The Hard Truth About Why DEI Didn't Work

DEI was fueled—and, for some, born—from the events of 2020.

Between a global pandemic and the murder of George Floyd, caught on video and watched by millions, there was a foundational impact on workplaces, communities, and society at large.

Hundreds of companies rushed to put up statements about anti-racism. Black squares flooded social media, and donations poured in. DEI statements were plastered everywhere—often copied and pasted from one another.

Then came the hiring trend. Budgets were stretched to bring in new full-time DEI roles, and companies highlighted their efforts to bring in more Black people.

I remember sitting in an all-hands meeting where the VP of People announced, “We’re going to make sure at least three of the final candidates for key roles are Black.” Someone who had been at the company since the beginning raised their hand and asked, “Isn’t that discrimination?” The VP didn't have an answer.

This was happening everywhere. Billion-dollar companies with access to the smartest minds hired DEI and Anti-Racist Consultants to come in and teach their people how to “be less White.” What followed was a campaign of calling out white people. In return, many felt guilty or obligated to prove they weren’t part of the problem.

For me, I saw one big problem with that approach: Which White people are we talking about? (No one has ever been able to answer this question.) If we’re judging based on skin tone, facial features, or assumptions, we’re doing what’s already been done in history—and that didn’t end well.

Plus, the list of attributes to "be less white" could easily be applied to any ethnicity.

Over time, the narrative has slightly shifted, but the energy behind it hasn’t.

Anything created from a low-frequency energy—guilt, shame, blame—will always struggle to manifest something meaningful and transformative.

The Breakdown of D.E.I

I’ve said this before:

DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

• Diversity: By default, we are all diverse. What companies were really doing was focusing on selective diversity.
• Equity: This is about fairness, but what’s fair for one person might not feel fair for another.
• Inclusion: The art of truly including everyone—no exceptions. Labels must be questioned to do that, and proximity and curiosity must take the lead.

Racism exists. So do all the other “isms” that harm our humanity. We can’t solve any of these problems by using the same energy that created them.

DEI the Missteps

In 2020, our humanity needed to transcend. But instead, many efforts came from the wound instead of the scar. Shit, I get it; 2020 was hard on all fronts, and that was even more reason to give ourselves enough space to navigate.

When we operate from the wound, it's reactive, seeks blame, and is fueled by ego. When the ego is involved, the wound doesn't heal and is raw to the touch. Speaking from the scar is responsive and brings wisdom, reflection, and growth to everything it engages with.

True transformation cannot happen when the ego is involved. Any DEI effort with ego attached to it won’t create actual, lasting change and scalable impact.

The biggest misstep with DEI was ego, accompanied by fear, guilt, and shame.

DEI started with good intentions but plateaued because these low-frequency energies couldn’t sustain the movement. The folks fighting for DEI burned out quickly because the foundation wasn’t built to transcend.

It’s time for a different approach.

A New Approach

You might read this and think I see DEI as hopeless or pointless. I don’t. One of my skills as an anthropologist is to observe and track patterns. I do think DEI has done some good.

Traditional DEI is done; it is time to transcend.

Let’s break it down.

We can drop the D and the E and focus on Inclusion. Then, layer in a humanity philosophy that transcends the workplace.

True inclusion impacts all areas of life. Inclusion can’t just be something that is practiced during your 9-to-5. It has to show up in your home, in your community, and in the world.

There's a quote I love: How one does one thing is how they do everything. This definitely applies to inclusion.

And the humanity piece—that’s where the magic happens. Humanity isn’t just a concept; it’s a philosophy that flows into action. Nelson Mandela embodied this beautifully. He went through a metamorphosis and healing, which helped him forgive those who wronged him. Through that healing, he was able to transcend a nation and its culture.

Now, I’m not saying you have to forgive everyone or break your boundaries for people who mistreat you. What I’m saying is that when you don't navigate from the ego, you won’t have to.

Once the DEI paradigm shifts, things will start to shift.

My Ask To You

If you’ve tried DEI and haven’t seen scalable, transformative results... if you’re curious... or if you want to do things differently:

• Focus on inclusion. In every area of your work, starting with your current people. Sometimes, we’re so focused on “out there” that we forget those closest to us. This means looking at your hiring, onboarding, systems, processes, and policies through the lens of inclusion.
• Invest in humanity. Start with yourself. See yourself as human—not the labels or titles. Go deep. Forgive yourself. Spend time with yourself. Start the lunar journey of healing. That opens the door to the answers you seek. Mother Teresa said, “If everyone cleaned their own doorstep, every doorstep would be clean.”
• Tame the ego. The ego is known as the “little self” and thrives on separation. Historically, the ego has caused harm to humanity. I encourage you to name your ego (mine is Otis). Once you name it, you can tame it.

Start here and see where you flow.

You might think these steps aren’t practical enough—or that they’re hard to measure. Don’t focus on harvesting and selling the crop. Instead, plant the seeds—one at a time. It’s the depth of the planting that the seed that yields a bountiful harvest.

Closing Thought

I hosted an event about inclusion, and someone said, “It’s clear we’re all here because we care about inclusion. But what are the tactical, measurable, and practical ways to incorporate it in our spaces?”

There’s a big difference between caring and understanding.

Once you understand it, that question of how becomes irrelevant. You’ll be intuitively guided on the “how.”

Traditional DEI is done. It’s time to transcend.

Are you ready?

Light, Love & Gratitude,

Charisse Fontes

Want to Go Deeper?

I’ll be hosting some free, paid, and donation-only events in 2025 to help us go beyond trends and step into transcendence. Visit https://www.culturecircle.co/2025 for more details.

Check out some of my past articles:

Breaking Down D.E.I

Why Being an Anti-racist Company Won't End Racism