"Do you want the job because you're Black or because you're the best?" That's the question Pharrell Williams recently asked. The thing is, we've been the best, but anti-Black people and policies have kept us from the opportunities we deserve. Let's unpack this myth that Black can’t be best.
One anti-DEI talking point is that it favors unqualified Black candidates, but nothing could be further from the truth. DEI was created to rectify the discrimination that has deprived marginalized people of the opportunities that whites have always taken for granted.
It was never a 'Black' pass that guaranteed hiring or acceptance. According to Forbes, despite programs and policies designed to address systemic inequities, many organizations and institutions continue to struggle with hiring, retaining, and supporting employees from underrepresented populations.
DEI isn't about quotas. It's about creating opportunities that we've long qualified for but aren't granted due to the anti-Black bias baked into a society built on slavery, racism, and discrimination. Williams even owns Black Ambition, a nonprofit designed to "close the opportunity and wealth gaps" through entrepreneurship.
William's comments just parrot right-wing talking points and push Black capitalism as the key to our liberation. While we should start and support Black businesses, we cannot entrepreneur our way out of systemic racism. DEI was created to help us get the opportunities that we've earned and deserve. And with or without it, we gon' be alright.