Bankole Thompson Published 11:00 p.m. ET Sept. 18, 2019

In the midst of a federal corruption probe that has lead to multiple convictions, UAW leadership casts its nationwide strike against General Motors as a way of seeking economic justice for its members.

We stood up for General Motors when they needed us most. Now we are standing together in unity and solidarity for our members, their families and the communities where we work and live, said UAW Vice President Terry Dittes.

UAW Vice President Terry Dittes(Photo: Max Ortiz, The Detroit News, File)

That narrative would stand if you believed in the self-righteousness of a leadershipfacing scrutiny over its financial integrity and allegations that it used membership dues for personal gain.

It is difficult to accept the demonstration against GM as a righteous quest to secure the financial interests of its workers. It has already idled some plants and could prove costly for UAW members.

Dennis Johnson pickets outside the General Motors Plant in Arlington, Texas, Monday, Sept. 16, 2019. More than 49,000 members of the United Auto Workers walked off General Motors factory floors or set up picket lines as contract talks with the company deteriorated into a strike.(Photo: LM Otero, AP)

If UAW leadershipwas really that concerned about protecting benefits for its rank and file, there would have beenno indictments, noconvictions.

Standing in solidarity with the members of the UAW during their strike means condemning the lavishlifestyles of the greedy leadership.

The UAW has long castigated corporate America for exploiting workers and accused CEOs of extravagant living at the expense of those who make the products their companies sell. But the federal probe reveals that the unions own leadership livedthe same way as the corporate fat cats they call out during their bullhorn protests.

Exploitation of workers for little or no benefit anywhere should be condemned in the strongest terms. But when the actions of those who are demanding equity and fairness in the workplace are no different than the business elites they routinely accuse of being insensitive to the needs of workers, we need to call out their hypocrisy and contradictions.

What is remarkable is that the UAW leadership receivedlittle attention from Democratic powerbrokers in the state during the string of indictments and convictions thatplayed outin federal court. Hardly any prominent Democrat went on the record to denounce the corruption tales that readlike Shakespearean drama.

But those same powerbrokers were quick to endorse the strike. It makes political sense to do so, but failure to register public disapproval of unionleaders'poor financial stewardshipis not in the long-term interest of labor.

Labor has often gone off the rails, especially the UAW.

Harry Belafonte, the legendary entertainer and activist, who was a confidant of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., sought to drive home that point during a 2006 National Black Peoples Unity Convention I attended in Gary, Indiana.

Belafonte bemoaned the state of the working poor, and scolded labor for being complacent and how it has forgotten its mission to protect its members before conference attendees, who were returning to Gary after the first 1972 gathering designed to map out a national strategy for black political empowerment and increase black elected leadership.

Detroit is referred to as the home of organized labor because of the unique role that unions have played in this town and during the Civil Rights Movement.

But that does not inoculate the UAW from criticism when it reaches the point of being too big to fail, while its members wallow in economic misery. Their noble history should not deter us from demanding accountability of its leadership as corruption reports show their members are being taken advantage of.

With thousands of workers on strike this week, the UAW cannot preach populism on the streets while endorsing graft and patronage inside the corridors of power at UAW Solidarity House.

After all, the arrogance of power breeds corruption.

bankole@bankolethompson.com

Twitter: @BankoleDetNews

Catch Redline with Bankole Thompson, which is broadcast at 11:00 a.m. weekdays on Superstation 910AM.

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Bankole: Condemn hypocrisy in UAW ranks - The Detroit News

The world of corporate travel is dynamic, and poised for continuous growth and expansion.

More people are venturing around the world in pursuit of not only personal development, but professional too, viewing travel as a vehicle for self-empowerment, career advancement and business success.

In fact, WorldBank suggests that international travel departures have more than doubled in the last decade, from roughly 600 million to 1.3 billion.

Despite the rise in digital tools that allow for easy, global communication, the value of face-to-face meetings is still holding true. In-person meetings help to grow and foster professional relationships and ultimately help to grow businesses. However, this has also added increased pressure on procurement professionals. To relieve some of the burden and support them in their roles, those responsible for corporate travel are turning to technology.

Aside from the benefits that implementing technologies such as AI, chatbots and the Internet of Things (IoT) can bring to the corporate travel industry, as with many industries, there is still the need for a balance between technology and the human touch.

AI is firmly leaving its mark on a wide range of industries, and corporate travel is no exception. Now embedded in nearly every part of the travel process, from booking to the trip itself, AI and machine learning technologies can support travellers in organising their trip, seamlessly recommending preferred flights, accommodation and services based on their location.

