"Language is more than a tool for communication"
Choosing Inclusion: How the Words We Use Can Build (or Break) Belonging In every conversation, classroom, workplace, or social media comment, our words hold more power than we often realize. Language is more than a tool for communication.it’s a vehicle for connection, culture, and community. And at its best, it can create belonging. At its worst, it can quietly exclude. The Everyday Impact of Language: Belonging isn't built through grand gestures alone. It's formed in the small choices we make every day.In the words we speak and write, in the tone we use, and in the assumptions behind our language. A simple phrase like “you guys” may seem harmless, but for someone who doesn’t identify within that binary, it may feel like a reminder that they’re not truly seen. Inclusion starts with awareness. When we pause to consider how our words affect others, we begin to shift from unconscious habits to conscious connection. Language That Builds: Inclusive language is intentional. It welc...