Unravelling inclusion: a Young European Ambassador’s journey towards authentic diversity and belonging

Diversity and inclusion have become buzzwords in recent years, particularly among organisations and corporations aiming to create inclusive workplaces. Yet, there remains significant ambiguity distinguishing between assimilation and genuine inclusion, leading to questionable conclusions about whether the term “inclusive” has been accurately applied.

Inclusion goes beyond just acceptance; it actively celebrates diversity by ensuring that every voice is heard and valued. Central to this process is addressing unconscious bias, which influences self-regulation and mindfulness, spanning from professional contexts to everyday interactions. Consequently, unconscious bias significantly impacts psychological well-being within the context of ideological and political education. Inclusion requires adopting an intersectional^[1] lens that acknowledges and integrates the complexities of individuals’ identities and experiences, especially in decision-making processes. Inclusion, while seemingly straightforward, involves non-violent communication and the avoidance of microaggressions and cultural insensitivity. 

While these aspects of inclusion are crucial, integrating them consistently into everyday practices can pose challenges despite their obvious importance in becoming mainstream.

As a Young European Ambassador, I am inspired by how we set a great example of “unity through diversity”, harmoniously writing our inspiring stories within our “chapters”. Thus, through this blog, I aim to share my journey of challenging systemic inequalities in my community and providing a platform for a minority youth whom I sought to support.

In this series of questions, let me guide you through three actionable tips that future change-makers can implement to promote genuine inclusion, whether within an NGO or at a high-execution European level.   

The foundation of this blog began with a transformative training experience this April. This curious Young European Ambassador, inexperienced in leading professional inclusion initiatives, participated in the “Let’s Speak Diversity!” capacity-building event hosted by JEF Europe in Tarragona. This experience was a game-changer. I gained knowledge in intersectionality, non-violent communication, and strategies to address unconscious biases. Armed with these insights, I returned to my university and collaborated with dedicated students to put this newfound knowledge into practice. Together, we transformed the storyline of the GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliance), marking the establishment of the university’s first student association dedicated to minority inclusion. Our efforts included organising events on intersectional identities, hosting movie screenings on those specifics, facilitating open dialogue sessions, and culminating in participating as a group in the city’s Pride Walk march. The legacy of the GSA will be passed down to future generations of students, ensuring they inherit a safe and inclusive environment.

Another major takeaway from the training experience was the realisation that inclusion is not a tokenistic^[2] box-ticking exercise, but rather a genuine willingness to consciously consider and address the needs of others. It brings us back to the fundamental practice of observing our surroundings and recognising when a community is underrepresented or, more unfortunately, misrepresented.  

The Council of Europe defines inclusion as a means to defy prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes. It surpasses binary thinking and challenges normative assumptions (Walker-Dawson, 2021). Inclusion acknowledges that everyone deserves equal respect and dignity, regardless of our differences. It is within the blog’s purpose to explore how these principles can be applied in a real-life scenario.

3 Tips to foster inclusion and diversity:

1. Be self-aware and confront unconscious biases within your community – the list extends from gender bias (stereotyping job performance, abilities, and ambition based on gender) to the halo/horns effect (judging an employee’s technical skills based on their public speaking abilities). Unconscious bias is insidious, pervasive, and swift (D’silva, 2023). In a podcast with Pragya Agarwal, a behavioural and data scientist in the UK, she mentions that system 1 of our brain processes visual 

stimuli by associating them with preexisting stereotypes, leading to fast decision-making based on those initial ideas (npr, 2020).  

In that vein, we all aspire to consider ourselves fair-minded and avoid contributing to societal inequities. It can be challenging, and rather uncomfortable to recognise our own privileges. Even the process of writing this blog has been introspective for me, prompting deep reflection on my own biases. However, it falls within our mission to identify the patterns that perpetuate persisting prejudice. 

Therefore, for future change-makers, the golden rule remains Challenge biases within yourself first. Your actions will inspire those you represent. 

If you find yourself in a leadership position, start paying close attention to several key aspects: Are there disproportionately more male colleagues serving as project managers in your organisation? Is there inadvertent use of gendered language that leans towards men? Do evaluations of workers show any signs of racial bias? Are there instances of microaggressions, such as insensitive comments about appearance or culture, occurring? 

