5 Things / Karen
My son Patrick and I were waiting at a fast food restaurant, that, on this occasion, was not very fast. We were on the way to an appointment and I was growing impatient. Patrick, 13, turned to me and said, “Mom, don’t go all Karen on them.”
We’re setting an example, whether we like it or not.
My son Patrick and I were waiting at a fast food restaurant, that, on this occasion, was not very fast. We were on the way to an appointment and I was growing impatient. Patrick, 13, turned to me and said, “Mom, don’t go all Karen on them.”
Ouch. It’s true that he’s a sassy teenager. But let me tell you that the LAST thing I want to do is go all Karen on anybody – or even be perceived by my son as someone who could! He checked me, though, and that was the gift.
The gift of mindfulness, awareness of my privilege, and the reminder that he’s watching…after all, I’m still setting an example. And so are you, in every single relationship you have.
This Week’s Good Vibes:
SFMOMA’s New Exhibit Celebrates Inclusion
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is now showcasing over 80 pieces by artists with developmental disabilities in "Creative Growth: The House That Art Built." This exhibit, featuring acrylics, pastels, ceramics, and film, highlights works from Oakland’s Creative Growth Art Center. Last year, SFMOMA acquired 150 pieces by artists with disabilities, becoming one of the largest holders of such works globally. This exhibit celebrates the immense talent and creativity of these artists and aligns with SFMOMA's mission to engage diverse artists and audiences and enhance museum accessibility.
Frontier Co-Op’s Values-Driven Approach
Frontier Co-op, an Iowa-based herbs and spices manufacturer with 550 employees, cares for 110 children and offers affordable, quality childcare onsite to its employees. This subsidized onsite childcare program began in the 1980s to support working parents and is not run by a third party. Today, it still only costs employees about $2 an hour and includes before and after-school care and a summer camp. Frontier also reimburses up to 55% of offsite childcare expenses. This program has helped Frontier maintain a low turnover rate and fill job openings quickly, illustrating the power of creative solutions in promoting workplace equity.
Kaylynne Truong Becomes the First Vietnamese Athlete in the WNBA
While Caitlin Clark was getting all the hype, Kaylynne Truong made history as the first Vietnamese athlete to play in the WNBA, drafted by the Washington Mystics. She was the 21st overall pick in the second round and is ready to break down the model minority myth and show that Asian-Americans can excel in professional sports. With just 1.4% of WNBA players being Asian, her presence as a possible model for young Asian athletes is vital.
Sesame Place Is More Inclusive of Neurodivergence
Liechtenstein's parliament has passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, making it the 22nd European country to do so. The Landtag voted overwhelmingly in favor, with 24 out of 25 members supporting the bill, set to take effect in early 2025. This vote came just in time for the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia. Note that about 34/195 countries have marriage equality and several dozen still ban LGBTQ+ activity and relationships.
Apple Products Grow More Accessible
Apple has unveiled new accessibility features, such as Eye Tracking for iPads and iPhones, Music Haptics for the deaf and hard of hearing, Vocal Shortcuts, and Vehicle Motion Cues. Eye Tracking uses AI to help users with physical disabilities control their devices, while Music Haptics provides tactile feedback for music lovers who are deaf. By integrating AI and machine learning, Apple enhances device usability for those with physical disabilities, hearing impairments, and motion sensitivity. More joy for everyone!
Call to Action:
Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) was last week. Get your organization a free accessibility assessment by our friends at Ablr, who train visually impaired folks to perform accessibility audits (among other amazing things).
5 Things / Getting It Right
I’m part of a Facebook group where there was a hot debate this week after a particular speaker was announced for an upcoming event. With fears of cancel culture, cries for freedom of speech, and heartfelt descriptions of personal trauma, I was reminded of just how polarized we are. And how it sure is easy to hide behind a Facebook post.
I’m part of a Facebook group where there was a hot debate this week after a particular speaker was announced for an upcoming event. With fears of cancel culture, cries for freedom of speech, and heartfelt descriptions of personal trauma, I was reminded of just how polarized we are. And how it sure is easy to hide behind a Facebook post.
But I was impressed by how the host organization responded. They said, in part: “[we‘re] grateful for this conversation. With more diverse perspectives in these conversations, we can listen, learn, and respond accordingly. Our program planning, marketing, and communication will be better because of this.”
We’re all going to make mistakes because the work to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion is complex and messy, with a lot of competing priorities and feelings. No one is going to get it right the first time, and that’s OK. And that’s business, and that’s life. What matters is what happens next – and it goes both ways. Will you check out? Stall out? Or will you commit to listening, learning, and responding accordingly? To keep showing up and making it a bit better next time. I’ll be here cheering you on.
