Archives for May 2021

Submitted by Viki

Mental health is a subject that has been getting a lot of attention lately. It seems that we have finally begun getting rid of the stigma associated with mental illnesses and started realizing the importance of being emotionally healthy in leading a smooth productive life. In fact, it was only until the 19th century that mental illnesses began gaining recognition for what they truly are, as opposed to being regarded as problems of morality or sometimes even supernatural.

Being Mentally Healthy in the 21st Century

As society undergoes rapid advancements and imposes critical changes to our everyday life, it becomes necessary to maintain a certain level of flexibility. While it is easy for some to swiftly adjust their lifestyle, others will naturally face many difficulties which can inherently deteriorate their mental and physical well-being.

Mental complications can derive from a multitude of reasons which are sometimes inevitable environmental factors. This can include age, genetics, or even past trauma. Other times, they can arise from completely preventable circumstances. An increasingly alarming surge of mental unease is emerging in youngsters, particularly those whose upbringing took place in the era of the internet and social media. The widespread COVID-19 pandemic only further exacerbated this issue. Now, youngsters are being put under even more stress as they get trapped at home and E-Learning becomes the new default for school education.

In light of this,, it is crucially important to spread awareness about dealing with mental unease in both adults and adolescents alike. Symptoms of mental illness must not be ignored, whether by those experiencing them or those who believe someone they know might be. Due to their silent nature, these symptoms are harder to detect than those of physical illnesses which further increases the risk of them going unnoticed. This alone can lead to a new range of problems which can often be heavily destructive to one’s overall productivity, and sometimes even cause other physical complications.

The Impact of Mental Unease on Productivity and Well-Being

It goes without saying that mental peace lies at the root of a healthy and easygoing life. In certain circumstances, mental illness can completely cripple one’s life, seemingly making it impossible to complete even the simplest of tasks.

For those who suffer from them, conditions like chronic anxiety and depression are known to generate negative feelings of uselessness and self-loathing. These feelings then lead to less productivity which in turn produces negative feedback, throwing the person into a never-ending loop of overthinking and regret. The intensity of these symptoms differs greatly with every individual, and can sometimes even be enough to trigger drug addiction or thoughts about suicide.

To mitigate this, awareness must be spread about the topic of mental illnesses and the methods of dealing with them. It comes as no surprise when research reveals that a huge number of sufferers don’t even realize they require help until it is sometimes too late. Some even refuse to receive professional help as they believe it to be degrading or embarrassing. By spreading awareness about healthy practices, we can help in conquering the stigma associated with mental illnesses once and for all, and make society a more welcoming and healthier place for everyone.

How to Maintain a Healthy Mental State

Life is so busy these days that we sometimes get sucked into everyday activities and forget the importance of prioritizing our own well-being. Practicing good mental and physical habits can go a long way in promoting a healthier mind, leading to a smoother and more relaxed life. Certain lifestyle changes like better organization and careful future planning can also aid in regaining control over one’s life.

Being well-organized lies at the heart of mental sanity. Whether by planning your activities or even just keeping your house clean, a ton of unnecessary stress will be lifted off your chest, enabling a clearer mind. The extra free time that results from being well-organized can be invested in things you like to do, like taking a peaceful stroll through the park without having to worry about unfinished work.

In addition to planning, having a constant sense of security can also provide great peace of mind. It is always a good idea to look for sources of passive income, or even invest in a savings account in case things go bad. A good insurance plan can also prove itself helpful in times of need, and a good team of lawyers that has your back in the legal realm is often a good investment for peace of mind. All in all, having a good backup plan is never a bad idea.

Conclusion

Although mental illnesses have come a long way in being destigmatized, it still is not enough. Hopefully, as awareness and communication about this subject become more widespread, we can see it gain greater recognition. In the meantime, we should strive to act responsibly towards ourselves and others who might be victims of mental illness. In the end, all that we have is each other, and if we have each other’s backs, we will strive.

