3 ways to promote equity in your everyday life
As we seize the current cultural opportunity to better understand one another, we must bring equity into our conversations.
Did you know the United States has a population of more than 300 million people? As a nation, we have a huge variety of backgrounds, cultures and identities represented.
The U.S. isn’t only racially and ethnically diverse, though — it’s made up of many types of diversity, and it’s within our best interest to respect and embrace our differences.
As we seize the current cultural opportunity to better understand one another, we must bring equity into our conversations.
Understanding equality vs. equity
Sometimes, we hear people confuse the terms “equality” and “equity.”
Equality means every person at the table is given the same tools to succeed. Equity, however, is all about creating an equal playing field. It’s when we get everyone at the table the specific tools they need to succeed.
We support each other — not by shying away from others or our own uniqueness — but by celebrating each other and building a community where all can thrive in our differences.
Graphic credit: Angus Maguire, Interaction Institute for Social Change
Here are some equitable practices you may be familiar with:
accommodations for the handicap
providing senior discounts and medicare for the elderly to afford the healthcare they need (since most Americans in this age group are no longer working full-time)
giving employees “sick time” so they can take off work when they’re sick without losing pay
I know everyone may not agree with the above, but that's why equity is such a challenge. By choosing which equitable solutions we will or won’t support, we are saying something about what we believe to be fair and inclusive.
Promoting equity and inclusion
I challenge you to ask yourself how you feel about these equitable practices mentioned, and any others you may have heard about.
As you do that, here are three ways you can promote equity and inclusion among those you interact with:
Speak up against insensitive comments.
If someone you know makes an insensitive comment about a person’s gender, race or sexual orientation, call attention to the comment and explain how it does not promote inclusion. The more we do this, the more likely we are to change that behavior.
This could sound like, “That joke was hurtful, because it doesn’t show respect to people who were born with a different skin color than you. I’d appreciate it if you please don’t say things like that around me.”
Give everyone a voice
We know outspoken voices are always heard. But are you also working to include and consider the quiet voices? Allow others the opportunity to speak their mind and contribute to the conversation, too.
This could be as simple as noticing one friend hasn’t said anything and so asking, “Amanda, I haven’t heard your opinion yet. What do you think?”
Learn to listen
When we listen, we hear others’ perspectives. We shouldn’t be so quick to jump in and defend our views.
Try listening.
In her book “Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future,” Margaret J. Wheatley states, “Be curious about how someone else interprets things. I can’t understand why we would be satisfied with superficial conversations where we pretend to agree with one another.”
It’s only when we listen to different viewpoints while standing by our own beliefs that we grow and welcome newfound knowledge.
Proverbs 18:15 says, ”An intelligent heart acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.” You can gain knowledge in multiple ways. Start by paying attention to what issues are impacting your community or school.
When you make a mistake — trust me, you’ll make at least a few — and someone corrects you, try to view it as a learning experience.
And with the Lord’s help, you’ll keep gaining knowledge and developing empathy for others.
What can you do today to better understand equity in your circles?
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Michelle Burch considers herself an experienced reading specialist, instructional coach and interventionist. Driven by her passion for helping others, she takes pride in providing teachers and students with the best support possible. Michelle loves spending her free time traveling with her husband and daughters. You can follow her on Instagram @culturallykreative