Fun and exciting news, I was invited on a KING5 news segment a few weeks ago to share my opinion on the term “DEI Hire” and why this term is racist and harmful.
It was a full circle-moment for me because I studied journalism in school and that was my dream job for years. To be invited on local TV to talk about racism, DEI, and politics was surreal. I also had a blast visiting the office and meeting Sharon Yoo, the producer of Facing Race at KING5 was such a joy.
But enough about my fun time at the studio, let’s dive into what was discussed on the segment.
Recently, the term “DEI hire” has received an uptick in coverage. Large networks have been hurling around the term in a derogatory fashion and we need to talk about it.
Most recently, Rep. Harriet Hageman of Wyoming decided to share her opinion on VP Kamala Harris securing the Democratic nomination for president.
“I think she’s one of the weakest candidates I’ve ever seen in the history of our country. I mean intellectually, just really kind of the bottom of the barrel. … I think that she was a DEI hire,”
The term “DEI hire” has been used to describe Black and brown people in positions of power. The connotation is that the only reason that we could be successful is if we had an unfair advantage. Hageman’s statement reinforces the idea that there is no way that a Black woman could possibly get to the position of potential president of the U.S. on merit alone. It had to be a “leg up” based on DEI policies.
Forget that VP Harris has had a long career as a prosecutor and district attorney. She also has been officially in politics for almost 10 years, and has a track record of being respected.
The irony is that the people who are calling VP Kamala Harris a “DEI Hire” have almost certainly benefited from systemic advantages due to their gender, social status and race.
While personally, I have an issue with Harris stance/non-stance on a ceasefire in Palestine, I still believe she deserves the respect to be seen as a viable candidate and not a “DEI Hire”, which diminishes the hard work and dedication that was needed to reach this level of her career.
Have you heard the term DEI hire? Share your thoughts below.
