Last summer, I quizzed the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the University of Utah on whether or not they would fight to protect DEI in higher education — specifically for our institution — amidst incoming legislative attacks. They couldn’t answer. And that makes sense, considering how after Gov. Spencer Cox condemned signed diversity statements in hiring, the U President’s Office removed any mentions of diversity from job postings.

It appears that, like I said last year, legislative attacks are really only supplemental to verbal ones, as a few words from elected leaders immediately have Taylor Randall and co. bowing down to the legislature.

But it doesn’t matter now — H.B. 261, the anti-DEI bill sponsored by Rep. Katy Hall, passed its last major vote in the Senate. It now heads to the governor’s desk, where he will sign it into law.

The Utah officials who support the bill deny that communities of color struggle to make it to higher education and other coveted spaces once designated for whites only. They deny the very real statistics of the school-to-prison pipeline and racial wealth gaps, which keep people of color from attending higher education institutions. They forget — or rather, refuse to acknowledge — that white people have had systems and resources in place that have helped them reach higher education, wealth and status. And by overhauling DEI programs across the state, these officials effectively shut out opportunities for others — people of color, really — to access the places and offices they have.

Despite passionate pleas from groups like Utah Students Unite, the Black Menaces and other Utahns — groups who will no doubt be affected by H.B. 261 — Utah officials pushed the bill through the legislature with incredible speed. Even upon learning that their bill could jeopardize tuition waivers for Indigenous students, sponsors Hall and Sen. Keith Grover pushed forward anyway — despite admitting they hadn’t thought of the bill’s full impacts.

I could say this goes to show that Utah officials don’t care about people of color in this state, but we already know Utah has a problem with racism. We have school districts with racial harassment lawsuits and parents opting their kids out of Black History Month lessons. As if the adults aren’t bad enough, kids have made monkey noises and barked at students of color during basketball games. We like to act surprised and horrified at these events, but the legislature’s decision to feign ignorance of them reinforces racist attitudes and antagonism toward DEI.

Attacks on DEI aren’t new, and they won’t stop. However, what legislators fail to realize is that DEI programs are not about political ideologies or scholarships based on race. DEI also isn’t about the exclusion of white people. Rather, DEI is the inclusion and support of people who were enslaved, exploited and oppressed in this country based on demographic characteristics out of their control. DEI programs are here to make up for that, little by little.

These programs not only promote a sense of belonging in communities often left out of spaces and conversations, but allow us to confront inaccurate historical narratives and consistent racism in our country — something we desperately need.

But unfortunately, listing reasons to keep DEI programs doesn’t help anymore because our voices fall on deaf ears.

Besides the fact that H.B. 261 and the viewpoints demonstrated by public officials undermine the very real systemic and incidental racism communities of color face, it’s most disappointing to see how President Randall and the U administration — who once staunchly supported DEI — are now silent.

In a conversation with the Chronicle in September, Randall said that his discussions with the legislature over DEI were “productive” and “yielding points of common ground.” He said, “Everyone is on the same page with respect to promoting access to the system.” When talking about potential legislative attacks on DEI, he said, “We’ll speak to that common ground and continue to ask that we’re able to do the good work around diversity, equity and inclusion that we’ve done.”

But clearly, there is no common ground. Our legislators don’t think people of color deserve access to the system. To them, since DEI programs don’t help white people, they don’t help at all.

And I’m not the only student upset with our campus administration’s response. Eliana Massey of Utah Students Unite expressed the same sentiment.

“I think the university’s response is disappointing,” they said. “I understand that the university might not have a ton of leverage with the legislature, but I think it’s disappointing, at a time like this, when so many students are scared, to put out a message saying, ‘We’ll comply with whatever the legislature thinks is best,’ when clearly the legislature does not think that diversity, equity or inclusion is best.”

We can keep explaining why we need DEI, but that will not be enough for the ever-rising racism coming from our public officials. For supporters of DEI, opponents will continue to label them evil.

If pushing for more racial diversity on campuses, establishing resources for marginalized communities and promoting spaces of belonging for Black and brown students is evil, then call me the devil. If I have to dedicate my life and legacy to upholding DEI in a place where it’s not welcome, then so be it, because we have a lot to answer for in this country, even if the legislature doesn’t think so.

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@CamdenAlexande1