Jelani Cobb

And sometimes they just represent a kind of inertia of networks, that people hire people who they know, people who they know tend to have similar backgrounds and that kind of thing. And diversity is meant to be a kind of

And sometimes they just represent a kind of inertia of networks, that people hire people who they know, people who they know tend to have similar backgrounds and that kind of thing. And diversity is meant to be a kind of

self-aware approach to saying, hey, as opposed to just operating in the way that we always had, let's try to make sure that we reach out to people who might not have been considered previously.

self-aware approach to saying, hey, as opposed to just operating in the way that we always had, let's try to make sure that we reach out to people who might not have been considered previously.

self-aware approach to saying, hey, as opposed to just operating in the way that we always had, let's try to make sure that we reach out to people who might not have been considered previously.

Well, here's the thing. Prior to the last few years, certainly prior to the rise of Donald Trump as a political force, most of the criticism you saw of DEI was from the left. You know, people felt that it was toothless. It was kind of checking boxes.

Well, here's the thing. Prior to the last few years, certainly prior to the rise of Donald Trump as a political force, most of the criticism you saw of DEI was from the left. You know, people felt that it was toothless. It was kind of checking boxes.

Well, here's the thing. Prior to the last few years, certainly prior to the rise of Donald Trump as a political force, most of the criticism you saw of DEI was from the left. You know, people felt that it was toothless. It was kind of checking boxes.

When you looked at between 2010 and 2020, the number of non-white lawyers in the United States, according to the American Bar Association, went from 11% to 14%. which means that the number of white lawyers in the United States went from 89% down to 86, that steep drop in that timeframe. That kind of progress was seen as really incremental. And in fact, the most cynical views of DEI

When you looked at between 2010 and 2020, the number of non-white lawyers in the United States, according to the American Bar Association, went from 11% to 14%. which means that the number of white lawyers in the United States went from 89% down to 86, that steep drop in that timeframe. That kind of progress was seen as really incremental. And in fact, the most cynical views of DEI

When you looked at between 2010 and 2020, the number of non-white lawyers in the United States, according to the American Bar Association, went from 11% to 14%. which means that the number of white lawyers in the United States went from 89% down to 86, that steep drop in that timeframe. That kind of progress was seen as really incremental. And in fact, the most cynical views of DEI

saw it as a kind of corporate insurance. If anyone said that this institution discriminates, they can say, look at our DEI policies.

saw it as a kind of corporate insurance. If anyone said that this institution discriminates, they can say, look at our DEI policies.

saw it as a kind of corporate insurance. If anyone said that this institution discriminates, they can say, look at our DEI policies.

So, I mean, I think that there's a kind of skeptical way of looking at this. And certainly, having sat through various trainings of various sorts, I didn't necessarily leave any of them feeling as if I was brimming with new knowledge. Right.

So, I mean, I think that there's a kind of skeptical way of looking at this. And certainly, having sat through various trainings of various sorts, I didn't necessarily leave any of them feeling as if I was brimming with new knowledge. Right.

So, I mean, I think that there's a kind of skeptical way of looking at this. And certainly, having sat through various trainings of various sorts, I didn't necessarily leave any of them feeling as if I was brimming with new knowledge. Right.

So I think that what's happened around Trump and, you know, we mentioned, you know, the McCarthy era before. And I think there's an important parallel between Trump and McCarthy. There are lots of important parallels. But in this one particular case, you know, everything that was associated with Joseph McCarthy happened. happened prior to Joseph McCarthy.

So I think that what's happened around Trump and, you know, we mentioned, you know, the McCarthy era before. And I think there's an important parallel between Trump and McCarthy. There are lots of important parallels. But in this one particular case, you know, everything that was associated with Joseph McCarthy happened. happened prior to Joseph McCarthy.

So I think that what's happened around Trump and, you know, we mentioned, you know, the McCarthy era before. And I think there's an important parallel between Trump and McCarthy. There are lots of important parallels. But in this one particular case, you know, everything that was associated with Joseph McCarthy happened. happened prior to Joseph McCarthy.