The annual Black Footwear Forum took place at Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design, the country’s only design-focused HBCU, in Detroit from Thursday to Sunday, and the political landscape has changed considerably compared to the last time the conference gathered one year ago.

As many individuals, institutions and companies are keenly aware, the Trump administration has unleashed a crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts since the presidential inauguration in January. In a panel conversation titled “DEI | One Year Later…Wait…Wait…Wait…WHAT?”, three influential figures from the fashion industry reflected on the changes that have occurred over the past year and how to chart a path forward.

Those speakers included PLC Detroit president and Jordan Brand design alum Dr. D’Wayne Edwards; founder and CEO of DEI firm Rainbow Disruption Jarvis Sam, who also served as chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at Nike; and Brandice Daniel, founder and CEO of Harlem’s Fashion Row.

Daniel believes that a recognition of humanity can still be found in the industry in which she works.

“I think we’re at this place right now where we all have some big choices to make, and what I’m finding is that in the fashion and retail space, I feel like there is still humanity in the forefront,” she said. “And I don’t know if that is because of what we do is so creative, but really, I think we’re at this crossroads of seeing each other’s humanity, seeing people who may not look like us or agree with us or believe like us, and actually seeing that person as someone to be valued.”

Harlem’s Fashion Row is dedicated to supporting designers of color, and in the midst of anti-DEI legislation, the organization has achieved remarkable success recently.

Daniel said, “My concern right now is, I said to my mom the other day, ‘Where is the love?’ And just really valuing each other. Us at Harlem’s Fashion Row, I’m really excited to say that we’ve actually had our best year this year.”

Daniel conveyed that persistence in the face of adversity is key. “I think there’s something to be said about staying consistent despite what we see in the world. I think we have to as creatives, and we have to learn how to work and move forward in the midst of all the distractions, and that is not easy to do,” she said.

While acknowledging it’s difficult, she encouraged holding on to positivity, creativity and vision in spite of the headlines.

Sam, meanwhile, offered his perspective on what this last year’s suppression of DEI really means: “It is a proxy war that is being waged where DEI is being utilized to attack major themes like civil rights. Some of the provisions outlined in the Civil Rights Act of [19]64 and Voting Rights Act of [19]65 — to attack them directly would create clarity that your actions are indeed rooted in racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia.”

Sam continued, “And so you use this attack on corporate DEI as a proxy war to indirectly say, ‘Well, if we strip these rights here, if we challenge these approaches there, maybe no one will notice the underlying element or impact of it. As Black professionals in the space folks, wake up and pay attention — the ways in which we operated and navigated the world last year have to look fundamentally different this year.”

Sam also reflected on how things have shifted for Black people in the workplace since the death of George Floyd.

“To be Black in the workplace following George Floyd’s murder felt challenging. We were called upon in ways that we had not been before, to be a voice, a sounding board for realities that our leaders should have been exploring themselves. However, what started to happen is there was this upward trend of care about our careers, about our development, about our retention in organizations. Hear me loud and clear, much like in 1912 when the Titanic hit that iceberg — that ship has sailed. We hit that iceberg in January of this year. Your identity alone is not enough to keep that job. It’s not enough to garner a promotion.”

With that acknowledged, Sam emphasized that Black excellence must be embodied in the workplace.

Edwards also emphasized that excellence is paramount: “I have to remind people that HBCUs are inclusive institutions. They’ve always been from the very beginning, and they’ve always been built on excellence. And when you have excellence at the forefront of your vision, how you function and how you operate, and how people see you — that’s budget proof.”

According to him, it’s important, however, not to apply too much pressure to oneself. Sam said, “It is OK for us not to perfect, but it is how we come back from that that I think really counts.”

The conversation also turned to the importance of cultivating community and relationships as key to one’s future. Daniel said, “What kind of makes Harlem’s Fashion Row work is that there’s this community at the core of everything that we do.”

Edwards asked Daniel how designers are readjusting and moving forward right now. For designers with their own brands, Daniel said “This is your moment,” citing a McKinsey study that reported 45 percent of all consumers want to shop diverse-owned brands and predicts that African-Americans will spend $70 billion a year in apparel and footwear by 2030. “Go for it and really own your culture,” she said.

Daniel noted that things are a little different for designers navigating this moment who are working in-house. There are some bright spots — she pointed toward the recent Polo Ralph Lauren campaign spotlighting the African-American community of Oak Bluffs, Martha’s Vineyard as an example, saying such moments “[help] to reiterate how important our culture is in different contexts” — but emphasized that in-house designers are struggling, and have been since before this year.

“Black designers who have worked in-house for a brand have always struggled to ascend. There’s very few Black creative directors. There’s very few Black design directors at companies, and so there is this constant struggle. And what’s happened over the last year has made it even more difficult, because they’re saying ‘Brandice, you thought I was dealing with something before, and now people are being a lot more egregious and unapologetic.’”

Forming strong relationships, she stressed, is key in this regard, and she encouraged getting to know people outside of corporate walls.

Sam also explained a metaphor of walking a tightrope in corporate life, and mentioned that “tightrope bias” most affects Black women — showing up completely authentically or completely assimilating both can result in falling off the tightrope, and with no safety net for protection.

“We have to be that safety net for each other in the workplace,” Sam said. “Let the audience believe there’s nothing there, but always be there for one another.”