(RNN) – Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner took a swig of chocolate milk to show his commitment to diversity and punctuate an analogy at a Black History Month event this week in Chicago.
“It was really, really good,” he said.
Rauner was onstage with Tyronne Stoudemire, Hyatt Hotels’ vice president of diversity and inclusion, at the event. Stoudemire attempted to illustrate the benefits of diversity by pouring a glass of milk, adding chocolate syrup and then mixing it up.
In a video posted to the Chicago Tribune’s website, Rauner drinks the milk and exclaims: “It was really, really good. Diversity!”
Stoudemire explained the glass of plain milk was meant to illustrate corporate America, dominated in the executive ranks by white men. “If you look at any corporate website and look at its leadership team, you’ll see all white men, a few white women, and just maybe an Asian in technology,” Stoudemire said.
The chocolate syrup, he said, “represents diversity.”
“It’s not that organizations are not diverse,” he said. “But when you look at most organizations, diversity sits at the bottom of the organization. You don’t get inclusion until you actually stir it up.”
“Diversity is the mix, and inclusion is making the mix work,” Stoudemire continued. “And it actually tastes pretty good.”
Stoudemire concluded: “So that little illustration helps us to understand it is our differences that blend together that create sustainable and long-lasting results.”
The Tribune reported Stoudemire said Rauner wasn’t aware in advance the demonstration was going to happen. It is apparently a long-running part of Stoudemire’s public-speaking engagements.
“I give him credit for his willingness to step up and put himself out there … he could have said, ‘No,’” Stoudemire said.
Copyright 2018 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
