Black is NOT a credential: The corporate scam of DEI

How DEI initiatives are failing and what to do about it.

Welcome to Own Your Ambition, the weekly newsletter with practical tips and strategies to stand in your power, own your value, and position yourself for success. I explore gender related issues in the workplace and beyond, and highlight women who own their talent and ambition.

In this article, I speak with TaChelle Lawson about her new book, Black is Not a Credential: The corporate scam of DEI.

Someone who embraces the power of her voice, Lawson, a black business woman, describes herself as a provocative thought leader. She addresses the sensitive topic of the failure of DEI initiatives in the workplace, and offers her best advice on how to make them more effective.

The murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police in 2020 was a shocking reality check for many Americans. No longer could we deny that racial violence is a part of our everyday lives.

The event triggered racial unrest and protests across the country. Thousands marched to show their outrage and support for the black community.

Corporate America also demonstrated a renewed support and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as new positions and departments were created to further their initiatives..

“Many corporate leaders pledged to hire more people of color, removed branding perceived to be racist and invested in historically Black colleges.

These efforts were largely supported, amid a so-called “racial reckoning” that revealed the many systemic inequities in American society, including the workplace.

But critics called DEI initiatives racist and questioned their effectiveness. The data suggests some businesses are now, in fact, reversing their course on DEI programs as a consequence. Recently, Walmart joined Ford, Boeing, John Deere, Harley-Davidson, Black & Decker, Caterpillar, and rural retailer Tractor Supply in abandoning their inclusivity and so called ‘woke’ efforts.

TaChelle Lawson, author of Black is NOT a Credential: The Corporate Scam of DEI, is a critic of current DEI programming for different reasons as she questions the fundamental principle of what she calls the “Black Credential”.

As a Black woman in business, Lawson has experienced the pressure to represent her race along with the frustration of being underestimated. “The expectation that I should be ‘grateful’ for opportunities simply because of my identity is offensive. My achievements are rooted in expertise, strategy, and leadership—not my skin color. That’s why I call out this flawed mindset—it’s insulting and dangerous.”

Lawson also recognizes the flip side of DEI, “I’ve seen individuals promoted from receptionists to Directors of Diversity solely because of their identity. These promotions often came without the training or support needed to lead teams, budgets, or strategies. As a result, these individuals relied on limited knowledge and experience, which hasn’t always benefited their organizations. When their initiatives failed, the blame was pinned on DEI itself—not the poor decision to promote or elevate based on Black Credentials.”

Lawson shares that these DEI initiatives have “the tendency to reduce an individual’s qualifications, contributions, and value to their racial identity. This mindset emerged as a knee-jerk reaction to the killing of George Floyd, which sent the country into a race-centered panic. People began asking, ‘What the hell is going on in this country?’ and overcorrected in ways we didn’t realize were damaging until it was too late.”

“Understanding the concept of the Black Credential is critical because it undermines true diversity and perpetuates tokenism.

Lawson adds, “When race is prioritized over skills, capabilities, and value, companies fail to deliver the very things they claim to support: fairness and equity. Every time a Black person without credentials is elevated, a person with credentials is questioned or doubted.”

Overcorrection fails to deliver results

“Overcorrection occurs when companies panic in response to social pressures and create performative policies and programs that lack depth and strategy. It’s like slapping a Band-Aid on a gaping wound. Instead of pausing to understand the problem, they overcorrect out of guilt, making donations to non-profits and hiring or promoting based on race instead of contributions to the company.

This approach often backfires, harming company culture and failing to deliver results. It’s no coincidence that companies are now drastically scaling back on DEI efforts. Overcorrection doesn’t solve problems; it creates new ones.”

The failure of DEI programs

According to Lawson, “DEI initiatives fall short because they focus on checking boxes and getting a pat on the back for effort. Companies fail to align these efforts with business goals. Without a clear purpose, accountability, and leadership buy-in, DEI becomes just another expense—a program that fades into irrelevance once the C-Suite realizes there’s no ROI.”

Her recommendation is to change the approach to “one rooted in strategy, not panic or reactive, emotional decisions.”

One important change Lawson supports is to shift the responsibility for DEI from Human Resources to the C-suite. “DEI is beyond its (HR) capabilities. Most HR teams are stretched thin and are not known for strategic insight. Handing DEI to HR was the first mistake—it reduced a complex issue to hiring practices. DEI became about race, leading to generic policies and performative training sessions that did more harm than good.

To do better, companies must elevate DEI to the C-Suite and treat it as a strategic solution to business challenges.

Companies are failing at equity vs. equality

 “Companies are failing at both,” in Lawson’s opinion. “These issues are too complex to be lumped into an acronym and handed to people who don’t fully understand them. Equity is about leveling the playing field, while equality ensures everyone starts with the same resources. Both play a role. But we haven’t achieved either. Why?

Because it’s usually reduced to race, and they’re both much deeper than that, equity as a standalone solution is aspirational at best.”

MEI as a response to woke DEI tactics

MEI is merit, excellence and intelligence. Lawson supports MEI because it prioritizes merit over diversity. That being said, diversity and intelligence are not mutually exclusive. Lawson applauds companies that combine diverse perspectives with excellence. These are the companies that see transformative results.

Lawson adds, “Consumers are savvier than ever, and the winning formula lies in the synergy of merit, diversity, and excellence – not sacrificing one over the other.”

What are you thoughts about the effectiveness of corporate DEI programs?

What is your company currently doing to support diversity and inclusion?

To order TaChelle’s book: www.blackisnotacredential.com