Here in the United States of America, democracy can be a trigger word or a beacon of hope depending on who you are talking to or when you are having the conversation. Many of us deeply believe, or want to believe in democracy as our best option for human organization, decision-making, and protection… but if we think of democracy as governance led by the people, does what we call a democracy fit that definition? … Isn’t democracy important everywhere, including work?

I remember when I was a very little girl, somewhere between 7 and 10 years old, I was briefly heavily infatuated with the idea of becoming a professional. Growing up in my parent’s home, mother a first generation Nigerian immigrant, stepfather a military man from Mississippi, becoming a respected professional and following rules was not just encouraged but expected. These were the formulas they were given, and for this moment in my life, that presented no problems for me. I saw myself with a briefcase (Do people still use those?!) and a well-fitted pant suit, showing up to an office with lots and lots of rules and games and excelling at every single one of them. At that age, it didn’t really matter what work I was actually going to do, I was just obsessed with that image. That’s what I thought it meant to be a professional and that’s exactly what I thought I wanted.

The differences and overlap between comfort and belonging can cause confusion, especially when problem-solving and addressing harm within work environments. This is because for many, these concepts feel very similar; we’ve learned to associate them with each other in many cases, even though they are different. Avenues to comfort are usually easy to identify. Belonging can be a bit more elusive because it isn’t just dependent on the individual. We can identify what it feels like to catch moments of it, but what does it mean to experience environments where we consistently belong? Can you belong and be uncomfortable or be comfortable in a culture where people do not belong?