Compassionate Dialogue 101: Where Am I At On My Equity Journey?
Welcome to Part Six of our series, Compassionate Dialogue 101: Quick Communication Tips for Problem Solving and Healthy Conflict Resolution. In this series, each month, I take around five minutes to talk through a cornerstone of Compassionate Dialogue, and I always leave you with a resource or something to think about moving forward.
Yes, five minutes can really make a change in how you communicate!
If you missed Parts One through Five, I encourage you to go back and revisit those videos. So far, we’ve covered:
How to recognize your feelings
Which areas of your life you can apply the communication framework we’re discussing together in this series
How to consider other perspectives you might be missing
and whether your idea of “a good person” and “a bad person” is getting in the way of connection
In last month’s video in particular, we explored communication styles. If you want to find out what yours is and what that means about how you interact with others, check that out.
Today, I want to ground us in a question: Where am I at in my equity journey? This is important because part of making progress in our Compassionate Dialogue journey is understanding where we’re starting from on the equity front. That understanding is the foundation that allows us to build and be a part of communities of belonging.
For example, some of us have been doing the work to ensure we create belonging and inclusion in our climates and cultures for some time, and others haven’t thought of what equity might look like for those who don’t look like them. That’s completely okay! What’s important is the passion for this work and the willingness to keep learning as we move through it.
(I say “we” on purpose because I’m still learning as I go, too.)
To answer this question, I invite you to think about your equity avatar. Can you put an image or language to where you’re at right now in your journey? As you think about what to choose, give yourself grace and understanding. This might be all new to you, and that’s okay. It’s also okay to personalize this in a way that is meaningful for you . . . and to remember that it can change.
For example, the equity avatar that felt most true to me a few years ago was not a picture but a song: More Than Words by Extreme. When I heard the lyrics, it spoke to how I felt about equity and the DEI space in general, a space in which I’ve spent a significant portion of my life: this work should be so much more than words. The action is where we connect with ourselves, others, and the world.
Today, my equity avatar is an image of two separate trees that share the same root system. It’s a beautiful photo, and it means so much to me.
Your turn! What is your equity avatar, right at this moment? To find out, do an online search, browse a magazine, or scan your favorite playlist for what speaks to you. Then, write it down somewhere.
If you feel comfortable, I’d love for you to share your avatar with me. You can also use it as a conversation starter to open up a meaningful dialogue with someone, or . . . you can just keep it to yourself, sitting with it under the surface as you move through your day.
Your equity avatar and what you decide to do with it are completely up to you, but the important part is that you take the time to consider the question. Ultimately, this is your journey! Thanks for spending a little bit of it with me.
See you in November for our next video!