Promoting diversity, equality and inclusion in your community can be a great task; however, you can find ways to make a difference! To draw attention to those values, reach out to your local leaders, use social media, and act as a role model for your peers. At school, join or start organizations that can host events and meet speakers. In the workplace, training workshops and inclusive training practices can create more diverse and equitable spaces. By spreading the word about these ideals, you can help create a safer and more friendly community for all.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Promote Your Values Effectively
Step 1. Act as a role model for your peers
Sometimes the most effective thing you can do is model inclusive language and actions for others. Put your values into practice and help your peers understand what it means to treat others with equality and respect.
- Use the language preferred by individual communities. For example, the preferred language of the autistic community is "autistic people" rather than "people with autism." However, everyone has their own beliefs and language preferences. If an autistic person wants to be called a "person with autism," use this designation to refer to them.
- Respect the pronouns, names, or identities that other people choose. If someone prefers to be called "him," "her," or something else, respect their wishes rather than try to correct them.
- Challenge yourself and your friends to lunch or conversation with people of ethnic groups, religions, social groups, and identities other than your own.
Step 2. Involve the leaders of your community, school, or workplace
Any program that you organize to promote your ideals will be more effective if you take advantage of the resources of the person in charge. Your school principal, job supervisor, or local government representative can expand your impact and help you correct a specific injustice that you have observed.
- You could write in a letter or email something like, “I have noticed that my colleagues, teachers and staff have good intentions; however, they do not know how to foster an inclusive environment. Our community would benefit from having a mentor and I would like to seek the support of the administration to organize educational programs”.
- Getting in touch with those in power can be intimidating. Remember, however, that directors are responsible for your well-being, that bosses must be company administrators, and that elected officials work for you.
Step 3. Focus your effort on specific tasks so that your message does not get lost
Instead of tackling all social issues at once, choose one that directly affects your community. Raise awareness of the issue through social media, public events, and one-on-one conversations.
- For example, you may notice that the sidewalks in your city are not well maintained, which represents a danger for people who may have mobility problems. Contact your city councilor, write to your local newspaper, or contact your local public works department to fix the problem.
- You could organize a public fundraiser to donate books or clothes to children in need. You can also ask volunteers to provide free tutoring for these children.
- In areas with uneven access to health care, you could ask local doctors if they would be willing to offer their services for free to people without health insurance.
Step 4. Tailor your approach to your audience to make a significant impact
Sometimes people have a hard time stepping out of their comfort zone. For friends or relatives who are confused or reticent about your ideals, try to correct them in a positive way. Since a long lecture can go in one ear and out the other, try to keep your answer short and practical.
For example, if someone makes an offensive comment, you could say, “I understand that you have a right to your opinion; however, try to see things from a broader perspective. That joke might sound like fun to you, but you wouldn't laugh if you were on the receiving end. "
Method 2 of 4: Raise Awareness in Your Community
Step 1. Organize cultural events to expose people to different lifestyles
Fairs, festivals, and other events can help your community learn about other cultures, lifestyles, and beliefs. If you think your own event is not possible, you could bring your friends or family to one to help them learn more about your values. Some great ways to engage other cultures and lifestyles are:
- international food festivals
- international film screenings
- pride parade
- conferences and speeches by civil rights leaders
- ceremonies and celebrations of various religious traditions
- documentary screenings on important social issues
- fundraising for non-profit organizations that support diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives
Step 2. Organize a meeting in the municipality so that community members can express their problems
Making sure everyone's voice is heard is an important part of inclusion. Try asking your local elected representative to organize an open town hall meeting for the community. For the greatest impact, choose a specific problem that affects your community, for example, lack of health care or racial injustice in housing development.
- Invite community members to register so they have spaces to speak at the start of the event. Give each person a certain amount of time to make sure each has a chance to be heard.
- Make sure to invite local government figures and political actors to the event, such as the mayor, city council members, school board members, and the chief of police.
- If your local government does not organize an open meeting in the municipality, organize it yourself. Reserve a room at a local library, community center, or school to host the event. Promote it on social media by going door-to-door and posting flyers at nearby businesses.
Step 3. Create a fundraising campaign for a charitable cause
Many charities offer resources for planning fundraising events in the "Get Involved" or "Take Action" section of their web pages. To host an event at your home or office, offer light refreshments, give quick informative comments, hand out flyers or educational brochures to your guests, and make donations to your cause.
You could also organize a voter registration drive and educate your peers about the importance of diversity among elected officials
Step 4. Start a blog or social media account to spread awareness
A blog or website like WordPress, Blogger, or Tumblr can help you raise awareness of your ideals. If you do not have time to publish your own blog, choose to share articles, opinions or thoughts on Facebook, Twitter or your favorite social network. You can also create multiple blogs and accounts on various platforms.
Use hashtags and keywords that help connect your thoughts to a wider audience. For example, you could use hashtags like #equalitywages, #accomplishment gap, # why I stayed, or # why I went
Method 3 of 4: Encourage Inclusion in Your School
Step 1. Join or start a social justice club
Determine if your school has a multicultural association, LGBTQ support network, volunteer group, or other related organization. If there is no organization in your school or university, start yours! Talk to a teacher, your school administration, or the student activities office to learn about your school's specific procedures for starting a club.
