Hello friends!
It has been a while since I took the time to sit down and write — more specifically, write about diversity, equity and inclusion outside of my career, teaching and consulting.
Since Jan. 8, 2025 — even before then, if I’m being honest — I have watched the dark clouds of anti-DEI laws, legislation and incorrect rhetoric consume our states, colleges, universities and communities as departments, roles, policies and people were harmed and removed due to these actions. By Jan. 21, 2025, I saw what I feared taking place in 2023 begin showing up in my own backyard, well, schoolyard. I saw the dismantling and dismissing of diversity, equity and inclusion and the ugly truth that America never planned on truly changing or being diverse, equitable or inclusive.
The number of executive orders released to cut funding for critical programming, including education, health care, research, nonprofits, etc., became overwhelming. I watched tensely as the internet went up in flames about what was happening. I saw community organizers pause as they worked to protect the wounds of these impacts. I watched local organizations, corporations, and colleges roll back their diversity, equity and inclusion programs, practices, policies and positions in fear of more funding cuts. And for a few, they were waiting for the opportunity to cut DEI as there was limited interest in the work from the beginning.
I saw religious entities reject silence by challenging these changes and create more spaces for education and activism. I witnessed fellow practitioners of DEI contemplate the value of fighting for a society that does not care to fight or protect them. During the first months of 2025, I saw fingers point to others to shift the blame. I saw communities grow tired and others give up.
Through it all, I went back and forth with my reflection in the mirror about the value of diversity, equity and inclusion and the role that I play in the work.
I reflected on the reason and my ‘why’ related to doing this work. I reminded myself that someone fought for me to exist without knowing me and questioning if I deserved to exist. The individuals who intentionally pushed back and fought for my identities to show up safely knew they were doing so in a system that was created without considering ‘others.’ They fought knowing these systems were exploitative, but they knew accountability would put pressure on those who were creating toxic environments for the benefit and betterment of particular communities over others.
Although I thought about retreating and considering alternatives to doing this work, I realized that it would be a form of assimilation I was unwilling to accept. I know the work is hard, I accepted that reality years ago when I did my first training session as a graduate student on microaggressions to a room full of retired faculty members as the only person of color. In that moment, I learned I was not there to shift people’s beliefs but to change their behaviors. I often remind individuals in my consulting sessions that you have the right to say what you want according to the First Amendment.
Therefore, I hope the individuals you live and engage with are not harmed by your thoughts and speech. However, I am here to change your behaviors. Meaning that the moment you open a webpage or step outside of your residence, your behaviors and actions will be scrutinized if your intentions are to inflict harm. We can and will have differences in our experiences and ideologies based on how we were raised. But to create hostile environments, polices, laws, practices, and programs that intentionally discriminate against individuals over others is unacceptable.
I took a moment to reflect on the changes I have seen and made in classrooms, boardrooms, community organizations, online, and even my own circles of influence and decided I needed to pause by taking a hiatus and not withdraw from the work by retreating.
The goal of anti-DEI is to distract with disinformation, an intentional act of misleading content deliberately to deceive people to secure economic or political gain, which may lead to public harm, versus misinformation, which is incorrect or misleading information that can exist with or without specific malicious intent.
Knowing this, I plan to continue connecting and strategizing with those who do DEI and protect the most vulnerable populations. I also plan to continue entering spaces that misrepresent the work and value of DEI to challenge the misinformation and disinformation these spaces share.
Taking a break to gather and ground yourself is essential. In order to have the necessary stamina to hold these systems accountable takes rest and recalibration. The hiatus, or pause, was needed, but so is the continued fight.
My homegirl hiatus is over. See y’all in the streets to keep making change!
Take care,
#DEIHomegirl
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