Allyship and Equity Community

The broad sweep of a pen at the federal level was meant to halt and erase years of work on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs across the US not only at the government level but also in the private sector in order to "promote a workforce based on merit" rather than equal opportunity, at least that is what we were told.  The plan to remove DEI initiatives included the closing of DEI offices, shuddering of federal programs and the cutting of grants.  The plan was to erase art and images from museums, military bases and public areas that promoted anything related to "equity."  Words such as "diversity", "equity" and "inclusion" were removed from government websites and communications and were flagged in existing grant applications currently being processed.  All of this taking place with the potential for DOJ investigation and litigation.

From the federal level moving down to state, then local and then private companies, agencies began looking through documents, policies and procedures in order to scrub any sign of DEI from their businesses and programs in order to not risk the potential loss of much needed federal funding.  All of this in order to "promote a workforce based on merit."  Where is the merit in cutting much needed funding based on words certain individuals do not agree with?  Where is the merit in trying to erase facts and history because it does not meet the agenda you believe in? 

As this year draws to a close we should reflect on the fact that even if art, images, communications and agencies are erased or closed they will never be erased from our minds or from the minds of those who fought to get to where we are today.  Having to change the name of a committee or organization does not mean the work has to stop.  The same sweep of a pen that attempted to erase the work can be used to start it again!

The broad sweep of a pen at the federal level was meant to halt and erase years of work on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs across the US not only at the government level but also in the private sector in order to "promote a workforce based on merit" rather than equal opportunity, at least that is what we were told.  The plan to remove DEI initiatives included the closing of DEI offices, shuddering of federal programs and the cutting of grants.  The plan was to erase art and images from museums, military bases and public areas that promoted anything related to "equity."  Words such as "diversity", "equity" and "inclusion" were removed from government websites and communications and were flagged in existing grant applications currently being processed.  All of this taking place with the potential for DOJ investigation and litigation.

From the federal level moving down to state, then local and then private companies, agencies began looking through documents, policies and procedures in order to scrub any sign of DEI from their businesses and programs in order to not risk the potential loss of much needed federal funding.  All of this in order to "promote a workforce based on merit."  Where is the merit in cutting much needed funding based on words certain individuals do not agree with?  Where is the merit in trying to erase facts and history because it does not meet the agenda you believe in? 

As this year draws to a close we should reflect on the fact that even if art, images, communications and agencies are erased or closed they will never be erased from our minds or from the minds of those who fought to get to where we are today.  Having to change the name of a committee or organization does not mean the work has to stop.  The same sweep of a pen that attempted to erase the work can be used to start it again!

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Brandon Patocka
Engineering Technician II
City of Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha NE
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The broad sweep of a pen at the federal level was meant to halt and erase years of work on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs across the US not only at the government level but also in the private sector in order to "promote a workforce based on merit" rather than equal opportunity, at least that is what we were told.  The plan to remove DEI initiatives included the closing of DEI offices, shuddering of federal programs and the cutting of grants.  The plan was to erase art and images from museums, military bases and public areas that promoted anything related to "equity."  Words such as "diversity", "equity" and "inclusion" were removed from government websites and communications and were flagged in existing grant applications currently being processed.  All of this taking place with the potential for DOJ investigation and litigation.

From the federal level moving down to state, then local and then private companies, agencies began looking through documents, policies and procedures in order to scrub any sign of DEI from their businesses and programs in order to not risk the potential loss of much needed federal funding.  All of this in order to "promote a workforce based on merit."  Where is the merit in cutting much needed funding based on words certain individuals do not agree with?  Where is the merit in trying to erase facts and history because it does not meet the agenda you believe in? 

As this year draws to a close we should reflect on the fact that even if art, images, communications and agencies are erased or closed they will never be erased from our minds or from the minds of those who fought to get to where we are today.  Having to change the name of a committee or organization does not mean the work has to stop.  The same sweep of a pen that attempted to erase the work can be used to start it again!

The broad sweep of a pen at the federal level was meant to halt and erase years of work on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs across the US not only at the government level but also in the private sector in order to "promote a workforce based on merit" rather than equal opportunity, at least that is what we were told.  The plan to remove DEI initiatives included the closing of DEI offices, shuddering of federal programs and the cutting of grants.  The plan was to erase art and images from museums, military bases and public areas that promoted anything related to "equity."  Words such as "diversity", "equity" and "inclusion" were removed from government websites and communications and were flagged in existing grant applications currently being processed.  All of this taking place with the potential for DOJ investigation and litigation.

