DEI isn’t just for marginalized communities—it’s essential for everyone, especially the general population. Now more than ever, we must intentionally try to understand how we relate to others. I ask myself, am I fully aware of my own biases? Am I engaging with others in ways that foster fundamental understanding? How am I evolving? How is this reflected in my interactions?
This is not just about diversity—it’s about community, consideration, compassion, support, and creating an environment where everyone feels they belong. DEI remains the most effective framework for building that belonging. Without it, how can we form genuinely diverse communities? How can we ensure marginalized communities aren’t doing the DEI work themselves while not benefiting from it and at the same time being gaslighted? Missing out on essential conversations is how DEI is the only bridge that allows you access. DEI is the last bastion that allows the general population access to limited knowledge-sharing opportunities, and it is now vanishing. With the DEI framework, programs, and initiatives disappearing, so will the restricted access to POC culture, lived experience, and concerns, and it will be the general population who will ultimately be disadvantaged. Recent incidences highlight how the general population will become marginalized as DEI is dismantled.
Recently, I spotted a woman on the street carrying a pink and green handbag adorned with Greek letters. I greeted her, “Hi, Soror.” Warmly, she responded, “Greetings, Soror.” We paused to exchange pleasantries, wishing each other a nice day. As a longtime member of Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA), I’ve cherished the bonds I’ve developed and continue to share with my sorority sisters. Yet, this part of my identity is not easily seen on the surface (unless I wear my Greek letters). Typically, it’s revealed during conversations within the Black Greek community. Many of us are from different ethnicities and as intended benefactors of DEI live in this duplicity that we come to the “table” with. I often find myself ensuring that I am practicing DEI in every aspect of my life
This incident reminded me that the lack of DEI puts me in a position where I must explain parts of my Devine Nine (D9) sorority identity and how culturally essential it is in the Black community. A few of my other D9 members remarked that many of their general population co-workers and neighbors are making inquiries and asking for more understanding of D9 culture, nomenclatures, and significance. DEI is the only framework that exists in professional and educational spaces where non-POC people get the opportunity to learn about other communities without making an effort. It exists to increase visibility and acceptance for marginalized communities. Without DEI, conversations, curiosity, and knowledge become more obscure and unattainable for the general population, which needs it more than we do. I couldn’t help but reflect on how this relates to Vice President Kamala Harris’s presidential campaign and how the various campaign strategy staff had less than three months to understand an essential part of Black culture that has been instilled in many D9 members like me for decades.
VP Harris becoming the Democratic presidential candidate triggered an unexpected curiosity around the Divine Nine and Kamala’s connection to her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha. Being a part of the D9 myself, I took for granted that everyone was familiar with the collective of nine historically black sororities, and my choice to hold it close to my heart was based on the work I was focused on. Enlightened by several discussions, I realized that I had been sorely mistaken.
Who is my “DEI” self? This is the persona I adopt at work, social events, and various obligations, where I prioritize my belonging and inclusion. Growing up in Westchester, NY, I navigated the delicate balance between my immigrant home and suburban surroundings, absorbing lessons from diverse narratives but rarely being asked to share mine. My DEI self attempts to navigate those outside waters and simultaneously create new territory so that those who come after me will have to make less of an effort to be acknowledged and included.
A while back, I spoke with a woman in the marketing industry about working on a Black hair care product with my firm. The woman excitedly told me, “Black women could use this for the kitchen in their hair.” After I picked myself up off the floor because of her incorrect use of the colloquialism, and incomplete understanding of the socio-political context of the phrase, I realized that it was a perfect example of the importance of DEI. The examples here are a small portion of what I have witnessed, along with my POC tribe when we quietly and frequently compare experiences. We mostly laugh it off, but the impact won’t be laughable without DEI. Incidents like the new curiosity around D9 and the kitchen comment have led my colleagues and I to continue to advocate for DEI, not for ourselves but for the general population that needs it more than we ever will. How do POC individuals continue to exist in spaces where they are constantly made uncomfortable or have to educate others on their experiences? I would testify they do so with valor and patience.
Much of my career focus has been on fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) for myself and those around me. Lately, however, it feels as though the motivation behind DEI is waning. The recent affirmative action ruling on college admissions, widespread layoffs of DEI professionals, and the backlash against supplier diversity initiatives signal a shift in a belief system that once held diversity, equity, and inclusion as necessary. Ironically, those outside of the DEI framework may need these efforts more than those meant to benefit from them. Many fail to understand that DEI work is ongoing; you must continuously hold yourself accountable and reflect on your progress or continue to be behind the curve and miss the mark without the formal remediation structure that DEI offers.
Many university students will need more opportunities to engage with individuals from various backgrounds and experiences, which often happens in college. In our society, workplaces usually represent one of the last strongholds of diverse interactions, especially when personal lives remain homogeneous. Supporting diversity initiatives strengthens our economy’s backbone and exposes companies, non-profits, and government agencies to perspectives beyond their norm.
