(image from: istockphoto.com by bobboz)

DEI is a framework focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, aimed at creating a fairer society. It is designed to include people of all backgrounds and advocate for equality! DEI policies can foster innovation, enhance workplace integrity, and improve employee well-being though the impact depends on continuous effort.

After 60 years of hard-won progress aimed at removing systematic barriers, Donald Trump is dismantling federal DEI programs, which civil rights leader Marc Morial describes as “beyond presidential power”.  (ABC News) These regulations and changes can stir fear and uncertainty within the community as DEI policies are meant to protect all individuals.  However, supporters of Trump’s radical change, claim that DEI policies “unfairly discriminate against other Americans”, like white people and men because they claim it “weakens the importance of merit in job hiring”.  Trump and his allies argue that those who fall into the DEI branch are privileged for having such policies protect them, saying they are allegedly enforcing redundant bureaucracy and unnecessary ideologies into workplaces and institutions. (Reuters) Like many others, I strongly disagree.

Corporate DEI programs are not driven by altruism, instead, they are designed to drive change, help companies adapt, and foster new ideas.

(image from: istockphoto.com by xavierarnau)

Inclusion is about feeling heard, valued, and relied on, in environments where they inevitably stand out for being who they are. Veterans, people with disabilities, and those with different socioeconomic statuses, all are protected by DEI policies, which help prevent discrimination in hiring, education, and important, sometimes life-changing, opportunities. DEI allows marginalized groups to have a fair chance, such as allowing women to enter traditionally male-dominated fields such as technology or engineering. Whether that person is Black, Hispanic, Christian, Muslim, or any of the thousands of ethnic backgrounds and religions, these DEI policies defend their rights to be treated equally. They want a fair chance to succeed and contribute to society just as anyone else. The last thing someone who falls into this category wants to do is become a burden in the work environment.

Is the dismantling of DEI programs truly because of concerns of discrimination, or is it a way of exerting dominance and power?

• Kiara Alfonseca. “A Look at What DEI Means Amid Trump Executive Orders.” ABC News, 24 Jan. 2025, https://abcnews.go.com/US/dei-programs/story?id=97004455.

• Smith, John. “Goldman Drops Diversity and Inclusion Section from Annual Filing.” Reuters, 27 Feb. 2025, https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/goldman-sachs-tweaks-its-diversity-policy-2025-02-27/

• Cerullo, Megan. “Corporate DEI Programs: How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts Are Shaping the Workplace.” CBS News, 28 Jan. 2025, 5:19 PM EST, www.cbsnews.com/news/dei-diversity-equity-inclusion-corporate-programs/.