As communities across the UK face the realities of looking beyond diversity and identifying new approaches to building bridges, identifying a belonging blueprint is key.
We should question our understanding of belonging and how we can ensure respect with inclusion and equity are experienced and shared by everyone.
“Difference is an accident of birth, and it should therefore never be the source of hatred or conflict.”
John Hume
With mixed feelings in the atmosphere, misinformation disguising what is false rather than fact. It is fundamentally important to remember that we possess the power to control the narrative, especially when it is easier to fuel the flames of hate speech and outdated rhetoric. Unfortunately, history too often is cruel and the hard truths to unearth leave more damage in the wake of things we discover.
“Home is not where we live, its where we belong.”
African proverb
Humanity lies fragmented, desperately seeking ways to discredit the greater good we accomplish if we focus on the positive contributions made in various ways. Our journeys differ, but the promise of a better life is stronger than the risk of danger so many face with determination and resilience.
Bravely facing the fear and harsh coldness of strangers, so quick to remind you how you do not belong and should return to nothing that resembles ashes because that world no longer exists except to be filled with painful memories that haunt the possibility of hope for a better life.
Experiences both good and bad echo in the halls of the years spent never to return, replaced by the vibrant melting pot of diverse cultural backgrounds, daily confrontations filled with perceptions, biases of unfair labels that condemn and ridicule without justification.
“… sometimes we will take fitting in as a substitute, but actually fitting in is the greatest barrier to belonging because fitting in says, ‘Be like them to be accepted. ‘ Belonging says, ‘This is who I am’.”
Now as the dust settles, coming to terms with revelations of people publicly exposed negatively, personal values in conflict laid bare, campaigns, strategies, solutions at a hastened pace frantically trying to restore the calm and resume the normality we all once knew. The question of how we redefine describing each other and acknowledge the sense of belonging is at the forefront.
There is no substitute for belonging because its individualistic, mirrors the collective diverse community values, chooses to embrace and inclusively work together, disregards the superficial differences such as ethnicity, champions the positive connections that celebrate diversity, seeks to find equitable acknowledgment of everyone, respects differences and welcomes new voices who bring a different perspective that makes our diverse communities stronger together.
The uniqueness of humanity is the ability to show up as individuals, unite in a common purpose that collectively makes us a community.
We are meant to be different because therein lies the opportunities to embrace new ideas, discover hidden truths, display a willingness to be open to learning how to be better together and how to begin creating a belonging blueprint that instinctively sees the best in everyone.