OCA CALLS FOR CONTINUED DIVERSITY AND IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

9 September 2020

Contact: Eiley Fong | Communications Associate
202.223.5500 | eiley.fong@ocanational.org

Washington, DC - OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates is alarmed at recent news of the Trump Administration ordering federal agencies to halt trainings regarding implicit bias, diversity and inclusion, and more. In a time where the country is facing crises regarding race, equity, inclusion, and the experience of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities, these trainings only serve as a small push towards justice. 

This effort was released in a memo from Russel Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Some of the push backs against these trainings have cited the use of taxpayer dollars, “un-American propaganda training sessions,” the use of critical race theory in conversation, and the existence of white privilege. 

“Diversity and inclusion training is the bare minimum to ensure some semblance of equity in hiring, beyond affirmative action,” says Roland Hwang, Vice President of Public Affairs for OCA. “Many employees may have never known or understood the experiences of Black, Indigenous, and people of color. We must continually learn and acknowledge the disparities caused by inherent bias, the impacts of microaggressions, and how white supremacy can be upheld in the smallest forms.” 

OCA–Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national civil rights organization dedicated to improving the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). 

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