I remember a time when diversity training at work meant watching a dusty VHS of people in ill-fitting suits role-playing awkward scenarios while someone in HR handed out stale cookies. Now, we’ve got rainbow logos every June, companies tweeting support for causes, and LinkedIn profiles full of DEI titles that didn’t even exist ten years ago. Progress? Kind of. But it’s more complicated than that—and like most things, it deserves a closer look beyond the press releases and pastel-colored infographics.
Social justice movements—especially those led by Black, brown, queer, disabled, and other marginalized communities—have undeniably left their fingerprints all over the modern workplace. From the resurgence of Black Lives Matter to the increased visibility of trans rights advocacy, we’re watching centuries-old calls for equality seep into boardrooms that once couldn’t be bothered. And yet, as someone who has worked in both healthcare and hospitality, let me just say: slapping a rainbow on your email signature and calling it a day is not the revolution.
One of the most visible shifts has been the rise of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Companies now routinely hire DEI officers, host unconscious bias training, and publish glossy diversity reports. These changes stem, at least in part, from real pressure. The murder of George Floyd and the protests of 2020 forced a reckoning. Employees and consumers alike began demanding that companies take a stand—and not just performative ones. Businesses learned that silence wasn’t neutral anymore. Inaction had consequences. And suddenly, CEOs were scrambling to tweet something “woke” while legal teams whispered behind them to be careful.
Of course, social media helped accelerate this. Corporate brands now live and die by public perception, and one viral tweet can undo a decade of curated messaging. The Starbucks red cup debacle, Nike’s Colin Kaepernick campaign, Target’s Pride merch debacle—love or hate them, they reveal a pattern: public accountability is real, and it’s forcing companies to pick a side. And when they try to walk the fence? Oh, we notice. We drag them. Cancel culture may not always be fair, but it’s a hell of a motivator.
Still, not all change is good change. What we often see is what I call hashtag diversity: initiatives that are more about optics than outcomes. You’ve got companies with glossy marketing around inclusivity while their C-suite is still 90% white men named Chad. You’ve got brands celebrating Pride Month while donating to politicians who vote against LGBTQ+ rights. You’ve got wellness seminars about “bringing your whole self to work” while penalizing Black employees for natural hairstyles. The dissonance is exhausting—and insulting.
Performative activism isn’t just lazy. It’s dangerous. It waters down movements born out of real struggle and packages them into brand-safe narratives. It allows companies to profit off the aesthetic of change without doing the hard, messy, internal work it requires. And yes, I’m looking directly at those corporations that released “Black Lives Matter” statements while their own employees reported racism within their ranks. Or the ones who posted cute International Women’s Day graphics while paying women 75 cents on the dollar. We see you.
But it’s not all bleak. There are companies that are getting it right—or at least trying to. The best examples usually have one thing in common: they treat DEI like a structural priority, not a PR campaign. That means allocating real budgets, empowering marginalized leaders, and actually listening to feedback. It means being transparent about where they fall short and showing progress over time, not just once a year on a color-coded chart.
As a former nursing administrator and now hotel GM, I’ve watched firsthand how these changes play out on the ground level. Hiring practices have improved, conversations around pronouns are more common, and I’ve been able to bring more of my full self into spaces that used to demand quiet assimilation. Still, the work is slow. And let’s be honest—some of it is reactive. Many companies didn’t move until the pressure became unbearable. That’s not allyship. That’s liability management.
So what does real cultural change look like? It starts when a company realizes that equity isn’t just an HR issue—it’s a business imperative. Diverse teams perform better. Inclusive environments reduce turnover. Employees who feel seen are more engaged. This isn’t theory; it’s backed by study after study. But beyond the spreadsheets, it’s also just right. People deserve to work in places where they’re respected, valued, and protected.
I’ve also noticed that younger employees aren’t content to play nice anymore—and I love it. Gen Z is marching into interviews asking about mental health policies, gender-neutral restrooms, and sustainability goals. They’re not afraid to call BS, and they have no problem quitting if the culture is toxic. They’re asking questions I never felt brave enough to ask at their age, and it gives me hope. Companies now have to answer to a generation that won’t be shamed into silence or politeness.
Of course, none of this guarantees permanence. There’s a backlash brewing too—one that accuses DEI of being “woke overreach” or “reverse discrimination.” Laws are being proposed (and passed) to gut DEI programs, ban inclusive education, and erase hard-won visibility. And some corporations, sensing the political winds shifting, are already backpedaling. It’s proof that progress is always fragile. The moment you stop fighting for it, it starts to erode.
But we fight anyway. Because representation matters. Because fair pay matters. Because safety matters. Because for many of us, these aren’t just corporate trends—they’re lifelines. They’re about whether we can show up to work without hiding who we are. Whether we can climb the ladder without hitting an invisible ceiling. Whether our humanity is honored, not just marketed.
So no, a Pride-themed frappuccino won’t change the world. But a company that hires trans employees, supports their healthcare, listens to employee concerns, and models ethical leadership? That just might.
The challenge now is holding companies to their word—and ourselves to the fire. We can’t let hashtags replace hard truths. We can’t let momentum become memory. We’ve seen what’s possible. Now we have to demand it.