Did DEI Leave Black Women behind? Yup!

By Goddess Mia

*I started writing this 3 years ago and didn't have a way to post it until now*

Let’s talk about the corporate buzzword of the decade: DEI. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It’s on every website, tucked into every job description, and proudly printed on office walls between inspirational quotes and company core values. On paper, it sounds great. In theory, it should be a game-changer.

But for Black women? DEI often feels like a party we helped plan—but weren’t really invited to.

We show up, we contribute, we lead, we mentor. We drive company culture, fix the awkward email drafts, sit on the diversity councils, and get rolled out during Black History Month—but when it’s time to hand out promotions, leadership opportunities, or serious decision-making power, somehow we disappear from the conversation.

The Data Speaks (Loudly)

The numbers don’t lie, and they aren’t cute:

Black women earn just 67 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men.

We make up less than 2% of executives in corporate America—despite being the most educated group in the country by degree attainment.

Over 60% of Black women say they’ve experienced microaggressions in the workplace—and that’s not even touching on the code-switching, the exhaustion, or the constant need to “prove ourselves.”

And yet, when companies talk about how much progress they’ve made, we’re expected to smile politely and be grateful for the catered lunch.

Performative Inclusion Is Not Progress

To be clear, I’m not here to dismiss DEI outright. The intention behind it matters. But when implementation looks like a few trainings, a photo on the careers page, and a lot of talk with very little change—it starts to feel less like progress and more like PR.

Black women are not looking for special treatment. We’re asking for fair treatment. For the work we already do to be acknowledged, respected, and compensated. For opportunities to lead without being labeled “intimidating” or “not a culture fit.” For the ability to grow without being told to “wait our turn” while watching others leapfrog ahead.

Real Equity Means Real Power

True inclusion means access to the rooms where decisions are made—and influence once we’re there. It means not just listening to Black women but believing us, backing us, and paying us. It means building systems where we don’t have to outperform to be considered equal.

It’s not enough to have diverse headshots in the company brochure. Equity can’t be just an initiative; it has to be embedded into hiring, pay, promotion, and leadership strategy. Because if DEI doesn’t benefit the people most marginalized by workplace systems, then who is it really for?

Black women have always done the work. We’ve always led from wherever we were planted. What we need now isn’t another panel or listening session—it’s structural change. A real seat at the table, not just a standing-room ticket.

And ideally? A chair that doesn’t wobble, a title that reflects our impact, and a paycheck that says “we see you—and we value you.”