5 Things / Seriously
I used to feel like I had to be serious to be taken seriously.
Years ago, when I was evolving my business away from LGBTQ+ wedding planning, I had massive imposter syndrome. I'd led teams for years, but I'd never worked in corporate. And here I was, trying to tell corporate teams how not to accidentally offend their increasingly diverse colleagues.
The imposter syndrome caused me to hustle in approximately 2,873,340,000 ways. It exacerbated the scarcity mindset I'd inherited from my immigrant parents. But worst of all, I just wasn't fun.
I felt heavy. Reserved. In my head. There was a definite tinge of desperation. And people noticed, which of course created a vicious cycle. At one point, I mailed physical brochures to 1,000 meeting planners. I'm not proud. I'm also not sure a single one ever called.
One day, I noticed this about myself and decided to make "play" my word of the year.
I’ve learned pickleball. Dungeons and Dragons. A bunch of board games and card games. Improv. I brought a spirit of play into my work and my speeches.
I'm a million times lighter these days. And here's the thing nobody tells you: the lighter I got, the more seriously people took me.
Anyone else out there feeling a little too heavy?
I’m cheering you on-
Bernadette
This Week's Good Vibes:
E.l.f. Beauty partnered with creative agency Oberland to analyze 35k+ data points on board diversity, revealing that more men named Dick sit on corporate boards than entire underrepresented groups. Their "So Many Dicks" campaign, inspired by a 2015 New York Times analysis showing more Fortune 500 CEOs were named John than were women, was designed to shock and call people in rather than call them out. E.l.f. has posted 25 consecutive quarters of net sales growth and attributes this partly to building diversity into its culture rather than siloing it into a department. ♐️ The next time someone asks why diversity efforts matter, lead with business outcomes.
One Nation Reclaims Its Poisoned Land
The Quapaw Nation in Oklahoma is the only tribal nation in the US to manage and carry out a Superfund cleanup, taking control of the Tar Creek site after federal contractors left work unfinished. The megasite contained toxic piles laced with lead and cadmium from lead and zinc mining. Since receiving the contract, the Quapaw used their own employees and equipment to restore hundreds of acres to farmland, generating nearly 100 jobs with almost half being filled by Quapaw citizens. ♐️ Environmental justice and Indigenous sovereignty are inseparable. When communities lead their own restoration, they reclaim not just land but identity and self-determination.
Birthdays, But Make Them Sensory Safe
Chuck E. Cheese is offering birthday hosts the option to customize or opt out of high-stimulation elements like the "Happy Birthday" song or a character visit. These will be available during established monthly Sensory Sensitive Sunday events, with dimmed lights, reduced noise, and trained staff. This builds on an existing accessibility infrastructure rather than something separate, embedding inclusion into the core product. For autistic children and others with sensory sensitivities, birthday parties in loud entertainment spaces have historically meant exclusion. ♐️ Notice what your organization already does well for accessibility and ask: where is the next natural expansion point?
Financial Game Changes for Disabled People
Before 2014, people with disabilities could hold no more than $2,000 in assets without losing federal benefits like Medicaid. The system required people to stay poor to stay covered. ABLE accounts changed that — and just got significantly better. The eligibility age expanded from 26 to 46, opening access to roughly 6 million more Americans, including 800,000 veterans. Account holders can now save up to $20,000 annually, accumulate up to $100,000 without affecting benefits, and spend tax-free on disability-related expenses. Illinois residents can also deduct up to $10,000 on state taxes. ♐️ Financial equity for disabled people is not charity. It is correcting a system that deliberately kept people in poverty.
Chicago Just Handed 315K Students a Library Key
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Chicago Public Library announced a program that automatically enrolls all 315k Chicago Public School students in the library system using only their school ID number. No application, paperwork, or additional steps are required. The program also gives students access to one-on-one tutoring. The program has made the Chicago Public Library system the most accessible out-of-school learning network in the country. ♐️ When you remove the paperwork, you remove the barrier. Ask yourself what access would look like in your organization if the default was inclusion, not opt-in.
Good Vibe to Go:
I know what I’m doing this weekend! I’ll be watching Trevor Noah’s new standup special, Joy in the Trenches, on Netflix.