Quotes Related to DEI

The following quotes about inclusion highlight the beauty and opportunity available to us through conscientious DEI engagement. When people work together and value what makes us different and special, opportunities and success can flourish.

  • "Diversity in all its forms is the path to greatness." — James D Wilson

  • "Strength lies in differences, not in similarities." — Stephen R. Covey

  • "Diversity doesn't look like anyone. It looks like everyone." — Karen Draper

  • "Real diversity and inclusion doesn't mean that we will always agree. It means that even when we disagree, we can still respect each other." — Justin Jones-Fosu

  • "The color of your soul is more important than the color of your skin." — Matshona Dhliwayo

  • "Race and religion do not separate people; ignorance does." — Matshona Dhliwayo

  • "A garden's beauty never lies in one flower." — Matshona Dhliwayo

  • "We are all different, which is great because we are all unique. Without diversity, life would be very boring." — Catherine Pulsifer

  • "Diversity is the mix. Inclusion is making the mix work." — Andres Tapia

  • "There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard. There are not more than five primary colors, yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. There are not more than five cardinal tastes, yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted." — Sun Tzu, "The Art of War"

  • "Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilization." — Mahatma Gandhi

  • "A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone." — Sundar Pichai

  • "Creating and managing a diverse workforce is a process, not a destination." — R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr.

  • "Diversity: the art of thinking independently together." — Malcolm Forbes

  • "Diversity creates dimension in the world." — Elizabeth Ann Lawless

  • "It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences." — Audre Lorde

  • "Exclusion is derived from fear, ignorance, and power, whilst inclusion is derived from love, compassion, and respect." — Michelle Emson

  • "Urging an organization to be inclusive is not an attack. It's progress." — DaShanne Stokes

  • "Fairness does not mean everyone gets the same. Fairness means everyone gets what they need." — Rick Riordan, "The Red Pyramid"

  • Build bridges, not walls." — Suzy Kassem, "Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem"

  • "When everyone is included, everyone wins." — Jesse Jackson

  • "Diversity is being asked to the party, Inclusion is being asked to dance." — Verna Myers

  • "Equality is leaving the door open for anyone who has the means to approach it; equity is ensuring there is a pathway to that door for those who need it." — Caroline Belden, "The Inclusion Solution (Equity vs. Equality Series)"

  • "Equality is not a concept. It's not something we should be striving for. It's a necessity. Equality is like gravity. We need it to stand on this earth as men and women, and the misogyny that is in every culture is not a true part of the human condition. It is life out of balance, and that imbalance is sucking something out of the soul of every man and woman who's confronted with it. We need equality. Kinda now." — Joss Whedon

  • "Equality is treating everyone the same. But equity is taking differences into account, so everyone has a chance to succeed." — Jodi Picoult, "Small Great Things"

  • "Diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice we make every day. As leaders, we have to put out the message that we embrace and not just tolerate diversity." — Nellie Borrero. managing director and senior strategic adviser, Global Inclusion & Diversity at Accenture

  • "Inclusion is not a matter of political correctness. It is the key to growth." — Jesse Jackson, activist

  • "Honesty and openness is always the foundation of insightful dialogue." — Bell Hooks, "All About Love: New Visions"

  • "You deserve a circle of inclusion and influence, but it’s up to you to create it." — Richie Norton, "The Power of Starting Something Stupid: How to Crush Fear, Make Dreams Happen, and Live Without Regret"

  • "To me, beauty is inclusion — every size, every color — that’s the world I live in." — Prabal Gurung, fashion designer

  • "We are greater than, and greater for, the sum of us." — Heather McGhee, "The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together"

  • "The human heart is too grand to be wasted in the gutter of cultural exclusivity." — Abhijit Naskar, "Making Britain Civilized: How to Gain Readmission to The Human Race"

  • "Why be a star when you can make a constellation?" — Mariam Kaba, "We Do This ‘Til We Free Us"

  • "Diversity requires commitment. Achieving superior performance diversity can produce further action– most notably, a commitment to develop a culture of inclusion. People do not just need to be different, they need to be fully involved and feel their voices are heard." — Alain Dehaze, CEO of Adecco

  • "When we listen and celebrate what is both common and different, we become wiser, more inclusive, and better as an organization." — Pat Wadors, chief talent officer at Procore Technologies

  • "You either believe that people respond to authority, or that they respond to kindness and inclusion. I’m obviously in the latter camp. I think that people respond better to reward than punishment." — Brian Eno, musician

  • "You have a responsibility to make inclusion a daily thought, so we can get rid of the word ‘inclusion.’ " — Theodore Melfi, American producer

  • "We will all profit from a more diverse, inclusive society, understanding, accommodating, even celebrating our differences, while pulling together for the common good." — Ruth Bader Ginsburg

  • "If we want to include everyone, we have to help everyone develop their talents and use their gifts for the good of the community. That’s what inclusion means — everyone contributes." — Melinda Gates

  • "Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance." — Verna Myers, vice pPresident of inclusion strategy, Netflix

  • "Using people to be inclusive is not an attack. It is progress." — DaShanne Stokes, sociologist

  • "You deserve a circle of inclusion and influence, but it’s up to you to create it." — George Washington, "The Story of My Life"

  • "Ethics and equity and the principles of justice do not change with the calendar." — D.H. Lawrence, writer

  • "Treating different things the same can generate as much inequality as treating the same things differently." — Kimberlé Crenshaw, civil rights advocate

  • "Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly" — Martin Luther King, Jr.