 

Submitted by Viki

Men make up 74 percent of the computing workforce in the United States. Of the remaining 26 percent, only 4 percent are Black and Latina women. Where are all the women in the tech industry, especially the women of color?

As a largely male-dominated space, there is a clear lack of entry and retention for women in tech. Gender discrimination, sexual harassment, the gender pay gap, and lack of career opportunities are just some of the barriers that turn women away from the tech sector.

However, with tech becoming more intuitive and empathetic, it is necessary to have the involvement of the fairer sex in tech companies. Diversity and innovation go hand in hand. Here are some important considerations when crafting roles for women in your organization.

Women Want Flexibility

The modern woman has a host of responsibilities from child care and housework to exercise programs and community events. There is just not enough time in a rigid 9-to-5 workday to suit the needs of the average woman.

Having paid time off and being able to work from home are high priorities for women who are seeking a harmonious work-life balance. A flexible working schedule is critical for women with caregiving commitments, especially those with young children.

With the lack of paid family leave and child care assistance in the US, many women are being forced to choose between working and having a family. The Covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated the issue even further, with more than 2.3 million women having left the workforce since February 2020.

With the tech sector fundamentally based around connectivity, it is in a prime position to offer equitable and flexible working arrangements for women. Companies should also consider improving paid leave policies and pregnancy or child care support.

Ultimately, the amount of emphasis that a company places on family and work-life balance is a reflection of its values. As millennials on a whole are demanding more from society, companies that fail to provide for the challenges of real life are going to lose out on quality staff.

Women Want a Calling

People in the tech industry are smart and switched on. They are not content with punching keys and being part of the humdrum of ‘working for the man’. At the end of the day, women in tech want to be able to turn their computers off knowing that they did something important for the world at large.

Engaging in personally significant work is beneficial for employees. This kind of work amplifies their values and beliefs, gives back to the community, and creates a sense of purpose. It establishes the feeling of having a calling. Having a calling enhances employee happiness and job satisfaction.

Having a calling that is central to a woman’s identity not only increases her contentment at work but also allows her to forge a separate—but equally successful—persona outside of her domestic self. This provides opportunities to achieve goals that add to her pride and self-worth.

A way to accomplish this could be through undertaking projects for causes that your employees are passionate about. Examples of such projects could be mentoring at-risk young women in the community, creating software applications for charities, or even sports sponsorship for marginalized groups.

Women Want Real Leadership Roles

In the long-term view, women in tech want tangible growth opportunities. While juggling family, work, and social politics, it may seem that women have less interest in career advancement. This is far from the truth. Women are just as likely as men to be interested in promotions and leadership opportunities.

In fact, ensuring that women have a transparent path for career advancement can help to increase female staff retention. Companies can help women feel more appreciated with regular performance reviews and by recognizing their achievements.

In addition, investment in employee upgrading such as sending women for data governance training or to learn a new programming language can help them bring extra skill sets to the table. In turn, they feel seen and valued, increasing both engagement and retention.

As part of promoting female leadership, companies also need to ensure that there are enough positions available to enable women to move up into management. Female leaders need to have access to the same resources and support and be given the same high-profile projects as male leaders. In other words, fostering female leadership needs to be more than a token gesture.

Women Don’t Want the Pay Gap

One thing that women definitely do not want is the notorious gender pay gap. It has been almost 60 years since the Equal Pay act of 1963, but according to the latest data from the US Census Bureau, women in STEM still earn only 84 percent of what men do.

Of all women, Black women make the least, earning only 89 cents to every white man’s dollar. LGBTQ+ females also get the short end of the stick, earning 92 cents to every non-LGBTQ+ male’s dollar.

Add to this the fact that women often enter the workforce with lower wage expectations and less negotiating confidence than men, and it will be clear why there is such a high attrition rate for women in tech.

