The McPherson Memo: Silence and Noise Edition

Good day, all -

A very short introduction to our newsletter this week. As we know the news cycle is absolutely bonkers, so I wanted to offer up a palette cleanser for our subscribers and share with you all my new Brooklyn roommate. Please meet Rosalie Finn, aka Rose/Rosie. At nine weeks, she is a bundle of unbridled love, curiosity and fluffiness. And I know my beloved Phoebe is cheering from the other side of the rainbow bridge.

Wishing you peace and relaxation this weekend.

Susan

ON OUR MINDS

On our minds, brought to you this week by Account Supervisor Sheridan Earle, who is really tired of having to?write about mass shootings?in the U.S.?

A Deafening Silence

As we mourn the students and faculty?killed this week?at Nashville’s Covenant School,?businesses in particular are quieter?than we’ve heard before. While a number rushed to change policies on gun and ammunition sales following the Parkland High School shooting in 2018, corporations have largely quieted on the issue since. Republican pushback on business?involvement in social issues?may be in part to blame. Companies like Mastercard and Discover were trying to do their part by proposing new merchant category codes to?better track gun sales?(currently lumped into general merchandise or sporting goods categories), but paused their plan?in response to pressure?from Republican lawmakers. And while business leaders are?split on the value?of speaking out on contentious issues, their silence leaves room for the wrong kind of conversations, like the?slew of anti-trans rhetoric?from far-right (and far from informed) lawmakers. Of course, maybe there are just?too many school shootings?for businesses to keep up with. Still, they should try. When paired with meaningful action, business can have an?outsized influence on society, which can be used for good instead of turning a blind (and silent) eye.

Support women, girls and all who bleed. Period.?

What CAN you even say in Florida these days? Currently debating the “Don’t Say Period” bill, Florida legislators are pushing to?limit education on health and sexualityin public schools before sixth grade, including menstruation. As girls may start getting their period as?early as age eight, this bill could prohibit teachers from providing guidance to students in need as well as?further stigmatize female bodies?and sexuality. And while more states are?pushing for menstrual equity?in schools, Republican lawmakers find some of?these bills “too woke,”?as if providing young girls with sanitary pads is somehow a political issue. Beyond schools, people in women’s prisons across the U.S. also disturbingly report having their?periods used as a form of punishment, being denied necessary supplies and then shamed for bleeding on clothes or floors, among other indignities. And all of these issues only scratch the surface on?period poverty?both in the U.S. and globally. Businesses can do their part to?support menstrual equity, and individuals looking to take action can visit?period.orgfor education and advocacy information. Menstruation rights are human rights. Period.

Laugh so we don’t cry… or stop trying

Climate change is no laughing matter… or is it? The?Climate Comedy Cohort, a joint project between American University’s Center for Media & Social Impact (CMSI) and Generation180, believes that laughter is the best vehicle to deliver information and inspiration for meaningful action. Comedy can bring about feelings of hope and optimism,?according to Caty Borum, the professor who runs CMSI, even when faced with heavy topics like climate change. And with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) releasing a?less-than-optimistic report?last week, we need all the?hope-inspired-action?we can get. And there is reason to hope. In the U.S., electricity generated from renewable sources?surpassed that of coal?in 2022 for the first time. Consumers are?seeking out more “green goods,”?which the UNCTAD sees as critical to fighting the climate crisis. And small nations are?making a big impact, successfully advancing a measure to allow countries to be sued for failing to do their part to slow climate change. It may be hard to ward off?climate doom, but?hope springs eternal?and there IS still time to preserve the home we all share, if we?act now.

ON OUR RADAR

Read:

• Political candidates take note:?“Abortion Wins Elections.”?This important piece from Rebecca Traister provides historical and modern context to why abortion rights must take center stage for the 2024 Democratic Party agenda.?
• Breaking Through: Communicating to Open Minds, Move Hearts, and Change the World?by Pfizer EVP and Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Sally Susman is?a primer on effective communication?that leads with purpose, compassion and humanity.?
• An?open letter calling for a six-month ban?on creating powerful AI was signed by over 1,100 prominent figures, but critics wonder if those signers may have vested interest in holding the technology back.

Celebrate:

• Ramadan Mubarak to all who celebrate!?Learn more?about the holiest month of the year for Muslims.?
• Celebrate Trans Day of Visibility with these?books capturing trans joy?and adventure.?
• The FDA has approved?over-the-counter Narcan, enabling greater access to the life-saving drug.

Support:?

• McPherson client Jocelyn Wyatt penned?this important op-ed?highlighting how we can and should support women and girls impacted by climate displacement.?
• Comic Relief US is hosting a kid-friendly?fundraiser in the metaverse?which will serve to help IRL programs that empower young people to help in the fight against poverty.?
• McPherson client Ford Motor Company Fund dropped its?2022 Impact Report this week, highlighting more than $64 million in charitable contributions.

Listen:

• Our founder and CEO Susan McPherson recently joined the?VOICE(IS)podcast?to talk about connection, relationships and building intentional communities.?
• “Stiffed” podcast?examines the history of Viva, an erotic magazine for women published in the 1970’s featuring feminist icons in the writers’ room. It really does look like a magazine worth reading “for the articles.”?
• “Make Me Care About,” the new podcast from the Gates Foundation, showcases people taking action to solve the world’s toughest challenges.

Learn:

• While the FTC is?updating their guidance on environmental claims?to further combat greenwashing, only?one in ten businesses?feels they have an actionable sustainability strategy.?
• We’ve been talking about it a lot, but here are even?more reasons from?HBR on why you and your company need to get cozy with ChatGPT.?
• And here are?six skills you can develop?to stand out in the age of AI.?
• A new report from the American Immigration Council?introduces the Belonging Barometer, a framework to measure how a sense of belonging impacts health, democracy and intergroup dynamics.

Subscribe:

• Do you daydream about data visualization? Sign up for?Chartr’s newsletter which shares charts, graphics and everything in between on topics ranging from economic to pop culture trends.?
• The?Women Wednesday Newsletter?delivers a feature on badass women in the community. Subscribe?here.?
• Comms professionals will want to?sign up?for?Axios Communicators, a weekly snapshot of trends in communications.

Apply:

• Community-led, community-focused nonprofits can apply to receive funding through the?Yield Giving open Call, an initiative focused on elevating organizations working with people and in places experiencing the greatest need in the United States.
• McPherson client New Profit is looking to add a Senior Associate, Communications to their team! Find more details?here.?
• Amazon Watch, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting the rainforest and advancing rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon basin, is seeking a?Director of Philanthropy.?
• Get even more inspired about this position from the outgoing Director and her?reflections on finding your dream job.?
• Do you lead a social sector organization at a key inflection point, or know someone who does??Applications are now?open for the 2023 GLG Social Impact Fellowship – an in-depth, two-year pro bono partnership with GLG, the world’s insight network.
• BSR and the Sustainable Production Alliance are looking for a?Director, Entertainment Industry Collaboration.