The U.S. Department of Commerce is there to serve all communities, including those that historically have been underserved, Secretary Gina Raimondo said during a recent civil rights gathering in New York.
Raimondo said during her remarks at the National Action Network's 2023 Convention that she was there "to talk about the work we’ve done and the work ahead of us to create a better, more equal, more prosperous United States of America." National Action Network, founded by the Rev. Al Sharpton in 1991, is a not-for-profit organization that works for civil rights.
"Now, I am the Secretary of Commerce," Raimondo said in her remarks. "And we do a lot of things within Commerce, from the weather service and fisheries to semiconductors, lasers and broadband internet. But when I became secretary, I asked our team to add the phrase 'for all communities' to our mission, as an explicit reminder to our nearly 50,000 employees that every community, including those that have been historically left behind, need a chance to share in the jobs and prosperity that we create in the Biden administration."
If Commerce leaves communities behind, "we aren’t doing our jobs," Raimondo said. "We will only be successful when we expand growth and opportunity, for all communities."
The message Raimondo offered the assembled was that Commerce's focus for 2023 is equity, according to her remarks.
"From our biggest grant programs to the routine actions we take every day, equity underpins everything that we do at the Commerce Department," she said in her remarks. "It is not just the right thing to do – it's the right thing to do for our economy. America's diversity is a competitive advantage, but only if everyone has an opportunity to participate in our economy and fulfill their potential."
According to Raimondo's remarks, a recent report showed the employment gap between white and Black workers is the smallest it's been in almost 50 years. Raimondo also referred to Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency, the lone federal agency that supports minority-owned businesses, enterprises and entrepreneurs.
"Because of the investments we're making today under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, there will be job opportunities in the coming years across America that have the potential to change lives, provide family-sustaining benefits and lead to long-term careers," she said in the release. "It's on all of us to ensure that everyone has a shot at these jobs. I'm excited about what we can accomplish. If we work hard and work together, we can strengthen our communities, fuel innovation and prosperity and ensure America’s competitiveness in the 21st century."