Welcome to Pride in Agriculture. As a blogger in the agriculture community, I started sharing diverse stories of people in our agriculture communities back in 2010. Today, I have a different conversation about diversity, equity, and inclusion in agriculture and rural communities.
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My Story
I’m an LGBTQ+ member of this community, but I didn’t start publicly sharing my authentic story until 2019. Throughout my entire life, I’ve heard the way people talk about others who are different. It doesn’t matter if it’s the color of their skin, how they speak, or who they love. While there are often many great experiences, people in agriculture and rural communities can be cruel and discriminatory. I was fearful of those statements turning toward me.
Since opening up, I’ve shared my experiences with discrimination that led to leaving a job that I loved. Unfortunately, discrimination in agriculture and rural communities is still prevalent today, even though it may not always be intentional.
Discrimination doesn’t have to be big or intentional actions. Oftentimes, it’s in how we say things or even an unconscious bias. Many people will dismiss the suggestion that diversity is even an issue we need to address, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. I understand we do not all share or prioritize the same values, but we can have high expectations of others to respect the diversity of our communities and work to make inclusion more than just words on paper.
“Diversity is counting every person in the room. Inclusion is making every person in the room count.”
Diversity, equity, and inclusion lead to greater things, and it’s essential to celebrate the contributions of all members of our communities. We have a long way to go in becoming more inclusive spaces for everyone who is different than the status quo, and that includes LGBTQ+ issues.
That’s why I’m launching Pride in Agriculture. This isn’t just a rainbow flag-waving celebration, although if you want to show your pride in that manner, please feel safe to do so! Instead, I want to help us all learn and grow in these conversations to be more inclusive of everyone in our communities.
Pride in Agriculture
So, what can you expect from Pride in Agriculture? I’ll introduce you to several people from agriculture and rural communities leading and influencing positive change. Many of these individuals identify as LGBTQ+, and others are allies in this effort to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Pride in Agriculture is a resource hub for helping us learn how to have tough conversations as we learn more about diversity, equity, and inclusion from those people and organizations who are doing the work. As I continue to grow and learn, we will include other aspects of diversity from people who are best able to speak from those perspectives.
Feature stories will introduce you to someone making an impact, each in their unique way. You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about their experiences, connect with them, and apply what you learn to understand better how we can all make our community a better place for everyone.
Some of these perspectives may make you uncomfortable, but that’s part of growth and understanding. It’s essential to have open and honest conversations, and I encourage you to leave a public comment or send a direct message with your thoughts and opinions.
Through Pride in Agriculture, we’ll explore how LGBTQ+ people and those who are part of underrepresented minorities feel seen and heard in agriculture, as well as how we can be stronger allies in agriculture and rural communities. Pride in Agriculture has sparked a dialogue that continues well beyond its launch, making it possible that we can impact positive change.
Let’s work together to create a more inclusive and welcoming space for everyone in agriculture and rural communities.
If you have questions, ask. Leave a public comment or send a direct message with your thoughts and opinions.
I hope reading these experiences and perspectives from others leaves you feeling a greater pride in agriculture.
Join the conversation