The future of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

AS DEI PROGRAMS HAVE BECOME MORE WIDESPREAD, a gap has emerged between the rhetoric of inclusivity and the reality of persistent inequalities and biases in the workplace. (Photo: iStockphoto / NNPA) by Omar Luqmaan-Harris (BlackPressUSA)—Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts have become popularized within corporate and organizational structures worldwide, aiming to create workplaces that reflect the diverse society we live in. However, despite the best intentions, traditional DEI initiatives often fall short, becoming more about performative gestures than fostering real change. This article delves into why the old model of DEI is considered “dead” and how the new DEI, guided by Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (J.E.D.I.) principles, can lead to authentic transformation. The Historical Context of DEI It can be argued that the very foundation of this country is based on the pursuit of justice, opportunity, freedom, and participation—from the European pilgrims who vacated England seeking these values to the abolitionists who in the 1800’s fought to abolish slavery to Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, to the founding of the first Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to the labor unions who sought to improve working conditions during the Industrial Revolution, to the opening of Ellis Island to accept millions of immigrants...