Why Changing DEI Terms Won’t Change the Mission with Eric M. Bailey

Welcome to another episode of The Inclusive AF Podcast with your hosts Jackye Clayton and Katee Van Horn! In this insightful and candid conversation, we welcome back Eric M. Bailey—author of "The Cure for Stupidity"—to dig deep into the ever-evolving world of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) at work. Things are shifting fast: DEI language is being weaponized, organizations are changing their approach (or just changing the name), and real change often feels stuck. Eric shares what he’s seeing in the field, how companies are struggling (or doubling down!) on inclusion, and why masking DEIB work with “safer” words doesn’t actually change what matters most—creating spaces where everyone feels they belong. We get real about: - Why changing terminology (like removing “diversity” or “equity”) misses the point - The cultural backlash against DEI and how it affects workplaces and nonprofits - How fear, discomfort, and misunderstood language create roadblocks (and why that discomfort is part of growth!) - The power of curiosity and active listening to actually move inclusion forward - Hilarious, relatable stories about idioms, travel, and what happens when cultural worlds collide Whether you’re leading DEIB work, feeling discouraged by social and political barriers, or simply looking to grow and understand others better, this episode offers hope, wisdom, and a gentle push to stay curious, open, and kind. ➡️ Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and drop your thoughts in the comments! Grab Eric’s book "The Cure for Stupidity": https://thecureforstupidity.com #InclusiveAF #DEI #Belonging #DiversityAndInclusion #WorkplaceCulture #EricMBailey #CureForStupidity #Leadership #Curiosity #GrowthMindset #Podcast #WorkHuman #InclusionMattersIf you like what you hear, we would like to encourage you to subscribe to our channel! We would also appreciate it if you would rate this channel by going here: RateThisPodcast.com/inclusiveaf We create this podcast as a labor of love. But if you would like to support this channel you can buy us a cup of coffee here: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/InclusiveAF