Consider This from NPR

Episode: Corporate America ditched DEI. What happened to the employees?
Date: September 2, 2025
Host: Juana Summers
Reporter: Maria Aspen

Overview

This episode explores the dramatic rise and rapid retreat of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in Corporate America. Following the 2020 racial justice protests, companies rushed to embrace DEI, hiring thousands of specialists. But in the years since, a conservative backlash, high-profile corporate controversies, and federal executive orders have led to a widespread slashing of DEI jobs. The episode centers on Candice Birdsong Williams, a veteran DEI executive whose life and career were upended by this reversal, examining the human toll of Corporate America’s shifting stance.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Rise of DEI in Corporate America

• Post-George Floyd Reckoning:

  • In the wake of George Floyd's murder and the national protests, corporations across the U.S. pledged to fight workplace discrimination and dramatically expanded DEI departments.
  • Juana Summers: “Corporate America rushed to join in, promising to fight discrimination and increase opportunities for workers of all backgrounds.” (00:12)

• Boom in DEI Hiring:

  • By early 2023, more than 20,000 professionals were employed in DEI-focused roles.
  • Candice Birdsong Williams: “My inbox was completely on fire, completely on fire.” (00:45, 05:34)

The Backlash and Policy Reversals

• Mounting Conservative Pushback:

  • Conservative influencers, politicians, and legal challenges began targeting DEI, arguing it discriminated, particularly against white men.
  • Robby Starbuck (right-wing influencer): “We do believe in fairness...the workplace in corporate America has gotten way too partisan, way too divisive. We need to remove this stuff from corporate America.” (05:52)

• Legal and Cultural Setbacks:

  • The Supreme Court struck down affirmative action in higher education.
  • Brands like Bud Light faced conservative boycotts over inclusive marketing campaigns.
  • The re-election of President Trump accelerated efforts against DEI, resulting in executive orders curtailing DEI policies in government, the private sector, and military.
  • Narrator / Reporter: “We’ve ended the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion policies...” (01:19)

• Corporate Rollbacks:

  • Companies began quietly eliminating DEI roles or rebranding them as “culture” or “belonging.”
  • As per Revelio Labs: more than 2,600 DEI jobs have been eliminated in the past two years. (07:05)

Personal Impact: Candice Birdsong Williams’ Story

• Dedication to DEI Work:

  • Birdsong Williams, with nearly 20 years’ experience across major companies, describes her motivation as rooted in empathy and inclusion.
  • Candice Birdsong Williams: “It’s not about the things that you can see, but it’s about the things that you also can’t see.” (04:21)

• Sudden Job Loss and Ongoing Search:

  • After being laid off as a global director of DEI at a tech startup, Birdsong Williams has struggled to find another role in the field.
  • She notes companies retracting DEI roles mid-interview:
    • Candice Birdsong Williams: “I’ve been in interviews and like, okay, we’re no longer going to rehire...That’s when I knew this isn’t the same environment that it was years ago.” (04:57)

• Emotional and Practical Effects:

  • The impact is deeply personal, shaking her sense of security and professional identity.
  • Candice Birdsong Williams: “When you are directly affected by something, it really vibrates the ground, like it shakes and pulls the rug from up under your feet.” (07:42)

• Resilience and Faith:

  • Despite setbacks, Birdsong Williams leans on her faith, family, and years of experience.
  • Candice Birdsong Williams: Quoting her daughter’s Bible painting: “Slumps 46, he is within her. She will not fail. I’m not worried about failing now.” (08:12)

The Broader Effects and Outlook

• Reduced Workplace Diversity:

  • Data indicates that companies with DEI teams have more diverse hiring. Eliminating these roles is expected to reduce workplace diversity.
  • Paulina Tilley, Revelio Labs: “Getting rid of these DEI functions is really going to pare back the diversity of the workplace.” (06:54)

• Shifting Strategies:

  • Some companies are maintaining DEI work under new labels, but that doesn’t match the previous level of commitment or hiring.
  • Candice Birdsong Williams: Now applying for HR roles unrelated to DEI, hoping her skills translate.

• Faint Signs of Hope:

  • As of this episode, Birdsong Williams is seeing more job interviews and a slight thaw in the hiring freeze, as some employers continue DEI work under different names.
  • Juana Summers: “She’s starting to feel more optimistic about the job market...some employers are getting a handle on how to continue doing DEI work, even if it’s under a different name.” (08:26)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “My inbox was completely on fire, completely on fire.”
  — Candice Birdsong Williams (00:45, 05:34)
• “It’s not about the things that you can see, but it’s about the things that you also can’t see.”
  — Candice Birdsong Williams (04:21)
• “We do believe in fairness...the workplace in corporate America has gotten way too partisan, way too divisive. We need to remove this stuff from corporate America.”
  — Robby Starbuck (05:52)
• “Getting rid of these DEI functions is really going to pare back the diversity of the workplace.”
  — Paulina Tilley, Revelio Labs (06:54)
• “When you are directly affected by something, it really vibrates the ground, like it shakes and pulls the rug from up under your feet.”
  — Candice Birdsong Williams (07:42)
• Quoting a favorite Bible verse: “He is within her. She will not fail. I’m not worried about failing now.”
  — Candice Birdsong Williams (08:12)

Important Timestamps

• 00:12–00:49: Surge in DEI hiring post-2020; Birdsong Williams overwhelmed with recruiter outreach.
• 01:19–01:33: President Trump’s executive orders ending DEI policies in government and military.
• 03:31–04:25: Birdsong Williams’ background and passion for DEI.
• 04:42–04:57: Birdsong Williams’ layoff and realization of a changed job market.
• 05:52–06:27: Conservative critique and supporter defense of DEI.
• 06:54–07:05: Revelio Labs’ analysis on shrinking DEI job market.
• 07:42–08:12: Personal impact and resilience; reliance on faith and family.
• 08:26: Update on Birdsong Williams’ job search and cautious optimism.

Conclusion

This episode documents the collapse of Corporate America’s DEI movement, spotlighting how a nationwide shift in public policy and corporate culture has left thousands of DEI professionals jobless or forced to reinvent their careers. Through the story of Candice Birdsong Williams—her personal resilience, faith, and hope—the episode puts a human face on a widespread, politically charged trend, while raising questions about the future of workplace diversity.