DEI WAS A TREND/BUZZ WORD

This is strictly my opinion! But do you realize that the same president who was in office during COVID and George Floyd's murder, which triggered DEI statements, positioning, offices, and more, is the same president who is stripping DEI?

When 2020, BLM, and George Floyd occurred, there was this increase in diversity statements, DEI positions became open in businesses, and now there is a tab about diversity and inclusion on your webpage. Oh, I promised it bugged me, and I wrote a statement myself for my fraternity. But during that time, I knew it was a trend because, in the same four years, they were banning books and saying that slavery was a good thing in Texas.

It’s crazy because I am not surprised, but it's maddening. For the businesses that have taken away DEI or schools, and you only had it for 5 years, it means you possibly didn’t agree or believe in it in the first place.

As a Black woman who wants to go into higher education, seeing these universities take their DEI statements and get rid of their diversity offices makes me feel confused and unsettled. I feel sad or disappointed for those students who no longer or will never get the opportunity to go into spaces that make them feel safe or were created for them. The events and programs created for them to be celebrated are gone, except for those created by students. As a person inspired to work in higher education, I believe that all students have a place to feel like they can be themselves and feel like the place they spend their undergrad or grad years is safe and home.

Yo, the world we live in is crazy, and I’m not surprised. However, if these schools are going to strip away DEI, they also need to show their students they are seen and cared for! And not just through emails from the presidents.

Mmm, how are the rest of these four years going?