As the new post-pandemic normal settles in and people adapt to a context of uncertainty, constant adversities, and pessimism, we are moving away from a moment in which consumers expected brands to rise up to society's challenges and into one when they’re demanding genuine allyship from businesses.

From decentralised autonomous organisations (DAOs) run on Discord to city-wide mutual aid groups, people are finding safety and optimism in numbers. For growing numbers of people, collective action is emerging as the only viable solution to compounding crises and deepening alienation.

Travel brand Black & Abroad has launched a data-driven campaign visualizing areas of the US where Black communities have been marginalized, divided, and oppressed. In a bid to help travelers prioritize destinations, the brand is encouraging a deeper engagement with the experiences of the community.

As people put pressure on brands to make sustained change when it comes to diversity and inclusion, they're seeking out media that focuses on a range of lived experiences. In response and to mark Black History Month, Apple has launched a content series highlighting Black experiences and achievement.

The Black Surfing Association is a nonprofit offering surfing and skating lessons for young people from minority ethnic backgrounds. Its activities are encouraging members to revive forgotten aspects of Black heritage in the US and reclaim spaces that they’ve been historically excluded from.

Despite record-high airfares, after two years of going nowhere fast, Americans finally feel safe to fly again. But with both the concept of business travel and the profile of business travelers having changed since the pandemic, airlines are having to rethink the traditional class system of the sky.