Emily Morisawa shares her thoughts on creating an inclusive and equitable environment at the Y. Emily currently serves as the Executive Director at the Haselwood Family YMCA.
I want you to take the acronym “DEI” out of your brain for a moment. Do you remember when you were a kid and your parents/guardians/mentors would tell you to “treat others how you want to be treated”? It was really just a phrase that reminded us to be kind to each other, to include each other, to interact with each other the way we wanted to be interacted with. When we were younger, it seemed simple, but as we’ve gotten older, it’s apparent that the Golden Rule is not as cut and dry as it maybe once was.
I have a deep sense of belief that every human yearns for community, yearns to belong somewhere. When we exist in the majority, it’s easy to forget there are other people that don’t fall in our category. It's hard to figure out how to make those folks feel like they’re included in our group when we don't even realize that the very way we exist excludes them in the first place. When we’re making decisions at the Y, whether that be for programming, staffing, policies, etc., it’s important for us to consider the voices that are making those decisions. Without realizing it, we could be excluding certain groups because we just don’t know any better. We haven’t had the same experiences that have shaped folks' lives.
I remember watching a poignant video a few years ago. There were a handful of people at the starting line of a race, but before the race could begin, people were asked to take steps back depending on their life experiences. Did you grow up with one parent? Take a step back. Did your lights turn off because of a missed electric bill? Take a step back. Eventually, some kids were starting one, four, or fifteen steps back. It was a direct metaphor for how we approach life; some folks get a head start while some have to begin their race behind the starting line. The kicker is that often folks that start behind the line share some commonalities, and while it’s absolutely important to work hard to pull yourself out of those situations, it doesn’t need to be done alone. The way we structure our organization both for our members and staff can help change the starting line for many people.
There’s something fulfilling in knowing you belong, in knowing you have a community. We have to learn how to create that feeling of belonging on first impression. We want people to walk into our centers and immediately release a breath because we’ve done the work to make them feel this is the place they need to be. This is the place where we see them and celebrate who they are and the experiences they’ve had.
When I was younger, I was taught the Golden Rule: treat others how you want to be treated. I want to have my voice heard, to start on the same line as everyone else, and to belong. So do most of us. At the Y, it’s imperative we take on this work. We’re a community organization and our mission is to be “for all”. That means more than just welcoming people into our Ys, it means we’re being intentional about the decisions we make so that we’re living our mission. It means we’re acknowledging the mistakes we've made, we have a lot to learn, and we are going for it anyway because we’re for people.
Thank you for your time. I hope you’ll join me as I continue on my journey in learning how I can understand, love, and serve others to the best of my ability.