I think DEI is important in education and the workplace because, at absolute measurement of the best of the best, you don’t always need that. There is a minimum threshold of intelligence and diligence needed to perform a job. I do not believe in quota based DEI; if a cohort of minorities do not meet the aforementioned threshold, they aren’t suitable for admission. That means figuring out different incentives for certain minorities to be encouraged to work towards those thresholds. That requires community effort.

However, DEI is still important because of the reasons that are always politically pushed:

• Representation as role models to break minority stereotypes: I was taught that to get promoted, especially for black men or East Asian women, that minorities have to beat back the stereotypes if those stereotypes are the reasons people are worried about promotions. With more people, those negative stereotypes holding back people’s promotions could be diluted.
• Diversity of viewpoints and backgrounds in certain settings that needs it: women are usually not the top tech people; some are absolutely very smart and do get the opportunities they deserve. However, one weird thing I’ve noticed is that the average male software engineer is very smart compared to the average female software engineer, yet the female software engineers actually get their shit done on time. On the other hand, many men in leadership roles will waive off male engineers since they’re smart even if they have projects that aren’t completed on time.
• If the first two don’t work to break stereotypes, then you need someone inside who can see through those stereotypes for their minority.

The usual DEI points are morals, historical slavery, and simply beating back racist white people. In reality, most people don’t have the experience to enumerate my points. We have DEI quotas and liberals wish for the DEI to continue existing out of self-interested political morals wanting to feel less racist and feel good about themselves promoting DEI and eliminating hatred. Most folks have an idealized form of society that eliminates skin color and eliminating hatred, but it is impossible for people to ignore stereotypes. These are real issues in society to ensure businesses and governments have the most meritocratic system by reducing how much stereotypes affect talent. They do exist and will forever; skin color is only a baseline category, but nationality can be, too when going to Eastern countries.