Last January, lawmakers in my home state of Arizona proposed a bill that threatened to restrict Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) funding across state departments including education, health, transportation and housing. If passed, the bill would have effectively dismantled critical services supporting English learners, LGBTQIA+ youth, students of color, and culturally responsive health care. Rather than accept this quietly, I led a team to organize educators, business leaders, and healthcare professionals to take collective action. 

DEI has been made into a political talking point—and health equity has come under assault along with it. As federal officials slash funds and threaten consequences against institutions supporting DEI, health equity champions have often found their work erased in tandem. The truth, however, is that DEI and health equity are different but connected, and to protect either one we must protect both.

DEI is a practice of increasing representation among people and communities who have been systematically harmed by policies. Health equity includes that practice and extends to address the harmful policies themselves, to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity for a healthy life. DEI is a bridge that connects health equity goals to action. When DEI principles are woven into healthcare best practices, they improve trust, communication, and health outcomes. When they are stripped away, inequities deepen, preventable diseases and deaths increase, and entire communities are often left behind.

DEI and health equity both shape who receives quality health care, who can access education and opportunity, and who is left behind by systems that claim to be neutral. When we understand the difference and relationship between them, we can intervene more precisely and effectively to uphold both—especially if we amplify our impact through collective action.

In Arizona, our team held listening sessions to learn about what mattered most to each affected group and crafted strategic messages that reflected those shared values. Together, we convened a multi-stakeholder gathering at the Arizona Capitol, mobilized community leaders, and launched a rapid response campaign.

The legislation passed. But within 24 hours, more than 150 healthcare providers, educators, students, business owners, and public workers signed a powerful letter asking the Arizona governor to veto. We brought forth real stories that showcased how the bill would affect each group and how the well-being of so many depended on DEI.

Exactly five days after we sent the letter, the governor vetoed the bill. That veto didn’t just protect funding, it protected people. It safeguarded Arizona’s state services and its public education system while reaffirming the power of collective action. In addition, it proved that DEI is not just a political issue but a matter of survival and justice.

Collective action does not happen in isolation. It requires building bridges across sectors, finding shared goals, and leveraging the unique strengths of stakeholders. As we saw in Arizona, when unlikely allies come together to protect DEI, we can drive real change.

Building power with unlikely allies takes intentional strategy, shared data, and a common vision. HealthBegins’ Health Equity Policy Hub, supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is a resource that helps healthcare professionals and health equity champions do exactly this. It provides policy insights with examples of institutional actions, enables opportunities for cross-sector partnerships, and shares resources and tools to help collaboratives move forward together. Another example is the Strategic Communications Resource Network, a statewide effort to strengthen DEI in California medical education through strategic communications and narrative change (funded in part by the California Wellness Foundation and the California Health Care Foundation). By connecting stakeholders who might not normally work together, efforts like these make it possible to build coalitions and move from conversations to impact in real time.

To ensure that health equity and DEI remain real practices and not just words on this page, healthcare professionals, community organizers, educators, medical innovators, and advocates must coordinate, find ethical ways to share data, amplify the stories of the people we serve, and leverage resources like the Health Equity Policy Hub and the Strategic Communications Resource Network. We need to anticipate challenges, mobilize, and continue to build partnerships with unlikely allies.

Every voice and story matters. When we act together, we can protect communities and dismantle inequities. We must move forward with the shared understanding that DEI is not a political talking point or a checkbox. It is a framework that saves lives.

A Call To Action

In spite of this earlier success, HCR2044, a more severe measure, has been introduced in Arizona. As a House Concurrent Resolution, it seeks to amend the state constitution, raising the stakes and underscoring the need for renewed engagement. Whether you are in Arizona or elsewhere, awareness and coordinated action help protect communities and reinforce the power of civic participation:

• Community members, if based in Arizona, can contact state legislators to share how the bill could affect their communities. 
• Institutions can educate community and stakeholders as well as move forward with collaborative advocacy aligned with partner organizations based in Arizona.

Natashia Townsend is a Consulting Practice Director at HealthBegins, a registered lobbyist, and certified in strategic planning and organizational management.