Trump's DEI Blum's while Democrats Crash

The Trump administration’s three executive orders targeting diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives take a “shock and awe” approach that upends longstanding, bipartisan federal policy meant to open doors that had been unfairly closed. In his first few days, President Donald Trump is undertaking a deliberate effort to obfuscate and weaponize civil rights laws that address discrimination and ensure everyone has a fair chance to compete, whether it’s for a job, a promotion, or an education. credit ACLU

Edward Blum, through his organization the American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER), has indeed used a law from 1866 to challenge diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Specifically, he cited **Section 1981 of the Civil Rights Act of 1866**, which prohibits racial discrimination in the making and enforcement of contracts.

Blum's lawsuit targeted the **Fearless Fund**, a venture capital firm that invests in businesses owned by women of color. The AAER argued that the Fearless Fund's "Strivers Grant Contest," which awarded grants to Black women-owned businesses, violated this law by discriminating against non-Black women.

This legal challenge is part of a broader trend where opponents of DEI policies are using Section 1981 to challenge workplace equity and funding programs aimed at minority-owned businesses.