Here are the good vibes I found this week:
10 Years of Box Office Results Prove Movies With Authentic Representation Perform Better
A new study by UCLA found a correlation between authentic representation of diversity in film with higher box office returns and better reviews. It makes sense that films that showcase diversity authentically would naturally draw a larger audience, but this study, which looked at 1,000 films over the past 10 years, provides conclusive evidence. This matters because it provides data that can be used to expand access to underrepresented folks to the film industry, greenlight certain films, and overall better represent diversity.
Inside San Francisco’s $1 Million Bet on Female Construction Workers
The construction industry is only 10% women, but a new program led by the San Francisco Giants is changing that. The team put $1 million to launch a program that provides women training in the building trades (while receiving a stipend and access to sponsored childcare). The inaugural program had 16 graduates, many of whom are from historically marginalized groups, and all of whom are now employed in the trades. It’s a great story with ideas that can be adapted beyond this industry. This matters because it shows how barriers to accessing great talent can be systematically removed.
Allyson Felix and Her Saysh Brand Introduce an ‘Intentionally Sexist Returns Policy’ Only for Women
Allyson Felix, the most decorated U.S. woman in U.S. track and field history, is showing (yet again) how to be a leader and use her power to create greater equity. After she started her own sneaker company Saysh, she instituted a new policy that allows pregnant wearers of these sneakers to return them for a new pair if their foot size changes during pregnancy. I didn’t know this was a thing but it matters to people for whom the cost of an extra pair of sneakers is prohibitive. It’s amazing how many ways there are to be inclusive.
Mastercard to Tie All Employee Bonuses to Meeting ESG Goals
Mastercard is one of my favorite brands to follow, and their newest announcement is a great one. All employee bonuses will now be tied to the company’s progress on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals (which includes DEI). This goes beyond the initial commitment that executive bonuses be tied to ESG. This matters because it gives employees some incentive to hopefully bring more individual commitment to and engagement with DEI initiatives. No progress is made without accountability.
Mother’s Day Declared a Corporate Holiday by Kendra Scott—but Is It Just ‘a Great Marketing Ploy’?
The jewelry brand, Kendra Scott, is making Mother’s Day a corporate holiday. The brand’s staff are almost exclusively women. Retail employees who work that day will receive time and a half, and the Monday after will be observed as a paid corporate holiday. This matters because it shows appreciation for the company’s employees especially given the extra caregiving burdens placed on mothers, in particular, during the pandemic.
5 Things / the “full self” fallacy
Inclusion at its core, is about creating spaces where everyone feels safe to be authentically themselves, to "bring their full selves to work." And we're told (and frankly, I tell others) that the true rewards of DEI (creativity, innovation, profit, etc) come when employees bring their full selves.
Inclusion at its core, is about creating spaces where everyone feels safe to be authentically themselves, to "bring their full selves to work." And we're told (and frankly, I tell others) that the true rewards of DEI (creativity, innovation, profit, etc) come when employees bring their full selves.
This week I've had some impactful conversations about what that means in reality. The fear of looking weak is real, yet the chorus to "bring your full self" gets louder by the day. Even on teams with inclusive leaders, is that a realistic ask? Where's the line?
For many people, for many different reasons, there are a lot of boundaries around "full self." Strained friend / family / relationship dynamics? Generational trauma? Perhaps not. What about chronic health conditions? Plenty of people take those off the table, too.
Finding the right balance of what "full self" means can be difficult, which is one reason I've long admired Tyson Food's Chaplain program that provides non-denominational chaplains to support employees through a variety of life challenges. Such programs can create spaces for employees to confidentially process their "stuff" without having to risk vulnerability around their manager and team.
Here are some of the other good vibes I learned this week:
Across all company-owned stores, McDonald's achieved gender pay parity. The company employs more than 180k people (excluding franchises). This matters because the gender pay gap is significant, and it takes significant intention and resources to fix. Just last week was Latina Equal Pay Day, the day that represents when Latinas working full time catch up to what's earned by white men in one year. In other words, It takes Latinas an extra 10 months to earn the equivalent. Pay equity matters.
If often pains me to shout-out systems that should never have been exclusive in the first place, but progress is progress. Google has updated its image search algorithms to showcase more diversity when users search for terms such as "beautiful skin" and "professional hairstyles." This matters because there's no one way to be beautiful or professional, yet search results have historically not showcased that.
AMC Theaters will now include showings with closed captions for every newly released film at 240 locations throughout the U.S. Previously, people with hearing impairment had to request a special device for closed captions. These showings build upon that adaptation.
This is timed well for the release of Marvel's The Eternals, which will feature the franchise's (and possibly any) first deaf superhero, Makkari. Her deafness is one of her superpowers. This matters because hearing impaired people are seldom represented in any media, which presents a lack of "possibility models" for young people.On the topic of disabilities, check out this best-in-class Guide for Guests with Disabilities on the New York Yankees website. The page even includes the location of electrical outlets where guests can recharge wheelchairs and other medical equipment. The stadium also provides access to sensory kits, which include fidget toys and noise-cancelling headsets. This matters because everyone should be able to enjoy the game, regardless of their ability.
Image by Nino Yang