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According to Republicans, the latest problems facing people in the United States are the fault of either immigrants or DEI initiatives. Donald Trump’s administration has dropped all pretense at being anything other than a white supremacist institution, blaming everything from the devastating Los Angeles fires to the deadly Washington D.C. plane crash on DEI. 

DEI, which stands for “diversity, equity, and inclusion,” is the latest right-wing bogeyman, joining the ranks of affirmative action and the alleged “welfare state.” Though Trump has dismantled federal government DEI initiatives within days of taking office, it does not mean efforts toward racial equity must end in every sector.

Gabriela Valle is an independent equity and culture consultant and works with a Virginia-based consultancy that has both state and federal DEI projects. She spoke with YES! Senior Editor Sonali Kolhatkar on YES! Presents: Rising Up With Sonali about what DEI means and how equity initiatives can and should continue.

ERRATUM: An earlier version of this story erroneously mentioned Valle’s title as working on DEI projects for FEMA R2 and the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services.