Variant Updates
Dear Variant Strategies Community,
I hope this message finds you well! We wanted to update you on some exciting developments at Variant Strategies and share important upcoming events!
Anthem Awards: Vote For Us!
We’re thrilled to announce that our "This is Freedom" campaign has been nominated for an Anthem Award in the Human & Civil Rights - Non-Profit Awareness Category! We need your support to make an impact. Please vote for us and check out the campaign if you haven’t already. To vote, simply follow the link, find "This is Freedom," and cast your vote. Thank you for being a part of our community!
Paris and UNESCO
In early September Abby spent a week in Paris meeting with Begoña Lasagabaster, Director, Gender Division at UNESCO and several of her colleagues from the Gender Division, Publications and Reporting and Education. There is enormous potential for collaboration, especially with respect to using video for education, enforcing international agreements and laws, closing the gender gap, and more.
Podcast Spotlight: Achieving the Impossible
Abby was recently featured on the Mission Matters Podcast, where she discussed her experiences and the mindset necessary for achieving the impossible. This episode offers valuable insights into her leadership journey and strategy.
LA Times Inspirational Women Nomination
It is with great pleasure that we announce Abby's recognition as a shortlisted nominee for the LA Times B2B Publishing Inspirational Women Forum and Leadership Awards. This prestigious honor acknowledges Abby’s remarkable achievements over the last two years.
The award ceremony will take place on November 14, 2024, at the InterContinental in Los Angeles.
ReProductive: Gender, Health and Impact
ReProductive is an initiative by Variant Strategies that emphasizes the importance of comprehensive reproductive health benefits in fostering workplace diversity and economic growth. It presents a compelling business case demonstrating that companies with gender diversity in leadership experience higher profitability; for example, studies show that female CEOs contribute to significant stock price increases and that diverse boards lead to more innovative and profitable businesses.
By offering inclusive reproductive health coverage, companies can attract and retain top talent, as many women prioritize such benefits alongside salary when choosing where to work. With access to reproductive healthcare, women are more likely to participate in the labor force and achieve better economic outcomes, reinforcing the idea that when women thrive, communities flourish. The initiative outlines certification requirements for companies that provide comprehensive reproductive health benefits, parental leave, and support for families and especially women, ultimately promoting a more equitable and prosperous business environment.
We are hard at work building this initiative.
Rianne Eisler and Creating a Caring Economy Animations
In collaboration with the Center for Partnership Studies, Variant Strategies is working to bring Riane Eisler’s transformative ideas on building a caring economy to life through five engaging short animations. Eisler, a leading author and social scientist, advocates shifting from domination-based systems toward a partnership model that prioritizes care, equity, and sustainability. To make these critical concepts more accessible, the project will create four concise videos addressing key topics: the Domination vs. Partnership mindset, actionable shifts toward partnership, Social Wealth Indicators vs. GDP, and sustainable policies for the future. An introductory animation will also share Eisler’s personal journey and the evolution of her theories. These videos aim to distill and promote her essential work, offering a compelling vision for a future economy that values well-being, social equity, and the environment.
Felony Murder Rule
We are currently collaborating with Boston University Law School’s Felony Murder Project, Zealous and MediaTank to produce a 5 minute animated video about the Felony Murder Rule. The Felony Murder Rule is a legal doctrine that allows individuals to be charged with murder if a death occurs during the commission of a felony, regardless of intent to kill. This rule holds all participants in the felony liable, even if they did not directly cause the death. Different jurisdictions may apply the rule with varying degrees and criteria, often sparking debates about its fairness and implications for justice. The story will be told by the loved one of someone charged with Felony Murder. It will conclude with an overview of what is being done to fight this horrible and unjust law and a call to action.
Warm regards,
Abby and Team
