The McPherson Memo: The Summer Madness Edition

Dear all,

We are mid-summer and hopefully many of you are taking much-deserved holidays away or staycations. I hope that you are maximizing those days off, as rest, relaxation and joy are absolutely mandatory for our health, our happiness and our professional success. As this HBR piece brilliantly explains, taking time off not only helps us individually, but ensures the sustainability and long-term success of our organizations.

If you aren't taking time away, how are you ensuring you recharge and add delight into your daily life? For years, my chosen happiness vehicle has been bringing people together by hosting events—everything from book launches to charity fundraisers, baby showers and more. But I realize that for many of us, hosting can be a terrifying endeavor. Priya Parker , an extraordinary expert on gathering and a best-selling author, shared an Instagram post this week that really spoke to me. In it, she details all the ways each of us can host artful events without making them a big drain on time and money.?

I took Priya's advice on sharing joy and creating meaning during gatherings and organized a dinner party for 12 to celebrate a dear friend and McPherson partner, Meredith Wilson Parfet , landing the opportunity to give a TED Talk this fall at TEDNext . The evening was a delight, but the best parts were a celebration not just of Meredith, but of each guest and what's bringing us joy lately, and all the serendipitous future collaborations that will come out of it.

Here’s hoping you find ways to instill joy and meaningful gatherings into the remaining weeks of summer.

As always,

Susan

ON OUR MINDS

Brought to you this week by Dallas-based Account Supervisor Laura K. Wise , who is excited to travel to South Carolina this weekend for a family reunion.

Political violence is un-American With the attempted assassination of former President Trump, the growing threat of political violence is casting a shadow over the 2024 election. But this threat is not new. Consider past acts of violence against Representative Gabby Giffords, Representative Steve Scalise, Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, among many others. A December 2021 Washington Post/University of Maryland survey found that 1 in 3 respondents believe violent action against the government can be justified. More recently, an April 2024 PBS/Marist poll showed that 28% of Republicans and 12% of Democrats think violence may be necessary to get the country back on track. This reflects a disturbing trend: more Americans believe violence is a valid way to achieve political goals. McPherson client Leadership Now Project—a membership organization of business and thought leaders taking action to protect and renew American democracy—recently put out a statement condemning the attack at Former President Trump's rally, hot on the heels of a statement calling for President Biden to withdraw his candidacy. With an unpredictable election season and so much at stake on both sides of the aisle, preventing further violence needs to be a priority.

Why are we still not talking about climate change? Earlier this month, Hurricane Beryl tore through the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, and Carriacou in Grenada, the Yucatán Peninsula, and south Texas, breaking records for its overall strength and becoming the first Category 5 storm ever seen in the Atlantic Ocean in June. Scientists say the cause is unusually warm ocean waters, partly linked to El Ni?o. Even though Beryl's rapid development and destructive path garnered media attention, national TV news missed the chance to link the storm to the underlying issue of the rapid intensification: climate change. Only 4% of national TV news segments mentioned climate change in hurricane coverage. Meanwhile, Yale updated its Global Warming’s Six Americas study of the six unique audiences within the American public that each respond to the issue of climate change in their own distinct way. There's been a notable shift in how Americans view climate change: they are more alarmed about global warming than they ever have been, and show increased support for government policies to reduce global warming.

Fearless or fearful? Did you know that Black founders received less than 0.5% of U.S. venture capital funding last year? According to Crunchbase data , this abysmal stat is indeed true. Enter organizations like the Fearless Fund, a Black-woman-founded VC firm that has invested nearly $27 million into 40 startups led by women of color. The Fearless Fund has given the world—not just Black people—businesses like The Lip Bar , Slutty Vegan , and Brown Girl Jane , among many others. In 2023, the Fearless Fund was sued by Edward Blum's American Alliance for Equal Rights, and on June 6, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit blocked The Fearless Fund from awarding grants exclusively to Black women entrepreneurs. The reverberations of this decision continue to spread across industries and companies large and small. The outcome of the Fearless Fund lawsuit, which seems destined for the Supreme Court, could impact over $200 billion committed to DEI programs and potentially roll back the limited gains these funds have provided to Black founders.

ON OUR RADAR

Watch:

• Documentary Join or Die follows the half-century story of America's civic unraveling through the journey of legendary social scientist Robert Putnam, whose groundbreaking "Bowling Alone" research into America's decades-long decline in community connections could hold the answers to our democracy's present crisis.
• A rarely seen Amazon tribe emerges from the rainforest as loggers move in . The Mashco Piro tribe is believed to be the world’s largest Indigenous community living without outside contact. Indigenous advocates are calling on authorities to withdraw the certification of the Catahua logging company which has built more than 120 miles of roads in the area and is operating inside Mashco Piro territory.
• There is an anti-sunscreen movement heating up online this summer, spreading misinformation that could lead to potentially dangerous behavior. Dermatologists are taking to social media to stop the misinformation. This is your friendly reminder that summer is here and sunscreen is more important than ever! ?

Listen:

• McPherson client The Meteor is launching a podcast, “America, Who Hurt You? ,” on July 24. Hosted by Sarah Jones, this podcast explores our political dramas, personal traumas, and how the two are connected.
• In a recent episode of the “Mixed Signals from Seamfor Media” podcast, Is sex political? And will Biden — and Kamala — survive the vibe shift? , hosts Ben and Nayeema discuss the larger culture and gender wars that will define the 2024 election, regardless of who ends up on the Democratic ticket.?
• Republicans are moving away from abortion politics. In a recent episode of WSJ What’s New , WSJ’s Luke Vargas reports from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on what is behind the shift.

Read:

• Historically Black colleges and universities' (HBCUs) long histories of advocating for social justice paired with their strong community connections make them uniquely well suited to lead on climate justice issues , according to a new report from the United Negro College Fund.
• Charitable giving in the US is down, but generosity goes beyond dollars. Are we actually in the middle of a generosity crisis? explores why fewer Americans are donating to nonprofits than they used?to, and where the money that is being donated is going.?
• According to Axios, everything has become political , and to reverse this trend toward verbal and actual violence requires clear-eyed views of some of its root causes.
• Consumers are increasingly interested in buying products that are better for the environment and nature, so what can consumer data tell us about the future of sustainability?

Cheer:

• Check out McPherson client the Women's Philanthropy Institute's?Giving List: Women Doing it Differently , a book of 48 nonprofit organizations championing women and girls worldwide. Currently, just 1.8% of U.S. philanthropic dollars go to women's and girls' causes. The List seeks to change this statistic, encouraging donors to view our work as a "lens, not a lane" in global philanthropy.?
• McPherson Client Games for Change recently hosted the 2024 Games for Change Festival where they brought together global voices to ignite community engagement and drive social change, demonstrating how games break down barriers to connect people across generations and around the globe.
• NPR just announced a $5.5 million grant from Eric and Wendy Schmidt to boost public media's collaborative journalism. This grant will help NPR and its partners set up a regional newsroom in Appalachia, strengthen the Mountain West News Bureau, launch a visual journalism pilot in New England, and support the growth of the California and Midwest newsrooms.

Apply:

• McPherson client Amplify Her Foundation is hiring a Community Manager .?
• McPherson client HP is hiring a Sustainable Impact Communications Specialist and a Head of Corporate Media Relations .
• McPherson client Alight is hiring a Manager of Global Partnerships .
• Equality Now is hiring a Major Gifts Officer .

Are you interested in learning more about McPherson Strategies and the services we offer? Social impact strategy, communications, partnership development, content development and more. Get in touch .