The Gatepost Editorial: DEI is not discrimination

By The Gatepost Editorial Board On Jan. 22, the White House released a fact sheet explaining one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting DEI initiatives in the federal workforce - attempting to eliminate them entirely. The fact sheet claims the executive order “protects the civil rights of all Americans and expands individual opportunity by terminating radical DEI preferencing in federal contracting and directing federal agencies to relentlessly combat private sector discrimination.” These claims are extremely biased and blatantly untrue. In order to explain how this order actively harms American communities and promotes discrimination, we first want to explain exactly what DEI is. DEI - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - is an initiative that promotes the inclusion of people of all backgrounds, sexualities, gender identities, and socioeconomic statuses in all areas of society. It is a set of principles and practices that aim to ensure fair opportunities and create a sense of belonging for everyone. DEI programs, plain and simple, exist to strengthen our businesses, universities, and government by considering all points of view. They do not exist to take anything away from anyone - they exist to help promote equity by ensuring people from underrepresented groups are given the same opportunities. The United States of America is a country that was founded and built on the backs of slave labor. The complicated history of our country has resulted in racist and gendered exclusionary ideologies into the systemic structures of how our government and businesses operate. For example, it is untrue to say that Black Americans have not had a more difficult time than white Americans. With slavery, Jim Crow laws, and continuing into the 21st century, police brutality and redlining, it is a fact that Black Americans have been and still are an oppressed group. This systemic mistreatment and exclusion of people from underrepresented groups is unacceptable and DEI initiatives are necessary in order to begin to undo the harm caused as a result. On the Framingham State campus, 48% of our students identify as people of color, many students identify as a part of the LGBTQ+ community, and 54% are first-generation college students. Our student body as a whole will be directly affected by this order. The White House fact sheet states, “[This order] terminates ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ (DEI) discrimination in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending.” Framingham State University is federally funded, and therefore, this order will directly affect how our University is able to use our federal funds for our inclusive initiatives. This will mainly affect the Division of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Engagement (DICE), which oversees FSU’s antiracist commitments, land acknowledgement policy, community sponsorships, the Center for Inclusive Excellence, student and employee affinity groups, and the MetroWest College Planning Collaborative. Framingham State will be completely altered if these departments, groups, and commitments are forced to be disbanded due to this executive order. Thankfully, our administration has expressed that this executive order will not change FSU’s core values as an institution. In an email to all students sent on Jan. 29, President Nancy Niemi reaffirmed Framingham State’s stance of inclusion, saying, “Framingham State University has always been a place where diversity is celebrated, inclusion is championed, and support is extended to all. No matter the uncertainties we face, these values remain at the heart of who we are.” There is not much we can do in the face of these exclusionary executive orders, but we can follow in Niemi’s footsteps and continue to support those around us and uphold the standards of antiracism and inclusion on our campus and outside in our communities. The Gatepost Editorial Board also thanks Vice President of DICE Jeffery Coleman, Director of the CIE Jerome Burke, and all of the employees under DICE for their commitment to providing educational initiatives and programming for FSU and the surrounding communities. As a community, we must continue to advocate for the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion on our campus and in our country every day.