FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS STATEMENT
CONTACT: apr@aprfenton-com
September 4, 2025 –– Dr. Andrea Abrams, Executive Director of American Pride Rises, Emory alum, and former professor, issued the following statement in response to Emory University’s announcement that it will end its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs and offices:
“Emory University’s decision to dismantle its DEI programs is more than a policy shift — it is a betrayal of the institution’s history, its mission, and its students.
Despite interim President Ward Sear’s argument, this is not about compliance. It is about retreat. DEI has once again been turned into a convenient scapegoat — a way to appease political pressure rather than honor the values that have defined Emory for generations.
Emory sits on the bedrock of the Civil Rights Movement, formerly represented by leaders like Congressman John Lewis, who fought tirelessly for equity, opportunity, and justice. The university has long been a hub of global innovation, from the development of life-saving HIV treatments to its pioneering response to Ebola. None of those breakthroughs happened in isolation. They were made possible because of the very principles DEI embodies — inclusion, collaboration, and the power of diverse perspectives.
By ending DEI, Emory is turning its back on that legacy and signaling to students and alumni alike that belonging is conditional, that opportunity can be curtailed, and that fear outweighs courage. This is not leadership. This is surrender.
The cost of this decision will not only be measured in reputation. It will be measured in the doors closed to students who deserve to thrive, in the innovation stifled when perspectives are excluded, and in the damage done to a community that has always looked to Emory as a beacon of excellence grounded in justice.
American Pride Rises stands with the students, faculty, alumni, and community members who are speaking out. We will continue to fight for an Emory — and an America — where equity is not optional, but essential. Anything less is a step backward, and both the university and the country deserve better.”
About American Pride Rises:
American Pride Rises (APR) is an initiative committed to protecting pathways to the American Dream by fighting for a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive America for all.