Published 11:32 IST, December 31st 2020
Joe Biden's 'diverse' White House staff consists of 61% women, 54% people of colour
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris had promised one of the most diverse administrations in the history of the United States after they defeated Donald Trump in Nov.
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President-elect Joe Biden and his deputy Kamala Harris had promised one of the most diverse administrations in the history of the United States after they defeated Donald Trump in November. It looks like Biden and the Vice-President-elect have kept their words because the first 100 members of the incoming White House staff come of all backgrounds and can easily be called the most diverse in terms of their ideology, gender, race, and skin colour. Biden and Harris have named more than 100 White House appointees so far, a goal they had set to complete by the end of 2020.
'A diverse team'
According to the Biden-Harris administration, 61 percent of the first 100 White House appointees are women, while 54 percent are people of colour. As per the Biden-Harris transition team, AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) appointees represent more than twice their share of the national population. First-generation Americans account for almost 20 percent of the appointees, while 11 percent of all White House staff belong to the LGBTQ+ community. Almost 40 percent of White House staff have children at home.
"From the beginning, Vice President-elect Harris and I have sought to build an administration that looks like America. Building a diverse team will lead to better outcomes and more effective solutions to address the urgent crises facing our nation. The appointees named today will draw from their expertise and life experiences to help us build the country back better. Moving forward together, there’s nothing we can’t accomplish," Biden said in a statement as he appointed additional members to his team.
Joe Biden made history after he picked Kamala Harris as his running mate earlier in August, before the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Kamala Harris is the first Indian-American to be elected vice-president in the history of the United States. She is also the first woman overall to hold that position. Joe Biden's team also consists of other Indian-Americans such as Dr. Vivek Murthy, a surgeon who has been appointed to co-chair the COVID-19 task force, Neera Tanden, nominated as the next director of the Office of Management and Budget, among others.
11:34 IST, December 31st 2020