5 Things / Guy
Listen to the full episode here:
This week I was interviewed about my book by Dr. Julie Pham for her Behind the Pages series. One of her questions was about an early leadership influence. I told a story about someone I hadn’t thought about in years, a man named Guy who was a pharmacist in my hometown. He was my dad’s best friend, and when Guy worked the late shift at the pharmacy he co-owned, he’d stop by our house for a drink on his way home. Later, I worked at that pharmacy throughout high school.
Guy drove a paint-spattered pickup and his glasses were covered in deep specks. See, on the days in which he worked the night shift at the pharmacy, he volunteered to paint before work. He made arrangements with senior living homes, Habitat for Humanity, and other community organizations to paint their interior walls for free. He simply believed that a fresh coat of paint provided a sense of dignity to a home and the people living in it. Simple as that.
Painting was Guy’s purpose. His meditation. More than anyone else, Guy introduced me to a path of service. With his paint spatters and easygoing nature, Guy embodied humility. And with the way he interacted with the pharmacy customers, especially those who loved their codeine, and especially the Spanish-speaking migrant workers, Guy embodied empathy.
I’d be curious to hear about your early leadership influences.
This Week's Good Vibes:
Walmart’s Live Better U Program Turns 5, Expands to Canada
Walmart's free college tuition program, Live Better U (LBU), has expanded to Canada after success in the US. LBU offers online learning paths, including college preparation and degree programs, to Walmart employees, through partnerships with a wide variety of colleges and universities, some of which, like Morehouse, are Historically Black Colleges and Universities. More than 100k associates are currently enrolled. This matters because front-line employees are historically under-resourced and undervalued and the initiative aims to upskill these folks to grow within the company, promoting employee retention and advancement.
Annual Grace Hopper Celebration Conference to Leave Orlando Due to New Florida Laws
The Grace Hopper Celebration, a prominent technology conference, may no longer be held in Florida. The planned September conference will continue but, due to recent anti-diversity legislation and state-mandated restrictions that the conference's organizing entity, AnitaB.org, finds detrimental to its mission and attendees, the conference will move going forward, saying “we will not return until this legislation is overturned and the state becomes more welcoming to all.” This matters because when a groundswell of organizations like this takes a stand, anti-diversity politicians back off. They know that money matters.
Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Actions to Protect LGBTQI+ Communities
In response to anti-LGBTQ state legislation, the Biden-Harris Administration is taking new actions to protect LGBTQ+ communities during Pride Month. There’s a BIG list of commitments and actions developed to safeguard rights, support LGBTQ+ youth, and address book bans that target marginalized communities. This matters because over a dozen states have passed anti-LGBTQ+ laws that infringe on the rights and freedoms deserved for all humans.
Delta Is Developing a New First-Of-Its-Kind Airline Seat That Allows Wheelchair Users to Stay In Their Chairs
Delta Airlines is developing a cabin concept that allows wheelchair users to fly in their own chairs. They’re partnering with UK firm Air for All. The design involves modifying the seat to accommodate a wheelchair, eliminating the need for passengers to transfer to an airline-provided wheelchair. This innovation matters because it improves accessibility and reduces the risk of damage to expensive and personalized mobility devices, enhancing the overall travel experience for people with reduced mobility.
Portugal Just Launched a ‘Government-Funded’ 4-Day Workweek Trial
Portugal is the latest country to experiment with a Four-Day Work Week. It’s launching a six-month pilot program in collaboration with 4 Day Week Global, where 39 private-sector businesses will implement a four-day workweek without reducing employee pay. The aim of a four-day workweek is to reduce stress, burnout, and improve worker retention. The pilot program will also assess the economic, social, and environmental implications of this work schedule.
Call To Action:
Learn about Geena Rocero, the Filipina transgender fashion model and activist, and consider her new book Horse Barbie, which I’ll plan to read after I finish Elliot Page’s new memoir, Pageboy.
Watch the full episode here: