Date

5-20-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Ralph (Mike) Ogburn

Keywords

critical race theory, DEI policies, psychological contract theory, workplace bias

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

The publicized murder of George Floyd in 2020 prompted organizations across the United States to affirm their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Following the 2025 presidential administration, however, many organizations began retracting DEI policies and adopting merit-based initiatives aligned with new federal mandates. For African Americans (AA), this shift echoed a familiar historical pattern of progress followed by withdrawal, requiring them to navigate promises made and promises withdrawn. Despite the significance of these changes, little is known about how AA employees experience the workplace after the removal of a value-laden policy. This interpretative phenomenological analysis study explored the lived experiences of 11 AA employees who self-identified the removal of DEI policies as a breach of organizational promises. Guided by critical race theory and psychological contract theory, the study examined participants’ perceptions of fairness, emotional responses, and interpretations of organizational leadership across varied professions and settings. A biblical perspective further illustrated the ethical and relational dimensions of their experiences. Findings revealed that, within this criterion-based sample, participants experienced DEI policy removal not only as a breach but as a psychological contract violation, contributing to diminished psychological safety and erosion of trust in leadership. These findings are specific to AA employees who interpret DEI policy withdrawal through a breach framework and should be understood within this bounded context. This study contributes to DEI scholarship by clarifying how perception of breach shapes employee experience, rather than representing the experiences of AA employees broadly.

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