Do the Work: Inclusion and Equality Without Labels or Distractions

I’ve never been a big fan of labels to describe the work of DEI. The work is so much more. For those who’ve attended my DEI or EEO Investigator trainings, you’ve probably heard me say this out loud. We often get caught up debating what to call it rather than focusing on what we actually do. I, along with many others, have long said, “Just do the work.”

How Labels Became Loaded Weapons

Not everyone agrees with me. I guess I sound a little naïve, but I have to keep hope to continue the work. It’s way too hard otherwise. But after decades of working in organizational conflict resolution and equity-based training, I’ve seen how quickly labels become loaded weapons, particularly when race is involved. From “affirmative action” to “diversity” to “Diversity Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB),” the language changes, the resistance sharpens, and the real purpose becomes buried under political and ideological noise. Let’s not forget: Affirmative Action—a term somewhat formalized under Executive Order 10925, signed by President John F. Kennedy on March 6, 1961, and published in the Federal Register two days later, was never about exclusion. It was about creating fair workplaces during a time when my mom worked at a department store that held segregated employee holiday parties. Yet over time, it became politicized and weaponized. One private citizen, Edward Blum, a former stockbroker with no legal training, built a decades-long campaign to dismantle Affirmative Action—and succeeded when the Supreme Court ruled in his favor in June 2023. The 6-3 decision ruled against affirmative action in college admissions, which surrounded a joint hearing involving Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. Many of us saw it coming, and that decision meant so much more. You don’t need a legal degree or government title to disrupt national policy. Just persistence, strategy, and public opinion. Blum continues to do his activist work, and as long as we have labels and create new ones, he has a long list to target and dismantle. I’m even concerned as I resort to the word “inclusion.” I’m sure someone will attack it and say it is just a disguised label for DEI.

Focusing on Action, Not Acronyms

That’s why I believe we need to focus less on naming the work we do and more on doing it. I’m convinced that no matter what we name it, as long as it involves race, someone will be there to knock it down. I see race as the United States’ biggest shame, and years have been spent putting it under the rug. We don’t need new acronyms or terms. We need everyday behavior that makes workplaces better for everyone. We can’t forget history, but we must move on in the interim until the movement becomes an undeniable eye-opener for everyone to embrace,–at least the majority. I propose starting with what is in our control and pushing aside all that is not. The Serenity Prayer comes to mind.