Member-only story
Companies, You Have to Walk the Talk All Year Long
Whatever you stand for, stand for it every single day
There’s a message circling the metaverse in response to Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I saw it no less than a dozen times on LinkedIn, responding to the countless, empty posts from businesses suddenly overcome by the teachings of MLK Jr. The post:
“May the MLK quote you post today align with the words & actions you choose over the next 364 days.”
This is not a new experience. We’re pummeled by rainbow flag logos each June. Brands never fail to remind us that February is Black History Month. Businesses adore Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders every May. And who could forget June 2, 2020, when little black squares flooded company Instagram feeds, apprising us how much Black lives matter — in case we forgot.
I refuse to believe that these companies don’t care for, respect, and support these communities. What trips up the general public — with more and more frequency — is how translucent these efforts have become.
In my nonprofit field, the same happens with annual fundraising events like luncheons, galas, and golf tournaments. We create giant, heavy lifts for one, singular day of engagement, then we forget…
