Under Governor Northam’s leadership, Virginia now requires all state agencies and state higher-education institutions to establish and maintain a comprehensive plan for diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Governor Northam established the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and appointed the country’s first Cabinet-level Chief Diversity Officer.
Virginia saw removal of statues dedicated to lost causes, thanks to partnership between Governor Northam, the General Assembly, and the Office of Attorney General Mark Herring.
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These include the statue of Robert E. Lee on Monument Avenue in Richmond (the largest Confederate monument in the country), the statue of Harry Byrd Sr. on Capitol Square, the Robert E. Lee statue at the United States Capitol, and the Arch honoring Confederate Jefferson Davis at Fort Monroe. Governor Northam signed legislation to give localities the authority to remove monuments.
Virginia established user-friendly dashboards to provide a snapshot of the progress made across the COVID-19 response, and to assess social determinants of health and other factors contributing to health equity.
Virginia created the Office of New Americans to promote the economic and civic success of Virginia’s diverse immigrant communities.
Governor Northam delivered the most diverse slate of appointments to state boards and commissions in Virginia history.
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Virginia established the first-ever African American Advisory Board and the first-ever LGBTQIA+ Advisory Board to advise and produce policy recommendations to the Governor.
Governor Northam is the first to have installed constituency-specific outreach directors and regional leaders to elevate the voices of historically-excluded communities .
Virginia negotiated and passed a bipartisan regulatory reform bill to reduce or streamline regulatory requirements by 25% over three years.