WASHINGTON, D.C.—House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries hosted leaders of the Demand Diversity Roundtable at the Capitol to discuss a joint legislative and advocacy strategy to fight back against the Trump administration’s unwarranted attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Today’s meeting follows last month’s inaugural convening of the Demand Diversity Roundtable, a coalition of over 20 of the nation’s civil and human rights organizations representing more than 100 million Americans, at the group’s request to meet with bipartisan and bicameral congressional leaders on Capitol Hill.

“House Democrats believe in merit for everyone, based on what you know, not who you know. That’s what diversity, equity and inclusion helps to promote. They are American values based on the words of our Constitution and our national creed—out of many, one.” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08). “The attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion are about denigrating excellence and elevating mediocrity. We look forward to partnering with the Demand Diversity Roundtable in the righteous struggle to push back against far right efforts to turn back the clock.” 

Joining Leader Jeffries for today’s meeting were:

Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League:
“By giving organizations and institutions access to the broadest possible pool of talent, diversity, equity and inclusion policies unfailingly raise the level of performance by every metric. Businesses and organizations with diverse leadership teams achieve higher profitability, greater innovation, and improved decision-making. The vast majority of Americans understand the positive impact of diversity and overwhelmingly support equity initiatives.”

Shavon Arline-Bradley, President and CEO, National Council of Negro Women:
“At NCNW, we stand firm in making diversity, equity and inclusion the standard, not the exception. Today’s dismissal of keeping the playing field diverse, equitable and inclusive will harm the economy. Cuts to programs and removal of policies hurt people who support the economy we seek to protect, and only elevate the wealthy, while killing communities.”  

Melanie L. Campbell, President and CEO, National Coalition on Black Civic Participation, Convener, Black Women’s Roundtable:
“It is a core American value that we should all have the right to be free and pursue a fulfilling life. But that goal will remain elusive unless our public and private sector leaders commit to fostering greater diversity, equity and inclusion in every facet of our society. As Black Americans, we know what it looks like to live in a segregated society that denies our rights, freedoms and opportunities, based on race and gender. Those days must remain behind us, and we won’t go back.”

Brenda Victoria Castillo, President and CEO, National Hispanic Media Coalition:
“The National Hispanic Media Coalition is proud to stand in solidarity with the Demand Diversity Roundtable in defense of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. The ongoing relentless attacks on these initiatives and the fundamental progress they bring threaten the foundation of opportunity and justice in our country. Today’s meeting with Leader Jeffries is a step forward that will mobilize legislative and advocacy efforts to protect the rights and dignity of millions of vulnerable individuals.”

Alphonso David, President and CEO, Global Black Economic Forum:
“Dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion is a major attack on civil rights, free enterprise and economic opportunity. Black consumers, despite wielding immense purchasing power, bear the brunt of these attacks—even as businesses have seen firsthand the fiscal and operational benefits of advancing diverse teams as well as adopting supplier inclusion. These attacks aren’t just bad for business; they’re bad for all of us.”

Damon Hewitt, President and Executive Director, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law:
“The hateful rhetoric and regressive actions targeting diversity, equity and inclusion efforts are a Trojan horse designed to dismantle our institutions, divide our nation, and harm us all. It’s based not only on an intentional misreading of the law, but also on false and damaging narratives that distort the definition of merit in ways that suggest Black people and people of color do not belong. We applaud Leader Hakeem Jeffries for meeting with us today and for ensuring that our concerns and calls to action are heard by House Democrats.”

Margaret Huang, President and CEO, Southern Poverty Law Center:
“For far too long in this country, an individual’s success was predetermined based on where they came from, who they knew and whether they had significant wealth. Diversity, equity and inclusion programs, anti-discrimination protections and the fair application of civil rights law all work together to level the playing field and support merit-based achievement in education and in the workplace. Attempts to reverse course are blatant moves to stack the deck in favor of those with privilege, power and money.”

Sheila Katz, CEO, National Council of Jewish Women:
“As Jews, we know what it means to be excluded and we also know that silence in the face of hate is never an option. At a time when antisemitism is surging and fundamental rights are being stripped away, we cannot afford to sit back. Now, it is our moral imperative to build a world where diversity, equity and inclusion are not just ideals, but the foundation of a just and secure society.”

