Georgia NAACP President Gerald Griggs joined Black Star Weekend Panel to Defend DEI in Uncertain Times.

On Monday, June 16, Georgia NAACP President Gerald Griggs participated in a powerful panel during Black Star Weekend, focused on one of the most urgent issues facing our communities today: how to protect Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) amid rising political attacks and uncertainty.

As part of the weekend’s culminating events, Monday’s panel brought together civil rights leaders, educators, and grassroots organizers to examine the coordinated efforts to dismantle DEI programs nationwide — and how communities must respond.

President Griggs delivered a clear and uncompromising message:

“DEI is not just policy — it’s protection. It’s about making sure Black and Brown communities have access to the same opportunities, the same education, the same justice. And we’re seeing a dangerous movement to strip that away. We must be proactive, organized, and unapologetically vocal.”

As the nation grapples with attempts to whitewash history, restrict voting access, and undermine equity programs, the panel acknowledged that another shift in national leadership could bring even more aggressive rollbacks.

Rather than fear that possibility, Griggs and fellow panelists called on attendees to prepare, organize, and mobilize. The Georgia NAACP has long been a bulwark against injustice — and remains on the front lines today.

“We’ve defended our progress before, and we’ll do it again,” Griggs added. “But this time, we need every generation on the front line — because the stakes are higher than ever.”

The discussion made it clear: DEI is not a trend — it's a lifeline. It's about representation, safety, opportunity, and dignity. And protecting it requires more than policy statements — it requires people power.

June 16 reminded us that our history teaches us how to fight — and how to win. The question is, are we ready?

Join the movement. Defend the progress.

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