It’s DEI for brevity, comprehension, convenience—Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. DEI has become a shorthand vehicle to communicate the universal values of relational integrity, intentional community, and investment in the well-being of all.
There’s no escaping the reality of human diversity—we come in different sizes, shapes, and shades, from differing sources, societies, and social standing. But we’re more alike than different in our fundamental genetic make-up, the similarity of our survival needs, our aspirations, our humanity.
There’s no denying the tragedy of inequity in our lived experience—some live in mansions, some in hovels; some consume the finest cuisine, some eat from dumpsters; some achieve decades of education and training, some can’t read or write; some enjoy good health, some suffer in silence. It’s a seemingly endless list of disparity and desperation.
So much separates us—appearance, geography, language, heritage, religion, politics, gender, et cetera, et cetera…ad infinitum. How do we transcend the barriers, how do we overcome our biases, how do we broaden our perspectives and expand our boundaries? Inclusion may be a good and necessary step along the road to recognition, acceptance, and ultimately, genuine appreciation and love for one another.
We can become practitioners and purveyors of love, joy, and peace, embracing diversity, and pursuing equity, inclusive of our universal human family.
Ted Hamilton, MD
Chairman and Senior Advisor
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