‘They’ve Stolen the Narrative’: Black Business Leaders on the DEI Backlash
Bloomberg Businessweek convened five prominent Black executives to candidly discuss navigating the White House, rollbacks in access and the current American mood.
Ursula Burns, Jacob Walthour Jr., Nicole Reboe, Lisa Wardell, Chris Williams.
Photographer: The Tyler Twins for Bloomberg Businessweek
It’s a difficult time to be a Black leader in the US. The Trump administration has targeted notable Black officials in government and the military while pressuring companies and universities to cancel diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. “We ended DEI in America,” the president bragged at his State of the Union address. This roundtable, at Bloomberg’s offices in New York, convened five prominent Black executives to discuss where the country is headed and how they’re supporting the next generation. Their conversation, moderated by Bloomberg Television anchor Romaine Bostick, was edited for clarity and length.
Romaine Bostick: America is in a bit of a mood right now. A few years ago the dialogue we were having was constructive. Where are we right now?