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Mark Cuban defends diversity, equity and inclusion policies even as critics swarm
As some of the nation’s largest employers pull the plug on their diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, Mark Cuban is defending the policies this week, calling the practice “a positive” for business.
The billionaire, a part-owner of the Dallas Mavericks and a judge on ABC’s “Shark Tank,” said in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that his experience as an entrepreneur and investor shows that companies that that embrace DEI tend to be more successful.
“I own or invest in hundreds of companies,” he wrote. “I know DEI is a positive because I see its impact on bottom lines. That’s been reiterated by many CEOs.”
Cuban’s remarks were in response to criticism he received earlier this week from Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson and conservative activist Christopher Rufo, both vocal opponents of DEI. in their own X posts, Peterson and Rufo accused Cuban of being a rich liberal elite who is trying to appear sympathetic to people from historically marginalized communities.
First of all my arguments are not abstract.
I own or invest in hundreds of companies. I know DEI is a positive because I see it’s impact on bottom lines. Thats been reiterated by many CEOs.
My definitions of D,E and I are not theoretical. They are actually used. Are yours… https://t.co/nCJBcwQ6RQ
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) April 2, 2024
Statements from Cuban and his critics mark the latest chapter in an ongoing debate about the efficacy and fairness of policies aimed at making organizations more diverse and inclusive.
Although many corporations, colleges and other organizations have followed DEI principles for decades in the U.S., the ideas gained momentum four years ago following a Minneapolis police officer’s murder of George Floyd. Following his death, companies vowed to beef up their DEI efforts, with a goal of making their staffs more racially and culturally representative.
More recently, however, companies have backtracked on those commitments, laying off their DEI officers and cutting back on related training. Companies such as Alphabet and Meta have each cut DEI-related positions, as well as planned development training for minority hires.
University systems in Florida, Texas and Wisconsin are also seeing on-campus DEI efforts wind down. And in a survey of more than 100 global leaders of major organizations, U.K.-based consulting firm Arrival found that DEI initiatives have fallen from executives’ lists of top priorities.
DEI opponents, many of whom identify as conservative, argue that those efforts amount to reverse racism because they prioritize hiring and promoting people of color. Supporters of the framework say it is about helping promote equality and representation for people of different races, gender and abilities.
“We can quibble about tactics and strategies, but we cannot retreat from the idea that a 21st century America — a strong nation — has to provide equal paths to opportunity for people,” Urban League CEO Marc Morial told CBS New York in February.
For companies, research on the business benefits of DEI are mixed. For example, a 2023 study by marketing firm TechTarget found that DEI can improve a company’s brand image, make the organization more competitive and boost innovation. But other research have raised questions about whether prioritizing diversity and inclusion helps improve companies’ financial performance.
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Long before comic book characters dominated movie screens, actor Christopher Reeve made the world believes in superheroes with the 1978 classic “Superman.”
Reeve died in 2004, nearly a decade after an accident re-shaped his life. “Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” is using interviews with family and friends and never-before-seen home videos to explore his real-life heroism.
Reeve started his career on the stage, studying at the prestigious Juilliard School and living with comedian Robin Williams. The pair had a friendship that was “more like a brotherhood,” said Reeve’s son Matthew. Reeve was in awe of Williams’ energy and versatility, Matthew Reeve said, but audiences quickly clued into Reeve’s own star power when he took on the role of the Man of Steel.
Warner Bros. Pictures / Getty Images
To his children, though, he “was just dad,” Matthew Reeve said. The documentary explores how Matthew Reeve and his sister Alexandra Reeve Givens grew up watching their dad take the stage as Superman. “Super/Man” also reveals their heartbreak over their parents’ breakup and the joy they found when Reeve re-married. He tied the knot with Dana Reeve in 1992, and the pair welcomed another child, William Reeve, later that year.
“Dana was sunshine,” Alexandra Reeve Givens recalled. “She just brought joy with her wherever she was and could find it even in the darkest moments.”
Those dark moments came suddenly, when in 1995, a near-fatal horseback riding accident left Reeve paralyzed from the neck down. The documentary allows viewers to see, for the first time, what went on out of the public’s view. Reeve can be heard talking about how he “ruined (his) life and everybody else’s,” but in a touching moment, old friend Robin Williams is seen visiting him in the hospital.
“Robin showed him ‘Hey, you’re still you,'” Alexandra Reeve Givens said. “‘You still have this foundation of friendship and people around you, who adore you. And you’re going to find those fun moments in life again.'”
That support from friends and family re-ignited Reeve’s legacy of activism. He made appearances at the Democratic National Convention and the 68th Academy Awards in 1996, about a year after the accident. Matthew Reeve said watching his father address his industry peers at the Oscars was “one of (his) most proud moments.”
“It was just a production for him to get out of bed every morning, let alone get across the country and go out in public for the first time,” Matthew Reeve said. “It was a big deal. It was a big deal to him, but it was also a big deal to the entire disability community. We stayed up in London till like three in the morning to watch that live. It’s a fond memory.”
Vince Bucci/AFP via Getty Images
Reeve also went on to launch what would become the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which is dedicated to advancing research into spiral cord injury and help individuals and families impacted by paralysis. It was his dad’s mission to find a cure, Matthew Reeve said, while his stepmother wanted to focus on improving the lives of paralyzed people and their families. The foundation and Reeve’s platform helped bring unprecedented attention and funding to spinal cord injury research.
Reeve even kept acting and realized his lifelong dream of directing with the 1997 HBO movie “In the Gloaming.” Reeve died in 2004 from heart failure at 52.
“There is a huge amount of great actors and actresses out there, where their filmography might be amazing and what they achieve on a cultural level might be amazing, but have they actually achieved anything really as a human that moves the needle for our society?” said filmmaker Ian Bonhote, who made the documentary with Peter Ettedgui. “And Chris has done both things.”
“Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story” will open in theaters on Friday, Oct. 11.
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