5 Things / rest is revolutionary
Rest. That's what I needed most this week, and it seemed to be a common theme in my network. Indeed "August is like the Sunday of summer." Long ago I was an aspiring documentarian, so my rest included watching the documentary on Olympians' mental health, the one on WeWork, and all of the 100 Foot Wave. They're all great, although The Weight of Gold was devastating.
On the topic of athletes' mental health, this week I learned that the U.S. Tennis Association will provide more support to athletes during next week's U.S. Open. The tournament will now provide quiet rooms and easy access to mental health providers, as easy as "services for a sprained ankle--and with no stigma attached." Let's hope these efforts go beyond this one tournament.
This is a matter of life or death. Destigmatizing mental health care takes generations because it is often intertwined with so many other issues (such as toxic masculinity and trauma). I'm grateful for Naomi Osaka's openness about her own mental health struggles which no doubt inspired these USTA policy changes.
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Here are some good vibes I found this week:
Airbnb has partnered with the International Rescue Committee to provide no cost temporary housing (through Airbnb hosts) to up to 20k Afghan refugees. Some Airbnb hosts are donating their space, while others will be reimbursed by the company. This is not a new initiative by Airbnb, which has provided housing for 25k refugees over the past four years. This matters because refugees deserve a safe space to call home.
Patagonia is one of my favorite companies to follow because of its sheer fearlessness when it comes to taking a stand on political issues. This week I learned the company stopped providing inventory to a resort in Jackson Hole, Wyoming because the owner of the resort held a fundraiser for some divisive and inflammatory political leaders whose values differ from Patagonia's. This matters because Patagonia is completely values-driven and also incredibly profitable--the company continues to show that it's possible to be both and hopefully inspires others to do the same.
The Broadway theatre owners, Union leaders, and others in New York agreed to a Broadway New Deal with specific DEI commitments and guidelines. These include "inclusion riders" in their productions and Braille audition materials. This matters because inclusion requires intention--it never happens by accident and public commitments mean accountability.
August 26th was Women's Equality Day, the day that commemorates when white women were given the right to vote in the U.S. It wasn't equality for all women, but was the opening for many movements. Over 100 years later, this year Michelob Ultra committed $100 million over five years to women athletes for sponsorships, media coverage, and more. This commitment builds upon the brand's recent sponsorship of naming rights of a WNBA stadium in Las Vegas and signing of a number of women athletes. This is among the largest donations ever towards women athletes, and matters because these sponsorships and amplified visibility will create greater equity for women.
Image by Marcel Strauß