Why Affinity Groups and HBCUs Still Matter in 2025: A Fight for Inclusion Amid DEI Rollbacks
- Rahaman Hadisur
- Jun 20
- 3 min read
Hadisur Rahman, JadeTimes Staff
H. Rahman is a Jadetimes news reporter covering the USA
In a nation shaped by centuries of racial exclusion, affinity organizations and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) continue to serve as vital pillars of representation, community, and advocacy. As diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives face unprecedented rollbacks under the Trump administration, leaders across civil rights groups are emphasizing the enduring necessity of these institutions.
"Black organizations exist because we were locked out of mainstream White organizations," said Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League. “And even today we remain locked out of the leadership.”
From HBCUs to the Congressional Black Caucus and Latino advocacy groups like LULAC, many such organizations were founded in response to systemic barriers in education, politics, and social life. They provided and continue to provide safe spaces and strategic platforms for marginalized communities.
Under the current administration, led by President Donald Trump, DEI initiatives are being aggressively dismantled across federal agencies, higher education institutions, and the private sector. In January, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth instructed military staff to avoid using official resources for cultural events, including Black History Month and Women’s History Month. He also launched a task force to eliminate DEI offices within the Department of Defense.
"I think the single dumbest phrase in military history is ‘Our diversity is our strength,’" Hegseth declared at a Pentagon townhall.
These sweeping policy changes reflect broader efforts to minimize race-based discourse and inclusion strategies. Critics argue that affinity groups in public institutions promote segregation. “Dividing students according to ethnicity for discussions on race is inappropriate,” said Jonathan Butcher of the Heritage Foundation. Yet he noted that voluntary, interest-based groups like the Congressional Black Caucus are legal and culturally significant.
The historical roots of these groups stretch back to eras of explicit racial discrimination. “Many African Americans were once killed for trying to read or write,” said Dr. Cynthia Neal Spence, sociology professor at Spelman College. “HBCUs were born out of a need for justice a belief that education mattered, even when society said otherwise.”
Dr. Roger Davidson, Jr., of Bowie State University, another HBCU, noted that Black faith communities, professional associations, and student unions also emerged out of exclusion. "Sometimes you have to have a space where you're comfortable," he said. "Though you may be told you're welcome elsewhere, the reality can be very different."
The African Methodist Episcopal Church, for example, was founded in protest after Black worshippers faced discrimination in White Methodist congregations. Similar motivations spurred the creation of Black student unions and professional networks.
Leaders from organizations like LULAC and the NAACP say their missions remain urgent. “In a way, we’re still fighting a lot of the same fights that we were fighting in 1929,” said LULAC CEO Juan Proaño, referencing voter suppression and economic disparities.
This renewed sense of purpose is being felt nationwide as affinity groups face both political scrutiny and increased public interest. “This period is showing us why these organizations are relevant,” Morial emphasized.
Spence added, “People unite around shared experiences not to exclude others, but to find community and push for justice. That’s not plotting a revolution. That’s just surviving with dignity.”
Even as critics question their existence, affinity groups say they’re not going anywhere. As Davidson put it, “The NAACP still exists because the problems still exist. HBCUs still exist because the problem still exists. Shut them down, and you shut down opportunity.”
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