Thankfully, it is simple enough for a company to remedy this situation. Simply pay your staff the wage that corresponds to their position, regardless of their gender.

Gender diversity is a hot issue that will continue to trend in the tech industry. Tech companies that want to stay competitive and inventive need to tap into the pool of female tech talents or risk being made redundant.

Submitted by Darryl

What is the first image that comes to mind when you are asked to envision a computer programmer? Chances are, you conjured up a white male, possibly bespectacled, and nursing a steaming mug of coffee. It may be a generalization, but this image is—in fact—not far from the mark.

In 2014, prominent tech companies in the United States published their diversity reports, promising to increase diversity in their workforces. In the present day, however, it seems that this has mostly been lip service as the industry continues to be entrenched in a largely monoracial ‘boys club’.

With countries like China and India ramping up their IT development sectors, tech companies in the US must shake off old habits and embrace the benefits of the diversity on their doorstep.

An Orchestra of Ideas

Fundamentally, diversity helps us become more innovative. It allows us to consider and accept ideas that exist outside of our knowledge and insight.

Imagine going to watch a performance by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra but only the violin players show up. While they could probably still play some very lovely music, it could never compare to a show featuring the full ensemble. From cellos to flutes and even a piccolo, the beauty of an orchestra is the sum of all of its parts.

Now, apply the same concept to a tech company. You may have a group of employees who tick the boxes regarding education and relevant work experience. These employees may mirror your current team, leading you to feel that there would be easy integration and cooperation. But, at the end of the day, is your team made up of only violin players?

‘Easy to hire’ personnel may not have had the same experience in life as someone you would view as more ‘challenging’. Perhaps a recent migrant, who might not speak English so fluently. Or a middle-aged mother, who only had time to go to college after her kids were grown up. How about an army veteran, with an incredible knack for creative problem-solving?

When specialists in a company come from different social and cultural backgrounds, it becomes an everyday occurrence to interact with diversity. From sharing food over lunch to contributing various points of view about current events, diversity becomes normalized, and we become more open-minded and accepting of new ideas. Our view of technology becomes more human-centric and empathetic.

This, in turn, leads to drastic changes in innovation and product development. In this age of highly competitive tech, where custom software development needs to work for a broad audience, diverse teams bring valuable insight to deliver superior products that appeal to—and are accessible to—a greater variety of users.

Building the Dream Team

So how do we start to remedy the homogeneous workforce? First of all, tech companies need to address inequality by acknowledging their biases. This includes both conscious and unconscious biases that any person from the management to floor levels may hold.

Then we need to create a safe place where everyone can share their perspectives freely. In this environment, it is important to define the meaning of diversity and inclusion. Create a culture within the company that emphasizes active listening, especially to minority voices. Companies can also give employees a voice by allowing them to contribute to the organization’s blogs or newsletters.

Provide diverse employees with a stake in the company culture by empowering them to organize events that celebrate their identities or cultural backgrounds. These could include religious holiday festivities such as Eid al-Fitr feasts, volunteer events such as soup kitchens, walks within a community, or watching a sports game like cricket together.

When hiring new staff, a blind recruitment technique can be used where the personal information of applicants is removed. Only relevant information such as education, experience, and skills are left on the anonymous CVs. This avoids any unconscious bias from decision-makers.

Tech companies can also partner with tech education organizations to find more diverse candidates. They can sponsor positions for interns as well as provide mentorship to foster relationships with students currently pursuing tech training. This could be the difference in confidence that would prevent a minority student from dropping out of the tech sector.

On a more serious front, companies need to provide a secure feedback process for employees who may need to file discrimination or harassment complaints. In addition, many companies are setting up Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DE&I) councils to craft policies and codes of conduct to guide the organization in the right direction.

It is essential to emphasize here that companies need to look at this exercise as more than just fulfilling a ‘diversity quota’ of sorts. The change should be on all levels of the company, including board members. Regular inclusivity assessments and listening tours with staff should be conducted to ensure that issues are addressed and that the company progresses as a whole.

