Inclusion on Purpose: An Intersectional Approach to Creating a Culture of Belonging at Work: Summary & Key Insights

The first step toward inclusion on purpose is understanding intersectionality. Too often, workplace diversity focuses on single identifiers—gender, race, or age—without appreciating how these categories overlap to create unique challenges. Intersectionality, first articulated by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw, exposes how systems of privilege and oppression interact. In practice, that means a woman may encounter discrimination not only for her gender but also, and differently, for being Black, for being queer, or for being a mother. Failing to see these intersections leads organizations to devise one-size-fits-all solutions that serve only the most privileged within marginalized groups.

I have worked with many talented professionals who felt unseen because their workplaces only measured inclusion through broad demographic data. When we move from the idea of diversity to the lived reality of intersectionality, our view of inclusion transforms. We start to question who gets to speak in meetings, who is given the benefit of the doubt, and who carries the burden of educating others. Inclusion on purpose demands curiosity about complex identities and a willingness to redesign systems accordingly. It means replacing assumptions with empathy, and broad policies with tailored accountability.

Performative allyship is one of the greatest obstacles to real inclusion. It occurs when individuals or organizations publicly support marginalized groups without changing behaviors that perpetuate inequality. We see it when companies post solidarity messages after tragedies but ignore their own discriminatory practices. We see it when leaders attend diversity workshops but fail to confront their own biases in hiring or promotion decisions.

To address this, I ask readers to focus less on what inclusion looks like, and more on what it feels like for those who are excluded. True allyship centers impact over intent. It means listening more than speaking, redirecting credit, addressing bias in real time, and taking actions that may be uncomfortable but necessary. It involves risking your own privilege to advocate for systemic fairness. Moving beyond performance requires sustained humility—the understanding that allyship is a practice, not a label.