Hello Reader,

Yesterday, Amsterdam once again reminded the world why it is such a special city.

The canals were overflowing with colour, music, laughter, and celebration. Every bridge seemed packed with people cheering complete strangers. For a few hours, labels disappeared, and joy took over. It was also wonderful to see our Prime Minister Rob Jetten smiling and waving throughout the celebrations, sharing in the energy of a city that truly came alive.

As I walked through the crowds, one thought kept coming back to me.

Why do we talk so much about inclusion during Pride Week, only to go quiet for the remaining 51 weeks of the year?

Diversity and inclusion are not annual campaigns. They are daily behaviours.

In many organisations, Pride Month brings panel discussions, rainbow logos, and well-intentioned conversations. While those matter, they sometimes unintentionally create another problem.

The conversation becomes “us versus them.”

It sounds something like this:

“You need to understand what LGBTQ+ people go through.”

Or:

“You need to become a better ally.”

The intention is good. But psychologically, something subtle happens. The audience unconsciously starts placing themselves into groups: us and them.

The moment people feel they are being spoken to rather than spoken with, defensiveness quietly enters the room.

What if we changed the conversation?

Instead of beginning with our differences, we begin with what we already share.

This is where I love Marshall Ganz’s framework of Public Narrative: the Story of Self, the Story of Us, and the Story of Now.

Imagine a Pride talk like this.

Story of Self

“There was a time when I felt I had to hide an important part of who I was. It was exhausting. It affected my confidence, my work, and how I connected with others.”

That creates empathy.

Story of Us

“If we’re honest, every one of us has hidden something about ourselves. Maybe it wasn’t our sexuality. Maybe it was anxiety. A family situation. A disability. A mistake. A dream we were afraid to admit. We all know what it feels like to wonder, ‘Will I be accepted if people know the real me?’”

Now it isn’t about one community.

It’s about being human.

Story of Now

“Imagine what kind of organisation we could build if everyone felt safe enough to bring their whole selves to work. Inclusion isn’t just about making one group feel welcome. It’s about creating a culture where every person can contribute without pretending to be someone they’re not.”

That conversation doesn’t separate people.

It invites everyone in.

That’s the power of moving from ‘them’ to ‘us.’

Pride will always be a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, and it should be. But perhaps its greatest lesson is much bigger than one community.

It reminds us that belonging is a universal human need.

Maybe that’s the conversation we need to keep having—not just during Pride Week, not just during Pride Month, but every single day of the year.

Because inclusion doesn’t happen because we celebrate it once.

It happens because we practise it every day.