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DEI Rollback: How it could impact people with disabilities?

President Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday that will see federal government agencies cease to consider diversity within hiring protocols and remove it from employee training programs. He also ordered all federal employees who work in DEI programs to be placed on paid leave.

Officials say DEI was created because marginalized communities have not always had equal opportunities for jobs or felt a sense of belonging in majority-White corporate settings.

While DEI policies and programs help to promote gender and race equity in the workplace, Richard Balocco with Desert Arc says those with disabilities are sometimes left out of the conversation.

“We know they’ve been underrepresented, we’ve seen that... What we’ve often talked about, DEI to me has long been the appearance, the color of a skin.”

Richard Balocco, Desert Arc CEO

Disability advocates say making disability a cornerstone of DEI conversations is imperative to ensuring these conversations are more meaningful, educational and celebratory.

But with DEI efforts under siege, advocates are concerned about the impact this could have on opportunities for those with disabilities.

“What it could change is whether some of our clients get employed. That it could change.”

Richard Balocco, Desert Arc CEO

He adds some of the divisive rhetoric around DEI stems from misunderstanding.

For information on disability services, click here.

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Luis Avila

Luis Avila joined KESQ News Channel 3 as a multimedia journalist in June 2024. Learn more about Luis here.

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