Ain't Musing Around

Do you remember the first poem, song, or drawing you made that felt transformative? I do.
I borrowed lyrics from a Trident gum commercial and a book, cartoon, or nursery rhyme I half-remembered. Don’t laugh—it was a banger:

Old Gray Goose, take it away
Doesn’t promote tooth decay
Trident Medicated Gum

Maybe it was my delivery, but in three short lines, I had my first audience—my family—fully engaged. They laughed. I knew I could repeat it and get another laugh. A comedian was born.

I don’t know who wrote that Trident jingle, but Madison Avenue has my admiration. Whether causation or correlation, I loved going to the dentist just to get that gum. I was Tried-ent and true.

Looking back, I think about how powerful it is to have people who believe in you early on. People who get your jokes. Who hear your ideas and don’t just tolerate them—they encourage you to keep going. For me, that person has always been my sister.

She was my first critic and creative partner. We had a punk rock band in our living room—no instruments, just tennis racquets and kid confidence. We played every air riff with conviction, and the lyrics were pure ad lib. Even the marketing was kid-sized: we used the tennis ball canister to trace and cut out circular band posters, which we hung on every wall and door of our two-bedroom duplex. We rebelled against the rebellion. We were a punk rock band with a disco aesthetic—every song came with a dance break.

Today, we still riff. We tackle subversive punk rock ideas like making spaces more inclusive and accessible. We support each other’s neurodiversity. We text about leadership, science, quantum physics, healthcare equity, cat pictures, Jason Momoa, and the operational overlaps between change management and project management. We dream about building New Cascadia—a safe collection of states where human rights are respected, people are housed, and everyone has access to the resources they need to thrive. We marvel at our parents’ personal growth. We talk about what scares us: fascism, America, fascism.

Our lives are louder now, full of external dissidence—but the core remains: curiosity, connection, and humor.

These days, Grey Goose is known worldwide. I’d love to say that was my gift back to Madison Avenue and the world, but honestly, I’m more like the residual hangover you get when no one takes your Grey Goose away.

The gum? My favorite flavor was discontinued.
The goose? Probably still gray.
My sister and I? Still creating. Still pushing boundaries—and getting better at keeping our own boundaries clear. Just with different tools.

But that spark from the first moment—realizing my words could land, could make people laugh, could matter—has never left.

Now, two sisters riffing is called auditory processing and nonlinear thinking. We make room for each other to show up unapologetically imperfect. We get it right maybe 80 percent of the time.

You’re probably wondering—did I ask my sister about her “firsts”?
I did.
We quickly got off topic.

My first gal pal and creative partner is my sister.

Who is yours?

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Hasina Deary is a behind-the-scenes communications strategist and inclusive marketing consultant for C-Suite, A-listers, and progressive brands. She pollinates ideas for brands and socially conscious executives who are using their companies as a platform for change. Hasina has over 20 years of C-Suite facing experience and a history of managing special projects for Tom Clancy, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Ovitz, Will Smith, Joss Stone, The CW, New Regency Productions, Salesforce, and Apple TV+. Beyond the corporate realm, she's a trusted advisor to nonprofit leaders, providing guidance and hands-on project management to advance their community impact. www.ThePollinatorGroup.com

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