Fostering a diverse culture within tech companies ultimately benefits the company itself, with happier and more motivated staff, better products and services, and an improved bottom line.

As big tech continues to move towards providing superior services for the greater good, we must start by cleaning house and making sure that we make the most of the good people around us.

 

Submitted by Kara

Is there a city where you can have Chinese dumplings for dinner, with an African-born man, and his Russian girlfriend, before crossing the street and taking part in traditional middle eastern hookah? I am, of course, referring to New York City. Nowhere else in the world is there such a vibrant and varied mix of cultures, experiences, cuisines and people. The word for this experience is eclectic, there’s no other way to describe it succinctly. In this article we explore how diversity leads to eclectic taste, and why it’s good for the world.

Homogeneous
Having grown up in a small town, where everyone talked the same, everyone dressed the same, everyone went to the same school, took the same classes, hung around at the same bowling alleys and arcades, looked the same, and even thought the same thoughts, it’s difficult to understand that the world could be fundamentally different outside of that bubble. Watching a lot of late night TV helped to open my eyes. I always understood that I was (being Black) different from those around me (mostly Caucasian-Americans). The seed of discovery was there, and I was just waiting to experience the rest of the world, even though I didn’t know it. All I knew was a homogeneous home town, full of home boys.

Travel
You can imagine my shock, wonder and surprise when I first encountered a large city. Even though everyone still spoke the same language as me, it was like I had discovered, in the one day, that I was both from another planet, and that this city that I had just arrived in was my home planet. That city, of course, was NYC. Travelling here, I experienced my first moment of standing in fascination of street performance art, graffiti, eating real New York pizza, and the view from one skyscraper to another. If this was what travel meant, then I was going to be all about it.

Diversity
With so many different cultures and families living in New York City, it is inevitable that there will be a cross-section of people with all different kinds of tastes and preferences. If you want to learn more about a culture, you can quickly find and talk to someone who was born in that culture. If you want to try new food, you can just travel to the part of the city where the people of that culture are from.

Cultures
A city like NYC collects all kinds of interesting objects, and not just in museums. For example, I had never considered furniture to be interesting, only that it could be functional, or antique (a synonym for “old”, for me). However, encountering the house of my friend’s parents, I discovered their taste in furniture was truly eclectic. They had a lacquered Japanese room divider, from Japan, a solid mahogany table for the study, and a long, authentic and beautiful persian rug running down the hallway. I took a dictionary from the bookshelf and looked up the word “eclectic” I learned and I knew what that word meant, that day.

Homogeneous again
Since travelling to New York, and having my eyes opened, I have also traveled back to my hometown, and felt the sameness again. It was bittersweet, because I have a lot of beautiful childhood memories there. I have also traveled to Southeast Asia and have visited Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. Surprisingly, it reminded me of home, in a particular way. Allow me to explain. In all of these places, I have been able to experience a wildly different culture, different foods, customs, religions and I found it to be completely foreign to my own culture. But at times, I also found it to be a more homogeneous culture. Each region, of course, has its own special qualities, but in general, within each of these countries there is more of a similar culture, language, food and even entertainment. The different regions appear similar to me, but of course, to the local citizens, they seem vastly different. You can appreciate the subtle differences when you’re most familiar with something. Similarly to how pizza in New York and in San Francisco probably seem the same to someone who has never had pizza before! The experience of travelling to these places, being in a foreign country, all speaking the same language, having similar food and similar entertainment throughout the whole country was amazing, and eye opening, but I understood that diversity in culture is not to be found “overseas” by default, it’s only in certain places. Those places are special. I have traveled from country to country, and not encountered as diverse and as eclectic a collection of people and objects, as I found in New York City. This surprised me, but helped me to open my eyes to the true meaning of diversity and what it really entails, to have so many different cultures meeting in one place.

