FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 25, 2016
Contact:
Jasmine Mora
CHC Communications Director
202-225-2410
Washington, D.C. – Today, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus’ Diversity and Inclusion Task Force announced a new initiative to address the lack of diversity in our workforce. The CHC Diversity and Inclusion Task Force is co-chaired by Senator Robert Menendez and Congressman Ruben Gallego and includes Congressman Ben Ray Luján.
Over the next few months, the CHC will conduct four diversity roundtables on the telecommunications, finance, technology, and entertainment sectors. The purpose of the roundtables is to hear directly from industry leaders about best practices being used to increase diversity as well as policies that Congress can enact.
Today’s announcement comes before the Academy Awards this Sunday, February 28th. This is the second consecutive year that no person of color has been nominated for an Oscar in the acting categories.
“It should come as no surprise that corporations are reaping record profits by marketing goods and services to minority communities, but when we look at the number of people of color on corporate boards, or in executive leadership, we are rarely represented fairly,” said Sen. Bob Menendez, Co-Chair of the CHC Diversity and Inclusion Task Force. “One of my top goals has always been to promote and expand diversity at all levels, including in Corporate America, where women and people of color remain grossly underrepresented in leadership positions and supply chains. Since 2010 I have led three surveys on the issue and held many stakeholders to task on increasing diversity in hiring at the most senior levels, and in the procurement of goods and services. I join my colleagues in this call to action – not just in the filming industry but across every industry. We must challenge every corporation to do more and to do better.”
“It’s time to talk openly about our diversity problem and to take genuine, purposeful steps toward solving it. I’m excited to sit down with members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and leaders in America’s fastest-growing industries to discuss real ways we can transform our nation’s workplaces and make them more reflective of our own neighborhoods and communities,” said Congressman Ruben Gallego, Co-Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force.
“Our nation’s strength and success comes from our diversity, and when that diversity is reflected in the business community we as a country are better for it. We must ensure that the best and brightest are a part of a 21st century workforce to expand opportunities for hard-working people of all backgrounds. CHC’s diversity roundtables will foster important conversations that will give business leaders the tools and practices to increase diversity and strengthen their organizations,” said Congressman Ben Ray Luján, Member of the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force.
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The Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), founded in December 1976, is organized as a Congressional Member organization, governed under the Rules of the U.S. House of Representatives. The CHC is dedicated to voicing and advancing, through the legislative process, issues affecting Hispanics in the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. Territories.