February 13, 2024
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the United States
Marist National Poll
Most Americans Believe Diversity Makes the U.S. Stronger… Fewer, Though, Support Mandatory DEI Training
Most Americans think the nation’s mix of races, ethnicities, and religions makes the U.S. stronger, including a little more than four in ten Americans who believe the nation’s differences make the United States a much stronger union. But, only 28% of Americans strongly support diversity, equity, and inclusion training for U.S. workers. This as a plurality of Americans say race relations in the United States have changed little over the last year, which is not perceived as a positive.
More than eight in ten Americans think the diversity of races, ethnicities, and religions in the United States either makes the country much stronger (42%) or somewhat stronger (40%). In contrast, 10% think this diversity makes the nation somewhat weaker, and an additional 6% report it results in a much weaker America.
Most Democrats (92%) and independents (84%) and nearly seven in ten Republicans (69%) think the nation’s diversity makes the United States stronger. However, Democrats (62%) are nearly three times as likely than Republicans (21%) to believe this diversity makes the nation much stronger.
Regardless of race, most Americans share this view including a majority of Latinos (53%) and about four in ten Blacks (40%) and whites (39%) who believe the nation’s ethnicities, races, and religions makes the U.S. much stronger.
About two in three Americans either strongly support (28%) or support (38%) mandatory diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training for employees.
This includes 90% of Democrats, 61% of independents, and only 39% of Republicans. 84% of Black Americans have this opinion as do 70% of Latinos and 59% of whites.
Race Relations in the United States
37% of adults nationally, down from 42% in 2021, believe race relations have gotten worse. This is the smallest proportion with this view in nine years. However, a plurality of Americans (47%) think race relations are about the same which is up from 39% in 2021. But, included here are 31% who say the status quo is a bad thing, and 14% who say it is a good thing. 15% of residents believe race relations have gotten better.
Republicans (45%) are more likely than Democrats (30%) and independents (34%) to think race relations have gotten worse.
A majority of Blacks (53%) and pluralities of whites (47%) and Latinos (45%) believe race relations are about the same as they were last year. Among each of these groups, about three in ten say the lack of change is a bad thing.