Several groups are calling on President Joe Biden and his administration to do more to protect diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) following a series of successful court battles led by conservative groups. The Fearless Fund, which provides grants to Black women-owned businesses, recently had its program suspended by a federal appeals court over the claim that it discriminates against white business owners. The fund’s co-founder Arian Simone has since called on President Biden to take executive action to “safeguard DEI initiatives and funding rights for marginalized groups.” Similarly, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights this week sent a letter to President Biden urging him to do all he can to “promote, protect, and expand programs that lead to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.”
TheGrio’s White House Correspondent Gerren Keith Gaynor asked Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about these concerns and whether or not the White House believes it is doing enough to protect DEI programs amid a wave of lawsuits winning in courts under the guise of so-called “anti-white” discrimination. Jean-Pierre told theGrio that the Biden-Harris administration’s policies have led to an increased number of Black businesses and and vowed that it would “keep providing economic mobility for all Americans.”