Butterfield Continues Fight for Diversity in Tech

Statement

senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Co-Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Diversity Task Force, today participated in the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee hearing on the importance of diversity and inclusion in the technology sector entitled: Inclusion in Tech: How Diversity Benefits All Americans.

Congressman Butterfield delivered the following opening statement:

"For too long the promise of the internet age, for communities of color, has been left unfulfilled. Technology is a growing and lucrative industry, employing thousands every year. However, the rate of racial minorities in tech industries has not increased at a sufficient rate. This is unacceptable, Madam Chair, considering the number of capable racial minority students and workers that are available.

"The problem is exacerbated by insufficient resources in K-12 schools to HBCUs, and often low expectations for our minority students. Studies show that African American children enter kindergarten at a competitive disadvantage. To close the gap in tech, we must give our students the resources they need to compete, not starting in college but in the earliest stages of primary education.

"The public and private sectors have a responsibility to work to together to create effective diversity and inclusion initiatives. CBC TECH 2020 has been pounding tech companies now for years, and now we are beginning to see modest results."

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