How to lead the activity
You will need to add or subtract based on what aspects are important for the group (for example, in a staff retreat naming all the roles in the room would be important, or important marginalized groups in your region). The common element is to inclusively name people with a genuine “Welcome!”
The first few times you lead this welcome, you might want printed notes to remind you. But as soon as possible, give up the script, take your time, and look at the participants during the welcoming. It can be a surprisingly tender experience for facilitator and participants.
Welcome… (and then facilitator names)
- People of Latino descent, First Nations/indigenous, African descent, Middle-Eastern descent, Asian and Pacific Islander descent, European descent, and people of mixed, multiple descents (adapt as appropriate to your group)
- Women, men, transgender people
- The many feelings you have about climate change: nervousness, feeling it as an opportunity, your hope, your despair, terror, confusion, feeling of powerlessness, and the part of you that feels connected with others and feels powerful
- Languages spoken here (try to know as many ahead of time or ask people to share what languages are spoken in the room)
- Specifically name provinces/countries represented – pause and invite more input
- Those who identify as having a disability, visible or invisible
- Heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, queer (adapt as appropriate)
- Survivors
- Migrants
- People who identify as activists, and people who don’t
- People who have been in workshops like this, and those who haven’t
- The many ways people in this room have gained knowledge, those who have acquired it formally or informally through experience
- Single, married, partnered, dating, celibate, sexually active
- Those in their teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 100s (adapt as appropriate)
- People of different religious faiths: Jews, Buddhist, Muslims, Christians, traditional religions, Baha’i, Atheist, Agnostic, or others, whether searching, given up, or other faith tradition (adapt as appropriate)
- Those who support you to be here; those who make it possible
- Your family, genetic and otherwise
- Mystics, seekers, believers of all kinds
- Those dear to us who have died
- Our elders: those here in this room, in our lives, and those who have passed away
What are some of the other aspects of our diversity that I’ve left out? Include what’s suggested from participants.
