Insight

Submitted by Daryll

In recent years, the concept of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) has gained traction. EQ is a wide term that encompasses a person’s ability to understand and regulate their emotions and use these to better communicate, manage conflict, improve relationships and so on.

But EQ can also have important effects outside of your own personal bubble. High EQ can lead to a more diverse, inclusive society and workplace. However, the relationship between high EQ and diversity and inclusion is not just unidirectionally causal. While higher EQ can lead to higher inclusivity and acceptance of diversity, positive experiences with diversity have also been shown to contribute to high EQ.

A high EQ is also especially relevant in today’s workplaces as we are often tasked to work together with people from different cultures, with different beliefs, and vastly different backgrounds. People and teams with higher EQs are consistently shown to perform better in their jobs and report higher job satisfaction, partly due to the number of positive workplace relationships they foster.

Luckily for us, a high EQ, much like IQ, can be developed and trained so it becomes almost a habit. As such, it is important to start these behaviors off young. After all, it is much easier to form a habit as a child than it is to cultivate it as an adult.

But know that improving your EQ isn’t a one-shot success strategy for relationships. It takes effort and constant practice to maintain. Just like we take health supplements like DIM to boost our physical health whenever it wanes, so should we supplement our EQ with action and wider experience with diversity.

Developing Emotional Intelligence in Children

Children in America are very likely to encounter people of different cultures and ethnicities from a young age. In 2018, 27.2% of students enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in America were Hispanic, 15.2% were Black, 5.3% were Asian, and 4.1% identified as being of two or more races. This makes schools the perfect places for children to interact with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds, and hone their emotional intelligence.

But simply having diversity does not automatically lead to an improvement in EQ. This is because it is positive experiences with diversity that contribute to an improvement in EQ. Therefore, schools also need to provide children with an environment where diversity is respected, un-stigmatized, and un-stereotyped, so they can fully engage with children from different backgrounds without prejudice.

A positive attitude towards diversity and people of different ethnicities can also be inculcated at home by parents. This may be through speaking with your children and cultivating in them a respect and compassion for people from different ethnicities and backgrounds, but also through action.

It’s no secret that children try to emulate their parents, and a lot of their behaviors and mannerisms are learnt from direct observation and imitation of their parents. As such, the best method of teaching your children to welcome diversity would be to do so in your own personal life by visibly interacting and cultivating positive and fulfilling relationships with a number of different, diverse people.

Developing Emotional Intelligence as an Adult

Accessing diversity as an adult may be slightly trickier. It depends on the racial makeup of the organisation you work for, the neighbourhood you live in, and the social circles you have chosen. While it is possible to consciously expand your social circle in pursuit of more diversity, it may be advisable to first practice a few skills that high EQ people have in your existing circles. After all, adults are often not as forgiving as children, and disputes between adults arising from misunderstandings are not as easily resolved as those on the playground.

One of the most powerful tools of the high EQ person is self-awareness. Self-awareness refers to the person’s ability to understand and acknowledge their own emotions through constant introspection. Another is the willingness and perspective to change your behaviour if you find that it is harmful or detrimental to the situation at hand.

Once you have attained familiarity over your own emotions and behaviours, the final step is to use these skills to optimise the social situation for all the individuals involved. This can be done by monitoring how other people behave, and considering their emotions and point of view in order to create a space where they feel cherished, and safe to engage fully with the conversation.

Once you are familiar with these skills, try practicing these on your existing relationships and see how they affect the social dynamics and outcomes. You will most clearly be able to see the fruits of your improved EQ through interactions with existing friends. It can also allow you to modify and improve your methods to achieve better results with less chance of permanently damaging a relationship. After all, experience is the best teacher.

Some people are blessed with high EQs naturally. Others have to learn these skills consciously. But regardless of whether you exhibit high EQ skills intuitively or not, the cost of learning these skills and putting them into practice are next to nothing, whereas the benefits of success are boundless. So the next time you have a social interaction, try to be mindful of your own emotions and those of the people around you, and see how you can regulate your emotions and monitor others’ to create a meaningful and equally-fulfilling interaction.

Submitted by Stephen

Cloud-based applications have been one of the fastest-growing sectors of online services in terms of revenue and usage. What once started as a way for professionals to save data in remote servers has become available to almost everybody through tools like Google Drive and iCloud. Ever since cloud computing was introduced to a broader audience, countless debates have emerged about the digitalization of traditional services. However, while topics such as the stability of cloud-based services have been at the forefront, other matters like data leaks have more recently dominated the headlines of newspapers and online publications alike. 

But while most of these discussions revolve around cloud computing security, one significant aspect always falls short: The impact of cloud computing on mental health.

How can cloud computing benefit the mental health of professionals? How do cloud-based services help customers and everyday people? And how is the advancement of cloud services helping in other fields such as medicine?

