Apple is set to host specialized entrepreneur training camps that bars applicants based on their race and sex. To participate, organizations must have &#8220;black, Hispanic/Latinx, or Indigenous&#8221; members in both leadership and on staff.
The <a href="https://developer.apple.com/entrepreneur-camp/how-to-apply/">program</a> will include two cohorts in October and November, the “underrepresented founders” and “female founders” groups. The camps, which offer valuable resources such as “one-on-one code-level guidance from Apple engineers,” list eligibility requirements that exclude would-be participants on the basis of their race and sex.
In order to participate in the underrepresented founders program, an organization must have “a black, Hispanic/Latinx, or Indigenous founder, cofounder, or CEO,” the eligibility requirements read. Organizations must also have a “black, Hispanic/Latinx, Indigenous, or female developer.”
<div class="image"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-619291 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-12-at-4.30.28-PM-300x173.png" alt="" width="624" height="360" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-12-at-4.30.28-PM-300x173.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-12-at-4.30.28-PM-996x576.png 996w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-12-at-4.30.28-PM-768x444.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-12-at-4.30.28-PM.png 1512w" sizes="(max-width: 624px) 100vw, 624px" /></div>
Meanwhile, Apple’s “female founders program” stipulates that in order to be eligible, applicants must have “a female founder, cofounder, or CEO” as well as “a female developer.”
<div class="image"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-619297 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-12-at-4.34.43-PM-300x146.png" alt="" width="778" height="379" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-12-at-4.34.43-PM-300x146.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-12-at-4.34.43-PM-1024x500.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-12-at-4.34.43-PM-768x375.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-12-at-4.34.43-PM-1536x750.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/09/Screen-Shot-2023-09-12-at-4.34.43-PM-2048x1000.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 778px) 100vw, 778px" /></div>
The program description denotes the word “female” with an asterisk and includes a note at the bottom of the page that reads “Apple believes that gender expression is a fundamental right. We welcome all women to apply to this program.”
David Bernstein, a professor at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia School of Law, told The Daily Wire that a plaintiff looking to sue Apple would have to reference California state law or the 1866 Civil Rights Act, which he stated is “generally held to be a bar to discriminating in any kind of contract based on race.”
“Apple might have some special legal obligations to the extent it’s a federal and state contractor,” Bernstein said.
The programs <a href="https://archive.ph/9Nq5w#selection-647.0-647.51">promise</a> “unprecedented access to Apple engineers and leaders” and also awards participants with access to the “extended network of Apple Entrepreneur Camp alumni” and a year of free access to “beta software, advanced app capabilities, extensive beta testing tools, and app analytics.”
Apple is far from the only major company to impose race and sex-specific requirements on training programs and internships.
The Daily Wire recently revealed multiple racially discriminatory programs hosted by well-known companies, including a “diversity internship” at NASCAR that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blatantly-illegal-nascar-bans-white-applicants-from-diversity-internship">banned</a> white applicants on the basis of their race and was called “blatantly illegal” by one lawyer.
NASCAR <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nascar-takes-down-blatantly-illegal-racial-requirement-for-internship-after-daily-wire-report">removed</a> the racial eligibility requirement following the report from The Daily Wire, but has not yet removed two other programs that similarly discriminate.
There are also multiple <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oracle-internship-scholarship-opportunities-bar-whites-and-asians-on-the-basis-of-race">internships at Oracle</a> that discriminate against both white and Asian applicants on the basis of their race, as well as a “<a href="https://www.breitbart.com/social-justice/2023/04/20/investment-management-firm-voya-excludes-whites-from-internship-scholarship/">diversity scholarship program</a>” at Voya Investment Management that was similarly not open to white applicants.
Meanwhile, major corporations like US Bank, Bayer, Best Buy, and Liberty Mutual participated in McKinsey and Company’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-bank-pharmaceutical-giant-participated-in-mckinsey-training-that-banned-white-people">Connected Leaders Academy</a>, which exclusively offered training to black, Hispanic, and Asian employees, but not to white employees.
Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

