Strands of Genius: Embracing Boredom, Run Black Folx Their Reparations, Hold the Press - Being Black in PR
Strands of Genius: Embracing Boredom, Run Black Folx Their Reparations, Hold the Press - Being Black in PR
Guest curated by Sade Ayodele
Each year we’re aiming to highlight 50 creative thinkers that have inspired us, by giving them the opportunity to guest curate this newsletter, Strands of Genius. This edition is guest curated by Sade Ayodele, as part of our collaboration with 600 & Rising.
:: A BIT MORE ABOUT GUEST CURATOR, SADE AYODELE ::
LOCATION: NYC, NY
PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT: Taylor
From 9-5, I work as a VP at a Sports & Entertainment PR agency. But 24/7 I am unapologetically me. A mom to a sweet pandemic baby boy, wife to a marine vet, sister, homie, aunt, friend and mentor. And in the meantime, in between time, I'm a cofounder of Hold the Press (HTP), an organization founded to help push action, accountability, and transparency in the PR industry. Through HTP's journey, we also partnered with 600 & Rising where I sit on the Board of Directors to help shake tables in the advertising industry too!
Editor’s Note (Genius Steals Team): This edition of Strands is part of our ongoing partnership with 600 & Rising, an advocacy group for Black talent in advertising and PR. Thanks so much for being here, Sade, and for sharing the links below!
:: THE LINKS ::
EMBRACING BOREDOM WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE DESCRIPTION
Our boredom stems from our need to fill voids of space and time with things we deem meaningful. So, when we’re bored, we may read, or stream a film; we might go for a walk and play some music; we may cook or clean or call a friend; we may surf the internet and shop or scroll our social feeds; we may even take a nap or write an article on boredom. All of these things are really an act of avoidance, the avoidance of stillness.
Because when we are truly present, what seems to be mundane is really an opportunity for introspection. And I’m not talking about the kind of introspection that’ll solve your relationship with your siblings, but the kind of quiet introspection that allows you the room, freedom, and space to be with things without feeling the need to run away from them. (Ebony)
RUN BLACK FOLX THEIR REPARATIONS
Policies like forgiving debt for all student loans and giving baby bonds to the whole population won’t be nearly enough to achieve racial wealth parity. The notion that either taken separately or in combination, will erase the racial wealth gap would be sheer mystification. Both policies are desirable for a number of reasons, but making extravagant claims about their impact on Black-white differences in net worth is disingenuous. BLACK FOLX NEED REPARATIONS.
Worse still, celebrating these worthwhile programs in misleading ways diverts us from actually eradicating America’s racial gulf in wealth. Using average household wealth as a metric, that gap comes to a total of about $11 trillion. (New York Times)
HOLD THE PRESS - BEING BLACK IN PR (DURING A PANDEMIC & RACIAL RECCKONING)
For Black people, racism is not new. For Black PR professionals, discrimination and inequity in the industry is unfortunately familiar. The COVID-19 pandemic layered with a national spotlight on racial injustice, which has long been the reality of Black people across the country—presented a new set of challenges and experiences for Black professionals in PR. And so here we are. These are our stories. Told by Black PR professionals who represent the many levels of experience and disciplines of the industry. Those who work for top PR agencies to those that own their own companies. We share our stories, on our terms, in the hopes of moving towards substantial change in the industry that we love. (YouTube)
Looking for more from Sade Ayodele? Those enrolled in The School of Stolen Genius will receive a deep dive from her in their inbox shortly! You can access all our expert interviews for SOSG here.
:: AND NOW… SOME FAST FAVORITES ::
:: Game :: Uno
:: City :: Santorini, Greece
:: Book :: The Slight Edge - Jeff Olson
:: Podcast :: Rory & Mal (looking forward to it)
:: Album :: Drake - So Far Gone
:: FAMILY ::
"A family that timbs together, stays together"
The woman who does not require validation from anyone, is the most feared woman on the planet.
Sade Ayodele
sade@thebisforboss.com
Follow me on Social & Slide in my DM's #respectfully of course. I love meeting new people.
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