Conclusion
I hope that it’s obvious that the world would be a better place if we had more diversity, more awareness of what other customs and lives are out there. It would be much more interesting to live in a city where we had a mix of cultures, tastes, designs, art, food, entertainment and people. It naturally makes you more open minded and more tolerant. It would be much more interesting to travel to a country where we encountered a mix of cultures, tastes, designs, art, food, entertainment and people. In short, I think we are all better off if we had more diversity. That’s why NYC is my favorite city in the whole world. If you know of a city that is as eclectic as this one, please drop me a line, I’d love to visit you!

Submitted by Sam

With the most challenging academic year in living memory now coming to a close, the question is what the 2021-2022 school year will look like, and how students can prepare.

During the 2020-2021 school year, NYU put in place a comprehensive plan to keep faculty, students, administrators, and other individuals affiliated with the university safe. At the same time, NYU still adhered to its long-held academic values and practices. Doing so required NYU to be creatively flexible and accommodating.

The 2021-2022 school year will be different. Students who wish to attend NYU campuses in New York and elsewhere in person will need to adhere to health requirements designed to protect the well-being safety of the NYU community as much as possible.
Incoming students may also wish to prepare themselves academically by making use of resources available to them now.

Health Requirements for the 2021-2022 School Year

The oncoming school year will demand new health and safety requirements. These requirements are meant to substantially lessen the risk of infection on campus and in nearby communities, and make a return to in-person campus life as safe as possible.

All students who plan to attend NYU campuses in the US, besides those who are exempt due to religious or health reasons, will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Students will be able to register for classes before being vaccinated, but the goal is that all students will be vaccinated before the fall 2021 semester begins.

Students in New York should be able to be vaccinated locally. Another option for students is to get vaccinated at NYU’s on-campus vaccination site.

For some students living outside New York, vaccinations may not be as accessible.

NYU’s local site staff will be able to work with students who will not attend the fall semester in New York access the vaccines elsewhere. International students and other students outside New York who for whatever reason cannot access the COVID-19 vaccine should be able to get vaccinated upon arrival in New York State, or at NYU’ local vaccination site.

Academically Preparing for the 2021-2022 School Year

Despite NYU’s comprehensive plan to ensure that students who attended NYU through the 2020-2021 received the same quality of education that NYU offered before the pandemic, students did not have it easy. Nor did students at the secondary level.

There are resources available for incoming and returning students who wish to prepare themselves academically for the coming school year. Students may wish to familiarize themselves with syllabi—if possible—before the semester starts, or they may wish to hire a math tutor. Once students are vaccinated and have in-person access to NYU, they can also take advantage of NYU’s many academic services.

These services include NYU’s Academic Resource Center, the Writing Center, and the University Learning Centers.

The Academic Resource Center (ARC) is a good place to start. Its front desk can direct students to other academic resources that meet their needs, such as academic coaches, study skill workshops, and tutors.

The pandemic has been extremely hard on all university students, but with vaccinations proceeding swiftly across New York, there are reasons to be optimistic about the coming school year. By using all of the resources available, students can ensure that when classrooms welcome students this fall, they’re ready to start learning.

 

Submitted by Viki

Image Source

As students get ready to return to on-campus study after a year of disruptions, let us take a look at the current state of education in the United States, through the lens of our publication: diversity.
Dramatic changes have occurred in the racial and ethnic makeup of our country, especially in the last twenty years. Unfortunately, many of our institutions and systems are not yet geared to serve the needs of a diverse America.

It was not so long ago that most students of color in the US had to attend segregated schools. In fact, there were still school districts practicing racial segregation as recently as 2016.

While the specter of overt racism in education may have been dispelled by formal law, many more subtle factors negatively impact students from minority groups.

 

It’s All About the Money

One of the most significant factors is school funding. In the US, schools are generally 55 percent federal and state-funded, and 45 percent locally-funded. Property tax is the largest contributor to local funding sources.

Simply put: Areas with rich people receive better school funding than areas with poor people.

