Why We Can’t Give Up on DEI—And How to Do It Better

heathcurry74
Jul 22
4 min read

“Abandoning DEI doesn’t make inequities disappear—it just makes them harder to see and easier to ignore.”

Across the country, “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) programs are being defunded, renamed, or buried under “neutral” language. Political headwinds, court decisions, and budget pressures have many organizations asking: Is DEI worth the fight? At BridgePoint Advocacy, our answer is clear—we can’t give up on DEI. Not because it’s trendy, but because it is core to ethical practice, legal compliance, workforce sustainability, and measurable outcomes for the people we serve.

This post lays out the seven reasons you can’t (and shouldn’t) abandon DEI, plus practical ways to move from performative efforts to embedded, accountable practice.

1. Equity Is a Legal and Ethical Imperative—Not a Branding Exercise

Even as policy landscapes shift, anti-discrimination laws, accessibility requirements, and civil rights standards remain. Whether you operate in healthcare, education, I/DD services, or public programs, you’re bound by statutes and regulations that demand fair treatment and meaningful access. DEI, when done right, is the operational framework that helps you comply with the law while actually honoring people’s dignity—not just checking boxes.

Practical move: Map your DEI goals to specific statutes (e.g., ADA, Title VI, state ORS/OAR requirements). This turns values into actionable compliance and protects you when scrutiny comes.

2. DEI Drives Better Outcomes—for Clients, Patients, Students, and Staff

A more diverse, psychologically safe team makes better decisions, innovates faster, and serves communities more effectively. In I/DD settings, trauma-informed and culturally responsive care can literally be the difference between escalation and safety. In healthcare, culturally competent care improves adherence, reduces disparities, and saves lives. In education, inclusive curricula increase engagement and persistence.

Practical move: Tie DEI initiatives to outcome metrics you already track—staff retention, patient satisfaction, incident reports, graduation rates—so you can prove impact.

3. Ignoring DEI Is a Risk Management Nightmare

When organizations cut DEI, they often cut the very mechanisms that identify bias, prevent harassment, and mitigate harm. That leaves you exposed—to lawsuits, public scandals, staff walkouts, and regulatory action. Investors, grantors, accrediting bodies, and boards increasingly expect demonstrable equity work, not just statements.

Practical move: Treat DEI as you would cybersecurity or HIPAA—an enterprise risk domain with policies, audits, training, and incident response plans.

4. The Workforce Is Changing—Your Culture Has to Keep Up

Gen Z and Millennials expect transparent values, flexible policies, and inclusive workplaces. If you abandon DEI, you don’t just risk brand damage—you risk losing the very talent you need to stay afloat. In care industries already facing staffing crises, that’s not a risk you can afford.

Practical move: Build pathways for marginalized staff into leadership, compensate ERG (Employee Resource Group) labor, and publish progress dashboards. Show you’re serious, not just signaling.

5. “DEI Fatigue” Is Real—But It’s a Design Problem, Not a Reason to Quit

When staff say “DEI doesn’t work” or “I’m tired of trainings,” what they often mean is: We never see change after the workshops. We’re punished for telling the truth. The burden isn’t shared. That’s not a DEI failure; it’s an implementation failure.

Practical move: Shift from one-off workshops to integrated practice: embed inclusive communication norms into meetings, rewrite policies with equity lenses, fund ongoing coaching, and measure behaviors—not attitudes alone.

6. Rebranding Without Substance Just Breeds Cynicism

Some organizations think the solution is to rename DEI to “Belonging” or “Culture.” Language matters, but cosmetic changes without structural shifts deepen mistrust. Staff and communities notice when the only thing that changes is the slide deck title.

Practical move: If you rename DEI, pair it with clear, public structural commitments: leadership accountability, budget lines, policy changes, and timelines. Otherwise, keep the name and fix the practice.

7. Equity and Inclusion Are Intersections—Not Silos

DEI can’t sit in HR alone, or in a single “DEI Office.” The intersections—race, disability, gender identity, language access, trauma history—run through every service, policy, and hiring decision. When you cut DEI, you cut the connective tissue that holds a truly person-centered system together.

Practical move: Use an Equity Impact Assessment on major decisions (budget cuts, policy shifts, tech purchases). Require cross-functional teams to review data by subgroup, not just in aggregate.

From Performative to Practical: How to Do DEI Better (and Sustainably)

1. Anchor in Policy & DataCreate a DEI policy tied to regulations and strategic goals. Set 3–5 measurable objectives (e.g., reduce attrition among BIPOC staff by X%, increase accessible materials across programs). Report progress quarterly.

2. Build Skills, Not Just AwarenessMove beyond “what is privilege” slides. Teach supervisors how to interrupt biased feedback, clinicians how to adapt care plans, educators how to diversify syllabi, DSPs how to document without microaggressions.

3. Invest in Structures, Not Just PeopleUpdate job descriptions, performance evaluations, procurement policies, and grievance processes to reflect equity standards. People can’t behave equitably inside inequitable systems.

4. Share the Load StrategicallyDon’t make marginalized staff do free DEI labor. Compensate ERG leaders, rotate facilitation, and give everyone role-specific responsibilities—not one-size-fits-all training.

5. Document & Celebrate WinsPublish small wins alongside big ones: a revised intake form that improves client disclosure rates, a new pronoun policy, a trauma-informed break space, an accessible PDF redesign. Momentum matters.

What If Leadership Is Hesitant—or Actively Resisting?

Speak their language: Frame DEI as retention, risk mitigation, performance, and compliance—not “feelings.”
Start where there’s leverage: Pilot in a willing department, capture data, and scale. Success is contagious.
Bring in outside facilitators: Neutral third parties (like BridgePoint) can lower defensiveness and hold space for hard conversations.
Make the hidden costs visible: Calculate turnover costs, legal fees, and productivity loss from inequity and compare them to the cost of doing DEI right.

Final Word: Equity Isn’t Optional—It’s Operational

We don’t give up on DEI because it’s hard. We refine it because people’s safety, dignity, and outcomes depend on it. When done well, DEI is not a side project—it’s how we hire, train, communicate, serve, and lead. It’s how we turn values into measurable, sustainable practice.

If you’re ready to move from fatigue to focus, from slogans to systems, we’re here to help.

Call to Action

Ready to embed DEI into daily operations?

Book a strategy consult
Explore our DEI curriculum modules
Download our Equity Impact Assessment template
Train your supervisors with our Inclusive Leadership toolkit