JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Today a letter was delivered to the officies of every Missouri senator in regards to the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) language added into the house budget by Rep. Doug Richey from over 150 Missouri business and non-profit leaders asking them to remove it from the final version of the budget.
The letter is as follows:
April 2023
To Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee:
We are writing to share concerns about language the House of Representatives added to the Fiscal Year 2024 budget bills. Specifically, the language of concern would prohibit funding from being used for staffing, programs and vendors associated with diversity, equity and inclusion. We believe this language will result in wide-ranging consequences that would undermine lawmakers’ economic and workforce priorities and urge you to remove it from the budget bills.
The broad language added to the bills raises questions about its practical application and how it would impact an array of services and programs that the state provides – including those critical to lawmakers’ economic and workforce priorities.
The language reads:
No funds shall be expended for staffing, vendors, consultants, or programs associated with “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion,” or “Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging,” or any other initiative which similarly promotes: 1) the preferential treatment of any individual or group of individuals based upon race, color, religion, sex, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, national origin, or ancestry; 2) the concept that disparities are necessarily tied to oppression; 3) collective guilt ideologies; 4) intersectional or divisive identity activism; or, 5) the limiting of freedom of conscience, thought, or speech. This does not prohibit the department from following federal and state employment and anti-discrimination laws.
However, multiple programs and services offered in Missouri are either required by their accrediting bodies to incorporate the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion into their programs, or are specifically designed to ameliorate longstanding disparities in health and economic outcomes. The budget language would jeopardize licensing and accreditation of programs critical to both the wellbeing of Missourians and our state’s economic competitiveness. For instance:
- Many nonprofit child welfare organizations, health and mental health service providers, and others with whom Missouri contracts to provide services are required through their national accrediting organizations to provide programming that incorporates diversity, equity and inclusion. In addition to risks to accreditation, failure to meet those standards could result in the loss of federal funding as well as private funding from foundations.
- Similarly, the national bodies accrediting professional education programs like those for teachers, social workers, psychiatrists, nurses and other health professionals are also required to incorporate training in diversity, equity and inclusion. Not only would the added budget language jeopardize the accreditation of these programs at Missouri’s public colleges and universities, but the licensure of new professionals could be at risk.Moreover, we recognize that Missourians continue to face deep disparities in their health and economic outcomes based on race. While white workers in Missouri earn an average of $65,820 per year, Hispanic workers earn $53,178 and Black workers earn just $41,132 annually. While 33% of white Missourians have a college degree, only 21% of Black Missourians and 23% of Hispanic Missourians complete college. Missouri has one of the highest rates in the nation of premature death among Black residents, and Black moms in Missouri face a maternal mortality rate that is three times that of white moms. As long as these disparities exist in Missouri, we should not dampen efforts that would seek to understand and address them.
Unfortunately, the added budget language would likely conflict with several existing efforts, threatening:
- Targeted workforce and economic development programs,
- State contracts with vendors to provide services, including minority-owned businessesand other private companies,
- Department of Health programs targeted based on demographic factors, and
- Missouri Department of Public Safety’s continuing education for law enforcement thatincludes education in racial profiling and implicit bias.
There are likely additional consequences related to state contracts with private companies, hiring and employment standards that are not mentioned here, but which could also have far- reaching implications.
The added budget language would severely hamper Missouri’s workforce development and economic competitiveness, and we again encourage you to remove the concerning language from all of the budget bills.
We oppose any efforts that would put language aimed at dampening diversity, equity and inclusion into state law.
Respectfully,
Jay Hardenbrook, Advocacy Director AARP Missouri
Kansas City, MO jhardenbrook@aarp.org
Dr. Kendra Holmes, President & CEO Affinia Healthcare
St. Louis, MO kendrah@affiniahealthcare.org
Erma Berry
AKA Omicron Theta Omega Chapter Bridgeton, MO berryermamiermi642@gmail.com
Jennifer Brinkmann, President Alive and Well Communities
St. Louis, MO jbrinkmann@awcommunities.org
Dr. Maya Moody D.O., President American Academy of Pediatrics – Missouri Chapter
Jefferson City, MO team@moaap.org
Daniel Goodenberger, MD, Governor American College of Physicians – Missouri Chapter
Jefferson City, MO acpmissouri@gmail.com
Starla Brennan, Executive Director Amethyst Place, Inc.