The difference can be astonishing, with some school districts budgeting three times as much for each student as the district next door. Minority and low-income groups, who form a large population of poorer communities, bear the brunt of this inequity.

Inadequate school funding results in larger class sizes, as schools struggle to pay the salaries of teaching staff. A student facing difficulties with algebra might take the opportunity to hire a math tutor to receive the personalized instruction that they need to attain better understanding and higher grades.

In schools with limited funding, facilities such as computers and sports equipment may be outdated. In a similar way, these schools are often unable to employ essential support staff such as crosswalk attendants or librarians.

 

Another Brick in the Wall

In addition to external factors, the schools themselves often have policies that excessively penalize students from minority groups. Students of Color are often overpoliced and face harsher discipline than their white peers.

Poorer schools with more minority attendance tend to have a greater police presence, perpetuating a cycle of antagonism with law enforcement. This fuels the school-to-prison pipeline where a disproportionate number of students from marginalized backgrounds are being incarcerated.

According to the US Department of Education, Black students are three times more likely to get suspended or expelled than their White counterparts. The American South is responsible for 55 percent of all suspensions of Black students nationwide.

Students from minority groups also face racial microaggressions in the form of non-inclusive school dress codes. For example, Black and Native American students have been punished for wearing their traditional and natural hairstyles.

The situation is not much better for disabled students, who often face disciplinary punishment for behavioral and emotional issues that are beyond their control.

 

Social Justice Starts in School

Much of the problems with inequality in the US school system are a manifestation of broader socio-economic issues across the country. To improve education accessibility, we need to address these underlying issues.

First, we need diversity and representation in schools.

Teaching staff and the school board should reflect the diversity of the students. There should be more teachers of color, and they must be paid competitively. Through minority representation in positions of power within the institution, schools can better appreciate the needs of their minority students.

In addition, the history and culture of Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) should be added to the nationwide school curriculum. This helps to integrate minority students into the fabric of modern America and empowers them to engage in the learning environment.

Second, we need to consider reallocating funds from school policing to mental health support instead.

Children and young adults need empathy and understanding instead of exclusionary discipline. Schools should focus more on hiring social workers and counselors that support the well-being of students.

Teachers and other school personnel should regularly undergo professional training programs to learn new and alternative student behavior management strategies.

Healthy and respectful relationships with students reaffirm their self-worth, help them to see the value of school, decrease dropout rates, and improve overall educational results.

Finally, we need to set up safe study spaces for students. These can be part of after-school services or an independent facility in the community. Many disadvantaged students do not have the luxury of personal study areas and can benefit from a place to do their schoolwork without distractions.

Mentorship programs combined with study-oriented spaces can also help to plug the holes that cause minority students to leave the school system. Needless to say, mentors should be from similar community and socio-economic backgrounds as their protégés.

The good news is that approximately $129 billion in Covid-19 relief funds will be allocated to K-12 schools this year. This funding will be used partly to address learning gaps or trauma suffered by students during the pandemic. It will also help pay for additional teaching staff in order to reduce class sizes.

As the US restarts face-to-face education, we must take the opportunity to rebuild our schools into restorative institutions that focus on the needs of all students. We can no longer be content with under-serving children and youth that have less to begin with.

Now is the time to prioritize education equity and develop a robust and diverse nation, from the ground up.

 

Submitted by Brooke

Political unrest, natural disasters, and economic hardships are some of the many reasons that lead people to emigrate. As people from different racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds make up communities in the United States, how can we best improve diversity and inclusivity?

Diversity vs. Inclusion

Let us first define what these two terms mean.

Diversity refers to the people who make up the community. These people have various traits such as gender, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, religion, age, marital status, and physical ability.

Inclusion refers to how people feel within the community. A diverse community does not automatically qualify as inclusive. An inclusive community is one where all members feel supported, safe, and respected.

