With President Trump cutting back on DEI programs and initiatives across the country, cities such as Fort Worth are now discussing ending minority business incentive programs.
The Fort Worth City Council is scheduled to vote on whether to dissolve the Fort Worth Business Equity Ordinance and end its incentives to minority—and women-owned business enterprise certified businesses.
“The Business Equity Division supports capacity building efforts for aspiring and existing Business Equity Firms (minority and women business enterprises), or disadvantaged business enterprises,” the City of Fort Worth website reads.
Assistant City Manager Dana Burghdoff said at a June 17 City Council work session that the City of Fort Worth is expected to lose $277.1 million in federal funding if it does not comply with the federal government.
Fort Worth has faced controversy due to its DEI focus in city services.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, a Committee focused on LGBTQ issues was organized last year to advise Fort Worth city council members.
Fort Worth city officials were looking for “Diversity Matters Champions” in 2024 for their “Celebrate Diversity” initiative, which was led by the Diversity & Equity Employee Committee, created by the city manager’s office, and supported by the Diversity & Inclusion Department.
Some local leaders have slammed the city’s DEI focus, which uses taxpayer dollars.
“More and more, we keep finding out that our beloved red county is promoting radical Marxism. Diversity and inclusion programs do the opposite of what they claim. They only seek to divide us and promote racism against white people. I call on the City of Fort Worth to immediately disavow these programs, or the good people in this community will mobilize like never before to run the Marxists out of office,” French told DX last year.
Many Democrat city council members support the DEI agenda, however.
“This is a political thing that our federal government is doing, and we are nonpartisan, and so this directly affects people in our communities, how they eat at the table,” City Councilmember Chris Nettles said, per the Fort Worth Report.
Early this year, Trump signed several executive orders calling for the end of DEI programs in the public and private sectors, reported The National Law Review.
The Dallas Express contacted Christina Brooks, the Chief Equity Officer and Director of the Diversity and Inclusion Department, for comment, but did not receive a response.