NC lawmakers discuss importance of DEI policies ahead of vote to defund them
At at the tables with global leaders ranging from Apple
to Fuji film and negotiated headquarters to be located here
and hundreds of high paying new skilled jobs for our
county and our state
From these conversations I learned that these companies sought out
North Carolina because of our education system
It is our robust PRE K through 12 our community
colleges and our wonderful universities that produce educated global minded
critical thinkers ready for the workforce and the future not
only are students intelligent and experienced but they are bringing
new perspectives from all walks of life
North Carolina has been number one for the last two
years when it comes to business
And this is largely because of our talent pipeline and
our human resources
We will not remain and maintain this title if we
go further in divesting from important DE I programs
So what is DE I it stands for It always
will stand for diversity equity and inclusion and for those
who need a definition more clearly spelled out
I'm going to provide this to you right now
So diversity encompasses the presence of individuals from different backgrounds
identities and experience including and not limited to race ethnicity
gender sexual orientation socio-economic status religion ability and age that
encompasses everyone in North Carolina and everyone in this room
Everyone in this building
Equity focuses on fair treatment access opportunity and advancement for
all individuals
An inclusion involves creating environments where all individuals feel valued
respected and supported and where their perspectives and contributions are
welcome and embraced
Those words diversity equity and inclusion has become politically charged
and as and has been used as weapons in this
culture war since we don't understand it
Since people don't understand it they become scared of it
And the people who attack de I have called it
divisive exclusionary and indoctrination
And that's far from the truth to that
I would like to ask if any critics out there
have ever been or attended AD E I event spoken
to AD E I employee or spent a day in
the life of a college student using DE I services
If they ever have they would not be doing the
things that they're doing here
I'm gonna provide you some examples of current DE I
events offered at campuses all over our UN C system
One is Boba Chat and craft with AAA and HP
I community free tutoring and advising to students all for
all fields across our system
Engineering summer camps for low income Children mentorships with Black
and LGBT Q business leaders residential halls where women engineers
can live together and learn from one another and lastly
and some of the most important work that the DE
I programs are doing is a suicide law support space
that we've been talking about so many times in this
building
And this is one of the areas that's actually doing
things putting action into place to helping these students
Is this what we're all scared of these events and
these activities and these services that I just mentioned these
programs create a space where students can feel welcome and
adjust to college life and they allow for networking among
students and professionals
As you'll hear later on today or right now and
it increases retention and graduation rates at all of our
university schools and improves students overall physical and mental wellness
In addition it creates opportunities for students all students who
wouldn't have been able to access these services these opportunities
this connection to industry
And it opens the door for everyone to expand their
their their scope their lens their world when it comes
to impacting our future change
Like I said our world has become so different and
it's changing so rapidly and North Carolina is evolving alongside
to these global changes
Our businesses know this
They've told us this and they want a workforce that
can keep up with our new globalized world
And de I is actually the best program that's helping
equip our students for that that skill knowledge and cultural
competence that thrives in a multicultural work environment diversity equity
inclusion has encouraged our students our state's economy and our
industry to thrive
Let's stop trying to change what clearly isn't broken and
keep our state number one in business in the country
Thank you
So the next person I will introduce is my colleague
Re uh Reverend uh Representative Amos Quick
Thank you
Good morning and thank you Representative Servan for uh pulling
us together this morning on this uh very very important
subject
I also acknowledge the presence of uh Representative Brown and
Representative Bose uh Representative Boi is part of the leadership
team
And these first remarks uh that I'm gonna make are
on behalf of the leadership team of the North Carolina
House Democratic Caucus North Carolina is a diverse state and
that diversity is our strength
It is troubling to see the continued uh politics being
played with important state institutions particularly higher education
The University of North Carolina Board of Governors should consider
how diverse college campuses make our university the crown jewel
of North Carolina instead of joining the culture wars North
Carolina should focus on fully funding our university system and
creating an inclusive environment where every student has the attention
and opportunities they deserve
Our state is as diverse as it has ever been
Our universities are charged with preparing younger generations for life
and work after college without diversity focused programs and staff
we are leaving students with fewer tools to understand one
another thrive in the workplace and become good citizens
Again that statement is on behalf of the House Democratic
Leadership Caucus
These next remarks on my own uh it is maddening
that we have come again to a place in our
nation's history where diversity equity and inclusion have become bad
words
My suggestion to those who seek to destroy the very
valuable diversity equity and inclusion policy and practices that have