Kansas City, MO starla@amethystplace.org
Keisha Lee, CEO
Annie Malone Children and Family Service Center
St. Louis, MO keishalee@anniemalone.com
Paula Howell
APO
Springfield, MO paula.howell@apo-ozarks.org
Sara Ruiz, Executive Director Ashrei Foundation
St. Louis, MO sara@ashreifoundation.org
Fred Rottnek, MD, Medical Director Assisted Recovery Centers of America St. Louis, MO frottnek@arcamidwest.com
Chris Krehmeyer, President & CEO Beyond Housing
St., Louis, MO ckrehmeyer@beyondhousing.org
Richard Liekweg, President & CEO BJC HealthCare
St. Louis, MO richard.liekweg@bjc.org
Lakshmi Komatreddy, Project Manager Black & Veatch
Emily Kohring, Executive Director Bread and Roses Missouri
Saint Louis, MO director@breadandrosesmo.org
Eric Williams, Executive Director Calvary Community Outreach Network Kansas City, MO ccon2940@gmail.com
Angela Clabon, President & CEO CareSTL Health
St.Louis, MO aclabon@carestlhealth.org
Barbara Wright, Executive Director Carthage Area United Way Cathage, MO barbara@carthageuw.org
Puneet Leekha, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel
Chestnut Health Systems
Hillsboro, MO
pleekha@chestnut.org
Rochelle Parker, President & CEO Child Abuse Prevention Association Independence, MO rparker@capacares.org
Lisa Mizell, President & CEO Child Protection Center, Inc. Kansas City, MO lmizell@cpckc.org
Lori Jones, Development Children’s Center of SWMO Joplin, MO ljones@childrens-center.org
Rob Whitten, Chief Executive Officer Children’s Services Fund of Jackson County Kansas City, MO
rob@jacokids.org
Emily van Schenkhof, Executive Director Children’s Trust Fund
Jefferson City, MO emily.vanschenkhof@oa.mo.gov
Maggie Hourd-Bryant, Executive Director Communities First
St Louis, MO MHBryant@CommunitiesFirststl.com
Bruce A. Eddy PhD, Executive Director Community Mental Health Fund Kansas City, MObaeddy@jacksoncountycares.org
Janet Dankert, President & CEO David Cook, Board Member Community Partnership of the Ozarks Springfield, MOjdankert@cpozarks.org dcook@bankofmissouri.com
Charlie OReilly, Concerned Citizen Nixa, MO
corly2@aol.com
David O’Reilly, Concerned Citizen Springfield, MO doreilly@oreillyauto.com
Maxine Clark, Concerned Citizen St. Louis, MO maxine@clark-fox.com
Ellie Richter
Connections Speech and Language Therapy St. Charles, MO mrsellierichter@gmail.com
Sandra Padgett, Executive Director Consumers Council of Missouri
St Louis, MO spadgett@moconsumers.org
Monique Thomas, Executive Director Cornerstone Corporation
St. Louis, MO monique.thomas@cornerstonestl.org
Merideth Rose, President and CEO Cornerstones of Care
Kansas City, MO merideth.rose@cornerstonesofcare.org
Audrey Ellermann
Covenant Blu Grand Center Neighborhood St. Louis, MO
covenantblu.18@gmail.com
Kimberly Shinn-Brown Creekside Farm Republic, MO kshinnbrown@gmail.com
Constance Harper, Vice President of Policy, Advocacy, & Strategic Initiatives Deaconess Foundation
St. Louis, MO
constanceh@deaconess.org
Donna Smith-Pupillo Deaconess Nurse Ministry Bridgeton, MO dpupillo@faithnurses.org
Jim Ruedin, Executive Director Delta Center
St. Peters, MO jimruedin@dcil.org
Ronika Moody, CEO
Distinct Consulting Services, LLC. St. Louis, MO
Douglas Aaron Freeman, Owner Douglas A. Freeman Consulting Chesterfield, MO dougaaronfreeman@gmail.com
Shelley Moore
ECH Every Child’s Hope – Saint Louis, MO St. Louis, MO shelley.moore@everychildshope.org
Mallory Rusch, Executive Director and Holly Honig, Policy Director
Empower Missouri
Jefferson City, MO mallory@empowermissouri.org holly@empowermissouri.org
Rev. Emma Holley
Faith Des Peres Presbyterian Church Frontenac, MO pastor@faithdesperes.org
Cheri Tillis, CEO
Fathers & Families Support Center St. Louis, MO ctillis@fatherssupport.org
Julie Lock
Food Outreach
St. Louis, MO julie@foodoutreach.org
Lori Ross, CEO FosterAdopt Connect Independence, MO Lori@fosteradopt.org
Katie Rahn, Executive Director Gateway Early Childhood Alliance St. Louis, MO krahn@gatewayecalliance.org
