This week, I had the opportunity to contribute to a ROBECO event by facilitating a one-hour workshop on intersectionality together with Sylvia Erlings and Evita de Roode. It was inspiring to engage with such a prominent corporate organization on this topic.
We worked with great participants, but, as is often the case with workshops like these, time felt too short. As one participant put it, we provided a “door-opener-session” for a theme that deserves much deeper exploration. A common challenge with these type of sessions is that they tend to attract participants who are already familiar with the topic. To make a broader impact across an organization, a multifaceted approach is needed—one that is also formally embedded into existing frameworks.
Despite the limited time, we had meaningful interactions that resulted in valuable insights from participants:
- Recognizing that when you identify one dimension of identity, other intersecting categories are also at play.
- Sometimes, simply listening without responding or asking questions is enough.
- Understanding that others are often facing similar struggles.
- Approaching others with curiosity and openness.
- The importance of keeping these conversations going.
I am proud of the contribution we made and hopeful that the conversations will continue to grow beyond the room at Robeco.
