DEI Isn’t the Problem—Racism Still Is

Let me tell y’all something from the heart today—something I’ve been chewing on for a while. I keep hearing folks say that discrimination is no longer that big of a deal. That we’ve made “so much progress” and things are better now. That we don’t need to talk about racism every time someone brings up Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). But from where I’m standing, and from what I’ve lived? That belief isn’t rooted in reality. It certainly ain’t based in experience—and it sure isn’t grounded in truth.

The truth is, racism still hurts. It still exists. And no, DEI isn’t what’s hurting Black folks.

The Mirage of Progress

I won’t deny that we’ve made some strides as a country. Moments of change. Yes, we’ve had Black CEOs, a Black president, and we see Black faces in commercials and workplace brochures. But if we mistake representation for full equality, we’re lying to ourselves.

Behind those images are systems still rigged against us. As a veteran, a Black man, and someone who has navigated housing, healthcare, and even HOA complaints that somehow get worse when your skin has a shade of melanin, I can tell you—we’re still dragging chains. They may not be iron anymore, but they’re wrapped in red tape, policy, and bias.

Facts Over Feelings

Don’t just take my word for it. Let’s look at the data.

A 2022 Pew Research study showed that the majority of Black Americans still report being discriminated against across employment, education, and policing. Black households have a fraction of the wealth of white households, driven by centuries of exclusion from homeownership and jobs. The maternal mortality rate for Black women remains significantly higher than for white women, even when income and education are the same.

That’s not a coincidence. That’s not history. That’s today.

So when I hear people say DEI is the problem? That it’s somehow *causing* the division? I can’t help but shake my head. There’s a difference between discomfort and danger. And racism, not DEI, is still the danger.

What DEI Really Means to Us

I know “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” has become a hot-button phrase. Some hear it and think “wokeness” or “overcorrection.” But to me and many others, DEI is an attempt—an imperfect but necessary attempt—to give all people a fair shot. To finally acknowledge that systemic inequalities aren’t ghosts, they’re living, breathing conditions of our institutions.

I remember applying for jobs after serving in the military—coming back with credentials, discipline, and real leadership experience. But rooms went quiet when I walked in. Hard conversations were avoided. And ladders? They were missing rungs for people who looked like me.

DEI, if it’s done with sincerity, challenges that silence. It brings into the room the voices that have long been ignored. Black professionals didn’t invent workplace friction; we’ve been dealing with it for generations. DEI is just starting to speak to it.

Racism Has Mastered the Rebrand

Now, this part here is critical. Racism isn’t always obvious anymore. It’s not always a burning cross—sometimes it’s in the “you’re not a good cultural fit.” Sometimes it’s in the code words, the tone-shifting, or the sudden policy change. Racism adapted to the times.

It knows how to put on a suit and smile.
It knows how to cry “reverse discrimination” when even the gentlest hand tries to level the scale.

Let’s be clear: DEI didn’t deny us home loans. DEI didn’t criminalize Black children for the same behavior white kids get sent to the school counselor for. DEI didn’t put veterans out on the street or delay our benefits while we begged for accountability.

Racism did that. And it continues to do that.

What We Should Be Fighting For

If we’re collectively tired of division and distrust—if we’re honestly looking toward unity and healing—then we’ve got to name the wound before we can treat it. That wound is racism, not diversity.

We should want every American to be respected, housed, employed, and heard—not because of DEI policies, but because it’s right. DEI exists because the systems weren’t doing this on their own. It’s not a crutch, it’s a course correction.

So when we talk about moving forward, let’s be clear about what’s holding us back. It ain’t the effort to include—it’s the resistance to it.

Final Thought

If you’re doing well right now, I celebrate you. But don’t use your comfort to deny someone else’s struggle. Listen to those