Our global theme for April is inclusive! It was chosen by our Grand Rapids chapter, illustrated by Libby VanderPloeg, and is presented by WordPress.com.

When different people come into our lives, they bring gifts.

We can blend the best of our wisdom with the best of theirs. We can teach and learn from each other to produce closer circles that foster community and commit to diversity.

People who include with intention, raise their hand to do the work of embracing what is unfamiliar.

Inclusion is an attitude to consciously be open to ideas that come from outside of our settled ways of thinking or feeling. It’s about making a decision that comes from a place of love, of caring for others.

When you place inclusivity at the center of how you live, it has great power to heal, elevate new voices, and change the narrative of who belongs. As diversity advocate Vernā Myers once said, “Diversity is being invited to the party. Inclusion is being asked to dance.”