Some N.J. nonprofit leaders say they are not backing down from DEI initiatives, despite Trump’s dismantling policies

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Several New Jersey nonprofit leaders say they are not backing down from initiatives that promote diversity, equity and inclusion — also known as DEI — despite the Trump administration targeting the programs and threatening to end federal contracts over them.

While President Donald Trump has signed several executive orders looking to prohibit the programs in the public and private sectors, nonprofit leaders in the Garden State who work in DEI space said that while they are being challenged, they’re not giving up.

In fact, they’re doubling down.

“For too long, DEI has often been treated as an afterthought or a box to check. We reject that approach. DEI will be the driving force behind our strategic direction, shaping every decision, every partnership, and every program,” said Latarsha Burke, executive director of the African American Cultural Collaborative of Mercer County, in a statement. “We believe that real leadership demands that we confront exclusion, dismantle barriers, and intentionally create space where voices that have been historically marginalized are centered and empowered.”

In January, a statement from Trump labeled DEI efforts as “shameful discrimination” and “immense public waste.” In the months following, that rhetoric has echoed through corporate and civic spaces, impacting nonprofits, particularly the ones that serve Black and brown communities.

Burke said her organization continues to celebrate community, culture and connection, “determined to preserve the spirit of unity and pride in the face of political backlash.”

“There’s so much that people don’t see,” she said. “The calls, the meetings, the hard conversations, the sponsorships we lose because someone’s afraid of being associated with DEI. But we’re still here.”

“One thing I wanted to do was bring joy and a sense of pride to families in the city of Trenton.”

How are New Jersey nonprofits navigating the new directives?

Linda M. Czipo, president and CEO of the NJ Center for Nonprofits, the only statewide network for charities in the Garden State that serves more than 40,000 of the state’s registered 501 (c)(3)’s, said the organizations are responding to the federal policy changes in different ways.  Some are leaning more into their mission and vision, while others are considering walking away from the sector.

“Sometimes an organization’s reason for being is to lift up marginalized people or a historically excluded constituency, and a government grant makes it possible to do that,” Czipo said. “But how does one serve a target community if their messaging has been toned down or stripped away to comply with federal guidelines? I would like to think that the outreach itself would not change even if some of the verbiage does.”

She said what makes the federal directives challenging is that many organizations benefit from federal funds that pass through other entities, such as state agencies and foundations. So, it is not just federal funds that are drying up, but also monies that come through other sectors.

Jesselly De La Cruz, the executive director of the Latino Action Network Foundation stated that her organization has faced similar pressures to those expressed by Burke. Founded in 2010, the foundation serves Latino communities across New Jersey, with a focus on justice, inclusion and equity.

The nonprofit receives a large portion of its funding from state grants and private philanthropy, which supports workforce development programs for immigrant women and men.

“We believe that helping moms sustain the family system benefits everyone in that system,” she explained. “So our programs do targeted outreach around that.”

De La Cruz said her parents emigrated from the Dominican Republic in the ‘70s.

“The ‘80s and ‘90s were different times, but my family lived [in] fear of ICE raids, not knowing if my mom was going to come home from work because there was a raid at the factory, or [if] my father was detained while driving for whatever reason. I did grow up with that anxiety 40 years ago,” she said.

She said her own life experiences drive her to do the work she does, and this is why she is committed to it.

Looking Ahead

Tanya M. Odom, a global consultant, writer, coach and diversity and inclusion, equity and civil rights thought leader, stressed the importance of nonprofits finding good legal counsel during this time of uncertainty.

“They need to look at organizations that provide pro bono legal assistance to help them do audits and to think about how to maneuver the current climate,” Odom said.

Burke said she refuses to give up and will continue fighting.

She said  that she and her team are thinking about the future of her organization and have enlisted the help of a strategist and a board member to help transform the nonprofit into a complete rebranding that will include a renewed identity that reflects an inclusive, equity-driven and forward-thinking organization.

“Our upcoming Strategic Planning session in August will not be a routine meeting; it will be a defining moment where every team member’s voice will help shape a bold new path forward. Our vision is clear: to be an organization where DEI isn’t a side conversation — it’s the foundation of everything we do,” she said.

WHYY News is partnering with independent journalists across New Jersey to spotlight the people, communities, cultures, and distinctive places that shape the Garden State. This work is made possible with support from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.