Written by: Arley | July 2025

This January, a plane crashed at the Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., and 67 people tragically passed in this accident. Shortly after the crash, President Trump held a press conference where he claimed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hires were to blame for the accident. Without offering evidence, he backed his claim by saying that candidates with “severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities” could be hired as air traffic controllers.

After investigations were done, the cause of this accident was found to be an equipment malfunction. All air traffic controllers have to go through years of training and take mental and physical tests to be where they are. So why would President Trump feel as if DEI was to blame for this crash?

To Donald Trump, a DEI hire is an unqualified individual hired solely because of their marginalized background. In reality, DEI policies were implemented to prevent discrimination and create a welcoming environment for all, no matter their background. DEI ensured everyone was represented equally by hiring qualified individuals from minority groups.

Being against diversity is like being against minorities. There should be no problem with hiring minorities if they are equally as qualified. But ever since prominent figures like the president started sharing their thoughts on diversity, people thought it more acceptable to be against it, even in my community. Even after the ban of affirmative action (a policy that improved educational opportunities for members of groups that experienced discrimination), for some people, being white felt like a barrier to getting into college. At my school, these people made jokes about wishing to be Black, Latino, gay, or disabled in order to get into college. A particular experience of mine magnifies the effects of this problem. 

It was December of 2024. The school I go to is located in Hillsborough, North Carolina. The two most prestigious schools in North Carolina (UNC and Duke) are less than an hour away from our school. So naturally, plenty of seniors apply to both of them every Fall. Every year, around one or two students get accepted to Duke, and more get accepted to UNC. But this particular year, I was the only one to get accepted into Duke through early decision. I was ranked second in the class, had accumulated around 17 AP weighted credits over my high school career, and participated in many extracurriculars. Most people congratulated me, but of course, there was one person who had applied to Duke and felt that they were robbed of their place. To be specific, that person referred to me as the “Mexican bitch” who stole his seat at the school. Despite my qualities and resume, he felt strongly that I didn’t deserve my place at Duke.

Assuming that every minority in a qualified position is unqualified does unimaginable damage. Right after my last class that day, I went straight to my guidance counselor, sobbing and with tears down my face. I felt overwhelmed with emotions; years of hard work felt so unseen, even though it was only from one person. 

My classmate believed I had it easier because of my background, when in reality, I didn’t. Nobody in my family was educated. I didn’t know how to speak English when I first started school. In elementary school, I was even taken out of Academically or Intellectually Gifted (AIG) programs because I was an English as a Second Language (ESL) student.

I believe that I wasn’t a diversity admission at Duke University. Regardless of this, I am incredibly proud of the differences I bring to this school. Not everyone is the same, and that is something that should always be embraced. 

The real world is diverse. Learning and work environments that model the real world are always going to be successful. It’s time for us to embrace the differences that make humans so unique and beautiful.