Apple Logo

Apple ‘Entrepreneur Camp’ Program Bars Applicants Based On Race

Apple

Diversity

Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

The major computer software company Adobe is seeking a patent for an AI image scanner that will enable “diversity auditing.”
The proposed system would automatically audit images’ diversity and issue a scoring. The patent defined “diversity auditing” as a type of data auditing that assesses whether a data set contains certain levels of diversity in race, gender, and age using physical traits referred to as “sensitive attributes.”
“By using machine learning to compute a diversity score based on a distribution of a sensitive attribute (such as race, age, or gender) in a set of images, where the distribution is based on the automatic classification of faces in the images based on the sensitive attribute, at least one embodiment of the present disclosure can automatically audit a set of images for a predetermined level of diversity of the sensitive attribute, thereby allowing a user to avoid manually identifying and tagging information related to the sensitive attribute in each image in the image set, and without requiring manual curation of a control set and labeling the images in the image set for calculating a diversity metric.”
Adobe filed the patent request, “System and Methods for Diversity Auditing” (Patent No. 20230267764), last February, with the application publication issued last week. (Search for the patent <a href="https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/static/pages/ppubsbasic.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>).
Leading up to the patent filing, the inventors published a research paper stating their desire to manipulate online media in pursuit of a “utopia” of representative diversity.
The inventors — Mehrab Tanjim, Ritwik Sinha, Moumita Sinha, David Thomas Arbour, and Sridhar Mahadevan — <a href="https://openaccess.thecvf.com/content/WACV2022/html/Tanjim_Generating_and_Controlling_Diversity_in_Image_Search_WACV_2022_paper.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">published</a> the paper, “Generating and Controlling Diversity in Image Search,” declaring that “generations of systemic biases” resulted in racial and gender demographic patterns existing in certain professions. The researchers also stated that stock image and image search engines reflect that bias, and that AI-generated images would be necessary because algorithm tweaking wouldn’t go far enough to correct the issue. (Archive <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20211230194659/https://openaccess.thecvf.com/content/WACV2022/papers/Tanjim_Generating_and_Controlling_Diversity_in_Image_Search_WACV_2022_paper.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>).
“The pursuit of a utopian world demands providing content users with an opportunity to present any profession with diverse racial and gender characteristics,” stated the report. “To remedy these problems, we propose a new task of high-fidelity image generation by controlling multiple attributes from imbalanced datasets.”
The paper is provided by the Computer Vision Foundation, platformed by Microsoft Azure and sponsored by Amazon, Facebook, and Google. Arbour was formerly a research scientist for Facebook’s Core Data Science group.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
In an apparent extension of this research interest, the Adobe patent proposes an AI system that can not only audit the diversity of images displayed on a website or database, but tweak the content given to a user searching for certain images on a database with a “representative set” of images in the return results. The latter will occur if the AI system determines that the diversity score for the image set is too low. At that point, the system may inform the user of the diversity score of the images as well.
“[T]he system augments the set of images to increase diversity in the set of images,” states the patent. “For example, the machine learning apparatus may compute a diversity score [&#8230;] and determine that the set of images is below a predetermined threshold of diversity in the number of different types of the sensitive attribute that are depicted by the set of images.”
The patent noted that the system may retrieve data to determine appropriate diversity thresholds from census data or websites.
The AI system would consist of a machine learning model that may include one or more artificial neural networks (ANNs), a type of technology inspired by the structure and function of human brain neurons. The machine learning model would consist of an image collection component, which leads to a face detection network, which leads to an image classification network, which leads to a distribution component, which leads to a scoring component, and results in a generator network.
The image collection component identifies and collects both specific images and websites, as well as those identified and collected to achieve a higher diversity scoring. The face detection network includes a convolutional neural network (CNN), a deep learning algorithm that takes an input image and assigns meaning to learn over time. The image classification network generates an image feature vector — a translation characterizing and numerically quantifying images — with special attention to sensitive attributes that lend to a diversity score.
The distribution component generates a distribution of images’ sensitive attributes based on their classification, which then directly lends to the diversity score computation function of the scoring component. Then, the generator network may generate additional images based on the diversity score. Some of these images may be AI-generated creations “that look authentic to a human observer” using a generative adversarial network (GAN).
The Daily Upside, which first <a href="https://www.thedailyupside.com/adobe-brings-ai-to-dei-with-latest-patent/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on the patent application, suggested that the system could also be used to conduct diversity audits of a company’s employees based on images.
Adobe last reported <a href="https://www.adobe.com/about-adobe/fast-facts.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ownership</a> of over 200 million photos, 115 million vectors and illustrations, 26 million videos, and 73,000 music tracks. Their Creative Cloud <a href="https://news.adobe.com/news/news-details/2022/Adobe-Reports-Record-Q4-and-Fiscal-2022-Revenue/default.aspx?clickref=1100lxJ5cPgP&amp;mv=affiliate&amp;mv2=pz&amp;as_camptype=&amp;as_channel=affiliate&amp;as_source=partnerize&amp;as_campaign=prodesigntools" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reached</a> nearly 30 million subscribers last year, per their 2022 fiscal report.

Hands

Adobe Patents AI Image Scanner For ‘Diversity Auditing’

Photos

Technology

U.S.

NASCAR offers a paid “diversity internship” that excludes white people from applying on the basis of their race, a stipulation a constitutional lawyer tells The Daily Wire is “blatantly illegal.”
The race car giant&#8217;s &#8220;<a href="https://careers.nascar.com/nascar-diversity-internship/">diversity internship program</a>&#8221; states that there are racial requirements that applicants must meet in order to be accepted.
The first bullet point listed under the heading “Program Requirements” reads “Be a member of one or more of the following races/ethnic minority classifications: Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Latino or Hispanic, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander.”
<div class="image"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-609703 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.36.14-AM-300x125.png" alt="" width="739" height="308" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.36.14-AM-300x125.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.36.14-AM-1024x426.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.36.14-AM-768x320.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.36.14-AM-1536x639.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.36.14-AM.png 1884w" sizes="(max-width: 739px) 100vw, 739px" /></div>
David Bernstein, a professor at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia School of Law, told The Daily Wire that NASCAR’s racially discriminatory program is “blatantly illegal,” noting that it would “seem to violate Title VII and the 1866 Civil Rights Act.”
&#8220;Having a 100% quota for minorities for a position is illegal even under a very generous view of what is allowed,” Bernstein said, adding that a potential applicant who was unable to apply on the basis of his or her race would have legal standing to sue the company.
NASCAR’s diversity internship program appears to be part of a broader company campaign called “<a href="https://www.nascar.com/diversity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Drive for Diversity</a>,” which also includes <a href="https://www.nascar.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/7/2020/09/25/MDV_D4D_Driver-PitCrewProgram-PDF.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">race-based mentorship</a> programs.
The “Pit Crew Development Program,” for example, is described as a “comprehensive training program for aspiring minority and female pit crew members.” There’s also the “Driver Development Program,” which provides “top minority and female drivers” with “coaching, mentorship, and development.”
<div class="image"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-609693 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.29.27-AM-300x168.png" alt="" width="685" height="383" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.29.27-AM-300x168.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.29.27-AM-1024x572.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.29.27-AM-768x429.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.29.27-AM-1536x858.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.29.27-AM-2048x1145.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 685px) 100vw, 685px" /></div>
Both programs stipulate that applicants are only eligible for the programs if they are female or a “member of one or more … ethnic minority classifications,” which include American Indian, Asian or Pacific Islander, African American, and Latino or Hispanic.
<div class="image"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-609695 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.31.31-AM-300x156.png" alt="" width="639" height="332" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.31.31-AM-300x156.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.31.31-AM-1024x533.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.31.31-AM-768x400.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.31.31-AM.png 1532w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) 100vw, 639px" /></div>
<div class="image"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-609697 aligncenter" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.31.54-AM-300x161.png" alt="" width="636" height="342" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.31.54-AM-300x161.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.31.54-AM-1024x549.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.31.54-AM-768x412.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/08/Screen-Shot-2023-08-25-at-9.31.54-AM.png 1534w" sizes="(max-width: 636px) 100vw, 636px" /></div>
Despite implementing racial requirements for program applicants, NASCAR’s <a href="https://nascar.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/NASCAR/details/NASCAR-Diversity-Internship-Program---Phoenix-Raceway_JR12421?workerSubType=1f1fe794292301d3ad484b49c700d601" target="_blank" rel="noopener">job postings</a> state that the company is an equal opportunity employer. “NASCAR is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EEO). We seek to attract and retain the best qualified people available,” it reads before going on to say “All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race.”
NASCAR has faced criticism in recent years for &#8220;going woke.&#8221; Last year it apologized for having Texas&#8217;s Republican Gov. Greg Abbott appear at one of its races, and just this month it <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nascar-suspends-driver-for-liking-george-floyd-meme-nascar-is-officially-woke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspended</a> a driver indefinitely for “liking” a meme on Instagram that made light of the death of George Floyd. Some fans reacted to the suspension by calling for a Bud Light-style <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/nascar-noah-gragson-suspension-george-floyd-bud-light-1818464" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boycott</a> of the racing league.
NASCAR is far from the only company that’s imposed race-based requirements for career opportunities. Tech industry giant Oracle hosted two internship and scholarship opportunities that excluded white and Asian applicants on the basis of their race, a recent report from The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oracle-internship-scholarship-opportunities-bar-whites-and-asians-on-the-basis-of-race" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a>.
Other well-known companies, including Best Buy, Liberty Mutual, US Bank, and Bayer Pharmaceuticals, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/major-bank-pharmaceutical-giant-participated-in-mckinsey-training-that-banned-white-people" target="_blank" rel="noopener">participated</a> in career advancement training programs from McKinsey and Company that banned white employees on the basis of their race.
There’s also Voya Investment Management, which <a href="https://www.breitbart.com/social-justice/2023/04/20/investment-management-firm-voya-excludes-whites-from-internship-scholarship/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hosted</a> a Financial Services Diversity Scholars Program that required applicants for the paid internship to &#8220;self-identify&#8221; as a minority to participate.
The attorneys general from 13 different states recently <a href="https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/attorneygeneral/documents/pr/2023/pr23-27-letter.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned</a> companies that they will face &#8220;serious legal consequences&#8221; if they engage in racial discrimination.
NASCAR did not respond to a request for comment.

