The Gist Kenji Yoshino & David Glasgow: Saving DEI
4 snips
Feb 23, 2026 
Kenji Yoshino, NYU constitutional law professor who champions 'leveling,' and David Glasgow, NYU Meltzer Center director focused on practical DEI strategies. They debate reframing DEI from 'lifting' to 'leveling.' Short takes cover legal limits on affirmative action, blind auditions as a leveling win, and concrete tools like structured interviews and transparent criteria.
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Equality Reframes DEI In American Terms
- Kenji Yoshino argues replacing 'equity' with 'equality' reduces semantic confusion and links DEI to a deep American tradition of expanding who counts as "we the people."
- He says 'equity' often suggests enforced sameness of outcomes, while 'substantive equality' lets conversations focus on removing bias and expanding opportunity.
Move From Lifting To Leveling
- The book urges a strategic shift from 'lifting' (preferences/bonuses) to 'leveling' (removing bias across systems) given legal and political constraints.
- Yoshino admits modest affirmative action is normatively supported but says leveling is now legally safer and practically scalable.
Orchestra Blind Auditions Drove Big Gains
- Yoshino uses the orchestra blind-audition story: orchestras moved from 5% to 35% women after anonymous auditions.
- Blind screens removed gender cues so evaluators couldn't discriminate, producing rapid, measurable change.
