Back in 2020, as the world stayed home because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw the proverbial shattering of the “glass ceiling” in corporate America. Whether it was an awakening in the aftermath of the George Floyd murder in Minneapolis, or the millions of voices yelling in unison “Black Lives Matter,” institutions which had long systematically held back the advancement of minorities began making it a priority to recognize the need for more diversity. A new term had entered the populace as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices were being instituted. The purpose was to empower more voices from underserved communities in hiring practices.

The results over the past few years looked promising. In a poll by the Pew Research Center conducted last year, more than 56% of employed adults said that focusing on DEI at work was a good thing, with only 16% saying it was a bad thing. However, in the past few months, there has been a change in the conversation, and as expected, some states are attempting to end the practice.

According to a post on X by NBC Blk, Republican lawmakers in more than 30 states have introduced or passed over 100 bills to either restrict or regulate DEI initiatives.

The narrative has also taken a more divisive rhetoric in the wake of the Francis Scott Key Bridge disaster in Baltimore on Tuesday morning. In the aftermath of the container ship losing power and plowing into the bridge, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott addressed the public on recovery efforts. While the 39-year-old mayor was focusing on the tragedy, several accounts on X referred to the mayor as a “DEI mayor,” choosing to focus on his attire rather than the severity of the situation.

It turned into a debate on the social media app, with many accounts standing up for not only the mayor, but pushing back on the anti-DEI narrative. As has been often the case, detractors attempted to use coded language with DEI, similar to how critical race theory was portrayed since it became a popular term. However, Black people on X, not willing to give the DEI term any power, are now using it as a term for the governing structure.

Not only that, but human rights lawyer and host of his own show in Sirius XM Qasim Rashid gave perhaps the most important lesson on those who decry the purpose of diversity, equity, and inclusion:

To find out more about how Prince William County is working on DEI initiatives, visit their official website.