Let's Try Defying Gravity

Hello, friends! Per the usual, my opinions are italicized and purple.   1.) Many (myself included) participated in an economic blackout today: February 28, 2025 2.) Many firms continue to roll back DEI initiatives; however, shareholders of Costco, Apple, and John Deere OVERWHELMINGLY vote NO to petitions to remove DEI initiatives.  Here is a timeline of firms rolling back DEI since July of 2024.   While John Deere stated in July of 2024 that they would "no longer support 'cultural awareness' events like Pride parades and would... remove 'socially motivated messages'" ( Bohannon and Murray, 2025 ), 98.7% of shareholders rejected an anti-DEI resolution at their shareholders meeting on February 26, 2025 ( Hanley, 2025 ) 3.) The Associated Press were denied a space in an Oval Office event for refusing to make the stylistic change to their reporting and their guidebook (AP is the writing style typically used by journalists) regarding the Gulf of Mexico/America. Th...

DJT creates an anti-Christian bias task force: This might be a touchy one! Throughout this post, please take note of the context in which I use the terms “Christian” and “Christian Nationalism.” I do not use them interchangeably. As always, my opinions are in purple and italicized. DJT signed an  Executive Order, titled "Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias,"  on February 6, 2025. Its stated goal is to "protect religious freedoms of Americans and end the anti-Christian weaponization of government" (The White House, 2025). Acknowledging, protecting, and respecting the existence of marginalized people is not " weaponization ."  The order refers to several instances labeled as "anti-Christian" under the Biden administration. These instances deal mainly with abortion-related legal battles and LGBTQIA initiatives like "Transgender Day of Visibility" which coincided with Easter Sunday in 2024. It also refers to a "[previously] anti-Christian ...

Hello, Friends! I saw this post on Threads: I did absolutely no research on the volume of emails/calls firms are receiving in support of DEI because regardless of whether or not it's true, we should be thanking firms that are continuing with their DEI initiatives. Who doesn't like a pat on the back once in awhile? Am I right? Once again, I've written an email template and included contacts for firms that are committed to DEI. Let's make sure we use our voices for positive reinforcement as well as agents of change. :) Just in case you need a little extra motivation to send these emails, there is a conservative think tank called the " National Center for Public Policy Research " that is submitting proposals to firms that have stood by their commitment to DEI. The proposal sent to Costco and the response of Costco's Board of Directors is included in this link :  Allow me to provide you a couple of my favorite quotes from Costco's response:  "Our Boa...

Buckle up, Friends.  This is a long one. As is the case for many, I have recently seen an uptick in posts about DEI initiatives in response to 45/47's executive orders. While I understand that arguing in comment sections rarely gets one anywhere, the amount of inaccurate information circulating social media and the confidence with which some present this inaccurate information is infuriating. In an attempt to counter some of the incorrect claims I have seen, I decided to share a brief overview of what I have learned about DEI with any interested parties. That's YOU! Thank you for stopping by!  Author's Note: I failed in my attempt to be brief.  As I have stated in previous posts, m y opinions are italicized and written in purple. I am currently working on my Master's of Business Administration; and before DJT even took office, I had read a significant amount on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and the benefits of diversity in the workplace. The goal of...

I don't remember the first time I listened to the Wicked soundtrack and heard Idina Menzel delivering her chill-inducing performance of "Defying Gravity." I do remember the first time I saw Wicked live. As the actress portraying Elphaba belted out "Nobody in All of Oz, No Wizard that there is or was is ever gonna bring me down," I cried. ...partially because I was 6 months pregnant and riddled with pregnancy hormones, but also because the character's fear and excitement and despair and hope were overwhelming me, body and soul, through her song. Every day since January 20, 2025 has felt like an onslaught of horrific information. There have been swift, hateful, emotionally-fueled reactions from people on both sides of the political aisle. The information being provided by politicians and even some of our most trusted media outlets is, for the most part, biased. When you add in all the reels and memes and social media posts, it begins to feel like you are stand...

Hello, Friends, As promised, I am attempting to migrate (see what I did there?) my list of political updates to blog form in order to dive a little deeper and provide you with references. My goal is to keep my lists as brief as possible, and I always check multiple sources before sharing anything.  My opinions are italicized and written in PURPLE. So, here we go:  Since the inauguration: February 7, 2025