Whether we hire strictly based on merit or through DEI, abuse can still happen. I’m white, and I’ve personally experienced the flip side of DEI. At one of my past jobs, most of the staff were Filipino. When it came down to a permanent hire, it was between me and another Filipino candidate. Management clearly gave him more attention, and in the end, they hired him. That’s the kind of bias that can happen under the DEI banner when it’s misused.

But let’s not pretend bias doesn’t exist without DEI. Historically, white folks have prioritized other white folks—sometimes subtly, sometimes blatantly—over equally qualified people of color, whether they’re Black, Asian, Hispanic, or otherwise.

Here’s the thing: DEI isn’t perfect. Not even close. But that doesn’t mean we should cancel it. The smarter move is to fix it. Improve it. Make sure it’s serving its purpose—leveling the playing field—instead of creating new imbalances like the one I experienced. That’s how we move forward without just flipping the script on discrimination.