Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) hosted her third Cafecito con Catherine as part of her mentorship series to discuss challenges faced by minority congressional staffers in an effort to improve and help advance their career opportunities. Cortez Masto was joined by Senator Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif.) to meet with African American female staffers to hear their perspective and talk about their ideas. In March and in May, Cortez Masto met with Latina Senate staffers and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) staffers respectively to highlight the need for succession planning by partnering with organizations to ensure women and students of color have access to internship and employment opportunities in Congress.
“I have always said that government should be as diverse as the people we represent, and one of the ways we can best emulate this principle is by making sure our congressional staffers are as diverse as the people we serve back home,” said Cortez Masto. “It is equally important that we are not only prioritizing diversity in hiring, but also in promoting diversity in leadership positions. I had the pleasure of hearing directly from African American staffers on what we can do to improve the lack of representation and upward mobility in congressional offices. I look forward to working with Senator Harris on concrete solutions to tear down any barriers to success.”
“Our diversity is our strength and our power – it’s what makes America unique,” said Harris. “I’m proud my staff reflects the communities of the constituents we serve. Increasing the number of staff people of color will ensure all perspectives are considered in the legislative process and lead to better outcomes.”
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