Cynthia Duffe, Executive Director Gateway Housing First
St. Louis, MO cynthia@gatewayhousingfirst.org
Kendra Copanas
Generate Health STL
St. Louis, MO kcopanas@generatehealthstl.org
Dionne Ferguson, Executive Director Good Journey Development Foundation St. Louis, MO
admin@goodjourney.org
McClain Bryant Macklin,
Vice President of Policy and Impact Health Forward Foundation
Kansas City, MO mbryantmacklin@healthforward.org
Sarah Starnes
Heartland Alliance for Progress Kansas City, MO starwal@aol.com
Tom Lally, President & CEO
Hillcrest Ministries of MidAmerica, Inc. Kansas City, MO
tom@hillcrestkc.org
Rachel Pozzo, Adult Program Coordinator Immigrant Home English Learning Program
St. Louis, MO
rpozzo@ihelpstl.org
Gabby Eissner, Community Organizer Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America St. Louis, MO
gabby@ifcla.net
Angie Blumel, President & CEO Jackson County CASA
Kansas City, MO ablumel@jacksoncountycasa-mo.org
Ellen Scholten, Site Director JCC Jewish Community Center
St. Louis, MO escholten@jccstl.org
Jane Callahan, Executive Director JF Roblee Foundation
St. Louis, MO jcallahan@robleefoundation.org
Crystal Faris, Deputy Director Youth & Family Engagement
Kansas City Public Library
Kansas City, MO crystalfaris@kclibrary.org
Wil Franklin, CEO
KC CARE Health Center Kansas City, MO wfranklin@kccare.org
Brian Schmidt, Executive Director Kids Win Missouri
Ballwin, MO bschmidt@kidswinmissouri.org
Susana Elizarraraz, Deputy Director Latinx Education Collaborative Kansas City, MO susana@latinxedco.org
Karina Arango, Director of Advocacy League of Student Advocates
St. Louis, MO
karina@sfstl.org
Marilyn McLeod, President
League of Women Voters of Missouri St. Louis, MO marilyn_mcleod@yahoo.com
Eston Mayfield, Director
Little Whitewater Baptist Church Food Pantry
Patton, MO estonmayfield@gmail.com
Anna Jordan-Douglass Owner Makefully, LLC
Kansas City, MO anna@makefullystudios.com
Erin Coppenbarger, Manager Maternal & Infant Health Initiatives March of Dimes
Saint Peters, MO ecoppenbarger@marchofdimes.org
Emily Stuart
Marillac Mission Fund St. Louis, MO emily.stuart@mmfstl.org
John Fierro, President & CEO Mattie Rhodes Center
Kansas City, MO jfierro@mattierhodes.org
Lora McDonald, Executive Director Metro Organization for Racial and Economic Equity
Kansas City, MO loramore2@yahoo.com
Rev. David Gerth, Executive Director Metropolitan Congregations United St Louis, MO
david@mcustl.com
Scott Meier – National Sales Manager Mid-West Family Broadcasting Springfield, MO smeier@mwfmarketing.fm
Kathy Pabst, Executive Director Missouri Academy of Family Physicians Jefferson City, MO
kpabst@mo-afp.org
Jake Hummel, President Missouri AFL-CIO Jefferson City, MO jakehummel@moaflcio.org
Hong Chartrand, AHEC Program Director Missouri AHEC Network
Kirksville, MO
hongchartrand@atsu.edu
Phyllis Pasley, Executive Director and Andrea Branstetter
Missouri Alliance for Arts Education Maryland Heights, MO director@moaae.org advocacy@moaae.org
Karrie Snider, President Missouri Association for the Education of Young Children Lee’s Summit, MOmoaeyc@moaeyc.org
Julie Peetz, Executive Director Missouri Association of Area Agencies on Aging
Jefferson City, MO jpeetz@ma4web.org
Mario Millsap, MSOT, OTR/L, President Missouri Black Occupational Therapy Caucus
mario.millsap@gmail.com
Amy Blouin, President & CEO Missouri Budget Project
St. Louis, MO ablouin@mobudget.org
Cheryl Robb-Welch, CEO
Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MOCADSV)
Jefferson City, MO cherylrw@mocadsv.org
Mary Chant, Executive Director Missouri Coalition for Children Jefferson City, MOmchant@mocoalitionforchildren.org
Vicky Davidson, Executive Director Missouri Developmental Disabilities Council
Jefferson City, MO vdavidson@moddcouncil.org
Tracey Bloch, Legislative Director Missouri Disability Empowerment Foundation
Rolla, MO tracey@moempower.org
Mandy Hagseth
Director of Policy and External Affairs Missouri Family Health Council Jefferson City, MO mhagseth@mfhc.org
