Many companies and organizations utilize their own acronyms around DEI. People will include justice, belonging, accessibility, and others. DEIMW is our addition to this conversation. We understand through our research and through our personal practices that there is tremendous value in prioritizing mindfulness and wellness during the DEI journey, and we are here to continue being a beacon of DEIMW light emanating outwards.

As Source Wellness embarks on the journey of highlighting the intersection of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Mindfulness, and Wellness (DEIMW), it is crucial for our valued viewers and listeners to have more context on the logic behind this series.

First, DEIMW is a practice and a set of values that can truly revolutionize the way that businesses, and our society as a whole, will operate. A large part of our DEI journeys consists of becoming more aware of our biases, cultivating more inclusiveness, and practicing empathy and compassion for others who may look and act differently than us. Mindfulness is a skillset that helps us cultivate a greater sense of awareness of both our inner experience and our external environments. 

Noticing our biases and letting them flow through us before they become knee-jerk reactions is a byproduct of consistent mindfulness practice (Torres). A popular quote in DEI circles is, “You can’t control your first thought, but you can control your first action.” Mindfulness practices have also been shown to cultivate the faculties of empathy and compassion, so that we can be more effective and influential activists and allies (Shapiro). When we oppose systems of oppression from a place of hatred and negativity, it is difficult to make positive change; however, acting from a place of love and compassion will bring greater peace to our world. 

Likewise, ensuring that we prioritize our wellness on this path of activism will allow us to cultivate transformation while pouring from a cup of abundance and well-being. Working against systems of oppression is like swimming upstream. It takes a lot out of us, and if we don’t prioritize our well-being through intentional self-care and community care efforts, we will burn out. A burnt-out DEI professional, social justice activist, or ally cannot possibly make the impact that our society needs without rest, nourishment, and self-love. It is not necessarily natural at first to intentionally sustain ourselves, as we haven’t been taught the coping mechanisms that we need to feel healthy and able to work towards our DEI goals. However, there are countless resources, methods, practices, and ways of being that can help us slow down when we need to. Source Wellness is here to help nourish the changemakers in the DEI space.

The Intersection also highlights leaders in this field working on promoting the values of DEIMW in their own work. Thankfully, there is a growing body of professionals who have dedicated their life to this work, and every conversation is filled with insight and actionable steps for making worthwhile changes in organizations. By utilizing our platform to cultivate community and thought leadership, we can play our part in ensuring that DEIMW becomes more of a priority in businesses across the country.

To watch the webinar episodes, use this link.

To listen to the podcast episodes, use this link.

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Works Cited

Shapiro, Shauna. “Does Mindfulness Make You More Compassionate?” Greater Good Science Center, 27 February 2013, https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/does_mindfulness_make_you_compassionate. Accessed 1 August 2022.

Torres, Nicole. “Mindfulness Mitigates Biases You May Not Know You Have.” Harvard Business Review, 24 December 2014, https://hbr.org/2014/12/mindfulness-mitigates-biases-you-may-not-know-you-have. Accessed 1 August 2022.

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