Symposium Abstract: The widespread adoption of diversity initiatives in academic and work organizations has failed to produce substantial improvements in representation, experiences, and outcomes of disadvantaged groups. This symposium identifies unintended consequences of diversity initiatives that may limit their effectiveness. The first talk provides a theoretical framework for understanding how diversity initiatives can negatively impact the very groups they intend to benefit by unintentionally sending signals about inclusion, fairness, and competence. The next three talks illustrate these signals. Specifically, the second talk shows that pro-diversity messages can ironically signal lack of inclusion when those messages do not match reality. The third talk evaluates a popular strategy for promoting inclusion—colorblindness—and finds that colorblindness does not benefit Students of Color, but instead inadvertently signals fairness to White students. The fourth talk demonstrates that opportunity-enhancement programs can unwittingly signal lack of inclusion, fairness, and competence when targeted exclusively to disadvantaged groups. Strategies for improving diversity initiatives will be discussed.