The Myth of the “DEI Hire” and its Implications for the Mental Health of Black Employees & Other Marginalized Communities

As could be expected, the elevation of Vice President Kamala Harris to the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, has caused a flood of racist claims that she is a “DEI hire,” who does not deserve to be president.? This “DEI hire” attack is nothing new.? For years, before affirmative action was killed, the term “affirmative action hire" was also used to diminish the credentials and qualifications of Black employees and other people of color.? Now White supremacists, especially rich White men, believe that any person who is not a White male is a “DEI hire,” hired solely on the basis of their race or other marginalized identity.? From now until the election, we can anticipate more vicious attacks on VP Harris and her qualifications.? Do not be fooled by these racist lies.?

While I realize that a fair portion of this country will parrot this attack line of “DEI hire” to smear VP Harris and other qualified Black people, this article is not for them.? It is for those who are truly interested in being educated about diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to break down the myth of the “DEI hire.”? As I have noted consistently, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is meant to make the workplace more welcoming and safer for all employees.? It is designed to ensure that discrimination, in the form of unconscious or conscious bias, does not keep the workplace homogeneous and inequitable.? It is important to have DEI training & coaching to help colleagues know not to touch a Black woman’s hair without permission, or to understand that saying that a Latina employee is “hot-tempered and spicy” is not appropriate.? ?It is to make sure that ALL candidates & employees have a fair opportunity to be hired, promoted, and elevated.? So as they did with affirmative action, racists are now attempting to falsely brand DEI as a tool to let unqualified women, Black and other people of color employees enjoy special advantages, which could not be further from the truth.? This rhetoric is not only blatantly racist and sexist, it is also harmful to employees who are regarded as such.? Here are some points to consider as we explore the danger of the "DEI hire" myth:

• The “DEI hire” myth is a racist trope meant to stop anti-discrimination and anti-racist efforts for equity – the opponents of DEI want to propagate a racist trope that Black people and other employees from marginalized groups can never be qualified, despite having stellar credentials.? There has never been any evidence that affirmative action or DEI policies forced companies to hire unqualified individuals.? Yet opponents of DEI can spread this vicious notion, because they know they will have a willing portion of people in this country, including people of color and women, who will believe and support it, without a shred of data.? Therefore, whether it is VP Harris or a Black man with a recently minted MBA from Harvard, they will be branded as unqualified, and solely benefiting from their race.? This racist trope is meant to stymie any efforts to combat racism, sexism, and all forms of discrimination, and to maintain a status quo in which White men hold significant power and advantage over all others.
• The “DEI” hire myth has mental health implications - whether it is viewed as a macro-aggression to call someone a “DEI hire” or as a racially traumatizing event, the “DEI hire” comment has mental health implications for Black employees and other marginalized communities.? It can cause undue stress and anxiety, making these individuals feel like they need to overwork to prove they belong.? It can also cause individuals to self-isolate and not seek support from the depression or other mental health issues, which may arise from such racist branding. As we celebrate the last day of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, we must do a better job of highlighting the mental health concerns, which can emerge when this myth is allowed to permeate our workplaces and schools.
• ?Most people support DEI programs – despite the recent backlash against it, a recent Washington Post/Ipsos poll indicated that 61% of Americans support employers taking up DEI programs, while only 34% think it is a bad thing.? The vocal minority, led by White supremacists such as Elon Musk, has attempted to make it seem that most citizens do not want DEI, which has caused companies to retreat from their programs or to rebrand them into more innocuous sounding initiatives (e.g. “Belonging and Inclusion”).? By recognizing that they should invest more in DEI and not retreat, companies will be able to attract more employees and consumers, and prevent the racist, vocal minority from dictating how policies and practices are implemented in our workplaces and schools.
• It is critical to aggressively combat this myth – the proponents of affirmative action did not do a good enough of truly educating people about its primary intent, and let its opponents effectively and falsely frame messaging around it, which led to it ultimately being viewed negatively by a large portion of the population.? We must not make the same mistake with diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and practices.? We must aggressively combat this myth, while also informing the public about the true aim of DEI, and its continued need in a society still rooted in racism, sexism, and unfair hiring and promotion practices.? The numbers do not lie.? Hiring and retention of Black employees and employees from other marginalized communities continue to be abysmal in so many different industries from tech to Big Law to finance and psychology.? Therefore, it is clearly evident why DEI is so necessary.? Despite the backlash initiated by disinformation campaigns, we will continue to amplify DEI and will not run from it, by rebranding it with “safer” names.

The presidential campaign of VP Harris only serves to amplify a longstanding challenge in our workplaces and schools, which is namely how to counter the false racist narratives of the “DEI” hire.? We have an opportunity to effectively inform the public about the harm this myth causes, so we can permanently put it to rest, and help all students and employees experience more equitable, diverse, and inclusive workplaces and schools.