‘I Used to Be a DEI Consultant. Now I’m Working As a Nanny.’
When Trump took office last January, one of his first orders was to freeze trillions of dollars in federal funding and grants that many nonprofits — including schools, hospitals, and affordable-housing programs — rely on to operate. Within days, the order was blocked by a judge and rescinded, but the damage had already been done: In the shuffle that followed, many federal agencies continued to withhold funding, causing delays and confusion for nonprofits that depend on it. In addition, the administration targeted organizations that had adopted diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, which Trump deemed “illegal.”
Since then, nonprofits have hemorrhaged jobs and scrubbed any language alluding to DEI practices from their websites. (Many large corporations, including Target and Meta, have done so as well.) But the onslaught continued: In August, Trump issued another executive order that tightened his administration’s control over the federal grant-making process and explicitly barred grants for programs that appeared to address issues involving race, gender identity, or undocumented immigrants. Last week, the administration announced another round of government layoffs that would further shrink agencies that provide nonprofits with crucial funding and services.
What’s it like to be caught in the crossfire of these cuts and the backlash against DEI? Here, a 31-year-old woman who worked in nonprofits in New York for more than a decade — most recently as a DEI consultant — shares her experience of looking for work since she lost her job a few months ago.
I have worked in the nonprofit and social-service field since the beginning of my career, almost ten years ago, and even before that as a college student. Both of my parents are immigrants, so I worked in immigration law during the first Trump administration, advocating for people who faced deportation. So I was used to the chaos of Trump’s executive orders and how damaging they could be, especially to marginalized communities. But I was not expecting the magnitude of damage that he’s done in his second term so far, particularly with these government funding cuts.
A few years ago, I found myself in a position where I needed to support my mom financially. She moved in with me, and it became clear that I needed to be making more money. At the time, I was working for a nonprofit that was primarily funded by the city and paid about $60,000 a year. So I transitioned to a new job at an organization that does consulting for mission-driven organizations — mostly nonprofits — helping them codify DEI practices. At the time, the job seemed stable, and it paid me much better, about $80,000. But after the Trump administration slashed federal funding for social services and began its crusade against DEI, we lost almost all of our clients. They couldn’t afford to hire consultants anymore — they could barely keep their staff on board — and they certainly didn’t want to be associated with an organization like ours that focused on DEI initiatives.
Within weeks of Trump taking office, I got my first pay cut. By spring, I was making 50 percent of my salary. It was devastating. I never expected something like that to happen. Then, about six weeks after that, I was let go.
Since then, I’ve been disoriented, sort of in freeze mode. Obviously, I know that my next step is to find another full-time job. But most of the organizations where I would’ve thought, Oh, yeah, I could get an interview there — they’re all struggling too. So I’ve had to rethink what this whole process will look like. If, a year ago, you told me that I was getting laid off, I would’ve thought, Okay, well, I’ll have my next résumé-building, career-advancing job lined up before my last day. I felt so sure about the value of my qualifications and my industry. And I don’t have that faith anymore. I’ve had to explore work in areas that I hadn’t considered before, which could be a silver lining. But ultimately, it’s extremely disappointing and scary.
I’ve always been aware of the inherent flaws of the nonprofit industrial complex. You’re beholden to donors and boards and certain financial interests. I knew that we weren’t going to be where the revolution began and ended, but it felt very meaningful to be at the forefront of a positive cultural shift, working with clients to help them improve their organizations and serve people better.
Now, I’m doing full-time babysitting and nannying so I can make ends meet. I’m well-aware that I’m lucky to have that option. I think about all of the folks who were the recipients of these social services that our clients used to provide; they’re the most impacted by these funding cuts. So that’s where I find the fortitude to know that I can make whatever changes are necessary. I’ve also been receiving unemployment benefits, and I signed up for Medicaid.
When I told acquaintances who work in tech or other fields that I was laid off, they said, “Well, did you at least get severance?” And I was like, “Oh, no, that doesn’t exist in this field. The reason I was laid off is that there simply was not a penny left.” The leader of my organization was forgoing a salary completely to keep people on staff. So, yeah, no severance.
Meanwhile, around the same time that I lost my job, my landlord pushed the rent-stabilized building where my mom and I live to market rate, which we really can’t afford. So I’ve been working with my neighbors to connect with a housing-rights attorney. Thankfully, we’ve secured one, but I still don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s been extremely stressful. I lie awake worried most nights. What if our housing case doesn’t work out in our favor, and we owe all this money in back rent? What if I don’t find a full-time job before the end of the year, when my unemployment benefits run out? What am I going to do for my mom, who doesn’t have any other means of financial support? It’s been a lot.
I know lots of people who have been laid off this year. Many of them are still looking for work. It makes things scarier, knowing that I have a difficult journey ahead of me. But I also know I’m not alone, and it’s not as isolating.
Given how bleak the job market is for my line of work right now, I’ve actually felt a lot of unexpected relief to be working in child care. I don’t feel any stigma about it. During college, I was always babysitting when I wasn’t in class. My college friends and I all took turns nannying for some of the same families. So it’s been an unexpected transition, but I did have experience and references, and I enjoy it. Being with kids forces you to be present and creative. The part that’s tricky is that ultimately, my goal is to get another full-time job that has benefits. And I want to be transparent and manage expectations with the kids and families who hire me. I don’t want to say that I have one foot out the door, but I’m actively looking for full-time jobs whenever I’m not at work.
Right now, as a nanny, I make about $25 an hour. Unemployment benefits have allowed me to cover my rent and other expenses. Between those two sources of income, I’m still not making anywhere near what I was before, but I have been able to meet my basic needs, which I’m grateful for. And then I’m able to support my mom with some savings that I put aside over the past few years, but that’s finite. When unemployment runs out, that uncertainty looms quite large. I believe that something will work out because it just has to.
I haven’t taken DEI off my résumé or public profile yet. I’m applying to places that I think value that work and won’t be scared off when they see it. But I don’t know. I remember when my former employer had to remove any mention of DEI off our website, which was obviously painful. I’m hoping that I won’t have to do that. But soon, I might have to.
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