NASCAR

‘Blatantly Illegal:’ NASCAR Bans White Applicants From ‘Diversity Internship’

Racial Discrimination

U.S. Bank and Bayer Pharmaceuticals appear to be among the corporations that participated in employee leadership training programs hosted by McKinsey and Company that banned white employees from participation on the basis of their race, according to videos posted online by the consulting giant.
High-level minority employees of both U.S. Bank and Bayer Pharmaceuticals were featured in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4hyNPc8KYk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> showcasing McKinsey’s “Connected Leaders Academy,” a career advancement program that bars white employees from participating in an attempt to “<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/People-and-Organizational-Performance/how-we-help-clients/mckinsey-academy/connected-leaders-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accelerate racial equity</a>” and “<a href="https://solutions.mckinsey.com/csd/events/sites/default/files/mck_paragraph_card/files/McKinsey%20Connected%20Leaders%20Academy%20-%20Deep%20Dive%20-%20Executive%20Leadership%20Program_Final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diversify talent pipelines</a>,” according to McKinsey, the management consulting firm that once employed Pete Buttigieg.
“The programs are delivered through identity-based communities – Black Leadership Academy, Hispanic and Latino Leadership Academy, and Asian Leadership Academy,” McKinsey writes in its description of the video featuring the executives.
U.S. Bank&#8217;s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy Manager Astrid Benedetto <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4hyNPc8KYk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">celebrated</a> the racially discriminatory program, stating that it helps the company think about “how we can equitably and fairly manage our talent pipeline.”
Allison Smith, the talent management lead at Bayer Pharmaceuticals, also <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4hyNPc8KYk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">praised</a> the Connected Leaders Academy in the video posted to McKinsey’s YouTube channel, stating that it “helps to really develop our employees for their next opportunity.”
Bayer VP of Strategy Nicolas Bahamon added in the video that the program “helps me as a leader to understand … different approaches I can engage with other Latin American colleagues.” Meanwhile, <a href="https://lk.linkedin.com/posts/christine-shyu_management-accelerator-part-of-asian-leadership-activity-7028465397972549633-yYzs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">multiple</a> employees of the major pharmaceutical company <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ganesan-srinivasan-ph-d-mba-728319138_leadership-essentials-part-of-asian-leadership-activity-7084916482664501248-pnCx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> confirmation that they had participated in the program with the support and sponsorship of Bayer.
U.S. Bank and Bayer are just two of the companies that offered the discriminatory McKinsey programs to their employees. A report last week from O’Keefe Media revealed that Best Buy partnered with McKinsey and Company as well, with a document from the technology retailer stating that employees must “identify as black, Latino, Hispanic, or Asian Pacific Islander” to participate in the program.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
DISCRIMINATION: A Citizen Journalist has revealed Best Buy is partnering with McKinsey &amp; Company on a Management Training Program.
The program is not open to white applicants. “Candidates must meet the [racial] requirements below”
Any comment <a href="https://twitter.com/BestBuy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BestBuy</a>? <a href="https://t.co/lxfivezCa6">pic.twitter.com/lxfivezCa6</a>
&mdash; O’Keefe Media Group (@OKeefeMedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/OKeefeMedia/status/1688983783620718592?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;
The report led to calls to <a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/boycotters-vow-to-make-best-buy-the-new-bud-light/ar-AA1f1BAN" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boycott</a> Best Buy. America First Legal, a non-profit legal foundation that fights “equity-based exclusion,” <a href="https://twitter.com/America1stLegal/status/1688987290142486528?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urged</a> Best Buy employees who were disqualified on the basis of their race to contact the organization for a potential lawsuit.
Insurance industry giant Liberty Mutual also participated in the McKinsey and Company program, and specified to employees that it was only being offered to those that identify as “Asian, Black or Hispanic/Latinx.” The company noted that the program seeks to “diversify talent pipelines” and “accelerate careers.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING: <a href="https://twitter.com/LibertyMutual?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LibertyMutual</a> partnered with the same company as Best Buy to offer a “management training program” which excludes white people. 
“Current program criteria include” not being white.
Liberty Mutual discriminates against white employees. <a href="https://t.co/ZROKdLULYL">pic.twitter.com/ZROKdLULYL</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1691110970410872832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&nbsp;
U.S. Bank boasted of their involvement in the program in its <a href="https://ir.usbank.com/static-files/95a3c033-8152-43c0-a7e6-7738cc9fd7ff" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 ESG Report</a>, which states “we offer employees affinity-based development programs.” It specifically cited the “McKinsey Black, Hispanic, and Asian Leadership Academies,” which it defined as “a management accelerator program” and an “executive leadership program designed for senior executives looking to ascend to C-suite roles.”
A 2022 <a href="https://www.usbank.com/about-us-bank/company-blog/article-library/update-on-us-banks-efforts-to-help-people-build-wealth-close-persistent-racial-wealth-gap.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a> from U.S. Bank also noted that it “invested in more than 260 Black leaders who completed McKinsey Black Leadership Academy development training,” one of the offerings under the broader Connected Leaders Academy.
But McKinsey stated in its <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/spContent/bespoke/esg-2023-sean/pdfs/executive_summary_accessible-06202023_esg-report2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 ESG Report Executive Summary</a> that it has “engaged more than 67,000 Black, Asian, and Latino Professionals in our Connected Leaders Academy.” Its website also notes that <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/how-we-help-clients/mckinsey-academy/connected-leaders-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over 900 organizations</a> have also participated in the program.
The program is split up into three “course offerings,” including “Leadership Essentials,” “Management Accelerator,” and “Executive Leadership,” McKinsey states.
The site also notes that the Connected Leaders Academy is “designed for cohorts of individuals through their organization” and that it “is not designed to be accessed directly by individuals.”
The program <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/about-us/diversity/overview/10-actions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">began</a> in 2020 with the Black Leadership Academy before McKinsey launched the Hispanic and Latino Leadership Academy and the Asian Leadership Academy.
US Bank, Bayer, and McKinsey did not respond to requests for comment.

