5 Things / free wifi
This week I watched an interview with Beth Ford, who is the openly lesbian CEO of Land O'Lakes, a farmer-owned company in the Fortune 500. This week I learned that Land O'Lakes turned on guest wifi at 120+ of their locations to help those in rural communities get access to the internet (from the parking lot) for remote learning or work.
This matters because the U.S. doesn't have the infrastructure to ensure all kids can continue to effectively access the internet during the Covid pandemic, and corporations can help bridge that gap simply by turning on their wifi.
Here are some other things that inspired me this week:
Gannett stated that for the first time in its history, it would publicly share data on the gender, racial and ethnic diversity of its network of newsrooms. They're also creating new jobs specifically focused on inequities in the U.S. This matters because diversity initiatives are more successful when data is made public. Plus, diversity in the newsrooms is incredibly important to ensure news coverage reflects the diversity of the U.S.
You may have noticed an unfamiliar jingle coming from your local Good Humor ice cream truck. The new jingle was composed by RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan because Good Humor recognized that its old jingle gained popularity during racist minstrel shows in the last century. This matters because legacies of racism are everywhere and can be traumatic -- but a company has the power to stop perpetuating these symbols.
Salesforce was the latest company to announce that employees can work remotely until at least August 2021. They also announced that parents can receive an additional 6 weeks paid time off. This policy matters because it's sensitive to (and inclusive of) the needs of parents who struggle to balance work with remote learning and/or child care.
Target has committed to providing 10,000 hours of pro-bono consulting services for small businesses owned by Black, Indigenous people and people of color in the Twin Cities, where Target is based. This matters because BIPOC-owned businesses are under-resourced and Target's expertise can help them sustainably flourish.
Finally, if you read my essay "It's not my fault (but it's my responsibility), thank you. A lot of white people who responded to me about the essay could relate to some of my stories. A lot of other white people who responded told me they "didn't get why people were rioting" -- but now they do.
For those who are more into video than reading, I get it and I recorded it here.
Thanks for all you do to build a more inclusive world.