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Rethinking DEI: Beyond Individualism to Systemic Change
I had the great opportunity to speak at Medium Day 2024 on August 17, 2024. Drawing from my paper, 'Beyond Buzzwords: Why DEI Needs to Fight for Its Future,' I explore how DEI initiatives must shift from merely training individuals to recognize their privilege and biases to addressing the systemic roots of oppression. I teach my audience about the limitations of current DEI approaches that center on individual behaviors and awareness.
Now is not the time to Retreat from DEI/Social Justice
Actions to undermine DEIB now threaten decades of progress toward an equitable society, making it crucial to move from being allies to active accomplices in dismantling oppressive structures. At this pivotal moment, only by actively resisting these regressive forces can we safeguard the progress made and ensure a future of equity and inclusion.
The Return of the Good Ole Boy System
Despite claims of restoring meritocracy, the Trump Administration’s attack on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has ushered in a new “good ole boy” system—one rooted not in qualifications, but in ideological loyalty. By dismantling long-standing civil rights protections and appointing underqualified allies to high-level roles, Trump has replaced the identity politics he criticizes with a version of his own. This shift has profound consequences: sidelining competence, weakening institutions, and reinforcing power structures that reward allegiance over ability. Rather than eliminating bias, the rollback of DEI has institutionalized a new, more insidious form of favoritism.
Pete Hegseth Is A DEI Hire (When You Apply GOP Logic)
Critics of DEI often claim it prioritizes identity over merit — yet when political loyalty and ideological conformity are the true criteria for advancement, who’s really benefiting from identity politics? This piece examines Fox News host Pete Hegseth through the same lens conservatives use to critique DEI, revealing a double standard that undermines the very meritocracy they claim to defend. By comparing Hegseth’s rise to leaders like Secretary Lloyd Austin, we expose how the term “DEI hire” is a dog whistle used to delegitimize diverse talent while overlooking the advantages enjoyed by conservative insiders.
It’s time to be an Accomplice instead of an Ally.
Allyship is a starting point — about listening, learning, and showing solidarity. But in a time of rising injustice and threats to equity, we must go further. Accompliceship means taking risks, challenging systems, and committing to real, sustained change. It’s not about being seen — it’s about being effective. The fight for justice demands more than support; it demands bold action.
Unpacking the Legacy of the Moynihan Report: How It Shaped Harmful Narratives about the Black Family
Many conversations about what is needed for Black America include a series of undertones both sides fail to address. These undertones derive from a government study coined the Moynihan Report.
Beyond Buzzwords: Why DEI Needs to Fight for its Future
Let us reclaim the momentum and build a world where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Stand up against the harmful and hateful rhetoric that is being used to undermine the meaningful change Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion will bring to our society.