By Luca Cantagallo, age 15
Today, it seems that all you hear about is DEI. But what is it, and why is it important?
DEI, which stands for “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” is a framework that provides opportunities to underserved communities. But DEI isn’t a new concept; in fact, it was first introduced in the late 1800s during the Reconstruction era, just after the Civil War. Congress tried to establish the Freedmen’s Bureau, which provided former slaves with basic necessities and helped them look for jobs and land. But then-President Andrew Jackson vetoed legislation to enforce it, claiming that it was discriminatory toward white people. This, coupled with pressure from white Southern voters, led to it being shut down only six years after it was formed.
Another example of DEI was during the civil rights movement, led by icons like Martin Luther King Jr. At its height, President Lyndon Johnson signed the landmark Civil Rights Act, which banned employment discrimination based on race, religion, sex, and national origin. But by the 1990s, voters in several states banned its use in public employment, as well as in higher education admissions.
Again, DEI is being scrutinized, because the Trump administration has called it “discriminatory” and “racist” against white people. But DEI not only helps people of color, but also other disadvantaged groups. This includes white women, as well as veterans, who, according to the Census Bureau, are almost 75% white, as well as disabled and LGBTQ+ people. According to Forbes, in Fortune 100 and 500 companies, white women showed the largest percentage increase in board seats as a result of DEI.
Experts David Glasgow and Lily Zheng argue in USA Today that DEI is essential to achieving a true meritocracy because it levels the playing field for underrepresented communities, expands the talent pool, and helps identify the most qualified candidates. Zheng emphasizes that it is impossible to support a real meritocracy without DEI. Glasgow says that building a true meritocracy requires rigorous, discrimination-free systems for hiring and promotion. Research backs this up: A 2019 study analyzing over 83,000 fake job applications submitted to more than 100 major companies revealed widespread racial bias, especially against Black applicants, according to Forbes. Without DEI enforcement, discriminatory hiring remains the norm.
Even so, Trump and Republican lawmakers have blamed DEI for a slew of unrelated events, including the Potomac River mid-air collision, the Los Angeles wildfires, the CrowdStrike IT crash, the attempted assassination of Trump, and the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. These incidents were all falsely attributed to so-called DEI hires, a term popularized by Trump’s MAGA movement to claim people get jobs they shouldn’t because they’re diverse, not because they deserve it. Conservatives argue DEI undermines meritocracy and unfairly disadvantages white people by promoting unqualified candidates of color, despite clear evidence to the contrary.
Its anti-DEI agenda is yet another example of the way that the Trump administration is willing to lie to the American people to demonize, discredit, and push down movements that fight for justice, equity, and equal opportunity.
