Why age shapes what Americans expect from diversity equity and inclusion.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are often discussed as shared values, but surveys suggest Americans don’t all mean the same thing when they talk about DEI. While younger and older generations broadly agree that inclusion matters, they differ sharply in how they define it and where they expect change to happen.
In the United States, about 30 percent of Gen Z say DEI is important, a higher share than the national average, but their understanding of DEI goes well beyond traditional ideas of representation. Younger adults are more likely to connect DEI to workplace culture, mental health, disability access, language inclusion, and gender identity.
Older generations often focus on fairness, opportunity, and equal treatment, shaped by the social and political contexts they grew up in. Understanding how each generation defines DEI helps explain why conversations about it can feel aligned in intent but divided in practice.
Click through to see where your views align with each generation.








