5 Things / Express Yourself
Listen to this episode:
Confession: I trained Chat GPT in my writing style (by uploading samples) and ask it to draft the article summaries you read below. I then revise the summaries, and two people on my team do the edits. Using artificial intelligence (AI) saves me time that I now use to play pickleball. That’s priceless.
However! It’s still not me. These intros? All me. AI will never be me. It will never be you! Our unique gifts are our personalities, our creativity, our acts of love, and our generosity.
That’s the irreplaceable stuff –but only if we tell people who we are! Only if we share ourselves…if we walk with armor, the world is missing out on our humanity, the unique gifts AI could never take away.
That’s the subject of my new keynote: Express Yourself. Respond if you’d like to learn more!
I’m taking some time off next week so I’ll catch you on the 12th!
Here Are This Week’s Good Vibes:
Happier Employees = Lower Turnover at IKEA
The Tokyo Marathon is making history by adding a non-binary category for runners starting in 2025, joining the other five World Major Marathons. With a field of about 38,000 runners, the marathon will include non-gendered changing rooms, restrooms, and participant lists. It remains TBD whether this marathon, like New York, will offer prize money for non-binary finishers, This change is a significant step forward for Japan, which has faced criticism for its lack of LGBTQ-friendly policies.
Thailand Approves Marriage Equality
Disney’s new ride, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, opened today at Disney World, replacing the old Splash Mountain. This attraction, based on “The Princess and the Frog,” features Disney’s first Black princess and becomes Disney’s first marquee ride centered on a Black character. This shift is huge for young Black kids, offering much-needed representation…but it aims to inspire all guests with its inclusive message: "Everybody’s welcome."
Record Employment for People With Disabilities
New York City is set to rename the Christopher Street-Sheridan Square subway station to "Christopher Street-Stonewall National Monument Station" to honor the 1969 Stonewall Uprising. The rebellion at the Stonewall Inn was the most prominent event in the modern LGBTQ+ civil rights movement. The senate approved and the governor is expected to sign the approved bill. I love this because LGBTQ+ heritage ought to be recognized and preserved, too...
President Biden Pardons Thousands of Gay Men
President Biden has pardoned thousands of former U.S. service members convicted under a now-repealed ban on consensual gay sex. Convictions under the former Article 125 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, criminalizing sodomy since 1951, can now be erased, meaning that these veterans are now eligible for previously withheld benefits. All I can is: what took so long?
Anthropologie Launches Adaptive Apparel
Anthropologie's new adaptive apparel line features eight bestsellers reimagined for people with disabilities. The products, sparked by URBN Adapt Employee Resource Group, blends fashion and function seamlessly. Through their collaboration with disabled influencers, Anthropologie received crucial feedback to ensure comfort and style. There are one billion people worldwide with disabilities and everyone deserves the joy of great fashion.
Call to Action:
Watch Origin, Ava Du Vernay’s latest film. It’s now on Hulu and “explores the mystery of history, the wonders of romance, and a fight for our future.”