Queer Cafe

Black Guy & White Girlfriend in Harlem Barber Shop

What I Be: Insecurities and Images

Different Kinds of Families

Imagine: World Version

Faces: Can You See Past the Label?

Fans of Love: Love Has No Labels

Ultimate Wedding Party

We Are All Different With a Mutual Goal

Boy Consoles Crying Classmate with Autism on First Day of School

Diversity Doesn't Stick Without Inclusion

Maha and Lethicia: Diversity and Inclusion

Geography Class for Racist People

The Concept of Diversity

The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual.

Defining Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion

Diversity - In broad terms, diversity is any dimension that can be used to differentiate groups and people from one another. It means respect for and appreciation of differences in race, ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, education, and religion. But it’s more than this. We all bring with us diverse perspectives, work experiences, life styles and cultures.

Equality - Equality is about ensuring that every individual has an equal access to opportunities to make the most of their lives and talents. It means being equal in status and rights. It is also the belief that no one should have poorer life chances because of the way they were born, where they come from, what they believe, or whether they have a disability. It means ensuring individuals or groups are not treated differently or less favorably, on the basis of their specific characteristics, including race, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and age.

Inclusion - Inclusion is a state of being welcomed, valued, respected and supported. It’s about focusing on the needs of every individual and ensuring the right conditions are in place for each person to achieve his or her full potential. Inclusion involves respecting individual differences and capturing the advantages they provide. Inclusion should be reflected in an organization’s culture, practices and relationships that are in place to support a diverse workforce.

"Leaders have long recognized that a diverse workforce of women, people of color, and LGBTQ individuals confers a competitive edge in terms of selling products or services to diverse end users. Yet a stark gap persists between recognizing the leadership behaviors that unlock this capability and actually practicing them. Part of the problem is that diversity and inclusion are so often lumped together that they’re assumed to be the same thing. But that’s just not the case. In the context of the workplace, diversity equals representation. Without inclusion, however, the crucial connections that attract diverse talent, encourage their participation, foster innovation, and lead to business growth won’t happen."
-Laura Sherbin & Ripa Rashid / Harvard Business Review

"Over the past decade, organizations have worked hard to create diversity within their workforce. Diversity can bring many organizational benefits, including greater customer satisfaction, better market position, successful decision-making, an enhanced ability to reach strategic goals, improved organizational outcomes, and a stronger bottom line. However, while many organizations are better about creating diversity, many have not yet figured out how to make the environment inclusive—that is, create an atmosphere in which all people feel valued and respected and have access to the same opportunities. That’s a problem. Minority employees want to experience the same sense of belonging that the majority does to the group."
-Christine Riordan / Harvard Business Review

“Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”

-Verna Myers / Diversity Advocate

Different: Joan Jett and Miley Cyrus

What Makes You Two Different From Each Other

LGBTQ: Feeling Different, Feeling Alone

How to Deal With Being Different

Twin Teens: One Black One White Celebrate Differences

I Grew Up Knowing I Was Different: Being LGBTQ

Being the Odd One Out: Survival Tips on Being Different

Same Love: Different Types of Families

Exploring and Celebrating Differences

Embracing Difference

People are not all the same. We don't all look the same, act the same, have the same abilities, or have the same religion or values. Some people can walk, see, talk, and hear easily, while others need help with these things or have different ways of doing them. In order to deal with being different you can embrace your distinctive qualities, build positive social relationships, and cope healthily.

"If you’re always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be."

-Maya Angelou

"Freedom means nothing, unless it means the freedom to be different."

-Marty Rubin

"Stop hiding what makes you different and learn to embrace every part of who you are!"

-Amanda Foust

"He who is authentic assumes the responsibility to be what he is, and recognizes himself free to be what he is."

-Jean Paul Sartre

"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I think the reward for conformity is that everyone likes you except yourself."

-Rita Mae Brown

"The person who follows the crowd will usually go no further than the crowd. The person who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever seen."

-Albert Einstein

Different: Joan Jett and Miley Cyrus

What Makes You Two Different From Each Other

The Good News About Being Different

LGBTQ: Feeling Different, Feeling Alone

How to Deal With Being Different

I Grew Up Knowing I Was Different: Being LGBTQ

Being the Odd One Out: Survival Tips on Being Different

Exploring and Celebrating Differences

Twin Teens: One Black One White Celebrate Differences

Monica and Nikki: Mexican Indian Wedding

Being Different

We're all different, but we conform to a norm that honestly doesn't come naturally to any of us. No one is born with the abilities to meet the world's expectation of “normal,” so we spend our days conforming to a checklist or explaining ourselves over and over in hopes others will be able to make sense of our differences. But what if we embraced what makes us different?

