Diversity is Valued When It Is Without Power
It starts with a knock. A quiet and persistent tap at the door.
Diversity.
We crack the door open, just a bit. Enough to let it in but not too much to let it roam. We like to keep diversity close, on a leash, on our terms. We smile at it, maybe even welcome it into the room. “Sit here,” we say. “No, not there. Over here. Perfect.” Always the guest. Never the host. Diversity can stay as long as it submits to our whim. As long as it doesn’t expect anything. As long as it remembers who’s in charge. But what happens when diversity decides not to sit quietly?
Diversity is Valued When It Is Hidden
I once sat in a meeting where the team debated the right amount of “diversity” for a campaign. Yes, you read that right—there was a formula, a perfect balance we were supposed to strike. One voice suggested, “We need to show we’re fair and progressive. But not too much. We don’t want to scare people off.” Heads nodded. The air felt heavy.
Diversity is Valued When It Is Quiet
The conference room is set. Staged at the front are the diversity panel speakers. The speakers are eager, ready to tell the audience of the statistics, the data, the research and their lived experiences. Yet the moderator asks very limited questions and we understand very quickly the intent of the session. “Let’s keep it friendly. We’re here to ‘open the conversation.’ But not too much that anyone gets uncomfortable.”
Diversity I̶s̶ ̶O̶u̶r̶ ̶S̶t̶r̶e̶n̶g̶t̶h̶ Is It.
I once shared with someone that I immigrated to Canada under Trudeau’s “Diversity is Our Strength” initiative. As a newcomer, this message felt like a refreshing departure from the negative views I’d seen in the U.S. A national leader was talking about diversity as a strength—imagine that!
We Tell Stories
I remember the day my son saw a frog for the first time. His eyes were wide, his smile even wider. He was two and a half, and to describe the new amphibian wonder he included words like “sleeemy” and “gweeen.” When we got home, he ran straight to his dad, bursting with excitement. “Dad! I saw a gweeeen fog!” And with each question my husband asked, my son told his story, weaving his tiny, magical world into words.
Inclusion Begins With You
True cultural inclusion begins by engaging with and respecting the Indigenous communities around us. It requires actively addressing local histories of colonialism, supporting Indigenous leadership, and participating in meaningful reconciliation efforts within our own spheres of influence. We have to do better than checking the DEI box if we really want to experience a meaningful and joyful future.