Vancouver resident Peter Bracchi says area DEI efforts were launched with good intentions, but they were not born out of public demand

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are those of the author alone and may not reflect the editorial position of ClarkCountyToday.com

In recent years, both Vancouver and Clark County have embraced Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. These efforts were launched with good intentions, but they were not born out of public demand. They came from inside government — adopted by city councils, county departments, and agencies — without any real vote or broad consent from the people who pay for them.

In Vancouver, the City Council adopted its Equity Framework in 2021, saying it would make city government fairer and more welcoming. Clark County followed with DEI policies in Public Works, Human Resources, and even the District Court. Local businesses were also encouraged to get on board. Yet after years of reports, committees, and training sessions, where are the results? The city and county have yet to show how these programs are improving lives. What we do know is that they cost time, money, and resources — while creating division and confusion instead of unity.

The problems with DEI are not unique to Clark County. At the federal level, we’ve already seen how costly and divisive these programs can be. Earlier this year, President Trump signed orders to end DEI in the federal government. The Department of Education quickly removed training materials and eliminated DEI positions after finding they blurred the line with race-based preferences and wasted taxpayer dollars. The Department of Defense also spent millions on DEI staff and programs, yet recruitment and readiness continued to decline — showing no real benefit from all that investment.

Here in Washington State, the Office of Equity has also stirred controversy. Some state workers reported feeling pressured to adopt political views during mandatory DEI training, with several even describing the sessions as hostile. Parents across the state have raised concerns about schools lowering standards in the name of equity, and in King County, DEI-focused hiring reviews actually slowed down recruitment for critical public safety jobs. Even Clark County’s own DEI guidance documents admit underrepresentation in leadership but propose more layers of bureaucracy instead of direct solutions. These are not successes — they are warnings.

If Washington, D.C. and Olympia are already facing problems with DEI, why should Vancouver and Clark County keep doubling down? Continuing down this path could even put federal grants at risk if local governments refuse to align with new national rules. More importantly, it ignores what the people of this community actually want.

At its core, fairness and respect don’t require expensive new offices or layers of bureaucracy. They require leaders who listen to the people and apply the same rules to everyone. Citizens never asked for DEI in our city or county governments. It was brought in from the top down, without consent.

Now is the time to change course. Vancouver and Clark County should bring DEI to an end and refocus on the basics: keeping neighborhoods safe, fixing roads, protecting our environment, and ensuring public resources are used wisely.

Good intentions aren’t enough. Government must reflect the will of the people, not the latest political trend. DEI has run its course — let’s put our focus back where it belongs.

Peter Bracchi
Vancouver

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