Being different helps you make a difference. Your differences stand out, and the world needs them. New ideas, perspectives, and actions are required if you want to positively impact the world! Progress will never be made if you're just like everyone else. How can YOU make a difference?

Relationships don't always require having things in common. Do you feel as though you have to put on an act to make or keep friends? Maybe you need a reminder that friendships require much more than having things in common. In fact, it's said that opposites attract! Your differences can compliment each other, and you don't have to worry about being in competition. In some cases, your differences may positively push each other outside of your comfort zones! How can you embrace your differences in your friendships?

You can use your differences to teach other people. What you try to hide or cover up could be the very thing another person wants to learn! Instead of making excuses for your differences, explain and teach others about them! This will help you connect with others and learn to love every part of yourself. What could you teach others about your differences?

Successful people are different people. Individuals who are successful typically pave their way because of their differences and willingness to take risks. The mega-successful don’t play by the rules. They don’t conform to all of society’s norms. They don’t follow what everyone else is doing. They do their own things –- in their own ways. They make decisions that work for them. They set goals for where they want to go. They think out of the box firstly because they aren’t standard issue, and can’t fit into the regular packaging… but mostly because they like to. How can you use your differences to earn success?

[Source: Amanda Foust / Daily Positive]

Different: Joan Jett and Miley Cyrus

What Makes You Two Different From Each Other

When You Don't Fit in: The Value of Being Different

The Good News About Being Different

Being LGBTQ: Perceptions of Society

Same Love: Different Types of Families

Reasons to Embrace Being Different

Feeling Different: Dealing With LGBTQ Issues

What I Be: Insecurities and Images

Exploring and Celebrating Differences

Love Thy Neighbor

Thy Homeless Neighbor
Thy Muslim Neighbor
Thy Black Neighbor
Thy Gay Neighbor
Thy Hispanic Neighbor
Thy Liberal Neighbor
Thy Hindu Neighbor
Thy Elderly Neighbor
Thy Poor Neighbor
Thy White Neighbor
Thy Queer Neighbor
Thy Urban Neighbor

Thy Jewish Neighbor
Thy Rural Neighbor
Thy Christian Neighbor
Thy Asian Neighbor
Thy Conservative Neighbor
Thy Transgender Neighbor
Thy Wealthy Neighbor
Thy Atheist Neighbor
Thy Immigrant Neighbor
Thy Lesbian Neighbor
Thy Disabled Neighbor
Thy Arab Neighbor

Faces From Around the World

Celebrate Diversity
We Are America: Love Has No Labels

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

No More Trouble
I Think You’re Beautiful: Social Experiment

Diversity: Differences Are Essential

Happy People Dancing Around the World 2006

Oddisee: You Grew Up

What the World Needs Now

Blind People Describe Racism

Jeanette and Yaris: Diversity and Inclusion

Respectability Politics: Can You Be Too Gay?

BBC Big Question: Has Britain Become Less Tolerant?

Human Rights Covenants: Social, Cultural, Political

Rainbow Riots: Freedom

Diversity Resources for the Workplace

Imagine by Pentatonix

One Love

Fostering an Inclusive Environment

"If you dream of a world in which you can put your partner's picture on your desk, then put her picture on your desk, and you will live in such a world. And if you dream of a world in which you can walk down the street holding your partner's hand, then hold her hands, and you will live in such a world. If you dream of a world in which there are more openly gay elected officials, then run for office, and you will live in such a world. And if you dream of a world in which you can take your partner to the office party, even if your office is the US House of Representatives, then take her to the party. I do, and now I live in such a world. Remember, there are two things that keep us oppressed: them and us. We are one half of the equation."
-Tammy Baldwin / US Senator

"When schools and other institutions seek to convey to the public that they value diversity and embrace multiculturalism, oftentimes they tend to take a rather narrow approach. In making genuine efforts to create an open and affirming environment for all their students or constituents, they may define diversity in a manner that is sometimes too limiting. To foster a truly inclusive environment, schools and institutions must consider a broader definition of diversity and more all-encompassing view of multiculturalism. Any diversity training with broad-based credibility must address a wide range of minorities and sub cultures than includes race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, religion, politics, and personality. Any meaningful discussion of diversity issues should also include sexual orientation and gender identity and seek to raise awareness about the concerns of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer people."
-Michael Lebeau /LGBTQ Ally and Affirming Counselor

Celebrate Diversity

Stand By Me

Proud to Be: Coming Together to Celebrate Identity

Faces: Can You See Past the Label?

