5 Things / off their plate
Regular readers know that every week I focus on stories which inspire me. Sometimes this means that I skip over horrible things unless I've read about inspiring responses or solutions. For the past few months, I've been aware of the various Covid-prompted hate crimes targeting Asians and Asian-Americans in communities around the U.S. Yet there's been nothing for me to write about. I didn't find any statements and commitments from corporations to share. I didn't learn about any initiatives to support Asian-American employees.
Until now. A group of chefs in Los Angeles organized an event on the Clubhouse app to raise money for the AAPI community and Off Their Plate, a nonprofit focused on food justice solutions. The event raised about $50,000. Similar events have taken place in other cities. I'm inspired by the ways restaurant owners are coming together to show solidarity and support for their AAPI employees and peers. There are some great stories in this piece.
This matters because it's a beautiful example of allyship in action, of using power to lift up others who have less. I just wish I had stories to share from the corporate world.
Here are some other good vibes I found this week:
Chipotle and Nike both announced they'll begin to tie executive compensation to diversity, equity, and inclusion targets. This matters because sometimes it takes this level of accountability to instill meaningful policy changes.
Netflix is investing another $5 million towards increasing the percentage of female directors in its original programming. Currently women direct 23% of projects. The money will be used to fund mentorship programs, training programs, and more. This matters because they're investing in a program to create greater equity, and a great onramp to jobs at Netflix.
NerdWallet, the personal finance company, is moving $2 million of its assets from traditional banks to Self Help Credit Union, which serves low-income people. This money will enable the credit union to support economic and housing development among low-income folks, especially in neighborhoods not served by traditional banks. This matters because it's a simple thing that any business can do to increase economic equity.
Image by Fox Business