With masses of data now available to us, AI is being used to process much of it seamlessly and provide insights to the user. For instance, if a traveller is on a flight thats been delayed, meaning they will miss their connecting flight, AI can take control of the situation. While the traveller is in mid-air, AI can be used to automate the handling of a flight delay by accurately predicting what alternative flight the traveler would choose. Once landed, theyll receive an alert updating them on the situation, relieving them of all the stress and pressure that comes from disrupted travel.

Above all, AI has the power to make the whole process more personalised and tailor offerings to each individual traveller. For instance, when booking travel, the most used flights and hotels are often front and centre and visibility into logistics is enhanced. This means whole trips can be booked in minutes, as opposed to hours. AI also helps support agents to sort problems more efficiently as their insights are more personalised. This means there is considerably less back and forth when adjusting bookings as the travellers preferences will already be noted, helping to foster the relationship between the traveller and booking platform.

Chatbots have undoubtedly revolutionised the corporate travel industry. As technology made its way into all aspects of our everyday lives and as consumers became more demanding, travel companies met the demands of the new-age traveller by adopting technologies such as digital assistants. Their popularity is only set to grow, as according to Salesforce, the use of chatbots in travel, transportation and hospitality is expected to increase 241% by mid-2020.

In the travel industry, chatbots have the potential to deliver a user-friendly, consistent and intuitive solution that can make travelling more efficient. For instance, when it comes to booking travel, chatbots are able to respond to basic queries almost instantaneously, and passing off scenarios that require human intervention In this way, they are complementing the human touch, not replacing it, freeing up humans from lower value, easily automated tasks, for higher value interactions with travellers.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is changing the way we send and receive information, and the way we conduct our personal and professional lives. As consumers and professionals we are demanding end-to-end experiences where processes are simplified, making our busy, overworked lives easier. When it comes to corporate travel, IoT has huge potential, with companies at every stage of the travel experience investing in IoT technologies. For instance, in hotels the check-in process can be simplified, with hotels sending electronic key cards to guests phones. Once used, the traveller is checked in, skipping the check in queue at the front desk. Even in airports, sensors can send information to a travellers phone, alerting them where their baggage is once theyve reached the baggage hall.

With the ability to link together the fragmented pieces of the corporate travel experience, from booking the trip to real-time customer service, IoT promises to improve traveller comfort, safety and experience.

Despite the abundance of positives technology has brought to the world of corporate travel, the demand for a return to humanity has been a growing theme among business travellers. They are beginning to tire of robotic customer service operators and longing for a human connection. Even those travellers, dubbed the early adopters, avid and demanding travellers who are most likely to engage with the latest technology, likely still want help from a person when a serious issue arises.

In fact, TripActions recent Business Travel Report revealed that 70% of travellers have felt like they had to fend for themselves when something went wrong while travelling. Even if an hour away from home or the other side of the world, when a problem arises, its reassuring to know that someone a real, live human is there for you should you need them. Where a chabot lacks the ability to take control of a situation. For instance, a person can call an airline or hotel with a query about a booking, whereas a chabot can convey the message that this has been done.

The benefits that technology brings the corporate travel industry are undeniable, but the organisations retaining the most satisfied customers are the ones that know when its ok to provide automation and when to provide help from a real-life human being. Theres a fine line between balancing the two, but when it comes to corporate travel, one shouldnt exist without the other.

Ilan Twig is CTO at TripActions. We believe being there in person is powerful. It enables employees to build relationships, close deals and drive growth. Fast becoming the default for corporate travel, TripActions is the modern business travel platform that combines the latest AI-driven technologies with unrivalled inventory choice and global 247 365 live human support to delight employees, finance leaders and travel managers alikeall while empowering organizations to seize travel as a strategic lever for growth.

Featured image: Miki Studio

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Corporate travel: Striking the balance between tech and the human touch - TechNative

By MUSTAFA YOUSIF More by this Author

The National Assemblys committee on ICT is set to collect views nationwide on the Data Protection Bill in a bid to achieve the wide public participation missed in others, like the Huduma Namba Bill.

Data is the new oil. The oilfields are not in the earth, but in the data collected through everyday activities, such as using a mobile phone or applying for a drivers licence.

Data protection will, hence, be the biggest issue in the next decade. It therefore requires a strong institutional framework to ensure a functioning data economy.

The institution has to be independent and fully empowered to enforce the law.

Given the governments ambition to collect copious amounts of very sensitive data, such as during the Huduma Namba registration and the national population census, there is a horde of sensitive personal information that sits in the hands of state agencies.

Private companies and political parties similarly hold such data. Sadly, they have shared this data with third parties without the consent of the subjects.

