Vice President Kamala Harris, speaking at a White House reception in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month on Wednesday, underscored the importance of diversity and inclusion in America.
The event, held in the Rose Garden, saw Harris addressing the criticism faced by the Biden administration over its stance on equity and inclusion.
Harris, in her remarks, took a swipe at critics, stating, "yes I did just did do DEI." She further emphasized the strength of America's diversity, saying, "In this moment, extremists attempt to demonize and target immigrants with some of the most vile and hateful language. But we here know that, in America, our diversity is our strength."
The Vice President continued, "In unity, there is power, and the story of America, the story of our nation has always included the story of immigrants. So, let us today celebrate America's diversity and our collective commitment to inclusion and the importance of equity."
Harris, who has been a vocal advocate of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives since her inauguration alongside President Joe Biden, reiterated her support for the same. Her statement, "Yes, I just did do DEI," was met with applause from the audience.
In a previous event at Hampton University in September, Harris had argued for a system that ensures "equitable outcomes." She had attempted to recast DEI as a positive initiative amidst growing criticism.
"So-called extreme leaders are suggesting its a bad thing to care about and pay attention to inequities, to say DEI is a bad thing, when, in fact, if we want fair outcomes, we must understand what are disparities and then accommodate and adjust for those disparities if we want equal outcomes," she had stated.
Harris had further explained, "If you dont start on the same base, everybody can have an equal amount, [but] you still are not going to end up on the same base, right? If we want equal outcomes, we need to take into account not everybody starts out on the same base, and we have to make adjustments."
In the run-up to the 2020 election, Harris had released a video explaining the difference between equality and equity, expressing her preference for the latter.
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