Team 1: Story 1: Misconceptions or Reality: The Story of DEI
History and Background
Diversity Equity and Inclusion. DEI programs are common in many workplaces and political discussions today. DEI solely aims to create an equal opportunity for people of all backgrounds and walks of life a chance to succeed. It is not making sure a company hits a certain “diversity” number. It is about ensuring everyone has a fair shot no matter what hand they were dealt. This is a concept that has evolved phenomenally since it was first introduced. DEI refers to race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, and many other factors; however, it is often misconstrued to only be about racism. DEI has not only evolved in the workplace but also in everyday life amongst humans. The political climate that we are seeing today is making changes to DEI as we speak causing even more evolution to DEI. The history is making the future. DEI is often misunderstood as racism; however, it goes much further than that.
DEI began to make its appearance in the 1800s during slavery, but it was not recognized as DEI at the time. In the 1920s when women gained the right to vote was another important time in DEI history however DEI was not formally created until the 1940s-1960s when the Civil Rights Movement began to come into play. People were advocating for rights for African American people, where segregation and discrimination began to play a huge part of this time. In the 60s The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission came into play. This now prohibited workplaces from discriminating against employees for any reason. Also, in the 60’s President Lyndon B Johnson’s administration introduced affirmative action policies urging workplaces to begin to increase representation of race and gender minorities.
The 1970s-1980s began to see an expanded horizon on diversity. The concept expanded far beyond race and gender groups. Companies began holding diversity training programs for men and majority groups to “learn” how to work with and treat women and minority groups with respect and equality. The 1990’s began to shape diversity as a strategic business priority rather than a social agenda. The Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990 and this was the first-time diversity was broadened past race and gender. The 2000s were a time when inclusion and equity was introduced created DEI. Larger companies began to see an increase in multicultural employees and had to implement DEI to those employees.
The 2010s are a time of Black Lives Matter, #MeToo, LGBTQ+, etc. DEI mattered more than ever in these times. Racial divide began amongst the people, political divide was a huge issue as well. Now in the 2020s DEI is changing. In 2020 we saw the COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd’s death. The pandemic created a divide in the people as we were locked away and couldn’t be with each other, so internet warriors became a thing and there was no one to stop them. George Floyd’s death created widespread protests and racial divide.
In theory DEI isn’t about giving anyone an advantage over others. It’s about making things fair for all. YW Boston’s article, “Didn’t Earn it and Other Lies: DEI Myths Debunked” explains that DEI doesn’t have unfair benefits for some groups over others, rather it removes barriers that have prevented certain people from having a chance to have a seat at the table. However, Dei is misunderstood as reverse racism. Some critics say that DEI programs prioritize diversity over merit meaning that hiring people based on race or gender takes opportunities away from others who are more qualified which has been a major political topic lately. However, this is not the goal of DEI. A from SAP explains that DEI is not just about adding diversity because they want to have minorities or meet a “diversity” quota. It’s about ensuring that everyone has an equal chance to succeed and fixing the problems caused by years of discrimination.
The misunderstanding is worsening in today’s political climate. An article from NPR says that DEI has become more than just a workplace issue, it has become part of larger political and economic debates. We are already seeing issues with this in schools losing many of their DEI programs. In recent years some politicians have even tried to remove DEI from federal agencies. This has led to confusion about what DEI really is and what it is trying to accomplish for the people. Another area where DEI has been misunderstood is disability representation. People with disabilities are often overlooked because the focus is too much on race and gender. The Namely Blog talks about people with disabilities are still underrepresented in the workforce, with only 21% of people with disabilities employed in the U.S., compared to 65% of non-disabled people. This shows that DEI programs need to do more to include people with disabilities, not just focus on race and gender.
The misunderstanding of DEI as reverse racism comes from a bigger issue. DEI is about fixing problems that have been problems for a long time and creating fair opportunities for those who have been left out or held back of discrimination whether that’s because of race, gender, disability, or any other reason.
Impact and the Bigger Picture
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion have become hot topics on college campuses in recent years. While the idea behind DEI is simply to ensure that everyone has the same opportunities to succeed many people misunderstand what it’s about and try to make it about racism. Some even view DEI as reverse racism. But this misses the mark entirely. DEI isn’t about putting one group above another. This is a misconception on college campuses simply because the students are young and most fail to research what is going on around them.
For students on college campuses, DEI can make a huge difference. For example, a Black student attending a predominantly white university. Without DEI programs these students might feel like they don’t belong or struggle to get their voice heard in class and within their community of the school. However, this only feeds into the misconception. A bigger picture of DEI is the resources available to students, for example elevators or ramps for the disabled. The DRC is available to students with many disabilities, one of the most interesting is those with testing disabilities like ADHD or a mental issue that disables them from being able to focus in a classroom. DEI helps create spaces where everyone no matter their identity can feel like they belong which is important for students who have often felt overlooked. Take many of the programs like the multi-cultural diversity center that are on campus that helps many minority students with feeling apart of the larger group even though their ethnicity is different from most of the school.
But it’s not just about race DEI is also vital for students with disabilities imagine being a student who has a learning disability or uses a wheelchair. The challenges of navigating a campus that wasn’t designed for your needs can be overwhelming with some of our pictures we show how many of the dorms have been able to accommodate these things. DEI programs ensure that all students regardless of their abilities are given a fair chance. Coming to a larger school or even a small one without knowing if you will be able to access some of the buildings, we imagine would be scary. Knowing that DEI has provided you with the resources you need such as a ramp or elevator is very relaxing.
A group of people that is often overlooked when it comes to DEI is parents, but more particularly mothers of small children or even expecting mothers. Parents often are pushing a stroller and that is not easy to navigate with stair everywhere, ramps are also beneficial to them. Much like handicap parking being close to the door of businesses, some businesses are beginning to provide close parking for expecting mothers or parents of small children to accommodate the walk for them. Veterans are another overlooked group. 30% of veterans are disabled. Lowes is one of the only businesses that provide veteran parking close to the door. This does not only apply to disabled veterans. You may think “disabled veterans would have a handicap tag” close parking should be provided to all veterans.
The problem comes when DEI is misunderstood especially when people criticize it for being reverse racism. Some argue that DEI programs focus too much on diversity and not enough on merit that it is somehow unfair. But that’s not the point of DEI at all. It’s not about giving one group an unfair advantage, it’s about making sure everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed in whatever aspect that they can. Many students of color for example might have faced barriers from a young age, so DEI helps level the playing field. It’s about giving them the same opportunities that others have always had. It’s not about taking it away from others.
Ultimately DEI programs are needed for creating a more inclusive environment on college campuses. They help students feel seen, heard, and supported. While DEI may be misunderstood by some, the goal is simple equality. DEI isn’t about taking from one group to give to another, it’s about making sure everyone has the same chance to succeed and thrive.
While we have made this clear throughout, we see how many people in this world have just called it racism and I think we have made it better to understand. The way we build a better world with smarter minds and smarter people is giving everyone a chance to fully live their potential.
Email the team at wdm253@msstate.edu with any questions
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