Efforts to Dismantle DEI Discount Our Values 

As a Black woman, a state legislator, and a mother raising three sons in Mississippi, I know firsthand the value of being seen, heard, and included. 

That’s why Mississippi House Bill 1193 — a sweeping and dangerous attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across Mississippi’s K-12 schools, colleges, and universities that was signed into law in April— and the nationwide attack on DEI are not just policy debates. For me, it’s personal. It’s about my children. It’s about all of our children. It’s about the soul of our nation and the fabric of our democracy. 

Mississippi’s law claims to promote fairness and neutrality, but what it really does is weaponize the law against inclusion of educators, students, and content that have traditionally and unfairly been left out of our educational system. It bans DEI offices, prohibits diversity statements in hiring, censors conversations around race and gender, and threatens to cut off funding to schools and universities that don’t comply.

The bill even establishes a formal complaint system for those who want to report educators or institutions that promote “divisive concepts” — a term included in a 2020 Executive Order by President Trump aimed at limiting discussions around structural racism and gender equity in educational settings. The term is so vague it could include anything from civil rights history to mental health support for LGBTQ students. House Bill 1193 has left educators to decipher 16 pages of legal ambiguity, unsure of what words or lessons might spark a complaint. Someone could complain that discussions of the Civil War’s Battle of Vicksburg or pay equity, or putting short people in the front of a line, are divisive. (Enforcement of the law was temporarily paused by a federal judge on July 20, but the legal battle continues.) 

This is not unique to Mississippi, but a part of a much broader pattern nationwide.  Proponents of these efforts say they are protecting students. The reality is these laws silence students while bullying educators, policing thought, restricting progress, and punishing difference. 

Anti-DEI efforts go far beyond the classroom. They can affect the physical and mental health of our residents. Mississippi has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation. It’s a state where Black women are nearly four times more likely to die during or after childbirth than White women. These disparities are not accidental. They are the result of systems that ignore race, deny bias, and deprioritize groups of people. DEI frameworks, which are a holistic approach to building long-term inclusive environments, help shine a light on these inequities and build the solutions we need to save lives.

That’s why I introduced legislation to make continuing medical education in cultural competence or implicit bias training a requirement for physicians to  renew their medical license, a practice recommended by the Mississippi Mortality Review Board. This is how DEI education works — not by shaming, but by equipping professionals with the awareness they need to serve all communities effectively. 

I will not pretend that DEI efforts have solved every problem, but they have helped level the playing field. DEI has opened doors that were long closed to students who look like me by addressing structures and systems that perpetuate inequality. DEI has created pathways to leadership, belonging, and academic success that Mississippi and every community across this country desperately needs. For example, DEI provides first-generation and foster care students with exceptional college experiences, creates safe spaces for students to discuss important issues like sexual assault and prevention, and helps funnel underrepresented groups into innovative STEM programs. 

We should teach our children to understand each other, not fear each other. We should invest in systems that work for all of us — not just a privileged few. I believe in a state and a nation where all of our children — Black, White, Latino, Asian, Indigenous — can thrive because they have been equipped with truth and the ability to pursue their dreams. Instead of narrowing opportunities, we should work to expand them.  

With this belief and my core values of faith, family, and freedom in mind, I am reminded of an important lesson shared by Nick Macchione, a public health expert in California: during crises or times of controversy, the goal should be to stay together and not retreat. Although DEI has been negated at least for now, virtues of justice, respect, grace, mercy, and humility still count. Principles still carry weight. 

Anti-DEI efforts are a step backward. Our children and future generations to come deserve better. And together we can continue the work because “we can only live well when we all live well.” 

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Representative Zakiya Summers is a 2024-2025 Milbank Memorial Fund Emerging Leader and represents District 68 in the Mississippi House of Representatives. Follow her on X at @zakiyasummers.