President Biden drew much attention recently after signing an executive order that seeks to address systemic racism and racial inequality within government.
Dubbed “The Further Advancing of Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government” order, its main objective is to take a closer, more introspective look into the racist undertones that plague the U.S. government as it stands today atop a vast history of racial inequality.
The order also hopes to address said issues built into the structure in order to increase access to government programs for groups that are marginalized and/or discriminated against.
Moreover, the order also requires federal agencies to take a serious look at their programs and up their activity and engagement with the communities they serve.
The goal of the order is “to put equity at the center of how this government operates,” according to President Biden’s Deputy Assistant for Racial Justice and Equity, Chiraag Bains. He also added that the order “is a recognition that achieving equity is not a one- or two-year project” but instead, that it is a “generational commitment.”
“By advancing equity, the Federal Government can support and empower all Americans, including the many communities in America that have been underserved, discriminated against, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality,” Biden wrote.
This order makes the third major action President Biden has taken pertaining to racial equity, following an order that sought to provide adequate funding to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Indigenous Tribes, as well as pardoning offenses of simple marijuana possession.
Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, took to Twitter to praise Biden’s order, writing:
“President Biden today is taking yet another step to advance racial equity, by signing a new executive order which will invest in underserved communities, address civil rights risks, and improve economic opportunities in rural and urban communities. This is a big deal.”
Though some remain skeptical that the order will lead to any long-term change, it remains to be seen whether the desired outcome will come to fruition.
For now, many are hoping the order will lead to much-needed change, especially within the federal government, and waiting to see how far the new order will go in terms of helping disadvantaged Americans.