made our state and nation so great is that they
go back and read the Declaration of Independence because diversity
equity and inclusion are woven into the fabric of that
foundational document of our nation
The declaration says we hold these truths to be self
evident that all men that's diversity are created equal that's
equity and equality and that they are endowed by their
creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are life
liberty and the pursuit of happiness that's inclusion
And I hope and pray that the voters of North
Carolina pay attention to the next lines of the Declaration
of Independence
Because the next line say that to secure these rights
governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from
the consent of the governed that whenever any form of
government becomes destructive to these ends it is the right
of the people to alter or abolish it and to
institute new government there can be no doubt that the
UN C Board of Governors and their legislative benefactors have
become destructive to the esteemed and time honored principles of
diversity
Equity and inclusion
And on Tuesday November 5th 2024 the voters of North
Carolina can institute a new way
I introduce you to our next speaker Reverend Doctor Rose
Cornelius from the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce
Good morning everyone
Decades ago North Carolina began to emerge from our ugly
past of slavery racism intimidation voter suppression and lynching
These things were a stain on our state almost miraculously
However and through a lot of hard work and forward
thinking and planning we've managed to redeem ourselves from many
of the mistakes of the past and now have become
the most progressive state in the South
As a result we have been rewarded by businesses clamoring
to come here not only businesses but university students clamoring
to come here
All types of people old young people of every race
creed and color
See North Carolina as a beacon of light a place
to call home a place to do business a place
to fulfill their dreams and we welcome them
We see them we respect them they feel included North
Carolina is recognized as one of the best places to
do business
A big part of that is how welcoming we are
We are attracting and retaining people from all over the
world
People from all nations who do all types of jobs
for us from stocking sho store shelves to scientists working
in labs trying to find cures for all types of
diseases
As the president of the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce
I represent a town that is probably the most diverse
and welcoming in North Carolina
We have a population that is over 40%
Asian Morrisville has greatly benefited from this diversity but it
has called us to learn about our neighbors
It is required that we see them and respect them
and include them
We include them on in our town's programming
They hold seats on our town council
There is a big reason why Mooresville is recognized as
one of the top locations for the sport of cricket
in America
We've benefited in so many ways because we've made room
for our Asian neighbors and others programs that educate people
about diversity equity and inclusion
Teach us how to welcome all people
They teach us how to see all people
They teach us how to value and respect all types
of people
They teach us how to include all types of people
The UN C Chapel Hill Board of Trustees wishes to
end programming that educates and supports diversity equity and inclusion
by doing so
They are telegraphing to their students to the business community
our nation and the world that they wish to return
North Carolina to the ways of the past were walls
divided where some people weren't as valued or seen or
respected as others programs that teach people to recognize and
appreciate the differences in other people are integral to North
Carolina's ability to thrive in a global economy
If we do not foster a culture
We're all are welcome
If we do not foster a culture we're all are
treated fairly
If we do not foster a culture we're all are
understood and appreciated
We in effect remove the welcome mat for so many
In order to retain our forward movement in our global
economy we must be intentional about what we do and
what we are telegraphing to the world
I encourage the UN C system Board of Governors to
retain and strengthen its DE I programming
Your students will benefit and our state will benefit when
we are given tools that help us to see appreciate
and respect each other
And now I turn things over to our next speaker
Deanna Jones
Thank you very much Rose and thank you Representative Servan
for inviting me here
My name is Deanna Jones and I am the Vice
President for Harmony which is the LGBT Q Chamber of
Commerce here in the triangle
I'm a business owner and I also work at a
large tech firm here in the triangle as a leader
of a Chamber of Commerce that works with the business
community
I can tell you that our business members consider DE
I mission critical and part of their core values
I constantly hear stories of companies that tell us their
employees and their applicants want to work in a diverse
and inclusive company
Inclusion is important for everyone
Inclusion is not a zerosum game
Everyone can benefit from ACLU inclusion
Inclusion means all of us or as we would say
in North Carolina oh y'all if we start eliminating programs
and putting a straitjacket on colleges and universities that tell
them what programs they can have or what fields of
study it does great damage to this wonderful state and
it sends the wrong message
What message does our country hear when North Carolina is
trying to cancel valuable programs or fields of study of
institutions of higher learning What message does a corporation here
when we are declaring war against these values that so
many businesses are striving to achieve just so they can
survive and attract future employees
North Carolina has been the beneficiary of many companies moving
here
We've had headquarters operations move here
We can't risk losing this momentum because we're fighting a
cancel culture war
We did that in 2016 and it hurt us
