Search

Whatever situation you're in, remember these six steps to help you speak up against everyday bigotry. In any situation, however, assess your safety, both physical and emotional. There is a risk, and that must be acknowledged as you make your own choice to Speak Up!

For some people, speaking up in public feels more difficult than any other setting. For others, speaking up in public — to strangers who have no power or ties to one's home or work life — feels easier.

Like the workplace, school becomes the first or only place where some students, teachers, counselors, principals and others encounter a diverse and varied society. That presents opportunities for enlightenment — and potential for misunderstanding.

The workplace is, for some, the only place they experience diversity. For those who live in segregated neighborhoods, attend segregated houses of worship or take part in segregated hobbies or activities, work becomes the only place they interact with people of varied and diverse backgrounds. It often is, for these people, a testing ground.

Many stories people shared with us dealt with difficult moments involving friends and neighbors. Factors that affect how they speak up include how well or little they know each other, how often they interact and how damaging they consider the offense to be.

Among participants in our roundtable discussions, family moments represented some of the greatest difficulties.