Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) massive failures to respond to Hurricane Helene have been heavily criticized. However, it seems the agency spent a great deal of time worrying about LGBTQ issues and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policies (DEI) during the Biden years.

Social media has begun to spread videos of FEMA’s policy and training sessions.

In one video, FEMA Director of Education/Training for the “Pride Federal Employee Resource Group” of the agency, Reilly Hirst is seen celebrating FEMA’s efforts to “converse with migrant women trans”.

Hirst said that FEMA worked to ensure that “migrant transwomen” could “trust” shelters provided by FEMA for migrants. Hirst said that FEMA must continue to ensure that shelters do not “misgender”, migrant transwomen, and that they can access the bathrooms and bedroom that they desire.

FEMA managers can be heard in a video from a meeting on disaster preparedness talking about the need to focus on “LGBTQIA” people and how the agency must ensure “disaster equality” is incorporated into its efforts.

A second FEMA video highlights the fact that the agency, in 2023, signed a commitment with the NAACP “to instill equity in disaster aid.”

The pledge was made on September 20, 2023. Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and Chief Executive Officer and Leon W. Russell, Chairman of the Board of Director joined FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell in “addressing the longstanding disparities that disproportionately affect our communities before and after disasters.”

The Memorandum of Agreement was designed to “serve as a global model of inclusive and effective disaster-management that places a priority on the empowerment of Black Communities.”

FEMA jumped into DEI and climate issues as soon as Biden was elected president. FEMA Administrator Deanne Critswell, in December 2021, proudly released a policy memo focusing not only on equity but also “climate changes.”

Criswell said that FEMA’s response to disasters would be focused on “increasing equitability in our policies and programs” and “leading the way in resilience in a climate changing”

In the memo Criswell stated that FEMA will “Instill Equity as Foundation of Emergency Management” and “Lead whole of community in Climate Resilience.”