Yes, we have independent commissions, but most lack enforcement powers, reducing them to mediating and reporting progress rather than the more robust role of holding stakeholders accountable.

In Estonia, the government holds the agency overseeing the biometric identity system in high regard and the law creates a data protection inspectorate, similar to our Data Protection Commission.

The inspectorate has powers to warn controllers and processors where their operations are likely to infringe on data protection and order rectification, erasure and termination of processing of personal data, including destruction or archiving.

The body also has powers to prevent damage to rights and freedoms that protect personal data, implement restrictions on processing of personal data and fine data processors and controllers contravening the law.

That would empower our commission to conduct such duties and be easily accessible even to those not tech-savvy.

However, our draft law envisions, under Clause 33(1)(d), to only receive and investigate complaints on infringement of peoples rights.

This limits it to a reporting body in case of violation by the State to which, ironically, it reports. So how would it play its role?

Instead of mere reporting roles, the agency should be similar to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

The EACC has a prosecution department that investigates and prosecutes corruption cases, which is complemented by the Judiciarys specialised High Court Anti-Corruption Division and Anti-Corruption Magistrates Court.

Data has become central to our lives and, with the rise in data breaches, cases of related litigation will increase. As the bill is implemented, the Chief Justice should create cyber, data and adjudication divisions.

Since the commission would be in charge of prosecution of data crime cases with the aid of the Director of Public Prosecution, it should train a special team of police officers on handling cyber and data evidences and investigations.

We need a fully functioning data protection system with a good policy that is actualised.

Mr Yousif is a senior programme and advocacy officer, citizenship at Namati, a human rights NGO. [emailprotected] @MustafaM_KE

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Make data commission fully functional - Daily Nation

Rajesh Gupta, Founder, Cash Suvidha

The online lender for business and personal loans, Cash Suvidha, is planning to raise $5 million -$10 million equity funds in the next six months.

Founded in 2016, Cash Suvidha is the trade name under which NBFC Usha Financial Services extends business loans to SMEs and MSMEs and personal loans to individuals particularly in Delhi NCR, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Rajasthan. It also deals with women empowerment on a micro level.

The New Delhi-NCR based company had raised about $1 million in March 2018 to expand its loan disbursal capabilities to the entrepreneurs and individuals. The new funding will help the company expand its operations, increase its loan books and to further strengthen its technological infrastructure, the company said in a statement. The company has also raised a total of $10.5 million in debt funding so far.

Rajesh Gupta, founder of Cash Suvidha said, We are one of the fastest-growing NBFC and FinTech companies. Within a short time, we have tied up with over 25 players to expand business across India and are targeting a 4x increase in terms of growth this year. This capital infusion would help us in widening our horizon and in extending our best alternative lending services across geographies.

Cash Suvidha works towards ensuring the availability of credit for MSMEs that either do not have access to credit or are capital deficient currently. The company is known for its quick digital processing, easy lending services and disbursing loans within three working days.

The company uses technology to determine the best leads for credit and match them with the perfect kind of product. Since its inception, the company has disbursed loans to over 49,000 SMEs and MSMEs. Its average loan ticket size is INR 15,000- INR 500,000.

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Online lender Cash Suvidha is planning to raise $5 million -$10 - IBS Intelligence

Karen Bailey welds for a metal fabricator. It's honest work with decent pay, but the 55-year-old Akron grandmother is tired of throwing her money away on rent every month.

Raised in East Cleveland, Bailey struggled financially without a lot of family help. After the first of her seven children was born, she dropped out of high school and took a series of factory jobs. She lost a couple jobs, she recalled, when she brought a child to work after she could not find or afford a sitter or daycare.

The children have since graduated college or picked up a trade like their mother did. One has a commercial driver's license. Another is a public accountant. Finally able to focus on herself, Bailey decided last June to seek that long-sought financial advice at a recently shuttered Huntington Bank on Kenmore Boulevard. The branch location had just reopened as the Akron Financial Empowerment Center.

There, she thought, she would get the financial help and attention she missed growing up.

I want to buy my own house, she said, having lifted her credit score to a respectable 620 after a year of pulling her credit report, learning how to read it and then pulling it again, over and over. I am going to buy my own house.

Bailey checks her 401k each month. She pays her bills on time and always makes more than the minimum payment. She understands how the big three credit reporting agencies monitor different aspects of her borrowing. And she watches her FICO score like a hawk.

Hooey, she said. Its going to go up higher. I can do some things at my age.

Bailey, now attending home-buying and credit-building classes at East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation, is a first-year success story in a effort to empower local residents with financial skills that could reap dividends for them, their children and the entire community.