KJ McDonald, Organizing Director Missouri Health Care for All
St. Louis, MO kj@mohealthcareforall.org
Richard von Glahn, Political Director Missouri Jobs with Justice
St. Louis, MO
richard@mojwj.org
Jessica Seitz, Executive Director Missouri KidsFirst
Jefferson City, MO jessicaseitz@missourikidsfirst.org
DeeAnn Aull, Executive Director Missouri NEA
Jefferson City, MO deeann.aull@mnea.org
Heidi N. Lucas, Executive Director Missouri Nurses Association Jefferson City, MO director@missourinurses.org
Missouri Occupational Therapy Association (MOTA)
Columbia, MO
drjjo2016@gmail.com
Nikole J Cronk, PhD, President Missouri Psychological Association Columbia, MO dr.nikki.cronk@gmail.com
Carla Wiese, President Missouri PTA Columbia, MO carlaw@mopta.org
Sandra Boeckman, Executive Director Missouri Public Health Association Jefferson City, MO SBoeckman@mopha.org
Tim Shryack, Board President Missouri Rural Health Association Jefferson City, MO tshryack@mo-ozarks.org
Karen Gridley, Executive Director Missouri Statewide Independent Living Council
Kansas City, MO
mosilc.ed@gmail.com
Julie Donelon, President & CEO MOCSA
Kansas City, MO jdonelon@mocsa.org
Angel McDonald, Executive Director Mother’s Refuge
Independence, MO Angel@MothersRefuge.org
Christina Gesmundo Simon NAMI St. Louis
St. Louis, MO cgesmundo@hotmail.com
Rev. Jenn Simmons
National Avenue Christian Church Springfield, MO pastorjenn@nationalavenuecc.com
Amy Kuo Hammerman,
State Policy Advocacy Chair
National Council of Jewish Women – St. Louis
St. Louis, MO akuo.hammerman@gmail.com
Anna Meyer, Senior Manager of Grassroots Advocacy
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Creve Coeur, MO
anna.meyer@nmss.org
Courtney Thomas Newhouse
Kansas City, MO courtney@newhousekc.org
Melinda Monroe, CEO
Nurses for Newborns
Saint Louis, MO melinda.monroe@nursesfornewborns.org
Tracy Russell, Executive Director Nurture KC
Kansas City, MO trussell@nurturekc.org
Mary Esselman, President & CEO Operation Breakthrough
Kansas City, MO marye@operationbreakthrough.org
Tim O’Reilly, CEO
O’Reilly Hospitality Management, LLC Springfield, Missouri 06.septal.backers@icloud.com
Velta Smith
Organization for Black Struggle St. Louis, MO contactus@obs-stl.org
Jennifer Olson, Executive Director
Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation Springfield, MO
jolson@oac.ac
Aimee Wehmeier, President Paraquad, Inc.
St. Louis, MO awehmeier@paraquad.org
Alison Gee, Vice President
Government & Community Engagement Parents as Teachers
St. Louis, MO alison.gee@parentsasteachers.org
Demaris Ridgell Patient Advisory Board St Ann, MO dridgell1@yahoo.com
Leslie Peck
Pecks Insurance and Financial Services, Inc Springfield, MO lpeck@pecksinsuranceandfinancial.com
Mark Sanford, Executive Director People’s Community Action Corporation St. Louis, MO msanford@phcenters.com
Ed Weisbart, MD
Physicians for a National Health Program – MO Chapter
Olivette, MO
missouri@pnhp.org
Vanessa Wellbery
Planned Parenthood Advocates of the
St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri St. Louis, MO vanessa.wellbery@ppslr.org
Kourtney Vincent-Woodbury
VP of Equity and Community Relations Planned Parenthood Great Plains Voteskourtney.vincentwoodbury@ppgreatplains. org
Terry Flowers
PNHP
Independence, MO terryflowers.hr676@gmail.com
LJ Punch, Executive Director Power4STL
St. Louis, MO drpunch@thetstl.com
Maggie Olivia
Pro Choice Missouri
St. Louis, MO maggie@prochoicemissouri.org
Anne Kraus,
Manager of Public Policy and Advocacy PROMO
Saint Louis, MO anne@promoonline.org
Katie Heiden-Rootes, PhD
Queer & Trans Wellness Clinic Saint Louis, MO katie.heidenrootes@health.slu.edu
Brenda Sharpe, President & CEO REACH Healthcare Foundation brenda@reachhealth.org
Bre-Ann Slay, Licensed Clinical Psychologist Reflect to Connect Psychology, LLC
Kansas City, MO DrBreSlay@reflecttoconnectpsychology.com
Emily Macdonald, Executive Director Regional Family Crisis Center Perryville, MO Director_RFCC@yahoo.com
Christy Moreno
