EQUALITY INSIGHTS
Weekly 5 Things editions plus essays and GUIDANCE on inclusive communication
5 Things / Self-Compassion
A number of folks reached out to me this week to thank me for shining the light on good vibes. It’s hard. Many times recently, I could feel my heart racing and my stress level rise, and then I realized that it was from doom-scrolling on social media. I put the phone down. Pick it back up. Pick myself up off the floor. Thank goodness I have pickleball as an outlet.
5 Things / Pain Points
In a week in which federal DEI came crashing down (we lost the FDA as a client), I was grateful for distractions: the graduation show for my comedy class (I performed a 5 minute bit on pickleball and diversity); and a keynote at a national sales conference for a financial services firm. The keynote was about how to build authentic relationships with increasingly diverse clients.
5 Things / Empowered
Crain’s Chicago Business asked, “Bernadette, what’s your take on the current state of DEI?” I was honored to write an OpEd in this week’s edition if you’d like to check it out.
5 Things / Absurdity
The heartbreaking fires in the Los Angeles area compound what feels like a quickly intense year. I’m grateful to have something fun to look forward to each week: a standup comedy class for women.
5 Things / Shining
My family has an annual New Year’s Eve night tradition with a paper lantern. Each of us writes on the lantern some things we want to release from the previous year. Then we walk out to the sidewalk, shivering as we struggle to light the lantern in the breeze, try to avoid trees, and send the lantern and its bad vibes out into the atmosphere. It feels good to have a ritual around letting go.