“For Every Mountain, Be Like Water” | Opinion

The war on DEI is serious, and it’s not going away anytime soon. The DEI movement was designed to level the playing field for disadvantaged minority populations. But what happens within DEI when the minority becomes the majority? In most cities, minority populations remain just that — minorities. Not in South Florida, particularly Miami-Dade, where 67.8% of the community is Latino.

Now that we have a new normal, what will this region’s majority-minority community do without DEI? And how does it affect Black professionals and businesses? This confluence of race and culture creates a vortex unique to anyone trying to do business in Miami-Dade, Palm Beach or Broward Counties.

Today, there is a backlash against people of color as we strive for equality and inclusion in America. The facts indicate that we were never the primary beneficiaries in a space many Americans believe was designed mainly for us. The truth is that white women have been the biggest beneficiaries of DEI initiatives and their advantages.

So, is the Black business community back to square one? No. We’re exactly where we have always been — staring at a seemingly unmovable mountain, wondering how we’re going to get over it.

Bruce Lee’s famous quote, “Be like water,” urges adaptability and flexibility in both mind and body, emphasizing the importance of flowing with circumstances rather than resisting them. For Black Americans, I say: be like water when faced with a mountain — use that seemingly unmovable obstacle to transform into a powerful, cascading waterfall.

Just two months into the Trump administration, we must quickly learn to adapt to our new reality. DEI is on its last leg, and we still have to find a way around this mountain of meanness to reach our waterfall of greatness.

Be Adaptable

Be like water, which takes the shape of its container. It’s time to be adaptable and flexible in our approach to life, adjusting to this new normal. And if necessary, get a bigger container.

Flow and Resilience

Water can be both gentle and powerful. We must embrace fluidity, resilience, and the ability to overcome challenges.

Expect Change

DEI is under assault. We must adapt to change. Do not cling to rigid beliefs—be open to new possibilities and adjust to the ever-changing world.

Despite our circumstances, the Black community’s true strength lies in our resilience, grit, persistence, and warrior spirit. If you are Black and here today, it means your ancestors survived — and, in many cases, thrived — through more than 400 years of oppression, disadvantage, and pain so we could stand in this moment. We are here to carry the torch for our families and the next generation of Black excellence. If you are here, your family is the strongest of the strong.

To be victorious and weather this storm, we must depend on each other, and we must be dependable. If you see an opportunity for a Black company or professional — and all things being equal (no pun intended) — advocate for them. Let them prove that DEI opens doors rather than lowers standards.

Be like water, and let’s make that waterfall together, seizing the crescendo of opportunity and abundance that is our birthright — with or without DEI.

This story was originally published March 21, 2025 at 9:08 AM.