What’s Next For DEI—And What Can You Do?

DEI stands at the crossroads of history—again. It’s a tribute to its enduring nature and the tenacity of those who’ve believed in it. As DEI encounters new challenges, it continues to resist the old. So, let me be clear: DEI has not disappeared; it is transforming, and those of us committed to this work can retool our strategies to keep pace.

We can use our individual and collective energy to create inclusive workplaces where all employees are respected. This means intentionally creating cultures where everyone belongs, taking responsibility for our hurtful words and deeds, no matter how innocent they may have been, and repairing “broken rungs” on “corporate ladders” wherever we can so that people’s careers advance. These things are not only within our power, they are the right thing to do, and they have the practical benefit of slashing turnover that comes when marginalized employees resign because they feel “othered” or because their careers have stalled.

What Organizational Leaders Can Do

If you are already an organizational decision-maker, you can help set the tone and create environments where all employees feel valued and safe. You can initiate—or at least advocate for—fair policies, pay equity, and employee feedback surveys. Your leadership can and should employ inclusive techniques in language, decision-making, and in your feedback to employees.

Compare your company’s core values, mission, and vision statements against current policies and overall culture. Is the tune you hear harmonious or discordant?

Here are just a few of the other actions you can take or for which you could advocate:

• Celebrating holidays, historic events, and the societal contributions of diverse groups.
• Encouraging employee resource groups (ERGs) focused on mentoring and career development or the celebration of diverse thinking and affiliations.
• Providing training on topics that include, but are not limited to, unconscious bias, cultural sensitivity, and active listening.
• Using fair and inclusive recruitment and hiring practices, such as blind resumes, job descriptions and postings with open, inclusive language, and diversity within hiring committees.

And If You Are Not Yet a Corporate Decision Maker?

If you don’t have management, hiring, or policy-making authority, you still have meaningful power. Everyday actions—like speaking up in meetings, mentoring a colleague, challenging bias, or advocating for inclusion—can shift culture from the ground up. You don’t have to wait for a title to be a catalyst for change.

When efforts to build more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces had near-universal support—at least on paper—many managers, executives, and employees alike felt discouraged when progress didn’t come as quickly as they’d hoped. That disappointment was understandable, but slow growth is often a natural part of meaningful change. The crossroads we face today are not so different, and to the young leaders among us: take heart. The work isn’t done—and neither are we.

Corporate Allies

Last month, I released an infographic spotlighting companies continuing to support Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. It was based on resources accessible to me at the time and was not indicative of any political affiliations or business relationships shared with any of them. It was just a list—nothing fancy—but it was powerful nonetheless. We can look to companies that continue to support DEI initiatives when determining the next steps for our own organizations and when deciding who to support with our buying power and consumer influence.

By the same token, we can take our wallets elsewhere when we learn of companies choosing to terminate or slash DEI programs. I am not talking about those dependent on government funding whose hands may be tied, but rather entities who could, if they wished, continue their support.

I encourage all of you to monitor corporations’ DEI stances and make buying decisions accordingly. You can visit Goods Unite Us, DEI Watch, or the NAACP’s Black Consumer Advisory for more information.

Where DEI Goes from Here is Up to Us

DEI is not dead. It’s evolving, shifting from performative promises to deeper, more enduring roots. The momentum may feel slow now, but make no mistake: the movement is still alive in every choice we make to see, hear, and value one another.

These moments of pause are not endings. They are invitations to dig deeper, to speak louder, and to lead—even without a title.

So rise, young leaders. Be the voice in the meeting. Be the hand that opens a door. Be the question that challenges the silence. This work needs you—not someday, but now.

The future of inclusion isn’t waiting for permission.

It’s waiting for you.