With Corporations Pulling Out of DEI, We Have a Rare Opportunity to take DEI back to Its Roots
By Christian Harris & Joshua Abiazar
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts in corporate America are undergoing a significant shift. As companies scale back their DEI initiatives, many see this as a failure of the movement. But what if this is an opportunity? An opportunity to take DEI back to its roots.
Movements in the United States that garner national attention often face a predictable cycle: Adoption, Co-optation, Reframing, and Dilution (A-C-R-D). As Ta-Nehisi Coates poignantly observed in a 2017 essay, “What begins with a man taking a knee in defiance of police brutality ends with Jerry Jones, the owner of America’s Team, taking a knee in showbiz unity with his players—before quickly rising to stand for the anthem.” Coates’ critique highlights how institutions engage with liberatory movements selectively, not to advance systemic change but to preserve the status quo.
This pattern isn’t unique to the fight against police brutality. It’s a recurring theme in many social movements. For example, the LGBTQ+ rights movement—rooted in the radical activism of Stonewall—has been transformed into corporate-sponsored Pride parades that often lack substantive engagement with systemic inequities. Environmental activism is similarly plagued by “greenwashing,” where corporations proclaim sustainability while deflecting responsibility onto individuals. The Civil Rights Movement’s bold demands for racial and economic justice are often reduced to decontextualized soundbites from Martin Luther King Jr., stripped of their radical intent. Even the #MeToo movement, which started as a grassroots effort to hold power structures accountable, has been co-opted and reframed as a movement that is all about "cancel culture," and not the healing it originally sought.
The Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) movement has not been immune to A-C-R-D. What began as a bold attempt to help the most marginalized thrive in one of the most rigid spaces—corporate America—has often been reduced to performative gestures: giving employees Juneteenth off or hosting a one-off unconscious bias training. A cursory internet search reveals countless articles detailing the co-optation of DEI initiatives. In many people’s recent critiques of the Executive Branch and their scaling back of DEI initiatives, one noticeable omission has been an honest conversation about how the DEI industry has largely been diluted and is a far cry from what it was originally intended to be. For many people, this diluted version of DEI work was their only interaction with the field. As a result, even those who would typically support such efforts were left with negative feelings about DEI and the professionals working in it.
Yet, unlike these other movements, DEI now faces a unique inflection point. With corporations scaling back their DEI efforts, those of us who remain committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive world have a rare opportunity: to reclaim and reframe DEI as the transformative force it was always meant to be.
Returning to the Roots of DEI
The origins of DEI are deeply rooted in the civil rights movements of the mid-20th century. These initiatives emerged as responses to systemic exclusion, aiming to dismantle institutional barriers and create equitable opportunities for marginalized communities. Early DEI efforts were about more than representation; they were bold, systemic, and unapologetically focused on justice. Policies such as affirmative action and equal employment opportunity laws were extremely audacious and demanded accountability and measurable outcomes. DEI sought to challenge entrenched power dynamics and cultivate environments where all could thrive—not through superficial representation but by addressing and repairing structural inequities.
As corporations retreat from DEI initiatives, it’s time to take the reins. We have an opportunity to redefine these efforts outside the constraints of performative corporate interests and focus on their roots: fostering systemic change, creating equitable opportunities, and building authentic communities.
Organizing When the Window Closes
Movements do not thrive solely during moments of visibility. They gain momentum through the work done in quieter periods, often referred to as times when the "window is closed." The progress by DEI that we see today was seeded by the unseen organizing of yesterday. At this important time, it’s crucial to resist the temptation to see this as an end. Instead, we must view it as a recalibration—a chance to cultivate the tools, practices, and relationships that will open new windows of opportunity.
DEI must extend beyond corporate boardrooms and HR mandates. It must go beyond affinity groups and company-wide Black History Month newsletters. It must be lived and practiced in our homes, our communities, and the spaces where we gather. This moment calls for doubling down on our values, not backing down from them. As the structures that once co-opted DEI crumble, we can nurture spaces of belonging and justice, ensuring that the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion remain central to our collective future.
So, What Do We Do Now?
This moment is not without its challenges, but it is also rich with potential. Here are some invitations to action:
Create Spaces of Critical Connection: Foster environments where we can honor our shared humanity and critically engage with one another.
Find a life, career or authenticity coach that centers DEI to have a safe space to reflect and receive encouragement.
Join a Collective Restoration Session, a space that fosters healing in connection
Explore the work of the Embodiment Institute
Find Joy and Playfulness: Amid the struggles, find moments of happiness and restoration. These moments are the fuel that sustains movement work.
Join the DEI potluck https://deipotluck.com/, a group that centers justice and joy
Find times during your work day to deliberately play and have fun
Support Organizations Doing the Work: Seek out and invest in groups that embody DEI principles in practice, not just in policy.
Check out and support one of the many organizations listed on this site and be a part of “aligning money and morals”
Live the Principles: Commit to integrating diversity, equity, and inclusion into daily life—within families, neighborhoods, and personal networks. Questions to help guide you
How can I intentionally show up for someone who has been historically harmed with my financial and personal resources? (Learn more here)
How can I vacation more equitably and honor the people indigenous to the land I’m traveling to?
What can I do that past generations did to make the world I live in today more equitable?
How can I prioritize equity with where I choose to live?
Explore the work of Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz in your journey of self-exploration through her framework of the Archaeology of Self
Continue to Dream: Even though it may be harder to envision the world we want to see right now, don’t stop dreaming, dreaming is a powerful tool to combat the narrative that change can’t happen.
Learn about Afrofuturism, a genre that creates worlds and encourages people to dream of a world where Black people are liberated and free
Learn From Elders and Mentors: Embrace intergenerational wisdom to sustain and deepen our efforts.
Center Marginalized Voices: It sounds like a no brainer,
DOUBLE DOWN on your DEI efforts
Movements are not static, nor are they confined to singular moments of triumph or despair. They are dynamic, continuous, and driven by our collective resolve. As we navigate this period of transition, we have a choice: to lament what’s been lost or to build something new and bold. Let’s choose the latter.
Together, we can return DEI to its roots, ensuring that it remains a catalyst for systemic change and a rebuke to those who do not want to live in an intentionally Diverse, equitable and inclusive world. We will create a world where equity and justice are not aspirations but realities, we just have to keep pushing.
About the Authors:
Christian Harris is a speaker, DEI and authenticity coach, and the Executive Director of Reparation Generation, a nonprofit advancing reparative justice for Black American communities. He is the founder of Kindred Keynotes and Coaching, where he helps organizations build equity and authenticity. With a background in political organizing, nonprofit leadership, and entrepreneurship, Christian is dedicated to turning DEI into meaningful, systemic change. Learn more about Christian at https://www.kindredkeynotesandcoaching.com/
Joshua Abiazar (He/They/El/Elle) is a Second Circle, Racial Equity/Healing Facilitator and Practitioner reclaiming DEI as a tool for systemic change. A first-gen, Spanish-speaking immigrant, they create transformative spaces centering justice, belonging, and liberation. Founder of UsirConsulting, Joshua nurtures global communities beyond corporate performativity.
