Hill Diversity

The Joint Center’s hill diversity work is focused on analyzing staff diversity on the Hill. See below for research, analysis, and activities related to hill diversity.

New LegiStorm Report Shows The Highest Pay Disparity Between Black and White Staffers on the Hill in 20 Years

As Congress and other American institutions reckon with issues of structural racism, discrimination, and anti-Blackness, congressional staff diversity remains at the forefront of issues to be considered, as it has a direct relationship to the ability of Members of Congress to understand the diverse perspectives of their constituencies. This week, Legistorm, a web-based platform that…

Joint Center Signs Letter In Support of Establishing a Senate Office of Diversity and Inclusion

The Joint Center joined seven other organizations in signing a letter to SU.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Legislative Brand Subcommittee Chair Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Ranking Member Chris Murphy (D-CT) urging the Senate to establish a Senate Office of Diversity and Inclusion and “fund it adequately to operate in an independent and non-partisan manner.” Other signers…

The Joint Center Commends Speaker Nancy Pelosi for Appointing Kemba Hendrix as Executive Director of the U.S. House Office of Diversity & Inclusion

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 18, 2020 Contact: press@jointcenter.org The Joint Center Commends Speaker Nancy Pelosi for Appointing Kemba Hendrix as Executive Director of the U.S. House Office of Diversity & Inclusion WASHINGTON — The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies commends Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi for appointing Kemba Hendrix as executive director of the newly established U.S.…

The Joint Center Signs Letter In Support of MODCOM Resolution, H. Res. 756

The Joint Center joined 14 other organizations in signing a letter in support of the Moving Our Democracy and Congressional Operations Towards Modernization (MODCOM) Resolution of 2019, H. Res. 756. The resolution includes guidelines for the U.S. House Office of Diversity and Inclusion to submit plans and reports and for recruiting from HBCUs. Other signees…

Joint Center Senior Fellow of Diversity & Inclusion Attends Brookings Institution Event ‘Strengthening and Reinvigorating Congress’

On January 9, Joint Center Senior Fellow of Diversity & Inclusion Dr. LaShonda Brenson attended a report launch event and panel hosted by American Political Science Association, Brookings Institution, and R Street Institute. The report, which focuses on “strengthening and reinvigorating Congress,” includes a section on staff diversity (pages 12-17) informed by the Joint Center’s…

The Joint Center Commends Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) for Hiring Trudy Perkins, the First Black Senate Communications Director in a Personal Office in Over a Year

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 6, 2020 Contact: press@jointcenter.org The Joint Center Commends Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) for Hiring Trudy Perkins, the First Black Senate Communications Director in a Personal Office in Over a Year WASHINGTON — Today, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies commends U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) for hiring Trudy Perkins as communications director…

Joint Center Diversity & Inclusion Senior Fellow Attends Senate Black Legislative Staff Caucus Annual Reception

On December 17, Joint Center Diversity & Inclusion Senior Fellow Dr. LaShonda Brenson attended a reception honoring Senate Black Legislative Staff Caucus’s 42 years of advocating and celebrating diversity in the Senate. The reception was planned by Altria, FedEx, and PhRMA. During the event, the Senate Black Legislative Staff Caucus President Jonathan Carter (above and…

Joint Center Senior Fellow of Diversity & Inclusion Participates in Partnership for Public Service Roundtable Discussion on Strengthening Congressional Resiliency

On December 9, Joint Center Senior Fellow of Diversity & Inclusion Dr. LaShonda Brenson participated in Partnership for Public Service’s roundtable discussion on strengthening congressional resiliency. The conversation’s goal was to gather input from key experts to share thoughts on “what a healthy, well-functioning Congress of the future will look like, the qualities that will…

Joint Center Signs Letter In Support of Extending the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress’s Mandate for One Additional Year

The Joint Center joined over 20 organizations in signing a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and Members of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress urging them to extend the Select Committee’s mandate for one additional year. Last June, the Select Committee held a hearing on “best practices and ways…

Joint Center Pens Op-Ed On The Next Steps Congress Needs to Take to Address The Lack of Staff Diversity on The Hill

Joint Center Senior Fellow of Diversity & Inclusion Dr. LaShonda Brenson wrote an op-ed for The Hill on the next steps that Congress needs to take in order to address the lack of staff diversity on The Hill. Earlier this year, LaShonda analyzed the Senate Democratic Caucus demographic data and the House Compensation and Diversity Study. In the op-ed,…