Cloud Computing for Businesses

Many services aimed at businesses are nowadays available on the internet. From fully automated email campaigns to specialized container registry services and even staff management tools that can replace entire HR departments, technology advancements certainly have made things easier for companies. And with flexible pricing solutions that scale with the size of each business, everyone from the solopreneur to the massive corporation can benefit.

And while the automation of tasks reduces the workload for data analysts, content strategists, and people working in human resources alike, it also benefits their mental health. Knowing that an automated process takes care of an otherwise tedious task helps in reducing stress levels.

So, companies should take note of the advancements of cloud computing. For example, many cloud-based services can relieve workplace stress and create happier and thus more efficient employees.

Cloud Computing for Customer Interactions

While cloud computing offers solutions for companies and enterprises, how is the outlook for customers? For example, how do cloud-based services affect the mental health of customers? Is it wise for companies to move everything that was once done by actual humans in the hands of artificial intelligence?

More people discover the benefits of online tools like chats, online scheduling tools, and virtual assistants every day. However, not everybody feels comfortable or safe using digital services, either because they don’t believe in their own technical abilities or skepticism towards technology. And, given the history of artificial intelligence in customer support, their doubts are somewhat reasonable.

In the early days of digital customer support, chats often felt very artificial. They were clunky, unresponsive, or were not able to identify the customer’s needs. However, as chatbots learn (through algorithms), they get more efficient and find ways to interact with customers more humanly and less robotically. Due to that, many people often feel like they are talking to an actual person rather than a machine when using chat functions on websites.

Giving people a feeling of being understood and taken care of is one of the many advantages cloud-based services can offer. It erases their fear of talking to a machine rather than a human, even if they are, in fact, talking to artificial intelligence.

But what if that shell cracks? What if the customer realizes that he is talking to some lines of code instead of an actual human being? How will that realization affect the customer and his mental health?

Given how advanced some of these chatbots are, it sometimes can be hard to prove that they are, in fact, artificial. The bots are being fed with data collected from algorithms every minute of the day, so they learn constantly. And they learn quickly. They can answer a plethora of questions being thrown at them by customers. They can spot typos and still figure out what the person on the other side wanted to write. And they can adapt to the customer’s language based on the preferences they selected when visiting the website.

Cloud Computing as a Solution to Mental Health Issues

Besides making customer support interactions more accessible for everyone, cloud computing also offers solutions in the medical field. For example, medical experts have used augmented and Virtual Reality powered by cloud computing to gauge their effectiveness in treating mental conditions. 

An article published by Cambridge University showed that VR could be beneficial in helping professionals understand the cause of mental conditions such as anxiety, PTSD, or depression. The article was based on several studies conducted to figure out the use of VR and AR in the medical field. In the article, the authors suggest that VR seems “to perform comparably in efficacy to face-to-face equivalent interventions,” thus hinting that cloud-based computing can be a future part of treating mental conditions.

So, while many people are afraid of moving everything to the cloud, specialists and professionals certainly welcome the advantages that cloud computing brings to the table. It is now a matter of companies and experts to help more people understand how cloud computing can assist them.

Submitted by Stephen

In ye olden days, when DOS reigned supreme, any number of polygons were considered the height of computer graphics, and people connected to the internet over their landlines, the tech industry was the providence of a handful of privileged people. Most of them were generally lighter on the melanin count, male, and had enough spare money (or their parents had enough spare money) for them to enroll in colleges and universities offering courses in Computer Science. That is, unless they managed to secure a scholarship, which is it’s own kind of privilege.

Similarly, the personality types associated with Information Technology were pretty uniform for most: An nigh-obsession with understanding computers and their workings, along with a keen disinterest in understanding other people and cultures.

As much as people rightfully decry stereotypes nowadays, they persist because they contain a small grain of truth, even if they’re grossly exaggerated. For the IT world in particular, the particular image you would have in mind when you think of the terms “computer nerd” or “computer geek” (a light-skinned young male, Caucasian or Asian, who usually wears glasses, is unfit, and socially awkward) persists because for a long time the study and business of technology was primarily a boys’ club, and located primarily in a few highly-wealthy nations. Likewise, those who were most exceptional at technology tended to be so at the exclusion of most other aspects of life.

To say that tech was an isolated and elitist domain would be an understatement. For all of their claims of being revolutionary and anti-establishment, the earliest tech entrepreneurs and innovators were as much beneficiaries of the male-dominated, Western-centric status quo as professionals in other industries.

It may have seemed rebellious for Steve Jobs to have dropped out of his college and travelled around India before founding Apple, but many people at the time didn’t have the resources to enrol in his alma mater (a private liberal arts institution) or travel through another country on a whim.

However, the times are changing. With the use of the Internet and networking technologies moving from the niche to the norm (so much so that some countries have considered regulating it like water and electricity), and with so many professional and skilled workers put out of a job by the encroaching approach of automation, more and more people have become interested in the prospect of getting involved with the successful tech industry through various means (e.g. by learning programming).