See the Individual

If we look closely, diversity can be found everywhere, even within what may seem to be a homogenous group. For instance, a gym could have members from only one gender and race, but from several religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The most direct approach to embracing diversity starts on a personal level. When members of a community get to know each other as individuals, they are less likely to believe in negative stereotypes and perpetuate harmful behavior.

As individuals start to recognize their mutual humanity, they find it easier to accept minor differences. This lays the groundwork for welcoming further diversity and helps the community to create a more inclusive atmosphere.

Involve Community Leaders

While diverse individuals learn to get along with each other, community leaders also need to do their part by establishing more safe spaces for such interactions.

Community leaders are integral people who represent the various groups in society. They could be mentors from places of worship, schools, and informal clubs, or even someone who runs a popular ethnic restaurant.

These representatives have personal access to their community groups and a deep understanding of the issues at hand. A community council formed with these leaders can identify and address existing barriers to inclusivity.

In a productive community council, all members must have an equal voice regardless of the size of the social group they represent. Council members should build on the strengths and assets of their various groups and work together towards the common goal of inclusion.

Make Understanding Accessible

Humans are creatures of habit and instinctively perceive familiar situations and environments as safer. This is one of the reasons why otherness in any community is initially viewed with apprehension.

We can bridge this social gap by bringing diversity to public spaces. A popular way of doing this is to host cultural fairs or food markets. Events such as these offer opportunities to engage with people from a wide range of backgrounds within a comfortable setting.

Celebrating holidays from different cultures and religions is also a great way to increase mutual understanding and inclusivity. Celebrations such as Chinese New Year in New York City and Muertos Fest in San Antonio, Texas, are examples of minority holidays that have become successfully adopted by the public.

Appreciate Cultural Significance

Why do Sikhs wear turbans? What is the cultural significance of cannabis use in Jamaican culture? Can I participate in a Pride parade?

Sometimes, avoidance of people from different backgrounds may be due to lack of information and fear of committing a social faux pas. Public education campaigns can provide the community with knowledge about various cultural and social groups.

Such activities help members of the community further identify common ground and better understand the history and value behind the traits and rituals of other groups.

It is vital to note, however, that this labor should not fall only on the shoulders of the minority parties. Community leaders who have stronger social authority should support and empower public education activities of the more marginalized groups.

Evaluate Current Policies

While federal labor law in the US protects employees and job seekers against general discrimination, coverage is far from comprehensive and it is often difficult for victims to prove subtle prejudice.

For example, inflexible working hours mean that primary caregivers–most of whom are women–have less access to work opportunities, fair wages, and long-term financial security.

Other seemingly harmless policies may likewise reinforce unconscious bias. An instance of this is the dress code policy enacted by some school districts that unfairly penalizes black students for wearing their traditional hairstyles.

Thus, it is essential to regularly revisit and evaluate current policies that could adversely affect inclusion. As federal and state law is often sluggish to evolve, we should work within the community to call for more progressive policies in our public spaces, schools, and workplaces.

Moving Forward

Finally, for US communities to grow towards more diversity and inclusivity, we must set up structures that push for accountability. We should be aware of our unconscious biases and actively learn to understand and live with those who are different from us.

From the legalization of cannabis in San Francisco to Darsh Preet Singh becoming the first turbaned Sikh to play National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) basketball, change is in the wind.

We must elect leaders that model the values of diversity and inclusion. The events we organize should bring people together instead of push them apart. We should establish a sense of belonging for everyone who lives on US soil, with equal liberty and justice for all.

Submitted by Shauna

We have this notion that there are rich people, and poor people. It’s all around us. We see “rich” people in shiny cars and shiny advertisements. We see “poor people”, perhaps living in unmaintained houses. But the truth is, there’s no such thing as poor people and rich people, we’re all just people. That is to say, rich and poor are ideas that exist all in our heads.