McKinsey and Company

Major Bank, Pharmaceutical Giant Participated In McKinsey Training That Banned White People

Banking

Big Pharma

Believe it or not, it would appear that corporate America is wising up to the fact that rushing out and hiring a bunch of &#8220;Chief Diversity Officers&#8221; (CDO) in the wake of George Floyd&#8217;s death wasn&#8217;t the smartest business move. Either that or corporate liberals feel that they don&#8217;t have to virtue signal their support for the &#8220;Black Lives Matter&#8221; mob anymore.
A new report from <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/chief-diversity-officer-cdo-business-corporations-e110a82f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal</a> reveals that in 2018, &#8220;less than half the companies in the S&amp;P 500 employed someone&#8221; in the CDO role, but by 2022 — in the wake of the BLM movement — nearly 75% of S&amp;P 500 companies had that role. Since then, companies have experienced a 40% turnover, and job seekers are reportedly &#8220;skittish&#8221; about taking on a role that focuses squarely on diversity. Jason Hanold, chief executive of Hanold Associates Executive Search, told The Journal that job searches for the CDO role have plummeted.
&#8220;They’re telling us, the only way I want to go into another role with DEI is if it includes something else,&#8221; Hanold said of job seekers.
One former executive at one of Boston&#8217;s largest employers admitted to The Journal that those who were hired as a CDO or a similar position were sometimes under-qualified candidates. They were put in the slot due to their ethnicity.
“These were knee-jerk reactions,&#8221; said Dani Monroe, the former CDO of Mass General Brigham, a Boston-based hospital system.
In other words, corporate America knelt to the mob in 2020 that was burning down cities, demanding reparations, and chanting &#8220;Silence is compliance!&#8221; and rushed to placate them. We know they did because data shows that billions were given to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-analysis-corporate-america-has-donated-82-billion-to-blm-related-causes-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BLM and related cause</a>s in recent years.
The CDO positions that were created, it stands to reason, were simply corporate window dressing in order to appease woke employees and future job seekers — not to mention protect ESG rankings. CDO jobs acted as a corporate sign of solidarity and nothing more.
Funnily enough, The Journal observed, &#8220;People are more resistant to company-backed efforts to advance diversity when they are worried about their own jobs, whether because of impending layoffs or disruptions from AI, says David Kenny, chief executive of Nielsen, the media-ratings company.&#8221;
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1690029339199000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1aBZKXZOsvkW3aRCKp8ThD">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
The Journal also noted that &#8220;[e]fforts to restructure compensation to make it more equitable created a backlash,&#8221; amongst companies that claim to want to increase diversity.
And that right there is a tale as old as time. Liberals claim they want one thing — such as reducing poverty, particularly amongst minorities — yet don&#8217;t actually want to personally sacrifice to make that happen. They want illegal aliens, but not in their towns. They oppose school choice, yet send their kids to private schools. They want to ban guns, yet have private security.
In this case, it is far easier to slap BLM in their Twitter bio, create a CDO position that has no real authority, malign opponents as racist, and then quietly move on to the next social issue du jour. None of that requires any real self-denial or effort, but it sure makes them feel good.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Corporate Head Smack “Duh!”

Corporate America Shows Signs Of Buyer’s Remorse After Blowing Millions On ‘Diversity Officers’

Corporate America Shows Signs Of Buyer's Remorse After Blowing Millions On 'Diversity Officers'

Black Lives Matter

Business

Social Issues

A watchdog group on Monday filed a complaint against President <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/joe-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joe Biden</a>’s nominee for Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman over his previous comments on diversity.
The American Accountability Foundation (AAF) <a href="https://americanaccountabilityfoundation.com/blog/2023/07/10/breaking-aaf-files-inspector-general-complaint-against-biden-joint-chiefs-nominee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filed a complaint</a> against Air Force General C.Q. Brown over his promotion of &#8220;race based hiring&#8221; ahead of a Senate hearing on Tuesday to consider his nomination, referencing previous comments Brown made about hiring “for diversity” and referring to the military as a “white boys club.” 
Brown “has made a number of statements about hiring on the basis of race as well as monitoring the private beliefs of employees or potential employees with the intention of censoring those beliefs. If implemented, the statements and views of General Brown on what should be official hiring policy of the U.S. Air Force present a significant likelihood of violating the civil and constitutional rights of military personnel, in addition to violating existing code of conduct for Air Force personnel,” the <a href="https://americanaccountabilityfoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/General-C.Q.-Brown-Complaint.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">complaint</a> says. 
The complaint against Brown was sent to Kristen Clarke, the assistant attorney general for civil rights at the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/department-of-justice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Department of Justice</a>. Brown, who was chosen by Biden to replace current Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, will appear before the Senate Armed Forces Committee on Tuesday.
The AAF previously drew attention to a list of comments Brown has made in interviews where he discussed his goal to diversify the military. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
🧵1/ BREAKING: Biden&#39;s pick to be the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is so obsessed with race he explicitly says he wants to &quot;tweak the screening process&quot; to favor diverse candidates for promotion.
Here is a thread of his SHOCKING statements
1/ &quot;I hire for diversity&quot; <a href="https://t.co/knYacawIbk">pic.twitter.com/knYacawIbk</a>
&mdash; American Accountability Foundation (@ExposingBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/ExposingBiden/status/1673835758048915457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“You can&#8217;t let it just be happenstance that brings in the diversity whether it be race, gender, ethnic background, sexual orientation, socio-economic background. You really have to spend some time thinking about it because you may miss an opportunity looking at the slate of candidates and then asking some hard questions,” Brown said. “As we’re looking at some key positions, who are diverse candidates and are we making sure we are grooming them so they have the opportunity?”
The complaint says that Brown’s comments likely violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1688831213092000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1PLjNvPE9xhE43TkDJzri8">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
&#8220;As the Supreme Court of the United States of America just made clear, racist &#8216;diversity&#8217; policies at universities are unconstitutional and illegal. Yet Biden&#8217;s nominee to be our nation&#8217;s top military leader wants to implement those racist policies in the military,” AAF President Tom Jones told The Daily Wire in a statement. “Gen. Brown&#8217;s race-obsessed world view is an insult to our brave men and women of all colors. When a young private is sent into battle he needs to know the man commanding him was put there because he&#8217;s the most capable warrior, not because of the color of his skin. Especially at a time of increased military competition with China, we cannot afford to fall behind by making racial &#8216;diversity&#8217; a priory at the cost of military excellence.&#8221;
Brown could also face an uphill battle for confirmation as Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gop-senator-holds-firm-in-stand-against-pentagon-abortion-policy-as-marines-lose-confirmed-leader" target="_blank" rel="noopener">been placing a “hold”</a> on general and flag officer promotions due to the Pentagon’s policy of allowing female service members expense-paid travel and up to three weeks leave for elective abortions.

