[MUSIC] Hi. I'm Lesley-Ann Brown-Henderson. I'm a student affairs professional with a PhD in counseling psychology. Who has dedicated her educational and professional career to creating inclusive, culturally competent and socially just environments within higher education where students can thrive. These days, there's so much talk about diversity, inclusion and social justice. The truth is, that most people use these terms synonymously, but they're actually different. Diversity simply refers to difference of any kind. it is important, because research tells us diverse groups, communities, and teams accomplish more and produce better products. We all learn more from people who are different than us, who have different experiences and see the world through different lenses. The challenge of only considering diversity is that there's no commitment to ensuring that the environment is one where diversity can be readily engaged and one in which all members can thrive. That's the goal of inclusion. Inclusion is defined as the ongoing, active and intentional engagement with difference. Inclusion calls for an introspective look itself in our communities to ensure that all members feel affirmed and empowered. Lastly, social justice is a call to action. An appeal to create liberty and justice for all. Social justice does not espouse equality but rather equity. Equality means that everyone gets the same thing, while equity justifies giving varying levels of resources based on the needs of an individual or group, in order to create a more level playing field. Social justice demands that we recognize the ways in which personal and institutional power and privilege assist some communities to climb to the top and others to remain at the bottom. Then, it asserts that we need to work to create justice. We have the ability to create safe, welcoming and just environments where everyone can thrive. This is a high call and can be difficult to digest all at once. Thankfully, there are a few strategies that we all can follow to be more social justice minded in our everyday lives and careers. One, reflect on what is behind our eyes. Who we are, our various identities, the neighborhood we grew up in, our values and beliefs, our parents all inform how we were socialized and how we see and understand the world around us. The work of creating a more just world begins with knowing ourselves. We need to take the time to reflect on who we are, and as we do, we will become more aware of our cultural lens. A cultural lens is what enables two individuals to see the same thing but interpret it differently. Consider this score. If you are a member of the Northwestern community, you would be happy when you see this score. However, if you're a member of the Mississippi State community, you would likely be disappointed when you see this score. Your reaction is based on the community of which you are apart. Where you are from impacts the lenses through which you understand and interpret the score. That is the basic explanation of cultural lens. As you take the time to understand yourself, you'll be able to take greater ownership of how you see the world and why you see it that way. Two, accept the fact that we all see difference. The only way to create inclusion is to recognize difference. Our culture dictates that in order to be polite, we should not recognize the differences that exist among us. Somehow, we have come to believe that taking a color blind approach when interacting with others is the best way to maintain respect. The truth is that we all see differences. That is the power of diversity. Differences are the strength of a thriving community and recognizing that there are people with different races, cultures, religions, backgrounds in your community. You take responsibility for also considering how the environment may or may not be welcoming for them. That is where the action comes in. Once you've learned about the differences that exist in your community by listening to their needs, educating yourself, and building relationships, then you are well-positioned to make changes to the environment that will help everyone thrive. Three, growth happens right outside of our circles. No one likes to be uncomfortable. Actually, we all try our best to make our lives as comfortable for ourselves as possible. But what if I told you that we grow the most right outside of our comfort zones? Think about your circle of friends. Who exists just on the outside of that circle? What would it be like for you to get to know them? I bet they are different from you. What about in your community? Who lives right on the outskirts of your town? What would it be like to go grocery shopping there? When we challenge ourselves to experience life outside of our comfort zones, we learn about others and ourselves. Thriving in a diverse community is being able to engage with the entire community, not only those with whom you feel comfortable. Reaching across lines of difference undoubtedly exposes areas of commonality. And although it is much more comfortable to discuss likeness, I would encourage you to lean into the discomfort of talking about differences. Four, understand the difference between intent and impact. We all have good intentions, and one thing that makes working towards social justice difficult, is we're so afraid of doing or saying the wrong things. We worry about offending someone and creating a hostile environment. I encourage you to give yourself a break. No one is perfect or does everything perfectly all the time. There have been many times that I have had good intentions but my words or actions had a negative impact on an individual or a community. Even with all the years of education and working in diverse environments, I sometimes get it wrong. And that's okay. When it happens, I try my best to admit my fault, take responsibility and apologize. It is difficult to take responsibility because we often get offended and focus on our intent. We also interpret our mistake as a failure and at times question if we should even be engaging in this work. In moments like that, we often retreat to our circles, but I want to challenge you all. In those moments, lean into the discomfort. I believe that when an individual or community can come to me and share that I've offended them, it means they thought it was worth their time to confront me. This indicates trust. I have grown significantly from those experiences. I have learned that although it can be difficult, confusing and even discouraging when I'm told that I unintentionally offended someone, it can also be very humbling to sit with another human being to hear their feelings and to be changed by that learning. Listening to the sentiment of the individual without defense can be one of the most growthful experiences you can have. Five, listen then act. Have you ever been a guest in someone's home and they prepared for your arrival? Your hosts stock the fridge with your favorites foods and they took the time to schedule some activities you enjoy? And they made you feel comfortable. What if you were the host? How would you prepare for your guest? As you work towards creating a diverse environment where everyone can thrive, it is important to think of barriers to individual's full participation in the activity or community. For instance, if you're a nurse, and most of your patients primarily speak Spanish, you may want to make sure that your office has important paperwork available in both English and Spanish so that your patients can feel comfortable answering the questions. These small actions demonstrate a commitment to the community that you interact with directly. This level of care and attention can mean the difference between how people feel in your community and it also communicates what you value. Remember that no action or deed is too small. And if you aren't sure, just ask. Most people will tell you what you can do to help them thrive. Listen, then act. We discussed five strategies to be more social justice minded in our everyday lives. One, reflect on what is behind our eyes, which simply means to engage in our own introspective work. Two, accept the fact that we all see difference. This validates our human nature to recognize the differences that exist between us. Which is our collective strength. Three, growth happens right outside of our circles. This is an encouragement to be okay with being uncomfortable. Four, understanding the difference between intent and impact, takes us outside of our comfort zones and enables us to hear the experiences of others. Five, listen then act. This provides us with the opportunity to help create inclusive environments where everyone can thrive. Lewin stated that behavior is the function of the person interacting with their environment. In order to thrive in diverse environments, which is the behavior we want. The person, you, me, us, our environments, classrooms, doctor's offices or community has to be carefully inspected, understood and changed. That's how we can all thrive in diverse environments. [MUSIC]