Multiculturalism Documentary

Diversity Journal: Moving From Diversity to Inclusion

Born Free and Equal

Workplace Diversity Trends

Imagine: World Version

Love is Love: Diversity and Inclusion

Geography Class for Racist People

Why Diversity and Inclusion Matter

Cultural Diversity: Stereotypes and Communication

Happy People Dancing Around the World 2016

Diversity and Inclusion: Millennials Have a Different Definition

How to Create an Inclusive Environment for LGBTQ Employees

What I Be: Insecurities and Images

"There's a fear that when you're talking about gays and lesbians, you're talking about sex. I don't think that's true. I think you're talking about a community, and you're talking about people relating to each other, and not specifically about sex. I don't think talking about gay and lesbian sex is appropriate for elementary school. But talking about relationships and different communities and about bias and discrimination and how it affects people's lives is appropriate."
-Cora Sangree / School Teacher

"Thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people are out of the closet in the corporate world today, including senior executives in Disney, AT&T, American Airlines, Microsoft, McDonalds, Goldman Sachs, Clorox and IBM, to name a few, but the majority of us are still hidden despite promises by our companies that nothing bad will happen to us if we come out. Toward the end of 20 diversity training sessions I did for 800 senior managers at a major banking firm, having heard them all describe the company's working environment as very welcoming for gay people, I asked them why it was then that only two people out of the 800 had yet to identify themselves as gay in an affirming four-hour program on gay and transgender issues. If it's so safe, where are they? I asked. They decided maybe it wasn't as welcoming as they had assumed. Gay and transgender people who are out of the closet today often report feeling invisible. They either become the person to whom every heterosexual turns for information on the gay community, or, more likely, they are marginalized. Closeted gay people see how their openly gay colleagues have become identified more as gay than as team players, and they decide to continue to expend the extraordinary energy it takes to hide who they are. This problem can be solved.
-Brian McNaught / Diversity Trainer

"Diversity is about differences. Each of us is different. We value and respect individual differences. We think broadly about differences including background, education, gender, ethnicity, nationality, generation, age, working and thinking styles, religious background, sexual orientation, ability and technical skills. Inclusiveness is about leveraging these differences to achieve better business results. It is about creating an environment where all of our people feel, and are, valued, where they are able to bring their differences to work each day, and where they contribute their personal best in every encounter."
-Ernst & Young Diversity Report

"Companies should start from the simple but fundamental understanding that there are different perspectives, each of them valuable, and work to explore and identify the range of barriers holding these individuals back. Organizations can then formulate plans and programs that offer options and provide signposts that help women, LGBTQ people, and people of color find the path that’s right for where they are in their lives and careers."

-Laura Sherbin & Ripa Rashid / Harvard Business Review

“Millennials yearn for acceptance of their thoughts and opinions, but compared to older generations, they feel it’s unnecessary to downplay their differences in order to get ahead. Millennials are refusing to check their identities at the doors of organizations today, and they strongly believe these characteristics bring value to the business outcomes and impact.”
-Deloitte Diversity Study

Celebrating Diversity: Photography That Sounds Good

Be My Honey Pie

Proud to Play: Celebrating LGBTQ Athletes

Imagine by Pentatonix

Same Love: Different Types of Families

People React to Being Called Beautiful

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Disney Songs Sung in Their Native Language

TED Talk: Inclusion Over Diversity

Imagine by Pentatonix

People From Around the World

We Are America: Love Has No Labels

Geography Class for Racist People

United Nations: Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Rainbow Riots: Equal Rights

Wake Up Everybody

Diversity Quotes

"Strength lies in differences, not in similarities."
-Stephen R. Covey

"Celebrate diversity, practice acceptance and may we all choose peaceful options to conflict."
-Donzella Michele Malone

"We are all different, which is great because we are all unique. Without diversity life would be very boring."
-Catherine Pulsifer

"Diversity in the world is a basic characteristic of human society, and also the key condition for a lively and dynamic world as we see today."
-Jinato Hu

"We have become not a melting pot but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams."
-Jimmy Carter

"Diversity is not about how we differ. Diversity is about embracing one another's uniqueness."
-Ola Joseph

"Diversity is about all of us, and about us having to figure out how to walk through this world together."

-Jacqueline Woodson

"Society is unity in diversity."

-George Herbert Mead

"It is never too late to give up your prejudices."

-Henry David Thoreau

"I know there is strength in the differences between us. I know there is comfort, where we overlap."

