North Carolina DEI Programs Face Intense Scrutiny from State Lawmakers
In recent developments, North Carolina’s Republican-led legislature has intensified its critique of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in Raleigh and Asheville. This move underscores a broader legislative trend over the past two years that has seen the prohibition of DEI programs in educational institutions and state agencies, citing concerns of racial preference.
During a session of the North Carolina House Select Committee on Government Efficiency, attorney Ruth Smith presented allegations against Buncombe County and Asheville. Smith, a legislative candidate for 2024, argued that these areas are using ‘equity’ as a tool to allocate resources based on race, potentially violating the 14th Amendment, state constitutional provisions, and federal anti-discrimination laws.
Smith highlighted the Buncombe County Justice Partners program, a summer internship initiative that reportedly excluded white and Asian students, despite utilizing state funds and operating within a state facility. “I want to say clearly that I am not saying that race is not a problem in America, it’s not a problem in Buncombe County,” Smith stated. “What I’m looking at is whether or not the remedies that Buncombe County and the city of Asheville are taking are constitutional or in violation of law.”
Another point of contention is the City of Asheville Black Scholarship Fund, which initially earmarked $500,000 from a settlement over illegal water fees for scholarships exclusively for Black students. Following legal challenges, the scholarship criteria were revised to include all students, though a scholarship for Black teachers remains in place.
Despite the allegations, representatives from Asheville or Buncombe County did not provide any testimony at the hearing, and it remains unclear if they were given the opportunity to do so.
Representative Brian Echevarria questioned Smith on the rationale behind Asheville and Buncombe County’s DEI efforts. According to Smith, the justification was rooted in addressing disparities by allocating resources based on race and perceived advantages. Smith emphasized, “Again, I’m not saying that there aren’t disparities and that the goals aren’t what we should be doing, but you can’t discriminate on the basis of race. The government cannot do that. It’s well established in the Supreme Court.”
Raleigh’s leadership, including Mayor Janet Cowell and City Manager Marchell Adams-David, also faced scrutiny from the panel. They were called to discuss ongoing DEI initiatives after accusations surfaced from a conservative activist’s undercover video, which questioned Raleigh’s compliance with federal DEI bans issued via executive orders by President Donald Trump in January 2025.
Cowell claimed unawareness of the video prior to being summoned for testimony. “We became aware of it when y’all asked us to appear,” she noted. Meanwhile, Adams-David clarified that Raleigh’s DEI efforts are geared towards economic development rather than racial preference, highlighting a recent small business expo as evidence of this focus. “We work really hard to ensure that everybody has an opportunity to thrive,” she remarked, emphasizing non-discriminatory practices in decision-making processes.
Further, Mayor Cowell mentioned Raleigh’s initiatives to assist small business owners, particularly retiring baby boomers, in transferring ownership to employees, thereby maintaining local economic stability. “It’s a way to keep those businesses local, keep the wealth local, and do a nice transfer,” she explained.
This story was originally published by NC Newsline.
