The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is scrapping grants helping farmers secure land, according to POLITICO. Around $300 million was set aside to support nonprofits, tribal governments, and other organizations. These programs were created by The Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program and gave underrepresented farms access to capital, planning, and efforts to reduce land loss. A letter shared with POLITICO said that the program “involved discriminatory preferences based on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” and “wasteful spending.” Scrapping grants for underserved farmers “USDA will prioritize unity, equality, meritocracy, and color-blindness in furtherance
BKR Capital, previously known as Black Innovation Capital, recently announced that its Fund II has closed CA$20 million (around $14.5 million), as reported by TechCrunch. The Fund II Managing partner Lise Birikundavyi told TechCrunch that the fund, which is close to reaching its CA$50 million target, will support “high-growth technology companies led by founders from the Black community, building solutions for the future of work, living, and global connectivity.” It will focus on backing companies in Canada, but will also consider supporting companies worldwide. Companies will receive $250,000 and $1.5 million
A judge has granted two Black women permission to proceed with their lawsuit against McDonald’s, Reuters reported. In the lawsuit, Victoria Guster-Hines and Domineca, two former McDonald’s VPs, claim that they faced discrimination because they were Black women and forced to leave after speaking up. The lawsuit is filed against McDonald’s USA, LLC; McDonald’s Corp.; Steven Easterbrook; Christopher Kempczinski; and Charles Strong. In a 2020 lawsuit, a regional president critiqued “Black woman attitude” and said that one of the plaintiffs and other McDonald’s employees were “angry Black women,” according to
Pastor Jamal Bryant announced on March 11 that the yearlong “Target Fast” had come to an end, following a meeting with Target CEO Michael Fiddelke. Bloomberg reported that Bryant cited progress on several key demands, including Target’s pledge to fulfil its $2 billion commitment to Black-owned businesses and a new employee inclusion programme called “Belonging.” But the women who organised the boycott before Bryant joined it have disputed both the announcement and his authority to make it. The boycott did not start with Bryant. On February 1, 2025, Minneapolis civil rights attorney Nekima
Fortune 500 companies cut public disclosure of diversity and inclusion efforts by 65% in 2026, according to the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s latest Corporate Equality Index data. A press release from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRCF), attributes the pullback to a political and regulatory environment that leaves corporate leaders unsure how to communicate DEI while meeting expectations from employees, shareholders, and consumers. The shift matters because disclosure operates as a market signal and a governance artifact. When firms reduce public reporting, workers and investors lose a standardized way to
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has opened investigations into diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at several major companies, including Google and Verizon, The Wall Street Journal reports. The DOJ is using the False Claims Act to assess whether companies misrepresented their hiring or promotion practices while receiving federal funds. DOJ Targets DEI Using Fraud Law In a May memo from Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche instructed prosecutors to investigate and pursue cases against federal funding recipients that knowingly engage in “preferences that create benefits or burdens based on
Barclays is hiring on POCIT. Deborah Barnwell is the inclusion and opportunity partner for UK corporate at Barclays. In this role, she focuses on fostering inclusion and ensuring that all colleagues, regardless of background, feel valued, empowered, and supported in their careers. She also collaborates closely with senior leaders to embed inclusive practices and drive meaningful change by championing initiatives that expand equitable opportunities across the organization. A Journey Shaped By Inclusion “My career journey has been one of continuous growth,” Deborah says. “It’s been shaped by a commitment to inclusion and
Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), one of Silicon Valley’s most influential venture capital firms, has paused its Talent x Opportunity (TxO) fund which was created to support founders from underserved backgrounds. The move, first reported by TechCrunch, includes layoffs of several staff members from the TxO team. On October 16, participants received an email from Kofi Ampadu, the a16z partner who led TxO, announcing the pause: “While [TxO’s] purpose has not changed, we are pausing our existing program to refine how we deliver on it.” The Talent x Opportunity Fund a16z launched
CBS News has disbanded its race and culture unit as part of sweeping layoffs at parent company Paramount Global that began on Wednesday. A former CBS News producer has accused the company of “race-based layoffs.” Mass Layoffs and Restructuring Last week, Paramount began laying off about 1,000 US-based workers, with plans to eliminate another 1,000 roles in the coming months. The 2,000 layoffs represent roughly 10% of the company’s global workforce. In a memo to employees, CEO David Ellison described the cuts as necessary to eliminate redundancies and “phase out roles that are no longer
Sequoia Capital’s chief operating officer, Sumaiya Balbale, stepped down from her role after partner Shaun Maguire made comments she considered Islamophobic, the Financial Times reports. In July, Maguire posted comments on X about New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, stating he “comes from a culture that lies about everything. It’s literally a virtue to lie if it advances his Islamist agenda.” Maguire later said that his critique was targeted only at Islamism (the political ideology) rather than the whole Muslim population. Sumaiya Balbale leaves Sequoia Capital Balbale, who is a
