The CBC is also taking action elsewhere, recently writing to Sam Altman and the OpenAI board, urging the company to diversify its board to include expertise from the African American community. This comes amid concerns that despite diversity pledges made by many companies following George Floyd's murder in 2020, DEI jobs have been cut, diversity pledges have been unfunded, and venture capital funding to Black founders continues to decrease quarter by quarter. The Department of Labor has not yet responded to the CBC's letter.
Key takeaways:
- The Congressional Black Caucus has written to the Acting Secretary of Labor, expressing concerns over the potential disproportionate impact of tech layoffs on Black workers.
- More than 240,000 jobs have been eliminated this year due to layoffs in the tech industry, with concerns that the “last in, first out” approach may disproportionately affect minorities.
- The CBC is asking the administration to address this trend, which they believe is harmful and problematic.
- The tech and venture industry have faced a downturn in recent years, with diversity pledges being unfunded, DEI jobs being cut, and venture capital funding to Black founders continuing to decrease.