Kalandra Wheeler
Kalandra Wheeler is a Board Certified Houston/Austin employment lawyer.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives aim to foster environments where people of all backgrounds feel valued, have equal access to opportunities, and can thrive regardless of their race, gender, disabilities, religion, age, sexual orientation, class status, or military service status. The purpose of DEI initiatives is to create inclusive workplaces, schools, and communities. Yet, opposition to DEI efforts has grown and they are currently under attack from every direction.

Critics argue that such initiatives are unnecessary, divisive, or even unfair. To that I say, what world are you living in, because it is surely not this one. 

In an ideal world – excuse me, maybe I should say an unimpeachable world since what is ideal for some is certainly not ideal for others – we would all start at zero. Everyone could be judged on merit. Everyone would have equal access to resources and opportunities. In a world beyond reproach, bigots would not exist. Unconscious bias, or even outright hatred, would be no more.  However, this is not our world. If you claim it is, you are either woefully ignorant or being wholly disingenuous in your claims.

While debate is healthy in any society, it is essential to confront the core implications of being “anti-DEI.” Rejecting DEI initiative is not a neutral stance. Instead, it perpetuates systems of inequity and exclusion, making it, in effect, a position that supports and fosters discrimination. 

Diversity initiatives seek to rectify long-standing inequalities by creating spaces that reflect the world we live in. Historically, many institutions—corporations, universities, and governments—were structured to privilege certain groups while marginalizing others.

To oppose diversity efforts is to reject the idea of actively addressing these disparities. Without intentional action, the status quo of exclusion remains. This lack of action implicitly supports systems that benefit a few while disadvantaging many.

Equity ensures that everyone has access to the resources and opportunities they need to succeed, recognizing that some groups start at a disadvantage due to systemic barriers. Critics often misinterpret equity as unfairly favoring one group over another.

In reality, equity levels the playing field. Being against equity means denying the fact that systemic discrimination exists and refusing to take meaningful steps to dismantle it. This denial reinforces privilege for some while sustaining barriers for others—effectively upholding discriminatory practices.

Inclusion ensures that diverse voices are welcomed, heard, and respected. Without inclusion, marginalized individuals face isolation, underrepresentation, and bias.

Rejecting inclusion efforts sends a message that the voices and experiences of historically marginalized groups do not matter. It reinforces exclusionary norms that have long defined many workplaces, schools, and institutions. Choosing to oppose inclusion is choosing to tolerate—and perpetuate—exclusion.

Some argue that rejecting DEI efforts is about maintaining neutrality or avoiding “politics.” However, systems of inequality persist without deliberate efforts to challenge them. Neutrality in the face of injustice is not neutral; it is complicity.

Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” By opposing DEI, individuals signal that they are comfortable with – or indifferent to – systems of discrimination and inequality.

The absence of DEI efforts allows bias, prejudice, and discrimination to thrive unchecked. These systems are not self-correcting; they require intentional disruption. DEI is that disruption.

When someone opposes DEI, they are effectively saying they do not want to address disparities or create more inclusive spaces. This stance protects discriminatory practices by default, making “anti-DEI” synonymous with “pro-discrimination.”

Instead of dismantling DEI initiatives, we should strive to understand their importance and engage in meaningful conversations about how to create more equality. DEI is not about blame or division; it is about building stronger, more inclusive communities where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. 

Choosing to support DEI is choosing to reject discrimination and build a future rooted in fairness, respect, and equality. Opposing it, whether consciously or unconsciously, perpetuates the very injustices DEI seeks to combat. Many that opposed DEI initiatives truly don’t understand them or merely like the feeling of superiority created by making sure others are disadvantaged.

It’s time to move beyond debates over DEI’s necessity and focus on how we can collectively create a world where diversity is celebrated, equity is prioritized, and inclusion is the norm—not the exception.

By embracing DEI, we make a commitment to justice and equality. The alternative is to tacitly endorse systems that exclude, oppress, and discriminate. The choice is clear.

Print:
Email this postTweet this postLike this postShare this post on LinkedIn
Photo of Kalandra N. Wheeler Kalandra N. Wheeler

We asked Kalandra N. Wheeler, a Trial Attorney in the Houston office of Wiley Wheeler, P.C., to provide her sincere answers to a range of questions.  After reading, you will be more more abreast with the understanding and competency that Ms. Wheeler

We asked Kalandra N. Wheeler, a Trial Attorney in the Houston office of Wiley Wheeler, P.C., to provide her sincere answers to a range of questions.  After reading, you will be more more abreast with the understanding and competency that Ms. Wheeler brings.

1.Why did you start practicing labor and employment law?

I wanted to be able to help people that otherwise might not find help. Labor and employment laws affect most of society.  And – whether our results help one or many – our work and efforts as employment lawyers touch people in a real way in their every day lives.

2. Who is your favorite Supreme Court Justice?

Thurgood Marshall.

3. What do you think is the most important part of a good case?

The client. Good facts and evidence are definitely important. But good clients are a lawyers’ most valuable asset.  A good client: (1) is invested in their case; (2) works or worked hard for their employer; (3) can tell their story clearly and concisely; and (4) is someone that a jury will find sympathetic and relatable.

4. If you could write a new law, what would it do?

The Texas Workplace Anti-Bullying law.  I hear the stories, the ones told by employees looking for help. And in far too many of those stories the law offers no solution.  Every employee that goes to work and works hard to do the job they are hired to perform should be able to do so without abuse, harassment, and bullying. There is no justification for bullying, not in our schools, and not in our workplaces.

5. Besides Rob Wiley, P.C., what is the most interesting job that you have had?

For a year before law school, I worked as a lube tech for Jiffy Lube.  I spent hot summer days, working on hot cars, changing oil or flushing transmissions or radiators.  I never had a customer come back with a complaint.

6. How do you market yourself differently than others?

I tell clients what they need to hear, not necessarily what they want to hear. Before a client begins down any path toward resolving an employment dispute, they need thoughtful, honest advice. I am a believer in justice and everyday people deserve competent representation in an arena that is difficult for non-lawyers to navigate.

7. What do you do when you’re not practicing law?

I spend time with family and friends.  I read true crime books.  I sew and draw.

8. How would you describe the color yellow to someone who could not see?

It’s not the intense heat of the sun during the month of August, but instead the softness of the sun on your skin just as the seasons change from Summer to Fall.  It’s warm. And soft to the touch.  It’s fresh squeezed lemonade with a hint of sugar.  Slightly cool, inviting, and happy.

9. What’s your favorite legal TV show?

Law & Order: SVU

10. If you could argue any case in history, what would it be?

The Karen Silkwood case. But really, I think that would be more about arguing and trying a case alongside Gerry Spence for the learning experience.

Kalandra N. Wheeler is a Trial Attorney in the Houston office of Wiley Wheeler, P.C.  She graduated from The University of Houston with a bachelor’s degree in political science.  Ms. Wheeler went on and received her law degree from The University of Arkansas.