BLACK mobile logo

district of columbia

politics

Poll Finds Rising DEI Skepticism as Black Communities Confront Threats From Project 2025 and Historic Racist Agendas

August 5, 2025

A new AP-NORC poll reveals declining public confidence in DEI programs, with only about one-third of Americans believing these initiatives reduce discrimination against women, Hispanic, or Asian Americans. Concurrently, Americans' perception of racial discrimination has significantly decreased since 2021, though 74% of Black respondents still report experiencing substantial discrimination in their communities. This polling comes amid growing concerns about Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation policy blueprint that the Legal Defense Fund warns would severely harm Black communities by dismantling civil rights protections, privatizing education, and expanding executive power.

Who is affected

  • Black communities and individuals
  • Women, Hispanic people, and Asian Americans
  • Students in public education
  • Workers, voters, and recipients of federal protections
  • White people (as some respondents believe DEI initiatives increase discrimination against them)

What action is being taken

  • The Legal Defense Fund is actively warning about the threats posed by Project 2025 through their report "Attack on Our Power and Dignity"
  • Human Rights Watch is currently linking DEI rollbacks to broader global assaults on anti-racism efforts
  • Civil rights advocates are working to highlight that declining perceptions of discrimination reflect apathy rather than progress
  • The newspaper is continuing to provide free, fact-based local journalism to serve, inform, and empower the community

Why it matters

  • Public support for anti-discrimination initiatives is declining at a time when many communities still experience significant discrimination
  • Project 2025 proposes eliminating racial data collection, weakening anti-discrimination laws, and rolling back protections for vulnerable groups
  • Education policies are being reshaped in ways that echo historical segregationist rhetoric
  • The combination of changing public attitudes and proposed policy changes could substantially impact civil rights progress and protections

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer

Poll Finds Rising DEI Skepticism as Black Communities Confront Threats From Project 2025 and Historic Racist Agendas