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1 " As humans, we all have subjective, ingrained beliefs that inform our decision-making, even if we aren’t aware of them. The problem is that the one-sided media we consume can end up confirming our perspectives rather than challenging them. "
― Rohit Bhargava , Beyond Diversity
2 " Those with the least social capital and power shouldn’t be asked to instigate the most change. "
3 " An inclusive world starts with each of us choosing to respect perspectives other than our own, treating everyone with respect and choosing to stand up for others who need our support. More than anything else, this is what going beyond diversity truly means. "
4 " Food is perhaps the most accessible way to experience another culture. It does not require you to have a friend or colleague from another culture and you don’t even need to travel outside your hometown. "
5 " Entrepreneurship is not purely an expression of ambition, but also a tactic for economic survival. "
6 " Every culture’s history is essential. Everyone deserves to have their lives elevated through the beauty of truthful representation. "
7 " The reason diversity quotas or affirmative action initiatives exist is to open a door that might otherwise be shut. But opening that door just enough to let one person through and then letting it shut once more isn’t the progress we need. "
8 " Being a global citizen means appreciating our shared humanity no matter what nation you call home. "
9 " It is a rarely spotlighted irony that so much of the dialogue about diversity and inclusion ends up emphasizing what sets us apart instead of what brings us together. "
10 " Sometimes moving forward requires looking backward. Institutions also need to hold themselves accountable and increase their awareness of how government agencies, systems, and leaders have enacted harm toward marginalized populations in the near and distant past. "
11 " You cannot understand someone whose life experience is only ever portrayed to you through movies. "
12 " We exist through intersections, but our conversations about diversity regularly push us to pick one identity for ourselves at the expense of others. "
13 " Our stories cannot become more diverse and inclusive if the characters inside them are reduced to stereotypes. "
14 " Storytelling can be the most potent way to celebrate progress, inspire change, and bring about a more diverse world. If stories shape our perceptions, then perhaps the stories we never hear shape our biases through the lack of awareness they enable. "
15 " Governments must identify and correct policies that unfairly discriminate against entire communities and prioritize profit over people. "
16 " Addressing past injustices can be uncomfortable but necessary: it sends the important message that underrepresented groups will no longer be ignored or marginalized by their government. This is not about creating victims or assigning blame for past actions to modern generations. Rather it is a chance to build a shared understanding of what happened and, most importantly, it represents a shared consensus that we must never let it happen again. "
17 " You don’t need to have a fancy job title or even actually be in the workforce to help encourage and advocate for more diversity in leadership. We all have a role to play in creating a world with more inclusive leaders. "
18 " Adopting a more diverse and inclusive point of view is key to developing a brilliant and innovative concept or to making your existing concept stand out from the crowd and appeal to a wider consumer base. "
19 " Vulnerability among leaders creates a safe space for everyone else to feel that they can be vulnerable too. "
20 " Leaders can start by trying to practice more cultural humility by stepping out of their own experiences to identify their knowledge gaps about other cultures. "