With five offices operating throughout Greater Akron and two more opening next month at Robinson and Helen Arnold Community Learning Centers, Akrons Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) program has so far helped 708 clients budget their money and bank accounts by understanding how to manage debt and access safe credit. To meet more clients, the center prepared 2,400 income tax returns in the past year at no charge.

According to figures released by FEC, the first 708 clients have collectively saved $258,563 and reduced their debt $289,384. The program is free and open to anyone in Summit County, regardless of income.

The operation is run by Angela Lowery, whose background is in nonprofit management, under the auspices of the United Way of Summit County in collaboration with the city, county and dozens of partners from low-income housing providers, community support organizations, libraries and employers that refer or help clients.

At 37 percent white with a median household income of $25,000, the first-year clients are skewing minority and low-income. This is the population civic and business leaders hope to uplift with economic equity plans like Elevate Akron.

Nearly two-thirds of clients enroll with no savings. About one in seven lacks a bank account. Many live in neighborhoods that lack banks with low or no fees, which the FEC is delivering to clients through partnerships with financial institutions in the Bank On program.

On Thursday, a staff member at the Kenmore location copied a 0% loan application from a program partner that helps borrowers with bad credit. A woman took some advice then grabbed the application and raced out to get to another bank before it closed.

Moments later, an older man in a button-up dress shirt and slacks walked in from the heat. An ad for the program arrived in his water bill. Everyone got the marketing ad, which the city pushed on social media.

Im overwhelmed in debt, said the man, who sat in the waiting room, too proud to give his name to a reporter asking about his personal finances.

For some, its not about servicing debt. Its dealing with collections, said Lowery. People accustomed to dodging debt collectors distrust banks, which can make them even more vulnerable to predatory lending.

Sometimes people bring envelopes (from debt collectors) that they have just not opened, because they have such a fear of these things, said Lowery. Just having [a financial coach] open it with you, sort it out with you, explain what it is, help you come up with a plan that can be such a huge relief.

The FEC comes at no cost for taxpayers or clients. It was launched on grants of $20,000 from Bloomberg Philanthropies and $250,000 from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. That money runs out in 2020, after which the United Way, which has contributed $300,000, has agreed to sustain the program.

Most people need to know about this program, said Rufus Willis, who is getting help from FEC.

He said "there are so many of us out there" who, for a variety of reasons, don't have access to financial services.

Willis said he grew up in Chicago, making a living the wrong way with money coming in one hand and out the other. He doesnt recall financial life lessons at school or home.

Whatever you want, it takes money to get it. That's what he remembers. They dont tell you nothing about credit or anything else, he said.

Willis moved to Akron and started a carpentry business in 1990. He made good money, he said, until a lung disease diagnosis in 2012 ended his hammer-swinging days.

He now drags an oxygen tank and lives on Social Security disability benefits and a few thousand dollars he's saved. His girlfriend, who worked 30 years in a local pie factory, played her financial cards right. She just bought a house in East Akron for $40,000.

Willis didnt even think about co-signing for the loan. Applicants who try to get homes with his 540 credit score face high interest rates, hefty down payments or flat-out rejection.

He's at the FEC learning the value of creditworthiness. The center helped him get a secured credit card through KeyBank. He draws down his deposit and replenishes the account monthly to show the big boys at national credit agencies that he can be trusted with a loan.

That makes all the difference in the world, said Rufus, whos looking forward to the day he can buy his grandkids something nice from a magazine without paying too much on interest. Thats what credit is all about.

Reach Doug Livingston at dlivingston@thebeaconjournal.com or 330-996-3792.

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Residents cash in on free financial counseling - Akron Beacon Journal

Hearts and Bones stars Andrew Luri, Bolude Watson, director Ben Lawrence and star Hugo Weaving.

For director Ben Lawrence, the reaction to his feature debut Hearts and Bones at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) was both emotional and overwhelming.

Lawrence reports the standing ovations at every screening and the outpouring of praise for the cast, particularly for South Sudanese immigrant Andrew Luri in his acting debut, made a huge impact.

Of the films Canadian reception, Liane Cunje, TIFF Discovery and International programming associate said: Ive run the gamut of audiences reactions here at TIFF for films we programme from around the world, and Ive never witnessed such an emotional celebration after a screening as the one I saw after Hearts and Bones.

The film, which made its world premiere in competition at the Sydney Film Festival in June, screened as part of the TIFF Discovery program, which highlights outstanding feature debuts globally. It was one of only four international premieres in this category.

