April is Diversity Month and a time to celebrate the diversity in our schools, offices and communities. Our differences make our communities stronger and more innovative. But often in times of crisis we retreat into communities that are similar to us and fear those whose backgrounds, religion, race, cultures, etc differ from ours.
Here are three easy ways you can celebrate diversity and help create more inclusive communities:
1. Create a dialogue about diversity
Share photos and information about something you value from your heritage or culture either on social media or with a group of friends or colleagues. Ask friends, family and followers to similarly share information about their backgrounds.
2. Check your own bias
Take some time to reflect on your own unconscious bias and how it impacts how you interact with the world. Unconscious bias influences our interactions and relationships with detrimental consequences. If you can start to recognize and mitigate your own unconscious bias you can be more inclusive of other communities.
3. Learn about others’ experiences:
Commit yourself to learning about the experiences of different groups and communities. Understanding how someone else experiences the world promotes empathy and generates a greater respect for diversity. Listen to podcasts, read books, watch movies or talk to trusted community leaders. Our podcast, Here’s the Problem promotes diversity through conversations with people of different backgrounds, perspectives and experiences.
Follow the Teen Think Tank Project on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to share how you are encouraging and fostering diversity in your community.