Diversity, reconciliation, equity, and inclusion are topics that have increasingly been studied and discussed. The rationale for this is that no two individuals are the same are the differences therein can be utilized to make the society a better place to live. More importantly, studying these topics is not adequate unless it is coupled by living a life reflecting the same. Through living a life that demonstrates these qualities, the entire society be transformed to become more inclusive and less discriminatory. Among the sensitive topics that have caused marked discussions for discrimination is racism. It is in this regard that this paper summarizes the findings from a 20-day racial equity and inclusion challenge, which involved reading, watching, connecting, and engaging in activities that promote racial inclusion. From the challenge, a reflection of my personal life at the moment and the steps that can be instituted to make me better placed for engaging in inclusive activities is provided.
Synopsis
Over the course of the 20-day racial equity and inclusion challenge, I managed to read five articles from where I drew important insights. The first article I read was titled A Biblical Basis for the Multi-Ethnic Gospel: God’s plan for redemption always intended a racially and ethnically diverse assembly written by Tisby, (2013). Notably, the article cites scriptures from the Bible that advocate for racial and ethnic inclusion during the process of preaching the gospel. Scriptures concerning God’s promise to Abram that He will bless him and all his offspring; and the parable of the Good Samaritan are only but examples of how the scripture is a basis for having an inclusive approach to preaching the gospel. The article by Courtney E. Martin (2015) titled Transforming White Fragility into Courageous Imperfection is the second article I read during the challenge. In a nutshell, the article address the feeling of weakness and fear of being judged as racist that some white people live in. This makes them reluctant to express their views openly. The author posits that one way in which racism can be ended is when such “white fragility” is transformed into courageous imperfection by which case whites would express themselves boldly and genuinely regardless of their imperfection. In line with this was an article by Dr. Robin DiAngelo, the third article I read during the challenge. In the article, DiAngelo (2015) demystifies the concept of white fragility as a key factor in propagating the thriving of racism. In retrospect, the author suggests that sustained engagement, humility, and education are the beginning points that can be used to reduce white fragility en route to eliminating racism.
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The article Difficult Conversations: 9 Common Mistakes by Sarah Green Carmichael was the fourth article I read. In the article, Carmichael (2010) elaborates instances that make people go wrong especially when engaging in conversations deemed to be difficult such as about racism. The author proposes that instead of applying a combat-like approach, people ought to keep their content clear, tone neutral, and phrasing temperate in order to have meaningful outcomes despite difficult conversations. The final article that I read during the challenge was by Pastor Philip Fletcher titled It's Time to Listen: "How We Can Learn From One Another". In the article, Fletcher (2014) shares insights on how people of different ethnicities can work together towards a holistic betterment of the society. He asserts that racism is not a sin specific to Caucasians and as such, a multiethnic and multiracial effort is needed if the bad effects of racism are to be abated.
The 20-day challenge saw me watch five videos that touched on issues related to inclusion and diversity. The first video I watched was the talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie titled The danger of a single story. The talk elaborates the danger of having one stereotyped view about a subject such as a particular race or ethnic group (Adichie, 2009). The speaker describes her encounter and that of others who had just one sided opinion about a group of people and generalized it to everyone in that category. She concludes by stating that it is dangerous to have a narrow-minded, single-sided opinion about a particular group, instead it is more useful to be open minded and see each other as people with capability. The second video I watched was titled The Cost of Racial Color Blindness by Michael Norton. The video describes a game to determine the level to which people are open to talk about or ask questions about race. The speaker points out that most people (56%) avoid talking or asking questions about race with the aim of avoiding being stereotyped as racists (Norton, 2013). He posits that although the rationale behind it is reasonable, avoiding discussions about race impede communications and as such race should be talked about openly without prejudice. The third video was titled Color blind or color brave? by Mellody Hobson. Mellody, who chairs one of the fortune 500 companies, shares highlights on the need to embrace the talk about race in the workplace. Notably, she emphasizes the fact that it is dangerous to avoid the subject of race owing to its volatile and sensitive nature; instead the solution to the problem is not to avoid it but talk about it and find workable solutions (Hobson, 2014). The fourth video was by Tim Wise titled Colorblind denial and white privilege. In the video, the speaker shares fundamental highlights on the psychological aspects of racism as applicable to different groups. He underpins that white privilege is real at the psychological level and people of racial majority and minority need to address it at the psychological level so as to reduce racism (Wise, 2014). The final video I watched was by Lee Mun Wah titled The secret to changing the world. In the video, Wah uses his personal experiences to teach on the importance of acknowledging our diversity and accepting our differences (Wah, 2013). He points that the secret to changing the world is by cohesively working together irrespective of our differences.
