Does Rick Caruso Support DEI Programs?

By William Smart

The Trump Administration has launched a full-fledged campaign to Eliminate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs nationwide in academia, employment, contracting, finance and every aspect of society. Trump’s people argue these DEI programs give preferences to unqualified women and people of color. Obviously, nothing could be further from the truth! 

In their full-blown attack on Diversity. Equity and Inclusion, where does Rick Caruso stand? Caruso is a donor, booster and high-ranking member of the USC board of Trustees, so it’s reasonable to wonder where he stands. When USC was targeted by the Trump administration with  financial penalties, if they did not eliminate their diversity, equity and inclusion programs, did Rick Caruso fight to save those programs?

Recently, activist and author Earl Ofari Hutchinson wrote an article challenging Rick Caruso to speak out clearly and forcefully about where he stands on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs. As a high profile businessman and potential candidate for Mayor of Los Angeles, it’s reasonable to ask if Rick Caruso fought to protect diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at USC or worked with the Trump administration to cut DEI programs at USC?  

In fact, in the run up to the elections in 2026 before we endorse any candidate for Governor, Mayor, Senator, Congress or any local office, we need to get definitive support from each candidate to support and maintain diversity, equity and inclusion programs in California.

Our community should not support any candidate who is unwilling to publicly speak out against Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s unprecedented efforts to eliminate Black History from our schools, museums, and other institutions. In a little over 100 days they have banned the teaching of Black History in our schools, removed books by Black authors from library shelves, erased public memorials to Black trailblazers and punished institutions that practice diversity, equity, and inclusion.

I don’t know if Rick Caruso responded to Earl Ofari Hutchinson’s recent request to support the continuation of diversity, equity and inclusion programs at USC but we should take it one step further and ask he personally supports diversity, equity and inclusion programs and more importantly if he practices diversity, equity and inclusion within his own businesses? 

Our community deserves to know where potential candidates for public office stand on the critical issue of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Bio for Pastor William D. Smart Jr Rev. William D. Smart Jr. is the President and CEO of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) of Southern California. He is also Co-Pastor of the Christ Liberation Ministries in Los Angeles, where his wife serves as Senior Pastor. He recently served as Director of External Training and Outreach at the Los Angeles Alliance for A New Economy a nationally recognized nonprofit organization, where he worked for almost ten years.

Feature Image: Photo by RDNE Stock project