Once you sit down to lunch, remind everyone why you are there. The goal is to create a welcoming, inclusive space where people feel safe to share. Encourage everyone to leave their judgments and biases behind (we all have them!) and simply seek to listen and understand others’ experiences.

You may wish to go first to share your story to set the pace and the tone. What should you share? Whatever you are comfortable with regarding your background, how you are unique, what is occurring in your community, and how you see the world.  You may want to give some insights into challenges you have had and what you have done to overcome them.

You may want to talk about:

• Gender
• Religion
• Race
• Sexuality
• Country of origin
• Socio-economic status
• Upbringing
• School life
• Level of privilege

Those are just some ideas! There is so much that makes you unique.

It is recommended that each person speaks for a few minutes uninterrupted before any dialogue. That way, everyone has a chance to share their story without running out of time.

Once each person has shared, encourage some follow up with questions such as “what was that like?” or “what was most challenging about that situation?”

When you are done with your lunch, take a selfie and send it to all participants! If your company is collecting photos, be sure to submit it!