Wealth is a state of mind
Take that example I just gave, of a beautiful young man wearing an Armani suit in a full-page advertisement in a magazine. These people look rich, but they are really actors, wearing someone else’s clothes temporarily, for the purposes of the photo shoot. They probably don’t and wouldn’t wear such a suit in the rest of their life. Suddenly in your mind, that perceived richness just disappeared, like a bubble popping. But before reading this article, if we saw that young man on the street (after seeing the advertisement), we might think they’re rich. In truth, advertising models aren’t paid that much, so it’s safe to say that they probably aren’t as rich as the advertisement makes them appear. It was an illusion. Similarly, there are lots of nice old grandfathers and grandmothers going for their morning walk, with their scruffy old dog, holding the same tattered dog leash that they’ve been using for the past 14 years, slowly plodding along in old and comfortable sandals on their feet. Certainly, not wearing an Armani suit. Sometimes you’ll talk to them by chance, thinking that they’re poor and living on a pension, but are surprised to find that they spend every winter in Florida, and have two boats. That poorness that you imagined exists only in the mind, and it isn’t present in external signals like shabby clothes. So, in this way, being poor and rich is an illusion.

Fluid and ever-changing
You’re not born rich and then stay rich for life. Similarly, there are lots of amazing stories of people coming from very humble beginnings, and then rising up, to build a great life and wealth for themselves, and pull their new family out of poverty, into the middle class or even into the upper class with power and influence. So, it’s a mistake to think of yourself as poor or rich. In fact, you shouldn’t even feel bad about being without money at one point in time. Everyone goes through periods of financial ups and downs, just like stocks on the stock market, companies big and small, and even entire countries. It’s natural, so be ok with it. And on the other hand, you should check yourself when you’re feeling like the ruler of the world, just because you came across a bit of money. There’s no shame in being broke occasionally. If you used to drive a Lexus, it’s fine to trade it in for a VW Beetle, to measurably increase the quality of your life in other areas. Maybe that extra money will give you a soft landing, and will help you find a better or more enjoyable job. I’m proud to say that I’ve done this myself. I was doing well, with a stable job, and after the end of one romantic relationship, I had a Louis Vuitton bag sitting around as a previous gift. As high-quality as it was, it wasn’t my favorite, and I didn’t want to mentally dwell on that past relationship in the future, so when a friend said to me, “You should find out how much your luxury handbag is worth“, I realized that it was a great idea. So, off it went. I used the funds to give myself more breathing space and put the rest onto a bill that I had coming up, and it was one of the smoothest periods of financial stability of my life. Many other people might have felt despair, and that their life was “falling apart”, but I didn’t. Because I understood that you’re neither rich nor poor, and neither do you pick one of those states and stay there. Things ebb and flow.

Acknowledge the truth
As the famous comedian Dave Chappelle says, being poor is a mentality. Now, you shouldn’t delude yourself, you need to acknowledge that you’re broke when you are: if you have no money, then you have no money, and it’s dangerous to pretend otherwise. But don’t assign yourself to the victim-hood of being poor. Money comes and goes. Sometimes you’ll be broke, sometimes you’ll be flush with cash. But in both cases, and especially when transitioning from one to the other, be mentally wealthy. As a side effect, money will come to you, if you work for it. Have an abundance mindset, not a scarcity mindset. Being poor is planting yourself firmly in the scarcity mindset.

Conclusion

The biggest money mistake that people make is believing that they can’t change their situation. If you’re broke, it doesn’t mean you have to be poor forever. You can take control of your life, get a good job, and take care of your family. Advice for the middle class: If you’re not rich, you’re not poor either. Be satisfied with your current situation, many would kill to be where you are. Even if you’re not a CEO, you have the same power to change your life that a CEO does, and you can do it in a matter of years. Advice for the rich: If you’re rich, don’t rest on your laurels. You’re rich today, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be rich tomorrow. Keep working hard. The goal is to be mentally wealthy. Money is a tool, not a goal. Wealth is a state of mind.