5 Things / Review
The world needs some good vibes this week. I’m back, energized, and cheering you on. We’re going to need each other, and I think that’s actually a beautiful thing.
Before we get into this week’s stories, a quick look back.
Last year I wrote 40 editions of 5 Things. The most clicked story was from the edition Uprising about Bojangles offering Spanish-language ordering across its app, website, kiosks, and drive-thru, at over 400 locations. Uprising was also the most opened edition, with nearly 68% of you opening it. In that edition, I wrote about a workshop attendee telling me, “Leadership still sucks.” I still think about that day.
The most shared edition was Patience, in which I wrote about setting an intention for patience – and being a patient pickler. The edition with the most unsubscribes was Commonalities, where I wrote about talking to strangers on a train.
When I look across all of last year’s stories, one theme stands out clearly: inclusion you can use.
That’s the goal. Let’s get to it.
This Week's Good Vibes:
BABES Act wins real travel protections
Congress passed the Bottles and Breastfeeding Equipment Screening (BABES) Enhancement Act, strengthening protections for parents traveling with breast milk, formula, and feeding equipment. The law requires the Transportation Security Administration to close enforcement gaps left by earlier legislation that resulted in inconsistent, often humiliating screening experiences for people who lactate, including mishandling, contaminating, or unnecessarily discarding milk and equipment. ♐️Travel barriers disproportionately affect women and gender-diverse parents.
DOT backs advanced female crash test dummy
The U.S. Department of Transportation formally endorsed an advanced female crash test dummy designed to better represent how people with female bodies respond in vehicle crashes. This new dummy, which manufacturers can now use, has more sensors and lifelike biomechanics to collect detailed injury data. The previous model was based on male body data scaled down and often not tested in the driver’s seat. Women’s risk of serious injury in some crash types has been documented as much as 73% higher than that of people with male bodies. ♐️Design and build for all kinds of users.
South Korean Census finally sees same-sex couples
For the first time in South Korea’s history, the 2025 Population and Housing Census allowed people in same-sex relationships to select “spouse” or “cohabiting partner” on the national survey instead of being forced into an “other” category that erased their partnerships. That means same-sex couples were misclassified and excluded from policy-relevant statistics that could impact them. This is notable as very few countries collect this data. ♐️Data can shape policy around housing, health, and social services and challenge systemic bias in national planning. (h/t to Jane Lee)
World’s first disabled dog park thrives
In the UK the charity Broken Biscuits has opened what is believed to be the world’s first dog park designed specifically for disabled dogs, offering spaces where pups using wheelchairs and other mobility devices can safely play. The 7-acre park includes a race track and “skate rink” for wheelchair training, a “driver’s test” course to help dogs adapt to their wheelchairs, cozy shelters for shy dogs, and a cafe for owners. The charity also homes disabled dogs and loans mobility equipment to owners who cannot afford it. ♐️ Intentional accessibility benefits whole communities.
California returns 17,000 tribal acres
California has returned 17,030 acres of ancestral land to the Tule River Indian Tribe. The parcels of land, adjacent to the tribe’s existing reservation, were purchased with support from the state, private philanthropy, and The Conservation Fund and then restored to tribal stewardship. The land return includes diverse ecosystems and will enable the tribe to restore traditional ecological practices, reconnect landscapes, protect watersheds, and support reintroduction of native species such as tule elk and beavers. ♐️ Returning land confronts centuries of systemic dispossession and supports Indigenous sovereignty, cultural continuity, and ecosystem health.
Good Vibes to Go:
Read Emily St. James’ novel Woodworking about a sweet teacher-student friendship. It’s a great, easy read with good vibes and interesting characters.