February marks Black History Month, a time to honor the legacies, struggles, and triumphs of Black Americans whose contributions have shaped the very foundation of our nation. Yet, as we commemorate this history, we face a sobering paradox: the simultaneous rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives across public and private sectors.
In a 2016 letter thanking me for speaking out, former President Barack Obama wrote: “Progress doesn’t come easily and it hasn’t always followed a straight line, but I firmly believe that history ultimately moves in the direction of inclusion—not because it is inevitable, but because people like you speak out and hold our country to our highest ideals.”
