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ON OUR MINDS
Brought to you this week by Senior Account Executive Lauren Hill who is meditating with Peloton and Beyoncé.
Democracy is not a state. It is an act...
In a historic election year and at the call of the late John Lewis, our nation did its part and took action, resulting in an unprecedented voter turnout. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris made history as the first female, Black, and South Asian American woman to hold her position. “While I may be the first woman in this office, I will not be the last,” she said in her first post-election address to the nation. I think it’s safe to say that the next group of young girls aspiring to stand in her shoes were at home glued to the television. And at least 134 women will be serving in Congress — a record. Another woman who played a major role in this election season was Stacey Abrams, founder of Fair Fight in Georgia. After witnessing voter suppression first-hand during her 2018 run for governor, she inexorably pushed to register 800,000 new voters leading up to election day. Both Kamala Harris and Stacey Abrams credit their experience at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) for their political prominence. As an HBCU alumna, I will continue to lift them high!
So let’s get to work!
With the election behind us, the real work begins, as the Biden-Harris administration will inherit a number of crises and challenges. Just this week, lawyers confirmed that they have been unable to find the parents of 666 migrant children separated due to Trump administration policies at the border, a number much higher than previously reported. The pandemic also remains a major challenge for the country as President-elect Biden released the names of his 13-member coronavirus advisory board this week. The advisory board is co-chaired by a former surgeon general, a former FDA commissioner and a Yale professor, and will help shape the country’s approach to the virus moving forward. Meanwhile, Greta Thunberg is not backing down on climate change. She says The Green New Deal is far from being enough, but it’s a step in the right direction. No matter what issue your organization is focused on, the next three months present an opportunity to reset, reprioritize and identify how policy changes and innovations from a new administration can best complement your work.
The “activist CEO”
In a nation that still feels truly divided, brands are offering creative messages of unity on social media, and leaders are trying to do what they can to bring their workplaces together. Chobani has stepped up to increase hourly wages for its workers in light of unpredictable stimulus support, while employees at companies like Glossier are using social media to hold their employers accountable. While some argue that the “activist CEO” may retreat during a Biden Administration, we believe this “trend” is here to stay. Millennials and Gen Z in the workforce are now far more likely to push their organizational leadership to take stands on issues such as climate change, racial equity and reproductive rights. With a Biden presidency, CEOs can expect a more traditional relationship with the White House, making room for greater collaboration on urgent priorities, starting with the pandemic. At McPherson, we’re looking forward with hope.
ON OUR RADAR
Read:
- Jamie Dimon, Jeff Bezos and other business leaders react to the election news and call for a peaceful transition of power — imploring the public and other leaders to “respect the results of the U.S. presidential election.”
- Former President Barack Obama’s upcoming memoir A Promised Land will be released November 17th in hardcover, digital and audiobook formats.
- The Purpose Mindset tells the story behind how Microsoft built its culture of giving, including powerful stories from Microsoft alumni.
- Carefully crafted in the style of a retro telephone directory, the Call Me Ishmael Phone Book invites readers to celebrate the stories they love by leaving a voicemail message about their favorite book. Thousands of bibliophiles have already called and over a million readers have listened to this library of amazing stories.
- How much do you know about the UN? Take this short quiz to find out!
Watch:
- McP client Lisa Kenney, CEO of Reimagine Gender, discusses the changing perceptions around gender in the workplace and how organizations can be prepared. Watch the webinar here.
- European fashion and lifestyle retailer Zalando promises us that “We Will Hug Again” in its new holiday ad.
- People take to the streets in major cities across the country to celebrate a #BidenHarris2020 win.
Shop:
- Facebook’s #BuyBlackFriday campaign runs through November 27th encouraging people to support Black businesses who’ve been hit twice as hard due to the pandemic.
- The online store Hive embraces socially conscious companies that have been overlooked by other stores.
- BlueCut, a chef gear company based in Los Angeles, has commissioned Alexandra Bowman, a Black artist, to design a limited-edition apron. For every apron purchased, the company will donate at least five aprons to Black-owned restaurants through BCAGlobal.
- When you change yourself, you change the world around you. Download the first Heartfulness App Socreates on November 15th. Socreates helps bring you out of your headspace and into your heart space.
- Check out these new, limited edition, sustainably manufactured sweatshirts from Lingua Franca inspired by our new President-elect and Vice President-elect.
Smile:
- This January, we will have our first shelter dog in the White House, and we can’t wait for all the fuzzy feels from Joe Biden’s pup Major.
- Blue Ivy Carter has been selected to narrate the Hair Love audiobook from Oscar winner Matthew A. Cherry.
- The moment we all wanted to know what Ken Dilanian had just learned.
Apply:
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