This article was originally published by The Emancipator.
As an expert in organizational behavior and a Black woman who has spent almost 15 years in publishing, I find myself conducting an interesting sort of embedded fieldwork of my own industry.
Professionally, I analyze the industry’s struggle with diversity, equity, and inclusion, while simultaneously navigating these complexities firsthand.
The first time I interviewed for a job at one of the “Big Five” publishing houses was in 2012. Halfway through, the executive leaned in and asked, “Are both of your parents Black?” That deeply inappropriate question made for an uncomfortable interview.
It was also a harbinger of the challenges facing diversity initiatives in publishing — challenges that have now reached a critical inflection point.
What amounted to subtle exclusions, quiet biases, and the persistent sense of not belonging when I took that job in 2012 have escalated to something much more brazen and ugly in 2025.
With the new administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its aggressive mandate to eliminate DEI programs across federal agencies, private sector institutions — including publishing — feel pressured to aggressively reverse any efforts to address systemic inequities.
This is part of a larger “anti-woke” rhetoric designed to stoke division and sustain systems of exclusion under the guise of rejecting performative change.
Conservative DEI opponents often accuse DEI programs of being counterproductive, divisive, and even racist, but this framing is both disingenuous and dangerous.
The question before us isn’t whether DEI is worth investing in. Both data and moral necessity settled that debate long ago, despite current political headwinds.
Studies by lead consulting firms, including Deloitte, McKinsey & Company, and the Boston Consulting Group, have consistently shown that diversity efforts have demonstrated measurable success in fostering innovation, improving workplace cultures, and expanding the breadth of stories and perspectives that industries like publishing can offer. The challenge now is to adapt and evolve these initiatives in the face of their annihilation and ensure they remain sustained and impactful.
In moments like these, we need tools to move forward — not just defensively, but constructively.
I rooted my approach in the concept of appreciative inquiry, a framework for positive change developed by an organizational scholar, David Cooperrider, who teaches us that the questions we ask shape the reality we create.
Instead of asking, “How can we defend DEI initiatives in this hostile climate?” we might ask, “Where have our diversity efforts created the most value, and how can we build on these successes?”
This approach allows us to move beyond defensive postures and focus on generative, actionable initiatives while also acknowledging that not every aspect of DEI work has an immediate, measurable return.
By shifting the conversation from justification to strategic evolution, we can even position for long-term success the efforts still in progress.
When viewed through this lens, DEI programs reveal patterns worth examining. For example, publishing imprints that have successfully diversified their author bases share common characteristics: community-based acquisition strategies and decision-making processes that explicitly value diverse perspectives.
These approaches, rooted in intentionality and accountability, offer clear models for sustainable progress. By studying these successful models, we can identify replicable practices that help publishers better connect with the growing diversity of our readership and market share — and, crucially, drive profitability.
A powerful example is “Immortal Dark,” a 2024 novel by Ethiopian writer Tigest Girma, which disrupted the fantasy genre long dominated by White women authors. Steeped in East African myths, an editorial team committed to diversity and inclusion championed it. It debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list and remained there for 12 weeks.
The same editorial division also published Grace Lin’s “Where the Mountain Meets the Moon,” a fantasy novel woven with Chinese folklore that has also gone on to become a New York Times bestseller, as well as a Newbery Honor Book. It has sold more than a million copies to date. Contrary to the false notion that DEI lifts unqualified candidates, these commercial successes are a testament to the market’s appetite for diverse works that needed the industry’s faith and investment.
In order to maintain this momentum, publishing must adopt a proactive and unapologetic approach to DEI — not just as a reaction to criticism of its lack of diversity, but as a reaffirmation of its vital role in shaping cultural narratives.
DEI is not about quotas or optics; it is about building an industry and a society that reflects the full breadth of the human experience. As a steward of our cultural discourse, publishing has a unique opportunity to reject the forces of exclusion and demonstrate what thoughtful, effective DEI initiatives can achieve.
Publishing has a great business case for DEI because we cater to a diverse readership and it’s simply good business sense to understand the perspectives of diverse communities to drive sales.
We must remain steadfast in this work — especially in the face of DEI’s most hostile critics, their cynicism must not dictate our course. DEI is not just about the publishing industry — it is about the culture and democracy it serves and the stories that shape who we are and who we aspire to be.
This is the moment to lead — not cautiously, but with purpose and conviction. When the political tides seek to tow us down to a dark, segregated past, we must thrash against it with all our strength.
Images and links to external resources added by the Zany Progressive editor. Read her article: Why the Right Blames DEI next.
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