Why diversity buzzwords don't build trust

I Stopped Saying "Diversity" (And Started Getting Heard) Something ridiculous happened in a meeting last week… Mid-sentence, I was about to say "diversity" and I caught myself. Switched it to "different perspectives" on the fly. Kept talking like nothing happened. Why? Because I watched an entire room of professionals do this weird verbal dance around words like "diversity" and "inclusion." The wildest part? These were the same people who moments earlier had passionately agreed we need to "hire the best talent regardless of background" yet physically recoiled when someone dared call it a "diversity initiative." Same idea. Same goal. Different packaging = completely different reaction. When did perfectly normal words become conversation-killers? When did "diversity," "inclusion," "equity", words that literally mean variety, fairness, belonging, become so loaded that using them shuts the room down? It's not that the work isn't needed. It's that the language has become the barrier. So here's what I've started doing: 🔁 Instead of "we need more diversity," I say: "We're missing qualified people because we keep fishing in the same three ponds." 🔁 Instead of "inclusion," I tell a story: "Our biggest breakthrough last year came from someone who'd never been invited to the table before." 🔁 Instead of "unconscious bias," I say: "Remember when everyone missed that critical issue — except the one person who saw it differently? That's what we're solving for." 🔁 Instead of "representation matters," I share: "Our clients come from every background imaginable. Shouldn't our expertise reflect that reality?" Is this ideal? No. Is it strategic? Absolutely. Because I'd rather get the work done than lose time arguing over buzzwords. The frustrating reality? It works. One of my clients who'd been fighting for the same initiative for TWO YEARS got it approved in a single meeting after we repackaged it. Same work. Different words. Immediate traction. For those of you navigating rooms where certain words trigger shutdown, what language shifts have actually worked for you? #RealTalk #GetItDone #ChangeTheGame #ProfessionalPresence

The culture war clash over diversity, equity, and inclusion will continue forever unless we can bring it from 10,000 ft in the air back down to earth. "Commitment to an inclusive culture for all?" "Marxist philosophy?" "Policies for achieving belonging?" "Wokeism?" Buzzwords against buzzwords against buzzwords, with no one the wiser as to what's actually being discussed. Rachel needs a lactation room, so we're converting a meeting room into one. Steven's going to be a dad and wants to spend time with his newborn kid, so we're expanding "maternal leave benefits" into "parental leave benefits." Andrew's a customer who has shared feedback about our product being inaccessible, so we're having him talk to the product team. Bianca helped us realize that our company's meetings are chaotic and don't make space for everyone's voice, so we're setting meeting norms. Sam worked on debiasing the hiring process at a previous role and we could benefit from that, so we're looking at standardizing our own process. Arjun shared helpful feedback about the difficulty managers face in managing their distributed teams, so we're building out more resources and structure. There is only one "ideology" present in DEI work done right, and it's shared by pretty much every pluralistic democratic society in our world: that everyone deserves dignity, respect, and opportunity regardless of the beliefs, values, needs, circumstances, experiences and perspectives we hold. That's it. The remaining 99.9% of the work is operational. How do we remove barriers to opportunity and fairness in the workplace? How do we meet people's many needs so we can bring out their potential? How do we create an environment where different people can come together and build something bigger than themselves? A great deal of that operational work ought to be done better. Diversity, equity, and inclusion work has a lot of room for improvement, and it'll take everyone's feedback and active involvement — yes, even from skeptics — to ensure that work succeeds. But to get there, we have to get our heads out of the clouds and bring the conversation back down to earth. Flowery abstractions, even if they make us feel righteous and good, will not save us. It's the mundane pragmaticism of speaking in real terms, with real people, to solve real problems, that will break through the misinformation and polarization that keeps us stuck in the status quo.

DEI is under attack, but for many of us, it’s not a “political issue”—it’s about fairness, access, and making a real impact. Some organizations are being forced to remove DEI language just to keep their funding. But others—especially those with privilege and influence—must step up and speak out. 🏳️🌈 As an LGBTQ+ person, I can’t pretend I don’t exist. And nonprofits that serve diverse communities can’t erase the very work that makes them effective. Now is the time to lean in, not back down. So how do we talk about DEI in ways that are meaningful and action-driven? ✅ Define DEI in real-world terms—how does it actually show up in your work? ✅ Ditch the jargon—focus on impact, not buzzwords. ✅ Show, don’t just tell—feature stories, real data, and community voices. ✅ Be transparent—no one has DEI “figured out,” but being honest builds trust. Nonprofits that can be bold need to take a stand. If we let misinformation take over, we risk losing the progress we’ve fought for. Let’s make DEI real—by showing, not just telling.