Representation Matters
Resources and Suggested Activities
Reflective Activities
Choose one or two of the stories shared in this chapter (written or video) from marginalized students about their thoughts and experiences around representation in the classroom and workplace. Next, ask participants to reflect on the following questions:
- What moments in the stories or videos felt especially powerful or emotional for you? Why do you think they resonated?
- What does authentic representation mean to you, and how is it different from tokenism?
- Have you ever experienced or witnessed a moment when representation made a space feel more welcoming, hopeful, or safe? What was the impact?
- How might the absence of representation affect someone’s confidence, sense of belonging, or ability to fully engage in a learning or work environment?
- When you think about who is most often “at the front of the room” or in leadership roles, who is represented – and who is missing? How might that shape people’s perceptions of what’s possible for them?
- What are some subtle, everyday ways that identities and cultures can be reflected (or erased) on campus or in classrooms? How might those small signals affect people’s experiences?
- Have you ever felt like your presence in a space was more about “checking a box” than being genuinely valued? What made it feel that way, and what could have made it different?
- What actions can you take in your role – as a student, educator, or staff member – to help create environments where diverse individuals feel seen, respected, and empowered to thrive?
Alternative Activities
- “Who’s Missing?” Case Study Analysis: Critically examine representation gaps in real-world examples (e.g., an organization website, a corporate board, media coverage of a social issue, fictional or real example where the absence of diverse perspectives led to exclusion, misunderstanding, or harm (e.g., healthcare misdiagnoses, biased AI tools, curriculum gaps). Facilitate a discussion with student using the questions above or discussing whose voices are centered, whose are missing, are multiple perspectives included, and how having diverse representation could have changed an outcome. This activity may also be done as an individual journal writing exercise.
