If there’s one thing I know for sure right now, it’s this: people working in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are carrying a lot.
They’re committed. They’re principled. They’re still showing up.
And they are tired in their bones.
As I step into my new role as Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion (ISDI), one of my first priorities has been simple, but powerful: listen deeply.
Recently, ISDI sent out a survey to help shape the 2026 Northwest Diversity Learning Series. What came back wasn’t just a list of preferred topics. It was a candid snapshot of how people are feeling right now, and what they need to keep going.
At the same time, I did a deep dive into a number of DEI-focused online discussion groups, to gather data about how practitioners are feeling these days.
What survey respondents and discussion group participants shared was honest, nuanced, and deeply human. Across sectors and roles, the same themes echoed again and again.
“Please tell me I’m not crazy for still believing in this.”
People are looking for encouragement. Not motivational posters. Not platitudes. But reassurance that they are not alone, and not naïve, for holding the line.
Words like burned out, isolated, discouraged, and under attack surfaced repeatedly. Just as often, so did hope, resilience, and still fighting.
The message was clear: we need spaces where people can exhale.
“I want to do the right thing, but I need to know it’s defensible.”
Another strong theme was the demand for clear, current DEI legal guidance.
People are navigating real fear: fear of lawsuits, fear of backlash, fear of getting it wrong while trying to do good. They’re asking smart questions about compliance, guardrails, and what still works in a rapidly shifting legal landscape.
Calm. Credible. Practical. That’s the tone they’re craving.
“Show me what actually works.”
There is very little patience right now for fluffy, performative DEI.
DEI professionals emphasized evidence-based, field-tested best practices, approaches that are measurable, scalable, and grounded in real-world impact. They want implementation, not theory. Receipts, not rhetoric.
This is where trust is built.
“This work can’t cost me my health.”
Self-care showed up not as a luxury, but as a survival strategy.
People talked openly about burnout, emotional labor, secondary trauma, and exhaustion. What they’re asking for isn’t bubble baths. It’s sustainability. Boundaries. Capacity. Ways to stay whole while doing hard, necessary work.
DEI is a long game. No one should have to sacrifice themselves to play it.
“Don’t just tell me what’s wrong, help me act.”
Informants also asked for thoughtful calls to action.
Not reactive outrage. Not endless statements. But coordinated, values-aligned action that people can stand behind on Monday morning.
They want strategy with a spine.
“Is there still a future for me in this work?”
Career anxiety is real.
People are navigating layoffs, pivots, and big questions about where their skills still fit. They’re looking for trusted networks, mission-aligned opportunities, and reassurance that this work, and their expertise, still matters.
Dignity matters too.
“Please stop sending me 400 links.”
There was strong demand for curated, vetted resources, toolkits, templates, and playbooks that respect people’s time and reduce decision fatigue.
High signal. Low fluff.
“I need wisdom, not vibes.”
Mentorship came up again and again.
Not influencer energy. Not hot takes. But guidance from people with lived experience, trusted advisors, peer learning circles, intergenerational wisdom.
Real talk. Real growth.
“What’s true anymore?”
In a landscape flooded with misinformation and fear-mongering, respondents want help separating real DEI news from noise.
They’re looking for clarity, fact-based analysis, and narrative discipline. They want a truth filter they can trust.
“I miss being with people who get it.”
Finally, and maybe most importantly, people want community.
Not another Slack channel. Not another webinar they attend half-exhausted.
They want gatherings that feel like refueling stations. Trusted circles. Places of belonging where they can learn together and remember why this work matters.
What This Means for ISDI, and What Comes Next
Across all of this feedback, four big themes kept repeating:
- Safety (legal, emotional, reputational)
- Credibility (evidence, expertise, truth)
- Sustainability (careers, capacity, longevity)
- Collective power (not doing this alone)
This is the heartbeat guiding ISDI forward.
The 2026 Northwest Diversity Learning Series will be shaped by these insights, grounded in real needs, real conditions, and real solutions.
And we’re going further.
In the coming year, ISDI is launching a membership-based Coalition for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion, a community designed to be exactly what so many respondents described:
A harbor in stormy waters.
A place of clarity, courage, and connection.
A space to learn, act, rest, and build, together.
If this resonates with you, stay close. We’re just getting started, and the work ahead is too important to do alone.
” Inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s a strategic advantage. “
Dr. Kirk Adams, Ph.D.
Advocate, Leader and Keynote Speaker on Disability Inclusion & Leadership
Leading the Way to Accessible Innovation
Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion (ISDI)
Executive Director
Strengthening individual and organizational capability for creating diverse, inclusive and equitable workplaces.
Innovative Impact, LLC Consulting
Managing Director
Impactful Workforce Inclusion Starts Here
American Foundation for the Blind
Immediate Past President & CEO
To create a world of no limits for people who are blind or visually impaired.
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