Compassion, grace, and empathy are essential to successful communication. The words we use influence our intent, impact, actions, and reactions. At their best, words can inspire us, build bridges, and strengthen relationships. But careless or thoughtless words can just as easily cause harm. Without understanding the impact of our words, even the best intentions can wound.

In recent years, there has been greater intentional focus on equitable language and communication. That focus has led to noticeable, positive change. The arts and culture field is uniquely positioned to help reinforce and advance this movement, particularly through the literary work of playwrights, novelists, poets, journalists, dramaturgs, editors, scholars, and critics.

Equitable language opens dialogue and invites more people to the conversation. The words we use and the way we approach language can be the difference between diverse storytelling and empowered representation, or failed attempts to establish equity. The ripple effect of creating and adopting equitable language is limitless. That’s why language banks and similar tools are so crucial to navigating conversations, communications, and storytelling, and why these tools are essential to how we move forward together.

Read the full article about equitable language use by Ruby Lopez Harper at ARTS Blog.