*Secretary of State Antony Blinken has appointed Zakiya Carr Johnson as the new Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO).
The move aims to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within the State Department.
The announcement comes after a ten-month vacancy in the position amidst heightened scrutiny and restrictions on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
As NEWS.MEAWW reports, one DEI critic responded to the announcement on X, writing: “A ‘DEI Officer’? A blatantly racist and sexist position in our government that we’re paying for? This is ridiculous. Definitely one of the first positions to be removed when Trump is sworn in.”
Another X user added, “We should go back to hiring people based off of their skills, qualifications, and experience instead of their race, gender, and sexual preferences.”
In a statement, Blinken said, “American diplomacy can only succeed if it fully harnesses all of the talent that our nation has to offer. That is why I created the position of CDIO to elevate DEIA within our organization and give it the dedicated senior-level attention that it deserves.”
“Over the past three years, the Department of State has made significant progress on this front but there remains work to be done,” he continued. “We will continue to pursue this mission aggressively because recruiting, nurturing, and promoting the most capable workforce possible is critical to our national security.”
According to NEWS.MEAWW, Carr Johnson is the founder of Odara Solutions and co-founder of the Black Women Disrupt Initiative. She previously served as a senior adviser and director of the Race, Ethnicity, and Social Inclusion Unit within the State Department and as co-chair for the White House Inter-Agency Committee on Gender-Based Violence Monitoring and Evaluation, per The Hill.
Blinken praised Carr Johnson’s “previous work promoting entrepreneurship and access to opportunity for underrepresented populations, as well as her commitment to inclusive leadership.”
READ MORE: HBCU Leader Responds After Charlamagne tha God Calls DEI ‘Garbage’ | Video
We Publish News 24/7. Don’t Miss A Story. Click HERE to SUBSCRIBE to Our Newsletter Now!
