Overcoming Adversity - An Important Component of 21st Century Inclusion Strategies

In the coming years as America becomes more diverse, all identity groups will be faced with new and unforeseen challenges. The income inequality gap will widen with a significantly larger number of white Americans feeling the impact.

While institutional responses to bias and discrimination must continue, individuals must take more accountability for their adversity and master strategies to overcome their difficulties. The video speaks to this issue and is well worth watching regardless of your circumstance, background or heritage.

"Your adversity may well be your advantage."

The adversity faced by humanity will be challenging and will lead to significantly higher demands for inclusion, equity and fairness. 21st century diversity and inclusion strategies can not be fully addressed without due consideration to this issue.

Economic conditions and environmental concerns (climate change, loss of jobs, migration, hunger, war) have forced people in many parts of the country (and the world) to migrate to areas of increased security, safety and opportunity.

People want to earn livable wages and to ensure stability within their own families. When threats to survival increase, individuals become more hostile to difference and fear increases.

Equitable outcomes and success are impacted by conditions and life impacts that go beyond race and gender. These take on an immediacy that diminishes historical bias and discrimination impacts on certain groups.

We can see this in the growing concern by working class white males of feeling left out of the diversity and inclusion conversation. To many of them these initiatives create "winners and losers" and increasingly they see themselves left out economically.

Poverty, socioeconomic status, education and other conditions are having an adverse effect on the ability on working class whites in rural communities to compete on a "level playing field."

21st century diversity must be inclusive and consider the issues, concerns and challenges of all humanity.