In a compelling op-ed, Fanta NGom, Director of Business and Human Rights at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, denounces recent federal budget cuts to school mental health services and rural infrastructure—moves justified by attacking diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as “woke ideology.” NGom argues that this rhetoric is a smokescreen for a broader assault on civil and human rights, rooted in a long history of resistance to racial and social progress. 

Far from being divisive, she emphasizes that DEI is essential to ensuring equal opportunity, supporting veterans, students, disabled individuals, and underserved communities. Drawing on Robert F. Kennedy’s legacy, she calls on all sectors of society to stand up for justice and send forth “ripples of hope” that can build a more equitable future.

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