205. If Inclusion Is the Goal, Why Are So Many Still Left Out?

In this episode we speak with Micah Kessel, founder of Playground of Empathy and creator of Empathable, a project designed to help people experience perspectives different from their own. The conversation focuses on what inclusion actually means beyond the word itself, and why many current approaches fail to create real belonging.

Micah explains how most inclusion efforts rely on rules or negative messaging, rather than lived experience and emotional connection. He shares his work in designing immersive experiences that allow participants to “walk in someone else’s shoes,” not to fully understand another person’s life, but to recognize that their experiences are just as real and valid.

We connect this idea to our own advocacy, especially in education, where inclusion is often discussed but not consistently practiced. We talk about how language, perspective and emotional awareness shape the way people show up for one another, and how empathy can shift interactions, even in difficult situations like fighting for a child’s rights.

This episode explores the role of emotional education, the limits of traditional definitions of empathy and the importance of creating environments where differences are not just accommodated, but recognized as valid.

Empathable: https://empathable.com

Playground of Empathy: https://empathable.com/playground/

Episodes on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi4R9dL4avnOh5T8VEejTmDL15gKp2i_u

Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wpcomstaging.com/2026/07/15/205-if-inclusion-is-the-goal-why-are-so-many-still-left-out/2/

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Summary

In this episode of If We Knew Then, Stephen and Lori Saux sit down with Micah Kessel, founder of Playground of Empathy and creator of Empathable, to examine what inclusion actually looks like in practice—and why so many current efforts fall short. What begins as a conversation about “inclusive playgrounds” quickly shifts into a deeper discussion about the difference between accessibility, inclusion, and true belonging.