Different colorful figurines as concept of inclusion and diversity. getty Since Donald Trump’s re-election in January 2025, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) programs in the U.S. have come under significant pressure. Through a series of executive orders, his administration has dismantled federal DEI offices, defunded equity-related grants, and issued mandates that universities receiving federal funding must scale back DEI initiatives or face financial penalties.

Harvard, one of the few institutions resisting these demands, has already faced a $2.2 billion grant freeze according to CNN. Meanwhile, major corporations such as Meta, McDonald’s, and Harley-Davidson have eliminated DEI policies in response to growing political and economic scrutiny. The rollback has left many marginalized communities, activists, and organizations without vital institutional support.

Amid these challenges, blockchain and crypto-based projects have emerged as promising tools to sustain DEIA initiatives. Decentralized networks offer transparent, community-driven funding mechanisms and new pathways for empowering underserved populations. From supporting Black-owned businesses to advancing gender equity and LGBTQ+-focused initiatives, blockchain provides innovative avenues for fostering inclusion even as traditional systems face increasing restrictions.

While some blockchain applications have been politicized—such as MAGA-themed NFTs and crypto ETFs announced by Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG)—other projects are using decentralized tools to sustain social impact. Below, we explore how blockchain is becoming a vital tool to preserve and expand DEIA efforts. Empowering Economic Growth in the Black Community: Guapcoin Founded in 2017 by Tavonia Evans—credited as the first Black woman to create and launch a cryptocurrency—Guapcoin (GUAP) uses blockchain to support Black-owned businesses and empower underserved communities.

Rooted in the "Buy Black" movement, Guapcoin promotes "Tokenizing Black Spending," enabling businesses to establish financial authority while tracking collective spending power. Users can earn GUAP tokens through staking or operating masternodes, contributing to a decentralized ecosystem for minority-owned enterprises. By leveraging blockchain’s transparency and scalability, Guapcoin aligns with equity-driven goals to foster wealth circulation in communities historically excluded from traditional financial systems.

Advancing LGBTQ+ Causes with MariCoin MariCoin (MCOIN), designed by and for the LGBTQ+ community, functions as both a payment system and a funding mechanism for global activism. Initially launched on the Algorand blockchain and later transitioning to Polygon, MariCoin serves two primary goals: to provide a trusted currency for queer-friendly businesses and to finance grassroots projects for LGBTQ+ associations. Selected as part of the Algorand Miami Accelerator in 2021-22, MariCoin exemplifies how blockchain tools can address both financial inclusion and community-building for marginalized groups.

With institutional support for LGBTQ+ initiatives under attack, MariCoin provides an alternative to sustain advocacy and entrepreneurship in vulnerable communities. Driving Gender Equity Through Blockchain and NFTs Blockchain and NFTs have also proven valuable in advancing gender equity, opening new opportunities for women and non-binary individuals in sectors traditionally dominated by men. Several initiatives stand out for their mission-driven use of tokenized fundraising: • World of Women (WoW) NFTs: WoW directs proceeds from NFT sales toward mentorship and education programs for women in blockchain and creative industries, highlighting how tokens can fund real-world social change.

• Women Rise NFTs: Created by artist Maliha Abidi, this NFT collection supports education and gender equality initiatives, combining advocacy with art to empower female creators in Web3. • The Komorebi Collective DAO: Co-founded by Kinjal Shah, this decentralized fundraising collective pools resources to help women and non-binary individuals enter the crypto space, showcasing how blockchain communities can directly support equity goals. Empowering Gen Z Activist Leaders Through DreamDAO Powered by Civics Unplugged, DreamDAO is a youth-led initiative that combines Web3 tools with social impact.

Its mission is to equip future leaders (ages 15-20) with training, mentorship, and funding to address systemic inequities across education, climate justice, and diversity causes. DreamDAO focuses on hands-on experience, offering paid internships at socially impactful Web3 organizations and fostering intergenerational support. In a landscape where education and activism are increasingly at risk due to defunding or political restrictions, DreamDAO exemplifies how decentralized platforms can mobilize resources for the next generation of change-makers.

Rethinking Scholarships and Research Funding As universities face financial penalties for maintaining DEI programs, blockchain presents untapped potential to fill critical funding gaps. Platforms like Gitcoin already enable decentralized, community-led funding for research projects and open education initiatives. Similarly, blockchain-based crowdfunding tools like Pledgecamp use smart contracts to secure funding for education and innovation.

Although projects like Student Coin—focused on tokenized education funding—are no longer active, their vision inspires ongoing discussions about tokenized scholarships and research DAOs. These solutions could allow universities to decentralize endowments, enabling equitable resource distribution for underserved students and researchers. In doing so, blockchain provides a transparent, scalable alternative for democratizing higher education access amid growing institutional challenges.

Hope in a Decentralized Future Amid a political landscape reshaped by the rollback of DEI programs, blockchain demonstrates its potential as a scalable and decentralized force for inclusion. While Trump’s policies often dominate headlines, innovative projects like Guapcoin, MariCoin, WoW NFTs, and DreamDAO quietly support marginalized communities by creating alternatives to traditional funding models. The battle over inclusion isn’t just ethical—it’s financial.

Blockchain offers a glimpse of how technology can sustain equity-focused initiatives even in adversarial political climates. Whether these tools can scale quickly enough remains uncertain, but they represent a vital step toward ensuring that DEI remains central to economic and societal progress.