Overall, the Canadian festival was a strong showcase for Australia, with five other local projects also on the line-up: Justin Kurzels True History of the Kelly Gang, Unjoo Moons I Am Woman, Daniel Gordons The Australian Dream, Gregor Jordans Dirt Music and Blackfella Films series Total Control, directed by Rachel Perkins. It was a diverse slate, covering the personal impact of inherited trauma, the political and social toll of toxic masculinity, and female empowerment and racial parity all with a unique Australian twist.

TIFF, as well as being one of the worlds premiere film festivals is also a bellwether for the North American market and it was fantastic to have six very diverse and distinctively Australian titles selected to screen this year, Screen Australia CEO Graeme Mason tells IF.

Black B*tch, known here as Total Control, was the first Australian television series to be selected for the festival, and it was incredible to be in the room and witness the audience reaction.

Mason reported that the Total Control premiere screening, which featured a Q&A with cast and producers, garnered a powerful and emotional reception with members of the audience crying.

He was also impressed with the international impact of The Australian Dream. It is a uniquely Australian story and to see international audiences respond the way they did was very moving, it gave me goose bumps.

Two historical biopics, the trailblazing feminist rise of Helen Reddy in Unjoo Moons I Am Woman and Justin Kurzels anarchic True History of the Kelly Gang, were embraced by critics and audiences alike.

The public screenings for Unjoo Moons I Am Woman were huge hits. It is such a feel good film and Tilda Cobham-Hervey gives a career defining performance as Helen Reddy. True History of the Kelly Gang received rave reviews.

Mason adds that Ben Lawrences moving refugee story Hearts and Bones continued to impress international audiences following its Australian premiere and Dirt Music put Western Australias dramatic landscapes on show in this iconic book adaptation.

Written by Lawrence with Beatrix Christian, Hearts and Bones follows a war photographer (Hugo Weaving) and a refugee (Luri), who discover a photograph that threatens to destroy them both.

Produced by Matt Reeder, the film was made on a $2 million budget and received funding support from Screen Australia and Create NSW, who were attracted to the authentic portrayal of cultural diversity.

It wasnt conscious that I wanted to portray diversity, but this story was important as it was not being told, Lawrence says.

Lawrence wanted to cast authentically and found Luri, a 58-year-old bus driver who turned up to an open casting.

He completely gave himself to the process and to the nuance of the character. He has fled South Sudan twice and this story resonated to him personally on multiple levels which contributed a whole lot of gravity to his performance and he did an amazing job.

Coming from a documentary background, telling the untold story is in Lawrences DNA, as is exploring the effects of trauma on the psyche. Hearts and Bones is his first move from documentary to drama but plays in the same thematic territory. For Lawrence its a progression of the many of the issues he has worked with in the non-scripted world.

The director started his screen career creating testimonial-styled campaigns as a commercial director at Exit Films. In 2016 he co-directed the ABCs Man Up documentary which focused on Australian mens mental health and suicide and more recently worked on the ABCs Exposed: The Case of Keli Lane. His 2018 debut feature length documentary Ghosthunter, supported by Good Pitch, was a multi-layered meditation on abuse and the generational damage of male toxicity.

Hearts and Bones is essentially about two men Daniel Fisher (Weaving) and Sebastian Ahmed (Luri) and their relationship to the other. One has a horrific experience that he is trying to out run and one has problems facing his future. It is in the dynamic of how they help each other story comes about, Lawrence explains.

While Hearts and Bones covers very distinct Australian multicultural terrain, Lawrence says he set out to make a universal story that resonated across borders and straight into personal experience. I wanted to create a story that showed our connection to the rest of the world but at the same time could take place in any part of the world.

A core part of the universality of Hearts and Bones is centred around the use of music, inspired by a story Lawrence was working on for Amnesty International on a Bosnian refugee choir that met every week to heal themselves through song.

The choir in Hearts and Bones provides that same refugee solace in a suburban hall in Western Sydney. It is a central part of the film and works to not only provide community but to shake up pre-conceived ideas of culture.

Lawrences aim is that by providing this vision of a community, the film will help to disarm fear-based control, and change the way the other is treated in our society and the way we communicate with each other.

From my work on ABCs Man Up and exploring the issues around the abnormally high Australian male suicide rate to the generational effects of childhood abuse, I wanted to explore trauma and how to deal with it. In writing Hearts and Bones the issues of war trauma and domestic violence all fed into the story along with the lack of ability of men in handling it.

Hearts and Bones will open theatrically in Australia via Madman Entertainment. Visit Films is handling international sales.

