asked what I did before that.

Seems like a simple question: what did you do before that? But the complete answer (“I was a wedding planner specializing in LGBTQ weddings”) outs me…and I wasn’t sure I wanted to be out with this stranger in the middle of nowhere.

But I trusted my instinct and answered honestly, which led into a great conversation about Mark’s trans kid, his art, and LGBTQ life on the small island. We bonded. It was fun. And it all started with Mark’s curiosity. What a gift.

When’s the last time you received the gift of a stranger’s curiosity?

I’m cheering you on—
Bernadette

This Week’s Good Vibes

A Cathedral’s Historic New Leader

The Very Rev. Micah Cronin became dean of All Saints’ Cathedral in Milwaukee this August, making him the first transgender dean in Episcopal Church history and one of the youngest. Cronin, 30, grew up in more conservative churches where he didn’t feel fully welcomed as a transgender man, then found belonging at 19 in a small Episcopal congregation in Olean, New York. He was ordained a priest in 2022.

♐️ Some conversations only happen because someone is visibly, openly different.

Toronto’s All-Women Building Wins

Toronto’s Reina condominium complex was conceived, designed and built by an all-women team, from the lead architect to the developers and engineers. The resulting building includes multi-generational suites, a dedicated stroller park, a shared-tool library, and a ground floor designed so parents can watch their kids play while working out. The team prioritized designing based on real conversations with the community.

♐️ Whenever you’re building anything, get diverse perspectives so the output is actually what people need.

Bad Bunny Sweeps Emmy Night

The Super Bowl LX Halftime Show Starring Bad Bunny swept all seven Emmy categories it was nominated in, becoming the most-awarded Super Bowl halftime show in Emmy history and the first Spanish-language program to win Outstanding Variety Special (Live).

♐️ Representation isn’t only about who gets nominated. It’s about who wins, in their own language, on the biggest stage in the world.

First Black Woman Owns MLB Team

Kwanza Jones and her husband, José E. Feliciano, are now owners of the San Diego Padres, making Jones the first Black woman and Feliciano the first man of Puerto Rican descent to own a Major League Baseball franchise. The couple hold nearly a 45% stake.

♐️ Ownership rooms change the game more than any single roster move. Decisions about culture and investment start at the top.

Lyft Removes A Real Barrier

Lyft updated its app to remove barriers that blocked many people with disabilities from using its Lyft Pass for Public Funding program, which lets Medicaid home and community-based services providers pay directly for rides. Previously, riders had to input a personal payment method just to create an account, even when their ride was already fully paid for through Medicaid. Lyft says 15-20% of program participants are unbanked, and that requirement blocked them from signing up. Lyft removed both the payment method requirement and the pre-authorization check for these rides.

♐️ Sometimes the biggest barrier to independence is as simple as a form field.

Good Vibes to go

I’m still in Dolly-mode and currently enjoying the podcast Dolly Parton’s America. Check it out to learn more about her legacy.