The Treasury Department appointed Latina activist Janis Bowdler as the institution’s first racial equity advisor, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen announced Monday.
The former activist in UnidosUS, then National Council of La Raza (NCLR), and president of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation will be in charge of coordinating the Treasury’s efforts to promote racial equity and mitigate barriers to accessing the benefits and opportunities it offers. the Treasury Department.
Yellen stressed in statements made in a statement that Bowdler should work to counteract the fact that “historically” the US economy has not “worked fairly” for minorities, “inequity” that was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. 19.
“People of color were often the first to lose their jobs and businesses. The Treasury must play a central role in ensuring that, as our economy recovers from the pandemic, it does so in a way that addresses the inequalities that existed. long before someone was infected with covid-19, “Yellen said.
The Treasury wants the appointment of women of Mexican origin and the creation of a Racial Equity Advisory Committee to also promote diversity among its staff.
Bowdler noted that throughout his career he has fought “structural and institutional racism that perpetuates the racial division of wealth.”
He also said that addressing “racial and gender disparities” and giving minorities greater access to economic opportunities creates “shared prosperity” for all.
At the Treasury, Bowdler will continue this effort, which she already made when she worked for 10 years at NCLR, where she served as Director of Economic Policy and advocated for greater opportunities for Latino families.
She subsequently served as president of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation and under her leadership, the firm launched several initiatives to expand capital for entrepreneurs of color, improve access to banking products and services, expand access to new job skills, and build more inclusive neighborhoods. , highlighted the Treasury.