Speaking Across Differences: How to Build Bridges Through Words

As a child growing up in rural west-central Utah, I only knew one color: white.

Sure, there were a few Latino kids at my school, but overwhelmingly, my world was white—white classmates, white teachers, white neighbors. That was my norm. Then came sixth grade, and with it, the arrival of a single African-American student. One student. One beautiful, intriguing, interesting student who stood out simply by existing.

I did not have the language back then to describe what I was experiencing, but looking back, that was my very first encounter with diversity. And it left an impression.

Still, no one talked about it. Diversity and inclusion were not words we used. Equity was not a concept we were taught. I do not recall a single lesson, assembly, or conversation in school that asked us to reflect on the variety of human experiences that exist beyond our own. Diversity in communication didn’t exist, because other than that one student, we were basically one size fits all and there was no perceived need to learn about it. 

Later, in college in Southern Utah, my environment remained largely the same. A few exchange students from Nigeria, a couple from Asia—but again, little meaningful exposure. I remember feeling curious. I wanted to know more. I wanted to understand. But no one was teaching us how.

It was not until I entered the military that I was fully immersed in what I can only describe as real, lived diversity. People from every background, every color, every belief system. I remember thinking: This is what the world really looks like. And it was marvelous.

It was in those moments—standing shoulder-to-shoulder with people who looked, spoke, and lived differently than I did—that I started to understand just how much richer life becomes when we communicate across differences. Speaking across our differences deepens our empathy. It broadens our perspective. It reminds us that no one story is the full story.

Now, more than ever, we need that kind of communication. Not just the kind that acknowledges diversity, but the kind that honors it. The kind that takes equity seriously. The kind that does not gloss over differences, but sees them as essential to understanding, connection, and growth.

Because here is the truth: when people—especially those who have historically been silenced—do not see themselves represented in conversations, they learn to stay silent. And when we stay silent, we miss out on the stories that have the power to heal, to unite, and to move us forward.

But how do we build bridges through our words?

We start by listening. By asking more than assuming. By choosing words that include rather than exclude. By checking our own biases and being open to correction. By speaking up when something is off, even when it is uncomfortable. And by making it clear—through both what we say and how we say it—that every voice at the table matters.

Especially the ones that have been ignored for too long.

It takes all of us to make the world an interesting place. And it takes conscious, equity-centered communication to make that world one where everyone belongs.

Let’s keep building those bridges.