DEI

There’s a dangerous shift happening – please don’t look away.
Across the country, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs are being rolled back. Not just in government. In big corporations. In universities. In public institutions that once promised to do better.
They’re not shouting about it. They’re doing it quietly—changing the language, deleting the webpages, removing the job titles. And here’s the truth: This isn’t about “going too far.”
This is about giving up on fairness—and hoping you won’t notice.

What Are They Really Doing?

They’re cutting:
Equity grants
Diversity hiring goals
Chief Diversity Officer positions
Anti-racism training
Accessibility initiatives
Gender inclusion support
Environmental justice programs

They’re changing the language to make it sound harmless. “Dynamic teams.” “Equal treatment.” “Individual merit.” But behind those words is a clear message: “We’re supporting our racist, bigoted base.”

It’s Not Just the Government Anymore

Federal agencies are being ordered to shut down DEI programs, remove any reference to race, gender, or identity from hiring. any reference to race, gender, or identity from hiring.
Cancel grants and contracts related to equity.
Investigate past partnerships that supported inclusion work.
But now we’re seeing corporations and colleges do the same. Major retailers are ending their diversity programs. Tech companies are laying off DEI teams. Universities are scrapping DEI requirements for staff and students
Some law schools have even banned DEI statements during hiring. They say it’s to be “neutral.” But neutrality, in a system built on inequality, just means protecting the status quo.

What Does This Really Mean?

It means:
If you were ever overlooked, you’ll be overlooked again. If you fought hard to be seen, you’ll be told to wait your turn. If you depended on these programs to make space for you—you’re being told you never should’ve been there in the first place. It’s a message to every marginalized group: “We tolerated you when it was popular. Now we’re moving on.”

Why You Should Care—Even If You Think This Doesn’t Affect You

Because the second we stop measuring fairness, we stop holding power accountable.
This isn’t just about race or gender or accessibility.
It’s about whether any of us can trust the places we work, study, or rely on to do what’s right—even when it’s not easy.
It’s about stripping away the tools we built to balance the scales. Once those tools are gone?
Good luck asking for fairness again.

Don’t Be Fooled

They’ll tell you it’s about merit. That they’re just “returning to basics.”
But if that were true, they wouldn’t be afraid of programs that made things better.
This isn’t a reset. It’s a retreat. And if we don’t name it, fight it, and call it what it is,
it will keep spreading.

What Can We Actually Do?

Look—we all live in compromise. We use platforms owned by corporations that have walked back their values. We shop at stores that laid off diversity teams. We’re connected to systems that aren’t clean, and never were. So this isn’t about guilt. This is about knowing. About refusing to go numb.
Because when you stay awake—when you stay aware—you don’t just see what’s being taken away. You start to protect what’s left. You speak up at work. You ask harder questions at school board meetings. You stop brushing off that “harmless” joke in the breakroom.
You look for local orgs doing real work and you say, “I see you. I’ve got you.”

And yes—sometimes you still shop at the big-box store. Sometimes you still log in.
Sometimes the world doesn’t give you clean choices. But that doesn’t mean you stop choosing. Every time you refuse to look away—every time you speak up, support, redirect, or interrupt the erasure—you’re holding the line.
And right now, that line is fragile. But it’s still there.