Skepticism Over DEI is on the Rise

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, better known as DEI, was once seen as a promise. A way to address inequalities that were embedded institutionally into everything from college admissions to corporate hiring. For many, it provided a seat at a table at times where one wasn’t being offered. But a new AP-NORC poll suggests that for Asian Americans, that seat might slowly be getting pulled away.

The July 2025 survey revealed that the number of Americans who believe Asian Americans face significant discrimination has dropped sharply. In 2021, right after the surge in anti-Asian hate during the pandemic, 46% of Americans said Asian people faced “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of discrimination. Today only 32% think that’s the case.

That’s not just a drop. It’s a nosedive. This despite a clear rise in anti-Asian violence, xenophobic rhetoric, and scapegoating over the past few years.

What’s even more troubling is that only about a third of Americans polled say DEI efforts are actually helping Asian Americans. For a community that’s often treated as either “overrepresented” or “invisible,” this growing apathy is a warning sign.

Many people think Asian Americans are doing just fine. That’s the “model minority” myth in action, this idea that Asians are universally successful, wealthy, and immune to racism. The truth, of course, is much more complicated. The Asian American community is as diverse as any other, with disparities in income, education, and access. Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander populations are particularly often left behind in conversations about equity.

DEI was one way to address that complexity, except when people don’t believe that discrimination exists, they also don’t see a need to fix it. And that seems to be exactly what’s happening. Support for DEI is falling. Just 4 in 10 Americans say that it helps Black people. Even fewer believe that it’s helping Latinos, Asians, or women.

Interestingly people still like what DEI does, they just don’t like calling it DEI. Mentorship programs are still popular. Scholarships for underrepresented students remain broadly supported. Courses that teach about racism? Well, it depends on how you ask. Once you put the DEI label on it, support drops off, especially among white and Republican respondents, many of whom now believe DEI actually increases discrimination.

This disconnect matters. Asian Americans are often seen as a political Rorschach test, held up as evidence for or against affirmative action, depending on who’s making the argument. When the Supreme Court struck down race-conscious admissions in a decision made last year, some conservative voices celebrated it as a win for Asian Americans. But some in the community felt like they were only being used as pawns in a larger culture war.

As DEI programs come under fire from lawmakers in states like Florida and Texas, Asian American-focused initiatives like heritage month events, student mentorship groups, and identity-based scholarships are quietly disappearing. When DEI initiatives get defunded or rebranded, Asian Americans often lose the only institutional visibility they had.

The poll data paints a clear picture. Public attention to anti-Asian discrimination is fading. Skepticism toward DEI is rising. But the issues facing Asian American communities aren’t going anywhere. Maybe it’s time to rethink how we talk about DEI, with less jargon, more transparency, because while some may not trust the acronym anymore, they do still care about fairness and opportunity. They still want students to feel that they are seen. Workers to be treated fairly. Stories to be heard. They just need to be reminded that Asian Americans belong in that story, too.

Photo by Amy Elting/Unsplash