From the beginning
#PullTheCard was a concept that was fostered through excitement, ambiguity, and some trepidation. From the beginning, we believed it was important to create a campaign for Diversity Day that would engage with people directly. Awareness around discrimination has increased thus leading to more open discussions and research around the topic, however, it was felt that it still needed to be tackled in another way.
As the name of the campaign suggests, it was inspired by the recently common phrase/joke that would be used after someone would call out a comment. “Oh, are you going to pull the discrimination card now?”, “watch out they’re about to pull the discrimination card”. A small comment that holds bigger consequences. A small comment that disarms the person offended by any action to engage what was said, and disproves the person making such a comment of any wrongdoing, as if it was just a joke.
So, we made the card. The discrimination card is something physical someone could actually pull and show someone who made the discriminatory comment. By scanning the QR code it leads you to a website that holds information on forms of discrimination and sources from articles, podcasts, and real-life experiences to look through and learn from. With knowledge comes power and a broader perspective. The aim is that the newfound knowledge will help provide a broader perspective on the differences of people and the issues faced by marginalized people, globally.
Themes behind the campaign
The overarching theme of the campaign was based on perceptions and societal biases. Despite our best intentions, many of us who see ourselves as fair, just, and socially aware can overlook the unconscious biases that still shape our perceptions. Believing we “know better” can lead to complacency, blinding us to the ways we may unknowingly perpetuate stereotypes or marginalize others. The truth is, that the human experience is deeply diverse, and no single perspective holds the full picture.
To grow individually, we must challenge our assumptions and embrace the idea that learning is never truly complete. True awareness comes from humility—a willingness to listen, question ourselves, and recognize that every person’s story has the power to expand our understanding of the world and each other.
Responses and Reflections
The campaign was a resounding success. The analytics show us that there was a large increase in our engagement and other account sharing. One such post has now become one of our most liked posts on LinkedIn. From reading the comments, we get a sense of how the stories have resonated with those close to them. One comment reading:
“He is one of the very few who understands what it means to be neurodivergent and the struggles faced by us… his multiple roles inspire us to understand what’s actually possible! Lucky to have someone like him to reach out to.”
There is a future for the Discrimination Card. There are concrete plans on how we can move forward with the idea, watch the space. For new campaigns in the future, we use our experiences and feedback from this project to shape our next challenge. It’s one project, one impact and one step towards societal change.
To grow individually, we must challenge our assumptions and embrace the idea that learning is never truly complete. True awareness comes from humility—a willingness to listen, question ourselves, and recognize that every person’s story has the power to expand our understanding of the world and each other.