Tag Archives: diversity

The Inclusion Conversation

Leave a reply

By Christine E. Staple Ebanks 
Advocate, Author, founder of the Nathan Ebanks Foundation 

Inclusion is… 

“the mindful practice of including and accommodating people who have traditionally been excluded because of their disability, age, race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc.” 

Why is “inclusion” so important, especially now? 

We have more in common than we think. A friend of mine always reminds me that as human beings, “we are one, sharing one human experience.” She explains that while we are diverse in age, national origin, socioeconomic status, education, and physical appearance, we share one human experience.  

We breathe to live. We hurt, cry, and experience happiness, sadness, and the myriad of emotions we share as human beings inhabiting the planet. I am sure we can each recall a time(s) when we felt excluded, left out, not understood, or like we didn’t belong. This inherent need to belong, connect and have our voices heard is what makes the act of inclusion so important, especially at this time.  

Our world is becoming increasingly diverse. Research informs us that this current “post-Millennial” generation who are becoming adults is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in history (Mondal, 2020). To live peacefully and in safety, for us to work together, play together and build our communities and nations, we need to make room for everyone. Inclusion and belonging are what make diversity work. (Eileen Hoenigman Meyer, 2019). 

The opposite of inclusion is exclusion and omission. When we fail to be inclusive, we practice to exclude, ostracize, discriminate and are intolerant to differences. Hate and violence are byproducts of this way of being. This negatively impacts all of our society, home, school, work, and social spaces. Just take a look at what’s happening today. The world has become a very intolerable place to live, do business and raise families. 

Inclusion is a mindset. It requires us to take action on a personal, corporate, and national level. When we are inclusive, we are participating in creating environments in which any individual or group can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued to participate fully. An inclusive climate embraces differences and offers respect in words and actions for all people. (Independentsector.org)

When we include, “We become not a melting pot, but a beautiful mosaic. Different People. Different beliefs. Different yearnings. Different hopes. Different dreams“. – Jimmy Carte

The everyday moments of living provide opportunities for us to practice inclusion. 

Here is one thing you can do to get started. Over the course of the next few weeks, be mindful of inclusion. In the next week, observe and pay attention to how and when you may be excluding others. Make a physical note of how it occurs. Is it based on their religion, their race, their appearance, their gender, their sexual orientation, their class background?  How are you practicing exclusion without even realizing that you are?  

Then join our conversation at the upcoming Town Hall Meeting on April 29, 2021, where we will have a deeper discussion on what small steps you can take to impact inclusivity.  

Source: 

Mead, J., & Paige, M. (2019). Building a Wall around the Schoolhouse? Education and Immigration in the Trump Age. Journal of Law and Education, 48(4), 449. 

About Inclusion — NJCIE. https://www.njcie.org/inclusion/ 

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: The Impact on Human …. https://adurolife.com/blog/human-performance-coaching/diversity-equity-inclusion-the-impact-on-human-flourishing/ 

Why Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Matter — Independent …. https://independentsector.org/resource/why-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-matter/ 

Everyone has the right to be safe and to #LiveFearFree.. https://www.facebook.com/ButetownLabour/videos/758787731509309/ 

HL7 International Organizational Statement on Diversity …. http://www.hl7.org/documentcenter/public/legal/HL7-Statement-on-Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion.pdf 

Mondal, Somen. 2020. Why is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Important to Organizational Success? Ideal.com. Retrieved 03/28/2021 

About Inclusion. njcie.org/inclusion. Retrieved 03/28/2021 

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka. khanacademy.org Retrieved 03/28/2021 

Wilkins, Dan. The Need for Inclusive Communities. https://www.abilitycenter.org/essays/need-inclusive-communities/ 

Race, Equity and Anti-Bias Training Staff Perspective, Part 2

Leave a reply

This past year, our country faced race and equity issues that require conversation and change at every level. In an effort to truly understand these issues and affect change, Easterseals has begun Race, Equity and Anti-Bias training, which will be provided to every staff member. The process will include conversations about race, equity and bias within Easterseals and the communities we serve. These conversations will help guide future trainings to address concerns and issues within our organization.

The training will occur in small groups to help ensure that staff feels comfortable to discuss their experiences and their concerns about these issues. The trainings are being facilitated by Andrea Lawful Sanders. You can learn more about her at https://alawfultruth.com/about/

Ivy Lewis, Easterseals CFO, shared her experience through a Q & A session after her recent training.

Why do you think this type of training is important for Easterseals? 

I think this type of training is important for each and every human being. It is important that Easterseals begin and continue to conduct this type of training to open the lines of communication on the often avoided conversation of Race and Equity. Easterseals serves a diverse population and while there is some diversity among its staff, it is far from proportional with our clients. It is equally important for Easterseals to help its employees break down the barriers that exist due to implicit bias and dispel untruths that far too long been taken as fact. By providing Race, Equity and Anti-Bias training to employees, Easterseals will ultimately provide a greater service to many of our clients if staff truly understanding the disabilities they face often outweigh their medical diagnosis.      

