The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS) by Fallon Roth
In the face of President Donald Trump’s executive order that targets DEI and affirmative action programs at the federal level, Pennsylvania Senator Art Haywood is certain that the state legislature and Governor Josh Shapiro will support the state’s diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
At a press conference on Thursday, Haywood stated, “What we look to do is to make sure that our laws here in Pennsylvania have the protections that we once relied on the federal government to produce.”
In 2020, State Senator Art Hayward addresses a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Hummelstown. The legislator from the Philadelphia area said he is certain Pennsylvania will continue its DEI efforts. (Mark Pynes | file, PennLIve.com)
At a press conference held at the historic Black Methodist Episcopal church in Society Hill, Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, the Democratic senator, who represents portions of Montgomery County and Philadelphia, expressed his expectations for the state legislature’s actions.
Activists and clergy joined him in criticizing Trump’s latest executive actions. President Lyndon B. Johnson’s executive order requiring government contractors to use affirmative action in adopting nondiscriminatory hiring and employment policies was revoked on Tuesday. The first order, issued Monday, directs federal agencies to terminate illegal DEI and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities within the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear.
According to Haywood, legislation to make up for the president’s affirmative action order will need to be considered by the Legislature. He went on to say that he is convinced Shapiro will take whatever necessary executive measures to ensure that we have an inclusive state.
That’s our leadership, and we want to be clear that we want to help the governor with these measures and let him know he’s not working alone,” Haywood stated.
Shapiro has stated that he is open to working with Trump, provided as he does not jeopardize the fundamental liberties of Pennsylvanians.
There are signs that Pennsylvanians will be directly impacted by Trump’s other executive directives. The president’s order requiring a hiring freeze and all in-person work in Philadelphia will put more pressure on the already overworked federal workforce in the city.
Unity is crucial in opposing Trump’s broad executive orders, according to Rev. Gregory Holston, a spokesperson of the Coalition to Defend Democracy, which includes the NAACP and unions, because when quality is taken away from government, it puts white people at risk as well.
Therefore, Holston continued, let us unite, collaborate, and have faith that we can oppose such measures and show Donald Trump and everyone around him that America is truly stronger when we support diversity.