TMCF President and CEO Dr. Harry L. Williams has released the following statement on racist statements supported and echoed by Elon Musk
Armed with the power of history and talent, our students persevere as a counterforce to racism and exclusion.
WASHINGTON, D.C., Jan. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- We at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) are outraged by the bigotry and ignorance echoed by Elon Musk on X. Fortunately, his obscene attempt to crush the aspirations and dreams of talented young men and women will fail miserably. Armed with the power of history and talent, our students persevere as a counterforce to racism and exclusion. Public HBCUs serve nearly 80% of all students attending the nation’s Black colleges and have a long and distinguished history of producing world-class scientists who have established pre-eminence in the fields of aviation, aerospace, and aeronautics. Had Mr. Musk conducted a simple Google search, he would have learned about the Tuskegee Airmen, astronaut Ronald E. McNair, and other giants who contributed to the vitality of the global scientific enterprise.
TMCF is proud to partner with dozens of Fortune 500 companies who are engaging the talent at HBCUs not because it is the nice or “woke” thing to do but because it is the smart thing to do for their bottom line. Equally important, they acknowledge that Black economic power is projected at $1.7 trillion by 2030. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives are not about hiring less-qualified individuals but creating a competitive advantage. Great leaders in corporate America embrace DEI. Mr. Musk’s failure to understand the value and benefits of diversity in the workplace may be part of the reason that Platform X’s value, according to Fidelity, has plummeted by more than 71% under his lack of leadership.
Today, more than ever, we need an America that believes in and is willing to invest in realizing the infinite possibilities of human potential as a pathway to economic and national security. Summoned to become the architects of America’s destiny, we link our grand aspirations to the vision of Associate Justice Thurgood Marshall
Rob Knox Thurgood Marshall College Fund 6108001044 [email protected]