Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives are essential to creating a thriving, supportive workplace where everyone feels valued. Organizing DEI events is a powerful way to foster connection, understanding, and empathy among employees while reinforcing the importance of an inclusive culture.
This article highlights 13 creative and impactful DEI event ideas that can help your organization build a more equitable and diverse environment. From hands-on workshops to engaging discussions, these activities promote lasting positive change in your team.
1. Succulent Planting Workshop: Cultivating Inclusion
A diversity and inclusion planting experience is a unique and hands-on way to foster inclusion within your team. During this event, employees come together to plant their own succulents while engaging in meaningful discussions around diversity, equity, and inclusion. Each participant selects and plants a succulent, symbolizing how diverse individuals can thrive together in a shared environment.
As the plants grow, they serve as a reminder of the continuous effort needed to nurture an inclusive workplace. The act of planting together encourages collaboration and underscores the importance of cultivating a space where everyone can flourish, just like succulents. This workshop provides a fun and interactive experience and reinforces key DEI principles in a memorable and impactful way.
2. Cultural Food Festival
A cultural food festival is a great way to celebrate the diversity in your workplace. Ask employees to bring dishes from their cultural backgrounds and create a space where everyone can try and enjoy global food. As colleagues taste different cuisines, they will talk about the traditions, stories, and meaning behind the food, and cross-cultural dialogue will happen.
This event showcases your team’s diversity and encourages connection and understanding by providing a fun and inclusive space to learn about each other. Through the universal language of food, we can bridge the cultural gaps, build stronger relationships, and appreciate the diversity that makes the workplace richer.
3. Inclusive Language Workshops
Inclusive language workshops are a great way to promote respect in the workplace. These sessions teach employees how to use bias-free and stereotype-free language so all identities are acknowledged and respected.
Participants are shown how to communicate in a way that doesn’t exclude or marginalize others so everyone feels welcome. Inclusive language creates a culture where diversity is valued and individuals are seen and heard.
4. Storytelling Sessions
Storytelling sessions offer a powerful platform for employees to share personal stories and experiences related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. These sessions create a safe space for open dialogue, where team members can express their unique perspectives, challenges, and triumphs.
Hearing firsthand accounts fosters deeper understanding and empathy among colleagues, helping to break down barriers and promote a more inclusive workplace. This type of storytelling builds connections between individuals and strengthens the overall sense of community, creating a stronger bond through shared experiences.
5. Book Club on DEI Topics
Starting a book club around DEI topics is a great way to have thoughtful conversations with your team. You can read a variety of books that cover race, gender, identity, and social justice and gain a deeper understanding of these topics.
Through regular meetings and discussions, the book club will grow your knowledge, challenge your assumptions, and build empathy within the group. It will give you a space to have meaningful conversations that increase your awareness and understanding of DEI topics and, ultimately, a more inclusive workplace.
6. Go Through a Privilege Walk
A privilege walk is an interactive activity to help people understand how privilege and systemic inequalities affect people’s lives. In this exercise, employees line up and respond to prompts by stepping forward or backward. The prompts are related to race, gender, education, socio-economic status, etc.
Start by making it known that everyone has privileges. Instruct them to take one step forward or backward when a particular statement applies to them. You can read out a series of 25-30 statements. The visual at the end of the exercise sparks powerful conversations around privilege, inequality, and the different challenges people face. This activity encourages reflection, brings to light invisible advantages, and helps build empathy among team members.
7. Bring in Speakers to Discuss DEI
A DEI speaker series is an excellent opportunity to bring in professionals or individuals with lived experiences to share their perspectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion. These speakers can offer valuable insights, real-world examples, and actionable advice that resonate with your team.
Hosting a series of talks or panels allows employees to engage in thought-provoking discussions on a variety of DEI topics, from overcoming bias to creating more inclusive work environments. This type of event educates and inspires meaningful change within the organization, encouraging employees to apply these insights to their daily interactions and decision-making processes.
8. Heritage Month Celebrations
Heritage Month celebrations provide an opportunity to recognize and honor the rich cultural diversity within your organization. By celebrating months like Black History Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and others, you can create meaningful events that educate and engage employees.
These celebrations might include guest speakers, cultural performances, educational workshops, or panel discussions that highlight the contributions and histories of different cultural groups. Engaging employees in these events helps to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation of diverse backgrounds, building a more inclusive and culturally aware workplace.
9. LGBTQ+ Ally Training
LGBTQ+ ally training gives employees the knowledge and tools to actively support their LGBTQ+ colleagues. This type of training is about inclusive practices, such as using the right pronouns, understanding gender identity, and the challenges LGBTQ+ people face in the workplace.
Through these sessions, employees will learn how to be an ally by promoting acceptance, challenging discriminatory behavior, and creating a safe and welcoming space for everyone. Empowering team members with this knowledge means inclusivity is not just encouraged but lived, and all employees feel respected and valued.
10. International Potluck and Cultural Exchange
An international potluck is a great way to celebrate the diversity of your team. Employees bring a dish from their culture and share its story with their colleagues. As everyone tries the different foods, they learn about the traditions, stories, and heritage behind each dish.
This encourages cultural exchange, connection, and understanding among team members. Sharing food and stories in a relaxed setting opens up conversations about identity, culture, and tradition and helps to create a more inclusive and appreciative workplace.
11. Learn Through Diversity Art Exhibitions
A diversity art exhibition is a powerful way to highlight themes of diversity, inclusion, and equity within your organization. Featuring artwork from employees or local artists that reflects these topics can spark meaningful conversations and promote a deeper understanding of different perspectives.
The visual nature of art allows people to engage with DEI concepts in a creative and impactful way, making it an excellent medium for raising awareness. Hosting an exhibition encourages dialogue around the artwork’s themes, fostering a culture of inclusivity and appreciation for diverse voices and experiences in the workplace.
12. Conduct an ERG Fair
An ERG fair gives employees the opportunity to learn about all the ERGs within the organization. These groups focus on different identities or causes (LGBTQ+, women in leadership, multicultural teams, etc.) and are a key part of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion.
At the fair, employees can meet ERG reps, ask questions, and learn how to get involved. This event helps connect team members with shared interests or backgrounds and encourages broader participation in DEI initiatives. Raising awareness and supporting ERG involvement in the fair help build a more inclusive community.
13. Inclusive Leadership Training
Inclusive leadership training gives managers and leaders the tools to create inclusivity in their teams. This training is about equal opportunities for all employees regardless of background, identity, or experience.
Leaders will learn to recognize and challenge unconscious biases, fair hiring and promotion practices, and create an environment where every team member feels seen and heard. By putting inclusion at the top of the leadership agenda, organizations can ensure diversity is not just tolerated but actively supported and a more equal and productive workplace for all.
Bringing DEI to Life Through Engaging Events
Hosting DEI events is a powerful way to create an inclusive and respectful workplace where all employees can thrive. These 13 event ideas encourage diversity, equity, and connection while fostering a deeper understanding among team members. Incorporating these activities into your organization’s culture promotes ongoing dialogue and support, helping to build a more united and empathetic workforce.