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'Hearts and Bones' creates an emotional stir at TIFF - Inside Film

Personally, I am over the top excited that we are on the cusp of turning the page on not only a new year but also on a new 10-year window of opportunities and possibilities!

You may be thinking, whoaI am just embracing the fall seasonyikes it is tough to think about a new decade!

Yet it is this groundwork, this forward thought that you put in place TODAY that will propel you and lead you into greatness in 2020 and beyond. Designing a new decade rests in your ability to vision, in your willingness to be curious, in your awareness of where you are now and what you most want to curate. Essentially, curating what's next is about tapping into today with confidence, conviction, and decision. Leading YOU starts now. This is your new next. It is your choice.

Sometimes to get to that 'next', you need to take a step back to reflect. Please pardon my asking you to spend time in yesterday. Those who know me personally, know that I created and continue to grow my business based on enabling the present moment as a springboard for living your legacy. So, indulge me here! True, I am asking you to peek into the past, yet it is only in order for you to bring the essence of that past forward into this moment called NOW.

What worked? What were my successes?

Make a list of your achievements big and small. Don't type them, but rather use ink and paper and sit with and savor them. Move your thoughts and your successes from your head, to your heart, to your pen, to the paper. Remember that on the flip side of goals not attained and New Year's resolutions abandoned, there was more than likely some traction and action that moved you forward, even if the end result was not what you expected. Once you have a full list of a decade's worth of personal and professional accomplishments, think about how this makes you feel. Do you remember celebrating all of them? My guess is no. So, celebrate them now. Give them new life by validating them. Circle the successes that resonate with you most right now. Where can you lean into those accomplishments as you power into the decade ahead?

If it were 10 years ago and nothing were standing in your way, no fear or excuses to contend withwhat would you do?

Don't overthink it. The brilliance of this question is that it refocuses purpose. Whatever first came to mind when you answered this for yourself is at its core a powerful insight into defining and redefining the FUTURE decade. Bring your answer into the light of today and what small piece of it is actionable NOW? Where is this resonating and aligning with a 2019 version of yourself?

Then, based on your success list and your answer to the above question, what is your 2020 vision for your business and for the business of YOU?

Designing a new decade begins as a collection of 3,650 opportunities. 3,650 blank slates of new days ahead in which to pivot and propel yourself forward. Every single one of those days is a window into your legacy. An invitation to be, create, explore, and chip away at this thing we call life. One 24-hour segment at a time.

While you have a decade ahead to work on design improvements, you have the ability to begin manifesting this project of YOU Version 2020 right NOW. Based on exploring the exercises in this post, begin executing your vision. Ask questions. Be present. Let go of 2019 and the past 10 years so that you can embrace the next 10. Position acceptance and self-trust at the forefront of how you lead you. One choice at a time.

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Miss USA Cheslie Kryst and Eboni K Williams Get Real On Race, Success, and Empowerment - SWAAY

This article is about Whole Foods, and its decision to stop offering health insurance to 1,900 part-time workers as of January 1.

But first, a public service message: If you ever know parents whoadopta child, but who run into trouble adding their child to their health insurance, tell them there's a federal lawthey need to learn quickly: 29 U.S. Code1169(c)(1), which was part of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993.

I learned about this law a few years ago, when my wife and I adopted our daughter, and our health benefits administrator simply refusedto add her to our policy. It was a rough ordeal -- hours and hours on the phone, running up medical bills in the meantime, and being distracted during time I wanted to spend with my family.

Ultimately, we won, after Iwrote some stern letters and threatened a lawsuit. The company evenapologized and promised to change how they train their employees. I'm telling about it now for other parents' benefit, of course, but also because it's probably my biggest Health Insurance Nightmare Story.

Many of us have one.And that shared experience is why the Whole Foods decision could come back to haunt it.

Today vs. last month

Whole Foods' decision was first reported by Business Insider last week. Comparethe company'srecruitment website today to an archived version from August:

Why do it? One report says this will likely save Whole Foods $19 million a year. That happens to be roughly what Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos reportedly makes in a little under five hours.

Actually the savings might be less, because Whole Foods told me in an emailed statement, it expects some affected workers to shift to full-time:

"Impacted Team Members in good standing have the opportunity to move into one of the thousands of full-time roles, where they will be eligible for the same Whole Foods Market healthcare plan at a more affordable rate.

The majority of Team Members only need to work an additional 5 hours per week to qualify for healthcare-eligible positions."

But picking up more hours means paying for childcare for some employees. One Whole Foods worker quoted byBusiness Insidersaid she was "in shock" after learning the news, adding:"I've worked here 15 years. This is why I keep the job -- because of my benefits."

