The Letters May Be Dead, But the Spirit Must Live On

Let me be blunt: DEI, as an acronym, is dead.

What was once a rallying cry for fairness and inclusion has now become a lightning rod. In too many rooms - especially here in Los Angeles - mentioning “DEI” is met with silence, rolled eyes, or quiet disengagement. Somewhere along the way, those three letters stopped inviting conversation and started ending it. But I’m not ready to abandon what DEI was supposed to stand for: creating workplaces and communities where equity, inclusion, and respect for difference are foundational - not optional.

Let’s not pretend these values were invented when DEI became a buzzword. They existed long before the term was coined, and they’ll still matter long after the headlines move on. I’ve spent more than 30 years in executive recruitment, and I’ve watched organizations thrive when they brought in people who didn’t all look the same, think the same, or come from the same zip code.

Here in Los Angeles - a city that practically defines diversity - we’ve always understood that difference can be a strength. This city is home to more than 140 nationalities and over 220 languages. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, more than 36% of LA County residents are foreign-born. That’s not just data - that’s who we are. When you walk through a campus like UCLA or drive down Olympic Boulevard, you see the real-world potential of inclusive communities. And yet, even in LA, I’ve noticed the quiet retreat from this work.

In the past year alone, I’ve watched LA-based companies scale back their DEI departments. Community foundations have quietly shelved equity-focused programs. At a recent business roundtable, I heard a CEO say, “We just don’t want to be on the wrong side of the politics.” That fear - of backlash, of controversy, of being misunderstood - has paralyzed progress.

But let’s be honest with ourselves: the problem wasn’t that DEI went too far. It’s that it didn’t go far enough. Too often, it became performative - press releases, statements, one-time trainings. The optics outpaced the substance. But scrapping the work altogether? That’s like canceling your gym membership because you didn’t get fit in a week. The problem isn’t the goal - it’s the commitment.

I’ve seen what real inclusion looks like. Several years ago, I was conducting a search for a senior executive at a real estate investment firm based in Los Angeles. One of the candidates we identified didn’t have a “traditional” background. No Ivy League degree. No stints at brand-name firms. But he had built teams in challenging markets. He had led with humility and results. When I first presented him to the hiring committee, one member said, “He doesn’t look like the others.” It wasn’t said maliciously - just reflexively. We pushed for the interview. He got the job. Today, he leads the company.

Stories like that don’t happen when we keep hiring from the same shortlists. They happen when leaders expand their definition of talent and focus on capability over pedigree. That’s equity in action.

The business case is still rock solid. Research from McKinsey & Co. shows that companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to outperform their peers financially. A Harvard Business Review study found that diverse teams are more likely to reexamine facts, remain objective, and foster innovation. This isn’t about charity. It’s about performance.

And yet, when the word “DEI” gets politicized, the work gets shelved. I’ve been in boardrooms - right here in LA - where the topic is avoided not because the values are wrong, but because the label has become a liability. That’s a problem. And it’s a failure of leadership.

So maybe it’s time to move past the label - but not the mission.

Let’s start talking again about fairness. About representation. About the responsibility we have as employers, educators, and community leaders to create environments where everyone can thrive. Let’s champion leadership that includes different voices - not because it’s trendy, but because it’s effective.

I’m not suggesting we invent a new acronym. What we need is a return to values over vocabulary. Equity. Opportunity. Respect. If we keep those at the center of how we hire, promote, mentor, and lead, we don’t need a slogan - we’ll have something better: substance.

And to be clear, none of this is about “lowering the bar.” That narrative needs to be retired. The best organizations I work with don’t lower the bar to be inclusive - they raise it. They expect more of their leaders: deeper thinking, broader perspectives, more intentional decisions. They understand that talent is everywhere - but opportunity is not.

Bridging that gap is the real work.

So here’s my message to fellow leaders, hiring managers, board members, and community decision-makers in Los Angeles: Don’t let the political noise drown out the mission. Ask better questions. Be open to different stories. Create cultures where people don’t feel like guests in someone else’s house.

Because this city - this incredible, complex, sprawling city - deserves better leadership. Not just from our officials, but from all of us. The initials may be dead, but the work isn’t. And if any city can carry that torch forward, it’s Los Angeles.