Note from Bernadette
Today is Don’s 97th birthday.
I play pickleball with Don, and he has a tough spin and a great lob. I’ll be there to celebrate this morning.
Last year I asked Don what his secret was to a long life. His response: a sense of purpose. He’s often the first to arrive at the courts, posts the head count on the message board, and often stays ’til the end, parked in his lawn chair on the sidelines, never playing two in a row to protect his body. Purpose.
Last month, I was playing when Don left early. His son called with the news. His wife had died. It was their anniversary.
That same day, Don had left jars of local honey from his son’s farm for some of us. He left us a gift on the day he lost her.
He was back on the courts the next day. And again the day after the funeral.
My purpose was always my work. The DEI slowdown gave me too much time to overthink, but helped me expand my purpose. Don’s is at the courts. What’s yours?
This Week's Good Vibes
Level Up with Accessibility
A half dozen major video game companies have started adding tags to their games that say which accessibility features each game offers. The tags describe 24 features, from large and clear subtitles to narrated menus and button remapping. I covered Xbox last year, but now Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Riot Games, Ubisoft, and YouTube Playables have begun to adopt them. Players with disabilities helped design these tags.
♐️ Ask whether your customers can tell, before they commit, if your product works for them.
Barbie Honors a Pioneering Doctor
Barbie is releasing a doll honoring Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte, a member of the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, as part of its Inspiring Women series. Picotte was among the first Native American women to earn a medical degree in the U.S. She built a hospital in Walthill, Nebraska, and advocated for Native American land rights, public health improvements, and wellness programs for tribal communities. That hospital is now a center for community wellness, education, and cultural preservation.
♐️ Share one overlooked leader's story at your next team meeting.
Colonial Law Gets Its Walking Papers
The Privy Council in London ruled unanimously that Trinidad and Tobago's laws criminalizing consensual same-sex conduct are unconstitutional. The Council is the highest appeals court for other independent Commonwealth countries and UK Overseas Territories, so Human Rights Watch says the impact extends beyond Trinidad and Tobago. This is huge news when 60+ countries still criminalize same-sex conduct.
♐️ Look for one policy at your company that exists only because it always has.
Mississippi Just Made Senate History
After a tight race, Scott Colom will be the first Black U.S. senator from Mississippi since Reconstruction. Mississippi has the highest share of Black residents of any state, yet the last Black senator elected there was Blanche K. Bruce, in 1874. Many of the civil rights movement’s defining battles took place there, where Black residents faced discrimination in voting, employment, and education.
♐️ Look at who has held the top roles on your team over the last 20 years. What does that history say about who gets seen as a leader?
Layoffs Made Human
Canva announced a restructuring that affects 1,271 people, but what’s notable is the humanity in the notice. People leaving receive at least six months of pay wherever they live, healthcare coverage in eligible countries, 1:1 career coaching, interview prep, a year of LinkedIn Premium, and their company MacBooks. A $10,000 grant for a business or community project is available to those who register interest.
♐️ How a company conducts restructuring is part of its culture, and the people who stay are watching.
Good Vibes to Go & Updates
We just finished the recent season of Ted Lasso on Apple TV. It's as witty and insightful as ever. The whole show is worth a watch or re-watch.