DEI is Not Dead!
Trust, Politics, and Bees! OH MY! Plus books that help us relax.
Musings of the Month
TRUST defined: Assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something
More Trusted Sources of Information
We recently learned about The Trust Project, an international consortium of news organizations promoting standards and working with technology platforms to affirm and amplify journalism’s commitment to transparency, accuracy, inclusion, and fairness. All this so that the public can make informed news choices.
In May 2023, they won the World Association of News Publishers’ (WAN-IFRA) Digital Media Award for Best Trust Initiative in the Americas. The WAN-IFRA is the world’s largest trade organization of news publishers, representing 18,000 publications in 120 countries. WAN-IFRA’s mission is to protect the rights of journalists and publishers around the world to operate independent media. To learn more about other WAN-IFRA digital media award winners click this link. Who knew all these awesome sources were out there? We do now!!
Why is this Important?
AND, here’s an August 2023 article that sheds some light on why there is such a need for trusted sources of information, especially when it comes to politics. Gabe Fleisher, a junior at Georgetown University studying government and journalism, wrote this article in Wake Up To Politics (WUTP), whose mission is to make politics and government interesting and accessible.
Fleisher’s article is about the many people who are facing consequences for the multi-pronged plot to subvert the 2020 presidential election including former president Donald Trump. This is the first time in our country’s history that a president has been accused of a conspiracy to overturn a presidential election. Keeping informed with credible, reliable, and timely news about our efforts to hold those accountable for undermining our democracy is vital to sustaining our U.S. democracy.
To make sure your news sources are trustworthy, The Trust Project provides us with 8 Trust Indicators, which are the first global transparency standard that helps people know who and what is behind a news story: policies to ensure honesty, accuracy and fairness, commitments to own up to mistakes, details about ownership, info on a journalist’s expertise, and more.
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Featured Author Blog
Efraín Gutiérrez supports individuals, teams, and organizations moving from fear to liberation
Efraín Gutiérrez consulting practice and work represent his lifelong commitment to promoting love, integrity, and mutuality in our bodies, relationships, and work. He is currently partnering with organizations looking for new strategy and evaluation approaches that are in service of healing, justice, and liberation through Freedom Dreams in Philanthropy.
He is building a body of work to help those raised and socialized as men, heal and free themselves from the conditioning of patriarchal masculinity. He is eager to be in conversation with fellow travelers who share his musings and passions.
Learn more about Efraín's promotion of radical imagination, curiosity, and wonder in this month's author blog post.
Book Spotlight
Books to help you relax or reduce stress
Reading has been scientifically proven to be one of the best ways to calm and de-stress the brain.
According to a 2009 study from the University of Sussex, reading a book for even six minutes a day can reduce stress by up to 68%, making it more effective than listening to music or drinking a soothing cup of tea. Researchers say this phenomenon takes hold because books can actually transport you into a different reality.
Here are a few of our faves:
Event Spotlight
"DEI isn't dead. Performative DEI is."
— Sonia Layne-Gartside, DEI Strategist
Our founder Veronica S. Smith was recently on the panel "Unlearning DEI is Dead" presented by LTHJ Global. It was hosted by America’s DEI Teacher Lindsey T.H. Jackson and included DEI Strategist and Author Sonia Layne-Gartside, and Tenisha ‘Ava” Williams, DEI Consultant, Strategist, and Facilitator.
To watch this powerful conversation, get the YouTube RECORDING HERE. And here's the new extended materials for you to continue unlearning and growing!
We genuinely cannot try to contain this within one conversation (nor should we) - so we're chatting over in the Unlearning Community Group on LinkedIn!
#SelfCareCorner
What to do in a bee attack: 5 things you need to know
You have probably heard that honey bees are dying out, which is true. And, did you know that If you live somewhere in New Mexico, Southern California, Arizona, Texas or Florida, you can pretty much assume that there are "killer bees" somewhere close to you? And that these bees are thriving? In these areas, it is important to call an exterminator any time you see any kind of bee activity.
What to do in a bee attack:
If a bee bumps into you, RUN! The head-butt is a test before they call the whole bee hive.
Hold your breath (while you run). Bees use their sense of smell to find you, so holding your breath will make it harder for them to sniff you out.
Don’t wave your arms around. Don’t swat! These actions make the bees think you are attacking them.
If you get stung, pull out the stinger as fast as you can! The longer it’s in you, the more venom gets in. You don’t want that.