If your answer is yes to any of these questions, it’s your responsibility to address these biases within your organisation and actively work to disrupt them. 

• Empower minority youth – There is a small likelihood that either you know a young person from a minority group or you yourself belong to a minority. Empowering minority youth goes beyond just giving them a voice or making public statements at a minority summit; it entails actively creating platforms and collaborative projects while maintaining a long-term perspective with any initiative. 

Reflecting on my experience, it was a tremendous opportunity for young professionals and students alike in their values to participate in the “Let’s Speak Diversity!” training. It allowed us to reflect on our individual impacts, however small, and to consider how we can collectively contribute on a larger scale, through micro-funded local events. 

Another aspect that I deeply appreciated in terms of minority youth empowerment was the consideration of the following point: discrimination significantly impacts economic security. In particular, young people from marginalised and/or minoritised groups often face lower levels of financial security due to multiple forms of discrimination affecting all areas of their lives, including employment, education, and social opportunities. Consequently, this training offered the possibility of a fee waiver and additional financial assistance upon request and with a personal justification.

• Distinguish integration and assimilation from inclusion – An interesting point raised during the training discussions was how easily inclusion can be mistaken for assimilation or integration. 

We often use the term “inclusion” in a loose manner, encompassing a wide array of situations—essentially, if a person feels connected, it qualifies as inclusion. Fortunately, our trainer, Anouk Ooms, used Venn Diagrams to help us, the trainees, understand the differences (see Figure 1). 

Applied to the situation of migrants who are not only new to an organisation but also new to the host country, the form of adaptation required of them from this perspective is referred to as “assimilation”. Scholars have debated that assimilation requires shedding one’s unique cultural identity to fit in and be accepted (Omanović & Langley, 2021).  

An influential voice on diversity and inclusion is Joe Gerstandt. He is a prominent figure guiding organisations towards a deeper understanding and implementation of diversity and inclusion practices. As an acclaimed speaker and consultant, he collaborates with a diverse range of clients, from Fortune 500 corporations to small non-profit entities, and everything in between. He  states, “Assimilation rewards conformity with membership, whereas inclusion rewards individual authenticity.”

The preliminary step for inclusion is integration, which should be clearly distinguished. According to the diagram, integration means finding comfort within a (temporary) discomfort bubble. It still involves living in a bubble as the minority group navigates adapting to the larger social group. Although the threshold of group acceptance is surpassed, members of a minority group will still seek out fellow partisans of the same minority group. Various intersectional factors like race, ethnicity, religion, etc. can influence this tendency to cluster within one’s minority community even after integrating into the broader society. 

While assimilation aims for a melting pot of cultural homogeneity, inclusion strives to create a space where diverse identities can co-exist and thrive. True inclusion moves beyond just tolerating differences to genuinely valuing the uniqueness that diversity brings. Inclusion allows people to retain their authentic identities while having a sense of belonging (Gerstandt, 2015).

Organisations aiming for an inclusive culture must be willing to evolve their norms, processes, and power structures to be truly welcoming of diverse perspectives, rather than expecting assimilation into the status quo. 

In conclusion, achieving true inclusion goes beyond mere acceptance or assimilation of differences. It requires actively celebrating diversity and fostering environments where all voices and identities are valued, respected, and empowered to contribute authentically.

To accomplish this, we must first confront our unconscious biases and empower minority youth through collaborative platforms and sustained initiatives. It’s crucial to clearly distinguish inclusion from assimilation or integration: while integration marks a step of mutual adaptation, the inclusion represents the ultimate goal – a state where diverse perspectives seamlessly complete each other, evolving the dominant culture by embracing minority influences.

For organisations and change-makers, this entails transforming norms, processes, and power structures. It means adopting an intersectional approach that recognises the complexities of individuals’ intersecting identities and experiences, and most importantly, challenging the non-inclusive status quo.

Promoting inclusion is a continuous journey of learning and unlearning biases where everyone feels a true sense of belonging and empowerment to thrive as their authentic selves. I am also on this journey of unlearning, and I am grateful to have hopefully made a positive contribution to others’ awareness.

