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ON OUR MINDS
Brought to you this week by a McPherson Strategies fellow, Caroline Hanes, who is currently learning how to make wine at home!
Coronavirus & corporate responsibility
Read our previous coverage, and check out upcoming McPherson Memo Live chats here.
As the pandemic and its devastating socio-economic effects persist, companies continue to step up to the plate. Amidst stay at home orders, Ikea launched a thoughtful campaign called #BeSomeonesHome to support people in the LGBTQ community who feel isolated and discriminated against even within their own homes. Twitter made a move to protect voting rights by fact-checking tweets from President Trump about mail-in ballots, which could be essential to hold a free and fair election during a pandemic. The San Antonio Spurs announced they will offer free virtual basketball clinics for local kids stuck at home this summer, and Busch Beer designed a limited-edition can decorated with images of corn to raise money for Farm Rescue. From basketball to beer, companies are doing what they can to serve their communities.
Fighting for justice in a pandemic
While many things have ground to a halt due to COVID-19, racism and racial profiling unfortunately rages on. This week we were horrified by the murder of George Floyd, who died after being handcuffed and pinned to the ground by a police officer while pleading that he could not breathe. Images of protesters crowding the streets of Minneapolis after Floyd’s death, many wearing masks, were a stark reminder that just as discrimination continues in a pandemic, so must resistance and the fight for justice. Essential workers are also resisting injustice, as grocery store employees struggle with pay reductions, insufficient recovery programs, and unsafe working conditions. This is a chaotic and frightening time for everyone, but it’s critical that we nevertheless protect the lives and rights of those most vulnerable to discrimination and exploitation.
Dreaming about post-pandemic travel
With Memorial Day weekend behind us, it’s (un)officially summer. While we have a long way to go before international travel is safe, the warm weather makes it nearly impossible not to daydream about faraway places. I recently graduated from college and had planned to spend the summer traveling. While those plans are no longer possible, I’ve spent the past few days researching and planning trips for “someday.” There have been a few glimmers of hope recently, including an announcement from Japan about its “Go to Travel” initiative, which will subsidize travel within the country as early as July. Several European countries are exploring the possibility of “travel bubbles,” which would potentially allow people to travel freely between countries with low levels of infection. No matter when or where travel is possible, it will surely look different. Post COVID-19, we can expect air travel featuring temperature checks, self-guided cleaning robots, and vending machines full of hand sanitizer and gloves. Even though we can’t travel yet (and we may never travel the same way again), seeking out future destinations and building out my bucket list has given me a little bit of excitement amidst the uncertainty.
ON OUR RADAR
Watch
- Whether you live alone or not, social distancing has made all of us feel lonely at one point or another. Independent filmmaker Sinda Agha created a beautiful short video titled “How to Be Alone, which documents her journey with loneliness, including lessons learned from astronauts preparing for isolation in space.
- On Memorial Day, musicians around the country honored those who sacrificed their lives for us with a remote tribute. Check out their renditions of “Taps.”
- The National Theatre releases free full-length plays every Thursday on YouTube, including last week’s performance of A Streetcar Named Desire and this week’s performance of This House.
- A Brooklyn female-founded production company called Bunny Lake Films produced a PSA encouraging New Yorkers to wear masks — and was selected as a winner of the Wear a Mask New York ad contest!
Listen
- ”Money Stories with LDT” is a new podcast series from McPherson client Linda Davis Taylor, who interviews top thought leaders and CEOs about their money stories while exploring how our family, race, economic status, gender, and personality affect our financial lives. We think you’ll love it!
- Aliza Licht, host of the “Leave Your Mark” podcast, recently interviewed Karissa Bodnar, founder & CEO of Thrive Causemetics. Karissa explains how she built a company with philanthropy at its core.
- Does watching the news leave you with a pit in your stomach? Us too. Liz Plank’s new podcast, ”Heart Homework”, offers emotional support to process the chaos of the current news cycle.
Subscribe
- Curious about the possibilities of self-directed education? Unschooled, a new documentary (and McPherson client), just launched a newsletter that explores what happens when children have the power to decide how and what they learn.
- Laura Olin writes a wonderful weekly newsletter highlighting powerful thoughts, articles, resources, and excerpts.
Read
- Check out Nextdoor’s newest Insights Series: #StrengthInNeighbors to read about how neighbor relationships are changing in the pandemic, and how brands are connecting with communities.
- A group of independent designers, CEOs and retail executives came together to create #rewiringfashion, a plan to make the fashion industry more conducive to creativity, more practical for customers and retailers, and more sustainable for our planet.
- Fast Company partnered with Lesbians Who Tech & Allies to create the first-ever list of LGBTQ women and nonbinary innovators in business and tech. The list includes CEOs, activists, actors, musicians, writers, and more amazing people who are changing the world!
- The Time’s Up Guide to Equity and Inclusion During Crisis is required reading for company leaders.
“Go”
- Sharehold is hosting virtual journey mapping workshops on June 2 and June 4, tailored to community and innovation leaders. Register if you’re considering a new member onboarding experience, building your team’s research and design capability, or managing a new product launch. If you can’t make it, check out the free digital toolkit.
- Tomorrow, May 30, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is hosting a day of solidarity and awareness called Mental Health for All: A National Day of Hope. Local NAMIWalks organizations are holding virtual walks; see if a virtual walk is planned in your area.
- Don’t miss the virtual Social Innovation Summit from June 2-4; registration is complimentary. Catch Susan moderating a panel on mental health and wellness with Sesame Workshop, Starbucks and Headspace at 3pm ET on Wednesday, June 3.
- Hear Susan talk about “Why Social Impact in Business Matters Now More Than Ever” on June 4 at noon ET with the Female Founder Collective.
Apply
- The Justice Lab at Columbia University is hiring a Communications and Public Affairs Director. Learn more about the position here.
- Share Our Strength is hiring a Manager of Partnership Engagement in Washington, DC. Learn more here.
- Movement Voter Project is hiring a Digital Communications Coordinator (remote). Learn more here.
- The GroundTruth Project just announced the opening requests for applications for its Preserving Democracy and Voting Rights Fellowship.
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