Generally, these people eager to learn do not conform to the stereotypical “tech genius” stereotype. Many of them are women, even mothers. Several are middle-aged, wanting to switch fields after automation kicked them out of their last job. Many of them live in lower-income families, and wouldn’t be able to pay for a normal university’s tuition fees.

In response, a whole host of tutorial sites and video series popped up, teaching laymen and women how to program a game or design a website, for pennies or even for free! Usually, these tutorials are created by people who have professional training or a formal education in Computer Science, wishing to pass on their knowledge onto people who might never have anything to do with IT otherwise. While some might monetize their work by asking for subscription fees or other such payment models, many of them keep their content free out of pure altruism

A good example would be Programming With Mosh, a series of videos started by Iranian software engineer Moshfegh “Mosh” Hamedani. These videos teach a wide variety of programming and coding languages, from HTML to Java, JavaScript to Python. Some of the longer and more detailed videos need a paid subscription to access, but you can learn the important foundations of each language from YouTube videos that are completely free!

However much dedication these single people devote to their tutorials, though, a single person can’t ever match the resources and manpower of an entire corporation.

Thus, the true game changer was when tech companies started noticing these greater strides towards accessibility, and started putting out their own help guides for free. A good example of this is the non-profit Khan Academy, as well as the people behind this helm repository project. both of whom put out video lessons for free that would have required a university enrollment decades ago. These companies have realized that keeping the door open for outsiders will ensure a steady stream of talent for the future.

All-in-all, having accessible learning material is a good thing for the tech industry. Many people think that the current focus on diversity and inclusion is merely to placate certain interest groups. However, the benefits of getting more people into tech is that it encourages fresh, new ideas to sprout in an industry that could otherwise fall into repetition and stagnancy.

After all, much of Steve Jobs’ inspiration for Apple’s now iconic minimalistic aesthetic was Zen Buddhism, which he studied during his travels overseas. What other innovations can people from different walks of life bring to the tech industry in the future? The possibilities are endless!

Submitted by Viki

The Hippocratic Oath is one of the oldest codes of ethics and sets the moral baseline for medical professionals. But did you know that the Hippocratic Oath has been changed several times to reflect the advancement of social values? As societies develop, so should our medical services. Unfortunately, it is easy to recognize the benefits of diversity but much more complicated to uphold the values of inclusion and equity. Even today, women and those from minority races are chronically underserviced in many levels of healthcare.

This Will Only Hurt a Bit

As the regulatory body for new drugs, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended that participants in clinical trials are sourced from diverse backgrounds. However, the suggestion is not enforced and so the situation remains largely unremedied. Because individuals of various ages, genders, races, and ethnicities may have different reactions to medicines, homogenous drug trials can result in medications that are less effective—or even more harmful—to certain races and genders.

According to the 2020 FDA Drug Trials Snapshots Summary Report, 53 novel drugs were approved after clinical trials in the US. During these trials, an average of 75 percent of participants were white. Trials for Nexletol, a treatment for high LDL cholesterol, had a 96 percent white and 3 percent Black participant body. With African-American patients, in particular women, at a higher risk of dying from cardiovascular problems compared to any other racial or ethnic demographic, such underrepresentation could be life-threatening.

Emerging drugs aside, there are a multitude of easily available legal drugs on the marketplace that disproportionately harm the physical and mental health of women. The unassuming female contraceptive pill has numerous known side effects such as depression, muscle pain, acne, and blood clots. While these side effects were deemed too risky for male contraception and even the COVID-19 vaccine, women are expected to bear the perils of avoiding pregnancy as they partake in activities that involve both genders.

Much of the prejudice from the male-dominated medical industry of the Victorian Era has been passed down to the modern day. The view of women as more accepting of pain is a symptom of the widespread pain bias in the healthcare industry. Women who visit emergency departments with acute pain have been shown to wait significantly longer than men to be addressed by doctors. They are also less likely to be given effective opioid painkillers and more likely to be dismissed as non-urgent or psychiatric cases.

The lack of equality in medical healthcare is not so much active maliciousness as it is an unconscious desire to bury challenging social issues. Another manifestation of this is the treatment of our military personnel. Many of the medications prescribed by doctors for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) come with debatable results and dangerous side effects such as increased suicidal ideation. Doctors liberally prescribe sedatives such as benzodiazepines to veterans despite the drugs being known to be highly addictive and unsuitable for long-term use.

Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News

In light of the evidence, the odds of Americans having an equitable and progressive healthcare system may seem rather dire. However, there have been some changes in both the medical profession and mainstream viewpoints that are indicating a paradigm shift.

