In an era of rising authoritarianism, the connection between Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) and pro-democracy work has never been more critical. In the upcoming cafe “Why DEI must Integrate Pro-democracy Work,” Shakil Choudhury (CVO & Co-Founder of Anima Leadership) makes the case that defending democracy and advancing EDI are not separate battles—they are one and the same.
Democracy at the Crossroads
At its core, democracy means “people power”—the idea that all voices, especially those representing non-dominant or “minority” groups, should be considered when designing public policy and making decisions, be that women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, or those of us from non-European ethnicities. This is also a core tenet of racial justice and equity work: bringing the voices from the margins to the center.
Democracy is a model that replaces governance by “the few” (e.g. feudalism, oligarchies) or the only (e.g. monarchies, dictatorships). Democracy is also meant to resist “mob rule” where the majority population dictates the rule of law to benefit their own in-group. As stated by Nobel laureate for peace and non-violence Mahatma Ghandi: “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members.”
While all of that is very aspirational, what we don’t talk enough about is that democracy is often messy, slow and difficult. When we have to consider so many voices and needs, compromise is not just a part of the process, it is a constant outcome. It can leave us feeling unsatisfied, especially when our individual and group needs don’t fully get met. To paraphrase a thought leader on power dynamics, Julie Diamond, in democracies we often lose more than we win. And this can lead to people wanting shortcuts.
We are seeing this now, in real time, in the US. After 40 years of neo-liberal economics in which wages have not kept pace with the cost of living and many jobs have been outsourced overseas, people are desperate, vulnerable and angry. Many in “the land of the free and home of the brave” feel betrayed and can’t understand why the promise of the middle-class lifestyle and good jobs have disappeared. In such circumstances there is a natural desire to:
- Accuse outsiders for our woes, and
- For someone with a firm hand to take control and fix things.
Enter Donald Trump, a man whose impulses are defined by control, blame and punishment.
The resulting social context is the most lethal threat to democracies: extreme polarization, in which people begin to see their neighbors as enemies, not just people with different opinions. The reality is that democracies don’t typically die through dramatic coups; they erode gradually through recognizable patterns. The warning signs, from the rejection of historic processes and rules, to the weaponization of courts and propaganda, are already present.
The Three Stages of Autocracy
Historian Masha Gessen identifies three critical stages in the transition from a democratic to autocratic regime: the autocratic attempt, breakthrough, and consolidation. With Trump’s second term, the U.S. climate is firmly in stage 2, the autocratic breakthrough. The country is a tragic case study in how democratic institutions can be systematically undermined—from the appointment of extreme loyalists, undermining the free press, stacking the Supreme Court, attacking the independence of higher education, using the government institutions to enact revenge on political opponents, as well as unleashing masked agents terrorizing citizens through racial profiling. All of this has unfolded, and is currently happening, in only the first ten months of the year, underscoring how quickly democratic norms can erode.
Fascism is one type of authoritarian government as defined by historical figures such as Mussolini and Hitler who leverage charismatic leadership, hyper-nationalism, xenophobia, and the exploitation of political divisions to maintain power. Today, we have “neo-fascist” figures— Putin, Trump, Erdoğan, Netanyahu, Modi—who employ similar tactics to their historical counterparts but have adapted them for contemporary society.
Why this moment matters
Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat offers a few crucial lessons to help tackle rising authoritarianism and fascism across the world. Firstly, we have to NOT be overwhelmed, understanding that authoritarianism follows very distinct patterns, as outlined above. People have been fighting fascism across the world so there ARE proven strategies on what works.
For example, authoritarianism requires the participation of the financial elite. Without the support of the billionaire class including the tech bros like Musk, Bezos, and Zuckerberg, authoritarianism cannot flourish. This means organizational leaders have both responsibility and power in this moment. Their choices matter so it is enormously important for us to pressure them whether by protest, boycotts and other strategies to sway public opinion.
Lately, when facing far-right authoritarian threats, moving to the center doesn’t work. A clear vision with progressive alternatives matters, as demonstrated by the recent mayoral win by Zohran Mamdami in New York City who offered a social democratic platform by focusing on lower cost of living. He defied the odds by appealing to ordinary, diverse people at the center of his message and billionaires on the outside. The strategies he used, aligned with those of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and Bernie Sanders, aren’t just political theory—it’s a survival strategy backed by decades of research.
We don’t want to be in a position of looking back in the rearview mirror and asking the haunting question: “Could we have done more?” This isn’t about future regret—it’s about present action.
Pro-democracy work, therefore, has to be integrated as a component of DEI training and development, not as optional but essential. Building capacity, community, and courage represents our path forward.
Join us for our next Anima Café to explore these ideas more.
Shakil Choudhury
CVO and Co-Founder, Anima Leadership
Shakil is an award-winning educator, consultant and author with more than 25-years experience in the field of racial justice, diversity, equity and inclusion. He’s the author of Deep Diversity: A Compassionate, Scientific Approach to Racial Justice Deep Diversity. Written in an accessible, storytelling manner, many have called it a “breakthrough” book on issues of systemic racial discrimination due to its non-judgmental approach that integrates human psychology with critical race perspectives.
He coaches executive teams and has worked with thousands of leaders across sectors in Canada and the United States to help improve their diversity, inclusion and equity outcomes. He also specializes in designing and facilitating dialogue processes to resolve inter-group conflict, having led projects internationally as well as with organizations locally. As a South Asian-Canadian who immigrated from Pakistan as a young child, much of his passion for justice and overcoming polarization stems from his family’s civil war history. Shakil is also father to two high-spirited children, and regularly runs the trails near his home in Toronto as a way of clearing his head. Check here for more details.
