President Joe Biden has signed a new executive order to address racial inequity in the United States. The order aims to increase access to federal programs, services, and activities for disadvantaged communities.
Federal agencies will be required to conduct annual reviews, increase community engagement, and establish equity teams and senior leaders accountable for increasing equity and addressing bias.
The order institutionalizes Biden’s pledge to achieve equity and accessibility for all. It also focuses on new civil rights threats, including discrimination in automated technology and access for people with disabilities and non-English speakers.
The directive comes as the country faces a resurgence in the challenges of systematic racism, drawing attention to disparities in wealth, housing, crime, and education that reflect discriminatory policies. The order formalizes Biden’s goal of increasing federal procurement dollars for small and disadvantaged businesses by 50% by 2025 and improves the collection, transparency, and analysis of data to help improve equity.
Click play to listen to the report from AURN White House Correspondent Ebony McMorris. For more news, follow @E_N_McMorris & @aurnonline.