More than 20 black White House aides have left the Biden administration since the end of last year, an exodus that some have dubbed “Blaxit,” according to a new report.
While some of the outgoing staff members have left in good condition to seek additional professional or educational opportunities, others have attributed the rotation to the lack of tutoring and opportunities, Politico reported on Tuesday, citing nine current black officials and old White House.
“We are here and we are doing a lot of work, but we are not responsible for making decisions and there is no real way to become decision makers,” a current employee told the media. “There are no real comments and no clear path to any kind of promotion.”
“Overall, it took a lot of black people to get started without ever establishing an infrastructure to retain them or help them succeed,” another current official said. “If you don’t have a clear infrastructure for how to succeed, you become so invisible in this space that if you weren’t there.”
Some “people have not had the best experiences and much of this has to do with the death of the black leadership,” a former official agreed. “Think about any job. Blacks need a person to go to, to work out strategies and be a mentor, and we just don’t have that many people who can be mentors to us.”
The first departure of a senior black administration official came in December, when Vice President and Chief Spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris, Symone Sanders, left for a concert with MSNBC.
According to sources, more than 20 black White House aides have left the Biden administration since the end of last year. SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images
Harris chief of staff Tina Flournoy, communications director Ashley Etienne and chief of public engagement Vincent Evans, as well as White House chief of public engagement Cedric Richmond, joined the rush for the exit. .
Other members of the outgoing White House staff include public participation assistant Carissa Smith, gender policy assistant Kalisha Dessources Figures, senior National Security Council director Linda Etim, digital engagement director Cameron Trimble , Associate Attorney Funmi Olorunnipa Badejo, Chief of Staff Advisers Elizabeth Wilkins and Niyat Mulugheta, Press Assistant Natalie Austin, National Economic Council Assistants Joelle Gamble and Connor Maxwell, and Assistant Presidential Staff Danielle Okai , Reggie Greer and Rayshawn Dyson.
These outings are unlikely to be the last either: White House officials told Politico that White House Deputy Attorney Danielle Conley and Assistant Council of Economic Advisers Saharra Griffin are also expected to leave. administration soon.
Of all the officials who have left the administration, Richmond’s departure for a position on the Democratic National Committee seems to have been particularly affected. A former White House aide described the former Louisiana congressman as a “core” for black staff, while a current official described him as a “big brother” and “the voice of those people.” he added that Richmond left left-wing aides “a little nervous”. . ”
Other black White House employees have been frustrated by what they say is a lack of focus on issues they consider important to the African American community.
White House Deputy Minister Danielle Conley and Council of Economic Advisers Saharra Griffin are also expected to leave the administration soon. Getty Images
“The issues that are the top priority for our community are no longer at the top of the administration’s priority list,” a current attendee told Politico. “When 10 blacks were killed in a grocery store [in Buffalo]It’s like always and no one stops to say, ‘Are you okay?’ ”
“We were given the mandate to execute all the things we promised and not only are we not fulfilling on this front, but we are also not delivering the staff that came in on the basis of that promise,” another stream said. said the official at the dam. “People go home with their families or their communities, and what can they specifically point out? They can’t even point to their own experiences as positive.”
Others have cited relatively low wages as the driving force behind the outflows.
Richmond told Politico that “a lot of people have been in this routine [for a while] … A slower pace of work and a better salary become more attractive ”.
“For young African-American employees who can earn this kind of salary, it not only changes their situation, but the situation of their family,” he added.
According to the report, salaries for initial White House jobs start at around $ 48,000.
“The salary in the White House is not traditionally very good and many blacks in these roles do not come from wealthy families,” a black White House official said.
A large number of departures is not uncommon at the end of the first year of administration. While a large number have left the vice president’s staff, the west wing has seen several departures at all levels, including former press secretary Jen Psaki, who left her post for an early MSNBC concert. of this month.
The administration has defended the departures, with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the first black woman and LGBT person in office, telling Politico: “This is a normal time for the general rotation of any administration and “Black staff has been promoted at a faster rate than non-diverse staff.”
“The President is incredibly proud to have built what remains the most diverse White House staff in history, and is committed to continuing the historic representation of black staff and all communities,” he added.
Some employees have attributed relatively low wages to the White House as a driving force behind the departures. Tasos Katopodis / Getty Images
The White House also responded to allegations of lack of progress among black employees, and told the point of sale that 15% of that cohort was promoted last year. According to the report, approximately 14% of White House staff identify as black.
The White House did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for additional comments.