About the Project

The Advancing DEI Initiative is a project of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at NYU School of Law. The initiative aims to collaborate with diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) leaders and supporters to ensure that the field of DEI remains integral to the evolution of organizations and institutions, benefiting all, and particularly marginalized groups. 

Since the Supreme Court’s decision in June 2023 to effectively end race-conscious admissions in higher education, we have observed a significant increase in lawsuits aimed at ending similar efforts to foster just and equitable workplaces. To help leaders navigate the legal landscape, our website offers tools including:

  • The DEI litigation tracker, which allows users to stay informed about cases relating to workplace DEI and how federal courts are addressing DEI issues; and

  • A Resources section with articles and other commentary related to DEI and the law.

We cater to both lawyers and non-lawyers, and strive to make our tools accessible to anyone who supports the values of DEI.

While the primary goal of the Advancing DEI Initiative is to provide legal insights, we aim to cultivate a pro-DEI community that not only responds to the social, political, and legal challenges to DEI, but also inspires ongoing progress in addressing both visible and hidden injustices across all societal institutions. Despite the current legal landscape, we remain firm in our belief that DEI efforts will endure, and we invite you to join us in our mission to ensure its advancement. 

You can learn more about the law of diversity, equity, and inclusion or read about the methodology for further information about the litigation tracker. You can also read articles on the law of DEI published by Meltzer Center personnel as well as media hits on the law of DEI that cite the Meltzer Center.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the following organizations for their generous support of the Advancing DEI Initiative:

  • Charter Communications

  • Deloitte

  • Goldman Sachs

  • Morgan Stanley

  • Publicis Groupe

  • Scotiabank

  • Simpson Thacher & Bartlett

  • TJX

We also wish to thank the following NYU Law students who have contributed to the Initiative: Lucia Alvarez Galvez, Youssef Aziz, Tyra Beck, Yejin Chang, Zoe Chang, Aarya Chidambaram, Mer Fagliano, Suchait Kahlon, Zachary Kasdin, Jane Kim, Stacey Kim, Rebecca Luo, Veronica McLean, Yasmeen Metellus, Gaby Nahhas, Paulina Pages, Jasmine Perez, Priya Prasad, Lydia Schiller, Gwendolyn Strasberg Gardner, Briana Thomas, Sunil Tohan, Olivia Turk, Austin Upshaw, Shawn Young, Kiran Zelbo.

Team

Kenji Yoshino

Kenji Yoshino is the Chief Justice Earl Warren Professor of Constitutional Law at NYU School of Law and faculty director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. A graduate of Harvard, Oxford, and Yale, he is the author of four books, including his latest coauthored book, Say the Right Thing: How to Talk About Identity, Diversity, and Justice. He has won numerous awards for his teaching and scholarship, including the American Bar Association’s Silver Gavel Award, the Peck medal in jurisprudence, and NYU’s Distinguished Teaching Award.

David Glasgow

David Glasgow is the executive director of the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging, an adjunct professor at NYU School of Law, and coauthor of the book Say the Right Thing: How to Talk About Identity, Diversity, and Justice. He has a BA in philosophy and an LLB from the University of Melbourne, Australia, and a Master of Laws (LLM) from NYU School of Law. Prior to his role at the Meltzer Center, he practiced employment, labor relations, and antidiscrimination law at King & Wood Mallesons.

Christina Joseph

Christina Joseph is the Project Director of the Advancing DEI Initiative, committed to advancing DEI in the current legal landscape. Prior to this role, she worked at The Bronx Defenders for over six years, a holistic public defender non-profit, where she played an integral role in executing initiatives and policies geared towards fostering an inclusive, anti-oppressive environment. Christina is a graduate of Howard University (BBA in Marketing, summa cum laude) and Harvard Law School JD.

Contact Christina at christina.joseph@nyu.edu.

Ashley Berry

Ashley Berry is a legal fellow at the Meltzer Center for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at NYU School of Law. In her role, she conducts legal research, maintains a DEI litigation tracker, and creates educational resources to support the Advancing DEI Initiative. Prior to joining the Meltzer Center, she was a DEI Program Manager for a startup before spending three years as the Senior Administrative Program Coordinator at the Center for Women’s and Gender Studies (CWGS) at The University of Texas at Austin. At CWGS, she organized academic programming, managed communications, and helped launch the new Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Ashley is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin (BA in Italian), New York University (MA in French Studies), and The University of Texas School of Law (JD), where she was a Rapoport Center Human Rights Scholar.