When we talk about psychological safety, most people immediately think about the workplace. But if we’re being honest, psychological safety has always extended far beyond the office walls. It’s about how safe we feel in our neighborhoods, in our homes, and in our communities—and how those experiences shape how we show up everywhere else.

In this week’s episode of DEI After 5, I share a very real moment that brought this into focus for me. I’ve lived in the D.C. area for over twenty years, but when I had to drive into the city recently for a client session on psychological safety, my anxiety was high. Not because of crime—crime in D.C. is actually down—but because of the heightened military and police presence across certain parts of the city. That presence, built on the false narrative of rising violence, has been used to intimidate rather than to protect.

For me, it wasn’t just about traffic or parking. It was about being watched. It was about the Barbados sticker on my car, and the quiet worry that ICE or another agency could decide to pull me over for no reason other than who I am and what I represent. Friends of mine who live in the city have already experienced this—being stopped for broken taillights or small infractions that seem less about safety and more about control.

And there I was, driving into the city to lead a session on psychological safety at a leadership institute. The irony wasn’t lost on me. How could I talk about the importance of people feeling safe to speak up at work, when outside the office, entire communities are being made to feel unsafe just for existing?

That’s the tension I unpack in this episode. Psychological safety doesn’t stop when the workday ends. It’s affected by where we live, who we are, and what systems are in place around us. If the environment we move through every day is filled with intimidation or fear, that reality follows us into our workplaces, into our relationships, into the ways we see ourselves.

So, how do we care for ourselves when the environment around us doesn’t feel safe? For me, it meant leaning into emotional intelligence—recognizing my anxiety, then doing what I could to regulate it. On the drive, I played music that brought me joy. Before my session, I dimmed the lights in the waiting room and sat quietly with some water to calm my system. These may sound like small things, but they were the self-care practices I needed in that moment to create a sense of safety for myself.

And just as importantly, how do we stay attuned to the experiences of others? In a conversation with the president of the organization I was visiting, he admitted he hadn’t noticed any military or police presence in his neighborhood. That was telling. For some, this isn’t part of their daily experience. For others, it’s an unavoidable reality. Psychological safety is not equally distributed, and that disparity matters.

That’s why our responsibility goes beyond the workplace. Are we paying attention to what’s happening in our communities? Are we asking if our neighbors feel safe? Are we stepping in when someone needs help—or are we letting the bystander effect take over?

The truth is, not everyone can take to the streets or show up in big visible ways. But as one Howard University student reminded me, there are many ways to contribute. You can donate to a food pantry, volunteer at a local shelter, or support organizations working with unhoused communities. These actions, big or small, are part of creating psychological safety—because they send the message: you are seen, you are supported, you belong.

At The Equity Equation, I talk often about how psychological safety is tied to inclusion and belonging at work. But this episode is a reminder that the work doesn’t stop at the office door. Creating safety—both physical and psychological—is community work. It’s neighbor work. It’s global citizen work.

As you listen, I invite you to reflect:

* How are you creating psychological safety for yourself?

* How are you helping create it for others—in your workplace, your neighborhood, or your community?

* And where might you be overlooking the people most impacted by unsafe systems?

Because embracing change for growth isn’t just about personal resilience. It’s about collective responsibility. It’s about refusing to accept fear and intimidation as the norm. It’s about building environments where people can thrive—at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

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