When the new presidential administration came into Washington in January, President Donald Trump immediately declared war on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the federal government and urged the private sector to follow suit. 

The 180-degree turn from the Biden administration was a major talking point at the Martha’s Vineyard Summit last week, where a sold-out crowd gathered to discuss the best way forward in the ever-shifting political landscape. 

“Our theme is new era, new rules, new way,” said Dani Monroe, the founder of the annual summit, which aims to bring inclusion leaders together to share their experiences. “The rules are changing on a daily basis and how do you navigate that?”

The event, which was previously called the Martha’s Vineyard Chief Diversity Officer Summit, started in 2022 as DEI initiatives flourished in the government and in private companies. Since then some of those departments have been cut back, diversity officer titles have been changed, and roles have been widened to avoid the ire of the Trump administration. 

Founder Dani Monroe said the event was sold out despite the political headwinds.

Ray Ewing

Founder Dani Monroe said the event was sold out despite the political headwinds.

Ray Ewing

“People remain committed to the work, understanding they have to do it differently,” said Ms. Monroe, as the three-day summit got underway last week. 

When Ms. Monroe started planning this year’s retreat, which featured author and professor Marcus Collins and several other speakers, she wasn’t sure what the response would be given the pressure from the federal government.

President Trump issued an executive order in January that got rid of “illegal and immoral discrimination programs, going by the name ‘diversity, equity and inclusion,’” which he claimed were forced into all aspects of the federal government. Several large private companies, including Wal-Mart, Lowe’s and Ford, later announced they planned to roll back their programs.

But the desire for the Vineyard conference remains strong, Ms. Monroe said. This year’s event sold out, with about 275 attendees, the most ever. 

“This is our largest group ever,” Ms. Monroe said. “It’s that hunger to be in community.” 

The summit included sessions on navigating the legal complexities of diversity initiatives and rebranding in this new era, as well as using artificial intelligence. In the past, Ms. Monroe said that many of the sessions were more centered on being a thought leader in the business sphere, but they have refocused on diversity efforts in general given the new threats. 

“It’s always been about thought leadership,” she said. “Sometimes we didn’t even talk about diversity.” 

Ms. Monroe said when diversity is prioritized, it benefits everyone. 

“When you really understand diversity, equity and inclusion, you know it impacts all of us and all of us have a stake in it,” she said. “It’s not just about hiring diverse people, that’s a small fraction of what this work is all about.”