The Metro Nashville Government is continuing to embrace DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) despite a complete shutdown of such initiatives at the federal level.
An email from a Metro Nashville Government employee obtained by The Tennessee Star shows that all Metro employees have been invited to attend a DEI program led by Metro Human Resources entitled “Foundations of Conscious Inclusion series.”
Sent to Metro employees on Friday, the email explains that the DEI program is being led by Metro Human Resources’ Workforce Diversity team “with support from certified facilitators from various Metro departments.”
The Foundations of Conscious Inclusion program, according to the email sent to Metro employees, is “designed to generate discussion and introspection around topics central to navigating difference, bias, and equity in the workplace.”
Metro employees are encouraged to sign up to attend one of the 16 available training times available from Monday, January 27 through June 23 at locations including the Sonny West Conference Center and Davidson County Sheriff’s Headquarter.
“While these sessions are being offered on a voluntary basis, we would love for our Metro employees to demonstrate their commitment to making Metro a truly equitable and inclusive workplace by attending and engaging in this professional development opportunity,” the Metro Human Resources Diversity team wrote in the email.
“We are hopeful for engaging conversations, powerful introspection, and continued progress. We look forward to learning and growing together,” the email adds.
Metro Nashville’s DEI initiatives come as similar initiatives have been terminated at the federal level under the guidance of President Donald Trump.
A fact sheet published by the White House outlining Trump’s order eliminating DEI programs among the federal workforce, in federal contracting, and federal spending explains that such initiatives “create and amplify prejudicial hostility and exacerbates interpersonal conflict” instead of “reducing bias and promoting inclusion.”
“DEI’s foundational rhetoric and ideas foster intergroup hostility and authoritarianism,” the White House said.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
