Bye-Bye, DEI

By Williamena Kwapo | OBSERVER Staff Writer Regina Lawless, former DEI expert at Meta and author of “ “Do You: A Journey of Success, Loss, and Learning to Live a More Meaningful Life.” Courtesy photo from Regina Lawless Once a Diversity Equity and Inclusion professional at Meta, Regina Lawless boldly left the tech giant, steering towards a path that resonated more deeply with her sense of empowerment. As a young mother and wife, Lawless dedicated years of her life to climbing the corporate ladder and shattering glass ceilings. She began her career in human resources at a popular retail company after earning her undergraduate degree from Sacramento State. She swiftly transitioned into spearheading diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across various technology firms. The racial reckoning triggered by the killing of George Floyd in 2020 sparked extensive conversations about racism across institutions, workplaces, and daily interactions. Countless individuals and entities pledged to scrutinize their biases, endorse policy reforms, and back initiatives targeting systemic injustices. To address these issues, numerous corporations sought diversity, equity, and inclusion leaders to integrate such strategies into their operations. Instagram was among those corporations, and the popular social media platform hired Lawless. When the racial reckoning...