Who Are We, Really? The Many Benefits of Authentic Inclusion

Photo by Sara Minkara

By: Nicole Caci

The ongoing pandemic has forced many of us to think about our values, our passions, and who we want in our corner when the going gets tough. And the start of a new year has only intensified that introspection–– which got me thinking about Launchsquad’s recent conversation with Sara Minkara around identity and authentic inclusion. 

Sara’s story is pretty incredible. She is a Muslim, first-generation American woman who lost her sight at age seven, had a bone marrow transplant just after graduate school and today needs a cane to walk. But throughout her life Sara has chosen to view her disabilities as power–– and is an internationally recognized champion for disability inclusion, leadership, individual empowerment and social enterprise. 

When we connected with Sara she challenged us to see past our biases. The goal of one exercise was to break out of the typical descriptors we think people want to hear when they ask about us. The truth is that we all tend to fall back on classic labels that lack depth and can lead to false assumptions. 

If 2020 brought one positive though, it was that many of us have explored new interests, revitalized old hobbies and leaned further into existing roles — thus enhancing our identities. We are parents, chefs and bakers, passionate advocates for social justice, avid readers, musicians, artists, athletes, friends, supportive teammates, and more. And as the lines between personal and professional life blur we’ve come to embrace the humans on the other side of our screens even more over the past year. 

And Sara believes that this type of authentic inclusion — highlighting and celebrating unique identities — is not merely a virtue for which organizations should strive. Rather, it’s a business imperative for increased problem solving, productivity and long-term revenue.

At LaunchSquad, we are storytellers, communicators and creators. So it’s especially important that we bring our own unique interests and backgrounds to our work. We also work with companies in a variety of industries — from haircare to healthtech, cowboy boots to quantum computing — which requires curiosity  and different points of view. When we empower, embrace and share our unique identities, we bring new perspectives to our work. The end result? Bold stories that fuel tangible value for our partners.

Sara’s message resonated with us deeply and also pushed us to think about the unique identities of people often labeled as disabled. We are all more than what we appear to be on the outside, and our ongoing introspection carried over from 2020 should also include an exploration of our own biases or judgments of others. After all, authentic inclusion is a two-way street. 

If you’re interested in learning more about Sara’s background and her approach to building a more inclusive world, check out saraminkara.com. And reach out to info@saraminkara.com if you think her programs would be a good fit for your organization. We highly recommend her!