Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DEI, programs have been under attack in Washington since Donald Trump took office but they remain alive and well in South Bend city government.
Trump’s executive order ending federal DEI programs remains pending in the courts. An appeals court ruled Friday that the DEI freeze can continue while the Trump administration and groups that have sued to block the order argue their positions in court.
But the city of South Bend remains dedicated to the cause, holding that DEI initiatives help to level the playing field for minority groups that have lacked the same opportunities as white men. Mueller’s predecessor, Pete Buttigieg, created the city’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion with a 2016 executive order.
On Thursday at the Howard Park Event Center, the office will host a talk about its services for minority entrepreneurs and small business owners. Registration was required for the event and all 50 spots were taken, up from 40 initially planned, says Cynthia Simmons Taylor, the city’s Diversity Compliance and Inclusion Officer.
"The people are very interested and that's why we're not going to do this just one time," Simmons Taylor says.
The services include book keeping tips, a voucher for an attorney to help with incorporation, business planning, record keeping for tax purposes, and help with gaining state certification to grow their business beyond the city.
Simmons says the city hopes the program will survive whatever comes of the federal lawsuit because the ordinance that created it also provides services for small businesses regardless of race or gender, as long as they have less than $4 million in annual revenue.
"We don't want to be exclusive but we want to be inclusive," Simmons Taylor says. "We want everybody to understand that there is a place for them. There should be a sense of belonging that you can achieve it, and we're here to help you."