Chief Community Advocacy & Impact Officer
Revolución Educativa
Kansas City, MO christy@revedkc.org
LaDonna Williams, Executive Director Rural Advocates For Independent Living Kirksville, MO
lwilliams@railkv.org
Jessica Hill, Executive Director Safe House of Southeast Missouri Cape Girardeau, MOjessica.hill@semosafehouse.org
Dr. Kanika Cunningham
Saint Louis County Department of Public Health
Berkeley, MO kcunningham@stlouiscountymo.gov
Dede Coughlin
St. Cronan Church St. Louis, MO
Mark A. Keeley, President/CEO St. Louis Arc
St. Louis, MO mkeeley@slarc.org
Muriel Smith, Executive Director St. Louis Area Diaper Bank
St. Louis, MO msmith@stldiaperbank.org
St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute St. Louis, MO
jessica.gerfen@uhsinc.com
Elizabeth George,
Director of Community Investment St. Louis Community Foundation St. Louis, MO egeorge@stlgives.org
Luka Cai, Executive Director
St. Louis Queer+ Support Helpline St. Louis, MO general@thesqsh.org
Angela Brown, CEO
St. Louis Regional Health Commission St. Louis, MO
abrown@stlrhc.org
Dr. Jumesha Wade
Start at Zero
Kansas City MO, MO jumesha@startatzero.org
Robin Winner, Co-Executive Director Synergy Services, Inc
Parkville, MO rwinner@synergyservices.org
Paula Neth, President and CEO The Family Conservancy
Kansas City, MO pneth@thefamilyconservancy.org
Brian Herstig, President & CEO The Jewish Federation of St. Louis St. Louis, MO bherstig@jfedstl.org
Dave Almeida
Regional Director- State Government Affairs
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society dave.almeida@lls.org
Will Jordan, Executive Director
Marissa Cohen Director of Education, Outreach, and Advocacy
The Metropolitan St. Louis Equal Housing & Opportunity Council
St. Louis, MO
wjordan@ehoc-stl.org mcohen@ehoc-stl.org
Michele Utt
The Missouri Association for Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health (MOAIMH-EC)
Kansas City, MO boardpresident@moaimh-ec.org
Emily Stuckey
The National Peer Recovery Alliance Lake Saint Louis, MO emily.stuckey@thearchwayinstitute.org
Dayna M. Stock, CEO
The Rome Group
St. Louis, MO dayna@theromegroup.com
Faith Sandler, Executive Director
The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis St. Louis, MO
faith@sfstl.org
Tonya Lewis Executive Director Tri-County Center for Independent Living Rolla, MO
tneal52@yahoo.com
Elizabeth Shelton, Executive Director Robin Koetting, Read to Succeed Program Manager
United Way of Southeast Missouri
Cape Girardeau, MO elizabeth.shelton@unitedwayofsemo.org robin.koetting@unitedwayofsemo.org
Greg Burris, President & CEO United Way of the Ozarks Springfield, MO gburris@uwozarks.org
Darlene Sowell President & CEO Unleashing Potential
St Louis, MO
dsowell@upstl.org
Alexandra Rankin
Associate Director of State Policy Upstream USA arankin@upstream.org
Matt Pagnotti, State & Local Government Relations Director
Vivent Health matthew.pagnotti@viventhealth.org
Alleigh Emmendorfer Voices for Children Cape Girardeau, MO alleighe75@gmail.com
Sharon Hileman, Executive Director Voices for Children/CASA of Southeast Missouri
Cape Girardeau, MO shileman@voicesforchildrensemo.org
Marjorie Moore, Executive Director VOYCE
St. Louis, MO mmoore@voycestl.org
Sabrina Davis APRN-PMHNP, MSN Executive Director
WalkNFaith
Saint Louis, MO sabrina@walknfaith.org
Rev. Dr. Mark R. Miller Westminster Presbyterian Church Saint Louis, MO pastor5300@sbcglobal.net
Christina Donald, Senior Vice President Programs and Advocacy
Wyman
Eureka, MO christina.donald@wymancenter.org
Pat Holterman-Hommes, CEO Youth In Need, Inc.
Saint Charles, MO phommes@youthinneed.org
Danielle Stewart
YWCA Head Start
Saint Louis, MO dstewart_25@yahoo.com
Brady Hays is a 2023 graduate of the University of Missouri with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a minor in History. He is currently attending the University of Missouri School of Law and is on pace to graduate with his JD in 2026. He has been working for the Missouri Times since early March 0f 2022.