Why DEI?

Now that America has Trump back in office, it is time to look closer at one initiative that he rolled back. DEI. What is DEI? What are these three letters a cause for great animosity through MAGA America?

DEI means Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It encourages companies to rethink their company’s hiring practices to create an ethnically diverse workforce to represent all cultures in America. It promotes an equitable practice for fair salary progression and treatment for all employees. Finally, to create an inclusive work environment where all employees have a sense of belonging to all employees in the company. The capitalist con-man took office and immediately targeted this initiative and since then, we have witnessed many companies follow the dictator’s directive and roll back their own companies DEI programs.

I posted the following question regarding DEI on a social media app: “What are the positive and negatives of removing DEI?” Sadly, there was very little response to it. It seems either few Americans fully understand the purpose of DEI, or there is very little interest in answering the questions. Those who responded either deleted their comment (or Meta took it away). However, one commenter responded by sharing: “By putting affirmative action and DEI in place, it removes the prejudices and biases that companies have when hiring individuals.” Bottom line, if companies which are often run by white CEOs, do not have affirmative action or a DEI initiative in place, it significantly lessens the odds of Black and Indigenous Person Of Color (BIPOC) being considered for any position with the company.

Why does it matter? Trump ran on a campaign “Make America Great Again.” The keyword is “Again.” When the Daily Show’s host Jordan Klepper asked Trump supporters, “when was America great?” many responded before the civil rights movement, or during a time when slavery existed. Meaning: when there was little to no accountability for racism. Now, with him back in office and his rapid signing of executive orders to rollback these initiatives, thrusts racism back into the face of Black and Indigenous Persons of Color. Companies are now allowed to return to having biased hiring practices because there is no diversity goal to fulfill. The same may go for products. Instead of carrying products from non-white producers, big box companies like Target, Walmart, and Amazon can choose to purchase products from strictly “white” producers, ignoring creating an inclusive shopping experience for everyone.

It is important to recognize and celebrate uniqueness in our country, and everyone deserves representation. Up until the late 70s, early 80s, many black children grew up with very few black characters to relate to. As television programs became more inclusive, TV shows such as Fat Albert, Cosby Show, Different Strokes, The Facts of Life, Punky Brewster, and more provided black children representation and a sense of belonging in a white America. It opened doors for them to dream beyond their current situation. With DEI initiatives erased, it will further segregate country and erase the progress we have created for a culturally and ethnically diverse America.

Presently, the three largest companies (Target, Amazon, and Walmart) no long uphold their DEI initiatives. This is sparking a small movement to boycott these companies in the attempt to hurt their profits. Truthfully, this is easier said than done because there are some communities whose only source of shopping is one, or all three, of these companies. I, for one, live in one community where most of the products I use on the daily come from Target. I am fortunate enough where I can travel to shop elsewhere, however there are many people without this luxury. Asking them to boycott their lifeline to supplies is a hard request. What we can do is create a scheduled boycott instead (especially for those who need to shop at these stores). Lower their profits as much as possible.

The following is the schedule I am planning to follow:

February: in honor of Black History month, shop only BIPOC owned products from the Major Three. This will show them what the consumer wants and where they should invest more.

March and April: Avoid shopping at Walmart. Again, if you MUST shop at Walmart, try to keep what you buy limited. Target and Amazon will still be available to satisfy your shopping needs.

May and June: Avoid shopping at Target. Walmart will still be available.

July and August: Avoid Amazon. These months are critical for Amazon. They run their prime days during these months, all the reason to avoid shopping there.

September: No Walmart

October: No Target

November and December: Avoid all three. I know with the holiday season it will be very difficult to avoid shopping at the major three, but if you pre-shop for your holiday, collectively, we can really hurt their profit margins.

Why do this? Because I believe in our country. I don’t want to live in a fascist nation. I believe there are more people who care about human rights than those who don’t. I believe there are more people who love embracing diversity and support an array of people instead of a country created for one ethnic group, religion, or culture. It warms my heart to learn about people and their backgrounds. To sit at a coffee shop, listening to a variety of languages (even if I don’t understand them), and witnessing the joy they feel. We need to keep America diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Together, we can do just that.

Side note: As of writing this piece, I went to my local Target. In the past, every February, Target has displayed various products celebrating Black History Month. This year, there are no displays. There is no celebration from the company. I am truly heartbroken to witness this change in their company’s business practice. The sunscreen I loved to purchase and use is no longer on the shelf either. Admittedly, I live in a community with very few, or no, black citizens, but it still hurts. If you live in a predominate black neighborhood, please have a stroll at Target and let me know if there is any representation for our people.