The most wonderful time of the year
Edition 79
Happy Sunday,
Most of us are starting to wind down 2022 and getting ready for a busy holiday with friends and family. It is after all time to refresh ourselves for all that 2023 will bring - the good, bad and the ugly.
But as I reflect back on the core of what has bound so many of us together this past year, even at the darkest of times it has been:
Listening to the women who inspire us to do better; Celebrating those that are breaking boundaries. And we kept lifting the women who are making massive strides who must be seen! I hope that spirit builds into an even stronger movement across the world in the new year.
But, before I start pontificating and get sentimental, I’ll stop. You’ll be deluged with that stuff through the holidays and leading up to the New Year.
Instead let’s focus on the fact that this is party season! The first proper one since Covid hit. And when you’re a bit rusty with the social scene it can get daunting. I’ve got you sorted!
Party cheat sheet!
Need conversation starters for this party season that don’t involve she said/he said Royals, or the stress inducing inflation, energy and food crisis moans or the inevitable groans about kids and in-laws?
I’ve got your back! From politics and money, to the weird and wonderful! You’ll never run out of holiday season banter with these stories:
Science
It turns out, scientists were wrong. Female snakes do have clitorises! Read the study at The Royal Society or Read the abridged story in Smithsonian Magazine
A Plane of Monkeys, a Pandemic, and a Botched Deal: Inside the Science Crisis You’ve Never Heard Of. Read more at Mother Jones
Feeling irritable, angry, weepy, emotional? It might be your contraception. So where can you get the lowdown? Read more at Wired
We women can now officially blame menopause and a drop in estrogen for being at a higher risk for Alzheimer! Read more at Science Daily
Tech
Life as a female chatbot. A person pretending to be a computer pretending to be a person. Read more at The Guardian
And just because I love a good champagne - What Makes a Champagne Vintage Great? Ask a Deep Learning Model. Read more at Wired.
How about a snapshot of sustainability and climate tech predictions for 2023? Read more at Forbes
The Arts
“The Scholar”: The Colorado woman who helped a global art smuggling operation flourish for decades. Read more at The Denver Post
A round up of every big story in the Art World in 2022. Listen to The Art Newspaper podcast
Politics
Brush up on everything you need to know heading into the new year to navigate the new nexus of geopolitical, social and business volatility with help of the brilliant mind of Tina Fordham. Her 2023 Global Political Outlook: Firewalking is out! And it is a must read report
The power of women campaigning and getting Iran booted out of the UN Commission on the status of women. Read more at UN News
South Korea’s abolished its gender ministry. Women are not taking it lying down! Read more at BBC
The ‘Brangelina of Brussels’, Qatargate and suitcases filled with cash. Read more at The Times
Business
OMG! You’re into impact investing too!? Read the Beginner's Guide to ESG at Marie Claire
If big businesses won’t be flexible, or inclusive or promote women to senior roles, it may be time to switch loyalties to mid-market businesses. Read the global Grant Thornton Women in Business 2022 Report
Trust, leadership and taking a break from technology with Frances Frei and Anne Morriss. Listen to the How I work podcast
The 4-day week, does it actually work? Read more at The Financial Times
Snippets of feel good
99 good news stories to keep that holiday spirit going! Read more at Future Crunch
And the Guardian has us all sorted for presents (if like me, you haven’t shopped yet!) with a great list of books! Read more at The Guardian
Innovators to boast about
2022’s Earthshot prizes for Air and Water were won by women. Ok, so it was a bit strange that the Prize ceremony in the U.S. was full of celebrities and not the winners - The 5 sets of women and men who know the ultimate cost of not changing the world!
But leave aside the rather problematic issue of not feting them in person - these real innovators now have $1 million each to accelerate the change they’ve already begun!
Clean our Air
Charlot Magayi grew up in Nairobi’s largest slum and sold charcoal to make ends meet for years. Making a choice between survival and respiratory illness may not have been a tough one, but in 2012, that changed. Her daughter was severely burnt by a charcoal stove, and so pivoted Charlot’s trajectory in life. In 2017 she founded Mukuru Clean Stoves. The firm uses processed biomass made from charcoal, wood and sugarcane.
