How To Do More Than Hashtag Activism, Virtual Home Repair and Redesigning Dr. Seuss

The Complicated Truth About Blackout Tuesday and Hashtag Activism

I shared a black image on social media this week. I deliberately avoided a specific hashtag, but perhaps it was still the wrong thing to do. This week it was hard to know how best to support those who are the ongoing victims of racial profiling and violence. Should we go dark or break our silence on social media? Or both? My own reaction was to look at myself. Am I doing all I could be doing to reduce bias in the world? Am I using my voice as powerfully as I can, and am I giving enough of a platform to those who lack the same opportunities that I have? Do I have a blind spot?

These aren't easy questions to ask and it's even harder to grade yourself. But I do know how I answer them in any other situation in my life. By choosing to be open-minded, learning more and finding a way to take a stand that makes sense for me. So this week, I started by reinvesting my time in reading (including the excellent writing of Damon Young) - and I put together a list of some of the most powerful books I have read (and several that I aspire to read) on the topics of diversity, race and bias.

I am also committing myself to work harder as the founder of a publishing company to seek out under-represented voices and offer them a platform to share their stories with the world through publishing deals. I'm not sure it's enough. But it is a start. And I do know that it better than the forgettable hashtag activism of posting a black square on social media to feel good about myself and going on with my day.

What Is The "Real You" On Social Media?

Do you wear a vintage t-shirt you bought yourself years ago - or do you buy that "authenticity" from a store? In this short article, Copyblogger founder Brian Clark asks a timely question about what authenticity really looks like in a time when you can perfectly curate your image online - surrounded by people who are trying to perfectly curate theirs as well. Ironically, there was a news story this week about Facebook releasing a feature that allows you to easily bulk delete your old embarrassing posts ... making it even easier to cultivate your identity. I suppose the real question then is, how do you want to be seen?

The WEF Opens To All, Creating a New Reality For Exclusive Events

For years, the World Economic Forum in Davos has been one of the world's most elite geopolitical events - requiring a lengthy credential process to even qualify to attend. This week, the organizers announced that their 2021 event will be open to ALL participants virtually. This is a surprising move, and may set off a shockwave through the events sector as previously exclusive events consider offering some or all of their experience to the public ... or at least to a wider audience. Ultimately, this may be a good thing for events. Their reach can be much further, they can potentially realize more revenue, and their events can be more inclusive overall.

Designer Remakes Covers of Dr. Seuss Books For the Modern World

I can't resist and good imaginary redesign effort and this is one of the most fun I've seen recently. These designs are courtesy of Boston-based art director and "self-proclaimed typography nerd" Jim Malloy and offer a sobering (and entertaining) look at how some of Dr. Seuss' classics might have been reimagined if they were written during a pandemic. Visit the link for the full story to download or share any of the covers.

How Home Repair Is Going Virtual

One side effect of the voluntary home quarantines are that people have been putting off their home repairs. As some lockdown orders are easing up, people are now contacting contractors - but they are busy and many people are still wary of letting someone in their home. Luckily, there are a bunch of new platforms that allow anyone to get virtual coaching from a contractor to fix those issues themselves. It's a smart solution and yet another example of how expertise on-demand is one of those categories that continues to grow as a result of this pandemic.