Twenty-third International Conference on Diversity in Organizations, Communities & Nations

Abstract

We have diversity. However, what we need is inclusion. In this presentation, I share the impact of exclusion and othering on my sense of identity and belonging, with a view to solutions and alternatives. I present “Fitting Out”, a concept I have authored, as the key to building inclusion. Through interview-based research with Black Canadian Women and as individuals who “Fit Out”, I compare our lived experiences. The conclusion of my social observations and research is that to build an inclusive world, we all need to “Fit Out”. Demonstrated through actions, this journey of change begins first with individuals giving themselves permission to “Fit Out”, acknowledging and expressing their authentic selves. Then, together they facilitate societal actions to re-shape our world so that we can all belong, inspiring a movement to end loneliness and exclusion.