“The key is around authenticity and a genuine intent to have meaningful, and so sustainable, strategies that underpin the organisations recruitment, development and function at an individual, departmental and organisational level.”
– Kathryn Taylor, Chair for Wellbeing Australia
Every October, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) takes centre stage: in social media campaigns, workplace posters, corporate town halls, and calendar moments of acknowledgment. There’s a lot of visibility this month, and that visibility matters. It creates space for pause and reflection. It opens doors to conversations that might not otherwise happen.
But awareness is only the beginning.
The real questions remain:
- What happens after the hashtags fade, the events end, and the posts stop trending?
- Who’s shaping the initiatives?
- Are those most affected by inequity at the table, or just spoken about from a distance?
This month, I chose to do something different. Instead of writing another well-meaning post, I stepped into the conversation, not to speak about DEI, but to listen to how others experience it. I asked people from all walks of life to share what DEI means to them, what inclusion looks like where they work or study, and what needs to change if we’re truly committed to equity.
The answers were raw, honest, thoughtful, and above all human.
Judith Nguyen: From Checklists to Connection
Judith, who has worked in banking and home lending, has seen the DEI landscape shift from superficial checklists to something more heartfelt.
“There’s more focus now on making people feel like they belong, whether they’re colleagues or customers walking through the door.”
But, she says, good intentions aren’t always enough. Unconscious bias still creeps into decisions, and there’s often a gap between leadership’s words and people’s lived experiences.
“A company might promote diversity in its values, but unless staff and customers can feel those changes in their daily experiences, the impact is limited.”
Her hope? That organisations move beyond “representation” and give people real influence; not just a voice, but the power to shape outcomes.
Wiam Farrugia: Redesigning the Table
Wiam brings a deeper reflection: on language, on intention, and on what it really means to belong.
“Too often, DEI initiatives feel more like compliance exercises than living, breathing practices that transform culture.”
She questions the very words we use – like “anti-discrimination” – which, despite good intentions, may inadvertently reinforce division.
“True inclusion, in my view, is not about ticking boxes or ensuring every group has a “seat at the table.” It’s about redesigning the table itself, so that every human being feels inherently valued and seen without needing to prove their worth through labels or metrics.”
For Wiam, it’s not about what people are (categories, identities, metrics) but how they feel – safe, seen, and free to bring their full selves.
Brett Thiedeman from Bt’s Happiness Project: The Power of Micro-Moments
For Brett, DEI is personal.
“Growing up, I was called names in the schoolyard that stuck to my skin for years. That experience taught me that diversity is about whether people feel safe, seen, and valued.”
Now working in corporate and community health, Brett sees the cracks where DEI efforts fall short, where people are spoken about rather than with, and where strategy documents don’t always translate into real inclusion.
“DEI is lived in micro-moments: who gets invited into the room, who feels comfortable sharing their story, and whether the “inclusion” extends beyond a strategy doc into everyday behaviour.”
His call to action is simple but powerful:
“Don’t just give people symbolic chairs. Give them decision-making power.”
Arwa Naif: Inclusion Begins in the Classroom
As an educator, Arwa has seen schools celebrate diversity through campaigns and themed days: Harmony Day, Wear it Purple, Autism Awareness Week.
While well-intentioned, she’s concerned about the limits of these efforts.
“They help educate, yes – but they don’t lead to equitable outcomes. The education system remains rigid and largely inflexible in the way of structure, delivery and expectations. ”
Her message to leaders? Embrace “otherness openness” – a willingness to listen without assumptions, to let people define their own experience, and to create systems that reflect that reality.
“Making room for self-expression disarms boundaries and allows for a flow of communication that culminates in shared vision and brave, new environments.”
Dr. Maria La Pietra: DEI as the Foundation, Not the Footnote
Dr. Maria La Pietra works at the intersection of education and wellbeing. She shared how inclusion shows up not just in policy, but in how people feel in daily moments, whether they’re being celebrated or simply tolerated.
“Inclusion is most visible in the everyday moments when people feel safe to be themselves.”
She reminds us that belonging isn’t an “optional extra”; it’s foundational to wellbeing, resilience, and growth. And perhaps most importantly:
“DEI shouldn’t be a policy or initiative – it should be the default lens through which we design everything.”
From Insight to Action: Kathryn Taylor on Embedding DEI into Wellbeing Culture
Kathryn Taylor, Chair for Wellbeing Australia, offers a sharp and actionable lens on how organisations can go beyond surface-level initiatives and build DEI into the core of their wellbeing strategy.
“Diversity and inclusion is around a well rounded engagement with staff and so new, diverse and robust thinking around values that define as much as methods in which we deliver those values through culture.”
She highlights that authentic DEI must underpin recruitment, development, and operations at every level – individual, departmental and organisational. For it to stick, DEI champions need to be embedded across the organisation, with real voice and credibility.
So, Where Do We Go From Here?
These stories, diverse in voice, shared in spirit remind us that DEI isn’t a campaign or a calendar moment. It’s not a slogan or a policy tucked into a handbook.
It’s a daily commitment to empathy.
It’s a willingness to listen, even when it’s uncomfortable.
It’s giving up control of the narrative and handing the mic to those living the reality every day.
Real change begins when we stop talking about inclusion and start doing the hard work of living it; not just during DEI month, but every single day.
An Invitation
The future we’re building will only be as inclusive as the voices we choose to centre.
If you’ve got a story, insight, or lived experience that deserves to be heard, I’m here. Not just to “feature” it, but to amplify your voice authentically. Reach out anytime: hello@wellbeingaustralia.com.au
Let’s keep the conversation going, turning understanding into meaningful change, and showing up for each other to make inclusion a reality every day.
I am truly grateful to Judith Nguyen, Wiam Farrugia, Brett Thiedeman from Bt’s Happiness Project, Arwa Naif, Dr. Maria La Pietra and Kathryn Taylor for generously sharing your voices.
✨ And if these stories resonate with you, stay tuned; full conversations, insights, and reflections are coming soon as part of our DEI Voices Series.
For the work of inclusion doesn’t end with one post; it’s an ongoing conversation, and everyone’s voice matters.