More research has been undertaken recently to examine the ways that cannabinoids may assist in the treatment of PTSD. This supports the long-time claims from PTSD sufferers that cannabis use helps to manage their illness and paves the way for the validation of medical cannabis treatment. As the second most prevalent active ingredient in cannabis, cannabidiol (CBD) is sometimes used to address anxiety, suppress traumatic memories, and relieve chronic pain. There are now many varieties of real CBD oil for sale legally online and in specialized dispensaries, offering non-addictive alternatives to benzodiazepines.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also highlighted the negative effects of the lack of equity in our healthcare system. Faced with the undeniable evidence, decision-makers have reacted with a stronger commitment to creating a more diverse and inclusive medical service. One of the effects of this is the recently signed House Bill 183 in Florida. Coupled with a 4.4 million dollar budget increase, the bill hopes to give the state’s Office of Minority Health and Health Equity a more powerful mandate to improve inequities in the healthcare system.

On other fronts, the battle over women’s reproductive freedom and right to essential healthcare continues to rage across the nation. In the first half of this year, hundreds of regressive anti-abortion measures have been introduced in some states with the view to push the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. Other states are fighting back, however, with New Mexico repealing the abortion ban and Delaware introducing a bill to decriminalize the procedure. New Mexico’s population includes over 28 ethnic groups and the diverse state is setting an example of how inclusion and equity must connect to basic rights.

In the medical profession itself, leaders are hoping that institutional change at the academic level can help to foster the diversity of medical professionals. According to a 2018 study by the Association of American Medical Colleges, 56.2 percent of active physicians in the US are white and 64.1 percent are male. With the growing evidence that minorities obtain better healthcare outcomes from doctors with similar backgrounds, it is important to assess the barriers for minorities to enter and graduate from medical schools.

As the US on the whole tries to create a better environment for all its citizens, we need to support campaigns that defend basic rights and fight for equal treatment. Just as the Hippocratic Oath has evolved, may the medical industry also be at the forefront of positive social change.

Submitted by Darryl

Millions worldwide strive to discover the answer to the age-old question “How do you build a successful business?” But first, what needs to be addressed is what does success look like? How do you measure it? Is it measured through your income, or by how many followers you have? 

 

Something that is important to note is that success is fluid, success may look like one thing to you but may mean something completely different to another person. There is no singular or universal way to look successful, success comes from hard work, drive, and resilience. This mindset is crucial to instill in order to be realistic when discussing success.  

 

Undeniably, growing a business and gaining success can be tremendously challenging and painstaking, particularly nowadays with over 582 million entrepreneurs in the world. This generates very little room for smaller businesses to attract attention or traffic onto their sites, especially when they lack the understanding of how to rear a business. This is why it is paramount for smaller businesses, upon launching a business, to take into account these four essential factors. 

 

Maximize Social Media Usage 

 

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and a myriad of other social media platforms are arguably the most patent and essential factors in establishing a business. This is because the absolute first step in growing a business is to institute a conversation, the most effective way to do this is through social media.

 

In this day and age, social media is a predisposed tool, so much so that there are about 4.33 billion users today. This indicates just how much of a mammoth it is in terms of attracting consumers to your business. 

 

But what exactly does social media do in terms of building a successful business? Social media, among its primary use which is to digitally communicate and share with others, is also a great form of marketing and the promotion of your business. Whether that be through likes and follows on Facebook and Instagram, tweets on Twitter, or even dances or short skits on TikTok, the more exposure your business gains the more users will view and share it. 

 

Incorporate Diversity and Equity 

 

What some businesses fail to address is the importance of demographic diversity and fairness of opportunity. A business is beyond a milieu for commercial or industrial activities, it is a space to cultivate personal relations and develop an environment for all employees and demographics to feel safe, embraced, and included. When a business recognizes and celebrates a certain race, religion, age, ethnicity, or gender it vastly increases the chances of success because consumers will feel as if they are part of that business and their identity is accepted and welcomed. 

 

In order to keep up with society and technology ever-growing, businesses gain substantially more success with the inclusion of product diversity. Consider offering a selection of different types of items that are manufactured in different forms. Regardless of if you are a service provider or if you are in the market for a product business, you should always diversify what your business offers. 

 

This will let your consumers know that your business is interested in designing novel products catered to different people’s likings and needs in a plethora of different ways. Moreover, your business will not only expand in consumer interest but also in the quantity and the nature of products that you sell. 

 

Another factor that is often glossed over yet is as equally as important is equity. The idea that every person has their own distinctive identity and each of us possesses different skill sets and ambitions. In business, it is pivotal to recognize that each person is different from one another because it implements a more humane approach rather than a cookie-cutter approach. This means that employees and consumers feel validated and heard as well as that their specialty can be optimized wholly. 

 

Prioritize Organization 

 

Organization and structure are two cardinal pillars in developing a well-built business. With the chaos of meeting deadlines, back-to-back meetings, and scheduling important appointments, organization is key.  

 

A well-organized business excels in the processing of goods and services and improves overall productivity by arranging and distributing tasks in a cohesive manner. As a result, communication between other business members, employees, and even the consumers strengthens and becomes more flexible.

 

One way to ensure organization skills are being exercised is by using a schedule. This can be achieved in a number of ways, for instance by using an online scheduling tool that ensures your business operates efficiently. 