Janai Nelson, President and Director-Counsel,. Legal Defense Fund:
“The Trump administration’s anti-equity executive orders have already caused significant harms to organizations that provide critical, life-sustaining services to some of our most vulnerable communities. Without vocal leaders and defenders of our civil rights laws, they stand a greater chance of succeeding. We hope to continue working with Leader Jeffries and other elected officials to protect diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility which fuels our economy and strengthens our democracy.”

Gregg Orton, National Director, National Council of Asian Pacific Americans:
“The Trump administration’s assault on diversity, equity and inclusion is an attack on America’s core values. By gutting federal protections, they are leaving millions vulnerable—including Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, who continue to face systemic barriers in education, healthcare and economic opportunity. This isn’t about fairness; it’s about erasing decades of progress. We stand with leaders who know that diversity isn’t a threat, but rather, the very foundation of the American dream.”

Maya Berry, Executive Director, Arab American Institute:
“The sinister, weaponized approach of attacking and dismantling any program that acknowledges our nation’s great diversity is an attack on all Americans. Attempting to dismantle diversity, equity and inclusion programs threaten our communities, our companies and our ability to lead and innovate. They will also have a far reaching impact on our ability to collect the data necessary to understand what all communities across the country may be experiencing, including rising hate crime cases. These efforts are harmful and they will fail.” 

Kelley Robinson, President, Human Rights Campaign Foundation:
“This country is made great when our diversity is celebrated, the very best talent is at the table, and everyone has a shot at the American dream—no matter who they love or how they identify. But the Trump-Vance administration is trying to strip us of that greatness by upending thousands of careers and interfering with what business and organizational leaders know to be right for their people and their bottom lines. The American people deserve, and will continue fighting for, better. Thank you to Leader Jeffries for your commitment to that fight.”

Amy Spitalnick, CEO, Jewish Council for Public Affairs: 
“These attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion aren’t happening in a vacuum. They are part of a broader normalization of bigotry and dehumanization intended to pit our communities against one another— and it threatens all of us. We’re grateful to Leader Jeffries for his partnership as we work to build the inclusive democracy that is necessary for all our safety and futures.”

Virginia Kase Solomón, President and CEO, Common Cause:
“Common Cause and our 1.5 million members oppose this administration’s scapegoating of diversity, equity and inclusion by questioning or diminishing the qualifications of our fellow Americans simply because of how they present in this world. Our mission is clear, we will continue to hold power accountable in order to achieve a multi-racial democracy that works for us all and rise up to oppose any efforts to send us back decades when it comes to civil rights and economic justice.”

John C. Yang, President and Executive Director, Asian Americans Advancing Justice, AAJC:
“Today’s meeting with Leader Jeffries marks a critical moment in our fight to protect the fundamental rights of all communities to thrive without discrimination. We are determined to counter policies that threaten to reverse decades of progress in ensuring equitable access to opportunities. Our strategy is clear: we will litigate, we will advocate, we will mobilize and we will stand together with congressional leaders to defend the promise of equity and inclusion in America.”

Kimberlé Crenshaw, Co-founder and Executive Director, African American Policy Forum:
“The fight for anti-racism and the fight for democracy are one and the same. When Donald Trump refused to repudiate the Proud Boys and his administration came back in 30 days with an executive order attacking diversity, equity and inclusion, that was setting up the brush that now is being ignited across the country. So it’s clear that we have no choice but to fight. This is the moment to stand up to erasure. We are fighting not just for us, but for future generations.”

Maya Wiley, President and CEO, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights:
“This country has made progress since Black people faced fire hoses and police dogs for demanding human dignity and the same opportunities as people who were white. Now, we are watching the Trump administration tear a page out of the authoritarian playbook to try and roll back our civil rights by claiming our strength of diversity is a problem. The administration’s tactic is to scapegoat people of color, women of all races, trans people, people with disabilities and immigrants in order to divide us. Civil rights leaders will stand alongside those Members of Congress brave enough to push back against this administration to declare that civil rights protect everyone and discrimination has no place in our government.”

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