State and local governments, particularly those controlled by Democrats, are continuing to pursue equity-focused policies and programs that some view as part of a broader social justice agenda, according to an analysis by RealClearInvestigations. The report examines whether initiatives centered on diversity, equity, and inclusion have persisted despite federal pressure from the Trump administration and pushback in Republican-controlled states.
New York State recently replaced 'mother' and 'father' with 'gestating parent' and 'non-gestating parent' in its family law statutes. Meanwhile, New York City released a 375-page equity plan from Mayor Zohran Mamdani's Office of Equity & Racial Justice that describes racism as a public health crisis and declares the city committed to race-explicit anti-racism strategies.
At least five states and more than a dozen cities have created task forces or commissions to study slavery reparations, according to the Associated Press. California became the first state to create a Slavery Descendants Bureau to certify black beneficiaries who would receive reparations. Maryland this year established a 23-member reparations commission to formulate an apology, assess collective responsibility, and calculate monetary compensation for African Americans.
Universities have faced pressure from the Trump administration, which has threatened to withhold federal funding from institutions that do not comply with demands to remove DEI programs and social justice activism. Several colleges have cut diversity offices, but some were later found to have staff members who said on camera the campuses remained committed to equity work. Officials at those institutions say they have rebranded rather than eliminated certain programs.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative critics say these initiatives represent government coercion of institutions and a departure from colorblind legal principles. They point to federal investigations of medical schools, state laws limiting certain curriculum topics, and private universities resuming standardized testing as evidence that pushback is working.
Alabama and Texas have placed state university systems under oversight aimed at preventing professors from teaching Critical Race Theory and Queer Theory to undergraduates. The U.S. Justice Department has launched investigations into leading medical schools for allegedly giving racial preferences to Black applicants over whites and Asians in admissions.
"This dogma has infected all our institutions like a fungus," novelist Lionel Shriver wrote. "It won't be easy to eradicate." Critics argue that equity initiatives expand the definition of harm and oppression over time, creating what they describe as mission creep that leads to culture wars.
Conservative legal advocates say they are winning cases in courtrooms and legislatures. They point to polling showing majority opposition to many DEI policies among American voters as evidence that these programs lack broad public support despite institutional backing.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive advocates argue that equity initiatives represent legitimate responses to persistent racial and economic disparities in American society. They point to decades of research documenting unequal outcomes in housing, employment, education, and criminal justice as justification for targeted interventions.
"Liberalism is ultimately a perfectionist and utopian project. It's a never-ending project," said Jason Hill, a philosophy professor at DePaul University who studies political philosophy and moral psychology. "The moral grammar of the movements we call wokeness comes out of political liberalism."
John McWhorter, a Columbia University linguist and social commentator on race issues, said in a recent podcast that while "the era of a particularly abusive kind of wokeness" has peaked in academia and the arts, elements of the ideology have been redirected toward new causes. "It's obvious that the leaders of the trans movement, especially since '20, have taken on that prosecutorial, anti-reasoning attitude," McWhorter said.
Democratic Socialists of America-backed candidates have won recent congressional primaries in New York and mayoral races in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., suggesting continued electoral support for progressive platforms that include equity commitments. Advocates argue this represents democratic validation of their agenda rather than ideological overreach.
What the Numbers Show
According to RealClearInvestigations, there have been more than 460 reparations initiatives across the country, ranging from commemorations to restitution proposals. At least five states and more than a dozen cities have established formal task forces or commissions studying slavery reparations.
Some universities that cut DEI programs subsequently fired diversity officers who were recorded saying their campuses remained committed to equity work. University officials say they have rebranded certain offices rather than eliminating race-based programming entirely.
The Democratic Socialists of America has backed successful candidates in recent high-profile races, including congressional primaries in New York and mayoral contests in major cities. The organization represents a small fraction of the broader Democratic Party but has shown ability to win competitive elections.
The Bottom Line
Equity-focused policies continue in states and localities controlled by Democrats despite federal opposition and legal challenges from conservative advocates. Supporters say these initiatives address documented disparities and represent democratic choices by elected officials, while critics argue they represent ideological overreach that should be rolled back through litigation and legislation.
What to watch: Whether federal funding pressure succeeds in compelling university compliance with DEI restrictions; the outcome of ongoing court cases involving equity programs; and whether DSA-backed candidates continue winning elections in Democratic primaries. The balance between institutional autonomy and federal conditions on funding remains a contested legal and political question.