These 7 phrases can help you sound more powerful at work

States across the country have used a wide variety of criteria to determine who gets the vaccine in what order, from age to zip code to profession. Vermont recently made the controversial decision to put all of its racial minorities ahead of any healthy white person under 50. While Vermont is the second whitest state, its minority population was suffering the same disproportionate number of COVID deaths as the rest of the country, and its governor and public health officials decided the most equitable way to fix it was to try to get as many members of those populations vaccinated as quickly as possible, by combining the new tier with local, community-led vaccination efforts. The move has proved controversial, unsurprisingly, drawing national attention. But the state’s Republican governor has remained a vocal defender of the policy, and public health officials tell us the plan is working. Should it become a model for other states as the vaccine rollout continues? Read more here. —Morgan Clendaniel   coronavirus Why Vermont made all minorities eligible for the vaccine before white people under 50 Civil rights groups facilitating the rollout think it’s not too late for Vermont—the only state to prioritize vaccines this way—to serve as a model to help increase the uptake of shots among minority communities nationwide.   impact Hundreds of big American brands are asking Biden to commit to cutting emissions 50% by 2030 Apple, Google, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Walmart, Nike, Levi Strauss, Salesforce, and more are trying to push the administration to set bolder emissions goals.   co.design The next big thing in design? No new design at all A new book argues that subtraction is a powerful tool, but we’ve become far too used to just adding more.

IF WE MAKE CHOICES BASED ON RACE, WE WANT TO HAVE A VERY COMPELLING REASON FOR DOING THAT. ” Tracy Dolan, DEPUTY HEALTH COMMISSIONER, Vermont’s Department of Health READ MORE

work life These 7 phrases can help you sound more powerful at work Three communication experts share the language swaps they recommend if you want to speak clearly and powerfully.   tech Amazon’s healthcare push is a threat—and an opportunity—for the industry The e-commerce giant recently announced a huge healthcare expansion. The rest of the industry will have to build more seamless, user-focused experiences to compete.   co.design A new $100 million fund aims to end homelessness. Building housing is only part of it The nonprofit organization Community Solutions is reconsidering the wisdom of focusing exclusively on newly built affordable housing.   co.design Why NFTs have such a massive carbon footprint With the growing demand for digital art, NFT buyers and sellers are becoming liable for an increasing share of Ethereum’s total energy use, and some artists are starting to think twice.   tech TikTok is a thriving learning community—and may be the future of education The social media app has become an unlikely hub for teachers and students. The reasons for its success illuminate the trends driving the future of learning, writes an education startup founder.   impact This zero-waste body wash comes in packaging that dissolves in your shower Get in the shower with a packet of body wash, come out with nothing.   recommender Cariuma’s new slip-on shoes are sustainable, stylish, and summer-ready The latest launch from the Brazilian footwear brand is an ultra-low-carbon sneaker made from sugarcane and bamboo.     recommender This startup ships one of Eastern Europe’s most delicious comfort foods right to your door Founded by an Albanian pastry chef, Balkan Bites offers frozen burek pies that are flaky, savory, and the perfect meal.   NEWS Grab it and go public: What you need to know  Grab, the Singapore-based ride-hailing giant and food delivery company, is gearing up to go public with a New York listing this year.  The company announced a SPAC deal today in partnership with Altimeter Growth Corporation.  Grab says it will trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “GRAB” in “the coming months.” No listing date has been announced.  When Grab lists, it is expected to be the largest-ever U.S. equity offering by a Southeast Asian company, with an expected total equity value of $39.6 billion.     FREE SPONSORED E-BOOK OF THE DAY 105 Ways To Stay Calm, Carry On and De-Stress Your Day Click here to download your free e-book.       Support strength in journalism Join Fast Company Premium for $1   You can update your details here. If you don’t want to receive Compass anymore, unsubscribe here If you were forwarded Compass and like it, subscribe here View this newsletter online 7 World Trade Center, 29th Floor, New York, NY 10007-2195