5 Things / Going First

Recently, I’ve been thinking about the topic of vulnerability. We’ve been told that vulnerability in teams and in groups can unlock greatness. That it creates connection, establishes trust, and can lead to everyone doing their best work.

Here’s the thing about vulnerability that I think gets forgotten: somebody has to go first.

That's what's on my mind these days.

Life can be intense. And it can be exhausting pretending it's not. It feels so much better to have people cheering us on.

But somebody has to go first. Continue reading on LinkedIn…

Here are the good vibes I found this week:

1. Airbnb Makes It Easier to Find Wheelchair-Friendly Homes

   • Wheelchair users will now have an easier time finding homes on the Airbnb app. The company unveiled a new search feature “Adapted”, which shows users homes with step-free access, for example. Not only that, Airbnb works with a 3D scanning company to vet each property and ensure the accuracy of the listing. This matters because wheelchair users and others with limited mobility may have a more difficult time traveling – and this feature expands their accommodation options, allowing them to experience more of the world. (h/t to Toby Mildon for this share on LinkedIn)

2. Sensory-Friendly Santa Coming To Hundreds Of Locations Nationwide

   • 500+ malls across the U.S. will offer sensory-friendly Santa experiences this holiday season. As anyone who has ever taken a child to a mall Santa knows, it can be an over-stimulating experience. Now caregivers can reserve off-hours times, in smaller groups, for a child to meet Santa. Not only that, but lighting and music will be lowered to manage sensory concerns, and event staff, including Santa, will be trained to accommodate individuals with disabilities. This matters because it allows the Santa experience to include more people. More joy. (h/t to Karen Catlin for sharing this story with me)

3. WHO Renames Monkeypox as Mpox, Citing Racist Stigma

   • The World Health Organization rebranded the Monkeypox virus as mpox. The WHO did this in part because the original name represents “racist and stigmatizing language." The original name of the virus, which was first discovered in 1970, will be phased out over the coming year while the new name takes hold. This matters because the original name played into racist stereotypes and slurs and was causing additional stigmatization of Black people and Africans, in particular.

4. Miami Marlins Become First U.S. Sports Franchise With Women As President And General Manager

   • The Miami Marlins became the first sports franchise in the U.S. to have both a woman President (Caroline O’Connor) and General Manager (Kim Ng). This is both exciting and a challenge. History shows that BIPOC is more easily blamed and forced to take the fall when sports teams are struggling, as the Marlins are. There’s a similar risk here with these women in leadership, but it really does matter in setting a precedent and opening doors for other women in sports operations.

5. Colorado Springs Police Said They Made an Effort Not to Misgender Club Q Victims. Here’s Why That Matters 

   • Colorado Springs police chief Adrian Vasquez showed true allyship when he said he’d identify the victims of the Club Q shooting “how they identified themselves, and how their families have loved and identified them.” He’s choosing to treat the victims of the recent mass shooting inside the LGBTQ+ bar with dignity, using the correct pronouns and names, despite what may appear on their ID. This matters because 70% of police misgender and “deadname” (using a trans person’s birth name) trans people after tragedies – and that perpetuates the trauma.

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5 Things / improving access

As I write this on Friday the 3rd, it's International Day of People with Disabilities (IDPWD) and this year's theme is "Fighting for rights in the post-COVID era.” 

In the past few months, I've shared some inspiring ways organizations have created more accessible products and experiences. Like the accessible open-source lotion lid from Olay. And Mastercard's new Touch Card. And AMC's closed captioned film screenings. 

This week I learned that TD Bank will now host the Aira service in all 1100+ locations (and at in-person events) to enable visually impaired customers to better conduct their banking business. Aira is a phone app that connects visually impaired customers to a human agent who will have camera access and be able to live assist the customer.

The product seems similar to Be My Eyes, which is an app I volunteer with. I occasionally get video calls from Be My Eyes that connect me with visually impaired folks who need simple questions answered (like, "is this frozen pizza pepperoni or cheese?") 

The things I take for granted.

Are there places within your organization where you can influence the improvement of access to people with disabilities?

Here are some of the good vibes I learned this week:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) skipped a few Greek letters when naming the new Covid variant, Omicron. The letter Xi wasn't used because it is a common Chinese surname. WHO's policy suggests "avoiding causing offense to any cultural, social, national, regional, professional or ethnic groups." This matters in particular because the anti-Chinese (and Asian) bias and hate crimes were exacerbated during the pandemic because of Covid's initial association with China. Thanks to Emily Farr for this story!
  

• Ann Arbor, Michigan became the first U.S. city to require that all public restrooms (including those inside businesses) to carry free period products. This applies to all restrooms, not just women's rooms, which is also notable. This matters because the cost of period products amounts to a "tax" on more marginalized people.
  

• Capital One Bank announced they'll stop charging overdraft fees, which bring in annual revenue of $150 million. The bank is challenging others to do the same. This matters because these fees disproportionately affect Black and Latinx customers, who already face a significant wealth gap.
  

• The children's clothing company Primary now provides its employees with a 4-day workweek, without expecting employees to work longer hours on the other days. They launched this as a burnout-prevention tactic last year, but it proved so successful it became a permanent policy. They lost only 7% of their employees during "The Great Resignation." This matters because it allows employees to have great balance and a higher quality of life.

Image by Daniel Ali