PHRANTONE 18-2025

10 Feb 2025

Dear Phran Klub,

A couple of weeks ago, in the lounge of a fancy hotel here in Washington, DC, I was offered an inspiring alternative to the “What do you do?” question that reduces so many introductions here in the nation’s capital.

“What's your vocation?” my new pal asked.

I leaned forward on the white leather sofa, resting my forearms on my knees and touching my fingertips together. Project management flitted into my head. Healthcare innovation. Experience design. These are my professional backgrounds.

“Celebrating neurodiversity,” I replied.

I had just caught the train back from Richmond, VA, where I’d given a talk for 160 middle schoolers entitled “Neurodiversity Is What Makes Teams Strong.” I’d spent the previous weekend preparing delicate stencils for the hand-etched neurodiversitini glasses you now possess. Most movingly, though, a month prior, a comrade-in-brains had reached out to thank me for being the only person they’d ever met who was proud to be Autistic.

Neurodivergent pride isn’t rocket science, but it requires courage. Consider adding the enclosed glasses to your regular glassware collection. With any luck, they’ll make it easier for you to toast your magnificent mind.

You never know when your co-toaster might be celebrating theirs for the very first time.

Frankie with a P-H