The Power of Words in Their Context

As we say at The Spark Mill, words are important.

I was recently in a retreat, and the word “empower” came up to describe the work that the organization is doing. One participant shared that they did not like this word used in this context because it implies that the people they are serving - in this case, black and brown youth - do not have the power to begin with. It would be more accurate to say that an organization helps youth cultivate their power, or something similar.

Definitions

According to the Macmillan Dictionary, empowerment means, “to give someone more control over their life or more power to do something.” The alternative and more formal definition is, “to give an organization or legal authority to do something.” The hard work and tenacity of the person or the community are overshadowed by the organization's ability to bestow power to those they serve.

When using words like empower, make sure they’re not used as buzzwords or are merely performative. One way to ensure this is not happening is to go deeper and explain the actions you’re committing to. Instead of, “I want to empower the community,” you could say, “I will volunteer in the community garden to help promote access to healthy food and less dependence on corporate grocery stores.”

Now, let's look at “diversify.”  

For instance, if you want to diversify your board, say what that means. I don’t have a clue what that means in your context. I have no idea if YOU even know what you mean. Diversity can be in professional background, age, religious beliefs, education, socioeconomic status, cultural background, neurodiversity, etc…   “We have a goal to diversify our board,” is not as genuine or clear as, “We have a goal to bring on board members that represent a variety of cultural backgrounds, genders, and religions to be representative of the community that we serve.”  

Words are important, but so are actions – these examples mentioned are verbs, after all! Get specific. Be clear. Once you are, you have a clear direction for your actions. As a wise Richmonder once said to me, “Show by your actions, not your words”. While words are important, your actions are what build integrity and trust.