Profile: Ms.Emma E. Houston, The University of Utah

The Center for Economic Opportunity and Belonging (The Center) is excited to continue this Spotlight series where we sit down with organizations to talk about their work and their belonging journey in Utah. 

We recently sat down and spoke with Ms. Emma E. Houston, the Assistant Vice President for Community Engagement at the University of Utah, about the meaning of belonging and Ms. Emma’s story of finding belonging in Utah. 

Can you explain what you do? 

I have the opportunity to develop and establish outreach, engagement, and community relation initiatives to promote community trust with the University of Utah, being able to be at the table with communities that we are requesting information and support from. I get to ensure that decisions are aligned with the community's needs and priorities, leading to more effective and sustainable outcomes. One of the things that communities have said is that when organizations or institutions come into the community, they may not have established trust with those communities. I see myself in this role as a bridge builder with communities that the University would like to have conversations with. We try to go beyond just that we're going to gather information but also leave the community better by providing resources that will sustain their growth and development. So, my responsibility is to ensure that the community is not harmed and is left whole.

What does belonging mean to you?

I narrowed down what belonging means to me to three things. I narrowed it down to my personal belonging, and my ability to be okay with me. I am with me 100% of the time. I need to be okay with who I am, how I show up, my ability to celebrate this journey that I am going on, and to be able to recognize when I need to course correct as well. So, my belonging looks more holistically, as far as my mental, physical, and spiritual sense of belonging. I am okay with creating a space of belonging with individuals, but I just need to be okay with who Emma Houston is.

But then, when I look at my social belonging with individuals that I invite into my circle, who are they? Are we having a like-minded experience? Do we have the same morals? Do we walk in alignment down the same path, and if we do not, what am I learning from that individual who I have invited into my space of belonging? Looking at the social part of what belonging looks like for me, it's like, how do I show up? Am I okay with how I show up as well, understanding that there are truth tellers in my life who keep me grounded, and I hope that I am also a truth teller for those who are included in my circle. That's how I view and define my personal and social belonging.

When I look at my professional sense of belonging, I look at how I am developing trust. How am I understanding the needs of the community and aligning them with the bigger picture? How do I show up in a professional capacity, knowing that I'm representing a flagship institution and we're looking at sustaining and building those relationships?

So, my personal belonging and my professional belonging sometimes intertwine, but I try to keep a narrow line of how it's going to impact me, either professionally or personally. Belonging is about being authentic. Am I true to who I am? Am I using my voice to create opportunities for individuals to also move up? Am I reaching back to pull forward, whether that's personally or professionally? What does belonging really look like individually but also collectively as a community member?  These are questions that I take seriously and hold myself accountable to ensure my approach is inclusive.

How do you think belonging fits into what you do? Or your organization’s mission?

​​The University of Utah has an inherent obligation to ensure that the campus is a space where individuals feel a sense of belonging. That our belonging climate is created by the words, actions, and deeds of each individual and our collective efforts.

Creating a positive, accepting, belonging, and inclusive climate in the classroom or in the workspace is important to ensure that everyone is responsible for it. It takes concerted and intentional efforts to be accountable for the environment that we work in but also to hold others accountable for creating an environment that individuals are proud to be associated with. It is all of our individual and collective duties to create belonging spaces and to eliminate barriers that may hinder someone from feeling that they are part of the larger community. When we see or hear an injustice, it is our responsibility to correct that behavior.

So, I believe it is our responsibility to acknowledge and be responsive to individuals and their lived experiences and create spaces where individuals have the opportunity to shine. And at the University of Utah, the collective leadership is responsible for creating this type of space.

What are some things you believe we need to do as Utahns to make our state a place where everyone belongs? Or what is something someone did that helped you feel like you belong in Utah?

Creating a community where each person lives their best life without judgment leads to a community of belonging. Understanding that our lived experiences contribute to the wholeness of our communities creates opportunities for us to view each other as a collective family. And supporting one another in our good and not-so-good experiences leads to us developing solutions to problems that hinder our individual growth and development. Celebrating the person for who we are and eliminating the negativity of what scenic route we took to get where we are, highlights the act of providing opportunities and resources to uplift one another. Belonging is a word, a term, and a descriptive form of action. In order to belong, we need to believe that we do.

How can people get involved?

“When we talk about how to get involved, the answer is we simply must show up. We show up, learn, grow, and develop relationships.”

When we talk about how to get involved, the answer is we simply must show up. We show up, learn, grow, and develop relationships. If we go into communities to learn more, to be involved, to understand, and to create spaces of belonging, we will all build a better community. Anytime I go into any community, I am enriched. I am blessed because I learned something new from that community or a particular individual. So, expand your territory. Enlarge your circle of influence. Reflect on your beliefs and values to connect with individuals you share or don’t share a common viewpoint with. It is easy to just be kind. We all know what kindness looks like, what it feels like, and most definitely what it sounds like.

Is there anything you would like to add?

You know, I think one of the things that is heavy on many individuals during this time is, how do I support individuals who may be harmed by policies, by practices, by procedures, by anything that takes away from who they completely are? And I believe if we see an injustice, we simply speak up. Whether we are the lone person speaking up in a wave of other individuals who have a different thought, we still must speak up. For us to build a more inclusive community, we have to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with each other. We have to lock hands. We have to lock hearts. We have to be about the work of creating a space where everyone is valued. If I want the best for my family, then I too must want the best for your family. If you want the best for your family, you will want the best for someone else’s family. I don't think it's that difficult to understand that families want the best for their families, and it takes nothing away from me or from you when our families have the best.