North Carolina has always been considered a place that excelled
in business and education
North Carolina has always been a state that welcomed people
We have to keep that
We have to keep North Carolina that way
Our very future depends on it
And now I'd like to introduce my new friend Nehemiah
Fantastic
Thank you Diana
You know perhaps as a young man on the panel
it's my responsibility to give us a note of joy
You know I think about the comments made thus far
and I I've actually got good news for you
As you'll come to find I'm a scientist and a
surgeon
So forgive me if these matters of legislation are far
beyond my grasp
A note 30% since the implementation of the D I
policy in 2019 there's been a 30% increase of graduation
rates retention and ultimate placement in the corporations
What that has done is now and over 500 major
corporations have defected to North Carolina bringing over a 1.5
billion increase dollar increase rather in our state GDP
That's numbers
That's hard facts
My name is Nehemiah Stewart
As mentioned my I'm an MD PhD candidate at Chapel
Hill studying neuroscience
I attended UN C Chapel as undergraduate double majoring in
chemistry and mathematics before graduating as a top chemistry major
in my class all throughout my time
Those who worked alongside of me who had all colors
of spectrum all ranges of background and they guided me
to my ultimate outcome
And I understood at that point then an undergraduate as
of as well as now that each of us in
this community this inclusive community is needed pertinently for success
This policy
The repeal at hand comes about from a few core
reasons
Primarily there's a misunderstanding of inclusivity
There's a gist of feeling that those who are included
actually exclude out many others
There's also an interpretation uh actually a miscounting of DE
I dollars in our system
3 million is attributed uh to DE I at UN
C Chapel Hill
However in the D I offices less than a quarter
of a million is actually controlled
The rest of the dollars are attributed out to other
programs that have caused that brought student success forward over
these years
What this is cause for us now is a policy
that threatens as mentioned beforehand to eliminate not just staff
but the programs institutions and the placement that have brought
forward the strong economic development
But I don't just come with harsh bearings and bad
news
I come with a solution
Now for the first time ever we propose to you
all a new committee in the House of Representatives and
the Senate a committee for workforce development
My colleagues at Fuji films my colleagues at Eli Lilly
they tell me day in and day out if we
want to make change if we want to make North
Carolina truly a state of impact and growth
Well we need a talent pool that's sustainable a talent
pool that's strong and has a lot life long longevity
to bring forward year after year from our UN C
system
So with these ads we make and the solution at
hand we give you all no matter what background no
matter what difference we have to each other a chance
to make this state as strong as it once was
and stronger than it's been before
See I I must I must confess as I look
even at our panel today I can understand
No truly I do I understand why I appeal to
the current Poet Police because it's forgotten so many
The way we've done inclusivity now has left behind a
vast majority
The way we've done inclusivity now has unfortunately caused us
to wonder about metrics of growth
There's been shadows on all sides
We don't propose that we've been perfect
We don't propose that we've been excellent but we do
propose that for our state to make progress for our
state to compete and lead in this nation
We need each of us here in this room and
beyond
Those who listen to me today can understand
Now with the development and the vote for this new
committee you have a chance a voice to make this
state as strong as it should be
Thank you Representative Saga for the time and opportunity
I speak on behalf of Un C Chapel Hill in
saying that we stand against the current rep excusing the
repeal of this policy and we stand for the current
policy and in strengthening an improvement
Thank you
Thank you to all our panel and everybody who helped
support us to get to this point today
Are there any questions Yeah I have a question
Um I think it's accurate to say although I'd love
to get your input or maybe some of the other
folks this is part of a broader trend
I mean you know we've also seen the the recent
affirmative action decision for this report
Um here the legislature you know we've seen uh a
rollback of some of the policies that were passed after
the the George Floyd protest in 2020
How do you see in this whole trend moving in
right now and maybe over the next few years So
currently as you're saying the structure or the environment here
in the General Assembly has led towards going backwards from
all the benefits that we've been trying to implement in
the past a lot of the movement has come from
outside and from our leaders
And we're hoping that business which has been such a
loud voice in this this building can help us have
people understand her making a majority of these decisions to
let them know that these decisions that they're making are
detrimental
So we hope that there's an open heart and minds
in listening to businesses and students
But also as my colleague said November 5th will be
very loud of a statement and we need voters to
voice their dissatisfaction to how these decisions are being made
And yeah let North Carolinians decide how we go towards
a future in making these decisions any other And put
yes the uh proposed uh committee is that limited to
just the UN C system or would there be any
DE I initiatives statewide So as I mentioned this is
the first time ever
Uh We've had a new committee formed in the house
of the Senate as you look at the breakdown of
the different committees each of them serve a core function
meant to keep a cohesive nature around this state as
a whole members of the House and Senate uh delegate
themselves or rather take roles within these committees
