Pryor condemns Gov. Braun’s DEI report
Last week, Gov. Mike Braun released a report on the impact of his anti-Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) executive order issued in January. Over 200 positions and programs spanning state agencies have been terminated, including a maternal health equity coordinator position, which helped lower the rates of maternal mortality in Indiana.
State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) issued the following statement regarding the report:
“I’m unfortunately not surprised by the positions and programming that have been cut since Gov. Braun’s executive order. This is exactly what happens when you work to erase the history of the Black community and other minority groups. It’s disheartening to see programs we've established in health care equity, fair housing practices and supplier diversity, among many other areas, be threatened by a single swipe of a pen.
“It’s political posturing that’s extremely dangerous, and it shouldn’t go unchecked. It's essentially whitewashing Indiana and pretending minority communities don’t exist here. It's pretending that our state doesn't have a sordid history with racism less than a century ago, and in too many instances still exist. The last thing we need to do is pare back on our inclusivity efforts. These programs are no-brainers that were created to fill gaps in health care, child services, housing, education and many more areas. As an example, Black women and children are going to be disproportionately harmed if we continue to ignore the disparities right in front of our faces.
“Diversity, Equity and Inclusion practices are not about handouts, it’s about ensuring every Hoosier has an equal playing field. One can simply look at these policies' impact on predominantly Black schools or look at the health care and housing ownership numbers to see the playing field is not equal. By attacking DEI efforts, Gov. Braun is telling Hoosiers loud and clear exactly what his values are. Indiana is now at a precipice: are we going to allow Gov. Braun and the Republican supermajority to lead us back to the days of redlining and discrimination, or are we going to continue forging ahead to make our state better for everyone who calls Indiana home?’”