I was raised in mostly white towns, and that was a deliberate decision. Growing up, rose-colored glasses were permanently affixed to my face, and I believed obstacles were an illusion, regardless of skin tone. I was hopeful, but admittedly, I was a bit naive.
My mother always countered my optimism with caution, warning of the hindrances that lay ahead. She grew up in Nigeria, where America had been painted as the ultimate goal, and often reminded me of the culture shock she experienced upon her arrival.
It was why she chose to raise me in a "good" neighborhood where I'd be one of the few. She hoped it would give me a leg up so I wouldn't face the harsh reality she did, and while it worked in some ways, it created a complex. I had worked overtime to assimilate into a culture that never fully embraced me and, as a result, did away with many pieces of my identity.
That all changed when I went away to college, just a few hours from my hometown. For the first time, my surroundings were heterogeneous. I strolled across campus and witnessed everything from a professor with a crown of braids leading a lecture to allied students building safe spaces for people from diverse backgrounds.
When homophobic and racial epithets were scrawled on bathroom doors one year, groups sprang into action, offering protection and an ear for those who felt threatened. It was the first time I realized what it meant to feel comforted, surrounded, and heard by a community that made an effort to understand.
A few years later, when I moved to New York and founded Novella — a writing club and storytelling salon for women — I pulled from a lot of those early experiences when planning what we would represent. The biggest red flag of my upbringing was a devastating level of "sameness," and I knew the community I was creating needed to be anchored in inclusivity so that "othering" had no chance.
At Girlboss, we know building communities that genuinely hold space for everyone has always taken deliberate effort, and in 2026, with formal diversity initiatives facing rollback in many institutions and companies, that effort matters more, not less.
The good news is that the power to build something better doesn't require a budget or a boardroom. Building a diverse, inclusive community with purpose is my proudest accomplishment. And the best part is, here are a few pointers on how to create the inclusive community you want to see.
"Anyone with a phone and a WiFi password can create an inclusive community."
Place People of Color in Outward-Facing, Ownership Roles
As a Black female founder, I am proud to be a face many people first encounter when they come across Novella. However, we didn't stop there; our team is comprised of over 80 percent women of color. Businesses often wash their hands once they've instated a PoC figurehead, and people are wise to this.
Visibility is a powerful thing. Don't let PoC talent stay behind the scenes. Encourage people of color involved in your project to get in front of the camera, lead pitches, and sit on panels that represent your community.
Be proactive in giving PoC opportunity to take on responsibility within your ranks. The story of how one founder made advancing women of color a full-time mission is a good reminder of what that kind of intentional elevation actually looks like at scale.
Weave Diversity and Inclusion Into Your Foundation
The "Fenty effect" — now a textbook case in brand inclusivity — describes when a company suddenly adopts a diversity mission in response to trends or a competitor's actions. It's named after the industry-wide scramble that followed the launch of Rihanna's wide shade range at Fenty Beauty. This shift does not go unnoticed. It's apparent when you scroll back through a brand's social feed a few months and see no PoC in sight.
Be thoughtful from the very inception of your community. Make it evident across platforms that everyone has a home in your space; not as a response to a news cycle, but as a founding principle.
Speak On Issues That Affect Everyone, Universally and Specifically
Equal Pay Day is a monumental occasion, worthy of every acknowledgment it receives. But real inclusivity means also addressing the intersectional disparity within it: the pay gaps faced by Latina women, African American women, Native American women, and Asian American women are significantly wider than the overall figure, and each community's experience deserves its own recognition.
When a community is cognizant of the differences within itself and actively seeks ways to support change for those most affected, it speaks volumes. It lets people from different backgrounds know they are just as seen as others. Understanding how microaggressions operate in everyday settings is part of the foundation for this — you can't address what you can't name.
Give Your Members a Voice
Members of your community are your biggest evangelists. By giving attendees and guests the opportunity to utilize your platform, you make your community human and allow a variety of real-life narratives to be shared and engaged with. Passing the microphone — whether on social media, on your website, or in person — is a simple way to show that all stories are welcome in your space.
This also applies to how communities navigate hard moments. The open letter on dealing with microaggressions at work is exactly the kind of first-person story that gives other people language for their own experience — and it only exists because someone was handed the mic.
Partner With Like-Minded Brands
Be thoughtful with the companies, groups, and businesses you associate with. Do the extra legwork to see whether a partner has been outspoken on the values you support, or has done something you don't align with. A quick scroll through their history tells you more than their current bio does.
Be proud to collaborate with the communities you identify with and brands with the same mission — from labels that give back to women's rights initiatives to organizations that uplift underserved communities. And if you're looking for a place to start, supporting women-owned AAPI businesses is one concrete way to put your platform and purchasing power behind the kind of visibility you want to see more of.
The Community You Build Is the Culture You Create
Looking back at the girl who moved to New York from those homogeneous suburbs, I'm struck by how much the absence of community had shaped me before I even knew what I was missing. When I finally found spaces where I could exist whole — no code-switching, no apologies — something shifted that I still carry. That's what an inclusive community can do.
It doesn't start with a budget or a board. It starts with a decision about what kind of space you want to build, and the consistent, unglamorous work of following through on it. The barriers are lower than they've ever been. The reasons to do it have never been higher.
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