Of course there needs to become ad E I understanding
D I offices need a role within these committees
But as I mentioned formerly we need the voice of
all members prominent stakeholders whether it be faculty staff parents
potentially majority groups these inputs are would have been left
behind these inputs are why there is a mistrust in
the feeling of divide between the current D I policies
and those that are potentially uh proposing repeal this development
board offers for us a chance to do away with
feelings of political divide and focus on what drives the
state and that's economic development
Any other questions Actually another one from the M I
there you mentioned you know you've been in UN C
Chapel Hill as an undergraduate
There is a phd candidate
Now can you tell us a little bit more about
your personal experience with DE I programs on campus and
the difference it's made for you personally Oh my I
can go on and on
So you know as I mentioned I'm currently an MD
phd candidate um going on to neurosurgery
My phd is Neuroscience in our medical school
I'll start close and I'll move backwards
We have a program called med
Actually a few of my colleagues in the in the
room serve on it here in
We take in uh my minority low income rural students
who are interested in medicine and give them base understandings
of the skill sets needed to come into a a
foreign environment that is medicine and survive
Unfortunately the world of medicine has been a sink or
swim nature where if you don't understand the tools to
use or you didn't come from a family that was
in medicine your chances of success are slim to none
What we've seen is drastic significant increases not only in
my own life as a server of those in med
uh but also in the lives of patients who now
see doctors who look like them we touch their hands
we hold them through tough times
And we're proud to say man we look like you
we understand where you come from
And this thanks to programs that started years ago moving
backward from there a program called Project Uplift which I
also have served on many times before
As I do a 40% increase
We work with high schoolers and middle schoolers once again
across the state
That's this brings in this recruitment pipeline
We talk about workforce development
It starts far beyond undergraduate it starts far beyond high
school
When we get to students familiar give them core skill
sets to find survival in these foreign environments
We increase their chances for success
These D I programs have I've seen in my own
eyes brought forward our new generation of clinicians engineers uh
lawyers thought leaders and I've been just so honored to
be a part of it in my journey
Go ahead
So the board's voting to defund uh to cut DE
I programs are very diverse
So what's your opinion on that And um you know
that impact right
So as we were saying that impact is going to
be very significant as Nehemiah had said these programs not
only touched the UN C system but also the UN
C students and faculty and administration going to high schoolers
go to middle schoolers to prepare and to hopefully have
those students be students in our system
And then adding on our business industry leaders here knowing
that these pipelines are so integral and why everyone is
coming here and staying here
But we can't take that for granted it could be
easily stopped or changed
There's other states around us who are actually highlighting that
we're doing these things and really courting the industries that
could be coming
You know I talked to legislators in Virginia Ohio Pennsylvania
Georgia
They're telling me you keep going this way
We're we're already going after your future industry
So this is already happening with like even the thought
or preparation of these decisions being made
So there's incredible implication to this
I say may I say that it is also disheartening
that the UN C system was the first system in
the nation the first uh statewide university system in the
nation
So we have been leaders uh in this country on
educating our population
But this is not leadership as the question was alluded
to earlier this is actually followership
This is what's happening in other places uh Florida Texas
and other places
And so it's not really impressive that North Carolina now
is becoming a follower
Whereas before we were the leader we started the university
system and the the statewide university system in this country
and we should remain a leader uh in uh the
statewide university system with the benefits that we've seen happen
And I represent um Greensboro North Carolina which has two
UN C system schools within the city limits including the
number one H BC U in the world
And that happened
And uh because that happened North Carolina A and T
State University is becoming more diverse itself
Excellence works and D I pro policies help us to
become excellent
And so this uh step that we're taking back or
the proposed step that we're probably going to be taking
back yesterday is not excellence it's not leadership it's follow
it's politics it's awful and it's gonna hurt our state
I'd like to say I think this is part of
a broader agenda to uh marginalize people to take away
rights both from women and minorities and others
And um people who have been invited to the table
Don't want to go back
Um I'm included in that number
It is unfortunate but I think we need to raise
our voices
We cannot afford to sit on the sidelines anymore
You have a stake in this so contact your legislators
contact the people who are involved on the board of
Governors
Let your opinions be known
Don't be idle
You cannot afford to sit back
other questions
Well I think media I think our participants and everybody
also here and I just want to let you know
that the groups here are going to be conducting an
advocacy day visiting many of our leaders on our university
committees on the Senate and the House side and also
leaders in in the NCG A in general
And if any of them are listening today hopefully they'll
have their doors open to be able to spend a
little time to hear further the details of how this
is so important
Thank you so much