Metro Detroit business leaders are reacting to President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle DEI practices.

Lori Lancaster is the Vice Chair of Dakkota Integrated Systems. She says Dakkota, one of the largest Native American woman-owned and led companies in the country, benefited from DEI practices.

Lancaster’s sister, the founder and CEO of the Rush Group, started in the trucking industry in the 1980s.

“As you can imagine, at that time, it was very male-dominated,” Lancaster said. “You did not see women, you did not see Native Americans, and around that same time, the government recognized that the playing field was not level for companies like ours, and they were able to put programs in place that crack the door open a little bit.”

That crack in the door allowed Lancaster’s sister to dominate the industry. Ever since, their company has been a champion of DEI initiatives.

“You still have to do the work; it’s not a handout,” Lancaster said.

However, the Trump administration sees it that way. Trump has called DEI practices “discriminatory.”

Business leaders like Carolyn Cassin, the President & CEO of Michigan Women Forward, see it differently.

“I think that’s the wrong characterization of DEI,” Cassin said. “It’s not discriminatory, it’s really the opposite of that. I think it’s a way to allow everyone to have a seat at the table or at least get an opportunity.”

Trump’s executive order ending the federal government’s DEI policies comes as major corporations like Meta, Walmart, and McDonalds announced an end to their DEI practices.

Tanya Hill, the President of Forever Fresh LLC, said DEI only helps businesses.

“Research has consistently shown that diversity of thought in the workplace of people of different ages and ethnic groups makes a company more profitable,” Hill said. “We know that, so I still think that’s something we should still strive for.”