Illinois Now Has a “Chief Equity Officer”

From Governor JB Pritzker:

Gov. Pritzker Issues Executive Order Creating New Office of Equity

Executive Order 2021-16 Advances Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Throughout State Agencies and Public Policy

SPRINGFIELD — Building on the administration’s ongoing work to advance equity and inclusion, Governor JB Pritzker today signed an Executive Order establishing the Office of Equity to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) across state government. 

“By creating a standalone Office of Equity, the Chief Equity Officer will serve as a leader in creating more equitable systems and opportunity for state employees and all residents.

“It’s been the mission of my administration to carry forth justice and equity in all that we do for the people of Illinois,” said Governor JB Pritzker.

“I’m proud that this Executive Order will help shape a more equitable system of justice that makes our state stronger and expands opportunities for all of our residents. It is a goal of mine for the nation to look to Illinois as a leader in true equity. The action we’re taking today takes us one step closer to that goal.”

In April, Governor Pritzker appointed the first Chief Diversity Officer in the state’s history, reinforcing Illinois as a national leader in DEI policies.

“Within the existing state structure, the Chief Diversity Officer worked within the Chief Compliance Office, created by the previous administration under Executive Order 2018-02.

The newly created Office of Equity, elevates the Chief Diversity Officer position, separating critical equity and inclusion work from compliance work.

“As a result, the administration has created a more robust mission for the newly renamed role of the Chief Equity Officer.

“I am honored to join the Governor’s office and to work collaboratively with our state leaders, agencies, and community based advocates,” said Dr. Sekile M. Nzinga, Chief Equity Officer of Illinois.

“I am keenly aware that many are not only struggling but are often suffering from the deeply embedded social inequities and injustices that exist and persist within our society

“I also know that advancing equity requires our collective energy and commitment in order to create the Illinois we all deserve to live and thrive in.

“Our state’s new Office of Equity is animated by that potential and is eager to harness our shared responsibility, creativity and determination to make our state a better place for all.”

The office will create sustainable procedures for state agencies by making DEI resources available to all state employees, in turn better serving Illinois residents.

This includes coordinating DEI trainings to reflect best practices and working to prevent harassment and discrimination in the workplace. To ensure lasting benefits, the office will establish tangible goals by developing statewide DEI benchmarks to measure progress.

Governor Pritzker’s executive action builds upon the administration’s commitment to ensure that Illinois’ state government reflects the diversity of the population it serves.

This includes hiring the most diverse executive branch in state history and establishing the Justice, Equity, and Opportunity (JEO) Initiative to advance criminal justice reform and equity-focused programs.

Earlier this year, the Governor enacted the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus’ historic reform agenda to dismantle systemic racism in key pillars: criminal justice reform, education, economic opportunity, and healthcare.

= = = = =

Her LinkedIn page has the following:

Sekile M. Nzinga PhD, MSW is the Chief Diversity Officer for the State of Illinois and the former interim Chief Diversity Officer and Associate Provost of Diversity and Inclusion at Northwestern University.

Prior to working as a senior administrator and Women’s Center director in the Office of the Provost at the Northwestern, she was a professor in Social Work and a Women and Gender Studies for 18 years.

Her engaged scholarship and teaching have centered on the intersections of race, class, and gender in reproduction and parenting; critical feminist university studies; and child and family policy.

She is the author of Lean Semesters: How the University Reproduces Inequity (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2020) and the editor of Laboring Positions: Black Women, Mothering and the Academy (Demeter, 2013).

She is a member-at-large on the National Women’s Studies Association’s governing council.

In addition to her academic career, Nzinga’s professional practice and community based work have focused on health policy, research, and justice; reproductive justice; intersectional feminist leadership; and managing social justice oriented not-for-profit organizations.

She served as a board member for the Chicago Abortion Fund (2013-19), is a member of the Illinois’ statewide Women’s Justice Taskforce, is the recipient of the Evanston/North Shore YWCA’s 2019 Women in Leadership Award and is the 2020-21 Author in Residence at HigherEd Jobs.


Comments

Illinois Now Has a “Chief Equity Officer” — 17 Comments

  1. Lord Jumbo Boy, so desperate to be looked upon as a beloved leader, has sunk
    to yet another low by foisting even more degeneracy upon the people of Illinois.

    I’m sure Mayor Lootfoot would approve.

  2. Is this some kind of Second City or SNL bit?

    What are the measurements for success for this position?

    What duties will she be doing each day?

    There are none, so she can just do the following (sing the tune, you’ll recognize it):

    I could while away the hours
    Conferrin’ with the flowers,
    Consulting with the rain;
    And my head I’d be a scratchin’
    While my thoughts are busy hatchin’
    If I only had a brain.

  3. HAHAHAHAHAHA

    AMERICA IS A JOKE

    Why would I EVER support America???

    Serious question btw

  4. New political officer on deck comrade.

    You will like or else.

    These people are sick!

  5. Farewell to those two efficient stalwarts Katie and Heidi at Il Business Services, Limited Liability Division in Springfield.

    Who yesterday solved a complicated Annual Report filing issue for me, in less than 45 minutes.

    Hello La’Kisha and Fo’Landra, who will next time I call, put this ‘white devil’ on hold for four days

  6. Communism and anti-White tyranny came in by degrees so as not to startle the sheep into a stampede.

  7. “she was a professor in Social Work and a Women and Gender Studies for 18 years.

    Her engaged scholarship and teaching have centered on the intersections of race, class, and gender in reproduction and parenting; critical feminist university studies; and child and family policy.”

    hahhahahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahahahhahahahhahaha

  8. So I guess the Chief Diversity Officer thing wasn’t working? Someone probably still fills that job, too.

    ✌️😎

  9. This lady working on diversity could start her work in professional sports. Tremendous lack of diversity. Some races are highly underrepresented. She should set goals to make sports teams look like amerika, just like Joe Biden claims for his regime. Merit and competence have no place, no consideration when structuring entities to be diverse.

  10. Sekile M. Nzinga’s name is Congolese. She should be assisting the Republic of Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo instead. 🤔

  11. If your state, community, or SCHOOL is hiring a director of equity – STAND UP.

    All it takes for evil to root in your back yard is for you to do nothing.

  12. Sekile are thee senile?

    Sekile, what about the IQ deficit between blacks, and Whites and Asians?

    2 standard deviations remain despite all the Head Start and other BS programs.

  13. Typical throw mo $$ at it spend spend spend that is all they know…

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