Solid piece. I think all that you wrote here makes you a realist, not a pessimist at all. DEI, even at its best, is a hearts-and-minds approach to systemic racism, a very limited tool. If this is the main practice for creating an anti-racist movement, all these sci-fi shows with their subtle predictions of a racism-less future are completely wrong. DEI for so many, though, is total bullshit, a way for institutions to paint themselves as anti-racist without really doing anything, Or, for some to make good money. Either way, thanks for dropping the knowledge!