“Definitions belong to the definers, not the defined.”

—Toni Morrison

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We have labels for most everything and everybody. Labeling makes life easier as it defines our expectations and helps us compartmentalize situations and behaviors. The dictionary defines labels as a “classifying phrase or name applied to a person or thing, especially one that is inaccurate or restrictive.” You may encounter this more often than you think. Imagine that you've been taking notes with a black pen that's just run out of ink. You find a box labeled “Black Pens” and naturally expect to find black pens inside. But what if instead, you expected black pens with a felt tip and that's not what was in the box? Then that “Black Pen” label did not go far enough in helping you understand its contents. The pen loses some of its identity in the label. In the same vein, when we label individuals, we can easily overlook how unique they are and miss out on their richness. When we encounter someone with an ethnic or non-American sounding last name, with brown skin tones, or speaking with an accent, we're inclined to believe that we know their lineage which limits our curiosity about them. The fact is that we can't judge a book by its cover. In a globalized world, I am meeting more individuals who are multiracial, multicultural, or a combination thereof, and cannot and should not be categorized as “this race” or “that culture” lest we lose a big part of their identity. Labeling puts us in the frame of mind that leads us to believe that we know everything we need to know about someone often before they even speak. We're wired to put people in our boxes of expectations and engage within those boundaries. As we strive to be more inclusive, we must divert from a one-size-fits-all mindset to seeing the whole person and their uniqueness. Tiger Woods, a renowned American golfer of African American and Thai descent, refuses to identify as Black as he embraces his mixed-raced heritage. He sees himself as Cablinasian—a mix of Caucasian, Black, American Indian, and Asian. It's a term that he created with precision as he is one-fourth Black, one-fourth Thai, one-fourth Chinese, one-eighth White, and one-eighth American Indian. When the world looks at Tiger and sees only a Black man, we have in effect written his mother out of his racial identity. If one had to check a single box for Tiger's race, it would be labeled “other,” while Tiger may choose to check all boxes that apply. Racial and cultural identity can be an individual choice for many. Barack Obama is biracial. He proudly stated in his 2008 campaign speech in Philadelphia, “I am the son of a Black man from Kenya and a White woman from Kansas.” He was raised by his White mother and White grandparents and will forever be remembered as the first Black president of the United States. He identifies as Black, married a Black woman, and raised two Black daughters.

Society as well as the government has a practice of categorizing individuals by descent and bestowing labels that are not universally embraced by the community that has been labeled. As facets of diversity continue to expand in the workplace, more and more people want to be referred to by terms that they have chosen and better align with their history and heritage rather than the labels selected by society. Consider how your perception may change when you see beyond an African American, the lens of which we view Black people, to Jamaican. That distinction can add depth that was not there before. We tend to refer to our Spanish-speaking colleagues as Hispanic, where they may prefer Mexican or Puerto Rican. Our Asian colleagues may prefer Japanese or Korean, while our Middle Eastern colleagues may prefer Lebanese. An increasing number of people are embracing their full identities and we should too. Too often, we assume instead of taking the time to get to know people and let them share on their terms or worse, asking in such a way that offends. While some colleagues are fine with the labels, others feel erased. Taking interest in how people see themselves demonstrates sensitivity and respect. When we understand how individuals see themselves, it makes room for deeper conversation and appreciation for cultural nuances. Make someone's day by getting to know them as an individual, rather than part of a group. Champions of inclusion accept other's references and identities of themselves as truth.

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Action Accelerators

• Vox.com: “The inadequacy of the term ‘Asian American,'” by Li Zhouli: www.vox.com/identities/22380197/asian-american-pacific-islander-aapi-heritage-anti-asian-hate-attacks
• CBSnews.com: “Not all black people are African American. Here's the difference,” by Cydney Adams: www.cbsnews.com/news/not-all-black-people-are-african-american-what-is-the-difference
• YouTube.com: What we lose when we let languages and cultures die, Bruno Beidacki, TEDxKentState: www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2xgZkvVS-A
• YouTube.com: The Dangers of Othering in the Quest to Belong, W. Kay Wilson, TEDxColumbus: www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFQiS3TUsA4

Sources Cited