Air Force Gen Charles Brown Jr

Watchdog Group Files Complaint Against Biden Joint Chiefs Nominee Over ‘Race Based Hiring’

Watchdog Group Files Complaint Against Biden Joint Chiefs Nominee Over 'Race Based Hiring'

Air force

Congress

Department of Justice

Joe Biden

Politics

Senate

The Supreme Court is poised to rule on affirmative action at universities in a pair of cases involving Harvard University and the University of North Carolina.
The court is widely expected to roll back affirmative action policies at universities, leading many schools to prepare for the consequences, <a href="https://www.axios.com/2023/06/22/scotus-affirmative-action-decisions-impact-on-corporate-america" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Axios.
A group called Students for Fair Admissions <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/scotus-hinting-it-might-throw-out-affirmative-action-used-in-college-admissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sued</a> the elite schools, accusing them of unfairly factoring race into their admissions processes. The group pointed to the high test scores of Asian-American and white applicants who were rejected.
Students for Fair Admissions argues that Harvard has violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination by schools that receive federal funding. In the other case, the group accuses the University of North Carolina of violating the 14th Amendment&#8217;s equal protection clause by considering race in its admissions process.
“Racial classifications are wrong,” the student group&#8217;s attorney, Patrick Strawbridge, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/31/supreme-court-hears-challenge-to-affirmative-action-in-college-admission.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in his opening argument back in October.
“This court has always said that racial classifications are invidious,” Strawbridge said.
The plaintiffs are asking the Supreme Court to overrule a 2003 case, Grutter v. Bollinger, in which the court ruled that the University of Michigan Law School may consider race in its admissions process.
At the time Grutter was decided, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/scotus-hinting-it-might-throw-out-affirmative-action-used-in-college-admissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>, “We expect that 25 years from now, the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary.”
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1687620688408000&amp;usg=AOvVaw30gSt3uppzQGOkBw2Ec5p6">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
During opening arguments, several of the court&#8217;s conservative justices questioned the merits of race-based admissions, sparking speculation that they lean towards ending it.
“When does it end? When is your sunset? When will you know?” <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/scotus-hinting-it-might-throw-out-affirmative-action-used-in-college-admissions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> Justice Amy Coney Barrett. “What if it continues to be difficult in another 25 years?”
“I’ve heard the word diversity a number of times, and I don’t have a clue what it means,” <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/31/supreme-court-hears-challenge-to-affirmative-action-in-college-admission.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Justice Clarence Thomas, adding that he “doesn’t put much stock” in arguments for diversity because he has heard similar arguments for segregation.
As the court&#8217;s decision looms, hundreds of universities that consider race in admissions and scholarship decisions are scrambling to find non-race-related ways to replace affirmative action if SCOTUS rules against it.
Cornell University has <a href="https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2022/12/pollack-establishes-task-force-undergraduate-admissions#:~:text=Cornell%20joined%20other%20institutions%20in%20filing%20amicus%20briefs,the%20admissions%20offices%20supporting%20each%20college%20and%20school." target="_blank" rel="noopener">established</a> a task force to figure out how the New York Ivy League school will recruit diverse classes if the Supreme Court rolls back affirmative action.
Some schools are beginning to move away from using standardized test scores in the admissions process as the argument that argument that standardized testing harms minority students picks up steam. In March, Columbia University <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/universities-scrap-sat-scramble-to-stay-diverse-ahead-of-affirmative-action-ruling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">became</a> the first Ivy League school to permanently scrap its standardized test requirement, allowing hopeful applicants to skip the dreaded SAT and ACT. Previously, a low SAT or ACT score meant automatic elimination at most top-tier schools.
Some schools are also <a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-affirmative-action-college-admissions-1d37af28939a533551cff45fa577ceb0" target="_blank" rel="noopener">considering</a> requiring more essays for admission to get a better idea of a student&#8217;s background, while others plan to recruit students from minority areas or admit more students transferring from community college.
Back in 1995, the University of California system board of regents banned affirmative action so UC <a href="https://edsource.org/2020/dropping-affirmative-action-had-huge-impact-on-californias-public-universities/642437" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adopted</a> roundabout ways of trying to identify minority students, such as through poor neighborhoods and family income. Depending on the court&#8217;s decision, some schools may now follow in UC’s footsteps.
Some American companies <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2023-06-22/supreme-court-affirmative-action-ruling-jeopardizes-corporate-diversity-too#xj4y7vzkg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worry</a> that a ruling against affirmative action could end up applying to them as well. If such a ruling is broad enough, it could potentially apply to companies that enforce racial diversity when choosing which job applicants to hire.
Both a broad or a narrow ruling will likely spark future legal challenges from affirmative action supporters, however.
Meanwhile, a majority of Americans, 62%, oppose race-based college admissions, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/most-americans-think-college-admissions-should-not-consider-race-reutersipsos-2023-02-15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to a recent Reuters poll.

SCOTUS Affirmative Action

The Supreme Court Is Poised To Rule On Affirmative Action. Here’s What You Need To Know.