Over the 20-day challenge, I managed to have five connections that contributed immensely to better understanding and practice of inclusion and diversity. The first connection was an initiative by a group named Race Forward: the centre for racial justice innovation. Racial justice is defined as the systematic fair treatment of people of all races that result to equal opportunities and outcomes for everyone. The initiative aims at engaging people to embrace and participate in efforts geared towards racial justice through engaging in their activities and also through donations towards the same. The second connection was a project termed Beyond Whiteness. The initiative is a platform that aims to combat racism through provision of videos, articles, and documentaries among others useful information that target to reduce the rate and impact of racism. Thirdly, I connected with the Colorlines website. In a nutshell, Colorlines is a news site that gives daily information that features topics related to race. It gives in depth reporting, news analysis, opinion, curation on matters race. The fourth connection I had during the challenge was through a website by the United Nations titled, “Lets Fight Racism”. The website shows the United Nation’s commitment to the fight against racism by providing a platform where people can connect and share the activities they are involved in with the fight against racism. Finally, I managed to connect to two new social media channels, on Facebook and the other on Twitter. Both channels are involved in campaigns against racism through creating awareness and providing a channel for like-minded individuals to connect and share ideas.
The 20-day challenge saw me have numerous engagements that gave important highlights on the fight against racism. To begin with, I attended two local groups that were involved in activities promoting diversity and inclusivity. One of the groups was made of inter-religious youths who were involved in promoting diversity through offering talks and mentorships to teenagers in schools. The second group was a local group in my county. It aims to create awareness through monthly meetings in which serious discussions on the progress with the fight against racism are held. The group also runs a social media page on twitter where the members engage in discussions about their daily lives and give input on what they can do differently to reduce racism and its impact. The third engagement I had during the 20 days of the challenge was a dinner I attended which was hosted by a colleague from school. After the dinner, we managed to share our experiences on the encounters we’ve had with what we felt was racist in nature. The discussions gave us an opportunity to share our perspectives and learn from one another. The last two engagements I had were on my social media pages. I posted on Facebook a question on “what one thing would you do as an individual or as a group to stop racism?” I tagged most of my friends on the platform and the engagements we heard productive. Finally, I posted pictures that advocated for diversity on my Instagram account and captioned each picture with a short message and the hash tag #20DayChallenge. I managed to have several reactions that helped me to connect with my online friends on discussions against racism and more.
Experience and Insights
The 20 day racial equity and inclusion challenge provided me with great experience of learning about racism. To begin with, it was educative for me to learn on the numerous researches, studies, and scholarly effort that have been put in demystifying the topic of racial discrimination. Notably, I was amazed at the amount of resources available including videos, documentaries, books, articles, websites, and blogs that address the topic. Even more importantly, the 20 day challenge enabled me to identify the several agencies that are dedicated to handle issues related to racism. With such knowledge, I believe it will be useful for me when looking for resources to help people get help with regards to the topic on racism. As such, the challenge was enlightening to me through bringing to my knowledge the several agencies and resources that address the topics of inclusivity, racism, diversity, and reconciliation.
I drew important insights on the role that each of us play in the propagation and what we can do to reduce the impact of racism. From analysis of the written articles and from watching the videos during the 20 days of the challenge, I learnt that racism is brought about not just what we do but also what we fail to do. In essence, one way in which racism has thrived is through the fear of discussing the topic owing to its sensitive nature. As such, the common practice has been to keep silent on the topic. This has been proven not to have any positive impact as it does not solve the problem. Additionally, learning that racism is not just a problem or sin for Caucasian further broadened my perspective on the perpetrators of the same. As such, in order to have a society with equity, inclusivity, with no racism, a multiethnic and multiracial effort is paramount. Moreover, the need for an inclusive society where people are treated equally is founded in scriptures as I learnt from the 20-day challenge.
The 20-day challenge was an important social experience which I found a lot more fun than I had anticipated. I would definitely do it all over again. This was particularly true with the activities that involved connections. It was fun time to come together both physically and social media with like-minded individuals to discuss important topic such as inclusivity and racism. It was a great time just to hear different people’s perspectives about the issue and how each of us would drive the fight against racism. By opening up and exchanging experiences that the members of the discussions had gone through, it helped me and other people learn that racism affects everyone and as such each of us needs to play their role in order to reduce its impact. As such, the 20-day challenge was a great experience for me providing both learning and fun in equal measure.
Biblical Equity and Inclusion in Personal Life
The concepts of diversity, reconciliation, equity and inclusion are more than just topics to study. The ultimate challenge is to embrace a lifestyle that promotes these topics as reality in our own personal life. When our lives reflect these qualities, not only is our life changed but also that of those around us, which collectively translates into a better society. I hold a principle that it is plausible to live a life that demonstrates what one stands for before advocating for others to do the same. Accordingly, in my personal life I try at my level best to lead a life that reflects the principles of equity and inclusion in order to live as an example.