  • "I learned early on about the real meaning of equity and inclusion, and that when those guiding principles are not met, they can have devastating effects on individuals, families, and communities." — Lori Lightfoot, mayor of Chicago

  • "Equality is leaving the door open for anyone who has the means to approach it; equity is ensuring there is a pathway to that door for those who need it." — Caroline Belden, "The Inclusion Solution"

  • "The difference between equity and equality is that equality is when everyone gets the same thing, and equity is when everyone gets the things they deserve." — DeRay Mckesson , activist

  • "Diverse groups are more creative. They feel uncomfortable, and that discomfort motivates them to do extra preparation and share new information." — Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and writer, " Work Life Podcast"

  • "We are all different, which is great because we are all unique. Without diversity, life would be very boring." — Catherine Pulsifer

  • "We need to give each other the space to grow, to be ourselves, to exercise our diversity. We need to give each other space so that we may both give and receive such beautiful things as ideas, openness, dignity, joy, healing, and inclusion." — Max De Pree, "Leadership is an Art"

  • "We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color." — Maya Angelou

  • "Diversity doesn’t look like anyone. It looks like everyone." — Karen Draper, "The Place of Us’"

  • "I can tell you, without diversity, creativity remains stagnant." — Edward Enninful, editor in chief, British Vogue

  • "The greater the diversity, the greater the perfection." — Thomas Berry

  • "The path to diversity begins with supporting, mentoring, and sponsoring diverse women and men to become leaders and entrepreneurs." — Denise Morrison , retired CEO and president, Campbell Soup Co.

  • "Diversity is the one true thing we all have in common. Celebrate it every day." — Winston Churchill

  • "Different roads sometimes lead to the same castle." — George R. R. Martin, "A Song of Ice and Fire"

  • "Understanding diversity includes knowing how diminished we all are when voices go unheard." — Preskill & Brookfield, "The Story of My Life"

  • "It is impossible to get to know people deeply and not come to like them." — Lori Gottlieb, psychologist and writer, "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: A Therapist, Her Therapist, and Our Lives Revealed"

  • "We need to reach that happy stage of our development when differences and diversity are not seen as sources of division and distrust, but of strength and inspiration." — Josefa Iloilo , former president of Fiji

  • "Let’s stop believing that our differences make us superior or inferior to one another." — Con Miguel Ruiz, "The Four Agreements"

  • "A diverse mix of voices leads to better discussions, decisions, and outcomes for everyone." — Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google

  • "Creating and managing a diverse workforce is a process, not a destination." — R. Roosevelt Thomas, Jr.

  • "It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences." — Audre Lorde, writer

  • "You can't be what you can't see." — Marian Wright Edelman, founder of Children’s Defense Fund

  • "Every culture’s history is essential. Everyone deserves to have their lives elevated through the beauty of truthful representation." — Rohit Bhargava, "Beyond Diversity"

  • "If you haven't got the best talent, you re not going to be the best. If you're not representing properly the available pool of talent, then you're missing an opportunity." — Alex Wilmot-Sitwell, partner at Perella Weinberg Partners’ Advisory

  • "What diversity advocates are working for is an industry that honestly, accurately, and equitably represents the world we live in." — Mike Jung, "Unidentified Suburban Object"

  • "True belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world. Our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance." — Brene Brown, "The Gifts of Imperfection"

  • "People will typically be more enthusiastic where they feel a sense of belonging and see themselves as part of a community than they will in a workplace in which each person is left to his own devices." — Alfie Kohn, philosopher

  • "We long to belong, and belonging and caring anchors our sense of place in the universe." — Patricia Churchland, philosopher

  • "You can't build a society purely on interests, you need a sense of belonging." — Valery Giscard d’Estaing, former president of France

  • "Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives." — Bessel A. van der Kolk, psychologist and writer, "The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma"

  • "Don’t be a pepper on the eyes of people; rather be the salt on their tongue and make a difference that influences their sense of belonging to the earth." — Israelmore Ayivor, writer

  • "There is a reason the word belonging has a synonym for want at its center; it is the human condition." — Jodi Picoult, "My Sister’s Keeper"

  • "Stupidity and unconscious bias often work more damage than venality." — Bertrand Russel, philosopher

  • "The point isn't to get people to accept that they have biases, but to get them to see [for themselves] that those biases have negative consequences for others." — Theresa McHenry, general manager of Human Resources, Marketing and Consumer Business at Microsoft

  • "To know the true reality of yourself, you must be aware not only of your conscious thoughts, but also of your unconscious prejudices, bias and habits." — Unknown

  • "A lot of change is possible by just acknowledging unconscious bias–that exhaustively documented but unpleasant reality many would rather ignore–and listening with less bias and acting on what we then learn." — Tara Moss

  • "It’s not at all hard to understand a person; it’s only hard to listen without bias." — Criss Jami, "Killosophy"

  • "Unconscious perceptions govern many of the most important decisions we make and have a profound effect on the lives of many people in many ways… Unconscious patterns play out in ways that are so subtle they are hard to spot." — Howard Ross, activist