The world is better with people of diverse backgrounds, each bringing their unique lived experiences. It means we get a chance to learn and see things in a new way, making us all better. And no matter what those experiences are, we believe everyone deserves to work within a team and in an environment where you can come as you are. One of the biggest keys to creating a welcoming community is spending time together learning what it means to BE a welcoming community.
Over the last year, we have been doing so with the help and expertise of Mo Bailey, a local diversity, equity, and inclusion expert. With her guidance, we have been exploring what culture and identity mean, how to practice curiosity when it comes to understanding and valuing our differences and practicing community care.
Every other month, Mo creates and holds space for us to explore our own backgrounds and understanding. She helps us examine intersectionality (none of us is just one thing), encourages us to reflect on social advantages and cultural sensitivity, and engages us in practicing overcoming fear and stigma.
Following each session, new phrases and ways of understanding become engrained in our culture. We may walk into a session uncomfortable, but we walk out with a fuller sense of understanding ourselves and how we might fit into different systems and perspectives.
Ultimately, we don’t all have to agree. And we can celebrate our differences because everyone matters, no matter what it took for them to be here with us as a part of the Daycos team. And in doing so, we are better tomorrow than we are today. That is part of the Daycos’ difference.
