Let’s go ahead and tell the truth: There’s a full-blown attack on DEI—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion—like it’s some sort of threat instead of the safety net so many of us fought to create. They’re coming for programs, policies, and positions under the tired banner of “reverse discrimination.”
But here’s the thing. Most of us? We’re not falling for it.
Because we know better. We’ve lived the changes DEI has brought to our workplaces. We’ve experienced the shift from being the “only” in the room to finally seeing our people at the table… and not just to take notes, but to make decisions.
A recent survey by MyPerfectResume found that 84% of employees want their companies to expand DEI efforts, not scale them back. Only 5% said DEI should be reduced.
So while politicians are yelling about DEI like it’s the boogeyman, the people clocking in every day? They’re saying, we need more.
DEI Is Not a Trend. It’s How People Survive at Work.
According to that same survey, 95% of workers said DEI initiatives improved their personal work experience. That’s not just feel-good fluff. That’s:
- Parental leave policies that work for single moms.
- Flexible holiday schedules for Muslim, Jewish, and Hindu employees
- Offices that finally accommodate folks with disabilities
- Sexual harassment policies that don’t just protect men in power
Most of the workforce in America falls into at least one protected category:
- women,
- LGBTQIA+ folks,
- Black and Brown people,
- veterans, and
- people with disabilities.
So, this idea that DEI only helps Black folks? That’s propaganda, not reality.
But the propaganda machine is loud. And right now, it’s getting government backing.
The Latest Attack: DEI in K-12 Schools and the Workplace
The Trump administration just rolled out new efforts to choke DEI out of public education.
According to the Associated Press, K-12 schools are being told they must certify they’re not using any “discriminatory” DEI practices—or risk losing federal money. And they’re not playing. The Department of Education is giving states just 10 days to sign a legal document or face losing Title I funding—money that supports low-income students.
In other words: they’re threatening to take food, books, and access away from the very kids DEI is supposed to support, under the guise of protecting civil rights. Let that sink in.
Craig Trainor, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said schools have been “discriminating” by using DEI to “favor” certain groups. So now, they’re using civil rights language to kill civil rights protections. Make it make sense.
And it’s not just schools. The Trump Labor Department also issued a memo warning that DEI practices could be illegal if they influence hiring decisions based on protected characteristics like race or sex. They even laid out steps to help folks sue over what they call “unlawful” DEI efforts. Isn’t that something?
So let me get this straight: after centuries of actual discrimination, we finally create frameworks to level the playing field, and now those are the problem?
No sir. Not on our watch.
People Want DEI Because They’ve Lived the Benefits
According to the same survey, 73% of workers believe political rhetoric is shaping corporate DEI decisions. That means companies are scaling back, not because DEI doesn’t work, but because they’re scared of Fox News headlines.
But that fear comes with a cost. More than 60% of employees say cutting DEI will hurt retention and workplace morale. That’s because people, especially people from historically excluded groups, are tired of feeling disposable.
When DEI is gone, trust leaves with it. And when trust goes, so does your best talent.
Don’t Believe the Reverse Racism Hype
Let me remind you of the real numbers:
- 85% of Fortune 500 CEOs are white men
- 70% of corporate board seats are held by white men
- In 2022, Black founders received just 1% of venture capital funding, and women-led startups got 2%
DEI didn’t tilt the scale. It just started inching it back toward balance.
So this narrative that DEI hurts white folks is not just misleading. It’s dangerous. It’s meant to divide us. And it’s being used to strip away hard-won rights and protections.
DEI Might Get a Makeover, But It’s Not Going Anywhere
Companies can try to rebrand it. Call it “belonging” or “culture initiatives” or “inclusive leadership.” Fine. Do what you need to do to survive the politics.
But here’s what’s not changing: you can’t build a healthy workplace without equity, inclusion, and safety. You can’t attract diverse talent if folks don’t feel like they belong. And you sure can’t claim to be innovative when your leadership team still looks like a 1950s country club.
People know the truth. They’ve lived the truth. And they’re not going to sit quietly while politicians try to erase it.
We’re not going back. Not when we’ve seen what’s possible. Not when our communities, our families, are finally being heard. Not when DEI is the thing that has helped us breathe at work.
So no, DEI is not just woke talk. It’s how we survive. And I’ll keep truthing about that every damn day.
