Where to start: Race / Citizenship

When it comes to race and citizenship, it's important to understand the difference between the systemic or societal impacts and the local impacts of racism and xenophobia. Additionally, there is going to be a multitude of experiences based on the country, region, and intersections with different identities, such as socio-economic status and ability.

It is important that you involve a diverse group of people who represent different racialized communities and those with intersectional experiences regarding citizenship. How to do this in a non-tokenizing manner is to take each of these experiences as an individual experience and not have it speak for the entire race or cultural community.

In your organization or community, you might already have a group of individuals with lived experiences who are advocating for the types of experiences that need to feel like they belong. Listen to these firsthand experiences. Involve them in your ideation.

Simple ways to avoid creating racist or xenophobic solutions:

  • Read blogs and stories by Black, Indigenous Peoples, and racialized anti-racism advocates

  • If advocates have shared why certain features or actions are racist or xenophobic, remove those features immediately, and commit to continually incorporating additional features to proactively address racism or xenophobia moving forward

  • Involve a diverse group of people who represent different racialized communities

  • Understand the impacts of historical and systemic discrimination on different communities

  • Research which communities are underrepresented in your product use or services

    • Spend time listening to those communities on why they are not using your product or service

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Where to start: Ability

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Where to start: Gender Identity / Sexual Orientation