How The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Is Responding To Attacks On DEI

In early 2023, large-scale, systematic attacks and legislation on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) began across the country. Nearly every week, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education’s DEI Legislation Tracker, a new institution of higher education is dropping or rebranding its DEI efforts due to legislation introduced and passed by the Republican Party in many states across the country. Many DEI professionals are losing their jobs and having to apply their skills to other areas of higher education. Students, just getting used to the increased DEI efforts that surfaced after the murder of George Floyd, are confused about their learning environments and the support offered to them.

To understand more about how organizations are pushing back against the anti-DEI movement, I talked with Jonathan Cox, the Vice President of the Center for Policy Analysis & Research at the Congressional Blak Caucus Foundation (CBCF).

As a historian, I asked Cox how the current efforts to remove DEI programs from college campuses and other organizations might reflect broader societal or political trends. He shared, “There is nothing new about the current efforts to remove DEI efforts. Historically, there is always a conservative backlash or pushback to progressive movements and change, and when these progressive policies are focused on advances for people of color, in particular Black Americans, large portions of white Americans coalesce around efforts to resist or undo these advances.” He also offered an example to underscore his comments: “the legislative efforts to overturn the Voting Rights Act that began following the Civil Rights movement of the 1950-60s that continue to this day.”

From Cox’s perspective, DEI is a threat to the status quo, “especially the racial status quo, so it is no surprise that much conservative political effort is levied against dismantling DEI.” And since, according to Cox, fear is a primary motivator among individuals, “these anti-DEI efforts are made even more effective by tapping into fears of white erasure or people of color surpassing whites socially.”

Given that critics of DEI often argue that these programs promote or prioritize identity over merit, I asked Cox what the biggest misconceptions about DEI are and how the CBCF’s Center for Policy Analysis & Research (CPAR) is countering them. He stated, “Diversity, equity, and inclusion is not divisive; these efforts are intended to create access and equality.” Cox pointed out that “a major misconception is that only people of color benefit from DEI programs—in reality, people of varied backgrounds benefit, such as people with disabilities, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and white Americans.” Cox noted that the largest group to benefit from affirmative action, for example, is white women.

One of CPAR’s research reports, “Deconstructing Misconceptions: Understanding Critical Race Theory (CRT),” outlines misconceptions around critical race theory, which, according to Cox, “often gets lumped in with DEI.” The report focuses on the fallacies in these arguments. For example, Cox explained that people are told that “CRT teaches that all white people are racist and oppressors.” But, in reality that is not true. He shared “CRT examines structural and institutional issues that perpetuate inequality.”

I was also curious about the tangible benefits of DEI initiatives in higher education and other organizations, especially for communities of color. I asked Cox to share some of these benefits and also talk about the ramifications of removing them — what gains will be undone? From Cox’s perspective, “DEI efforts provide important avenues for access, particularly for marginalized groups who have experienced a lack of access due to historical disenfranchisement and discrimination, but more broadly also widen the talent pool.” He also noted that DEI efforts work to ensure that “educational and work environments are welcoming, inclusive spaces, which can improve retention and satisfaction.”

Speaking specifically about college and university environments, Cox shared, that “DEI initiatives enhance critical thinking skills and improve learning and academic performance for all students, as diverse classrooms facilitate creativity, innovation, and bring a variety of perspectives.” He believes that without these types of initiatives, enrollment of students of color will drop, inequities will be perpetuated, and there will be “chilling effects.”

Given that the backlash against DEI isn’t going anywhere, I also asked Cox about the strategies he recommends to colleges and universities, and organizations to maintain a commitment to equity and inclusion while navigating political and public resistance. A researcher, Cox suggested that institutions rely on empirical data to demonstrate the critical importance and impact of DEI initiatives. He stated, “The data are very clear in terms of the breadth of students, faculty, and staff that benefit from DEI efforts, and can work to dispel myths and misconceptions.”

In the midst of the backlash, Cox and the CBCF’s Center for Policy Analysis and Research plan to continue their commitment to “advancing the global Black population through educating the public and informing policy.” They are particularly focused on producing research that legislators can use to promote inclusivity, access, and to reduce inequities for Black communities.

As we move forward as a nation, under new national leadership, some questions to grapple with around DEI include: 1.) As the broader societal impact of eliminating DEI programs becomes more evident, what innovative approaches might institutions and organizations adopt to sustain inclusivity in their work and learning environments? And how can colleges and universities better articulate the tangible benefits of DEI to skeptics, ensuring these efforts are preserved for future generations?