On Representation and Belonging

Neil Gonsalves | Shares an eye opening conversation with a colleague on the subject of representation and belonging in the workplace

Written by Neil Gonsalves for Seeking Veritas on Substack

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

I had an engaging conversation on the subject of representation today. Someone said it was “critically important” for the organization I work for to hire more people who look like me so that I could see myself represented in my work community, she argued that it could help me feel a sense of belonging.

I’m sure she meant well, in fact I wholeheartedly believe she was being sincere and well intentioned. A more cynical person may have taken her comment to be performative, but I honestly believe she was trying to be supportive of me in that moment. Nonetheless, several thoughts went racing through my mind; when she said more people who look like me I wondered what exactly she meant? I was equally perplexed by the idea that this person assumed I must not feel like I belonged at my workplace.

There is a lot to unpack in those thoughts. First, “like me” is an ambiguous abstraction. Like me physically, psychologically, ideologically, politically, emotionally or intellectually? A degree of specificity would be required so as to evaluate the success of this undertaking. I would argue that I’m more likely to find common ground with someone with similar intellectual curiosity, I may be more comfortable with someone who shares my political ideology or someone who is psychologically compatible with me but I’m uncertain how they could screen for that. I know this however, merely matching someone to my exterior features would be the least meaningful way to find a representative workmate.

Second, why would I not feel like I belonged? That would have been an odd comment if it wasn’t so overused in the contemporary workplace. If I needed everyone to look like me in my workplace an easier strategy might have been to not move to Canada in the first place. Let’s face it, there are a lot more Indians in India, one would imagine I would feel a greater sense of belonging there. Until you realize that I’ve never lived in India, although my parents did. I cannot speak any of the over 100 languages or dialects spoken in India, the only language I speak is English. Nor do I subscribe to any of the major faiths practiced in India. If you factor all that in, you may be able to comprehend why I still have a greater sense of belonging at my workplace than I would if I was transferred to a hypothetical Indian branch office.

In an August 2023 article for Pop Matters, Amir Zaki took on this very subject. He raised important questions about what representation really means, especially when people use the phrase “representation matters” as a conversation ender rather than a means of inviting dialogue. Zaki describes the unreflective manner in which people absorb and then regurgitate ideological arguments without critically evaluating the proposition, inevitably resulting in reductive pithy statements that fail to have any meaningful impact.

In his article Zaki states

“This is at the heart of why I argue that “Representation Matters” is a shallow slogan that’s been weaponized and, at best, is but a partial truth. It’s not only an incomplete concept, but if believed and endorsed as intended, it has the potential to harm more than help marginalized people. 

What really “matters” is that impressionable people are exposed to various perspectives, belief systems, cultures, languages, moral frameworks, ideas, beauty, art, lifestyles, and socio-economic statuses. If, when someone stated that “representation matters,” but they meant “ideological diversity matters” – really anything more than superficial diversity – I would be fully on board. But that is simply not the case… we ought to intentionally seek out ideas and behaviors that differ from ours culturally, ethnically, and socio-economically to learn and understand more about the world. We ought to be “culturally appropriating” with fervor and passion! How absurd it would be if I were to limit my exposure or potential to the ideas and customs of people who share my phenotype and/or ancestry.”

My conversation with the well meaning woman ended well. Our conversation remained respectful and constructive. I appreciated that she felt comfortable engaging with me on the subject, I appreciated that she made me feel comfortable to express my thoughts. We realized we both belonged right where we were and our mutual commitment to our work and our community helped us see representation and reflection in each other. Turns out our sense of belonging came from the common humanity and purpose we shared rather than superficial characteristics that differentiated us.

About the author: Neil Gonsalves is an Indian-born Canadian immigrant who grew up in Dubai, U.A.E. and moved to Canada in 1995. He is an Ontario college educator, a TEDx speaker, an author and columnist, a recreational dog trainer and an advocate for new immigrant integration and viewpoint diversity.