 

Lower Costs 

 

This may seem like a given, however, upon starting a small business it is imperative that you lower your expenses in order to increase your profits. Some ways to do this are through managing your business’s variable costs, being diligent and tracking exactly how much you spend on your expenses, reducing supply expenses, and finally lowering your financial expenditures. 

 

These may seem as if they have little influence over the reduction of your business’s costs, but by putting these components into practice, you will gradually notice increases in your business’s profits. 

 

Ultimately, building a successful business is no walk in the park. After taking these factors into account, it is advised that you take a moment to consider what traits you possess as a business leader. What could you do as a vital asset of your business in order to enhance the current success rate of your company? With that in mind, remember that in the business world, patience really is a virtue. 

Submitted by Viki

A few roommates and friends of the student editors of this publication are studying Law. While it’s notorious for how difficult it is to study, today we’re outlining one aspect of studying and practicing law: litigation. Let’s dive right in.

Litigation is a career choice for enterprising and tenacious lawyers. You have to be curious and keep an open mind to learn more every moment to become a successful litigator. Litigation can be criminal or civil, and litigators don’t focus on a single stream of the law. Hence, they need to be very versatile.

What is it like to be a litigator?

The rules are most critical that will matter when you choose this career. Once you master the rules, half the job is done. The processes and evidence gathering for criminal or civil litigations take a lot of understanding. The rules and practical exposure will teach you how to write and argue the motions in court. You shall also try to understand how you can gather information from opposition or from others who are not a party to the particular case and use the same as your evidence in favor of your client. You will be involved in a career where you shall have the opportunity of lifelong learning. Many vital factors matter here. You will get the chance to learn a lot if you become a litigator. The vast knowledge includes case-specific insights, like your clients’ businesses, finances, and the dynamics of your client’s family.

What kind of person makes the best litigator?

As a career choice, litigation is not limited to the most boisterous people and neither to those who are very outspoken. Rather, this can be a great career choice for introverts, if they are curious and have a particular eye for detail. You have to have good preparation and look for every opportunity to outsmart the opposition. The best thing about litigation as a career is that it is not limited to one particular discipline, and thus cases can range from property to tax to criminal cases. So, success isn’t limited to a specific educational profile or background. It means that if you are ready to invest time in understanding and excelling in the procedural rules, then you can flourish in this career.

What do litigators have to do?

As a litigator, you are expected to represent your client. You have to try and work out the best outcome for their case, in their favor. The process may, at times, be aggressive.

Sometimes it may be advisable to play a waiting game. Other times it may be easy to settle a case quickly and privately all depending on the situation. As a litigator, you must pay very keen attention to the arguments of the opposition and take note of what the judge has done. The variety of work that you can undertake as a litigator, can also help you in becoming a versatile law practitioner. You can use the same experience to seamlessly undertake civil or criminal cases.

So if you are planning to take up litigation as a career choice, then you should learn to evolve yourself as per the needs and development of every case and devote a lot of time to studying old cases and their resolutions. Apart from that, you need to go networking with lawyers. If you can build good relationships with other lawyers, then as a litigator it will be an invaluable asset for you.

 

Submitted by Darryl

Even in the Land of Opportunity, there has long existed an undercurrent of discontent with the capitalist economy. In recent years, the high levels of inequality and the immense gulf between billionaires and the disadvantaged poor have been illuminated by the floodlights of Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement.

With less disposable income and thousands of dollars of student debt, many millennials have lost their patience with the traditional trickle-down corporate economy. Americans increasingly desire an economic system with more equitable outcomes; where people are paid a liveable wage, taxed proportionately to their wealth, and provided with social benefits available in most other affluent Western countries.

Part of this is the move away from working for the Man. Folks are no longer content with slogging 40 hours a week with minimal remuneration just to help their bosses buy another mansion. There has been a societal shift towards seeking vocational fulfillment and control over how we spend our time. This includes being able to fully live out our identities and convey our values through the work that we do. People want freedom of expression while they work towards financial freedom.

Enter the Creator

With the exponential growth of social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok, people on one side of a smartphone screen can now interact with tens of thousands of others across the world. Pair this with better smartphone cameras, faster mobile connections, and free video editing software like iMovie for Windows, and anyone can start being a creator.

The creator economy is defined as the class of business encompassing millions of individuals and the software and finance tools that revolve around monetizing their content. Contributors to the creator economy are not only the creators of original content, but also those that redistribute this content, including bloggers, commentators, video editors, and community curators.

Despite the creator economy being in its infancy, over 50 million people across the globe consider themselves creators. Out of these, there are approximately two million who are classed as professional creators who make a living by producing content full-time. Being able to pursue your interests while getting rich is the new American dream, so it is no wonder that kids these days would rather be the next YouTube star than an astronaut when they grow up.

So, how much can one realistically make as a content creator? As with most emerging economies, there is no fixed formula. Katie Feeney, an 18-year-old high school senior, made over a million dollars posting unboxing and lifestyle videos on Snapchat’s Spotlight. Meanwhile, Julian Shaw, an actor and personal trainer used OnlyFans to make mental health sexy while earning enough to replace his pre-pandemic income and repay his $18,000 credit card debt.

