In the Face of “Anti-woke” Discourse, We Need DEI Programs More Than Ever
Image Description: A Black woman with long braids wearing leggings and a crop top holds a sign that reads, “Who do you call when the police murder?” during a protest against the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
Let’s rewind to June of 2020. The month before, a Black man named George Floyd was murdered by police in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His death resulted in worldwide demonstrations, demanding an end to state-sanctioned violence against Black people in America and further demands to defund the police and imagine a world without the criminalization of Blackness.
Additionally, brands and organizations promised to strengthen their commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice. Some hired new Chief Diversity Officers, and others made large one-time donations to social justice organizations like Black Lives Matter and NAACP. Others released statements acknowledging the presence of white supremacy culture in their organizations and vowing to do better.
Three years after the George Floyd uprisings, many businesses and organizations have dropped their commitments to building equitable workplaces. Instead of broadening their investments, DEI leadership positions and programs were eliminated or decreased due to “budget cuts.” To add insult to injury many companies and nonprofits failed to address the gaps in hiring and creating a more inclusive culture for people from marginalized backgrounds.
The biggest reason for this step away from DEI is the rise of the so-called “anti-woke backlash.” In the face of new Florida curriculum standards that lie to our children about how slavery affected Black people, the rise of Don’t Say Gay legislation, and the banning of books written for or about people of color, DEI initiatives and programs matter now more than ever. Pushing back against anti-Blackness and harmful rhetoric about queer folks matters more than following the status quo. It becomes a radical act for companies and organizations to put their money where their mouth is when it comes to maintaining and expanding their commitment to DEI in this political climate. It creates a healthier work environment and can create safer spaces that don’t necessarily exist when your employees leave the office.
I want to reiterate again that in 2023, the answer is not to abandon DEI altogether. These cultural moments are an opportunity to renew your organization’s commitment to building a more inclusive environment. People of color, disabled folks, and members of the LGBTQ community have what it takes to be leaders. Whenever possible, companies and organizations should be willing and able to give them the opportunity to join the ranks of leadership at every level as often as possible.
This moment is also a great time to create educational opportunities for staff in the face of misinformation about what it means to be anti-racist. You can bring in trainers and speakers who can break down anti-Black racism, transphobia, microaggressions, and other issues. Lastly, organizations can make room for deeper reflection on how the characteristics of white supremacy culture may show up in the workplace–something that was discussed at length in 2020–and work together on creating solutions to chip away at those characteristics and build a more inclusive culture.
In the face of anti-woke backlash, companies and organizations don’t have to back down. When it comes to DEI, we will look back at this moment as a time that separated the wheat from the chaff.
