The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is supposed to be the government’s premier emergency relief organization in times of disaster, like the situation now faced by victims of Hurricane Helene’s aftermath in North Carolina and Tennessee.
But according to the FEMA website, the agency now places higher priority on instituting Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity guidelines than on easing the suffering of Americans displaced by disaster.
We just released our 2022-2026 Strategic Plan.
— FEMA (@fema) December 9, 2021
“We will remain focused on increasing equity in our programs & policies, leading resilience in a changing climate and strengthening the emergency management workforce."– @FEMA_Deanne
Read it here: https://t.co/pB2xz1zZ32 https://t.co/u3ww7ofhu8 pic.twitter.com/kuTOhskcSA
Among the goals listed in FEMA’s strategic plan are to:
-Instill equity as a foundation for emergency management
-Lead whole of community in climate resilience
-Promote and sustain a ready FEMA & prepared nation
What does that look like in action?
Here’s an example of a FEMA disaster preparedness meeting where participants discuss how LGBTQIA individuals were suffering disproportionally before the storm compared to other disaster victims.
Notice how the focus shifts from doing the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people to ensuring that they are promoting “equity in disaster relief.”