Learn from others: Inspiring perspective shifts
I often receive inquiries about how someone has recently learned about X identity and they want to know more but they also aren’t sure who to ask. This is an important part of diversity, equity, and inclusion work. It is not the duty of marginalized groups to educate others about our experiences. But as someone who wants to learn more in order to move towards acts of allyship and/or accomplice (more on those two words later) there are also a lot of people who are sharing their experiences that we can learn from every day!
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) are not just initiatives, there are ways to move them into daily practices. DEI doesn’t start and end in an office, educational environment, or community organization, it is part of how we think and act as individuals in all aspects of our lives. I often call the practice, “building your DEI lens on the world” when working with clients. Building a DEI lens as an individual is about seeing how we can ensure that DEI are at the heart of the decisions, processes, and cultures we interact with on a daily basis.
One of the most important foundations for building your DEI lens on the world is learning from others and seeking out different experiences and perspectives for understanding. To help inspire you to start on this journey of seeking out new views and exploring the world through the eyes of others, I’m sharing a few of the Instagram* accounts I follow that introduce perspectives that help me learn, grow, shift, and deepen my knowledge.
*This is not an endorsement of Instagram. They, like many social media platforms, are often using new methods, algorithms, and updates that disenfranchise people and groups working towards social change. This is also not a blanket endorsement of any one of these groups or people but rather an invitation to try learning and subscribing to some new people, places, and groups that can help you get outside your own lived experience. And/or to learn more about your own lived experience from others perspectives.
When seeking out new individuals of your own to follow for new perspectives I encourage you to explore what you like or how your perspectives are challenged by their voice, story,and images. I encourage each of us (myself included) to sit with that discomfort and dig into the perspective shifts each person can offer as we learn about experiences outside our own.
@thenapministry
Reminds me that “rest is form of resistance and reparation.”
These daily reminders are a beautiful push against the voices saying do, do, do and produce, be productive, and accomplish everything today. This is an account that reminds me we are going to do things differently than they have always been done.@mmiwhoismissing
Trigger Warning: “Dedicated to the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous people + mutual aid.”
Such an important topic that goes under addressed by the media. Here on this profile I learn more in depth experiences from people within indigenous communities and have a direct line into ways I can support, leverage or share with my networks how we can support the families and friends of missing and murdered indigenous women. I also encourage you to follow indigenous people living their best lives because we have over-representation of indigenous people dying instead of seeing their success and joy!@nalgonapositivitypride
Focused on eating disorder awareness and liberation that centers BIPOC experiences.
This page is funny, deep, and truly a wake up call to how often we as a culture have not taken care of BIPOC folks who experience eating disorders.Eating disorders have traditionally been a topic that centers white people within both the studies and experiences. This account raises awareness towards changing that narrative.@black.nutritionist
Dr. Kera Nyemb-Diop: Focused on how we talk about food making a difference in how we respect one another and embrace culture.
I learn something new from this person each time I read through another way that American culture has reinforced which foods are “good” and what foods are “bad” and blame disenfranchised communities for the “choices” they make in the food they take in. Decolonizing how we have been taught to think about food is a fantastic life changing pursuit!@them.
Queer and non binary focused news, images, featured writing and opinions.
I enjoy seeing the articles that share lived experiences of people within a community that is not only underrepresented but when represented it’s often by tropes and stereotypes. Great to hear from a range of perspectives on different topics. I learn new ways of thinking from queer and non binary people.@daylaborernetwork
National Day Laborer Organizing Network: Humanization of our day laborers and farm labor through sharing everyday lived experiences.
Learning about the names and snippets of life stories of people working agriculture, helps me learn about their daily experiences and life. Be it waking up in the middle of the night to harvest before the heat or learning that people are paid per lb or per box of fill in the blank fruit instead of by the hour gives me insight into the challenges faced by people working in the fields, vineyards, and orchards in the USA.@young_pueblo
Poetry that soothes my heart and mind
This person writes poems that hit at the heart of vulnerability, being seen, healthy boundaries and beautiful reminders of how we can still love and care in this world.@thefawz
Fawzia Mirza: Queer Southasian Muslim media representation
I learn about movies, tv shows, and about this rad humans life as they navigate the world and advocate for, create, and share greater representation of queer and Southasian experiences.@lvernon2000
Leah V: Fat, black, and Muslim woman’s musings
I enjoy learning about this amazing person who is at the forefront of greater representation of identities we haven’t seen in fashion (or anywhere in public) until now. I love seeing her success and celebrating how she’s a part of shifting the world we see around us.@sitwithit
Whitney Goodman LMFT: Mindset shifts with a lot of content based in cognitive behavioral therapy. I really enjoy the charts of thinking patterns this person makes. She has an approach that helps me to understand the mental shifts I can make from things like toxic positivity towards authentically feelings where I am at. She offers strategies for asking more thoughtful questions rather than the, “how are you” question that is really so loaded.@parentingwithperspectacles
Re-parenting my little self and great for parents.
When I see posts here, while I am not parenting a child, I learn ways I can talk to myself differently. I learn strategies for caring for my emotions and needs rather than ignoring, shutting down, or becoming angry with my own patterns.
Thanks for taking the time to read through these accounts. I hope you’ll start to follow a few new people. Please know that Instagram is often a place that continues to disenfranchise marginalized communities. Consider looking into Patreon, signing up for this person’s mailing list or other platforms that move away from benefiting from the free labor of people and towards a model that gives us an opportunity to pay amazing humans for the work they are doing.
