A coalition of diversity groups is pushing large corporations to continue race-based programs in the face of mounting legal pressure, according to a letter shared by consumer freedom advocate Will Hild.
Hild posted a letter Wednesday on Twitter written by organizations committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) to Fortune 500 companies urging them to withstand pressure caused by lawsuits and political opposition. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Meet The Activist Academic Bringing Diversity Quotas And Critical Race Theory To Medical Schools)
EXPECT LAWSUITS: In a leaked letter, a coalition of DEI activist groups tell Fortune 500 companies to expect lawsuits over their blatantly discriminatory DEI programs.
This comes on the heels of a similar letter from the Congressional Black Caucus, obviously coordinated. pic.twitter.com/OL3LWVgVQi
— Will Hild (@WillHild) February 7, 2024
“We believe it is imperative that CEOs and other company leaders are able to make strategic decisions for their companies without threats of frivolous lawsuits and political pressure, and we will be here with support, every step of the way,” the letter reads.
“We know continued investments in diversity initiatives are essential to the success of your business and our country’s economy. We also understand companies are recalculating their risk tolerance in light of these unprecedented challenges that seek to dismantle your programs,” the letter adds.
The organizations portray DEI opponents as being out of touch with public opinion, based on a Morning Consult survey of senior executives taken in December and consumer sentiment measured by the Corporate Diversity Index. Advocates also use additional data from the Harris Poll for the Black Alliance Foundation and consulting firm McKinsey & Company to argue DEI is good for business.
The letter ends with a mob-style conclusion, that sounds more akin to a protection racket than anything else:
A veiled threat, followed by a promise: if you continue to violate the law, we will back you. If you refuse, we will attack your business. pic.twitter.com/L3jBlcj6Xr
— Will Hild (@WillHild) February 7, 2024
“It is vital that we do not allow the voices of an extreme few to outweigh the voices of the many. We cannot and will not sit idly by and allow that to happen. To do so would have dire consequences for not only your business and those you serve, but the entire U.S. and global economies,” the letter concludes.
“Our request is that you act on the overwhelming evidence and positive outcomes by expanding your company’s commitments to and investments in diversity initiatives, including supplier diversity programs. Together, we can overcome these baseless attacks and build a more resilient and inclusive economy that ensures continued prosperity for all.”
Signatories of the letter include the U.S. Black Chambers, Global Black Economic Forum, The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.
Hild is the executive director of Consumers’ Research, an advocacy organization opposed to corporations pushing DEI and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) at the expense of consumers, its website outlines. Consumers’ Research produces “woke alerts” spotlighting specific corporations’ efforts to push a political agenda onto consumers.
“This comes at a time when DEI departments are being downsized or eliminated at countless companies across the nation because those organizations have realized the truth, DEI is a liability on their balance sheets and in the courtroom,” Hild said on Twitter.
“They are a tax on shareholders and a betrayal of consumers, who should be the main focus of any company.”
DEI programs in schools and corporations typically advocate for identity driven hiring quotas and special privileges for certain groups of people. Conservative legal organizations and Republican attorneys general have used the courts to push back against DEI initiatives with lawsuits alleging unlawful discrimination.
The Supreme Court ruled in June race-based college admissions criteria violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. Colleges and universities appear to be figuring out ways to skirt the race-based admissions ban by using backdoor methods to consider an applicant’s race, a practice encouraged by the Biden administration.
Gallup polling data shows a majority of black Americans support the Supreme Court’s ruling.