-Ani DiFranco

"What the world needs most is openness: Open hearts, open doors, open eyes, open minds, open ears, open souls."
-Robert Muller

"No culture can live, if it attempts to be exclusive."
-Mohandas K. Gandhi

"Diversity is the art of thinking independently together."
-Malcolm Forbes

Diversity in the LGBTQ Community

African American/Black
Hispanic/Latinx

Arab/Muslim/Middle East

European/International

Key Diversity and Inclusion Trends

Times have changed. The growing tension in our society is impacting the workplace and many workplaces feel the internal tension growing as they scramble to figure out ways to address it. Research showed “1 in 4 US employees have been negatively affected by political talk at work this election season, with younger workers in particular experiencing diminished productivity and more stress.”

Employees are demanding their leaders take a political stance. The boundaries between workplace and political movements are blurring and employees are urging their leaders to speak out on key issues impacting them and their loved ones. According to research, “almost half of Americans between 18 and 36 years old saying they believe CEOs have a responsibility to publicly express their opinion about social issues such as equal pay and health care.” Another recent research by Edelman revealed 64% of survey respondents believe CEOs should take the lead on change rather than waiting for government to impose it.

Inclusion is now a requirement for being a good manager. With no signs of political and social movements slowing down, managers in today’s workforce need to be equipped to lead diverse teams and build team resilience. We’re seeing a desperate need to fill the gap that exists in the traditional manager training approach, where essential managerial skills don’t include skills to foster an inclusive work culture for their teams. For example, managers are being taught to provide “effective feedback” but are not being educated on how to ensure their feedback isn’t rooted in bias. In order to get the buy-in from managers and to make the learning practical, “D&I” education needs to be tightly woven into the core business and be seen as a business imperative rather than a “nice to have.” Remember, great managers are inclusive managers.

Companies truly committed to D&I are looking to do more than just check a box. This desire may be stemming from the pressure building from the employee base as well as the public. We heard from many companies’ employees and organizations’ engagement survey results that there is a lack of “real” commitment to Diversity and Inclusion by their leaders beyond marketing slogans. This lack of trust in leadership leads to increased cynicism, which makes launching successful D&I programs that much more difficult. Having a one-time 2-hour long Unconscious Bias Training seems like the most basic box to check nowadays, but truly committed leaders are wanting to do more. Unfortunately, according to a nation-wide survey, 57% of US workers said they did not know what actions their company is taking to address the issue of discrimination and harassment. An additional 25% did not believe their companies were taking any action.

There is a clear distinction between diversity and inclusion. Companies are finally realizing having a diverse workforce doesn’t in and of itself guarantee inclusive culture. Without a conscious effort to develop an inclusive culture, retaining a diverse workforce becomes nearly impossible.

Companies are struggling to measure and quantify inclusion. In an effort to build a business case, leaders are challenged with measuring and quantifying “inclusion.” Without a proven way to quantify inclusion and unclear proof of return on investment, some companies feel gridlocked on how to move forward.

As we look ahead, more pressure will undoubtedly be put on today’s leaders to do more to make their organizations inclusive, while providing opportunities for those passionate about D&I to have a voice. In order to skillfully navigate the tension that’s building in and outside of our workplaces, organizations’ leaders need to pay close attention to identifying true thought leaders to help guide their journey, and commit to doing more beyond signing off marketing slogans or memorizing soundbites.

[Source: Michelle Kim / Awaken / 2017]

PBS First Person Series

Being Queer and Orthodox Jewish

Black Trans Woman's Journey

Asian Trans Person Talks About Gender Dysphoria

Surviving Racism and Cancer as a Queer Black Woman

Queer and Muslim in America

Growing Up Lesbian in Jamaica

Boundless Black Masculinity

Olivia Has Two Moms

Differently Abled and Bisexual

Religion and Sexuality

Practicing Love for Your Neighbors

See your neighbors as real people. See them for who they really are. Look past the obvious, the surface, the outer shell, and look into their eyes, their hearts, and their circumstances.

Be humble. Ask for forgiveness and offer forgiveness.

Celebrate and mourn with others. Walk alongside your neighbors. Put yourself in their shoes. Be empathetic and compassionate. Rejoice when they rejoice and mourn when they mourn. Laugh with them and cry with them. Share in their joy and also share in their pain and anguish.

Learn and be teachable. Allow your neighbors to challenge your thinking without taking offense or becoming bitter. Be open to new ideas and perspectives. Try to understand someone else's point of view. Accept constructive criticism. Be informed and knowledgeable.

Ask hard questions of yourself. Examine your thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs.

Refuse to be judgmental.