Your club may organize public speaking events and other educational programs, collect donations, and campaign on specific topics related to diversity, equality, and inclusion. For example, you could invite a local elected official to offer his or her opinion on the importance of women in politics
Step 2. Organize events that offer opportunities to involve other cultures
Help organize free events for your school community that are fun and informative. Coordinate with various clubs or organizations to build bridges between academic interests, activities, and subjects. For example, team up with the language department, the LGBTQ center, and the writing lab to organize a gender-neutral writing workshop. Other great event ideas include:
- Cultural fairs: you can celebrate festivals of various religions, hold a food festival with cuisine from around the world, or show various forms of dance.
- Open Mic Nights - Invite students from a wide diversity of backgrounds to tell stories, sing songs, or recite poetry about their unique experiences.
- Public lectures: Ask academics, civil rights leaders, and community leaders to speak about how others can help advance this cause.
- Networking events for underserved groups: Ask business leaders and teachers to meet with students. Students can complete their resumes or find internships through these networks.
Step 3. Volunteer at the diversity and inclusion office at your school or university
Your school may have an administrative office that is dedicated to promoting diversity, equality, and inclusion within your community. If your school doesn't have a diversity and inclusion office, look for opportunities to volunteer at the women's center, LGBTQ center, student accessibility services, student health, or counseling and psychological services.
Ask if you can volunteer at an event or help out in the office. In colleges and universities, some offices may even have work-study events for students
Step 4. Encourage your friends to take sensitivity training
Search online for a nearby charity or local branch of a national nonprofit related to your values. They can put you in touch with an expert who might offer training programs at your school. Some program ideas are:
- HAVEN training (to help people who have experienced sexual violence)
- Safe Zone training (to support LGBT students)
- Green Zone training (to help military veterans transition to academic life)
- disability awareness training (to provide helpful access and assistance for students with disabilities)
Step 5. Create safe spaces on your campus
A safe space allows students to analyze their experiences without judgment or criticism. You could create a general safe space for students or create specific spaces for students who have difficulties with their sexuality or problems of sexual harassment, racism or mental health.
- Get help from your school's diversity and inclusion office, women's center, counseling office, or teachers who share your ideals to coordinate safe spaces. Works with teachers and staff to find and reserve a suitable space, develop preparation exercises or stimulation of dialogue, and also to announce meetings.
- You can reserve a room through your school administration and invite students facing specific challenges to speak about their experiences. It helps to have a teacher or counselor to moderate the discussion.
- Remind allies that the safe space is a place for others to voice their challenges. Others may not seek advice or sympathy. Thus, he asks allies to listen and not to speak.
Method 4 of 4: Promote a Diverse and Equitable Workplace
Step 1. Ask the Human Resources Department to conduct a training workshop on cultural sensitivity
At your next seminar, training session, or networking event, why can't you address the topic of inclusion and diversity? These workshops can focus on a variety of issues, for example sexual harassment, cultural diversity, mental health, or equal access.
- The Human Resources Department can run the workshop using exercises, courses and brochures found on the Internet. They can also hire an outside consulting firm to conduct the session for them.
- If your business is small or if you don't have a Human Resources Department, talk to your boss. Emphasize how cultural training can strengthen your organization as a whole.
Step 2. Encourage inclusive hiring practices
Diversity and inclusion start during the hiring process. Encouraging a more diverse pool of applicants will make your workplace a more inclusive place. Some ways to create an inclusive hiring process are:
- Write job postings with broad qualifications to allow for a more diverse pool of applicants. Be aware of how your language can imply gender.
- Avoid using gender-specific language in your job posting. Instead of using "he" or "she", write "the applicant" or "they."
- Advertise the diversity and inclusion policies (including non-discrimination standards) in your job posting. Emphasize that you do not discriminate based on gender, race, religion, ethnic origin, or disability.
- Make sure the interviewers represent a diverse sample of your workplace. Ask broad and open questions. Avoid questions about the applicant's personal life, such as their religion, marital status or relationship or children.
Step 3. Establish policies on equal access and discrimination
It is important to have a set of rules on discrimination and equality to make sure everyone knows how they are expected to act. Talk to your boss, the Human Resources Department, or coworkers about the possibility of establishing new inclusive policies.
- Establish a policy of nondiscrimination in the workplace. Remind employees that no one can be the victim of discrimination based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Post this policy in a public place, for example in a break room or near printers.
- Make sure all employees know how to report discrimination in the workplace. Employees who violate the policy may require sensitivity training or disciplinary action.
- If your company offers health insurance, make sure it includes policies for a wide variety of conditions. Inclusive policies are those that offer birth control, STD testing, and services for various medical conditions.
Step 4. Explain the importance of a diverse and inclusive workplace
Some people may be reluctant to new policies for inclusion or diversity in the workplace. By raising awareness about this issue, you remind employees and employers of the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace.
- The benefits of diversity and inclusion in the workplace include higher productivity, higher employee satisfaction, and happier customers.
- You could say something like, “I think it is important to have more diversity in our office. Diverse workplaces have been shown to be more efficient and their employees to be happier.”
Advice
- Respect people's boundaries and avoid forcing them to change their minds. Sometimes you have to accept that you can't force someone to see the world the way you do.
- Keep an open mind and try to understand other people's perspectives. If someone doesn't share your ideals, do your best to see where they are coming from instead of responding angrily.