From the federal level moving down to state, then local and then private companies, agencies began looking through documents, policies and procedures in order to scrub any sign of DEI from their businesses and programs in order to not risk the potential loss of much needed federal funding.  All of this in order to "promote a workforce based on merit."  Where is the merit in cutting much needed funding based on words certain individuals do not agree with?  Where is the merit in trying to erase facts and history because it does not meet the agenda you believe in? 

As this year draws to a close we should reflect on the fact that even if art, images, communications and agencies are erased or closed they will never be erased from our minds or from the minds of those who fought to get to where we are today.  Having to change the name of a committee or organization does not mean the work has to stop.  The same sweep of a pen that attempted to erase the work can be used to start it again!

1. I am learning how to use different features of forum. 2. I chose the embed function so that you/we can have access to this video from Netflix. 

"We can All Be Allies" Is the tone and tenor and I believe that we must begin to remember why. @Brandon Patocka you are absolutely correct that we do not have to stop the work diversity. We also do have to identify those spaces/places and voices that allow the very nature of global citizenship to flourish. 

I am also a believer in the power of stories and hope that as we continue to share the vision of unity, our access to different spaces will be shared among individual cultures.

Some of my takeaways are that the federal, state and local government are all comprised of people. Those people who make up the government should be allies. 

It was Henry David Thoreau that suggested that the people should not fear the government. He offered a piece that discussed what a citizen should do about blindly following an administration rather than principle of reason. Our reason(s) "To form a more perfect union."


Have an amazing week.

The broad sweep of a pen at the federal level was meant to halt and erase years of work on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs across the US not only at the government level but also in the private sector in order to "promote a workforce based on merit" rather than equal opportunity, at least that is what we were told.  The plan to remove DEI initiatives included the closing of DEI offices, shuddering of federal programs and the cutting of grants.  The plan was to erase art and images from museums, military bases and public areas that promoted anything related to "equity."  Words such as "diversity", "equity" and "inclusion" were removed from government websites and communications and were flagged in existing grant applications currently being processed.  All of this taking place with the potential for DOJ investigation and litigation.

From the federal level moving down to state, then local and then private companies, agencies began looking through documents, policies and procedures in order to scrub any sign of DEI from their businesses and programs in order to not risk the potential loss of much needed federal funding.  All of this in order to "promote a workforce based on merit."  Where is the merit in cutting much needed funding based on words certain individuals do not agree with?  Where is the merit in trying to erase facts and history because it does not meet the agenda you believe in? 

As this year draws to a close we should reflect on the fact that even if art, images, communications and agencies are erased or closed they will never be erased from our minds or from the minds of those who fought to get to where we are today.  Having to change the name of a committee or organization does not mean the work has to stop.  The same sweep of a pen that attempted to erase the work can be used to start it again!

The broad sweep of a pen at the federal level was meant to halt and erase years of work on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs across the US not only at the government level but also in the private sector in order to "promote a workforce based on merit" rather than equal opportunity, at least that is what we were told.  The plan to remove DEI initiatives included the closing of DEI offices, shuddering of federal programs and the cutting of grants.  The plan was to erase art and images from museums, military bases and public areas that promoted anything related to "equity."  Words such as "diversity", "equity" and "inclusion" were removed from government websites and communications and were flagged in existing grant applications currently being processed.  All of this taking place with the potential for DOJ investigation and litigation.

From the federal level moving down to state, then local and then private companies, agencies began looking through documents, policies and procedures in order to scrub any sign of DEI from their businesses and programs in order to not risk the potential loss of much needed federal funding.  All of this in order to "promote a workforce based on merit."  Where is the merit in cutting much needed funding based on words certain individuals do not agree with?  Where is the merit in trying to erase facts and history because it does not meet the agenda you believe in? 

As this year draws to a close we should reflect on the fact that even if art, images, communications and agencies are erased or closed they will never be erased from our minds or from the minds of those who fought to get to where we are today.  Having to change the name of a committee or organization does not mean the work has to stop.  The same sweep of a pen that attempted to erase the work can be used to start it again!