Hi friends,
How are you doing?
That question always throws me off these days. I’m doing fine, well by most standards, grateful, really grateful, stir crazy, incredibly energized, in flow, angry, ready to pull my hair out and break things, bored, creative, lonely, stimulated, excited, ready, fed up, inspired…you know.
Just processing two of the most cataclysmic events in modern history in real time, trying to figure out how to deal with the never ending reams of data exposing injustice and inequality while building a business at the intersection of gender and healthcare, oh — and trying to not take personally the universe’s not so subtle reminders that control is an illusion.
🤪
Photograph by David Alan Harvey, discovered on Think Very Little
Perk of the pandemic:
Art by the brilliant Tyler Spangler
On things within our control: a brief rant
Everything is loco right now, but I have to say, I’m so excited to see once fringe policies enter the mainstream.
Mayors across the country are talking about universal basic income (inspired in part by the incredible Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs), there’s a real public conversation about reparations (here’s one of the best articles I’ve read on the subject), and the true cost of childcare is front and center as schools get pressure to reopen in the fall.
This is a huge shift, and it’s only possible because we’re starting to acknowledge that 1) systemic racism is real and 2) we need a safety net in this country.
I think one of the most important questions to ask next is: what are the key systems that perpetuate inequality at fundamental levels?
My two cents? One of the most seemingly innocuous but problematic systems in this country is employer sponsored healthcare and social benefits.
First, there’s the obvious issue related to the pandemic. If you are getting healthcare through work, and you lose your job, you’re screwed. 27M Americans may have lost their health insurance due to COVID-19 according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
But the issue is MUCH deeper. If meritocracy is actually an illusion, and it is not actually possible for everyone to get a fair shot at getting into great schools, which then gets you great jobs with great benefits, then you’re inherently limiting who gets access to the kush benefits offered in white collar jobs. In 2018, 66% of white non-elderly Americans got their health insurance from their employer. That number is only 46% for Black non-elderly Americans and 41% for Hispanics. (KFF) The alternative to employer health care is a public option: Medicare, Medicaid or private options through the ACA. These tend plans are not all bad, but you’re often limited on which doctors you can see and what procedures and prescriptions are covered.
As an employee, you might not notice that your employer is actually sponsoring your social safety net. Especially not if you work at a tech company that competes for talent by offering stock options, robust benefits, and progressive policies on issues like parental leave.
But think about it. Employer benefit offerings perpetuate inequalities in wealth and health:
Whether you can afford health care (medical, vision, dental benefits)
Your likelihood of building wealth (compensation plans, 401k)
The balance of responsibilities at home (parental leave policies)
Whether you work with people from different backgrounds (recruiting practices)
Personally, I think it’s absolutely absurd that we have outsourced some of the most impactful social policy decisions to thousands of time-strapped HR professionals across the country. Healthcare is really complicated, and in many cases, so complicated that HR managers end up working with benefits consultants and insurance brokers to help make the decisions. I’ve worked with many of these people, and they are kind and smart and well-intentioned, but really - should a cottage industry of insurance brokers be responsible for defining social policy for the majority of Americans?
We understand the world by studying change, not by studying things.
— Carlo Rossi, The Order of Time
Read / Watch / Listen
LOVED 🔥
The Artist’s Way - There is a lot of inbound information right now. I’m on the last week of this book, a 12-week program in cultivating creativity. Over the last few months, I’ve woken up earlier than usual to write for 20-30 minutes in the morning, before taking in any news or email or anything else. It’s been a gift in reconnecting to my intuition and inner voice, particularly when there’s so much upheaval around me. Highly recommend.
James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time. Beautifully written letters from a not so distant past that sears with honesty.
“To defend oneself against a fear is simply to insure that one will, one day, be conquered by it; fears must be faced.”
Owned: A Tale of Two Americas. This is an amazing film about the dark and racist history of housing in America. Very proud of my fam - Giorgio & Maggie Angelini - for bringing this story to life, and glad to see it gain more awareness in light of everything going on.
A future of remote work is coming. Before you throw in the office towel, though, here are my two cents about some unintended consequences we need to watch out for.
UP NEXT
Two books I’ve avoided for far too long:
Let me know if anyone feels like book-clubbing with me.
OBSESSED
I’m a huge fan of KCRW, LA’s local NPR news and music station. I’ve listened to it for years, in Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, and now back home.
One of my favorite COVID discoveries is their incredible 24/7 music channel, Eclectic 24.
Listen. Love. Donate.
“Play is the exultation of the possible.”
Martin Buber
Thanks for reading to the end. Write back! I’d love to hear from you. 💕