The McPherson Memo: The Record-Breaker Edition

Dear all,

Did you ever have an experience no words could accurately describe? I was so very fortunate to enjoy not an hour, not a day, but an entire week filled with every positive sensation imaginable. A gathering in Berlin and the German countryside of more than 60 impact-focused and artistically-inclined women from as far away as Australia, Iceland, Venezuela, Dubai and beyond to cook, paint, dye, share, laugh, cry, imagine, dance, celebrate, hike, rest and most importantly fall in love with each other.

It was all to celebrate Lisa Witter (TAG), a friend who is near and dear to McPherson Strategies, me and so many of you — a woman who has been instrumental to my personal and professional growth and that of so many others. We all traveled to Berlin to properly fete her 50th journey around the sun and turn away from the hectic lives so many of us lead. It was a powerful lesson that friendship can form at ANY age and these new bonds will lead to positive change and impact.

I share this with all of you as a reminder to stop, breathe and find joy in the world around us. I know I needed this reminder so very badly.

Wishing everyone a restorative and inspiring weekend.

As always,

Susan

On our minds?

Brought to you this week by Vice President, Growth and Operations Isabelle Jetté, who is loving discovering everything the Hudson Valley has to offer this summer.

We Didn’t Start the Fire (humming along with fingers crossed behind our back)

All sorts of records have been shattering recently, spelling bad news for climate change. Three times this week, we’ve tied or exceeded the Earth’s hottest day on record in 125,000 years, according to proxy climate data, while June was the warmest month we’ve experienced since 1940. Meanwhile, as Axios stated, “the sea ice… around the Antarctic continent is at its lowest level on record,... unprecedented wildfires [are] burning in Canada and multiple extreme heat events [are occurring] worldwide.” With increasing smoke pollution, consulting AirNow.gov is becoming the new normal, like checking the weather forecast. But our rapidly warming Earth is a far cry from normal; while the current El Ni?o has been having an impact, human-caused climate change is responsible for the lion’s share. Debating whether to celebrate Independence Day with drones or fireworks makes for a catchy headline, but what we really need is decisive climate action on a global scale imminently. We can all play our part: here are tips for individuals and businesses to reduce carbon emissions.

Living in America?

Shortly before the Fourth of July, USA Today reported that “the United States has witnessed five mass shootings each Independence Day on average over the past decade — more than on any other day of the year.” This week was no different, with six mass shootings reported on Tuesday alone. Last year’s Highland Park Fourth of July parade tragedy was especially jarring, given how 83 rounds in under one minute ravaged the close-knit, presumably “safe” community. Our former colleague Ellen Gilcrest and her family were at the parade and had to run for their lives (she was eight months pregnant); thankfully, they were the lucky ones, as she would say. Mass shootings are on the rise, and theories as to why range from the rise of life stressors to toxic masculinity. But a combination of steep gun sales in 2020 fueled by pandemic uncertainty and lax gun laws has played an outsize role. All the more reason to take up common-sense gun control legislation (like Gov. Newsom’s proposed amendment) favored by most Americans, including Moms Demand Action founder (and McPherson friend) Shannon Watts — learn more about gun violence, including its economic toll, and take action here.

Elon and Twitter and Threads, Oh My…?

To Linda Yaccarino’s chagrin, Elon Musk, over the weekend, decided to limit the number of tweet views and require users to be logged in to view tweets. Given its business model depends on user engagement, this is counterintuitive for the internet’s proverbial town square. On its own, this could have been detrimental for the flailing platform, but cue in Meta’s rollout of Threads on Wednesday, which has already amassed more than 50 million subscribers (Threaders?), and you’ve got an even bigger problem. In response, Twitter is threatening to sue Meta, claiming the company has unlawfully misappropriated trade secrets by hiring former Twitter employees to develop the competing app. Meta meanwhile patently denies the claim. It would seem the two are set for a showdown — which bizarrely could manifest as a cage fight between Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. You read that right, both sides are negotiating an exhibition match, and proceeds would go to charity. All this bro dude cage match machismo aside, we’re excited to explore Threads’ potential. More on that soon.

Welcome!

• We’re excited to introduce our newest McPherson teammates, Ilina Ewen and Ayannah Crawley, whom we both had the pleasure to connect with IRL at our recent team retreat! A seasoned CSR and communications specialist and former Chief of Staff to the First Lady of North Carolina, Ilina is joining us as an Account Director. Ayannah, a skilled social impact, and DEI strategist, is taking on the role of Account Supervisor. Please join us in giving them a heartfelt welcome!

