Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1544721
B M & T ••• May/June 2026 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 17 I n the grand ballroom of the hospitality industry, the music has shifted. For years, the rhythm was one of progress—a steady beat of commitments to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) that promised to finally pull back the curtain for pro- fessionals of color. But today, a different wind is blowing. In a political climate where the very acronym "DEI" has become a lightning rod, and legislative "rollbacks" dominate the headlines, many are asking: Is the dream being deferred, or is the industry doubling down? The hospitality sector has long prided itself on being a "people-first" business, yet structural barriers for underrepresented groups remain stubborn. As corporate boardrooms face pres- sure from shifting social sentiments, the industry finds itself at a crossroads. To find the soul of this movement, one must look beyond press releas- es and into the hearts of leaders in the trenches. Across major industry organizations, the answer is a resounding, albeit nuanced, "Yes." But the priority has evolved from a "check-the-box" ini- tiative into a fight for institutional courage. For Jason Dunn Sr., Executive Director of the National Coalition of Black Meeting Profe- ssionals (NCBMP), the current climate is a moment of profound revelation for the entire industry. Addressing the perceived "pullback" from hospitality partners, Dunn is unflinching. "Pressure doesn't change values...it exposes them," Dunn asserts. "What we're seeing right now isn't a shift in commitment; it's a revelation of it. Some organizations that are pulling back were never truly committed to Diversity, Equity or Inclusion...they were committed to optics." Dunn underscores that when DEI is treated as a line item rather than a leadership principle, it becomes negotiable the moment the climate gets uncomfortable. For those in the industry, this pattern isn't new, but it is telling. "What is revealing, however, is how quickly some insti- tutions are willing to abandon principles they so publicly championed just a few years ago," Dunn notes. However, he sees a clear line between perfor- mative allyship and strategy. "There are organi- zations that understand diversity is not charity... it is strategy. They are not asking whether it is still safe to support DEI; they are asking how to lead when it is not. That is the difference between MAJOR INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS REPORT MAJOR INDUSTRY ORGANIZATIONS REPORT IS DIVERSITY & INCLUSION STILL A PRIORITY? BY CHERAY O'NEAL