#OpEd: I am disgusted by how The New York Times misused my words in a recent article to perpetuate a harmful narrative against diversity, equity and inclusion. What was meant to be a conversation about the importance of safe spaces for marginalized students at the University of Michigan was twisted into a weapon used to attack DEI initiatives. The article ignored the broader context of why these spaces matter and misrepresented my stance. I refuse to let my name be used to weaken the crucial work of DEI. When Bill Vourvoulias contacted me for The New York Times, he framed our conversation as a fact-checking exercise. He asked me simple questions to confirm my name, whether I was a graduate student in 2022 and if I identified as Black. The main inquiry, however, focused on whether I believed Charles Hilu’s apology — after he attacked my name and the work I was doing — was sincere. I clearly stated that I did not believe his regret was genuine. I never expected my responses to be manip...