Cultural Diversity: Making Music Together

A Place for Everyone

We Are America: Love Has No Labels

Different Kinds of Families

What the World Needs Now

World Faces

Monica and Nikki: Mexican Indian Wedding

Desmond Tutu: Why We Should Celebrate Differences

Proud to Love: Celebrating Marriage Equality and LGBTQ Pride Month

Oddisee: You Grew Up

Intimate Portraits of Strangers

Don't Put People in Boxes

Diversity Training

Human diversity is a normal, natural thing. We teach our kids that it is alright to be different, but we don’t tell them how different it is okay to be. Today, the most common place to study differences of the world is in the classroom. If children are to grow up prepared to live in a complex, multicultural society, more issues of diversity need to be discussed in the classroom. The issue of sexual orientation has become of great importance to today’s children. Researchers and social scientist suggest that 1 to 3 of every 10 students is either gay or lesbian, or has an immediate family member who is.

With the an increasingly diverse workforce and consumer market, and the rise of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender workforce over the last decade, many employers struggle to help their established workforce adapt, and furthermore to bring new staff into the organization's culture.

In a 2006 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey, 76 percent of HR professionals indicated that their organizations provided training on diversity issues. SHRM broke diversity training into several categories: anti-discrimination training, diversity awareness training, cultural awareness training, diversity management/leadership training, diversity knowledge/skills-based training, or dimension-specific workshops.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation's records show that more than half of the Fortune 500 provide some form of diversity training that includes sexual orientation, and most of all the employers that prohibit discrimination based on gender identity have some form of related diversity training.

Apart from having an inclusive equal employment opportunity or non-discrimination statement, employers need to communicate these policies to all of their employees. But, in doing so, many employees will require guidance with basic information:

Who does this affect? The non-discrimination policy applies to everyone, including employees, job applicants, customers and clients.

What are we talking about? What do the terms "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" mean? How do those terms apply to everyone?

Why does the business care? Explain the business rationale. For example, "we want all employees to feel safe and comfortable so they can be productive." What laws come into play?

How does this affect us? How should we acknowledge people who differ from ourselves on these characteristics?

Preferably, most diversity training is done proactively, and many employers opt to go into greater depth with managers. However, employers may find an issue arise within a particular worksite or workgroup that requires follow-up.

Diversity Journal: Moving From Diversity to Inclusion

Born Free and Equal

TED Talk: Inclusion Over Diversity

Workplace Diversity Trends

Diversity Doesn't Stick Without Inclusion

How to Create an Inclusive Environment for LGBTQ Employees

We Are America: Love Has No Labels

Why Diversity and Inclusion Matter

Cultural Diversity: Stereotypes and Communication

Why Diversity and Inclusion Matter

Employees report experiencing trust and increased engagement at work when they both feel included and perceive that their employer supports diversity practices, such as recruiting diverse job candidates.

Strong diversity climates are also linked to reduced instances of interpersonal aggression8 and discrimination.

In a 2016 study, nearly two-thirds (65%) of employees felt that respectful treatment of all employees was a very important factor in their job satisfaction.

When a workforce reflects the racial/ethnic diversity of its consumer base, employee productivity increases.

Diversity in gender, country of origin, career path, and industry background are all highly linked to innovation among managers.

Teams that include different viewpoints or thinking styles (cognitive diversity) solve problems faster.

In a study on the decision-making behaviors of board directors, “deep-level diversity” (differences in background, personality, values) contributed to a higher degree of creativity.

Employees who feel included report higher levels of innovation and team citizenship.

Gender-diverse corporate boards are associated with more effective risk-management practices when investing in research and development (R&D).

Companies with gender-diverse boards have fewer instances of controversial business practices such as fraud, corruption, bribery, and shareholder battles.

Gender-diverse boards are also associated with better collection and transparent disclosure of stock price information, as well as fewer financial reporting mistakes.

Diversity in Organizations

To ensure the success and satisfaction of all team members, it is critical to foster an organizational culture that is increasingly inclusive and participatory, which values the diverse ideas, experience and background of every individual, and empowers an innovative, flexible and resilient team. To this end, three elements are key: relevancy, diversity, and inclusion.

--Relevancy is achieved when all team members are able to establish a personal connection to the organization and find meaning and value in the mission of the organization.

--Diversity represents the practice of actively incorporating people of different backgrounds, perspectives, thoughts and beliefs throughout the organization to ensure that the overall team is advantaged by the best thinking possible. Diversity represents the wide range of visible and invisible differences and similarities that make each of us unique.

--Inclusion is the practice of intentionally building a culture that is flexible, that values diverse ideas, and embraces the meaningful participation of all.

[Source: National Park Service, Diversity Training Program]

Diversity Journal: Moving From Diversity to Inclusion

Born Free and Equal

TED Talk: Inclusion Over Diversity

Faces: Can You See Past the Label?