The Supreme Court Is Poised To Rule On Affirmative Action. Here's What You Need To Know

Affirmative Action

American Universities

College

Courts

Education

Supreme Court

A recruiter for the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/united-kingdom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Kingdom</a>’s Royal Air Force referred to white men looking to join the air force as “useless white male pilots,” according to emails obtained by several British media outlets.
The comments were reportedly made by Squadron Leader Andrew Harwin in an email discussing board placements for ushering recruits through training.
“I noted that the boards have recently been predominantly white male heavy. If we don’t have enough BAME [black, Asian and minority ethnic] and female to board then we need to make the decision to pause boarding and seek more BAME and female from the RAF,” Harwin, who worked at the Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre, <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/raf-pays-out-after-order-to-avoid-hiring-useless-white-male-pilots-v0gvhp3sg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> wrote in a January 19, 2021, email.
“I don’t really need to see loads of useless white male pilots, let’s get as focused as possible, I am more than happy to reduce boarding if needed to have a balanced BAME/female/male board,” he added.
One RAF source <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/31/stop-hiring-useless-white-male-pilots-raf-told/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> The Telegraph that the “email clearly demonstrates the endemic culture that was created by the senior leadership to chase ridiculous diversity statistics that were patently unachievable.&#8221;
A later email from January 19, 2021, said that the recruiting pool for minorities and women had been “drained.”
“From 336 Cs [candidates] we have c10% female, 5% BAME which we will burn through quickly using the boarding profile proposed,”  the email said.
Thirty-one men will be compensated roughly $6,000 each as a result of their training being delayed due to diversity quotas, <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/raf-recruiters-were-advised-against-selecting-useless-white-male-pilots-to-hit-diversity-targets-12893684" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to Sky News.
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-96097">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
“The RAF has identified 31 individuals that missed out on payments due to their entry/course dates being delayed. These individuals have been contacted and all have received the payments that they were due,” the RAF said in a <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/raf-pays-out-after-order-to-avoid-hiring-useless-white-male-pilots-v0gvhp3sg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
It also said in its statement that it would continue to push for more “under-represented” groups into the force, yet said that selections would continue to be merit-based.
“All individuals joining the Royal Air Force were and are selected on merit and any individuals that were advanced to their training courses had already passed the selection process. There was no compromise of entry standards and no impact on the front line or operational effectiveness,” the RAF said.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-royal-air-force-stops-hiring-white-men-to-keep-with-diversity-quotas-female-head-of-recruiting-quits-in-protest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Royal Air Force Stops Hiring White Men To Keep With Diversity Quotas, Female Head Of Recruiting Quits In Protest</a>

Centenary Parade And Flypast to Commemorate The Royal Air Force’s 100th Birthday

RAF Squadron Leader Disparaged ‘Useless White Male Pilots’ In Emails About Increasing Diversity: Report

RAF Squadron Leader Disparaged 'Useless White Male Pilots' In Emails About Increasing Diversity: Report

Military

Racial Bias

U.K.

World

Fast food restaurant chain <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chick-fil-a" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chick-fil-A</a> received backlash on social media as conservatives learned that the firm’s corporate office advances a number of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-dei" target="_blank" rel="noopener">diversity</a> initiatives, a revelation which came as brands such as <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/bud-light" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bud Light</a> and <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/target" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Target</a> face criticism for embracing <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/esg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">woke</a> ideology.
Social media users noted that Chick-fil-A, which has a longstanding reputation as a firm run on the basis of conservative and Christian principles, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/erick-mcreynolds-922a8140/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hired</a> Erick Reynolds as vice president of diversity, equity, and inclusion two years ago. Chick-fil-A prominently features a number of diversity programs meant only for females and members of racial minorities on a DEI segment of its <a href="https://www.chick-fil-a.com/dei" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, which surfaced in the days after Target and Bud Light witnessed sales and market capitalization hits.
Three years ago, Chick-fil-A Chairman Dan Cathy <a href="https://twitter.com/realstewpeters/status/1663541414838272000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> for Americans to shine the shoes of their friends and neighbors in response to purported racism. Video of Cathy, who is white, shining the shoes of black Christian rapper Lecrae and exhorting listeners to have “a sense of shame, a sense of embarrassment” also went viral on social media in recent days.
Beyond collaborations with “various national diverse professional development organizations” such as the Women’s Foodservice Forum, the National Black MBA Association, and Association of Latino Professionals of America, the restaurant chain offers community groups such as Women in Business, the Black Employee Resource Group, and the Chick-fil-A Green Team. The company also seeks to develop “mentorship, development, and partnership opportunities for minority-owned businesses to strategically engage” with their supply chain.
Chick-fil-A additionally includes sexual orientation, gender identity, and “gender expression” in its employment nondiscrimination statement alongside race, sex, religion, and veteran status.
The Daily Wire had contacted Chick-fil-A about their ESG and DEI efforts earlier this year and sent another request for comment on Tuesday, specifically asking whether the emphases on employee and supplier diversity could prompt the company to overlook talented candidates.
The firm created an evaluation of “top ESG issues that internal and external stakeholders expect to grow in importance in the next five years” for a recent sustainability <a href="https://www.chick-fil-a.ca/-/media/files/chick-fil-a-2021-corporate-social-responsibility-report.ashx" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a>, which included “climate and energy stewardship” and diversity, equity, and inclusion. “While Chick-fil-A has long been committed to supporting our communities and being a responsible steward of all that is entrusted to us, companies like ours are increasingly expected to help address complex social and environmental challenges, especially those that most affect our industry,” the company said in the document.
Another sustainability <a href="https://chick-fil-a-2022-global-impact-report.com/2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> published last week likewise cited the firm&#8217;s commitment to diversity, noting that Chick-fil-A established a steering committee to provide insights for DEI initiatives and seeks to make diversity &#8220;an integral part of our culture of care.&#8221;
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685202016677000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3BHv9qMQC3OwHMBCkGZXpF">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Skeptics of the ESG and DEI movements contend that the philosophies center on political and social causes, such as decreasing carbon emissions or diversifying company leadership, in a manner that distracts from profitability and uses corporate power to advance leftist agendas.
One recent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-had-a-special-push-to-hire-lgbtq-designers-for-pride-collection-ahead-of-backlash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> from The Daily Wire found that Target, which is experiencing a boycott after the retail behemoth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-slammed-after-offering-female-swimsuits-that-have-extra-crotch-coverage-are-tuck-friendly" target="_blank" rel="noopener">marketed</a> a female swimsuit as “tuck-friendly” and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-faces-backlash-over-pride-collection-designer-behind-satan-respects-pronouns-shirts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hired</a> an artist who creates Satanic items to make various designs for the company, had published a similar sustainability report which called for supplier diversity among firms creating “Pride Month” apparel, as well as diversity initiatives for women and racial minorities. Another <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/anheuser-busch-loses-perfect-lgbtq-equity-score-by-missing-key-moment-to-stand-up-for-mulvaney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from The Daily Wire likewise revealed that Anheuser-Busch, the company which owns Bud Light and suffered after the brand partnered with social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, has similar ESG commitments centered on various diversity and climate efforts.
Anheuser-Busch and Target, each of which are publicly traded, have seen their share prices plummet on the stock market as investors react to the boycott movements.
Chick-fil-A, which is privately owned, garnered <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/report-chick-fil-a-to-stop-donating-to-christian-charities-branded-anti-lgbt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticism</a> four years ago after its charitable foundation halted donations to a number of Christian organizations characterized as “anti-LGBTQ groups,” such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Salvation Army.