Research indicates that Black households hold just a fraction of the wealth of white households. According to a 2020 study by the Federal Reserve, the median wealth of black families is about $24,000, compared to $188,000 for white families. This wealth gap highlights the urgent need for DEI initiatives that empower marginalized communities economically and ensure equitable access to opportunities and resources. Recently, financial equity initiatives like the one sponsored by the Black Wealth Data Center signal the philanthropic nod to the importance of DEI from an empathic and economic perspective.
The wage gap by race remains a persistent issue, deeply rooted in discrimination and inequities in hiring, pay, and promotion practices. Employer biases, whether conscious or unconscious, disproportionately affect black and brown workers, leading to lower wages, fewer job opportunities, and limited career advancement. DEI initiatives aim to address these disparities, but it’s often those who are themselves marginalized—people of color, women, and other underrepresented groups—who are tasked with driving this work despite being most affected by inequities. These individuals carry the burden of advancing DEI for others while facing the same barriers in their own lives and careers. Beyond discrimination, lack of access to professional networks, mentorship, and growth opportunities also hinders marginalized workers from securing and maintaining employment. Closing the wage gap requires systemic changes beyond surface-level DEI efforts, ensuring equity in all stages of the employment process.
While DEI should not fade into the sunset, it requires re-evaluation and revitalization. It’s essential to focus on how DEI can genuinely serve the communities it aims to benefit. For many in my community, the exhaustion of navigating DEI discussions and initiatives can overshadow its potential benefits. Rather than disregarding these initiatives, we must explore how they can be improved to better align with the realities of their intended beneficiaries. I am confident that DEI is a gift to those who have always felt they belonged, not a burden or an afterthought.
Recently, two Heinz ketchup ads sparked controversy for their lack of DEI awareness, underscoring why meaningful representation is essential in advertising. The first ad portrayed a wedding party with a Black bride and white groom, the groom’s mother and father, and the bride’s mother, enjoying a reception dinner with Heinz ketchup. This raised concern because, to many viewers, it reinforced the harmful stereotype of Black fathers’ “erasure” from family life. This narrative has long fueled misrepresentations about Black families and the idea that Black fathers are “absent.”
The second ad, which showed a Black person whose mouth is smeared in Heinz ketchup, was especially troubling. It unintentionally evoked imagery reminiscent of “blackface”—the historical practice of non-Black performers using dark makeup to caricature Black people in a mocking, stereotyped way. Blackface, which became widespread in Northern and Midwestern cities post-Civil War, reinforced negative stereotypes that marginalized Black communities and validated racist attitudes among audiences.
Heinz has since apologized for both ads, yet these incidents raise questions about DEI practices at the company. Were there POC voices involved in the approval process? And if so, was their input valued? This oversight highlights the importance of truly integrated DEI perspectives, especially in advertising, where brands must ensure their messages align respectfully with diverse audiences.
These incidents also remind many in marginalized communities of the pressures of respectability politics, where people are expected to counter stereotypes by presenting themselves as “ideal” community members. Witnessing such repeated missteps is exhausting and repetitive. Advertising not informed by DEI is too often prone to these errors. The industry must embrace DEI not as a checkbox, but as a lens to prevent the damaging repetition of stereotypes.
As we witness the decline of DEI efforts, the intention may be to shuffle diversity conversations back into the corner. However, those who stand to benefit from DEI lose the opportunity to gain knowledge of others that will become common. The D9 questions are being asked because the air hasn’t been clear enough to share voluntarily. While there is nothing wrong with open, respectful curiosity, the questions about D9 don’t seem to be from genuine curiosity but more about evaluating Kamala Harris as a candidate. A way to add context to her presentation, judge her authenticity, and investigate her affiliations. DEI is meant to foster environments where people can bring their authentic selves to interact and exchange ideas with other true selves—a potentially global conversation at an intimate level. We are introduced to various perspectives, diverse mindsets, and more profound knowledge and understanding of one another. Through these conversations, we learn personal details of what connection means to others outside ourselves, and we are exposed to the nuances of cultures unlike our own.
Without these interactive spaces, people who can contribute to a more enriched thought process, create solutions, and further our reach may keep experiences and insights to themselves, aware of their value yet frustrated by the lack of understanding and interest. It’s time for a candid conversation about how others can reshape DEI into a framework that genuinely benefits all and transparently acknowledges that DEI primarily benefits those who are not marginalized or underrepresented.
I encourage everyone to engage in these conversations and push for greater understanding, equity, and inclusivity in every space. Let’s challenge ourselves to reflect, act, and evolve in this vital work. DEI provides all the benefits referenced above, and, more importantly, it builds connections with others and expands our communities and perspectives. Either way, those of us who live in DEI will be fine and keep developing and growing our cultural capital.
