# Why policy fails without inclusion | Julie Cafley | TEDxUNB

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcPyoA1hhYo
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/xcPyoA1hhYo
Generated: 2026-02-17T16:33:06.406+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Policy fails without inclusion because systems and data inherently carry the biases of their creators, leading to outcomes that exclude marginalized groups, which requires actively stepping in, asking whose story is being told, demanding accurate data, and amplifying underrepresented voices to create truly inclusive futures.

**Key Points:**
- The central theme is that policy is inherently storytelling, and if the voices shaping policy are not diverse, the resulting rules exclude marginalized populations.
- The speaker describes personal experiences like being in a policy-making room where only men were present, creating policies that negatively impacted women and marginalized groups.
- Bias is embedded in data and algorithms; for example, facial recognition software misidentifies Black women, reinforcing existing societal biases.
- The speaker proposes six steps to combat exclusion, starting with 'Step in & speak out' and including sharing lived experience and demanding accurate data.
- Exclusion can be experienced personally, such as feeling unsafe walking home late at night or having medical information dismissed as 'nothing' when it is 'everything'.
- The speaker challenges the audience to actively change who holds the pen when writing policy, ensuring that those affected by the rules are at the table.

![Screenshot at 00:02: The initial slide presents the core question: "What if we transform our world by changing who holds the pen?" setting the stage for a discussion on power and representation in decision-making.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xcPyoA1hhYo/00-00-02.jpg)

**Context:** Julie Cafley delivers a TEDx talk at TEDxUNB, themed 'REBORN,' focusing on the critical need for inclusion in policy-making and systemic design. She uses personal anecdotes and examples concerning policy failures in areas like healthcare, urban planning, and technology (algorithms) to illustrate how a lack of diverse input leads to exclusionary outcomes, ultimately arguing that policy must move beyond being 'neutral' and actively incorporate marginalized voices.

## Detailed Analysis

Julie Cafley argues that policy is not neutral; it is storytelling shaped by those who hold the pen, and when this group lacks diversity, policies systematically exclude marginalized people. She recounts an experience where policy was created by men without a single woman at the table, resulting in rules that failed women. She highlights how this exclusionary design manifests in everyday life, such as inaccessible community centers, flawed health assessments for Black men, and facial recognition software that misidentifies Black women as strangers. Cafley emphasizes that these exclusions are often not glitches but intentional consequences of biased design, which is reinforced when algorithms inherit the values of their predominantly non-diverse builders. She proposes six steps for change, starting with 'Step in & speak out,' asking whose stories are being told, demanding accurate data reflecting reality, and amplifying marginalized voices. The core message is that listening to lived experiences, especially those of discomfort or fear, is essential to creating a future where progress benefits everyone, not just the default group.

### Introduction & The Problem

- What if we transform our world by changing who holds the pen?
- Policy creation in a policy-less room (a modest community center) involved ignoring the lived experiences of women and marginalized groups.
- Policy inherently involves storytelling, and whose story is told determines who is included or excluded.

### Examples of Exclusion

- Experiences of humiliation and danger (walking home late, medical concerns dismissed as 'nothing') stem from policies designed by a limited demographic (four men, no women).
- Algorithmic bias reinforces assumptions; facial recognition fails to identify Black women correctly, leading to threats and misidentification.

### The Solution

- Six steps for change: 1. Step in & speak out
- 2. Ask whose at the table
- 3. Share lived experience
- 4. Demand accurate data that reflects reality
- 5. Amplify marginalized voices
- 6. Listen.

### Conclusion

- Listening reveals discomfort and silence is the oxygen of exclusion; by actively changing who holds the pen, we can build healthier systems and a future where progress belongs to everyone.

![Screenshot at 00:05: The event title slide reads: "WELCOME TO REBORN" for TEDxUNB on January 15, 2026, setting the theme of transformation.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xcPyoA1hhYo/00-00-05.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:10: The opening slide poses the central question: "What if we transform our world by changing who holds the pen?" featuring an image of a pen.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xcPyoA1hhYo/00-00-10.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:37: A slide displays the second call to action: "2. Ask whose at the table," emphasizing the importance of representation in decision-making.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xcPyoA1hhYo/00-00-37.jpg)
![Screenshot at 01:15: A slide highlights the third step: "3. Share lived experience," suggesting personal narratives are vital for systemic change.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xcPyoA1hhYo/00-01-15.jpg)
![Screenshot at 01:37: The fourth step is introduced: "4. Demand accurate data that reflects reality," underscoring the need for unbiased information in policy creation.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/xcPyoA1hhYo/00-01-37.jpg)