CMS hosts diversity summit despite possible UNC DEI withdrawl
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will hold a Supplier Diversity Summit on Wednesday to teach minority-owned and small business owners how to work with the school district.
Wednesday’s summit comes exactly one week after the UNC Board of Governors Committee on University Governance voted to recommend repealing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives in the state’s 17 public higher education institutions.
If the recommendation gets approved by the full Board of Governors next month, many DEI initiatives in the state’s public universities would be eliminated. The measure would also spell the need for DEI job descriptions to be changed or terminated by Sept. 1.
Supporters of the change said the move would reaffirm UNC’s commitment to neutrality, but CMS leaders hold a different view.
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CMS’ Executive Director for DEI Chiquitha Lloyd told Queen City News that she has no plans to reduce the size of district DEI programs.
“We’re very mindful of the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” she said. “While [UNC] will do what they’re going to do at the college level, within CMS, we still support inclusion. We have always supported inclusion and we will continue to support inclusion.”
Still, CMS must follow statutes set forth by the General Assembly, especially when doing business. If state lawmakers were to change their policies, the district would have no choice but to follow suit.
Lloyd said DEI initiatives at CMS aren’t focused only on one minority group, and events like the Supplier Diversity Summit ensure a level playing field.
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“Historically, in the past, not all small, minority, women-owned businesses had access to the information of knowing. The information we’re sharing is still open to all. We do not set aside anything for one particular vendor. This (summit) is just making sure everybody is aware of the process,” she said.
The summit will be held at Goodwill Industries on Wilkinson Boulevard from 9–11 a.m. Wednesday.
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