5 Things / Hiatus

I’ve been writing 5 Things for more than six years and have produced nearly 150 podcast episodes. That’s a lot of time spent chasing the good vibes. And now, I’m taking a non-vacation break.

For the next few weeks, I’m removing my weekly creative “obligation” to see what else wants to emerge in the space that opens up.

Lately, I’ve been hearing from so many folks in limbo – and not just in DEI. Friends who’ve been job-hunting for months or more, getting ghosted and gray-haired from ageism. Others, slowly building something new out of a layoff, one consulting client at a time. One was laid off by the federal government and is now teaching pickleball and hosting a podcast.

It’s a weird season, to put it lightly. But maybe it’s also a clarifying one.

In her new book, Brené Brown challenges us to distill our values down to two, the ones that shape all the others. Mine are freedom and optimism.

That’s how I’m stepping into this hiatus: free enough to pause, and optimistic enough to trust that something new will rise in the quiet. I may not know what’s next, but I do know this: I’ll keep shining the light wherever I go.

How about you? What values are guiding your next season?

This Week's Good Vibes:

1. Debt? Gone with the Medicaid Wind
   North Carolina is canceling over $6.5 billion in medical debt for more than 2.5 million residents by giving hospitals incentives through Medicaid to forgive debt and adopt more protective billing practices. Hospitals agreed to erase debt dating back to 2014 for Medicaid enrollees and implement policies to prevent future debt. Medical debt is a structural barrier to economic stability, especially for low-income, disabled, chronically ill, or marginalized people. A statewide debt wipeout tied to health policy is rare, and this model could shift how states address health inequities and financial exclusion. ♐️ Linking debt relief to Medicaid expansion aligns health access with financial justice.
   

2. Justice Is Heating Up in California
   California will raise pay for incarcerated firefighters during emergencies to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. The law also formalizes youth fire camps and introduces benefits like faster record expungement and death benefits. People risking their lives were earning less than minimum wage, and this change reframes incarcerated labor in emergency response as deserving of dignity and fair pay. ♐️This sets a precedent for fair compensation in prison labor programs.

3. Island Pride Gets Legal Recognition
   The U.S. Virgin Islands passed a law enabling trans and intersex people to change their official gender markers on identity documents, a milestone in a territory that previously lacked clear procedures. In U.S. territories, LGBTQ protections often lag behind states. This law reduces administrative and symbolic barriers to dignity, especially for trans and intersex individuals with fewer legal supports. ♐️ Make it easier for trans folks to update their gender markers and name in all of your systems!

4. Sustinable Impact for Native Americans
   MacKenzie Scott donated $50 million to Native Forward Scholars Fund, one of the largest gifts ever to a Native nonprofit. The fund will expand scholarships to about 400 more students and strengthen its endowment for sustained impact. For Native communities, educational funding is tied to sovereignty, self-determination, and generational resilience. Unrestricted, large gifts empower Native-led infrastructure and trust communities to set their own priorities, without insidious paternalism.  ♐️ Unrestricted funding amplifies Native leadership and decision-making.

5. Representation Speaks Volumes — Literally

   PBS Kids’ Work It Out Wombats! will introduce Lyra, a new character who uses an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device, marking one of the first times children’s public television has featured a character using assistive tech to communicate. The show worked closely with AAC users, speech pathologists, and disability advocates to ensure authenticity in Lyra’s depiction and voice. Representation like this normalizes diverse communication styles for children and families, helping dismantle ableist assumptions about intelligence or capability. ♐️ Ask: “Who’s missing from the stories we tell our kids?” Consider including media that celebrate different ways of moving, speaking, or learning.

   
   Good Vibes to Go:

Watch Group Therapy on Amazon Prime, a thoughtful documentary moderated by Neil Patrick Harris  featuring six well-known and diverse comedians talking together about their experiences with mental health. I really enjoyed it.