As the world changes, the need for belonging among diverse groups of people is as strong as ever. There are great discussions and literature around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), but they are often confined to the academic environment and may not easily translate to real-world scenarios. Moreover, there is a lack of understanding of how our biology and neurobiology affect our emotions, perceptions, and behaviors in relation to these topics. This book bridges the DEI discussions with the real-world impact of these topics. At the baseline of our existence, we all have the same needs as part of our shared humanity, and we all have a role to play in fostering belonging in our organizations and spheres of influence.

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Decades of theory, research, and practice have singled out sense of belonging (in its many derivative forms) as a pivotal component of healthy development: psychologically, socially, culturally, academically. The human need for belonging, and therefore its essential nature, have been well established across multiple arenas. Despite growth in this field, answers to the barriers to belonging among marginalized groups and contexts remain especially elusive. For decades, this work was anchored primarily in dominant, whitestream lenses and contexts. Therefore, the authors attempt here to highlight the responsibilities of systems and individual actors to meaningfully adapt and intentionally make space for belonging for all. Within that we advocate for the inclusion and preservation of culture, identity, and voice, and reframe belonging as a fundamental human right. Moreover, the authors draw on insights and generate implications across multiple fields (education, psychology, sociology, counseling, cultural foundations, and community work). Considering belonging through a critical, equitable, culturally-sustaining perspective, while simultaneously identifying settings where more attention to barriers to belonging is needed, is a non-negotiable element of moving the work of positive human development forward.

While efforts to achieve equity in education are prominent in school districts across this country, the effective implementation that results in meaningful change remains elusive. Even with access to compelling theories and approaches such as multicultural education, culturally responsive teaching, culturally relevant instruction, culturally sustaining pedagogy, schools still struggle to implement equitable change that reshapes the academic experiences of students marginalized by the prevailing history, culture, and traditions in public education. Instead of getting it right with equity implementation, many schools and districts remain trapped in a cycle of equity dysfunction. In Belonging through a Culture of Dignity, Cobb and Krownapple argue that the cause of these struggles are largely based on the failure of educators to consider the foundational elements upon which educational equity is based, belonging and dignity. Through this work, the authors make these concepts accessible and explain their importance in the implementation of educational equity initiatives. Though the importance of dignity and belonging might appear to be self-evident at first glance, it's not until these concepts are truly unpacked, that educators realize the dire need for belonging through dignity. Once these fundamental human needs are understood, educators can gain clarity of the barriers to meaningful student relationships, especially across dimensions of difference such as race, class, and culture. Even the most relational and responsive educators need this clarity due to the normalization of what the authors refer to as dignity distortions. Cobb and Krownapple challenge that normalization and offer three concepts as keys to successful equity initiatives: inclusion, belonging, and dignity. Through their work, the authors aim to equip educators with the tools necessary to deliver the promise of democracy through schools by breaking the cycle of equity dysfunction once and for all.

As members of a tiny ethnic minority in Indonesia--the world's largest Islamic nation--Chinese-Indonesian women face hurdles of race and gender that others would find insurmountable. In Breaking Barriers, author Aimee Dawis profiles nine highly accomplished women who have overcome these obstacles and thrived. In this book you'll meet: an Olympic gold medalist a world-class concert pianist a media mogul and style icon Plus six other extraordinary personalities in the worlds of business, science, sports, politics and the arts. In these profiles, Dawis shows us how Chinese-Indonesian women serve the needs of family and community while carving out a strong and independent role for themselves in their chosen fields through determination, a belief in their ability and strong pride in their ethnic roots. These Asian women may be members of a minority group, but their stories provide inspiration for future generations of Chinese-Indonesian women, and women everywhere.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • REESE’S BOOK CLUB PICK • A timely and important book that challenges everything we think we know about cultivating true belonging in our communities, organizations, and culture, from the #1 bestselling author of Rising Strong, Daring Greatly, and The Gifts of Imperfection Don’t miss the five-part HBO Max docuseries Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart! “True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are.” Social scientist Brené Brown, PhD, MSW, has sparked a global conversation about the experiences that bring meaning to our lives—experiences of courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame, and empathy. In Braving the Wilderness, Brown redefines what it means to truly belong in an age of increased polarization. With her trademark mix of research, storytelling, and honesty, Brown will again change the cultural conversation while mapping a clear path to true belonging. Brown argues that we’re experiencing a spiritual crisis of disconnection, and introduces four practices of true belonging that challenge everything we believe about ourselves and each other. She writes, “True belonging requires us to believe in and belong to ourselves so fully that we can find sacredness both in being a part of something and in standing alone when necessary. But in a culture that’s rife with perfectionism and pleasing, and with the erosion of civility, it’s easy to stay quiet, hide in our ideological bunkers, or fit in rather than show up as our true selves and brave the wilderness of uncertainty and criticism. But true belonging is not something we negotiate or accomplish with others; it’s a daily practice that demands integrity and authenticity. It’s a personal commitment that we carry in our hearts.” Brown offers us the clarity and courage we need to find our way back to ourselves and to each other. And that path cuts right through the wilderness. Brown writes, “The wilderness is an untamed, unpredictable place of solitude and searching. It is a place as dangerous as it is breathtaking, a place as sought after as it is feared. But it turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it’s the bravest and most sacred place you will ever stand.”