Featured image of post The Paradox of Inclusion

The Paradox of Inclusion

Inclusion is a process and practice that involves enabling people of all identities, orientations, and styles to be fully themselves while also contributing to the larger collective, as valued and full members. The question that often cannot be easily answered is whether individual expression is fully compatible with diversity, inclusion, and equality?

I do not recall writing a poem before, let alone sharing it with a broad audience. So this is a big risk I’m taking all in the pretext of a “growth mindset”. However, I had a recent experience that put me in deep thought and sent me on a long walk. During my walk, I came up with the first three lines of this poem. I’ve been tweaking it a little at a time ever since, and it still feels imperfect. I’m sharing it here because it still needs work and I hope someone will take an interest in improving it.

Without further ado, here’s my very first poem:

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In the land of diversity and inclusion  
In a sea of different and tolerant people  
There is that one quiet voice  
Drowned in collective representations  
Denied of individual expression  
I hope my friend  
You will choose to be  
The one to lend  
A listening ear  
And seek to understand  
Before being understood  
And opt to disagree  
But still appreciate  
They have a story  
Yet to be told  

My hope is that at some point we will find a way to recognize, appreciate, and acknowledge the contradictions inherent in inclusion and use the resulting tensions as springboards to push us forward and closer not backwards and further apart.

Thank you for reading.

Reference:
Paradoxes of Inclusion: Understanding and Managing the Tensions of Diversity and Multiculturalism

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