Responding to the DEI Backlash: What Now?
67 people were killed in a tragic plane crash on January 29, 2025. Predators in the White House have spread the lie that DEI “could be” the cause of the event. But what does DEI mean to them?
One of the foundational lessons in my training framework is getting clear on the definitions of DEI. I’ve long said that many people confuse diversity for equity. Let’s break down these definitions.
Diversity
Diversity is all the ways that people are different at individual and group levels. Organizational diversity requires examining and questioning the makeup of a group to ensure that multiple perspectives are represented.
Equity
The process of redistributing material and non-material access and opportunity, often at the expense of equality, to be fair and just; State of being free of bias, discrimination, and identity-predictable outcomes (i.e. knowing that a black man is more likely to go to jail after being pulled over by the police)
Inclusion
Making choices that support and embrace diversity in a way that clearly shows all individuals are valued, recognized, and accepted for who they truly are. This involves demonstrating and understanding respect for the abilities, beliefs, backgrounds, and cultures of those around you and engaging those with diverse perspectives
Trump and Vance have weaponized DEI, mostly targeting the presence of diversity, which to them means anyone with a job that is not a cis white man. This dangerous rhetoric about diversity puts a blanket condemnation on DEI, which impacts so much more than diversity and definitively benefits everyone, regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, or disability.
With DEI under attack, we need to move beyond only diversity-based initiatives and make the structural changes necessary to create a workplace where Black, Indigenous, People of Color, disabled, queer, Trans and gender-expansive people, and others who face systemic oppression are safe to work. Without transforming policies and practices, we risk inviting people into environments where they must mask, code-switch, and assimilate just to survive, as well as being targeted as “DEI hires”.
This is why I’ve integrated my work in the HR space. If we take the philosophies of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice and operationalize them through systemic changes–changes such as equitable pay, non-punitive accountability, redistribution of decision-making power, and equitable hiring practices–those policies live in our HR handbook.
When DEI work is policy, it is not a “program”.
When the philosophies of equity are deeply embedded into ALL parts of the organization, it’s no longer a separate thing that can be targeted and defunded. Author of DEI Deconstructed and Reconstructing DEI, Lily Zheng, recently published an article in the Harvard Business Review debuting her new approach to equity work, the FAIR framework. This framework acknowledges that racial sensitivity trainings and diversity initiatives have failed to make real structural change that benefits people facing oppression in the workplace and at-large. The FAIR framework applies “a change management approach to create impact at scale, improving personnel policies; hiring, promotion, and feedback processes; leadership incentives; and organizational culture and norms, rather than repeatedly seeking to “build awareness” without follow-up.” It was affirming to see these concepts I’ve been applying in my own little corner in the DEI space are being recognized at a national level.
This is a moment to see who is really committed to dismantling oppression in their workplaces and communities and those who were following a trend.
We can double-down on DEI by investing in HR, organizational development, policy development, and technical support. We are not just calling the same programs by another name in order to receive the government funding that we rely on, this is an opportunity to completely shift how we are approaching the movement toward equity and anti-racism in our organizations. And I can show you how.
Months ago, before the election, I had a vision of an online cohort class model that walks organizational leaders and decision makers through a DEI centered HR framework, and I think now we need it more than ever.
Operationalizing DEI: Taking HR Beyond Compliance
is a live twelve-week virtual course where you will learn how to infuse Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice principles into the DNA and culture of your organization through HR policies and internal processes. This course takes place Thursdays 1-3pm PST Feb 13 - May 15 (March 27 off for Spring Break). You have the opportunity to respond quickly to the backlash of DEI and its subsequent reframing by registering now and having tangible takeaways to facilitate change by day one. Registration ends February 13, 2024.
We do not have to back down on our DEI work, we can use this moment to transform the impact that DEI work has on our communities and finally take the Anti-racist and liberation work to the lengths they were always supposed to, with tangible, measurable benefits.