|
When I first read bell hooks’ All About Love, it deeply impacted my perspective on love and care. Lately, I’ve noticed a shift towards emphasizing belonging over inclusion which feels like the kind of care hooks speaks of in her book. In a Forbes article by Matthew Kincaid, a fellow Tufts Alum, he discusses why it is important for organizations to move beyond “surface-level diversity efforts” to create a workplace culture that “nurtures a genuine sense of belonging.”
This Pride, I remember how I first joined Pride celebrations as an ally, unable, at the time, to come out. Those who have hidden or minimized any aspect of their identity know the immense toll it takes. At first, I placed the blame on myself for not feeling comfortable enough to be my full self but the more community, love, and care I found, and the more I learned from incredible thinkers like bell hooks, the more I realized that belonging is a collective responsibility. We all shoulder the responsibility of creating spaces where everyone can feel comfortable and safe to be themselves.
As we usher in the month of Sivan, I’m reflecting on a major theme of the month – how our actions align with our words. One of the major lessons I learned from All About Love was bell hooks’ powerful message that love and care are verbs, practices that require continuous effort. Her work, among others, has helped me consider how to cultivate belonging for myself and others, how to make people feel as welcome as I did when I first joined Pride, and how to best create a space for people to show up as their full selves.
Building inclusive communities, whether at home or in the workplace, requires ongoing effort and is critical for creating psychological safety. Communities are strongest when everyone feels safe, respected, included, and thoughtfully pushed to grow. By fostering psychologically safe workplace environments with regular opportunities for feedback, organizations can cultivate an environment of belonging.
By embracing the lessons of bell hooks and the spirit of Sivan, we can create spaces where everyone feels accepted and valued. It is not enough to simply say we want a culture of belonging – we must continuously and collectively strive to create it.
Kalkidan Gezahegn
Communications & Operations Manager
| 
