New book offers solutions for creating diverse and inclusive cultures

Second Nimenya’s new book Unlocking Diversity: How to Create Inclusive Cultures in a World of Differences is a much-needed and long-overdue book, especially in the wake of the protests that have rocked the world following the death at the hands of George Floyd. of police officers in Minneapolis. , Minn., on May 25, 2020.

Racism continues to be a major problem in the United States and around the world. In this new book, Seconde Nimenya offers practical advice and new insights on how we can live in harmony with one another, learn to appreciate and celebrate our differences, and create a better world for all. As an immigrant first to Canada and then to the United States from the East African nation of Burundi, Second offers new perspectives on race and racism, and the benefits of creating inclusive workplaces and communities.

At the heart of this book is the need to hear the diverse stories of others and the need for all groups to take responsibility and work together to create a world in which we can all live together. Second does not point fingers, but simply explains that everyone must be responsible for themselves and their efforts to develop an inclusive culture. We are all in this together, so we need to be kind to each other as we resolve our social and racial issues to create a more diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

Creating inclusive cultures primarily requires more education about what inclusion means. I love that Second repeatedly insists in this book that more inclusion means more, not less. Just because we want to include more people of diverse backgrounds doesn’t mean other people will be excluded, a fear that people in more dominant cultures all too often have.

We must also be willing to answer questions about our cultural background without taking offense or hiding the truth. She second makes fun of herself in the book for this reason because when she came to the United States, she got tired of people asking where she was from, so she started saying that she was Canadian. Today, she is proud to say that she came from Burundi to North America. In fact, her first book, Evolving Through Adversity, tells her incredible story of growing up poor in the midst of Burundi’s civil wars and how, despite all the adversity, she obtained an education. Today, she speaks to groups around the world, sharing her message on how we can overcome adversity, while building more diverse and inclusive societies.

Second, it asks all of us to be open to sharing what we have learned from our experiences, and not be quick to write people off as ignorant if they ask questions because those questions reflect their willingness to learn.

Second also talks about the fine line that people have to walk when trying to increase diversity. She states: “If you’re promoting acceptance of diversity for your group, but discounting the experiences of other minority groups, and even the so-called privileged, that’s not inclusion work. Creating inclusive cultures isn’t just about standing up for your own people”. She invites diversity professionals to advocate for all who are discriminated against for who they are.

Throughout this book, Second offers advice for both individuals and organizations to increase diversity and inclusion in their lives, organizations, schools, and workplaces, focusing on how education is needed to make such efforts work. She states: “I believe that education is the only solution that truly empowers communities and has the potential to end the cycle of violence and poverty.”

In the wake of national anti-racism protests in the US and even in many other parts of the world that took place in May and June 2020, Second’s message on systemic injustices is timely. It’s not a government or a police department that is necessarily to blame for racism, but rather, according to Second, “I often say that systemic injustices didn’t set themselves up; people did. And therefore only people can eliminate them. Many countries have been rebuilt from scratch and are a testimony that when we want, we can. Each of us is called to step up, use our privileges and face our local and global challenges with an inclusive conscience “.

Second calls on those in leadership positions to remember that inclusion is not about depriving someone else of privilege, but about inviting more of “them” to become part of “us.” She states that “there are no strangers in this life, just other people living their own human experiences.”

Obviously, our handling of racial issues in America has a long way to go. It’s time we found new ways to work together.

Unlocking Diversity is a great book to help you start moving toward opening conversations, increasing your understanding of each other, and doing your part to make the world better for everyone. That may be the biggest challenge and the lesson we have been put on this planet to learn. Until we learn it, our problems will never be solved.