Amplify Briefing Ep7: On The Day You Died
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TW: these opening thoughts include addiction, loss, and grief. If those topics will be difficult for you to read today please skip this section and go to this week’s articles below.
Eight years ago today, my brother Kai died from opioid abuse.
His death, the pain of suddenly losing the last member of my immediate family, and the grief that I still carry make me feel so helpless when those waves of sadness and loss hit.
Before Kai's death, I was blissfully naive about addiction.
I was unaware of how this silent disease ravages lives and families. I wanted to understand his pain and what drove him to this place.
As I learned more about addiction, it became clear that one of the biggest obstacles Kai and other addicts face is the stigma we place on addiction. The stigma that prevents so many from getting the help they need.
Several years ago, I decided to dedicate the anniversary of his loss to telling his story with the hopes of humanizing addiction and chipping away at the stigma that prevents so many from seeking the help they need.
I realize this is a heavy topic and will be triggering for some, so please keep that in mind when reviewing the posts.
Kai was so much more than an addict. A loving father, a son, a veteran, and an uncle who sadly never met my daughters.
I recorded the following podcast as a tribute to Kai a few years after his death. It includes stories from those who loved him that tell the bigger picture of the man he was.
It was the hardest piece of content I ever created. It's emotional and raw, so please keep that in mind if that may be triggering.
If you or someone you love is suffering from addiction, please know that you’re not alone. ❤️
This Week’s Stories
Few people in our industry are on top of important trends like David Green. He shows you why in this breakdown of Deloitte’s new “Skills-Based Organization” report.
What is the cost of distraction? It’s much more than you’d think.
LinkedIn conducted a second round of layoffs this year, impacting roughly 3% of its workforce.
With privilege comes great responsibility. Jerry Colonna demonstrates how to wield it in this Redefining Work podcast.
In these charged times, words (and tweets) matter more than ever. A lesson Web Summit CEO Founder Paddy Cosgrove learned this week.
Visual of the Week
AI for what? Dropbox partnered with Economic Impact to explore how knowledge workers want to use AI-related tools.
Thanks for reading! If you found this briefing helpful, I’d appreciate you sharing it with your network. See you next week! ✌🏼
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