This past week we celebrated our first virtual diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) week to create a space where we could learn more about what makes us all unique and to support AMC’s commitment to DEI. It’s easy enough to find ways to celebrate and learn together when you’re able to gather in person, but what happens when everyone is still working remotely? As many of us have discovered since the start of the pandemic, virtual events take a bit more creativity and planning for attendees to feel engaged and connected.

Thanks to the creative superpowers of our Events Committee and DEI Advisory Group, AMC staff enjoyed a week of fun DEI-themed events that informed, enlightened, and most of all created a space for embracing our differences. If you’re looking for ways to incorporate DEI events virtually, give these 5 ideas a try.

Family & Cultural Recipe Swap

Food, especially cherished recipes, have a way of taking down walls and bringing people together. To kick off DEI week, we held a virtual family and cultural recipe swap and share. Staff shared recipes, photos, and stories about the dishes that bring their families and friends together and the ones they make again and again to celebrate special occasions and holidays. With recipes for kolac, Irish soda bread, sweet potato pie, chopped liver and many more, we left the event not only knowing a bit more about each other’s backgrounds but also with many delicious, new recipes to try.

DEI Trivia

Trivia themes aren’t limited to just movies and pop culture. Try testing your knowledge of DEI terms (unconscious bias, empathy, and micro aggression are just a few), literature, arts, and history.

Wondering how to play virtually? Virtual trivia has been a huge hit at many of our staff events. Try dividing players into small teams of 2 to 4, allow team members to discuss answers over a group call (no internet sleuthing allowed), and then text the group’s answer to the game moderator.

What Makes You Unique Show and Tell

The fun of a Show and Tell game isn’t reserved just for grade school kids. It works perfectly over Zoom or other conferencing apps for adults too. For a DEI-themed Show and Tell, have participants select a family heirloom or photo that they feel embodies who they are or is significant to them culturally or personally and then share why. Not only will your team learn more about the memories and experiences that make them who they are, you’ll also have a chance to connect separate from work—a definite plus as the pandemic rages on.

DEI Digital Wall

Create a digital wall and invite your team to post about who they are or what makes them unique. The American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, one of our association partners, recently was recently named a Power of A award winner for their commitment to DEI, which included the creation of two interactive walls—the I AM Wall and We Are Wall. With that as inspiration, we created a digital Grateful Wall for staff to share what they are most grateful for during these challenging times and the unique skills and talents they bring to AMC.

Digital Microlearning

It can be challenging, even in a virtual environment, to find time to sit through an hour-long educational session. Instead, try offering DEI education in small bite-sized pieces that can be easily absorbed in the few minutes between Zoom meetings and calls. A company intranet or even social media channel is ideal for bite-sized education. For our microlearning opportunity, we posted a DEI concept or term on our intranet each day to support our culture of learning and increase awareness of DEI among staff.

Thank you to the AMC DEI Advisory Group (Kemi Ani, Jerrod Liveoak, Erice Perez, Steve Smith, Valerie Smoots, and Dionne Wilson) and Events Committee (Stephanie Adams, Laura Davis, Madison Fortman, Kaitlyn Gaede, Laura Harris, Talia Lionetti, Gabby Rosen, and Cheriden Sablik) for teaming together to create a week of inspiring events that celebrate the uniqueness we all bring to AMC.

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