Washington, D.C. — The National Fair Housing Alliance® (NFHA™) has issued a statement from Executive Vice President Nikitra Bailey regarding the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals panel’s decision to suspend Atlanta-based Fearless Fund’s grant program for Black women:
“The Eleventh Circuit Court’s ruling is part of a broader, ill-advised effort to dismantle Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives across the nation and undermine decades of progress in Civil Rights. It is no surprise that the same groups responsible for the Supreme Court’s 2023 anti-affirmative action decision are also behind this ruling.
“For centuries, race and gender have been used to establish policies and practices that deliberately barred women and people of color from homeownership, quality education, and various industries. These effects persist today, particularly for Black women who are largely excluded by venture capitalists and represent only 1.4 percent of executive leadership roles. Additionally, communities of color are often underserved by traditional banks and financial institutions that provide resources for new businesses and wealth-building. Advancing racial equity benefits everyone; the U.S. economy could grow by $5 trillion over the next five years if we address discrimination against Black communities.
“It is noteworthy that those behind this case did not challenge the Paycheck Protection Program, where over 90 percent of the initial $350 billion in federal funds went to White-owned businesses due to discriminatory barriers that disproportionately affected Black and Latino business owners. Consequently, 40 percent of Black-owned and 32 percent of Latino-owned businesses closed during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After centuries of using race to deny wealth-building opportunities, it is both cruel and insincere to claim that race cannot be a factor as organizations like the Fearless Fund strive to correct past and present injustices. We need race-conscious solutions, not empty promises of race neutrality. Despite the court’s misguided decision, we remain committed to promoting racial equity and ensuring that this country offers opportunities for everyone.”
For more information, read the original press release from: https://nationalfairhousing.org/nfha-statement-on-court-ruling-to-halt-grants-geared-toward-black-women-entrepreneurs/