What’s happening with DEI in Wisconsin?

Mar 27

We’ve been hearing a lot about “DEI” lately, haven’t we? Looks like the billionaire-backed politicians are testing out another boogeyman they can scapegoat while they attack our freedoms. Luckily, by now, we know that you are onto their gimmicks. And that’s a great start– being onto them is half the work– but we still need you to amplify truth and break through the noise.

Use this month’s guide to have conversations, spread the message, and stand up for the best in us all.

What is DEI, anyway?

Imagine playing Monopoly, where, in the beginning, one player gets to collect money for the first three times around the board while everyone else has to wait. Even though the rules change after those initial rounds, that first player still has an advantage because they got ahead early. This is similar to how rules and systems in America have long favored certain groups, like white communities and especially wealthy white men. These old advantages still affect us all today.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) are policies designed to balance out opportunities so that everyone, no matter our race, place, or gender, has the freedom to make a good living and have a good life.

Diversity: This means having a wide variety of people with different backgrounds, races, genders, and abilities. Just like having a diverse group of friends brings different perspectives, diversity in schools, workplaces, and communities makes them stronger and more interesting. Everyone's unique experiences and viewpoints add value.

Equity: Think of a garden where different plants need different amounts of sunlight to grow. Equity is like adjusting the garden so that each plant gets the right amount of sunlight it needs to thrive. Some plants might need more shade, while others need more sun. Equity means giving each plant the specific conditions it requires to grow healthy and strong. It's about recognizing and accommodating differences to promote fairness and justice for all.

Inclusion: Inclusion is ensuring everyone feels welcome and valued. DEI policies ensure that nobody is excluded or discriminated against because of who they are. It's about creating an environment where everyone feels respected and appreciated.

DEI policies ensure fairness, inclusivity, and opportunity for everyone. When everyone feels accepted and supported, they can work together more effectively and achieve a better future for all Wisconsinites.

What’s happening with DEI in Wisconsin?

The WI Assembly is attacking Wisconsinites by cutting DEI programs in the state government and university system, including withholding raises from University of Wisconsin employees until the system agrees to freeze DEI positions. They are firing system regents who support DEI practices and trying to advance legislation to limit DEI programs. It’s the same scheme we see from them over and over again: distraction, division, deflection. They point the finger at Black, Brown and LGBTQ people for our problems to distract us while they look for more ways to rig the rules in their favor.

Take Action

Our friends at Leaders Igniting Transformation build political power for young people of color. They have been on the forefront of championing DEI and are crucial in transforming Wisconsin to be a better place for us all.

If you are or know a student, invite them to join one of LIT's youth-led chapters across the state that are mobilizing around DEI-related issues year-round at their schools, on their campuses, and in their communities.

You can also get involved in election work with LIT to support and vote for candidates at the local, state and national level that support DEI efforts across the board, especially in our public education system.

Key Narrative Guidance

As always, here’s how we express our most effective messages, step-by-step:

Lead with our values, explicitly naming that they are shared across races, backgrounds, and genders.
Name specific people who violate our values (i.e. Trump Republicans, certain politicians) and expose their motivation for spreading lies and scapegoating people in our community.
Inspire action with a clear call to action, like calling your legislators or coming together as voters this April and November.
Close with a positive vision of our future and how we can come together, as we have in the past, to make that happen.

And remember, stay away from:

Negating our opposition’s falsehoods because this only reinforces their lie, such as saying, “DEI is not ____.”
Fact-checking or offering versions of our opponent’s frames centers their message. People want to hear what our values are.

Sample Narrative

From Up North to Milwaukee’s Northside, most of us want our home state to be a place where people of all races and backgrounds are free to pursue our dreams.

But these days, while everyday Wisconsinites fight to bring down barriers, Robin Vos and other Republican politicians want to create new obstacles to keep people of color and LGBTQ folks out of higher education and government. They are trying to make us dizzy with their divisive tactics– because they know if we see clearly, it’s over for them. They scapegoat Black and brown students and educators to distract us from how they’ve rigged the rules for corporations and denied us policies and resources that Wisconsin families overwhelmingly favor, from fair maps that make our communities whole and deliver what our schools and families need, to paid time to care for loved ones. They want to rule over us, not represent us.

Now it’s our time to show up, reject this division as we have done in the past, and chart a better future for all of us, no matter our ages, races, or genders. By joining together, calling our representatives, and demanding action, we can ensure each one of us has the freedom to make a good living and have a good life – no exceptions.

DO’s & DON’Ts

CHARACTERIZE the opposition: Who is violating our values? How are they doing it? What is their motivation? What role does race play?

DON’T

Get caught up in the weeds & merits of DEI policies.

LEAD with shared values — such as community, safety, prosperity, equity, justice, or fairness — in a way that names race and class while bringing people together.

DON’T

Repeat their claims, even to refute them

SHOW our vision of why DEI makes our state a better place

DON’T

Talk in the opponent’s frame of what DEI is

Sample Tweets and Snippets

Because sometimes you only have a moment or a sentence to rebut or persuade, here are some of the important points to uplift.

Wisconsin's diversity is our strength. But while we work to break down barriers, some politicians aim to build new ones. Together, we can reject division, champion DEI, and fight for a future where everyone is welcome.

From Up North to Milwaukee's northside, we share a vision of a state where we are all free to pursue our dreams. Yet, some Republican politicians in our capital seek to exclude us based on what we look like or where we come from. It's time to unite, demand change, and give everyone what they need – so all of us thrive.

We won't stand by as politicians try to divide us. Whether Black, white or brown, young or old, LGBTQ+ or not, we're all in this together. It's time to demand leaders committed to DEI and other policies that reflect our values and ensure we all have the freedom to thrive.

Robin Vos and his allies are trying to sow division, but they can't stop us from coming together across race and place. Together, we can reject their tactics, demand change, and pave the way for a Wisconsin where everyone has the freedom to make a good living and have a good life.

And from our friends at IntoAction Lab, here are some graphics you can attach to any social media posts.