3 Reasons Why Representation Matters
"If you don't think representation matters, you're probably well represented." – Bernice King
Representation and Why It Matters for Belonging
I just returned from a four-day Disney cruise with my Caribbean extended family to ... you guessed it, the Caribbean! The 13 of us had a great time on our cruise and made some forever memories. But for me, the one I'll hold closest to my heart was my 3-year-old niece meeting Princess Tiana for the first time. If you're not familiar with the Disney output, Tiana is Disney's first Black princess. In the 15 years since her movie, The Princess and the Frog came out, countless little Black children have been able to see themselves in her dreams and her singing and her dancing and her family and her life. The joy of mattering. Of being seen. Of having all the possibilities of a future ahead of you. Of having a princess who looks just like you. That's representation and it matters. Inside and outside of the workplace.
"You can't be what you can't see." It's trite but it many cases, it rings very true. The reality of humanity is we socialize, mentor, promote, and advocate for people who are in our in-groups. When you are constantly The Only, your chances of staying are low, as are your chances that people will be willing to step outside the known and expand their own horizons. That's in addition to the constant code-switching you do to "fit in" to a culture that was never designed for you and was built when people who looked like you weren't in the rooms. I am asked by leaders all the time why people from marginalized communities leave and I tell them - what evidence have you shown them that they should stay?
Representation matters. Especially at leadership. It matters for belonging and it matters for success. Tiana is not just hope for Black children; she shows all children that, despite the evidence to the contrary, Black women can be Disney princesses too.
Why else does representation matter? Here are three more reasons for you:
1. Motivation: What motivates you? Seeing a person like you, as your colleague, or in a position that you want? Absolutely! If we don't see proper and positive representation at work, it can be defeating. On the other hand, when we see people like us thriving and growing in our workplaces, we are inspired to take chances, push ourselves, and seek out real connection, belonging, and success.
2. Validation: Many people talk about representation as a mirror. A mirror in which we can see ourselves reflected in the diverse landscape of our cultures and workspaces. Representation affirms and validates our values, identity, and true sense of acceptance and belonging.
3. Safety: Bias. Microaggressions. Stereotypes. These challenges exist everywhere and in every workplace. By committing to making sure people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and identities are represented through every level of our organizations, we are in turn creating safer spaces where everyone feels that they can and do truly belong.
Representation matters. Even a child could tell you that. Especially one who is meeting "her" princess for the very first time. Say hi to my niece, Amari, and her Princess Tiana.
Do the work
This week, I commit to educating myself about the nuances of different experiences, cultures, and identities, and reviewing the art, media, and books I consume to ensure they are representative of the diverse identities I believe in.
Spread the word
If you want to keep going
What Everyone Should Know and Do About Imposter Syndrome
Do you ever walk into your workplace and feel out of place? Do you ever feel that no matter how perfect you do a job, it is never perfect enough? Do you constantly feel that someday, someone, somewhere will stand up, point their finger at you, and expose you for who you truly know you are – a fraud?
This is impostor syndrome. But what causes it? How do our workplaces perpetuate it? And what can we do to transform it? I will join you for an interactive, engaging workshop on impostor syndrome. We are going to work together to battle those feelings of exclusion, connect with the values we bring into the workplace, and lean into the absolute certainty that we belong here.
