BASTROP, Texas — Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) organizations have been a popular topic of discussion across Texas in recent months.
On Tuesday, the Bastrop City Council met and decided to rename its DEI office. It will now be called the "Bridging Bastrop Board. "
The decision was made to protect the board from possible legal implications, such as the removal of the program altogether, which has happened at some public universities across the state.
Additionally, DEI offices are sometimes met with a negative perception among community members, and the board believes the name change will allow for more progress to be made.
"We don't want to be hindered by a name from the work that we're doing," DEI Board member Sheila Lowe said during the council meeting. "And so, we thought the process was to get in front of it."
All but one of the council members approved the new name.
"Well, I live diversity every single day. My ancestors lived it every single day," Councilmember Cheryl Lee said. "So, sorry about your five minutes of uncomfortableness, when I literally have to walk in rooms and rooms and be uncomfortable every single day because of the color of my skin."
According to Lee, renaming the DEI board only satisfies a small number of individuals who feel discomfort with its current title. She said she isn't "opposed to completely changing the name," but she does not agree with the current choice.
Lee also believes the office does not currently have enough city support to succeed going forward.
The change comes just months after the Texas Senate implemented DEI bans at statewide universities with Senate Bill 17.
At the University of Texas at Austin, nearly 60 DEI employees were laid off this spring as a direct result of the statute. Since then, universities throughout the state have complied with the ban.