Diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging matter, and they always will. But labels, lexicon, and technical talk can get in the way of explaining why. So, ditch the DEI speak and get back to the heart of what matters: treating people fairly, caring about each other, and creating environments where everyone can thrive.

Progress can feel hard and, on some days, downright impossible. But progress is always possible, and it can be joyful. Do what you can do, day after day, to stay committed to learning and growing toward a better world of tomorrow.

In service of this year’s theme, We Are All Public Health, I’ve compiled tips on how to improve the health of your communications practices while building and earning trust in the process. Communicating through challenging moments can be easier when we focus on the heart of the message and the people on the receiving end.

If you’re interested in long-term impact and viability, pay attention to the actions and practices you keep today. Because they'll guide where your organization goes from here.

Whether you manage a big brand or a small startup, a team of thousands, or a team of two, there is power in every single one of your decisions: power to shift and shape society for good. So, I dare you to ask, and then explore more deeply, your individual power to make an impact. Consider the effect of your big decisions and your small ones, too. Then, ask again and again, What If?

There’s always something more to learn and something that might be getting in your way of learning too. I hope this learning list gets your mind going with new ideas and information and invites you to ask: what have you learned that’s getting in your way, and what are you missing now?

Eliminating coded language from your vocabulary takes a willingness to learn and a dedication to making intentional change. Use this week to assess the words and phrases you use and notice if you're actively (and perhaps unintentionally) using any coded phrases. Practice speaking up when you hear others using these phrases, too, and use this blog as a guided resource to practice replacing those words with more inclusive phrases. Words matter, and with each intentional swap, we can show how much people matter, too.

Regardless of the words you choose to swap, focus on where you can clarify and simplify the language you use. When we take the time to debunk our go-to terms, we stand a better chance at communicating inclusively and effectively.

The most compelling stories for social change break stereotypes and build new ways for us to understand issues and each other. You can start by looking for stereotypes in your communications and then practice some reframing. I guarantee the story will be even better as a result.

Whether you’re an advertiser, a fundraiser, or a digital strategist, developing inclusive and equitable communications practices requires care, courage, and clarity—none of which can be achieved without some actual and authentic perspective first.

Making the choice between “White” and “white” is well beyond a matter of capitalization. And as with life, there is no simple answer to the “W/w” question. But examining and understanding our language choices matter, as we convey different messages based on our choices.

Just because a phrase is commonly used, does not mean it is inclusive to all members of our community. Let’s think, speak, and write with intention, knowing that the more inclusive our practices, the better we all become.

It often takes an outside perspective to help discover an unconscious bias. Make time at the start of your writing process for community input, and you’ll have a much better, more informed, and accurate article in the end.