Rantz: Amazon ditching DEI programs following Trump election, threat of spotlight

Amazon is joining a growing list of large companies ditching so-called “diversity, equity and inclusion” (DEI) programs. The announcement came shortly after conservative activist and social media influencer Robby Starbuck told Amazon he was investigating their DEI efforts.

Amazon Human Resources Executive Candi Castleberry emailed staff about the updates to their DEI initiatives. The announcement explained that they would be ditching programs focused on “individual groups” and instead offer initiatives open to every employee.

“We worked to unify employee groups together under one umbrella, and build programs that are open to all,” the Amazon memo stated, obtained by FOX Business. “Rather than have individual groups build programs, we are focusing on programs with proven outcomes – and we also aim to foster a more truly inclusive culture.”

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How did Amazon ditch the woke DEI initiatives?

The memo didn’t detail which specific programs would be cut. But Amazon did remove sections from its website focused on “Equity for Black people,” “LGBTQ+ rights” and “Diversity, equity and inclusion,” according to CNBC.

The move comes as Meta, McDonald’s, Ford and Walmart changed their DEI initiatives, which were adopted during the Black Lives Matter movement of 2020.

Activist Robby Starbuck emailed Amazon in early December 2024 to alert them that they were “working on a story about Amazon,” but before they would move forward, asked if the company was “ready to make changes to their woke policies or if they’re still committed to DEI.” He lambasted Amazon for funding LGBT pride events that “expose kids to sexual topics” and for “separating employees into groups by race and sexual preference.”

Starbuck promises that if Amazon doesn’t “specifically state what these changes are, I’ll proceed with our report later this month exposing their woke policies, practices and failures because the public deserves to know if these policies still reflect Amazon’s views.”

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RIP DEI at Amazon and beyond

The slow and overdue death of DEI coincides with the election of Donald Trump. The election has been seen by many as a rebuke of Democrats’ hard left turn. As a candidate, Trump has railed against “woke” policies that do more harm than good. Even some within the Democratic party have complained that it has become too extreme.

After the death of George Floyd, corporations took up DEI initiatives primarily out of pressure from far-left activist groups and media outlets that amplified their messages. It went from a race-obsessed focus to a preoccupation with gender identity.

Despite the “diversity, equity and inclusion,” moniker, the movement contrived grievances in the workforce to punish certain groups (primarily white, heterosexual men), while lifting others (primarily black, Latino and transgender workers) solely based on identity. So-called affinity groups were formed that only allowed members of certain identify groups be allowed to attend. Training taught employees that white people were systematically targeted and blamed for every societal ill. And hiring efforts purposefully turned down more qualified candidates for applicants who checked off certain identity boxes. Consequently, business suffered.

It’s obviously a business and societal benefit to rid us of these intentionally divisive DEI programs. The companies that felt forced into these efforts are finally given the cover to ditch them without community pushback. And Amazon won’t be the last to say no.

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