Communicating about Culturally Sensitive Issues

- You don't have to look very far to find examples of people saying and doing things that may be considered offensive. Now, some of this is intentional, but a lot of it isn't. It's well meaning people saying things that have negative repercussions, and in some instances can be quite costly. There's conflict along cultural lines in just about every corner of the earth. What's the solution? Well, it can't be that we don't talk about the more delicate topics, say religion, social status, race and ethnicity, gender, politics, sexual orientation, or ability status just to name a few.

Avoiding these topics is unproductive, but how do you begin to broach them? How do we avoid the tense and uncomfortable dance around these topics? Well, this course is designed to help you do just that. Hi there, I'm Dr. Daisy Lovelace. I've been working with organizations on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion since 2006. Many of the challenges I've observed are tied to miscommunication or a lack of understanding among well intentioned people.

This course is not about compliance or political correctness. Instead, it's a resource to help you navigate conversations involving culturally sensitive topics. I'll start by giving you some background on why these topics can be tricky, and then provide you with some principles to keep in mind. Finally, I'll give you strategies for engaging in meaningful dialogues. Let's get started.