Reading Christian books that touch in equity and inclusivity is one way in which I am leading a life that demonstrates Biblical equity and inclusion. Since I got on course to being involved with the topic on inclusion, I have been able to read three books on the same. Currently, I am reading Courtney Martin’s The New Better Off: Reinventing the American Dream. The books have been a goldmine of information that is Bible based and tailored to suit the topics of inclusivity such as racism and equality. By reading the view of different authors, I become better equipped at starting and holding conversations that aim to promote diversity and inclusivity. In addition to reading the books, as mentioned under the connect section of the activities I involved in during the challenge, I am a member of local youth group in my neighborhood. Accordingly, this channel has provided me with an opportunity to openly discuss with other people more so high school students on the need to live harmoniously and the dangers of racial discrimination. Based on scriptures such as those quoted during the challenge, I am able to minister to other people and draw their attention to inclusivity and harmonious living.
Towards Personal Commitment and Value for Justice and Reconciliation
There are gaps that still need to be filled in a bid to get my personal life to epitomize inclusivity in totality. As such, a number of steps are necessary to undertake so that my personal commitment and value for justice and reconciliation can be actualized. To begin with, after engaging in the 20-day racial equity and inclusion challenge, I have appreciated the importance of mentorship. Mentorship allows a person to learn from individuals who have had more experience with handling difficult situations. It has been highlighted that racial discrimination is a sensitive issue that is occasionally frowned upon when mentioned. However, it has further been highlighted that the solution to the problem is not to bury our heads in the sand, instead speaking about it and implementing strategies to mitigate the impact of racism is one way in which racism can be ended. Cognizant of this complexity regarding the topic of racism, the 20-day challenge has been an eye opener for me on the need for a mentor in this field. As such, one important step that I look forward to implementing from this challenge is to identify and connect with a person who has had more experience with fighting for racial justice so that I can learn from them as I put my effort towards contributing to racial equity and inclusion.
The second step that will contribute to increasing my personal commitment towards value for justice and reconciliation is by starting my changing my immediate environment. I have a learnt from the challenge that open and sincere talk about racism is one of the initial step to handle the problem. Moreover, starting these discussions is usually the difficult part of it all as people fear being termed as being racially inclined. As a result, it is my deliberate plan to look out for opportunities where I can initiate the talk about racial inclusivity. This I purpose to begin from my immediate network including family, close friends, and congregants as I progress towards a greater audience. The information learnt from the 20-day challenge will go a long hand in equipping me with the necessary information for starting propagating these discussions. Finally, as aforementioned, the 20-day racial equity and inclusion challenge was an eye opener to me on the numerous agencies that are involved in productive activities geared towards racial inclusivity. As a result, I purpose to be more involved with such agencies as Race Forward and Beyond Whiteness. I have since subscribed to their mailing newsletters so that I could be more informed and plug in where necessary. Additionally, I have pledged to offer scheduled donations to the agencies as a show of support towards the activities they are involved in. Evidently, I believe the above steps will improve my commitment and demonstration of inclusivity.
Conclusion
The concepts of diversity, reconciliation, equity and inclusion are more than just topics to study. The ultimate challenge is to embrace a lifestyle that promotes these topics as reality in our own personal life. As our life exemplifies these qualities, our society around us will be transformed. The 20-day challenge provided me with a great experience full of learning and fun. Although my life already emulates principles of living in a racially inclusive manner, the challenge was an eye opener on the need for mentorship and collaborative effort when advocating for racial inclusivity. The challenge has left me better placed to discuss matters on equity and inclusivity in the society.
References
Adichie, C. (2009) The Danger of a Single Story | TED Viewed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg
Beyond Whiteness (2019) Beyond Whiteness Retrieved from http://www.beyondwhiteness.com/contact/
Carmichael, S. (2010) Difficult Conversations: 9 Common Mistakes Harvard Business Review Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2010/10/difficult-conversations-9-common-mistakes
Colorlines. (2019). Colorlines. Retrieved from https://www.colorlines.com/search/site/news%20for%20action
Courtney, E. M. (2015) Transforming White Fragility Into Courageous Imperfection Onbeing.org Retrieved from https://onbeing.org/blog/transforming-white-fragility-into-courageous-imperfection/7701/
DiAngelo, R. (2015) White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard to Talk to White People About Racism The Good Men Project Retrieved from https://goodmenproject.com/category/families/
Fletcher, P. (2014) It's Time to Listen: "How We Can Learn From One Another," a guest post by Philip Fletcher Christianity Today International Retrieved from https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2014/august/its-time-to-listen-how-we-can-learn-from-one-another-guest-.html
Hobson, M. (2014) Color blind or color brave? | TED Viewed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKtALHe3Y9Q
Norton, M. (2013) The Costs of Racial Color Blindness | Harvard Business Review Viewed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG6cVIDneis&pbjreload=10
Race Forward (2019) Race Forward. Retrieved from https://www.raceforward.org/
Tibsy, J. (2013) A Biblical Basis for the Multi-Ethnic Gospel: God’s plan for redemption always intended a racially and ethnically diverse assembly The Aquila Report Retrieved from https://www.theaquilareport.com/a-biblical-basis-for-the-multi-ethnic-gospel/
Wah, L. M. (2013) The secret to changing the world | TED Viewed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp5SNpCtiWk&t=41s
Wise, T. (2014) Colorblind Denial and White Privilege | AIT Viewed from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V13nqzefyoE
