Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) are three words that are under attack right now.
In a time where seeing yourself represented is seen as “woke ideology,” it’s important to fight against the attack on representing minority populations.
“Imagine growing up in a time frame when people who look like your family and you are not regularly seen on television or the Big Screen, and when they do appear, they are represented as stereotypes. When advertisements with people in magazines, newspapers and other media are exclusively white. When the world of politics, business, science, and nearly every aspect of American society is mostly absent of people of color,” notes the The American School Counselor Association Resource Hub.
We should be looking for representation in all parts of our society including the workplace, education and media.
But what does that look like in each part of society?
Education
Diversity in education is being attacked by the President Donald J. Trump’s administration as of right now, with DEI policies and programs in K-12 schools as well as post secondary institutions being the main targets.
The U.S. Department of Education described DEI initiatives as “harmful” and “wasteful spending” in a press release about taking action to eliminate DEI.
This is far from the truth, as DEI programs have been shown to enhance education.
According to The National Society of High School Scholars: “At its most basic function, DEI programs allow for healthy debates around race, gender identity, income-inequality, and other forms of discrimination. These programs open students’ eyes to different cultures, and they allow students to have a voice in their education where before they were made to feel silenced.”
Delta College strives to be “a student-centered, anti-racist, equity focused college,” according to the Delta College website, but does Delta really practice this?
According to Superintendent/President Dr. Lisa Aguilera Lawernson, Delta College and California Community Colleges (CCC) plan to comply with federal and state law concerning funding for DEI programs as of Feb. 18, 2025.
On Jan. 21, The Trump Administration withdrew its appeal against a federal court ruling that blocked the letter nicknamed the “The Dear Colleagues Letter,” which campaigned against funding for schools and post secondary institutions that used DEI in all aspects of student and campus life.
New York State based law firm Bond, Schoeneck & King warns that “institutions should not assume the absence of the DCL eliminates all legal concerns with respect to DEI programs and policies.
Workplace
The workplace and business is another part of our society that needs representation and diversity. Having a diverse team in the workplace brings a variety of perspectives to the table and creates more innovative solutions to problems in an ever-changing world. One career field that desperately needs diversity to function is the medical field.
Dr. Ciciley Littlewolf, a Native American physician from the Northern Cheyenne reservation said that a diverse physician workforce is essential to serving patients.
“It’s so important that patients see doctors who look like them, come from the same cultural background, because it increases trust,” said Dr. Littlewolf
In California, a study done by the UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute shows Latino physicians are severely underrepresented.
“In California, Latinos compromised 39 percent of the state’s population, yet just 6 percent of physicians were Latina/o. Latinas made up less than 3 percent of California’s physician population,” states the study.
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers gives us multiple ways we can diversify the workplace, which includes strengthening anti-discriminatory policies, celebrating employee differences, conducting diversity training, and offering diverse mentorships for under-represented groups.
Media and Entertainment
The amount of representation and diversity you see differs depending on what form of media you consume. In the case of the alternative music scene, there isn’t much. Even though according to guitarist Vernon Reid and journalist Greg Tate, “Rock n’ Roll is black music and we are its heirs,” the scene stays very white male dominated.
We should be highlighting diverse artists because representation matters.
Music fans put so much time and energy into their favorite artists, so they should be represented in the scenes that they dedicate so much to.
Representation in our local Central Valley music scene is important, said vocalist of Sacramento pop-punk band Pseudopropheta Alex Rosich.
“As a woman who fronts a band of mostly queer people, I’ve found that it really helps build community and can make people feel like they can identify with someone else and feel empowered to pursue their passions,” said Rosich.
Lucas Sanchez, singer and pianist for Elk Grove based Alternative Rock duo Matthew Ferguson Andrews said we can improve diversity in the scene “just by being ourselves.”
“Our scene serves as a place where they don’t have to do any of that [apologize for being themselves] so by following a ‘come as you are’ mentality, we set an example for them to do the same,” Sanchez said.
Where is diversity celebrated on campus?
For students at Delta College, the best places to find places where diversity is celebrated are minority focused clubs and belonging groups.
Xochitl Hernandez, officer of the Lavender House Club, said that seeing themself represented as a queer student “means a lot” to them.
“Seeing people like me in media, in job fields, or anywhere makes me feel more motivated to keep moving forward with whatever I’m doing,” said Hernandez.
“We’ve seen how representation impacted so many different communities such as black and brown communities, and it’s the same for queer representation. Seeing anyone like you in any position is very empowering. Look at Barbie being a role model for so many young women, she can do anything and do it all in pink,” said Hernandez.
