Kayla Root is the Founder/President of Beyond Equality Inc., a non-profit company dedicated to promoting diversity through the value of individual experience.
She does not fight for equality, she fights to move society Beyond Equality:
"Recently a friend enthusiastically told me that they at long last overcame gender bias and racism and were able to be 'completely gender and color blind.' They stopped seeing any difference in people and looked only for the commonalities to prove to themselves that everyone is essentially the same. This person worked for months to strive for equality. The problem is, equality is the wrong solution."
Society only progresses with the innovations of individuals. But to be innovative, one must think outside the box; differently than the rest of society. It is the differences in human beings that propels us to new ages. And it is our experiences that allow us to cultivate those differences.
I really enjoy many activities and experiences that have been typically male oriented: muscle cars, sports and rock music. I learned from my experience that until I gained an overwhelming level of expertise, I’d been shunned or excluded from the very experiences that can support knowledge and skill building in activities for which I have tremendous passion.
I formed Beyond Equality Inc. as a response to the idea that neuroscience tells us the best way to change behaviors is to replace the undesirable behavior with another. It is not a matter of ceasing to behave one way, but to actively promote a new behavior to drive support for the desired goal. Beyond Equality is a nonprofit organization that seeks to change the way people live, think, and dream all by encouraging experiences. Enabling new experiences for young people, and supporting expansive thinking among parents and adults. This is because it is the girl who plays football who is will be unintimidated, the boy who does ballet that will be empathetic, and the child with the most experiences that will forge society’s path into the future.
Long before it was an official nonprofit organization, I was working to promote diverse experiences. I have learned that many children are excited to experience new things, and that what is usually left out of the equation is the support of the parents.
With Beyond Equality having achieved nonprofit status, we seek to expand our efforts nationwide. The education of others, especially parents as to the importance of diverse experiences is crucial as the organization takes its first steps to success. The best way to spark a change is by setting an example. We give out BE Courageous Awards and scholarship to those who inspire diverse and brave experiences - by doing so themselves, or helping others. These encourage the role models and trendsetters of the future.
As I told my friend, "A world of gray would be boring and lifeless. Appreciating others for their differences is what adds color to life; and innovation, progression and culture to society. The leaders of the future are the ones who are prepared for anything, and the ones with the tools to achieve everything they set their eyes on." If we stop trying to overcome inequities by turning a blind eye, and instead drive to increase the speed at which individuals seek to broaden their experiences, we can progress even faster, and overcome greater obstacles as a society. If we can reach Beyond Equality, there is no limit to what we can do.