Just because President Donald J. Trump is acting on plans to wipeout DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), doesn’t mean companies like Costco and activists like Rev. Al Sharpton aren’t leading the cause to ensure Black people not only feel protected but also feel seen.
DEI was created out of the fires from the 2020 Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests. The country was in the midst of civil unrest following the brutal murder of George Floyd, and after the murders of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery that same year, the country was forced to reevaluate how it views race on the federal level.
Thus, DEI was born, but little did we know that in the span of only five years, one president would ignite a crusade targeting all DEI efforts and stalling racial progression in the nation. On his first day in office, Trump signed an order ending all DEI programs in the federal government. He’s since doubled down on anti-DEI orders with recent executive mandates concerning the military, according to NPR.
e.l.f Takes a Stand
Despite so many well-known corporations falling in line with Trump’s mandate, others are emphasizing the importance of inclusion. In fact, one beauty industry giant, e.l.f. Cosmetics, is standing strong with DEI. E.l.f. doesn’t have a DEI team, according to CNN, but that hasn’t stopped the company from speaking up on core issues.
The company’s 2024 “So Many Dicks—” or men named Richard, Rick, and Dick— campaign highlighted just how male dominated public company boards are. “There’s nothing wrong with being Richard, Rick or Dick, but we wanted to shine a light on ‘let’s give other people a chance’ because we’ve seen the benefits in our own business,” e.l.f. CEO Tarang Amin said in an interview.
And speaking of benefits, e.l.f.’s commitment to DEI is reflected in their diverse workforce. Around 75 percent of its 500 employees are women and 40 percent are people of color, according to CNN.
Ohio Official Refuses to Conform to Anti-DEI
Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce was asked to give the keynote speech during Columbus VA’s annual MLK lunch, but a message he received hours before he was set to take the stage put him in a tough position.
According to journalist Phil Lewis, the event organizers gave Boyce two hours notice saying he couldn’t mention DEI or anything “politically charged.” Of course, this came right after Trump’s anti-DEI executive order, but Boyce wasn’t having it.
“It was an insult,” he said. “It was an insult to the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. It was an insult to my own personal journey that they asked me to talk about.” Boyce became Franklin County’s first Black county commissioner in 2017.
“How can I talk about my journey and MLK Jr without discussing diversity, equity, and inclusion, especially given the administration’s executive order?” Boyce continued. “If that’s the case, I would respectfully decline and say you should probably find another speaker,” he said.
Rev. Al Sharpton and Korey Wise ‘Buy-cott’ Costco
It’s no secret Costco is standing proudly in his efforts to protect DEI, and with that, many Americans are urging consumers to spend their money where they are valued.
Rev. Al Sharpton and criminal justice reform activist Korey Wise took the charge seriously and paraded in a Harlem Costco to “buy-cott” the store. “We’re supporting those who are not rolling back DEI,” Patrice Perry, crisis director for Sharpton’s nonprofit told The New York Post.
Wise told the Post “We gotta keep our seatbelt on.” In 1989, Trump took out ads demanding the death penalty for five Black and Hispanic teens, including Wise, who were wrongfully convicted of a heinous crime. Trump has yet to apologize to those men.
Despite the future of DEI clearly up in the air, these efforts and more show the continued support for diversity within the Black community and some of the most popular brands in the world.