The Importance of Using Asset-Based Language When Promoting Racial Equity and Social Justice
It’s time to shift the narrative from one that views historically excluded communities as liabilities to one that recognizes the inherent value and contributions of every individual
In today’s society, there is a growing need for more inclusive and equitable communication.
That’s why, as a digital communications manager with a background in community organizing, I can’t stress enough the importance of using the right language when communicating about racial equity and social justice.
Whenever you turn on the news or when most people are talking to each other about what’s going on in their communities, it’s easy to get caught up in the problems and challenges that plague our cities and neighborhoods.
However, there is an increasingly popular approach to addressing these challenges that is helping to create stronger and more vibrant connections across the country. And I think it’s time to see more websites, social media posts, news stories, and other types of content using this approach.
By doing so, we can shift the narrative from one that views historically excluded communities as liabilities to one that recognizes the inherent value and contributions of every individual.
Let me give you a quick example.
If you’ve ever talked to a personal finance guru, there’s one lesson they’re going to teach you more than anything: It’s better to have assets over liabilities.
The same holds true for storytelling.
Assets create positive things in our lives, while liabilities create negative things.
So why is it that when we talk about advancing racial equity and social justice, we often use language that focuses on the deficiencies of people of color and other underrepresented communities?
It’s time to change that and adopt an asset-based approach to communicating about racial equity and social justice.
So where does this radical idea come from?
Asset-based community development is a term that was coined by John McKnight and John Kretzmann.
It emphasizes taking stock of existing resources and identifying opportunities for growth and development. The concept of asset-based language is rooted in this approach to community development.
Asset-based language centers around recognizing the value of people, their gifts and talents, and their potential. It draws attention away from “deficiencies” or “problems” and instead highlights the strengths of the individuals, communities, and organizations working for social justice.
Let’s take poverty as an example.
When we talk about “low-income people,” why do we only focus on their needs and deficiencies? It’s because our traditional approach to solving problems with poor communities is focused on thinking that their poverty is central to who they are, and that is all they are.
This type of thinking is harmful.
It perpetuates the idea that communities that include a lot of people of color and other underrepresented groups are problems that need to be fixed. It makes it easy to view them with charity or pity and throw up our hands because “there’s nothing we can do.”
By viewing a certain group of people as liabilities, we start to project our own distorted views on them.
Instead, what if we approached poverty with the understanding that everyone has gifts, everyone has something to contribute, and everyone is passionate about something?
What if our solutions to poverty came from a place of recognizing the inherent value and worth of every individual, regardless of their socioeconomic status?
By shifting our language and approach to social justice, we can start to see people from historically excluded communities as the assets that they truly are. We can recognize the unique talents and strengths that they bring to the table. We can create solutions that are inclusive and equitable, rather than ones that perpetuate the cycle of poverty and exclusion.
But how do we do this?
It starts with the language we use.
Instead of talking about people of color and other underrepresented communities as problems that need to be fixed, we need to start using language that recognizes their inherent value. We need to start talking about the gifts and talents that they possess. We need to start using language that is inclusive, rather than exclusive.
One way to do this is by using person-first language.
For example, instead of saying “disabled person,” we can say “person with a disability.” This puts the person first, rather than defining them solely by their disability.
It recognizes their inherent value as a human beings, rather than reducing them to a label.
Another way to use asset-based language is by focusing on the strengths and assets of people from historically excluded communities.
For example, instead of talking about the high rates of poverty in a certain community, we can talk about the resilience and strength of that community in the face of adversity. We can talk about the unique talents and skills that members of that community possess.
By using asset-based language, we can begin creating a more inclusive and equitable society.
We can shift the narrative from one of deficit to one of abundance. We can empower historically excluded communities and recognize the value that they bring to the table.
This goes way beyond storytelling, of course. Here are several other examples of how an asset-based approach can create positive and sustainable change in every person, group, organization, and neighborhood in this country:
- Encourage and support entrepreneurship in communities of color by providing resources and funding for small businesses and startups led by community members. Instead of viewing these communities as struggling or in need of help, shift the focus to the strengths and talents that exist within them, and help to amplify and support those strengths through economic opportunities.
- Invest in community-led initiatives and projects that are designed and implemented by those who are most affected by social injustice. Rather than imposing solutions from outside, work to empower communities to identify their own needs and develop their own solutions, using their own knowledge and resources. This approach recognizes the expertise and creativity that exists within historically excluded communities, and it positions them as leaders in their own development and progress.
- Engage in dialogue and learning with people of color and other underrepresented communities, rather than assuming that those outside of those communities have all the answers. Listen to the voices and experiences of those who are most affected by social injustice, and use that knowledge to inform policy and practice. This approach values the expertise and perspectives of all members of our society, and it recognizes that everyone has something to contribute to the collective work of building a more just and equitable world.
If you’re not doing so already, I urge you to use asset-based language when communicating about racial equity and social justice.
This type of approach allows us to create a more inclusive and equitable society. It also encourages us to recognize the inherent value and worth of every individual, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status.
Ultimately, this approach is all about shifting the narrative from one of deficit to one of abundance. Our society desperately needs this type of change.
