Hill Diversity
Joint Center Releases Survey Results on Racial Equity Priorities Across Race
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oct. 11, 2023
Contact: Chandra Hayslett, chandra@jointcenter.org
Joint Center Releases Survey Results on Racial Equity Priorities Across Race
As part of its Data for Black America Project, the Joint Center partnered with NORC at the University of Chicago to survey more than 1,200 Americans across race and ethnicity to understand the importance of priorities for members of Congress. The racial equity issues include hiring staff representative of them and their interests; hiring a staff who reflects the diversity in their community; making sure that the laws Congress passes do not discriminate against groups by race; passing legislation that helps to decrease racial inequality; and passing legislation to make sure that every American has the right to vote. On each of these topics, the survey asked respondents to identify whether the issue should be a top priority, an important but lower priority, not too important a priority, or something that should not be done.
Over half of all respondents (54 percent) say that hiring a staff who is representative of them and their interests should be an important or top priority for Congress. Black respondents (68 percent) are significantly more likely than Asian American/Pacific Islander, multiracial, other non-Hispanic respondents (56 percent), Hispanic respondents (54 percent), and white respondents (52 percent) to believe that hiring a staff who is representative of them and their interests should be an important or top priority for Congress.
“Racially-conscious leadership and policy-making is crucial to maintaining American democracy; it enables leaders to provide different policy perspectives to comprehend the priorities of diverse communities,” said Dr. LaShonda Brenson, senior researcher of the Joint Center’s Hill Diversity work and co-author of the blog. “With Americans continued prioritization of racial equity in hiring, legislation, and voting rights, especially in light of the Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action, legislators must reflect the needs of their constituents.”
Hiring a staff who is representative of me and my interests
With the 118th Congress being the most diverse in history — about 25 percent identify as people of color — the governing body has the power to produce more inclusive legislation that better represents the 41 percent of the American population who identify as people of color. As Congress works on several priorities through the end of the year, the Joint Center is releasing the survey results to inform members of what Americans say they should be prioritizing.
“Through the survey results, Congress can see direct data points of what the American public wants and expects from them to accurately prioritize their racial equity concerns,” said Kimberly Victor, research associate and co-author of the blog. “The results are a call to action to ensure Congress prioritizes diverse hiring, promotes non-discriminatory legislation, and ensures every American utilizes their right to vote.”
Respondents evaluated several issue areas in terms of their level of importance. Across racial groups, Black respondents were most likely to rank all the race conscious policies as top priorities for members of Congress, women on average rated racial priorities higher than men, and those with a Bachelor’s degree rated racial priorities higher than those with no high school diploma.
Topline results include:
- Over 70 percent of respondents (73 percent) believe that passing legislation to make sure that every American has the right to vote should be an important or top priority for Congress.
- Black respondents (80 percent) and Asian American/Pacific Islander, multiracial, other non-Hispanic respondents (87 percent) are more likely than white respondents (74 percent) and Hispanic respondents (61 percent) to believe that passing legislation to make sure that every American has the right to vote should be an important or top priority for Congress.
- Almost three-quarters of respondents (72 percent) thought that making sure the laws passed by Congress do not discriminate against groups by race should be an important or top priority.
- Black respondents (79 percent) are more likely to believe that making sure the laws passed by Congress do not discriminate against groups by race should be an important or top priority, than white respondents (72 percent), Asian American/Pacific Islander, multiracial, other non-Hispanic respondents (70 percent), and Hispanic respondents (63 percent).
- Respondents 60 years old and older (83 percent) were significantly more likely than younger respondents ages 18 to 29 (61 percent) to say that making sure the laws passed by Congress do not discriminate against groups by race should be an important or top priority.
- Half of all respondents say that hiring a staff who reflects the diversity in their community should be an important or top priority for Congress.
- Black respondents (76 percent) are significantly more likely than Asian American/Pacific Islander, multiracial, other non-Hispanic respondents (55 percent), Hispanic respondents (45 percent), and white respondents (44 percent) to believe that hiring a staff who reflects the diversity in their community should be an important or top priority for Congress.
- Over half of all respondents (54 percent) say that hiring a staff who is representative of them and their interests should be an important or top priority for Congress.
- Black respondents (68 percent) are significantly more likely than Asian American/Pacific Islander, multiracial, other non-Hispanic respondents (56 percent), Hispanic respondents (54 percent), and white respondents (52 percent) to believe that hiring a staff who is representative of them and their interests should be an important or top priority for Congress.
- Over 60 percent of all respondents say that passing legislation that helps to decrease racial inequality should be an important or top priority for Congress.
- Black (73 percent) and Asian American/Pacific Islander, multiracial, other non-Hispanic respondents (70 percent) are more likely than Hispanic respondents (63 percent) and white respondents (57 percent) to believe that passing legislation that helps to decrease racial inequality should be an important or top priority for Congress.
Data from more than 1,200 Americans was collected online between Jan. 26-30, 2023 using NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak panel. The Data for Black America Project aims to inform decision-makers about the challenges Black Americans face and provide scholars with valuable data to use in the future. This initiative will periodically field surveys and conduct focus groups on various economic and political issues of particular relevance to Black communities.
Click here to see the full analysis. To read the introductory congressional priorities blog post, click here.
The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, America’s Black think tank, provides compelling and actionable policy solutions to eradicate persistent and evolving barriers to the full freedom of Black people in America. We are the trusted forum for leading experts and scholars to participate in major public policy debates and promote ideas that advance Black communities. We use evidence-based research, analysis, convenings, and strategic communications to support Black communities and a network of allies.
