Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren reacts during a town hall event at Weeks Middle School on January 19, 2020 in Des Moines, Iowa. (Spencer Platt/Getty)
Elizabeth Warren has promised that, if elected President of the United States, at least half of her cabinet will be women and non-binary people.
The Massachusetts senator vowed that her administration would be committed to diversity and inclusion, in a Medium post discussing how she would appoint new government officials in the wake of Donald Trump’s presidency.
Currently, of Trump’s 23 cabinet members, just four are women.
She wrote: “Our government officials can best serve the American public when they reflect the diversity of the country itself.
“The federal government does a dismal job on diversity and inclusion… My administration will be committed to diversity and inclusion, starting on day one.”
She then lists the ways in which she would make this commitment a reality.
The first point read: “I will build a Cabinet and senior leadership team that reflects the full diversity of America, including having at least 50 percent of Cabinet positions filled by women and non binary people.”
The second states: “[I will] ensure representation of LGBTQ+ people across all levels of government, including in leadership roles.”
Elizabeth Warren promised her administration would be diverse when it comes to race, gender, sexuality and disability
She also promised to diversify recruitment for public service jobs by attracting applicants from “Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and other minority-serving institutions.”
Warren said she would require all federal agencies to have strategic plans on diversity and create “support networks through a government-wide mentorship program that centers Black and Brown employees.”
She pointed out that under Obama, people with disabilities made up 14 percent of the federal workforce, while under Trump this has dropped to 9.2 percent. Warren said she would raise that number up again.
Warren has a strong track record when it comes to employing women.
As of April 2019, according to Refinery29, employs 31 women and 20 men in her Senate offices in Washington DC and Massachusetts. The top leadership positions are held by women and her staff have equal pay, regardless of gender.
Warren has made a number of pledges to the LGBT+ community and other minorities.
She vowed last month that if she is elected she will read the names of killed trans women of colour in the White House rose garden every year.
This month, the Democratic presidential hopeful said she will stop the US from imprisoning trans women in men’s prisons if she becomes the country’s next president.