The Supreme Court last month struck down affirmative action, effectively banning colleges and universities from considering race as a factor in admission decisions. Around the same time, in Texas, Governor Greg Abbott (R) signed Senate Bill 17 into law, which bans DEI offices and trainings at publicly funded universities—making it the second state in the country to ban higher education diversity initiatives, after Florida. These bans follow wider discussions about the future of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in a collegiate setting.

Marginalized groups—particularly Black women like myself—routinely battle against the judgment of our appearance when we enter a space. DEI is the pathway to breaking down these barriers that threaten our humanity.