Most say diversity makes US stronger, but fewer support DEI training: Survey

Most Americans say diversity makes the United States stronger, but support for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training is less enthusiastic, a new poll found.

According to a new Marist National Poll, more than 80 percent of respondents said they think diversity of race, ethnicity and religion makes the country stronger; 42 percent said it makes the U.S. “much stronger,” and 40 percent said it makes the country “somewhat stronger.”

Just 16 percent of respondents in the survey said diversity makes the U.S. weaker.

Among Democrats, 92 percent said diversity makes the country stronger. Meanwhile, 84 percent of independent voters and 69 percent of Republicans said the same. Democrats were nearly three times more likely than Republicans to select that diversity makes the country “much stronger,” the survey found.

The survey noted that regardless of race, most Americans said they hold the view that diversity improves the country; 53 percent of Latino respondents said diversity makes the country stronger, compared with 40 percent of Black respondents and 39 percent of white respondents.

While many respondents said diversity is a good thing, support for mandatory DEI training in workplaces is not as popular. Only 28 percent “strongly support” and 38 percent “support” employees participating in mandatory DEI training.

Additionally, the survey found that a smaller share of Americans believe race relations have gotten worse in recent years. This year, 37 percent of adults said race relations in the country have gotten worse, but in 2021, 42 percent of respondents said the same.

Republicans were more likely to say race relations have gotten worse: 45 percent of Republican respondents said race relations have declined in the country, compared with 30 percent of Democrats and 34 percent of independents.

The Marist Poll survey was conducted Jan. 29 to Feb. 1 among 1,582 adults. It has a margin of error of 3.4 percentage points.

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