There’s a thin line between toxic positivity and optimism – I consider myself an optimist. As a communications professional and podcaster in the progressive space, those of us in the industry actively use positively-framed language when discussing issues we want to advance. It helps unify efforts and allows people to truly envision the future we’re creating.
But last week in a session at my yoga studio with yogi and healer Dana A. Smith, she called me out – not for how I frame issues, but for how I frame my self-talk!
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I proudly shared a mantra I’d been repeating to myself when challenged: “I can do hard things!” She asked me to consider a more positive-framed mantra like, “I can do all things with ease.”
I smiled, instantly recognizing the flip. Reframing my words CAN change my outlook AND output.
This moment reinforced the power of words and the weight they carry. In today’s chaotic times, words carry MORE weight – making it crucial to choose them intentionally.
Just as some of you have noticed, corporate DEI departments, organizations, and banks are quietly scrubbing the words ‘diversity,’ 'equity,' and ‘inclusion’ from their websites. They are replacing them with more neutral language in a re-branding of their corporate cultures to align with the current Administration.
Words aren’t window-dressing and have real impact.
Dana’s next question reminded me how we can use words to create a positive impact and reclaim a positive mindset, no matter what’s happening around us. {Watch this video}
What mantra is keeping you inspired these days?
Non-Profit Spotlight: DIFFvelopment’s 2024 Annual Report is Here!
I’m an advisor for Black-led non-profit, DIFFvelopment, whose mission is to empower the global Black community through historically centered re-education that inspires Black visionaries to develop their world differently through entrepreneurship and financial education.
2024 was a year of transformation and growth, so I invite you to read their annual report and learn how they’re expanding their global impact.
In 1940, my grandfather, Magistrate Jonah Francis Nalima Kulubya, stood before a British official, waiting for approval of his Uganda Protectorate Driving Permit—an act that was about far more than just driving. For Africans, such permits were not just bureaucratic hurdles; they were tests of presence, permission, and power.
Decades later, his defiance took the form of a bold yellow Toyota Cressida—an unmistakable statement on the streets of Kampala. More than a car, it was a moving monument, carving through history with the same quiet triumph that earned him that permit. Some build empires. Some drive them.
What can those of us who believe in the possibility of the American Dream for all of us do to make our country more diverse, equitable and inclusive (DEI)? Since 2021, 300+ anti-DEI bills have been introduced or passed across 25+ states as part of a multi-pronged anti-DEI campaign attempting to roll back generations of collective work to make the U.S. more equitable and inclusive.
At the upcoming SXSW, CapEQ will join a panel to discuss what is at stake in the state policy and legal landscape and explore the opportunities to defend and deliver the American Dream.
Panel Name: Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the State-Level in 2025
Quote I’m still thinking about: “I tell my students, ‘When you get these jobs that you have been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else. If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.” ~ Toni Morrison
Mpact Musings is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
