Written by Aang Lakey, Life Coach, Consultant & Speaker
Aang Lakey is the founder and CEO of Increasing Consciousness, a company dedicated to facilitating global equity through leadership coaching and education. Aang is well known for connecting key research areas in the self-development, human intelligence, DEI, and violence prevention realms to empower leaders to facilitate systemic change.
Are we doomed to repeat history? The recent wave of federal actions dismantling Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices, eliminating DEI-focused roles, and scaling back civil rights protections should alarm us all. These moves, presented under the guise of budgetary concerns or ideological shifts, have deeper implications that echo dangerous historical precedents. From blatantly false claims that the DEI movement is somehow discriminatory against white people to the implications that women do not warrant equal rights, I cannot help but compare these recent developments to the gradual erosion of rights in Nazi Germany. The erosion of rights that led to the deaths of millions began not with violence, but with strategic exclusion, divisive rhetoric, and the dismantling of institutions that upheld equity and justice. Sound familiar?
The slippery slope
History teaches us that systemic oppression does not emerge overnight. In Nazi Germany, the early 1930s saw a calculated effort to marginalize Jewish communities and other vulnerable groups through propaganda and policies that sowed division and fear. The progression from exclusion to genocide followed a path paved with carefully constructed narratives designed to normalize discrimination.
Today, the rollback of DEI initiatives and civil rights protections in the U.S. follows a disturbingly similar trajectory, where public discourse increasingly frames diversity efforts as unnecessary, divisive, or even harmful to the majority. The rollback, coupled with the “truth seekers” email the government has created to force employees to report any people or activities related to DEI, should be enough to make your skin crawl.
Government-backed rhetoric that dismisses DEI initiatives and civil rights protections as "woke" or "reverse discrimination" is simply meant to distract people from the real issues at hand and serves to delegitimize the foundational values of equity and inclusion. In doing so, it creates an environment where discrimination is tacitly approved and those who push back against injustice are labeled as radicals or troublemakers. We cannot allow extremists to shape the narrative and divide our focus. If history teaches us anything, it is that this is a huge red flag and must be addressed.
The function of propaganda in undermining equity
A key tactic of oppressive regimes has always been the weaponization of language and media. Nazi propaganda systematically dehumanized marginalized groups, making their exclusion seem logical and even necessary to the broader public. In today’s climate, misinformation and fear-based messaging are similarly being leveraged to turn public sentiment against DEI efforts. Whether through targeted media campaigns or legislative maneuvers, the goal remains the same: to erode public trust in the principles of equity and justice.
The recent moves to dissolve DEI offices, remove funding for programs addressing systemic inequities, and repeal protections for marginalized communities are not isolated actions; they are part of a broader ideological campaign to redefine the narrative around fairness and opportunity.
History has proven time and again that violence, in any form, starts with the objectification and dehumanization of others. This shift in perception alters the psyche just enough to create the moral ambiguity needed to justify harm. The quickest and easiest way to achieve this goal is through propaganda and divisive rhetoric. As a society, we must identify these clearly calculated moves for what they are and rise up against them. If we fail to do so, we will be doomed to repeat history.
The alarming impact on society and organizations
Just as the incremental stripping away of rights in Nazi Germany led to social and economic isolation, the erosion of DEI initiatives today threatens the well-being of historically marginalized communities in workplaces and beyond. Moreover, the rollback of civil rights protections paves the way for a resurgence of discrimination and exclusion, creating environments where inequity flourishes unchecked.
Right now, so many people are scared and isolated, trying to figure out how to survive in this context. We must ensure we are reaching out to our friends and families, reassuring them that we are with them, and keeping each other’s hopes high. Isolation and fear are exactly what these rollbacks are meant to breed.
Learning from history to protect our future
The lessons of history demand that we remain vigilant. While today’s circumstances may differ in context, the underlying patterns remain strikingly similar. It is imperative that leaders across sectors recognize the dangers of allowing incremental rollbacks to go unchallenged.
We must not allow political parties to reframe the conversation around DEI and basic civil rights in a negative light. All people deserve basic human rights and equitable access to opportunity and prosperity. It is essential to reemphasize the role of equity and inclusion in fostering innovation, collaboration, and sustainable success for all. More importantly, we must collectively resist efforts to erase progress by remaining steadfast in our commitment.
Conclusion: A call for leadership consciousness
In the face of these challenges, leadership consciousness is more vital than ever. This moment calls for courage to stand against the tides of regression and champion the values that make our workplaces and society stronger, more inclusive, and ultimately, more just. Citizens at all levels must challenge oppressive systems and advocate for meaningful, systemic change, or we may inevitably find ourselves reliving the worst atrocities of our time.
History has shown us what happens when we turn a blind eye to injustice. We must ensure that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past by allowing today's slow erosion of DEI and civil rights efforts to go unchallenged. Equity is not a trend; it is a fundamental principle of a just society, and it is worth defending at all costs.
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Aang Lakey, Life Coach, Consultant & Speaker
Aang Lakey is a leader in ushering in a new wave of global consciousness. Their work facilitates global equity by educating and coaching leadership teams to integrate reflexivity, intentionality, and anti-oppressive practices into their daily lives and leadership styles. Through the principle of refraction, Aang encourages leaders to touch as many people as possible by living with integrity and emanating congruence in their leadership. Their approach is simple: elevate your own consciousness and watch the ripple effect that has on every aspect of your life and with every person you interact with.
