Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work

Imagine walking into a room where everyone else seems to have a head start you never got. This is the reality for many women of color in workplaces around the world. Privilege is the invisible currency that some carry from birth, granting them unearned advantages. It’s not about individual effort or merit but about the social systems that shape opportunities. Recognizing this is the first, crucial step toward fostering true inclusion. When we fail to see privilege, we mistakenly believe the playing field is level. But research shows that women of color face what is called 'prove-it-again' bias, where they must repeatedly demonstrate their competence just to be seen as equals. In one study, 61% of women reported this experience, compared to 35% of white men. This constant re-proving is exhausting and demoralizing, yet it remains largely invisible to those who do not experience it.

Consider how many social events center around alcohol, a seemingly neutral activity, but which excludes many due to culture or personal choice. This subtle exclusion reflects how workplace norms often cater to the majority, unintentionally sidelining others. Inclusion on purpose means intentionally designing environments that welcome all, not just those like us. It requires us to confront our own defensiveness when privilege is named, understanding that acknowledging privilege does not diminish our struggles but opens our eyes to the injustices others face.

Understanding that systemic racism and sexism are not relics of the past but active forces today helps us shift from blaming individuals to fixing broken systems. Intersectionality teaches us that women of color face unique barriers that cannot be addressed by gender or race efforts alone. This knowledge compels us to listen deeply to experiences unlike our own and to use our privilege to advocate for change. As we close this reflection, remember that recognizing privilege is not a one-time act but a lifelong practice of awareness and action.

Next, we will explore how developing an inclusion mindset transforms this awareness into intentional behaviors that create belonging.