Diversity Equity Inclusion and Me

For you copy/paste followers:

HELLO: MY NAME IS:  Mike - I Am WOKE. 

WOKE means awakened to the needs of others. 
“I try to be well-informed, thoughtful, compassionate, humble, and kind.”
It means I will diligently try to make our world a better place for all people.
It means that I take seriously the life of Jesus to love God with all my heart, soul, and mind. 
It includes His second command, “Love my neighbor (every neighbor) as myself.”
It includes the decision to be aware of and fight against injustice. 
It requires acceptance and inclusiveness.
It means standing up with the marginalized, the persecuted, and the downtrodden.
I am proud to aspire to ‘wokeness’ as a way of life.
I admit my failings while praying that I will continue to walk this path toward a better future for all.

I Believe in DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

You might know about DEI, but rather than using an anonymous acronym, I prefer using words to keep things clear. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion apply to  

people of every type, 

people of all races, creeds, and religions, 

people of every height and width, 

people who have a full set of limbs and those who do not, 

people who need empathy and understanding, 

mothers who need a place of privacy to feed their babies, 

single fathers who need a way to bring their daughters to the restroom, 

people who are losing the ability to see and those unable to see at all, 

harassed people in the workplace needing a place to voice their fears, 

people searching for equal pay, 

children and teens experiencing depression,

women who can return to work after pregnancy – or to be hired at all, 

workplace accommodations for seating, computer screens, lighting, and access, 

and opportunities to be fairly evaluated for employment - 

not based on bias but on talent, merit, experience, and education.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion provides things like
Wheelchair access
Subtitles and captions for television
Telephone access for hearing-impaired.
Translations at school, work, and church
Bathroom access for mothers, fathers, and children
Belt extensions for airplane seating.
Fairness in the workplace

*Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will not crash planes.