The mission of the U.S. Department of Commerce is to create the conditions for inclusive economic growth and opportunity for all Americans. Last week, in conjunction with Black History Month, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Deputy Secretary Don Graves participated in several events that echo this mission and showcase the Department’s leading role in building an economy in which all can...

Today the U.S. Department of Commerce released the 2023 update to its Equity Action Plan , in coordination with the Biden-Harris Administration’s whole-of-government equity agenda. This Equity Action Plan is part of the Department’s efforts to implement the President’s Executive Order on “ Further Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government ,”...

As we welcome 2024, we have compiled a list of the top stories which not only generated the most attention in 2023, but also encompassed the Commerce Department’s mission to create conditions for economic growth and opportunity for all Americans. These stories reflect many of Commerce’s top priorities and accomplishments for the year including bringing affordable, reliable high-speed Internet...

Reflecting on a momentous 2023, the DOC Equity (DEIA) Council continued to inspire us, ignite change, and spark action across the Department to cultivate a culture of fairness and inclusion. The Council made significant progress in the critical areas of external service delivery, internal workforce development, measurement, and infrastructure to create a world-class program of sustainability and...

In 2021, during Native American Heritage Month, President Biden signed the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) which provided over $65 billion to bring affordable, high-speed internet to every American. This funding also added an additional $2 billion to the Tribal Broadband Connectivity Program (TBCP) for broadband deployment on Tribal lands, as well as for telehealth, education...

America’s diversity has always been our nation’s greatest strength and we must continue to leverage capabilities from all people. People with disabilities have long strengthened our economy and expanded our Nation’s possibilities. The growing popularity of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is opening new doors that are enhancing the work capabilities and performance for persons with disabilities. In...

Dear Business Leaders, As Deputy Secretary of Commerce, I am writing to you and your members to underscore the importance of continuing our collective work toward advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). DEIA initiatives are not just cornerstones of corporate responsibility but are also critical for America's growth, innovation, and economic competitiveness. The Equal...

By Junish Arora , Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer One of the roles of the Chief Diversity Officer is to connect Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) with Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM) in an effort to build a more optimal workforce and a thriving workplace culture. However, there are many other partners and...

By Junish Arora, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer As the new DOC Chief Diversity Officer (CDO), I wanted to share my perspective on the first critical year in that role. While it cannot be overstated how important it was for me to navigate the stakeholder universe and perform a comprehensive review of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA), it was also key to go from Z...

The Department of Commerce recently appointed Ines Hernandez as the first-ever Counselor for Equity. In this newly created role, Hernandez will work across the Department’s 13 bureaus to institutionalize equity across all workstreams and advise senior leadership on policy design and implementation strategies that help advance the equity agenda within the Department’s programs and strategic...