This is a critical cultural moment. DEI backlash represents the latest attempt to dismantle and undermine the inclusive work that helps us function better at work, in our homes, and in our communities. The tactics are transparent but persistent and effective. In that uncertain place, it becomes essential to remain grounded in our values.

In our work with DEI advocates across sectors, we consistently emphasize the importance of strategic messaging and the delicate balance between protecting mission-driven values and securing funding. We know these are tricky waters to navigate. Today, I want to address the messy side of things, the trauma-informed perspective that helps us stay grounded in this work for the long haul.

Four simple truths for sustainable DEI Work

1. We Are Wired for Change, Yet Struggle With It

Humans are both wired for radical transformation and struggle deeply with change. This paradox lives at the heart of DEI work, we're advocating for systemic shifts while operating within systems that resist those very changes. We need intentional strategy to navigate these shifts without losing ourselves in the process.

Practice: Develop change rituals that help you process transitions. Whether it's a weekly reflection practice, monthly strategy review, or quarterly values check-in, create structured moments to assess how you're adapting and what support you need.

2. Systems Teach Us to Disconnect From Ourselves, And It's Not our Fault

Many of us have learned to survive by disconnecting from our authentic selves. Here's how this happens: When systems consistently tell us that who we are isn't acceptable - through microaggressions, exclusion, or outright discrimination - we adapt by hiding parts of ourselves. We learn to code-switch, to make ourselves smaller, to anticipate rejection before it happens.

This survival strategy that begins in childhood doesn't stay contained to one area of life. The same protective mechanisms we develop in response to cultural messages about our worth show up in our families, schools, and workplaces. We become experts at reading rooms and adjusting ourselves accordingly, often losing touch with what we actually think, feel, and need in the process.

This is precisely why now is the time to deepen your self-care, lean into self-reflection and analysis, and run toward your healing. When systems consistently fail to see and value us, we must refuse to fail ourselves.

Practice: Notice where you're shrinking, performing, or hiding parts of yourself to fit into spaces. Ask yourself: "Where am I abandoning myself to make others comfortable?" Then practice small acts of authentic presence.

3. Individual and Collective Healing Are Inseparable

We are deeply connected. Despite myths of individualism and saviorism, the way we see and treat ourselves ripples out to how we see and treat others. As I often say, self-care is collective care.

To put it simply: hurt people hurt people, and healing people create conditions for healing.

Your personal healing work isn't selfish; it's essential infrastructure for sustainable social change. When you model healthy boundaries, process your trauma, and practice self-compassion, you create permission for others to do the same.

Practice: Identify one area where you've been pushing through pain instead of addressing it. Make a plan to tend to that wound, whether through therapy, community support, spiritual practice, or medical care.

4. Values Are a Practice, Not Just Beliefs

If ever there was a time to lean into your values, this is it. Something I've learned is that values are a practice, not just a set of beliefs. They show up in day-to-day choices: where we shop, what we buy, where we live, who we deem worthy of love and care, and how we treat ourselves.

Values-based living requires constant calibration, especially when external pressures mount. In times of backlash, our values become both anchor and compass.

Practice: Conduct a values audit. Look at how you spend your time, money, and energy. Where are you aligned with your stated values? Where are there gaps? Make one small adjustment this week to bring your actions closer to your values.

Four practical strategies for sustainable DEI Work

1. Create Boundaries That Protect Your Energy

Energy mapping: Track your energy levels throughout the day for a week. Notice what activities, people, and environments drain you versus what energizes you. Use this data to make informed decisions about where to invest your limited resources.

The 80/20 rule: Aim to spend 80% of your time on work that aligns with your strengths and values, leaving 20% for stretch opportunities or necessary but draining tasks.

Communication boundaries: Develop standard responses for common situations that drain your energy. Having scripts ready helps you maintain boundaries without having to make decisions in the moment.

2. Build Your Support Ecosystem

Professional community: Connect with other DEI advocates who understand the unique challenges of this work. This isn't just networking, it's survival strategy. We recently hosted a DEI brunch that proved that community is a valuable mechanism for change!

Personal healing team: Assemble your crew of healers: therapists, spiritual guides, bodyworkers, trusted friends who can hold space for the full complexity of your experience.

Mentorship circle: Both seek mentorship and offer it. Being in relationship across different career stages provides perspective and prevents isolation.

3. Develop Sustainable Work Practices

Batch similar tasks: Group strategy sessions, difficult conversations, and administrative work to minimize emotional switching costs.

Create transition rituals: Develop practices that help you move between different types of work or from work to personal time. This could be as simple as a five-minute breathing exercise or as elaborate as a full outfit change.

Regular sabbaticals: Build in regular periods of rest and reflection: daily, weekly, monthly, and annually. Rest isn't luxury; it's necessity.

4. Navigate Organizational Politics Strategically

Document everything: In environments where DEI work faces resistance, documentation becomes protection. Keep records of decisions, communications, and outcomes.

Find your allies: Identify supporters across different levels and departments. Coalition-building is both strategy and sanity-preservation.

Pick your battles: Not every fight is yours to fight. Develop criteria for when to engage, when to delegate, and when to step back.

The long game: sustainability over speed

Remember that sustainable change takes time. The forces opposing equity have had centuries to entrench themselves; dismantling them requires patience, strategy, and self-preservation. Your job isn't to fix everything, it's to contribute your unique gifts while maintaining your humanity.

This work will outlast any single person, organization, or moment of backlash. What matters is that we stay grounded in our values, connected to our purpose, and committed to our own healing so we can continue showing up for the long haul.

Moving forward with intention

The path forward isn't about perfection, it's about practice. It's about choosing values over convenience, community over isolation, and healing over harm. It's about recognizing that in times of uncertainty, our groundedness becomes a gift not just to ourselves, but to everyone whose liberation is connected to our own.

Here at CCI, we will continue to do the work. We lean into precision and protection of the work that matters. And we're right here beside you, practicing our mission with intention and care.

Banner photo by Noah Windler on Unsplash

☕ Need some support as you navigate what it means to stay the course with DEI at this moment, without risking your funding?

We've been head's down, doing the work, for the last few years. We try to share as much as we can in these weekly missives, but realize this moment calls for more.

We are opening up our doors for relaxed, no-pressure, no cost 1:1 conversations (in person in NYC as well as virtually) to share some of our findings and explore what's possible.

There's no pitch unless requested. Just an honest conversation and a listening ear. If you've been craving some support and relief, this is for you.

Find out more and grab your spot here...

Burnout, boundaries, and bliss: strategies for sustainable DEI work