The current climate of diversity, equity and inclusion in this country is less about labeling and more about mindset.

That was among the themes voiced Thursday by Silas S. Dulan III, who was keynote speaker at the Tulsa Regional Chamber’s State of Inclusion.

“A lot of what we’ve been saying here up on the stage is ‘why is this DEI?’” said Dulan, founder and CEO of Dulan Business Group. “And it’s because it’s doing the right thing for the right people at the right time.

“It’s understanding that these aren’t DEI principles or strategies. It’s a human strategy of how we move forward.”

About 330 people listened to Dulan’s address at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel & Convention Center in Tulsa. State of Inclusion, one of the Chamber’s signature events, is designed to elevate the Tulsa region's efforts to cultivate diverse, equitable and inclusive best practices.


Besides handling the keynote, Dulan also spoke on a panel that included moderator Jonathan Long, the Chamber’s vice president of DEI, and fellow panelists Alison Anthony, president and CEO of the Tulsa Area United Way, and Bailey J. Siegfried, communication and human resources at NORDAM.

DEI has endured a tumultuous 2025, with President Trump issuing a series of executive orders targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion programs in the public and private sectors

“We can’t get caught up in the fact that a title’s being changed, what’s being printed in the media, what the executive orders are saying,” Dulan said. “Again, executive orders are not law.

“Don’t feel like you have to retreat because of an executive order. You don’t have to redesign your strategy. As long as the work is still being done, that’s what matters the most.”

Siegfried said one thing executives can do to strengthen inclusion is to be curious.

“Curiosity, honestly, is one of the most important attributes to have as a leader,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who you are on the team. Take an interest in one another. At the end of the day, no one is going to look out for you except for the people close to you.”

A local aerospace company based in Tulsa, NORDAM seeks to hire women and people of color because those percentages are so low in that industry, Siegfried said.

“We all know that a diverse team, like synergy, makes for better outcomes and a stronger working team,” he said. “…It doesn’t matter who you are, how you are, who you love, how you love, how you were born, how you identify, you will be loved here.”

Anthony said tenets of DEI that communities should strive for include affordable housing, living wages, economic mobility and access to healthcare and healthy food.

“No one has ever been able to tell me that treating people with dignity and respect is bad for business,” she said. “That’s just not true. Showing up and making sure that we’re lifting up talent and giving you opportunities, that’s good for business.

“Making sure that people feel on Sunday night like they want to come to work on Monday morning, that’s good for business. And that’s what we’re talking about here.”

Dulan grew up in the Oklahoma City area before establishing his current business in greater Kansas City.

He applauded the Chamber’s work in DEI.

“I am overjoyed to see this happening, that you’re continuing this work,” he said.  “Watching my home state become a very brick-red state, I was not anticipating this happening. People who are sitting at these tables, these are your allies. These are the individuals that help us wade through the wilderness of this time of uncertainty.

“So, leaning into these conversations for me is really encouraging. We know that there are people still out there trying to do this good work. At the end of the day, we don’t need anyone’s permission to do the work if we know that people need you.”