First, Affirmative Action, Now Programs Designed to Close the Racial Wealth Gap Are in Danger of Extinction.

It's been a few months since the last edition of the Perry Report was published. In that time, the very landscape of our democracy has changed with the dismantling of affirmative action in higher education. Even though the decision only affects those elite institutions of higher education, like the Ivy’s, it ensures that there will be less diversity on campuses. While the original intent of affirmative action was remediation for past racial injustices, research indicates that the group that most benefited from affirmative action over time is White women . Thus, many Blacks and White women welcomed the dissolution of affirmative action; Blacks indicated they didn’t benefit from the law. And White women have made such significant gains over time that it's no longer necessary.

What's Next?

The orchestrators of the Supreme Court case that overturned affirmative action and others are coming after other diversity programs that benefit racial and ethnic groups. Republican attorney generals sent a scathing letter to bully corporations into terminating their diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.?This past week the Small Business Association (SBA) 8a business development program halted all new applications while it changed the questionnaire following an injunction issued last month by a federal court in Tennessee that presumed racial and ethnic disadvantage as a qualification for a keystone program intended to broaden the government contracting landscape. According to the email I received, those with a pending application will have to reapply. ?The Fearless Fund, a venture capital fund by and for Black women, was sued using the precedence of the affirmative action case to force them to stop awarding grants to women of color. Although these are scare tactics designed to force corporate America to bow to their right-wing whims, ?these programs increase access to capital and provide an opportunity to shrink the racial wealth gap .

Since 2016, the country has changed so much that none of this is surprising. As an eternal optimist, it's becoming difficult to continue to see the glass half full when programs to benefit racial and ethnic groups are being dismantled with record speed.

“ To be Black in America is to be in a constant state of rage.” -James Baldwin

I’m no conspiracy theorist, but I believe the continued backlash and uptick in antiblack racism resulted from the Obama presidency, as many scholars have suggested. White supremacy culture is determined to roll back any gains that Black people have obtained. Even if that means burning down the entire establishment, unfortunately, other racial groups are collateral damage in the fallout.

Storytime

In my newsletter to my email subscribers, I provide anecdotes from my work and life related to racial equity. It’s called storytime. For illustrative purposes, here's a new one.

Several weeks before the Supreme Court decision on affirmative action, a Black colleague was in her office at her government agency when she heard her director and another senior administrator (who are both White) conversing.

The administrator was displeased that his daughter did not get into the college of her choice. He stated that he assumed a Black person took her space as a result of affirmative action, and this is why it needed to end. The director, a high-ranking government official, agreed that the SCOTUS would soon overturn affirmative action. My colleague, who overheard the conversation, began to document the conversation on her computer and, in shock, mistakenly sent the document to the administrator. The next day the deputy director entered her office and, in a threatening tone, asked her what she planned to do with the document. Because she felt intimidated, she didn’t have a response. However, because she had spent her entire career at this agency, she knew she would be targeted and needed to leave the agency. She quickly made some calls, and the story of what happened to her went all the way up to the White House. Two weeks later, she was in another position. ?I don’t know if the colleague reported what she overheard or the intimidation she experienced. But I know the individuals involved make policy and funding decisions affecting racial and ethnic groups.

Why am I telling you this story?

The conversations people have in private inform the decisions made in public. Systemic racism is so insidious that people create narratives and take action through policy decisions directly impacting Black and Brown people. Allies and champions of DEI must continue to advocate for change at the highest levels. As well, it is imperative that DEI practitioners remain vigilant in working with organizations to implement policies, procedures, and systems that ensure inclusive and diverse workplaces. We must continue to provide support, safe spaces, and places for Black and Brown people and other marginalized groups.

?Now is not the time to back down.

We are better when we are together.

____________

In Other News?

Some of you may notice that the LinkedIn algorithm has changed once again, preventing you from seeing my posts and others in the field. As a result, I plan to transition to my own platform to connect with my followers. I will continue to post here, but if you’d like my free newsletter, please subscribe here .

The next R.I.C.H. Executive Leadership Experience for Black women is in October. Join the list to get informed when registration opens.

Do you want to be in a community with other DEI practitioners? If so, join R.I.C.H Group Coaching , a 6-week program designed to improve DEI practitioners’ leadership skills and well-being while increasing their self-efficacy to create transformational change.

About The Perry Report:

The Perry Report newsletter is a monthly LinkedIn newsletter dedicated to stimulating conversations on race, equity, leadership, and everything in between to enrich, educate and transform lives. The newsletter is authored by Dr. Venessa Marie Perry, organizational psychologist, writer, consultant, executive coach, and speaker. Dr. Venessa’s work focuses on partnering with people and organizations that want to advance racial equity through systematic, institutional, community-based, and societal change. If you want to learn more about our work and how we can assist you in organizational development, leadership development, racial equity, diversity, and inclusion, visit us?here or book a FREE 30 minute discovery call to learn more.

Do you have a pressing issue that you need help with? Sign up for a 90-minute?Strategic Breakthrough Session .

Lastly, if you enjoyed this newsletter, please share it with others.?