5 Things / Square Holes


Listen to the full episode here:


“When you’re a straight, white, college-educated guy in America, you’re a square peg in a square hole. How I identify isn’t something I have to think about too often and that’s a luxury.” 

This week I interviewed some folks as part of a client project, and I met some incredible aspiring allies. This man goes on to say:

”I have to recognize that my experience is very different from other people's. It doesn’t mean that I haven’t worked hard. It doesn’t mean I haven’t overcome challenges…I try to create an environment where people of all different backgrounds and life experiences can be successful. I try to do the same with people within our community…so I’m not putting the onus on the individual to ask for what they need to be successful.”

I’m sharing this because I find his self-awareness notable, and his willingness to proactively be equitable and inclusive. One of the things we talked about was how he filled 80% of open positions, compared to 20% at this time last year – and he’s done that by proactively seeking Spanish-speaking employees. He posts jobs in Spanish, with a phone number to a Spanish-speaking employee, made the application process much less onerous, and diversified the hiring committee.

This is inclusive leadership in action. Did all of this take thoughtfulness and intention? Yes. Does it work? Yes.

Here are the good vibes I found this week:

  1. South Korean Court Grants Gay Couple Health Benefits in Landmark Ruling

  2. Barbie’s Global Instagram Platform Will Be Lit up With Looks From Award-Winning Costume Designer And Stylist Zerina Akers

  3. Home Depot Says It Will Spend $1 Billion to Give Hourly Workers a Raise

  4. How India’s Caste System Manifests in Seattle-Area Workplaces and Beyond

    • Seattle became the first U.S. city to ban caste discrimination, adding it as a protected class to the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance. The caste system is a hierarchical system that originated in India but carries over to other societies, and to this today affects societal rank and opportunity. This may play out when people only offer opportunities such as internships and promotions to people within their own caste. It can also cause microaggressions. This matters because caste is a hidden form of oppression.

  5. Amazon Just Made It Easier for People With Hearing Loss to Stream Content

Call to Action:

Did you know that the U.S. state of Tennessee is about to ban drag performances? Read this article about the attack on LGBTQ+ rights in the U.S. 

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5 Things / And Other S#*T

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5 Things / Trust