Diversity in the workforce brings together best of America

Reflecting on Black History Month, I long for the day when the playing field is genuinely level for all Americans. The enduring impacts of slavery and systemic racism have created an unbalanced foundation that still affects the lives of countless Black individuals today.

Despite the progress made during Reconstruction, the civil rights movement, and the implementation of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives along with affirmative action, these efforts represent critical steps in the right direction to address our nation's ongoing struggle for a more perfect union. They recognize that justice and fairness require intentional effort.

However, we cannot overlook the legacies of Jim Crow and its modern counterpart — the "New Jim Crow"— that continue to perpetuate racial disparities in criminal justice, housing, employment and education. Even if the playing field were leveled today, Black Americans would still start from a position of disadvantage, as generations of systemic oppression have left lasting scars that cannot be erased overnight.

Efforts to dismantle DEI and affirmative action without addressing these structural barriers would be like stopping treatment for a disease while ignoring its root cause.

It is essential to recognize that these initiatives have benefited marginalized groups and strengthened the entire nation. By promoting the inclusion of the most talented individuals from diverse backgrounds, DEI and affirmative action have broadened the talent pool, fostering innovation and diverse perspectives across various industries, thereby driving progress in business, science, education and culture.

However, with the current federal administration cutting programs that support DEI, we face a serious risk of returning to an era when discrimination and exclusion were prevalent. Such rollbacks jeopardize decades of hard-won progress, making it increasingly challenging to foster an equitable society where everyone can thrive.

To genuinely honor the legacy of Black history, we must dedicate ourselves to dismantling these barriers and fostering a society where equity is integral to every institution. Only then can we imagine a future in which DEI and affirmative action become unnecessary because every American truly has an equal chance to succeed.

It’s important to remember that Black individuals have never asked for handouts or unfair advantages — they simply want a level playing field and an equal opportunity at the American dream, just like everyone else. As patriots, our goal should not be to "make America great again," but to continually strive for a more perfect union where fairness, justice and opportunity are accessible to all.

State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, D-Chicago

A case for following the science

I enjoyed reading the recent op-ed by Kari Steele, "Chicago River's reversal in 1900 was an 'engineering triumph' that transformed our city." Humans have been working together to improve their environment for millennia. The two key factors were the willingness to cooperate with one another for the common good and to understand the underlying science and engineering (which is applied science) sufficiently so that their ideas would work on paper via research.

Today, we are beset by many domestic problems related to pollution, overpopulation (food and water scarcity), pandemics and climate change. Similarly to what happened 125 years ago, we can solve these problems together, but we all have to support scientific research and work together to succeed.

Michael Pravica, Ph.D, Henderson, Nevada

Lawmakers must stand up to Trump

How can our representatives stand by and watch as Trump‘s incompetence destroys our country through his pre-planned manifesto? They must take action similar to Gov. JB Pritzker. Our representatives must act with the judiciary to save our country now.

Elynne Chaplik-Aleskow, Lake View