Kamala Harris and the Issue with “DEI” Labels

Ever since President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris (pronounced, as she has explained many times, “comma-la” — it’s more than time to say her name correctly) as the Democratic presidential candidate, Harris has been met with a wave of accusations and abuse from political detractors. This is disappointing, but not a surprise: women and people of color in politics have always been dismissed for superficial, baseless reasons. Her opponents’ latest refrain? Members of Congress such as Tim Burchett and Harriet Hageman have recently referred to Harris as a “DEI candidate,” a gross oversimplification that reduces her extensive qualifications and experience to mere identity politics.?

This derogatory label not only undermines Harris’ capabilities but also reflects a broader trend of dismissing the achievements of capable individuals of color. As the founder of a network of diverse professionals, I hear from our members who tell me about water cooler whispers of merit and “DEI hires.” To be clear, not every woman or person of color is in their role due to DEI initiatives. Assuming so perpetuates harmful stereotypes and reveals how pervasive implicit bias still is over 25 years after the Implicit Association Test was introduced. And workers who enter their role through DEI programs don’t have any less merit or capability than their coworkers. When done right, DEI programs aren’t handouts or quota-filling pipelines, they’re opportunities for companies to usher in talent who they may have otherwise overlooked.

My message to today’s employers: be wary of fostering an environment where your employees feel empowered to label colleagues as “DEI hires” — this narrative will only create discord within your organization. If you want to address these challenges and foster a positive work culture, take the following steps:

1) Foster Inclusivity. Create an inclusive culture where all employees feel seen, heard, and valued, and where diverse perspectives are integrated into decision-making processes.

2) Encourage Open Dialogue. Promote open conversations about DEI and its impact. Allow employees to voice their questions and contribute to solutions.

3) Support Employee Development. Provide sponsorship, mentorship, and opportunities for professional development to help all employees advance in their careers.

A more diverse team strengthens a company’s corporate culture, innovation and decision-making, and ultimately, its bottom line. Despite the proven benefits of DEI, in the wake of the Supreme Court ending affirmative action, many politicians have become increasingly emboldened to denounce DEI policies. They argue that merit should be the main consideration when hiring or filling roles, conveniently ignoring the fact that DEI programs actually take merit into account. In reality, their attacks are designed to undermine efforts towards inclusivity and maintain a status quo that favors majority group members over equally talented underrepreseted talent, hence the rise of “DEI candidate” claims against Harris.

Most people — including politicians like former governor Nikki Haley, political commentator Tomi Lahren, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, who typically oppose liberal policies — are calling for an end to the DEI attacks. They emphasize the importance of examining Kamala’s campaign promises, vision, and experience instead. It’s intuitively clear to many that it’s wrong to label Harris a DEI candidate, but it’s important to articulate the reasons why:

Calling Harris a DEI candidate overlooks her years of experience.

As if Harris’ four years of experience as Vice President weren’t enough to qualify her for the presidency, she also brings over three decades of experience in various government roles, starting with her position as a deputy district attorney in 1990. Since then, she has steadily climbed the political ladder, later winning a Senate seat in California, and eventually, the vice presidency. The ease with which detractors overlook Harris’ political background begs a crucial question: how many decades of experience does it take for people of color to be taken seriously in their given professions? I somehow doubt any amount of experience will ever be enough for those who are hell-bent on bringing Harris down at all costs.

Calling Harris a DEI candidate suggests that her race and gender somehow make her insufficient.?

With Harris’ decades of politics beyond her, it’s difficult to argue that she is inexperienced for the role of president. So, calling her a DEI candidate serves another purpose, which is to use her race and gender against her. Racist and sexist rhetoric denying the capability of women and people of color to be strong politicians isn’t new. Barack Obama faced unending racist insults during his presidency, along with unfounded questions and conspiracies about his citizenship. In 2021, Harris, Alexandria Occasio-Cortez, and other politicians were dismissed by Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick, J.D. Vance, as “childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives.” But these criticisms are tepid in this day and age when women and people of color are entering the worlds of politics and business at rapidly increasing rates. Those who attempt to marginalize Harris based on her gender and race may find this strategy backfiring: considering the fact that women have voted at higher rates than men in every presidential election since 1980, and people of color are an increasingly influential voting bloc, they represent substantial groups of voters who are not to be underestimated.

Calling Harris a DEI candidate is a targeted criticism that is unfairly levied against people of color and women.

Vance, who has led many attacks on Harris, was sworn into office as a senator in January 2023, giving him less than two years of political experience. Vance self-admittedly benefited from affirmative action, saying he received financial aid from Yale not because he "earned” it, but because he was "one of the poorest kids in school ." Students of all financial backgrounds absolutely deserve the chance to attend leading universities. Yet, no one calls Vance a DEI candidate for benefitting from an affirmative action policy aimed at bolstering diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education.

Calling Harris a DEI candidate takes away from the most important thing — her policies.

If affirmative action and DEI detractors are as attached to meritocracy as they claim, Harris' race and gender should be irrelevant, and the focus should be placed on her policies. Whether you agree with them or not, policies define a politician, and shots taken at Harris’ identity only distract from her vision for America. At a time when women’s rights are at risk, the cost of living is high, and our country faces an unprecedented number of climate disasters, voters deserve conversations that center Harris’ stance on critical issues, not a chorus of voices criticizing her for everything but the things that matter most — her ideas.

Calling Harris a DEI candidate only divides Americans further.

America is already fractured, and the current conversations about DEI do nothing to unite our country. It’s important to bear in mind what DEI really means.

Diversity is the presence of differences within a given setting — and people of different races, genders, backgrounds, ages, and more contribute to making America the vibrant, culturally relevant place it is today. Equity is the quality of being fair and impartial. When we say "with liberty and justice for all" in the Pledge of Allegiance, we are referring to equity — ensuring that everyone has access to the same opportunities and resources (and not equality, which only means treating people as a monolith without taking their unique needs, backgrounds, talents, or challenges into account). Inclusion is about creating environments of belonging and respect, where everyone can thrive and have their voices considered.?

At their core, diversity, equity, and inclusion are fundamental American values. They are deeply tied to the American Dream, the idea that everyone, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to succeed. DEI aims to level the playing field so that all individuals can pursue their dreams and contribute to our nation. But recently, DEI has been misused and turned into a tool for discrimination and bias.

Reducing anyone, from entry-level talent to a presidential candidate, to a symbol of DEI dismisses their voice and their capabilities. Employers and voters alike should take care to remember the core meaning of DEI in the face of politicized attacks and look past divisive rhetoric to see a candidate's true potential.