How to stand strong with DEI in times of backlash

Across Europe, racial justice and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work are facing renewed backlash. Misinformation is spreading faster, anti-racism initiatives are questioned, and many practitioners are exhausted from having to defend the basics of equality over and over again. Yet the need for sustained, structural anti-racism has never been more urgent.

On January 21st, SPARK DEI together with Foundation ENAR and ENAR's Equal at Work programme are co-hosting a four-hour online webinar, “How to Stand Strong with DEI”, to place anti-racism back at the centre of DEI work and equip participants with tools to resist, respond and keep going over the long term.

The event will be moderated by Safir Boukhalfa, SPARK DEI Chair and Executive Director at Safir Boukhalfa Consulting. The webinar brings together racialised experts working across policy, mental health, business, media, activism and community organising.

Why this webinar, and why now?

The webinar is designed around three core objectives:

• Empower and educate through concrete strategies that people can apply to counter misinformation and sustain anti-racism in their daily work.

• Strengthen networks by connecting Foundation ENAR, ENAR, Equal at Work members and allies so that collaboration continues long after the event.

• Drive action by supporting participants to integrate anti-racism into workplaces, policies, advocacy and organising.

Rather than treating anti-racism as a side topic within DEI, this webinar puts racial justice at the centre. It examines how backlash, disinformation and fatigue are undermining equity efforts, and focuses on what it takes to stand firm.

What to expect from the webinar

The four-hour webinar is structured to move from understanding the problem to naming the pressure points, and finally to imagining the future of DEI grounded in anti-racism.

Opening and welcome
Safir Boukhalfa will open the event with introductions and reflections, followed by remarks from Foundation ENAR, ENAR, and Equal at Work.

Safir Boukhalfa

Safir Boukhalfa is the Chair of SPARK DEI powered up by Foundation ENAR, and Executive Director at Safir Boukhalfa Consulting.
Read more about Safir and their work here.

Panel 1 – Fighting misinformation and disinformation

Panellists will draw on experience across journalism, policy, activism, corporate DEI and community work. Participants will be able to contribute examples from their own contexts and respond to a live poll on the misinformation challenges they are facing.

Jamal Ouazzani

Jamal is a French-Moroccan Muslim essayist, poet & film director. After 10 years spent in major international advertising agencies (Paris, Dubai, Shanghai, NYC), after reading over 5000 books on gender studies, race and feminism, he has become a DEI consultant and a keynote speaker. 

As a human rights activist, he raises his voice against inequalities and any type of discrimination. He is also the voice behind JINS Podcast (@jins_podcast on Instagram), the very 1st podcast that addresses feminism, love, sexuality and gender for BIPoC and/or Muslims, totalling 800K+ streams and 90K+ loyal listeners, making it a reference in the field, especially within Muslim communities of the US, Europe & the MENA region. After an art residency program at Villa Albertine (Los Angeles) for 2 months, he came up with the third season of the podcast entirely focused on ‘Representations of Arab & Muslim sexualities in Hollywood’. 

He’s also the author of Love, a book on how we can learn from Islam and Arab cultures to rethink our conceptions of love. He’s currently in the process of publishing his first collection of poems, Bonfire, around collective joy and alternative masculinities. 

Angeline Aow

Angeline is an international educator, author, consultant and pedagogical leader. She has undertaken multiple roles within schools, as a teacher, curriculum coordinator, accreditation coordinator and professional learning and development coordinator. Angeline leverages these experiences to support collaborative learning communities with enhancing inclusive mindsets and systems, designing humanising pedagogical approaches and achieving shared inclusion and intercultural goals. Angeline is an advocate of intersectional inclusivity, coaching, concept-driven learning and teaching and contributes as an active citizen on social justice issues through her advocacy across multiple networks and work with the Council of International Schools. Her co-authored book, Becoming a Totally Inclusive School: a Guide for Teachers and School Leaders was published by Routledge in November, 2022.

Ndéla Faye

Ndéla Faye is a journalist and author with over a decade of experience working across international media. She has written on topics such as antiracism, press freedom and the systemic inequities within media institutions and is also a board member of Anti-Racist Forum, based in Finland

Keynote: Countering DEI fatigue and resistance

Dr. Racky KA-SY

Dr. Racky KA-SY is a social psychologist, consultant, and keynote speaker specialising in the psychological impact of racism and discrimination on mental health. She brings expertise in anti-racism practice, research, and policy to international audiences across both public and private sectors. At Sorbonne University’s Faculty of Medicine, she developed and teaches a course on the intersections between racism and healthcare. Dr. KA-SY is a member of the advisory group of the “A Million Conversations” project on global social health inequalities led by Sanofi. As a clinician, she also provides individual therapeutic support addressing these systemic stressors.

Panel 2 – The future of DEI

Using an intersectional lens, the panel will consider how race, disability, gender, sexuality and migration intersect, and what it means to build solidarity across struggles. Panellists will ask directly: Will businesses and institutions deepen their commitments, or walk away – and how do we respond either way?

Mahmoud Assy

Mahmoud Assy is a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) consultant based in Spain, working at the intersection of systems thinking, intersectionality, and organisational change. He supports companies, NGOs, and institutions across Europe to design more just, inclusive, and effective policies, leadership practices, and workplace cultures. With experience spanning corporate, civil society, and grassroots spaces, Mahmoud combines strategic analysis with lived experience to address power, inequality, and belonging in complex systems. 

Floria Moghimi

Floria Moghimi is a D&I consultant and founder and Managing Director of Berlin-based Boutique Consultancy Floria & Co. She successfully works with various clients in innovative industries. She has a background in internal and external communications at large international corporations (KPMG, Deutsche Post DHL) and a Master of Arts in political science (University of Marburg). With workshops, audits and assessments Floria & Co supports clients in designing transformative D&I strategies, while using the intersectional lens. She believes that building structures and systems for the most marginalised will be beneficial for everyone. Floria is also the founder and community manager of the largest German D&I group on LinkedIn.

Antonio Vega

Antonio Vega is a seasoned DEI strategist and the founder of Includership, a consultancy dedicated to transforming workplace cultures through psychological safety and actionable inclusion. With nearly a decade of experience leading DEI initiatives within Big Tech, Antonio bridges the gap between high-level corporate strategy and human-centric belonging. 

Closing and next steps
To close, speakers will share key takeaways and invite participants to translate insights into concrete next steps.

Who should join?

The webinar is free and is aimed at people across Europe who are committed to racial justice and want to stay engaged despite backlash. This includes:

• ENAR member organisations and grassroots activists;

• DEI and anti-racism practitioners working in companies, NGOs, institutions or independently;

• HR leaders and Equal at Work members seeking to embed anti-racism in organisational policies and practice;

• Anyone interested in DEI and/or antiracism.

Practical details

• Date: January 21st, 9am CET

• Duration: 4 hours, including two breaks

• Format: Online webinar

Details on how to register and join here.

Join the conversation and stay in it

This webinar is an invitation to everyone who refuses to give up on racial justice, even when the climate is hostile. It is for people who want to stand strong with DEI, resist misinformation, and keep anti-racism at the centre of their work in the long term.

Registration is required and places are limited. If you are a racialised DEI consultant, HR leader, activist, organiser, or ally working on racial justice in any sector, this space is for you.

More speakers to be announced soon.