Juneteenth and Pride Month Celebrating Diversity

For millions of people all around the world, June is a month especially associated with diversity, inclusion and challenging discrimination.

In the US, the 19th of June is now a federal holiday to mark what some have called America's second Independence Day. Juneteenth commemorates the end of slavery with public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln which declared “all persons held as slaves… henceforward shall be free”. Lectures and public celebrations of African American history honour the struggle for justice and are an annual reminder that work is never complete.  
 
And across the world, Pride Month recognises the LGBTQ+ community and offers support for equality,
acceptance, and human rights. The rainbow flag which first flew in 1978 in America is now recognised internationally as emblem of diversity, unity and support. Designed by the artists Gilbert Baker and Lynn Segerblom, it was itself partly inspired by the ‘brotherhood flag’ designed in 1938 to “promote unity, equality, freedom, peace, brotherhood and a genuine respect for international law, among all peoples of the earth”.  
 
What both of these annual commemorations share is the belief that diversity is a strength and to really achieve our potential as a society we need to embrace it. Great minds don't all think alike. As educators we see time and again that when people from a wide range of perspectives come together to learn, they broaden their horizons and think more deeply.  
 
Yet achieving real diversity and inclusion takes year-round commitment. In a world in which misinformation
abounds and conflict rages, it’s even more important that we set a standard of respect for one another and for the community, society and the legal frameworks in which we operate. 
 
At Study Group, we work hard to ensure our staff and student community is genuinely built on a foundation of
respect for one another and for the society in which we operate. Diversity is celebrated, difference is welcomed, including when this takes us out of our comfort zones. For international students that often means meeting people different to them for the first time and gaining the confidence to positively learn and succeed together.  
 
We support an inclusive environment in which all are valued regardless of nationality, race, culture,
religion, gender or sexuality. In doing so we discover that listening respectfully and sharing diverse perspectives is itself an education.  
 
By actively celebrating the strengths of our diverse community, we are committed to enabling all to succeed
and grow.