Beyond Pride Month: Why inclusion is essential all year long

Rita Essaian is senior vice president and chief people officer for Sharp HealthCare.

During the month of June — and in San Diego, through July — there’s much discussion surrounding inclusion. While Pride Month is the perfect opportunity to celebrate diversity, equity and inclusion, it’s essential to make all three a year-round effort.

I’m proud to say that at Sharp, we strive to ensure that’s what we do.

Fostering a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion — of belonging — is simply an extension of how we care for our team members, patients, their family members and the communities we serve. It’s foundational to what we call The Sharp Experience, and one of the reasons I was thrilled to join Sharp earlier this year. But my path to Sharp was not a usual one.

When I was six years old, my family immigrated to the United States from Armenia. We didn’t know the language, the culture or the norms. And we didn’t have a community of our own.

Having been raised in a very traditional Armenian family — in a foreign land — we were expected to uphold our traditions and family values. This meant we did not easily adjust to the American way of doing things. We were sheltered so that we could preserve what felt familiar, comfortable and safe for my parents.

Little did they know that this impacted how I would be embraced — or not — by the other kids at school. Being perceived as “other,” and often lonely, I didn’t feel like I belonged anywhere.

That experience taught me a lot — to be resilient; to drive forward with a strong work ethic and deep commitment to integrity; to be proud of who I am and what I bring; to fiercely follow my passions and aspirations; and most importantly, to embrace my true, authentic self. It’s also inspired me to be an ally for others who may not have — or feel like they have — a voice, and to encourage them to speak up courageously and show up as their authentic selves.

But they can only do so when they feel that they belong.

Understanding belonging

Belonging is a human need for a sense of identity in a certain group or community. Belonging is the feeling of security, acceptance and support. It’s being free to be your true, authentic self.

“A sense of belonging is one of humanity’s deepest longing,” Brené Brown says.

Everyone wants to be seen and valued for who they are. They want to feel appreciated and respected for being their true, authentic selves without prejudice, judgment or negative consequences.

This brings us back to inclusion and the role we can play in genuinely supporting it beyond an annual observance. Inclusion means welcoming and appreciating people regardless — and because — of who they are, what they stand for, what they believe, where they come from, who they love, how they move through the world, what language they speak and how they look. It’s recognizing that everyone deserves to be included — to feel that they belong.

What’s more, research shows that diversity and inclusion have benefits beyond creating a sense of belonging. Diversity and inclusion yield enhanced creativity and innovation, as diverse teams bring a wide range of perspectives, ideas and experiences. Multiple viewpoints and approaches lead to better decision making, which, in turn, can lead to economic growth. Diversity and inclusion expand knowledge and understanding of different cultures, values and experiences, and lead to a more just and equitable society.

So, I ask each of you to consider what you can do to be more inclusive in your own lives. Lean into curiosity and challenge yourself to be comfortable with the uncomfortable. Educate yourself. Question your assumptions about stereotypes and be aware of your privileges and biases — we all have them.

Most importantly, promote kindness, understanding and a sense of belonging. Make sure the people around you — all the people — feel valued, heard and seen. And make a commitment to practicing inclusion every day of the year.