I’m not going to mince words. Trump and his extremist administration demonizing diversity, equity, and inclusion programs is as infuriating as it is exhausting.
Throughout my career as an employment attorney, I have worked in the private and public sectors to make workplaces more diverse, equitable, intentional, and anti-racist for all.
I’ve seen first-hand just how critical it is to have someone on staff who cares about how each person’s identities show up (and are respected) at work. Diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are about respect, belonging, and individual potential. We know they are overwhelmingly supported by most people, and a recent survey also showed that 73 percent of business leaders believe DEI initiatives had a “positive impact” on their economic performance.
It’s no secret that this administration doesn’t want everyone to have the opportunity to have a seat at the table. At their core, these attacks on DEI are attacks on our civil rights and ability to thrive. This administration’s strategy is intended to overwhelm us, divide us, and distract us from fighting back.
That’s why it’s more important than ever to take care of ourselves and each other to sustain us over the next four years.
Here are three strategies I recommend right now to stay afloat:
- Joy and rest must be part of your activism. I enjoy reminders from The Nap Ministry that “Rest is Resistance” and I am intentional about finding and creating joy in my day to day.
- Reading and finding ways to ground yourself. Yoga and a stroll through a bookstore, like Mahogany Books, feels restorative. And reading books about the Reconstruction Period (currently reading Stony the Road by Dr. Henry Louis Gates) and resistance (highly recommend We Refuse by Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson) have been helpful to both frame and inspire.
- Building and Being in community. Donate to or volunteer with a favorite organization, support mutual aid networks, and deepen connections with friends and neighbors. It is empowering to know that you are not alone and that you can do small things that have big impacts.
I hope you will use these strategies to get what you need to stay engaged in our fight for women and families.
As Assata Shakur famously said (and one of my personal mantras), “It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.”
