Episode 3: Is DEI Illegal?

DEI is Illegal! ..right?
What do Trump's Executive Orders about DEI programs mean for doing DEI work in this political environment?

It is increasingly necessary to do this work given the importance of our collective need to be able to work together productively in our organizations and workplaces in a diverse and global world, filled with different kinds of people who themselves have different experiences and perspectives. This is especially important in such divisive times. The Trump Administration’s characterization of DEI is incredibly problematic, as they attempt to position DEI as something that it is not—or even the inverse of what it is—as something that shuts down difficult conversations, that promotes unfair preference (over merit) and that qualifies as—ironically—discrimination.

Links to Executive Orders and Trump White House Memos Referenced:
-Executive Order: Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity (Jan 21, 2025)
-Executive Order: Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing (January 20, 2025)
-Executive Order: Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government (January 20, 2025)
-Executive Order: Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service (January 20, 2025)
-Memo directing federal employees to report on any “suspected” DEI programs via DEIAtruth@opm.gov

Link to Willing Observers Blog Post Referenced:
-We Didn’t Start the Fire: DEI is not the problem. DEI is the solution.