Ever since President Donald Trump officially banned diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at the federal level, companies around the world have been scrambling to adjust to this new way of life. Now, former gubernatorial candidate and author Stacey Abrams is breaking down exactly why companies should take a second thought before terminating DEI completely.
Abrams most notably took on MAGA during the 2018 and 2022 elections for governor in the state of Georgia. Although she lost to current Gov. Brian Kemp, Abrams is still regarded as one of the few politicians who never backed down from MAGA… Now, she’s warning companies to do the same.
“This notion that simply complying a little bit stops at the water’s edge is antithetical to every history we have ever written, and it costs you,” Abrams said during a panel at New York University on July 11, Fortune reported. For her, obeying by the rules and mandates of Trump and his administration once will only guarantee the administration test you again.
After Trump’s election, companies like Disney, Ford and Google rushed to either rollback their DEI policies or simply get rid of them totally. “It may not cost you in the short term, but in the long term,” Abrams added.
It comes down to this: which do these billion-dollar companies value more? The Trump administration or the customers who fuel their success. According to Abrams, many American consumers are less inclined to support companies who quickly turned their backs on them.
“I’m also less sympathetic to multi-billion dollar corporations that are concerned about losing a few contracts when they’re willing to sacrifice whole communities for that purpose,” she added. On the flip side, companies that doubled down on their DEI policies will more than likely see success. Just take a look at Costco, the buy-in-bulk grocery giant which has seen historic growth for consecutive weeks, according to AfroTech.
“Costco has always been grounded in this responsibility,” Abrams continued. “Therefore, irrespective of the change, they never had to change their policies, they never had to promote who they were. They simply are. And we can see the distinction between Costco and other institutions.”
It’s no secret Costco is standing proudly in his efforts to protect DEI, and with that, many Americans are urging consumers to spend their money where they are valued. Rev. Al Sharpton and criminal justice reform activist Korey Wise took the charge seriously and paraded in a Harlem Costco to “buy-cott” the store. “We’re supporting those who are not rolling back DEI,” Patrice Perry, crisis director for Sharpton’s nonprofit told The New York Post.
After stepping away from politics after her 2022 loss, Abrams has pivoted to focus on other causes affecting smaller communities. She is also set to release her new novel, a thriller called “Coded Justice,” which addresses ethical and legal questions concerning artificial intelligence development.