I sincerely wish that this blog inspires and motivates its readers to embark on new inclusive initiatives, whether through the YEAs or as personal missions. Who knows how many GSAs are waiting to be formed, and how many chapters are yet to be inclusively written?

Until then, by confronting unconscious bias, empowering minority youth, and distinguishing inclusion from assimilation and integration, rest assured you are capable of initiating change or becoming the change yourself.

AL-Takhayneh, S. K. (2023). Does Unconscious Bias Affect Psychological Well-being in Ideological and Political Education? Ikenga International. Retrieved from https://web-p-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.hhs.nl/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=b2a7b30f-fcd0-4f54-a5cc-5cccf4cac054%40redis

Asana. (2024). 19 unconscious biases to overcome and help promote inclusivity. Retrieved from https://asana.com/resources/unconscious-bias-examples

D’silva, S. (2023, April 12 ). Everyday Tools to Interrupt Unconscious Biases and Become More Inclusive. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/everyday-tools-interrupt-unconscious-biases-become-more-d-silva/

Gerstandt, J. (2015). Assimilation vs. Inclusion. Retrieved from https://www.joegerstandt.com/2015/02/assimilation-vs-inclusion/

npr. (2020, July 15). npr. Retrieved from Understanding Unconscious Bias: https://www.npr.org/transcripts/891140598

Omanović, V., & Langley, A. (2021). Assimilation, Integration or Inclusion? A Dialectical Perspective on the Organizational Socialization of Migrants. SAGE, 3-4. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357014910_Assimilation_Integration_or_Inclusion_A_Dialectical_Perspective_on_the_Organizational_Socialization_of_Migrants

Walker-Dawson, C. (2021). Inclusion Toolbox. Council of Europe. Retrieved from https://rm.coe.int/inclusion-toolbox-final/1680a9173e

AL-Takhayneh, S. K. (2023). Does Unconscious Bias Affect Psychological Well-being in Ideological and Political Education? Ikenga International. Retrieved from https://web-p-ebscohost-com.ezproxy.hhs.nl/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=3&sid=b2a7b30f-fcd0-4f54-a5cc-5cccf4cac054%40redis

Asana. (2024). 19 unconscious biases to overcome and help promote inclusivity. Retrieved from https://asana.com/resources/unconscious-bias-examples

D’silva, S. (2023, April 12 ). Everyday Tools to Interrupt Unconscious Biases and Become More Inclusive. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/everyday-tools-interrupt-unconscious-biases-become-more-d-silva/

Gerstandt, J. (2015). Assimilation vs. Inclusion. Retrieved from https://www.joegerstandt.com/2015/02/assimilation-vs-inclusion/

npr. (2020, July 15). npr. Retrieved from Understanding Unconscious Bias: https://www.npr.org/transcripts/891140598

Omanović, V., & Langley, A. (2021). Assimilation, Integration or Inclusion? A Dialectical Perspective on the Organizational Socialization of Migrants. SAGE, 3-4. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/357014910_Assimilation_Integration_or_Inclusion_A_Dialectical_Perspective_on_the_Organizational_Socialization_of_Migrants

Walker-Dawson, C. (2021). Inclusion Toolbox. Council of Europe. Retrieved from https://rm.coe.int/inclusion-toolbox-final/1680a9173e

Bridging Differences Commercial https://youtu.be/IbIjGxc1vjo?si=Su11s0G7gcXPCm3L

GSA The Hague University of Applied Sciences, if you would like to show your support: https://www.instagram.com/gsa.thuas?igsh=MW96ZnE3c29pc24xaw== 

---

^[1] Intersectionality is a term used to describe the idea that social relations involve multiple intersecting forms of discrimination. This means that a person might experience several forms of discrimination, such as sexism, racism, and ableism, all at the same time. For example, a Roma woman might experience discrimination based on both her gender and ethnicity.  (UNDP)

In the context, tokenism is the practice of making only a symbolic effort to include members of minority groups to give the appearance of equality. (Cambridge Dictionary)