What You Do vs. What You Say: DEI Is Not Dead - Even If They Say It Is
It’s been a long few weeks. As we adjust to news each day and navigate our personal, organizational, and company impacts there is an obvious lack of space to think creatively and strategically. At dinner the other night my kid asked me, “Is DEI now illegal?” Odds are executives, leaders, and board members might be asking the same thing. You might be getting legal advice that words like “diversity,” “equity,” and “inclusion” are to be erased from official documents. You are likely frightened by news headlines, worried about your budget, and fielding calls from the community, funders, and donors. I want to paint you a picture of possibility and reorient your thinking a tiny bit – even in this uncertain time. Equity and the work of creating a fair society have never been about legal mandates alone. To be human-centered is to realize values are not built on compliance—they are built on conviction.
“Equity and the work of creating a fair society have never been about legal mandates alone. To be human-centered is to realize values are not built on compliance—they are built on conviction.”
If They Ban the Words, Focus on the Work
For years, some organizations have treated DEI as a checklist —trainings, statements, committees. Now, with legal and political pressure mounting, the easy, visible markers of progress may be removed. But equity was never about the right words; it’s about the right actions. If policies change, the commitment doesn’t have to. Your work and your focus and your values do not have to change – your pathway to do the work might, but you can remain committed to the work. It’s like hitting a closed street, you find a new street because where you are going remains the same.
Value Outcomes Over Labels
The name isn’t the point – calling something DEI does not, in fact, make it so. Keep steady on your desired impact. For internal work - whether you call it “culture work,” “belonging,” or “effective leadership,” the goal remains the same: building workplaces where people can thrive. For mission-centered work – your path might change, but your work should not. If hiring practices and funding streams shift, focus on building pipelines that create access. If training programs are banned, embed inclusive leadership practices into everyday decision-making. If diversity audits are outlawed, commit to transparency and accountability in new ways.
Human-Centered Pathways Can’t Be Legislated Away
Laws can shape policies, but they can’t erase lived experiences. Employees will still face barriers. Marginalized communities will still feel the impact of exclusion. And leaders who are committed to making sure everyone can thrive will find ways to push forward, with or without a legal framework that supports them.
I think part of our answer during the workday is to be reminded that believing that everyone deserves access is a mindset. Once we catch our breath, we are being asked to be creative - How do we embed our values into everyday work? How do we train leaders to foster belonging, even when they can’t call it “DEI”? How do we build organizations where fairness isn’t an initiative but the foundation?
A gentle reminder, the work doesn’t stop because a law or elected leader says so.