Have you ever thought about America’s greatest power? What makes America different
than any other global power? Is it the ever-growing capitalism, or its dominant military force?
Or is it the people you see walking around every day, and the values they have to offer? The
vast variety of cultural grocery stores open around the block. The different foods you smell
from the houses in your neighborhood during your daily evening walk.
America’s greatest strength is the cultural nuances from the diversity all around us. The
smells of different foods. The bright variety of colors in cultural clothing. The eye-opening,
intriguing languages you eagerly listen to in the mall. In this country, you experience
interactions with people who bring new values and understandings to your point of view so
that you constantly learn and grow. We are expected to value these cultural differences and
utilize their power of connectivity. America’s greatest strength is how we believe in and actively
promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a mission that sets to incorporate the
representation people from distinct cultures, religions, genders, and more, bring to our daily
lives. Diversity specifies the representation, equity focuses on justice and fairness, and inclusion
is about feeling valued or heard- the ultimate act of our country that honors its rich, varying
inhabitants.
This mission roots back to the 1960’s anti-discrimination legislation amidst the Civil
Rights movement. However, anti-discrimination was not enough to utilize the power of
difference, and so the 1980s and 1990s marked a new era where accepting differences
provided an advantage. People were valued for their individuality as new perspectives created
growth, and there was harmony between unique individuals. Inclusion and equity only bloomed
in the 21st century, when society nurtured the value of contradictory cultures and insights to
create a learning environment. From then on, the DEI initiatives around the country are in place
to give opportunities to systematically underprivileged groups, so society can develop as a safe
environment for people with differing values.
There is clear opposition to these movements by conservative legislators, such as Florida
Governor Ron Desantis and Texas Governor Greg Abbott. In Texas, January 1st, 2024, marked
the first day of a new law (SB-17) that prohibits public institutions of higher education from
maintaining or establishing DEI offices. Furthermore, it denies public universities the right to
assign or hire employees, officers, or even contractors to perform the duties of a DEI office. SB-
17 also affects student DEI engagement as campus activities and clubs promoting or engaging in
political and social activism are under legal threat. This has required public Texas universities,like the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), to terminate their DEI offices and initiatives, limiting
the resources available to marginalized students who can no longer find comfort in knowing
there are people there to help them directly. Without DEI offices, learning opportunities are
limited as our country’s history of racism, colonization, marginalization, and other topics must
be diluted, constricting students from learning some of the most pivotal aspects of our country.
Without DEI offices, students feel underrepresented and unheard in all aspects of their
university journeys.
Fortunately, this disheartening law hasn’t stopped Texas public universities from fully
maintaining their support systems for students. University of Texas at Dallas will continue to
enhance their student community building and create resource groups with their new Office of
Campus Resources and Support. While this new initiative may not directly focus on diversity,
equity, and inclusion, which has allowed students to gain access they previously haven’t
received and capitalize on their differences, UTD is ensuring their students will be treated fairly
and have a sense of belonging. SB-17 may be taking away America’s greatest strength, but it’ll
never take away the strength of Americans.