To the Left, to the Left

Even as the creator economy is estimated to be worth around 104.2 billion, many creators use these platforms for activism and education instead of solely for income. The Cranky Vegan, for instance, maintains an Anti-Patreon Patreon Club, whereby all monthly income from Patreon is donated to an animal sanctuary chosen by subscribers.

As many young people turn to social media to seek ideological clarity and political solutions to legitimate grievances, there are concerns of extreme right-wing radicalization such as those that fueled the attempted insurrection of the Capitol. To counter the reactionary right, left-leaning political content creators that used to be confined to niche communities are now publishing more content than ever.

The most prolific of these is a group of content creators who go by the moniker BreadTube, an adorable allusion to 19th-century anarcho-socialist writer Peter Kropotkin’s book, The Conquest of Bread. BreadTube creators produce video lectures to politically educate viewers on a wide variety of topics, ranging from social justice, sexuality, gender identity, and climate change. These social and political issues are infused with viewer interests such as video games, popular culture, movies, and philosophy.

Younger leftists have also taken to TikTok to break down political ideology for their peers. One of these is Isra Hirsi, the 18-year-old co-founder of the US Youth Climate Strike, who has had 1.7 million likes on her posts on anti-capitalism and climate activism. As their clips are viewed millions of times, these TikTok teens are sparking conversations about leftist movements and bringing previously radical viewpoints like socialism back into the mainstream.

Social media platforms have also enabled us to be more aware of political issues that are further afield. A performance amongst the rubble of Gaza by 12-year-old Palestinian rapper MC Abdul has garnered over five million views on Instagram, with thousands of comments calling for a free Palestine. Another example is the flooding of social media with the three-fingered protest sign adopted from The Hunger Games following the military coup in Myanmar.

As social media technology continues to develop, increasing points of view will be shared from across the entire political spectrum. The creator economy has enabled many people to speak up for what they believe in while generating enough income to survive. Crowd-funded channels will be the engines of modern political collectives where individuals with similar principles can come together for the betterment of society.

Our online spaces are the new battlegrounds for political ideologies. Serious messages lie behind the casual humor and playful dances of everyday Americans. As the US economy undergoes a slow transformation into one that is more equitable, its citizens are equipped with cameras, and they will ensure that all their voices are heard.

 

Submitted by Darryl

The United States of America is often referred to as a ‘nation of immigrants.’ From the European settlers that landed in North America in the 1600s to the post-war migrants from South Korea in the 1950s, people from numerous cultures and countries have made the US their home.

According to the US Census Bureau, 60.1 percent of Americans classify themselves as non-Hispanic whites. 18.5 percent of Americans are Hispanic or Latino, 13.4 percent are Black or African American, 5.9 percent are Asian, and 1.5 percent are Native American or Pacific Islander in origin. An additional 2.8 percent are multiracial.

 

Lack of Diversity in Law

In order to accurately and efficiently represent Americans of various backgrounds, the legal profession must display a comparable level of diversity. Unfortunately, it remains one of the least diverse of any profession in the US today.

A report by the American Bar Association states that almost all people of color are underrepresented in the legal profession compared with their population percentage in the country. In 2020, non-Hispanic whites made up 86 percent of all lawyers, while 5 percent were African American, 5 percent were Hispanic, 2 percent were Asian, and 0.4 percent were Native American.

Furthermore, there is an existing gender gap with only 37 percent of attorneys being female. Look deeper and we will see that only 9.3 percent of attorneys are women of color. And while there may be an increasing number of female lawyers on the whole, only 25 percent of law firm partners are female.

The unbalanced odds in the justice system don’t just stop there. The Brennan Center for Justice reports that in 22 US states, none of the court justices identify as people of color. Furthermore, 12 states have only one female justice serving at the supreme court level. And across state high courts throughout the country, only 17 percent of justices are people of color.

While the legal profession enshrines rule of law and the principles of enforcing the law without bias, the inherent inequity that exists within the legal system must still be addressed. It has to be fundamentally accepted that many of the laws in effect in our country today were written by white men and reflect the sentiments of a very different time.

 

Balancing the Odds

With such disproportionate representation in the many levels of the justice system, how can we move forward towards achieving equitable and impartial outcomes for every person who enters the system?

One way would be to equip minority law students with tools that can help them overcome the pipeline issues that affect their success. From lost opportunities to financial hardships, minority individuals can be disadvantaged at many stages of their journey into the legal field.

Devoid of the personal connections that privileged groups may have, many first-generation college graduates have difficulty navigating the complex application process for law school. For example, they may apply too late in the application cycle and lose out on enrollment.

Students from under-served groups may also fail to receive merit-based scholarships that are centered around Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores. According to the Law School Survey of Student Engagement, students whose parents achieved only a high school diploma were less likely to be awarded merit-based scholarships compared to students whose parents held at least a bachelor’s degree.