Chick-fil-A

Chick-Fil-A Faces Backlash As Their Diversity Efforts Resurface, Other Woke Brands Take Beating

Chick-Fil-A Takes Criticism As Their Diversity Efforts Resurface, Other Woke Brands Take Beating 

Wokeness

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/target" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Target</a> CEO Brian Cornell said in an interview days before his <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/business" target="_blank" rel="noopener">company</a> experienced massive backlash for “Pride Month” efforts that “woke capitalism” was beneficial to his firm.
Conservatives have launched a boycott against Target after the retail behemoth <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-slammed-after-offering-female-swimsuits-that-have-extra-crotch-coverage-are-tuck-friendly" target="_blank" rel="noopener">marketed</a> a female swimsuit as “tuck-friendly” and with “extra crotch coverage,” as well as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-faces-backlash-over-pride-collection-designer-behind-satan-respects-pronouns-shirts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hired</a> an artist who formerly created Satanic items to make various designs for the company. Cornell was <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/073fLWE9Y9HTofAlIsiqiL" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asked</a> in a May 16 episode of Fortune’s &#8220;Leadership Next&#8221; podcast about how his firm has responded to “pushback” against “woke capitalism,” prompting the executive to tout various corporate diversity efforts at Target.
“I can see the benefits for our shareholders. I know that focus on diversity, inclusion, and equity has fueled much of our growth over the last nine years,” he commented. “It’s adding value, it’s helping us drive sales, it’s building greater engagement with both our teams and our guests, and those are just the right things for our business today.”
Target shareholders have nevertheless suffered in recent days as a result of backlash over the diversity efforts. Target’s market capitalization, which refers to the total value of a publicly traded company’s outstanding shares, has indeed <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/targets-stock-market-value-takes-6-billion-hit-since-backlash-over-pride-collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fallen</a> from $70.4 billion to $63.9 billion over the past week as consumers react strongly to the controversy.
Cornell added that diversity initiatives at Target are “good business decisions,” as well as “the right thing for society” and “a great thing for our brand.” Emphasizing efforts to hire females and members of racial minorities to work in company leadership, he remarked that he is “really proud of the work” his firm has done with respect to diversity and inclusion.
Erik Carnell, the self-identified transgender artist who runs the company Abprallen, designed three items for Target: a mini messenger bag with the slogan “We Belong Everywhere,” a tote bag with the phrase “Too Queer For Here,” and a sweatshirt emblazoned with “Cure Transphobia, Not Trans People.” She was later <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/target-faces-backlash-over-pride-collection-designer-behind-satan-respects-pronouns-shirts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exposed</a> to have a number of items featuring the LGBTQ movement alongside imagery of Satan. Products featured on the artist’s website, which were not sold by Target, included a shirt with the phrase “Satan Respects Pronouns” and a design of a skeleton draped in rainbow colors that said “Trans Witches For Abortion.”
“Satanists don’t actually believe in Satan, he is merely used as a symbol of passion, pride, and liberty,” said the artist&#8217;s <a href="https://www.abprallen.co.uk/product/satan-respects-pronouns-tee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, which now appears to be shuttered due to high demand. “He means to you what you need him to mean. So for me, Satan is hope, compassion, equality, and love. So, naturally, Satan respects pronouns. He loves all LGBT+ people.”
Target executives made <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bud-light-situation-target-makes-emergency-calls-after-backlash-to-tuck-friendly-female-swimwear-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener">calls</a> to managers and senior directors last week amid the backlash against the company, reportedly telling leadership to make their “Pride Month” displays less prominent in order to avoid provoking another “Bud Light situation,” a reference to the beer brand’s rapidly declining sales which occurred after a partnership with Dylan Mulvaney. Target and Anheuser-Busch, the conglomerate which owns Bud Light, each have extensive corporate sustainability <a href="https://corporate.target.com/_media/TargetCorp/Sustainability-ESG/PDF/2022_Target_ESG_Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">efforts</a> which seek to advance inclusion and endorse the LGBTQ movement.

Target Pride

Target CEO Days Before Boycott: DEI Is A ‘Great Thing For Our Brand,’ Creates ‘Benefits For Our Shareholders’

Target CEO: Wokeness Is A 'Great Thing For Our Brand'

