Project 2025 has arrived. Here's how WE can fight the Anti-DEI movement.
From One-Off Boycotts to a Habit-Building Strategy
As of today, it will henceforth be the official policy of the United States that there are only two genders — male and female. We’ll also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life. We will forge a society that is color blind and merit-based.
- Donald J. Trump, January 20, 2025
So, here we are — Project 2025. It started with higher education, now an executive order will be moving Anti-DEI policies into all of government, and if you think this WON’T continue to trickle more into corporate America, you got another thing coming.
While some companies are being outright blatant about ending DEI, others are taking more covert approaches and “evolving their DEI strategies” to create more “inclusion” and “belonging.” Perhaps they really are? But then again, what are we going off of?
In the case of recent announcements like McDonald’s, we’ve seen counter arguments defending the golden arches and even calling some takes click bait.
And…
We’re hesitant to trust that these DEI shifts signal progress for a few reasons:
These changes align with campaigns from far-right figures like Robby Starbuck, raising concerns about whether this pivot is well-meaning or appeases political pressures. And when we see companies like Costco push back on the pressure, we KNOW that others can too…if they wanted to.
We’ve presented data and historical context. McDonald’s specifically has a track record of systemic racism, from franchise lawsuits in the last 5 years to underinvestment in Black-owned media -- currently happening right now via a $10b lawsuit by Byron Allen going to trial. Noting that 12% of McDonald’s franchise owners are Black and 52 of them plus one individual owner sued the corporation for racial discrimination against Black franchisees back in 2020 and 2021. Herb Washington’s lawsuit had a settlement of $33.5M.
You can read more about that all here (AFTER you read the rest of this article):
Black consumers have seen equity promises before that weren’t fulfilled. Corporations must show results, not ask for blind trust.
This is about ensuring we hold corporations accountable with actions, not just words.
So how do we uncover the truth?
The same way conservatives are applying pressure, we believe we’re within our rights to pause our spending and demand clarity (and we should). And frankly, if they can appease conservative activists, WE can withhold our money UNTIL we are shown that our humanity and our dollars are respected.
Right now, activists like Reverend Al Sharpton are calling for boycotts of all companies eliminating DEI.
We respect our fearless Civil Rights leaders AND we think it’s time we create a fresher approach, with new language and habits around corporate accountability. This needs to be a muscle we work EVERYDAY, 365 days a year — and that comes with consistency and frequency, not one offs.
What does this look like?
Pause Immediate Spending: Withhold day-to-day purchases from companies that cut DEI efforts, until progress is proven.
Support Black-Owned: Research and continue to support Black-owned products, services, and franchisees associated with these corporations. This allows:
Black-owned businesses to continue to thrive despite the circumstances.
AND
Corporations to feel the tangible value of Black entrepreneuers, merchants, and consumers, while understanding that money is being left on the table.
Be Informed & Strategic: Follow Black Dollar Index and other data and news sources to stay updated, and use this info to make informed purchasing decisions. Read and absorb the data on what these companies have done in the past year. We’ve reported on several and will continue to share comprehensive data around Black racial equity.
Protect Your Influence: Don’t promote or evangelize for brands that fail to invest in our communities.
Vote: If you are a shareholder, VOTE regularly on proposals that impact DEI and racial equity. Here’s more info on that:
Share this strategy with your network:
The stakes are too high to settle for vague promises or quiet pivots. Let’s wait and see if these companies deliver true inclusion.
Be informed.
Side Note: Everyone is scrubbing the word "equity" from their vocabulary. And in our opinion, Diversity and Inclusion without equity are pleasantries.
We’d love to hear YOUR thoughts on this.
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Great update! Alot of nonsense coming our way 😩
How can we get everyone to stop ordering from Amazon?