University-funded organization plans to 'hire nonwhite staff'
The directive is part of a Historic Macon Foundation's 'anti-racism' and diversity initiative.
Mercer University, located in Georgia, is one of the foundation's financial supporters.
An organization that receives funds from Mercer University plans to “[h]ire nonwhite staff” while offering anti-racism training as part of its recent diversity initiative.
The Historic Macon Foundation, a real estate preservation firm in Georgia, released a document earlier this year outlining its “Road map for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility.” The stated purpose of the initiative was to “prioritize equity and inclusion” while not “merely ‘virtue signaling.’”
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One problem identified in the report was HMF’s lack of diversity.
“As of the initial writing of this document in December 2020, HMF employs 10 people,” the statement said. “None of those staff members are African American.”
While its board of trustees is 27% African American, including the new chair, HMF notes that this does not match the county’s demographics, which is 54% African American.
The group also stated, “as a disclaimer and a genuine effort at transparency, we should note that the primary author of this document is a white male who has implicit biases.”
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In order to address this, HMF listed several recommendations for action including “[h]ire nonwhite staff,” “[c]reate an African American task force or committee to continue prioritizing this work,” and “[o]ffer trainings in anti-racism and awareness.”
The HMF receives funds from Mercer University, according to its Partners page.
The Historic Macon Foundation and Mercer University did not respond to requests for comment from Campus Reform at the time of publication.