Culture and perception

This might make some kind of sense as a financial decision. But as a culture and perception issue, it seems crazy.

Whole Foods has a great reputation for customer service. That's part of why it was worth $13.7 billion when Amazon acquired it in 2017. The way they've treated their employees historically was part of what made it all work.

I've shopped there forever, and the employees are a big reason why.But as we've seen so often -- heck, I even talked about it yesterday -- the hardest thing to build in any organization is culture. A close second might be the perception of culture.

Start chipping away at the pieces for short-term gain, and it can fall apart quickly.

Target du jour

Health care and how we pay for it is one of the most relevant, relatable and volatile political issues in this country today.

Besides, can you think of a company a clientele more urban andliberal than Whole Foods?

Heck, Whole Foods just managed to becomethe target du jour of politicians like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Bernie Sanders, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. It just seems like this decision could totally alienate some of its most loyalcustomers.

So, from the outside: If you truly need to cut costs, Whole Foods, I'd look somewhere else.

We all have our stories. I've been waiting for the chance to tell that one.

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

Read more:
Whole Foods Just Announced a Surprising Change That Left an Employee 'In Shock' and Could Totally Alienate Their Most Loyal Customers - Inc.

As anyone with a parent in senior living knows, the intake process is substantial. So much is shared and so much is learned.

Adams stroke affects his right side. Mary uses a walker and a wheelchair, depending on the day. Luke is allergic to garlic.

Those are the basics. But what about who they were out in the world and who they want to be now? Often, enthusiastic caregivers learn every detail, but where does this information go? Without a comprehensive digital system, these intimate details often are lost during staff turnover, and the difference that could be made to the consumer is lost along with them.

Just like hotels collect data on their guests to better serve them, its time for senior living to use the latest in data-sharing, not only for operational efficiency but also to better serve residents.

Collecting pertinent data about incoming senior residents is a key part of many recruitment and enrollment systems within the senior living industry. Although some businesses are struggling with integrating new technology into existing legacy systems, others have invested in updated systems over time. The issue is that most of these systems were designed to focus on recruitment and enrollment, not ongoing management of the needs and preferences of residents.

There now exists a sizable opportunity to extend, append, replace or introduce new data collection systems to tailor the experience for each resident and doing so is, for many reasons, becoming increasingly critical to the highly competitive process of attracting new residents. Overall advancements in technology have heightened the demand for personalization: From the purchases we make and the news we consume to how we do our banking, weve become accustomed to tailored service. Adult children, used to apps and messaging as efficient communication methods, have raised the expectation that technology is the preferred way to communicate. Seniors themselves are tech savvier; according to AARP, more than 90% Americans aged 50+ own a computer or laptop, 70% own a smartphone and over 40% own a tablet.

Left on the cutting room floor (so to speak) of most senior living businesses are the data that can be just as pertinent to an older adults overall wellbeing as food preferences or physical therapy needs: What are the interactions between the staff members and residents? Are there shared points of view between residents that need to be addressed? What entertainment or socialization services are being used most frequently, and to what outcome?

The opportunity exists to collect these data over days, weeks or even months and create a more accurate view both of the residents themselves, and the operations of the facility. The continuity and shared knowledge that this data collection will garner overtime could be invaluable and would not be affected (or lost forever) by staff turnover.

In addition, data can be used to consistently increase happiness and satisfaction among residents. From personalized calendars that manage social engagements to concierge services such as Amazon package shipments, cars for hire or food delivery, using collected data can expand the world of the senior resident. Real-time assessment and feedback, integration of clinical and wellness data and family outreach all could contribute to a residents wellbeing.

I know firsthand that my own mothers weekly trips from her senior residence to get her hair done brighten her mood substantially. Getting feedback about her outings not only would be invaluable to me; it also could aid in her facilitys management of her health and happiness.

Keep in mind, the data collection is only a tool; it is all about what is collected and how those data are used.Just as hotels collect data on their guests to better serve them and provide stellar customer service, the senior living industry can do the same.

Take a look at the Ritz Carltons leadership training principles, for instance, which are focused on building a culture that is fanatical about customer care. Principle number 3 is: I am empowered to create unique, memorable and personal experiences for our guests. The empowered portion of this principle is key. Staff members need to feel empowered to provide excellent care, and it should be the result of great staff training to give them confidence while also providing an appropriate span of control.

In addition, staff members need access to timely data with good historical facts that give an instant sense of how that resident is and what matters to him or her.This can be done in simple, intuitive interfaces that celebrate the resident. That empowerment, coupled with accessible data, can help provide care teams with the knowledge and inspiration they need to go above and beyond expectations.

