A newly surfaced video features Louisiana Republican Rep. Julia Letlow promising to establish a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) office at her previous university and advocate for hiring more “women of color” in leadership positions.
Letlow has publicly opposed “woke ideology” and has gained support from former President Donald Trump as she contests Senate incumbent Bill Cassidy. However, in a panel interview from 2020, Letlow, who was a candidate for the presidency at the University of Louisiana Monroe, discussed her intentions to promote diversity and recruit more women, especially “women of color,” into higher leadership roles.
“I think one of the first things I would do is establish a diversity, equity, and inclusion department on this campus, with a dedicated staff and leadership from top to bottom,” Letlow stated when asked about enhancing diversity at the university. “Having a strong department ensures that diversity, equity, and inclusion are prioritized before any significant decisions are made about the institution.”
Letlow described the university’s current diversity statistics as a “problem” and pointed out their inadequacy, deeming it “shameful.” She mentioned “unconscious bias,” referring to inherent biases people might hold without awareness. “There are many on this campus who don’t know about unconscious bias. Many have lived in Northeast Louisiana all their lives, so providing those educational insights here is crucial, and I’m dedicated to doing that,” she said.
She also emphasized the insufficient representation of black women in faculty positions, stating, “We have 8% African American female faculty on this campus. That’s not enough; it doesn’t reflect our student demographics. So, that’s my priority.” Letlow added, “Personally, it impacts me. We lack women in top positions, particularly women of color. I’m committed to changing that.”
Additionally, the university president remarked on the necessity of having diversity within their senior council to avoid “groupthink” and embrace a wider array of perspectives. “It’s time. It really is,” he noted.
While pursuing the presidency of ULM, Letlow characterized herself as a “strong, progressive leader” in a “Meet the Candidates” video. She acknowledged that the university continues to be influenced by the repercussions of racism. “The legacy of segregation still presents challenges today,” she explained. “Addressing these issues will require steadfast commitment and a long-term strategy to ensure all students and staff feel welcome and treated equitably.”
Letlow, formerly Barnhill, previously served as Ombudsperson and Special Projects Coordinator at ULM from 2007 to 2011, and then held various communication roles until her 2021 appointment. During her earlier tenure at the university, she seems to have pushed for textbooks that promoted critical race theory and other related ideologies.
For example, in spring 2011, Letlow (then Barnhill) taught a health communication course requiring a textbook that praised Hillary Clinton while criticizing the idea of “privilege” of “married straight men.” The book “Communicating Health” challenges the notion of a singular “truth” and embraces the thoughts of philosopher Michel Foucault, referring to him as a “Father of Awakening.” It examines topics like “privilege and marginalization,” especially regarding gender, race, and social class.
The course materials focus on critical race theory and “cultural sensitivity,” claiming that those knowledgeable in certain areas, like healthcare, can unintentionally “limit voices based on race or gender.” Students are trained to recognize their own biases to remediate disparities and are encouraged to engage with diverse health cultures outside their own experiences.
Reached for comments, Letlow’s campaign manager Parker Carey suggested that her opponents in the Louisiana primary lean towards woke politics. “The true narrative about DEI in this campaign starts with the individual who formalized it into federal law: Bill Cassidy,” Carey stated, mentioning Cassidy’s support of legislative measures that included DEI aspects.
“In contrast, Julia Letlow has devoted the last five years in Congress countering DEI and the woke agenda,” he asserted. “She drafted the Parents’ Bill of Rights, voted to exclude DEI from the military, and opposed Biden’s Title IX changes. Trump endorsed Julia for the U.S. Senate due to her loyalty to his America First policies.”
Despite her current positions, it’s noted that Letlow helped initiate DEI workshops and collaborated with anti-racism organizations during her time at ULM.