LGBTQ

Target

Transgender

Officials in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york-city" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York City</a> limited account <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/banks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deposits</a> on Thursday at Capital One and KeyBank after the financial institutions failed to submit required <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/diversity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anti-discrimination</a> plans.
The city issued <a href="https://comptroller.nyc.gov/newsroom/new-york-city-banking-commission-announces-measures-to-ensure-citys-designated-banks-more-accountable-to-the-public2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mandates</a> earlier this year for banks which hold public funds to detail “specific steps to combat different forms of discrimination in their operations.” An <a href="https://comptroller.nyc.gov/newsroom/new-york-city-banking-commission-votes-to-approve-26-depository-banks-for-two-years-limits-new-deposits-at-capital-one-and-keybank/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement</a> from the office of New York City Comptroller Brad Lander claimed that Capital One and KeyBank “outright refused” to comply with the requirement.
“Banks seeking to do business with New York City must demonstrate that they will be responsible managers of public funds and responsible actors in our communities,” Lander said in a statement. “Unfortunately, despite several opportunities to do so, five banks failed to comply with the New York City Banking Commission’s designation process, leaving us to conclude that they are not taking meaningful actions to combat discrimination in their operations and are not responsible stewards of public dollars.”
Capital One held $7.2 million in city funds at the end of last month, while KeyBank held $10 million in city funds. Officials voted to freeze new deposits at the two companies for as many as two years, while Lander contended that International Finance Bank, PNC Bank, and Wells Fargo also neglected to comply with the anti-discrimination policies, through which the firms were asked to detail ways in which they avoid “discrimination in branch openings and closings, lending decisions, hiring, and other operations.” The latter firms do not currently hold city funds.
New York City officials received criticism for compelling banks to comply with the environmental, social, and corporate governance movement, also known as ESG, which asserts that businesses should leverage their financial power to advance certain social objectives.
Peter Schiff, a stockbroker and financial commentator, <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterSchiff/status/1661845687317741568" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on social media that banks “only discriminate based on competence and credit worthiness” since they are focused on maximizing profits. He said that New York City wants banks to “hire and make loans to minority applicants, even if they are less qualified and more likely to default.”
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1685124530010000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2IMwz0_UmyM8nO4-uO1BT-">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
Democratic officials have indeed introduced policies which would introduce considerations for personal loans divorced from the debtor’s financial responsibility. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Sandra Thompson, an appointee of President Joe Biden, recently unveiled a policy that will <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-now-punishing-americans-with-high-credit-scores-to-subsidize-certain-homebuyers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">require</a> Americans to pay higher mortgage rates and monthly fees if they have robust credit scores, while those with lower credit scores and smaller down payments will receive better rates. Buyers with credit scores above 680, for instance, would pay an additional $40 each month on a home loan of $400,000, while homebuyers who make down payments between 15% and 20% will receive the largest fees.
Republican state financial officers wrote in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/state-treasurers-urge-biden-to-end-mortgage-policy-that-penalizes-stable-buyers-to-give-risky-buyers-a-discount" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to Biden and Thompson that the move renders home purchases “significantly more expensive” for families with strong credit. “For decades, Americans have been told that they will be rewarded for saving their money and building a good credit score,” they contended. “This policy turns that time-tested principle upside down.”
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen likewise <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-treasury-advisory-committee-on-racial-equity-to-be-led-by-defund-the-police-advocate-former-philadelphia-mayor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> an Advisory Committee on Racial Equity at the end of last year to consider “efforts to advance racial equity in the economy and address acute disparities for communities of color.”

Capital One

New York City Officials Freeze Accounts After Banks Fail To Submit Anti-Discrimination Plans

New York City Officials Freeze Bank Accounts After Companies Fail To Submit Anti-Discrimination Plans

Banks

Economy

New York City

The University of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/minnesota" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Minnesota</a> was the subject of a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/civil-rights" target="_blank" rel="noopener">civil rights</a> complaint last week for enacting a research program that offers applicants a $6,000 stipend but is restricted to students of <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/diversity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">color</a>.
The Multicultural Summer Research Opportunities Program, which the school describes as an “intensive 10 week summer program in which undergraduate students of color work full-time with a faculty mentor on a research project,” is explicitly <a href="https://ugresearch.umn.edu/opportunities/msrop" target="_blank" rel="noopener">restricted</a> to those who “identify as a student of color or Native American.” Participants, who were asked for their demographic information as part of the application, receive a $6,000 stipend for personal and research expenses and another stipend provided to the faculty adviser for the research.
The Equal Protection Project, an initiative of the Legal Insurrection Foundation, sent a complaint to the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights contending that the research program violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, as well as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/oasam/regulatory/statutes/title-vi-civil-rights-act-of-1964#:~:text=No%20person%20in%20the%20United,activity%20receiving%20Federal%20financial%20assistance." target="_blank" rel="noopener">prohibits</a> any entity from receiving federal financial assistance while discriminating in accordance with race, color, or national origin. The complaint added that the Department of Education should consider “imposing fines, initiating administrative proceedings to suspend, terminate, or refuse to grant or continue federal financial assistance, and referring the case to the Department of Justice for judicial proceedings.”
“Racial discrimination by a public institution is illegal regardless of which race suffers,” the document continued. “Discrimination against white applicants is just as unlawful as discrimination against black or other non-white applicants.”
Similar civil rights complaints have been filed against universities in recent years over programs that discriminate in accordance with race and sex. Mark Perry, an economics professor emeritus at the University of Michigan-Flint, has <a href="https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/an-update-on-my-efforts-to-challenge-title-vi-and-title-ix-violations-in-higher-education-despite-new-resistance-from-bidens-office-for-civil-rights/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filed</a> hundreds of federal Title IX and Title VI complaints, many of which have been successful, in response to the academic programs.
Other schools have meanwhile <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/5-colleges-embracing-neo-segregation-in-the-name-of-inclusion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">implemented</a> segregated spaces on campus in recent years: New York University introduced “themed engagement communities” to provide housing for students identifying with certain minority groups, the University of Pennsylvania created a separate “permanent shared space” for black student-athletes, and Stanford University launched a physics class specifically for minority students who do not “have the same level of preparation from high school as their majority peers.”
The most recent civil rights complaint against a university initiative comes as the Supreme Court is expected to release an opinion on affirmative action in the higher education system. Members of the conservative majority were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/clarence-thomas-ive-heard-the-word-diversity-and-i-dont-have-a-clue-what-it-means" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skeptical</a> that racial diversity truly offers educational benefits despite claims from attorneys representing Harvard University and the University of North Carolina; Justice Clarence Thomas, who rarely speaks during oral arguments, commented that “I’ve heard the word ‘diversity’ quite a few times, and I don’t have a clue what it means.”
<a class="c-link c-link--focus-visible" href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="https://onelink.to/dwapp" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-120288">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILY WIRE APP</a>
Evidence suggests that elite universities disadvantage white and Asian students in their admissions processes to attain higher levels of racial and cultural diversity. One study from 2009 concluded that Asian students required an SAT score roughly 140 points higher than white applicants, 270 points higher than Hispanic applicants, and 450 points higher than black applicants, according to a <a href="https://asianamericanforeducation.org/en/issue/discrimination-on-admissions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Asian American Coalition for Education.

University of Minnesota

University Of Minnesota Restricts White Students From Research Program, Hit With Civil Rights Complaint

University Of Minnesota Restricts White Students From Research Program

Civil Rights

Minnesota

Menu