?Read:

• Mary Mazzoni and our friends at Triple Pundit share a terrific primer on how companies can break down barriers and empower their LGBTQ+ employees.
• Ad Fontes Media founder and CEO Vanessa Otero makes a compelling case in Adweek for why the corporate sector should embrace and foster a strong fourth estate: “Real news is actually an opportunity for brands. What’s risky is extreme partisanship.”
• As we near the 250th anniversary of the United States’ founding, and in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. on affirmative action, what can we do to redeclare that we are all created equal??
• Using the power of comics to teach civics and bring democracy back to the hands of the people — who can’t get behind that?

Listen:?

• Rena Greifinger, Maverick Collective’s Managing Director, was recently invited on the “Ellevate Podcast” to explore what it takes to run a sustainable and ethical nonprofit while navigating the complexities of philanthropy and income inequality worldwide.
• On “Work/Life with Adam Grant,” Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya talks about his “anti-CEO playbook” and the business philosophies he leads with, which aim to prioritize people over profit.
• Fortune’s most recent “Leadership Next” episode features GLAAD CEO Sarah Kate Ellis and delves into what happens when companies waffle on their commitment to Pride and the LGBTQ+ community.?

Watch:

• We were delighted to support Ford Fund’s recent launch of Team Rubicon Powered by Ford, a new philanthropic, in-kind, and employee volunteerism initiative to help serve communities before, during, and after disasters and crises in the U.S.?
• In honor of Disability Pride Month, PBS recently released a selection of documentaries that chronicle the passage of The Americans with Disability Act on July 26, 1990, and lift “wonderfully made” human stories centered on diversity and inclusion.
• As a swimming aficionado, I recently streamed The Swimmers on a whim, without first reading its synopsis. It left me transfixed, highlighting the plight of untold refugees and displaced persons through the lens of two Syrian sisters’ true harrowing flight across the Mediterranean Sea and eventual journey to the Rio Olympic Games. I cannot recommend it enough.
• Never Have I Ever’s fourth season recently dropped on Netflix, and we’re here for all of it, from the characters, plot lines and John McEnroe’s narration, to the incredible casting and its nod to diverse representation in entertainment. May Mindy Kaling and the cast’s genius be everlasting.?

Attend:

• Join us in NYC July 14-21 to celebrate the power of games and McPherson client Games for Change's 20th anniversary! Games for Change’s annual flagship Festival will be bigger and better than ever, including the first-of-its-kind Games & SDG Summit at the UN, cutting-edge XR for Change Summit, and the inaugural Next Gen Youth Fest for students. Get your tickets here.
• This year’s Atlantic Festival, September 28-29, also promises to delight, with thought-provoking and soul-moving sessions, including the Happiness Forum, which we’re especially excited about. Full programming details are to be announced on August 1; stay tuned.

Celebrate:

• We’re thrilled to see our client Jocelyn Wyatt, CEO of global humanitarian organization Alight, recently featured by Sustainable Brands in an in-depth Q&A on ‘Doing the Doable’ and how Alight helps four million displaced people every year — and how businesses can become allies.
• Congratulations to Carnegie Corporation of New York’s cohort of 2023 Great Immigrants, each selected for their contributions to enriching our country and democracy. A special high five to my homegirl, Alanis Morrissette!
• Kudos to Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers for his creative moxy, generating 400 years of funding for Wisconsin’s public schools!
• And hear hear to more good news, or rather solutions-focused news, as CBS News invests more in covering stories examining how people respond to problems.

Nominate:

• Fortune is preparing for this fall’s 2023 edition of the Fortune Most Powerful Women list! Nominations are being accepted through July 31; learn more and submit an exceptional executive for consideration here.

Subscribe:

• “Real, messy hope delivered to your inbox daily from Good Good Good,” the Goodnewsletter promises to transform you into a more hopeful person in just 5 minutes per day. We’re delighted to share it’s been doing the trick! Sign up here for some inbox goodness.

Apply:

• Fidelity Investments is seeking a dedicated VP, Diversity & Inclusion and Community Impact Communications. Learn more and apply here.
• Google is on the lookout for a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program Manager to help empower employees to succeed, grow, and learn. Learn more and apply here.
• The Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation is seeking a passionate VP, Impact to steer their community partnerships, grantmaking efforts, and program execution, and serve as a spokesperson for the foundation. Learn more and apply here.