Equity initiatives for the Biden administration focus externally on services to the American public and internally on the federal government workforce. Having two executive orders to address issues of equity is extremely helpful, according to Kimberlyn Leary, senior equity fellow at the Office of Management and Budget and senior vice president at the Urban Institute.
- Leary said the executive orders are a “tremendous opportunity” for agencies and focus on delivering equitable outcomes in services, uncovering and mitigating any barriers to equity within programs and embedding equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility into federal hiring.
- Leary said the executive orders call for equity teams, stakeholder engagement and procedures to address harassment and increase inclusivity.
- She said one of the most exciting aspects of both executive orders is how they incorporate equity into deliverables like Agency Priority Goals, strategic plans, learning agendas and budget templates.
