In the words of the iconic Alicia Keys, “DEI is not a threat, it’s a gift.” Despite the various external headwinds we face, we must remain steadfast in our internal commitment to ensuring that our institutions provide students with a broad education that develops the compassionate and critical thinking leaders needed to address today’s, as well as tomorrow’s, most urgent problems. But we can only do that if our institutions are diverse, equitable, inclusive and welcoming to all. Rather than react to or retreat from critiques of our legitimacy or value, let us gather in the Pacific Northwest this April to affirm each other, contribute to our community of practice, reconnect with our why, and remind ourselves that DEI is not just a gift, but it is the fulcrum of institutional success.