Residents arent the only beneficiaries of data collection, however. Businesses can ensure staff efficiencies, offer timely responses through automation and use the data in the back office to manage operating budgets. Data also can help determine what new services are needed and track satisfaction among staff, residents and even family members.

Adjacent market opportunities abound with this type of commitment to end-to-end data collection systems. In using them, you have the ideal tool kit to move into servicing older adults who live in and around communities you already staff and operate.

Why not consider developing the age-in-place market and serving seniors in their homes? The fact that AARP says that 90% of aging adults wont move in to senior living communities at least until they have aged further is proof that the lifetime value of building services and relationships with seniors in their homes in an emerging large new greenfield ripe for growth. Data collection can help manage, elevate and enhance the experience for seniors and those who care for them.

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Listen to the consumer to enhance senior living - Marketplace Columns - McKnight's Senior Living

Julie Goldberg is leading Deep Down Dancing classes at the Healing Arts Studio, 15 W. Highland Ave.

by Brenda Lange

New to the area but an experienced practitioner in the art of dance and healthy self-expression, Julie Goldberg dance facilitator, coach and myofascial release therapist will launch a new, ongoing course at Chestnut Hills Healing Arts Studio, 15 W. Highland Ave., on Thursday, Sept. 19.

Goldberg, 29, who began dancing at age 13 mostly modern dance and jazz, with some ballet and improvisational performance work has always loved to dance, move and express herself creatively through the art form. She grew up in San Juan Capistrano, California, and earned her bachelors degree in dance from the University of Oregon. Most recently a resident of Brooklyn, Goldberg decided to move to the Philadelphia area after visiting family and friends here, and she currently lives in West Chester.

Over the years, occasional professional dancing work with small troupes offered mixed experiences when some companies didnt treat their dancers well or pushed them to do moves they werent ready for.

Through dance, I used my body to express the positive way I felt, but some of the negative experiences with some companies led me to identify certain things about that professional environment that felt toxic, Goldberg explained. I wanted to create something welcoming for women who have never danced before non-competitive and about how they feel, not how they look.

Often women who havent had training feel they dont belong or are not welcome in dance studios. It can be intimidating, but Goldberg has taught dance and Pilates and done personal training in workshops in Brooklyn and around the country and says her focus always has been on functional movement. I help people move better and more safely so they learn to move in the safest, healthiest ways.

Once she relocated to the Philadelphia area, she decided to establish a new type of class combining all she has learned and experienced. A Google search led her to the Healing Arts Studio and its founder, Jodi Schwartz- Levy, PhD, LPC. Goldberg had found a kindred spirit in her and in the mission of the studio.

Former professional dancer Julie Goldberg will launch Deep Down Dancing, a new, ongoing course at Chestnut Hills Healing Arts Studio, 15 W. Highland Ave., on Thursday, Sept. 19.

Her program was of interest to me because so much of what we do is around womens empowerment, said Schwartz-Levy. Its important for women to have a space to feel safe and do healing work through movement and dance.

Schwartz-Levy decided to bring in Goldberg to supplement the studios existing programs including yoga, modern dance and groups including mindful self-compassion and a no-diet, self-care collaboration for women struggling with food and body image.

The classes are intimate and put people at ease in a safe space for healing work in a beautiful studio in the heart of Chestnut Hill, added Schwartz-Levy.

Deep Down Dancing is for women who want to dance and express themselves in a supportive, non-competitive and fun environment, who want to be creative, have fun and meet others, Goldberg said, adding that she also loves free yet guided movement, and will include some choreography in the class.

Goldberg begins her classes with a simple, gentle, jazzy warmup, gradually building to stronger dance moves and ends with simple choreography. She also offers some circle time where participants may talk about what they are manifesting in their lives.

I like us to talk about moving emotionally as we move physically, Goldberg said. What do we want to embody in that days class? Well pick a word at the beginning of each class and embody it throughout maybe confidence or joy and then well end in a circle and reconnect around the word each woman chose to embody while doing some stretching and breathing exercises.

Goldberg explained that her approach is built around supporting women as they follow their passions and build their confidence. Her background in Pilates and as a personal trainer, in addition to her professional dance training and experience, has given her a knowledge of how the body moves best to find health and joy.

I do a lot of different things, but theyre all tied together from a desire to help others with healing and knowing and loving themselves on a deeper level, Goldberg said. Thats my mission. So others can live more fulfilling and freer lives.

Visit HealingArtsPhilly.com or email juliecandace@gmail.com for more information.

Continue reading here:
- 'Deep Down Dancing' at Hill studio focuses on healing and passion - Chestnut Hill Local