Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Dear Families: 

“People who act on their moral courage will always encounter disapproval. To have moral courage is to challenge conformity within our own tribes—be they religious, cultural, ideological, or professional—and to do so for a more universal good.”

― Irshad Manji

Sometimes, the heavy issues we face in this country can weigh on us, demoralize us, and make us feel like society is so deeply fissured that there is no hope of healing. 

Yet it is in these bleak times that it’s important to remember: just because America feels divided doesn’t mean it needs to be. The vast majority of people care for and believe in each other, and, when invited into the conversation, will work toward a more inclusive and just society. 

So said Irshad Manji, author of Don't Label Me: How To Do Diversity Without Inflaming the Culture Wars, when TQS faculty and staff met with her over Zoom last Wednesday. 

During the conversation, we had the opportunity to ask her questions and learn firsthand how to create a culture of inclusion in our school. This was a timely discussion, coming the day after the Derek Chauvin verdict, and one that was sorely needed.  

Irshad warned us about the crisis of political sectarianism afflicting our country. She spoke about the dangers of confirmation bias, which is the tendency of people to seek out and remember information which adheres to, confirms, and supports their existing beliefs. She warned how a great deal of money is being made by inflaming people’s fears and keeping groups separated. 

Without equating the two, she warned how people can perceive both the capital riots and the violent protests of last summer as more representational than they truly are. She told us that availability bias makes us think that the graphic, powerful images we remember most are common and probable, even if they are neither common nor likely to occur. 

I was reminded of a quote by Noble prize-winning economist Daniel Kahneman in his book Thinking Fast and Slow: 

“People tend to assess the relative importance of issues by the ease with which they are retrieved from memory—and this is largely determined by the extent of coverage in the media.”

Irshad’s goal was to remind us that, when people are judged, sermonized, and shamed, they retreat and become entrenched. Only when listened to, appreciated, and included do people grow together. 

When using these insights to reflect on our school’s critical work toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), we realized the importance of approaching each conversation free of judgment. 

Irshad showed us that we must view each person as a complex individual made up of many different facets, both good and bad. If we judge people and label them, we will almost always be wrong. If we connect with others instead of remaining closed off to people with whom we do not agree, then through mutual respect and the exchange of ideas, individuals will become more just and inclusive. And when individuals are more just and inclusive, our society will follow. 

It was a much-needed conversation, and it touched the hearts and minds of every person on that Zoom. We all left eager to take our newfound energy, hope, and optimism into the important DEI work in our community. 

If you have not read Irshad’s book, I encourage you to do so. As she said, #shiningtogether is the only way forward. 

Shine on,

Alex