Founder/ CEO, The Rainbow Disruption I Brown U and UC Berkeley Adjunct Professor I Bestselling Author of DEI C.R.E.D.E.N.T.I.A.L. I Former Chief Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Officer at Nike I Forbes 30 Under 30
Affirmative action has had a significant impact at fostering equity for many communities—particularly white women have been among the biggest beneficiaries of these policies, including those mandated by Executive Order 11246. This landmark order, signed in 1965, broke barriers by prohibiting employment discrimination and requiring proactive efforts to ensure equality in hiring. Revoking this order now threatens to undo decades of progress, leaving the workplace vulnerable to increased discrimination. Let’s be clear: the fight for equality is not a zero-sum game. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts don’t create “winners” and “losers”—they build stronger, more innovative, and equitable workplaces for everyone. Framing these initiatives as “reverse racism” is a dangerous tactic designed to divide us, deepening fractures in an already polarized nation. History has shown us what happens when we stand together. The Civil Rights Movement succeeded because people of all backgrounds united under a banner of true allyship to demand justice and equality. We must tap into that same spirit today. The America we believe in—the one that values every person as a full and equal citizen—is worth fighting for. Now is not the time to retreat. Now is the time to resist. The path forward will be difficult, but resistance has never been in vain. We must take a page from our history books and forge ahead with the conviction that solidarity is our most powerful weapon against oppression. Let us stand united, not divided. Let us fight for an America where diversity is celebrated, inclusion is the standard, and equity is accessible to all.
