In a troubling turn of events, researchers and institutions dedicated to addressing racial health disparities are facing increasing opposition. The anti-DEI movement has created a climate of fear, targeting scholars who study the impact of racism on health outcomes. David R. Williams and Rachel Hardeman, prominent population health researchers, have been added to a right-wing “watch list” for their work on racism and health. This backlash comes just four years after the nation’s “racial reckoning” following George Floyd’s murder.
The consequences of this pushback are becoming evident. Some grant-making organizations are now asking researchers to avoid using the word “racism” in their work, despite having previously approved projects focused on this very topic. Chandra L. Ford, a professor at Emory University, reveals that a funder requested she stop using certain terminology after her project was already underway. The rationale given was that the political climate had shifted, making such work high-risk.
Despite these challenges, many researchers remain committed to their work. Rachel Hardeman, founding director of the Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity, vows to continue her research on the impact of racism on maternal health, even as she becomes a target for conservative media.
The stakes in this battle are particularly high in healthcare, where centuries of inequities have led to life-or-death consequences. As the anti-DEI movement gains momentum, it threatens to undermine crucial efforts to address systemic racism and inequality in health outcomes.
See “Racism was called a health threat. Then came the DEI backlash” (October 11, 2024)