The stats are where the magic is: the biomass used by Mukuru creates 90% less pollution than an open fire. It’s 70% less than a traditional cookstove. And critically her stoves only cost $10 and halve fuel costs for its users.
According to Earthshot Prize: 200,000 people in Kenya use Mukuru Clean Stoves, saving $10 million in fuel costs. The stoves are safer to use and liberates young girls from having to spend upwards of 3 hours a day collecting firewood. The firm isn’t just female founded, it also works with mostly female staff and distribution agents, thereby empowering women to make a living and make a difference.
Charlot’s aim - to create an even cleaner stove that burns ethanol. In 3 years, she hopes to reach a million customers. In 10 years, she plans to reach 10 million people across Africa.
Revive our Oceans
The Queensland Indigenous Women Rangers Network have been fighting to protect the Great Barrier Reefs in Australia since they were formed in 2018. The rangers are integral to protecting what we know is the world’s most extensive coral reef ecosystem. The GBR protects the Australian coastline but even more critically, it is crucial for the survival of marine species that swim in oceans across the world.
These indigenous rangers’ work brings together ancient knowledge with modern technology to monitor coral changes, forest fires and land degradation.
Per Earthshot: With only 20% of Australia’s indigenous rangers being women, the Queensland Indigenous Women Rangers Network have worked hard to build the next generation of women rangers. The generational knowledge they hold is invaluable. The programme has trained over 60 women, encouraging new conservation approaches by sharing knowledge and telling stories. Members of the network have gone on to find work as rangers in Queensland or in conservation elsewhere.
2022’s Young’uns to cheer
The European Charlemagne Prize Fellowship is an endowed 1-year programme of the prestigious European Charlemagne Prize Academy.
This year 2 of the 3 fellowships on offer were awarded to 2 young women who are looking to deep tech and space to give Europe a more resilient and sustainable future! If you can help their research, please do reach out!
Sabine Kerssens is a data analyst for start-ups at Techleap.nl
Sabine is going to spend her year trying to answer the question: 'How can the EU leverage the scientific knowledge through deep tech start-ups, to strengthen its position & achieve an equitable and resilient reset?'
Lisa Becker is a consultant at Control Risks Berlin.
Lisa is going to spend her year trying to answer the question: 'How can the EU leverage space to contribute to resilience, sustainability and security on its path to strategic sovereignty?
2023’s JOURNEY to change the world
It’s that time of the year again when I bring you a fabulous opportunity to make a difference with JOURNEY!
Are you a breakout woman leader? Do you know one? JOURNEY is looking for its second batch of 25 leaders. Application and nominations are now open for the new 2023 class of JOURNEY Fellows!
What is the appeal and what does it involve?
It is probably the most diverse fellowship in every way - with a unique mix of private sector innovators and builders who are tackling critical societal challenges.
The Fellowship is a year-long program that connects JOURNEY fellows with the world’s most accomplished leaders. You won’t find what JOURNEY does with champions and fellows in social media posts. You definitely won’t find JOURNEY’s conversations anywhere in the public domain. Those private moments, off record conversations and meets is what keeps our community thriving.
This isn’t just a year long relationship it is a lifelong community of support and how JOURNEY gets mission-driven women on the cusp of preeminent leadership to scale success and impact. Rome after all, wasn’t built in a day!
Need a better idea of the kind of leaders we want?
Check out the 2022 Fellows to get a better picture. And if you are curious about who supports their ambitions, check out JOURNEY Champions!
The ideal candidate?
A woman who shows proof of high achievement and need. The 2023 JOURNEY fellow is one who with proper support, can impact the world profoundly.
So, what are you waiting for?
Nominate the woman whom you think needs a powerful leg up to change the world.
If you think that woman, is YOU - don’t fall prey to imposter syndrome! Apply for yourself! Here’s the link again and — don’t overthink it. Trust me!
The Chief Brief will be back in mid-January.
Until then, i hope you rest, recuperate and gear up for all that 2023 will bring!
If you miss me in the meantime, just send me a message/email!