by Monique Wooley
Understanding the barriers and stereotypes of people who may have supportive contributions, but are not always allowed to plant them due to social stigmas.
The sad truth is that people are often categorized based on their looks, gender, ethnicity, or zip code before they even show up to the game.
Why is it that people who don’t look like you, follow in your group, agree with your personal opinions or beliefs, have no chance of being heard or accepted as a potential candidate, resource or positive influencer?
We ask the all too familiar question “what do you do” in efforts to size up unfamiliarity.
Are we so blind these days or self absorbing that we allow fear of the potential of others to stop us from creating opportunities for dialogue and connections with those whom we never took the time to actively collaborate with, without bias opinions?
Let’s celebrate diversity and individuality by amplifying the voices of the misunderstood. Advocate by sharing information, being open to suggestions, offering resources and support for empowerment of not just ourselves but also for others.
Putting an end to standing in the crevices, analyzing and critiquing what could be your most valuable resource in building reliable and trustworthy relationships.
There’s always something to learn from each other’s experiences and perspectives if we foster a culture of compassion and acceptance without fear of judgment or rejection but rather from love and unity.
As the famous quote by Maya Angelou describes;
“All great artists draw from the same resource: the human heart, which tells us that we are all more alike than we are unalike”
You may find that the story you read has nothing to do with your assumption but for one’s own experiences.
