Metro Detroit Business leaders are reacting to President Donald Trump. Executive Order Ending DEI Practices.
Lori Lancaster is Vice Chair of Dakota Integrated Systems. Dakota, one of the nation’s largest Native American women-owned and led companies, has benefited from DEI practices, she says.
Lancaster’s sister, founder and CEO of Rush Group, started in the trucking industry in the 1980s.
“As you can imagine, at the time, it was very male-dominated,” Lancaster said. “You didn’t see women, you didn’t see Native Americans, and around that time, the government recognized Isn’t the playing field level for companies like ours, and they’ve been able to set up programs that open doors. A little bit.”
That crack in the door allowed Lancaster’s sister to dominate the industry. Since then, his company has been a champion of DEI initiatives.
“You still have to work; it’s not a handout,” Lancaster said.
However, the Trump administration sees it that way. Trump has called DEI’s practices “discriminatory.”
Business leaders like Michigan Women Forward President and CEO Caroline Cassin see it differently.
“I think that’s a mischaracterization of DEI,” Casein said. “It’s not discriminatory, it’s really the opposite. I think it’s a way to allow everyone to have a seat at the table or at least have a chance.
Trump’s Executive order The federal government’s DEI policies came to an end when major corporations such as Meta, Walmart, and McDonald’s announced they were ending their DEI practices.
Tanya Hill, president of Forever Fresh LLC, said DEI only helps businesses.
“Research has consistently shown that diversity of thought in the workplace of people of different ages and ethnic groups makes a company more profitable,” Hill said. “We know that, so I still think it’s something we should still strive for.”
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