VITALIA Active Adult Community at Rockside Explores the Importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

As a company, Arrow Senior Living has made learning about and celebrating our unique differences a part of our company culture. So much so that, in recent years, it has become an extension of our core values. And for the past year, Arrow has expanded beyond yearly diversity, equity, and inclusion workshops to create Arrow’s D&I Speaker Series, which pairs special guest speakers with residents from our communities to have conversations on a wide range of topics such as mental health, PRIDE, Juneteenth, and so much more. We believe that sparking conversations on what some may believe to be sensitive topics helps to shed light on misconceptions and ultimately brings about understanding as it relates to the experiences of others. This ensures our employees and residents have the tools to build a safe place to live and work, one where a diverse group can come together and feel equally seen, heard, and included. 

At Vitalia Active Adult Community at Rockside, DEI goes beyond training and mentoring. It is a way of life. One of my favorite conversations thus far was A Holocaust Remembrance Conversation with Professor Bradley Nichols.

They say those who don’t study the past are bound to repeat it. Which is why I believe it’s important to remember the Holocaust. Remembering the Holocaust can help fight intolerance and prejudice today. To me, it’s still mind boggling how many people doubt the Holocaust ever happened. Learning from the mistakes of the past can help inspire, encourage, and prevent tragedies like the Holocaust from happening in the future.

DEI is important because of the meaning of diversity, equity, and inclusion. It shows you’re not afraid to give opportunities to all people, because as we all know, everyone deserves a chance. Diversity allows for all voices, regardless of their backgrounds to be heard and valued. Inclusion, because race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other aspect shouldn’t prevent someone from participating in any aspect to which they wish. Equity, because everyone should have access to the same opportunities. Yes, barriers and advantages exist, however, acknowledging these obstacles, then overcoming these hurdles for equality is what matters most.

These conversations have only just begun, and I look forward to the conversations to come and all the new growth and opportunity that lies ahead as we work toward creating the greatest and safest place to work that we can!