How do you think working at Easterseals has impacted your view of equity and inclusion? 

My view has widened during my time at Easterseals in terms of equity and inclusion for differently-abled (instead of disabled) people. However, working at Easterseals has done nothing to change my view on Race and Equity. Easterseals is a microcosm of the nation as a whole. I am a black woman living in America for all of my life, more than half a century now. Whether within in the confines of an Easterseals building or not, what I experience as a black woman does not change. My blackness doesn’t go away if I don’t mention it or people claim they don’t to see color. However, I appreciate Easterseals for taking the first step in recognizing the enormity of this problem and providing staff with this training. Perhaps with this training staff will be inspired to learn the truth about the inequities that exist for people of color which began more than 400 years ago and surprisingly still exists today. If staff share this knowledge with those outside of Easterseals to affect change, working at Easterseals will have an impact on my view of equity and inclusion from Race, Equity and Anti-Bias perspective.    

What was the most valuable thing about this training from your perspective? 

The most valuable thing is that Easterseals thought it important enough to provide this training to every employee. Equally important is engaging the incomparable Ms. Andrea Lawful-Sanders to facilitate the discussion and provide tools to break down the barriers that separate different points of view as well as building blocks for a better understanding to bridge the divide.

What are your thoughts on how we can be more inclusive in our everyday lives? 

I think it’s simple, to be more inclusive in our everyday lives we just need to take these words to heart…  “I’m starting with the (wo)man in the mirror, I’m asking him (her) to change his (her) ways. And no message could’ve been any clearer, if you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a CHANGE.”
Man in the Mirror – Michael Jackson

Race, Equity and Anti-Bias Training Staff Perspective, Part 1

Leave a reply

This past year, our country faced race and equity issues that require conversation and change at every level. In an effort to truly understand these issues and affect change, Easterseals has begun Race, Equity and Anti-Bias training, which will be provided to every staff member. The process will include conversations about race, equity and bias within Easterseals and the communities we serve. These conversations will help guide future trainings to address concerns and issues within our organization.

The training will occur in small groups to help ensure that staff feels comfortable to discuss their experiences and their concerns about these issues. The trainings are being facilitated by Andrea Lawful Sanders. You can learn more about her at https://alawfultruth.com/about/

The following post is by Mildred DelValle Morales, a Speech Language Pathologist at our Early Intervention Center, in which she shares her perspective on the training.

I have been working for Easterseals of SEPA for 4 years now and have met a wonderful group of peers that address each day with passion. Many of them I can say are now my friends. Working every day in an intensive roller-coaster of emotions, adventures, challenges, celebrations and paperwork can be overwhelming if you take it on by yourself. Feeling part of a team was my first expectation when I started working at Easterseals and it has truly been a dream come true. I couldn’t serve the population we serve without such a supporting staff.


After 25 years in my profession as a Bilingual Speech and Language Pathologist, I can honestly share that I feel like a student. I learn from everyone around me including the kiddos we serve every day. As part of this agency, I am used to attending trainings but this year’s Anti Bias training really touched my heart. I guess we all expected the same type of training where you listen and ask questions, but this time it was different. I felt as if I was participating of a retreat where I had the chance to know about others true stories and how everything happening now in our community impacts what they do. Feelings can easily be dismissed by stating a word or simply describing it with a sentence but sharing your feelings and thoughts as part of a conversation where we all participate as equals, is refreshing. During the training I was able to transport myself to my childhood even when others were sharing their own experiences. I found myself feeling excited, happy, mad, emotional as I listen to my coworkers shout out the truth about what is true in their lives. I did hold back many times so that I could listen to others, because I grew and added to my experience of life as they shared theirs. I can’t wait to meet again and continue this journey building relationships, learning from each other and coming up with strategies that will allow us to see with new eyes.


Feeling thankful and excited at what is to come!

Milly and her husband, Dr. Jose R. Irizarry and their dog Ginger, participating in the virtual Walk With Me

Memories from a Friendship Academy Graduate

Leave a reply

by Grace O’Brien

Grace attended the Friendship Academy from the age of 2 1/2 until kindergarten. Today, Grace is an honor student in the sixth grade. Over the winter break, she came to Easter Seals to volunteer. She also wrote her very first blog post about her experience in the Friendship Academy.

Friendship Academy is where I went to preschool. I loved it there. While I was there, I made many new friends. I also learned how to spell many words such as red and yellow.

I loved all of my teachers. Some days in after care, I did yoga! One day in after care I painted my nails. During the summer camp, I learned about camping. I also learned about the clean-up song, which I used to use with my friends when I was little. I occasionally start singing it without even knowing it.

While I was there, I learned a lot about diversity. I learned how to treat others. If I hadn’t gone to the Friendship Academy, I would be a completely different person.

dsc_0031

Grace performing in her holiday show at the Friendship Academy

dsc_0543-1

Grace taking pictures of the holiday show this year

img_7601

Grace helping the music therapist Grace with the program

dsc_0011

Grace with one of her classmates, Cara, from Friendship Academy

Save