The result of granting privilege based on LSAT scores creates a ‘reverse Robin Hood’ model whereby the poorest students have to shoulder more of the cost of law school than their wealthier peers. A way to correct this imbalance could be to sponsor LSAT prep courses for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Law schools can do their part by offering more need-based scholarships where financial necessity is the predominant criteria for selection.

The gender and racial composition of the student body between the highest and lowest-ranked law schools are also vastly incongruous. Among the lowest-ranked law schools, women constitute a majority of students with 43 percent of students from a Hispanic, Black, and Asian background. Graduates from these schools will have a lower chance of successfully passing the bar, finding work, and paying off tuition debt.

Fortunately, there are some law schools with programs designed specifically to support first-generation applicants. There are non-profit organizations that help level the law school admissions playing field for low-income minority students as well. They do so by providing access to mentors and advisors, internships, scholarships, and student loan debt assistance.

Likewise, law firms that are serious about diversity initiatives should do their part. They can get involved with their local minority bar associations to host or sponsor events and volunteer to mentor minority law students. Law firms need to make a concerted effort towards inclusion and hire without unconscious bias from a broad pool of candidates.

It is paramount to ensure equal access to advancement for diverse lawyers. They should be assigned high-profile and career-advancing clients based on work ethic and merit and given opportunities to rise to ownership or partner levels within the firm.

A background of shared cultural history, perspectives, and language can enable lawyers and their clients to establish trust and better communication. In upholding the Constitution, in particular its guarantee of equal protection, it is critical to ensure the availability, quality, and objectivity of legal representation for people from varied backgrounds.

Some of the brightest people in the US are working in law. Through their combined efforts, it is certainly possible to dismantle the many barriers that are preventing the profession from moving forward. As the legal profession continues its slow trek towards achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion, there is hope that the diversity of lawyers will one day reflect the diversity of their clients.

 

Submitted by Darryl

As the United States becomes more aware of the subtle power structures and struggles within society, companies are placing unprecedented emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). For those who are still coming to terms with the concept, here is how to start.

DE&I broadly outlines how an organization tries to create an environment of belonging for people of minority or marginalized identities. The ‘party analogy’, popularized by diversity advocate Vernā Myers, describes diversity as being invited to the party and inclusion as being asked to dance. Equity, then, is being able to attend the party without any additional obstacles.

Start With Data Governance

An equity audit can help you to get a clearer picture of the present power disparities within your organization. Such an audit studies the fairness of your company’s policies, programs, and practices, and how they directly or indirectly impact your employees.

Preparation is essential when planning an equity audit. It is prudent to consult your legal department to determine who should be able to gather and access the information. You might consider talking to a specialist, such as a data governance consultant, to pre-empt any issues and to manage the confidentiality of the data and subsequent reports.

A solid data governance strategy and policy will also help you to gather crucial information. People generally feel more willing to volunteer information when the organization is transparent and clear on the purpose of its collection and use.

For example, many people may prefer not to self-identify with regards to their sexual orientation or disabilities due to fear of resulting bias. While they can choose not to disclose certain information, these people might feel more comfortable doing so after reading up on your data governance policy.

The organization’s position on data governance also reflects its values on the whole. The more respectful a company is of an individual’s data, the more respectful of the individual it appears to be. DE&I applies here as well, as a more diverse data governance council will be more attuned to equity issues that affect trust in the handling of personal data.

The Equity Audit

Before conducting your equity audit, identify the fields that you want to collect. The information should help break down your workforce into various categories, such as race, ethnicity, gender, disability, age, sexual orientation, sexual identity, religion, veteran status, and more.

Have a look at your hiring rates. Do hiring rates differ for people from different demographics? According to the US government’s Four-Fifths Rule, the selection rate for minority groups should not be less than four-fifths (or 80 percent) of majority groups. Adverse impact is defined when underrepresented groups are disproportionately eliminated in the hiring process.

Another key indicator of equity in your company is the rates of promotion for various demographics. Are men and women being promoted at the same rates? How about employees from the same gender but of different races? It is common for companies to try to boost diversity numbers by hiring junior-level employees from minority backgrounds. However, this does not necessarily translate to meaningful change.

Aside from internal mobility, there are other statistics of interest such as rates of compensation, access to and usage of benefits like paid leave, and turnover rates. When sorted by demographic group, this information will form a telling pattern about any inequity experienced by your employees.

Next, have a look at your senior management team and board members. DE&I should be reflected at the top levels of your organization. When people with decision-making powers come from diverse backgrounds, it is more likely that they will ensure more inclusive and equitable treatment of the rest of the staff.

Finally, create a list of the policies and practices of your organization. This could be anything from your company culture manifesto to performance evaluation guidelines and paid leave policies. These major practices that the company engages in may not be objective and could inadvertently affect disadvantaged employees.

Leverage the Data

With your company’s equity audit data in hand, you can create a viable plan to achieve DE&I goals. Start by benchmarking your organization against others in your industry and region. This will help you to compare your current situation and provide insights on any industry-wide issues.

Set achievable and progressive goals. Aiming to increase the percentage of women of color in your workforce from 2 percent to 20 percent within a year is an unrealistic goal. However, you can aim for 5 percent in the first year, and increase it to 10 percent the next. This keeps your organization invested in driving continuous change.

Present your plan in a simple and comprehensive fashion with clear targets. For instance, hiring managers do not need (and should not have) access to detailed data for the entire organization. They only need snapshots of current and target diversity statistics.

Show that you are truly committed to DE&I by being transparent during the entire process. By making your company’s goals public, you accept social accountability which is more likely to motivate you to achieve your aims. One way to do this is to empower employees to track DE&I milestones and share regular updates on the company HR blog.

Diverse workplaces are the engines that drive innovation and creative problem-solving. These are skills much needed in our current economic climate. By incorporating diversity, equity, and inclusion in your company culture, you can build a stronger company where all members of the team feel a sense of belonging and work towards a central purpose.

Submitted by Viki

Mental health is a subject that has been getting a lot of attention lately. It seems that we have finally begun getting rid of the stigma associated with mental illnesses and started realizing the importance of being emotionally healthy in leading a smooth productive life. In fact, it was only until the 19th century that mental illnesses began gaining recognition for what they truly are, as opposed to being regarded as problems of morality or sometimes even supernatural.

Being Mentally Healthy in the 21st Century

As society undergoes rapid advancements and imposes critical changes to our everyday life, it becomes necessary to maintain a certain level of flexibility. While it is easy for some to swiftly adjust their lifestyle, others will naturally face many difficulties which can inherently deteriorate their mental and physical well-being.

Mental complications can derive from a multitude of reasons which are sometimes inevitable environmental factors. This can include age, genetics, or even past trauma. Other times, they can arise from completely preventable circumstances. An increasingly alarming surge of mental unease is emerging in youngsters, particularly those whose upbringing took place in the era of the internet and social media. The widespread COVID-19 pandemic only further exacerbated this issue. Now, youngsters are being put under even more stress as they get trapped at home and E-Learning becomes the new default for school education.

In light of this,, it is crucially important to spread awareness about dealing with mental unease in both adults and adolescents alike. Symptoms of mental illness must not be ignored, whether by those experiencing them or those who believe someone they know might be. Due to their silent nature, these symptoms are harder to detect than those of physical illnesses which further increases the risk of them going unnoticed. This alone can lead to a new range of problems which can often be heavily destructive to one’s overall productivity, and sometimes even cause other physical complications.

The Impact of Mental Unease on Productivity and Well-Being

It goes without saying that mental peace lies at the root of a healthy and easygoing life. In certain circumstances, mental illness can completely cripple one’s life, seemingly making it impossible to complete even the simplest of tasks.

For those who suffer from them, conditions like chronic anxiety and depression are known to generate negative feelings of uselessness and self-loathing. These feelings then lead to less productivity which in turn produces negative feedback, throwing the person into a never-ending loop of overthinking and regret. The intensity of these symptoms differs greatly with every individual, and can sometimes even be enough to trigger drug addiction or thoughts about suicide.

To mitigate this, awareness must be spread about the topic of mental illnesses and the methods of dealing with them. It comes as no surprise when research reveals that a huge number of sufferers don’t even realize they require help until it is sometimes too late. Some even refuse to receive professional help as they believe it to be degrading or embarrassing. By spreading awareness about healthy practices, we can help in conquering the stigma associated with mental illnesses once and for all, and make society a more welcoming and healthier place for everyone.

How to Maintain a Healthy Mental State

Life is so busy these days that we sometimes get sucked into everyday activities and forget the importance of prioritizing our own well-being. Practicing good mental and physical habits can go a long way in promoting a healthier mind, leading to a smoother and more relaxed life. Certain lifestyle changes like better organization and careful future planning can also aid in regaining control over one’s life.

Being well-organized lies at the heart of mental sanity. Whether by planning your activities or even just keeping your house clean, a ton of unnecessary stress will be lifted off your chest, enabling a clearer mind. The extra free time that results from being well-organized can be invested in things you like to do, like taking a peaceful stroll through the park without having to worry about unfinished work.

In addition to planning, having a constant sense of security can also provide great peace of mind. It is always a good idea to look for sources of passive income, or even invest in a savings account in case things go bad. A good insurance plan can also prove itself helpful in times of need, and a good team of lawyers that has your back in the legal realm is often a good investment for peace of mind. All in all, having a good backup plan is never a bad idea.

Conclusion

Although mental illnesses have come a long way in being destigmatized, it still is not enough. Hopefully, as awareness and communication about this subject become more widespread, we can see it gain greater recognition. In the meantime, we should strive to act responsibly towards ourselves and others who might be victims of mental illness. In the end, all that we have is each other, and if we have each other’s backs, we will strive.